December 16, 2010: Oliver’s Birth Story

“While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son.”  Luke 2:6

 

Oliver Andrew was 12 days overdue, and we were beginning to wonder if he was staying inside to avoid the cold weather!  He surpassed everyone’s predictions of his birth date.  Ed hoped he would be born on Pearl Harbor Day.  Karilyn and Brian hoped he’d be born on their birthdays.  I wanted to finish my Christmas shopping, and my mom wanted him to wait until she returned from Kansas.  I had more than enough time to scan his sonograms, bake cookies with Naomi, and get over a head cold.  I was eager for him to come, tired of endless itching, his feet in my ribs, and lying awake for hours every night.  Brad had taken 9 days off of work and had a substitute teaching job on Friday, so he wanted Oliver to come before or after that job.    Finally, Dr. Kim scheduled a check-up with me on December 16 at 12:00pm, during which he hoped to discuss inducing me.  I was not excited about this, and was hoping Oliver would arrive before the appointment.

 

On the morning of December 16, I awoke at 4:30am as usual, and went upstairs to sit in front of the fire, do my daily devotional, and read a book since I couldn’t sleep.  After greeting my dad and Josh as they came into the kitchen at 7:30am, I returned to bed and slept until 8:30am.

 

8:30am I woke up experiencing harder contractions, gradually growing closer together.  When they first began they were 19 minutes apart, then 17, then 15…

 

9:30am My mom called downstairs to say that a man was coming to install the new front door, so we should go ahead and get a shower if we wanted one.  I told Brad that the contractions were harder, and that this might be it.  I told him I was going to shower and get ready, and so he got ready too.

 

10:00am-11:30am Brad and I showered, got dressed, got Naomi dressed, gathered our bags and toiletries, and ate breakfast.  We called my mom and asked her to come home from Bible Study to babysit Naomi.  Then we called Dr. Kim, my Dad, and Brad’s parents.  The contractions were steadily growing harder, but were irregular in timing.

 

11:30am-12:00pm Brad drove me to the hospital.  My contractions were 5 minutes apart, but I was not screaming in the car as I had with Naomi.  In fact, I didn’t scream at all until the last moments of delivery.  The traffic was slow-moving due to the snow which was coming down faster and sticking to the ground.  Eventually 3-4 inches would cover the landscape.  Traffic was at a stand-still a few miles from the hospital.  Brad and I contemplated driving on the shoulder, but traffic began to move again slowly after a few minutes.

 

12:00pm-12:52pm When we arrived at the hospital, we were taken to registration, which surprised me since I had pre-registered (twice) in the weeks before my due date.  Brad took advantage of the valet parking, but otherwise things seemed to be moving in slow motion compared to Naomi’s birth.  We decided later that perhaps it was because I was so calm, as compared to my screaming arrival for Naomi’s delivery.  Anyhow, Brad pushed my wheelchair, juggling some of our bags, while I had the others on my lap.  After registration, I was weighed, and then taken to Triage.  Brad and I looked at one another puzzled, because we knew we should be on our way to Delivery.  In Triage I changed my clothes and the nurse was about to hook me up to some monitors.  After a few contractions though, she decided to measure my dilation instead.  We had to laugh when she yelled down the hallway, “We have a 6!”  I was ushered immediately to Delivery.

 

In Delivery, I climbed on the bed while Brad sat our luggage down on the floor across from me.  My nurse, aptly named “Angel,” stuck a needle in my wrist for fluids, and then left us alone.  As she left, she told me I could walk around or get down off the bed if that would be more comfortable.  Brad helped me through each contraction, watching the monitors, helping with my breathing, and holding my hands across the bed while I squatted next to it.  At one point tears ran down my cheeks, but otherwise it was pretty quiet.  The hardest contractions did not seem as painful as they had with Naomi.  Angel reentered and asked me to tell her when I was ready to push.  I answered, “Umm…I guess that would have been at the last contraction.”  Angel suggested I get up on the bed again so she could measure me.  She said I was 8cm dilated, and I leaned forward to push again.

 

Dr. Kim arrived then and asked me to lean back so that he could check me.  He informed me that the baby’s head was right there, ready to go.  He broke my water, and immediately I screamed in pain as the baby surged outward.  I told Brad to come over near my head, and he leaned close thinking I wanted to tell him something.  Instead I wrapped my arms around his head, and hung onto his neck while I pushed.  Dr. Kim told Brad he wanted him to hold my legs while I pushed, and Brad answered, “I can’t!  She’s got me!”  He talked me into letting go, and then held one of my legs for the delivery.  The baby was coming so fast that Dr. Kim had to perform an episiotomy immediately without anesthesia.

 

12:52pm Oliver Andrew was born!  He weighed 9lb 10oz, had a 14.5 inch head, and was 21 inches long.  He was born 52 minutes after we registered at the hospital.  Brad says I’m “a beast” for delivering 2 babies in under an hour.  (Naomi was born 43 minutes after we arrived at the hospital).  There was no meconium this time, so after Dr. Kim delivered Oliver, he placed him right in my arms.  Oliver was wiggling and noisy with his eyes wide open looking around.  He was still slimy, so I blotted his skin with the blanket they wrapped around him.  Because he was so long overdue, his fingers and toes were very wrinkly, so we dubbed him our “little old man.”  We studied his light brown hair, big blue eyes, and chubby cheeks.  After a few minutes they took him behind the curtain to clean him up, and I realized what no one had told me.  I turned to Dr. Kim, and said, “Were we right?  Is it a boy?”  Dr. Kim laughed and said, “Yes, he is a boy.”  (He was wrapped up in the blanket, so I didn’t notice).  While they cleaned up Oliver, Dr. Kim dealt with the afterbirth, gave me a local anesthesia, and then stitched me up.  On his way out of the room, Dr. Kim paused and said, “Congratulations.” And then, almost to himself, he said, “Big baby.  Very big baby.”

 

1:00pm Angel allowed me to shower in the Delivery bathroom before moving me to Recovery.  Brad helped me to get cleaned up and also videotaped Oliver’s first bath and vaccinations.  Oliver nursed like a champion, and needed no coaxing.  In fact, he chomped down so hard that I wondered if he’d ever let go!  Thanks to the snow outside and the traffic, it took my dad 40 minutes to get from his clinic (2 exits away) to the hospital.  My mom, Josh, and Naomi arrived over an hour later, also delayed by the weather.  They found Oliver sleeping peacefully and sucking his thumb.

 

I recovered much faster and with much less pain from Oliver’s birth compared to Naomi’s birth.  We came home on Saturday, and even went to church on Sunday!  I think the speed of delivery and recovery made it much easier for me to enjoy Oliver’s birth and arrival, and to transition from one child to two.  I was once again, and am always, blessed by how Brad humbly served me throughout and performed many tedious tasks for my benefit.  We spent many wonderful moments together praying over our new baby boy and celebrating our Christmas miracle.  What a blessed gift Oliver Andrew is to us, and what a wonderful way to celebrate our Savior’s birth!

 

“For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counseller, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.”  Isaiah 9:6

May 21, 2011: Dear Oliver

Oliver 5 months

Dear Oliver,

When your father and I found out that we were pregnant with you, we were overjoyed.  We were doing our dream jobs, Naomi was happy and healthy, and we were eager for her to have a sibling close to her age.  On the other hand, we did have some worries.  We had just gone on half salary, and money was really tight.  We wondered if there would be enough money to return us to full salary in the near future.  Older adults in our lives worried over us, and whether your dad’s job could sustain a young family of four.

During your pregnancy, things went from bad to worse.  Instead of returning to full salary as hoped, your dad was laid off from his job.  We reluctantly packed up our apartment, and moved back to Maryland, into your grandparents’ basement.  Our pride hit an all-time low.  We applied for WIC (for groceries) and Medicaid (for health care).  Even with four advanced degrees between the two of us, your father and I found ourselves depending on others for food and shelter.  I often forgot that I was pregnant in the madness of moving, looking for work, and raising a toddler.

On top of these other things, predictions about you abounded.  The second child (a boy) in my family was a handful…an active child with poor napping habits and a penchant for mischief.  The second child in your father’s family (himself) was also famous for his shenanigans.  Despite Naomi’s good sleeping habits, healthy appetite, and pleasant nature, everyone seemed convinced that you would be her complete and total opposite.  On a warm afternoon in July we saw a little boy swimming inside of me, and we wondered what adventures parenting you would bring.

Yet on a cold and snowy December morning, you entered our lives.  It was love at first sight.  Of course, who wouldn’t love a baby who came so quickly and easily!  When I heard your lusty cry, and held you in my arms for the first time, all my worries evaporated.  Like your name Oliver, you brought peace to our lives.  You nursed firmly without instruction, and (aside from some nighttime diapering issues) you were sleeping through the night by 2 months.

Today you are 5 months and 5 days old.  As I type you are sitting up on the floor next to me, without assistance.  You laugh when I make noises, and startle when I say “Boo!”  You smack your lips as you suck on your first tooth.  Your hair has a distinctive cowlick across the right side of your forehead, and you have a birthmark on the front of your left shoulder.  You remind me of a chubby little cherub with your sturdy legs and round blonde head.  You kick your feet when you sit up, and stare at everything around you.  You don’t chatter as much as Naomi, but you seem to absorb everything that happens.

Despite your obvious affection for me and for Daddy, Naomi is your favorite person.  When we go in her room in the morning, your face lights up as you see her.  When she eats, you want to sit on my lap, waving your arms and grinning at her.  When she cries or screams, you cry or scream too.  When she is too rowdy, you shoot us a worried look.  She plays “peekaboo” with you and fakes a sneeze to make you laugh.  She picks up your toys and hands them to you, and begs to hold you.  You’re the first person she asks for every morning, and she is always concerned for your well-being.  She always insists that we hold your hand too when we pray before eating.

You are constantly smiling.  In fact, it’s already hard to remember a time when you weren’t smiling!  Even in the middle of the night or first thing in the morning, you grin at me.  You have an adorable chuckle, and you are very ticklish.  You’ll sleep anywhere, in the middle of all kinds of noise.  Now that you can reach for things, you’ll sit on my lap and reach for my food or my keyboard.  When I hold you, you gnaw on my fingers or shoulder or jawbone, and when I kiss you, you open your mouth wide.  When I lay you down, you roll over immediately, reaching for whatever you can see.

I think that God knew which baby I needed when each of you was born.  When we moved to Minnesota, Naomi’s joyful chatter kept me company and her outgoing nature helped me to make new friends.  When we moved back to Maryland and our whole world seemed to be crumbling, your peaceful and content personality reminded me to slow down and be thankful for our blessings.

Oliver, thank you for coming into our lives.  Although some might say it was bad timing, we have not regretted you for a moment.  May you bless others as richly as you have already blessed us.

Love,

Mommy

 

 

 

Liquid Gold

Yesterday morning, I was awake bright and early, but Oliver was not.  He slept through the night!  There was much rejoicing, and then the realization that I had an opportunity at hand.  So, I grabbed the breast-pump, and VOILA!  Free food for Oliver.

Now I know my breast-pump may appear a bit primitive to those of you who have purchased the hands-free versions.  But this little pump was FREE!

That’s right–the staff at the hospital gave me this pump as a parting gift after Oliver’s delivery.  In fact, I have two pumps, with two bottles each, from the births of my two children.  So what if I my hands get a little more exercise than with the more upscale versions?  I don’t mind.  For me, this milk equals a night on the town with my handsome husband, or an afternoon of shopping without the kids in tow.  It’s liquid gold!

 

50 Ideas to Inspire Your Husband

I recently bookmarked this link from Family Life by Janel Breitenstein. I’ve heard the story at the beginning before, and it always makes me smile.  A wife has the power to uplift, encourage, and help her husband to reach his fullest God-given potential.  Here are some of my favorite ideas from her list:

  • Send him an e-mail. “Praying for you today. Thanks for being so courageous in ___.”
  • Ask God to open your eyes to the ways He has made your husband unique, and to give you wisdom about how to maximize that workmanship.
  • Create a cheerful atmosphere when he comes home.
  • Pray about and pursue at least one dream of your own, talking with him about it. An inspired wife breeds inspiration.
  • What’s difficult about his life right now? Pray for his endurance, and encourage him specifically. Galatians 6:9 is a great start for both. Think, What can I do to ease the load he’s carrying?
  • Let him overhear you speaking well of him on the phone, among friends, or in public places. And to your mother.
  • Give him one night on a regular basis to do something he loves.
  • Tell him what a great dad he is. Be specific.
  • With quality, complete something from his to-do list for him—something that he’d rather have you do anyway.
  • Pray for him.

Do you have any suggestions to add to her list?

May 6, 2011: Prayer for Today

He replied, “You of little faith, why are you so afraid?” Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm.  Matthew 8:26

Jesus,

I spend so much of my time worrying, wondering what the future will hold.  Will Brad get the job he wants?  Will he go back to college?  Will he get a teaching certificate?  Will we move out of my parents’ basement soon, or will we be here indefinitely?

A lot of my worrying is based on fear.  Fear of not having enough money, fear what other people think, and fear of the next big crisis.  I want security and predictability.  Yet you didn’t promise these things.

Help me to have confidence in your ability to calm the wind and the waves.  Take away my worries and fears, and replace them with peace and joy for today.  Thank you for perfect love that drives out fear.

Love,

Jessie

“There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.” 1 John 4:18

How to Cut Your Husband’s Hair

As I have said before, one of the ways that I save money is by cutting our family’s hair.  For Christmas a few years ago, I asked my parents for hair clippers.  I knew my mother would make a good choice because she’s been cutting my dad’s hair since they were dating!  It took some convincing, but Brad finally gave in and let me learn on his hair.  Obviously these techniques will work on any men in your life, not just your husband!

Clippers, Guides, Scissors, & Combs

1. GATHER YOUR SUPPLIES:

Before you get started, check to make sure you have all your supplies.  I have a WAHL Home Haircutting Clip’N Trim.  Set out your scissors and combs, preferably out of the reach of any toddlers.  I also prefer to have my cup of coffee nearby if it’s first thing in the morning.  🙂

2. CREATE A HAIR-CUTTING CHAIR:

We keep old bed sheets around our house for messy projects.  I laid one sheet on the floor, draped a second sheet over the chair, and wrapped a third sheet around Brad’s shoulders.  I prefer to set up my hair-cutting chair in the living room in front of the television (set to ESPN) so that Brad will sit patiently while I work!

Hair-cutting chair

3. WORK FROM LARGE TO SMALL:

If you look at your hair clipper guides, you will notice numbers on them.  Begin by attaching the largest numbers first, and working your way to the smallest.

Clipper Guides #2, #4, #8

Many men know what numbers they prefer, and can help you to learn what they like.  Brad prefers #8 for his entire head, #4 for the back of his head, and #2 for his sideburns.  So I cut everything with #8, then go back over the back with #4, and the sideburns with #2.

Brad’s hair “BEFORE”

Beginning with Guide #8 on Top

Guide #4 on the Back

Finished with the Guides!

4. TOUCH-UP WITH SCISSORS AND COMB:

As you can tell in the photo above, I still have some touching-up to do.  I use the comb and scissors to shorten and straighten the hairline around Brad’s ears, neck, and forehead.

Trimming Around the Ears

Trimming Around the Forehead

5. TOUCH-UP WITH HAIR-CLIPPERS:

After I’ve touched-up the hairline, I like to go back with the trimmers (no guide this time) and trim the back of his neck.  It gives the hair cut a finished look, and it looks cleaner along his collar.

Trimming Around the Neck

6. VOILA!  YOU’RE FINISHED!

Now send your handsome husband to the shower to rinse off the loose hair.  He can also touch up his sideburns and shave while he’s rinsing off.  Sweep up the loose hair with a dustpan and brush.  Shake the hair out of the old bed sheets around your garden (to keep deer away from your vegetables).  Then wash the bed sheets.  Put away your supplies, and finish your cup of coffee.  Great work!

Brad’s hair “AFTER”

This Week’s Free Stuff!

I absolutely LOVE going to the mailbox ever since I started applying for freebies on-line.  I never know what I’ll find there!  Going to the mailbox is also a short and fun outing for Naomi.  We walk down the lawn holding hands (discussing the importance of holding hands and the dangers of cars), we greet the mailman, we open and close the magnetic mailbox, and we carry the mail back into the house together.

This week we received two free Mother’s Day cards from Tiny Prints

A Febreze Home Collection Wooden Wick Candle and Flameless Luminary…

And a sample of Fiber Choice!

Much thanks to Money Saving Mom for spotting these freebies for us!  What free stuff have you received recently?

How to Thin your Toddler’s Bangs

One of the ways I save money is by cutting our family’s hair!  Naomi has been my willing (and sometimes unwilling!) guinea pig in this hair-styling journey.  She is a typical active toddler, with very straight hair.  Her bangs, which I first cut at 14 months, have become too thick and have begun to dominate her face.  I wanted thinner bangs, so my mom and I set aside some time this morning.

  1. Choose a time when your toddler is in a good mood.Naomi had just waken up and had breakfast, a time when she is usually cheerful.

    Naomi’s Thick (and Long) Bangs

  2. Collect your supplies:Scissors, Comb, Squirt Bottle.  You might also want something small to keep your toddler’s hands occupied.  We let Naomi play with the squirt bottle.

    Naomi loved the squirt bottle!

  3. Choose a location that is well-lit and allows you to work comfortably while standing. We chose to sit Naomi on the kitchen counter.
  4. Comb your toddler’s hair. (You might want to bathe her prior to the haircut if her hair is sticky or especially messy.)

    Naomi’s Wet Thinned Bangs

  5. Use the comb to separate the hair closest to the hairline in a horizontal line.  Pull the rest of the hair back in a top pony-tail. This will allow you to cut less bangs, and allow the rest of the bangs to grow out and rejoin the rest of the hair.
  6. Wet the bangs using the squirt bottle.
  7. Trim the bangs using the scissors.

    Naomi’s Dry Bangs After Her Bath

  8. Bathe your toddler afterward to remove stray hairs from the face and shoulders.
  9. Repeat! You’ll want to do this at least once a month until the thick bangs grow out enough to be combed aside with the rest of the hair.

 

Do you have any great hair-styling solutions for tight budgets?

 

 

Less is More: Lessons From Our Little Basement Apartment

One of my favorite blogs to follow is MoneySavingMom.com.  Below is an excerpt from one of my favorite articles by Crystal.  It perfectly describes our life for the past few years!

“During those years, we lived in a little basement apartment that only had four windows on one side. I could plug the vacuum cleaner into one outlet and vacuum the entire apartment without ever switching outlets.

It would have been easy to have been swallowed up in despair and I won’t pretend there weren’t moments when I felt sorry for myself or wished we could be living in a little better circumstances. However, I decided, with God’s help, to try and make the most of what might seem like a less-than-ideal situation.”

To read the rest of this article and more by Crystal, visit Money Saving Mom!

Redecorating Our Basement Apartment

Our Basement Room

I wish I had a “BEFORE” picture to show you!  Things look very different around here.  I spent yesterday morning redecorating our basement room.  There is only so much redecorating you can do when you don’t own the home where you live, but I try to make the best possible use of our space.  Here is what I did yesterday:

  1. I moved Oliver’s pack ‘n’ play from beside our bed to the closet.  This is where it was originally, but he wouldn’t sleep in there, so we had moved it out temporarily.  Well, “temporarily” became 4 months!  So now it’s back in the closet again.
  2. I moved the giant tub of Caleb’s hand-me-downs out of the closet and into our truck.  I need to return the sizes that we’re done using anyway, and that will free up a lot of space!
  3. I moved the desk that was under the television to the left, making it a computer desk.  Brad had been doing his computer work on top of a pile of files and boxes!
  4. I moved the pile of files and boxes (center) to where Oliver’s dresser had been sitting.
  5. I moved Oliver’s dresser to the right, making it a television stand.  This move also made the television higher, easier to see, and out of Naomi’s reach!
  6. After all my moves, I vacuumed too.

 

The redecorating was a big hit!  Brad loved that he could now get to his side of the bed without tripping over Oliver’s pack ‘n’ play, and that we now have a computer desk for each of us.  Oliver now has a separate “room” and Naomi has more room to play.  Success!

Oliver's "Room" in the Closet

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