People probably wonder what we do all day, especially since my husband is in Korea. We have seven more months until he comes home and we move. In 2009 our schedule and days will be different because Daddy will be much more included, obviously. For now though, I have found that having a good, flexible and expected schedule in everything, makes for a faster, more productive day. I am into a good groove now, since I moved in, in April, and got everything organized, including the whole entire basement (which I wanted to do in the summer while it was hot). Now that everything that was in that semi-truck trailer (a better word, is "thrown" into the semi-trailer), is in a real home and organized (which I spent all summer doing, literally), it feels great, just to be normal! :)
I am normally a very organized person, anyway. I would get everything done that needed done in the day, and sometimes more. I get a thrill in crossing off stuff on my to-do list. I cannot usually be idle. I will lay on the couch for ten minutes and it is HARD for me to do it. Certain days of the month force me to be on the couch most of the day, and I guess that is nature's and God's way of slowing me down. My friend Linda says I am "a machine", and my friend Lori says I am "so organized". My mom says I am "too organized"! I feel those things are true, but it would do me good to probably slow down a bit, so I try to schedule down-times for myself, during Abbie and Sheldon's nap.
However, even though I am organized, I have never had a time schedule. I was forced to do this though, after I began watching my nephew 3-5 days a week. He and Sheldon are only 9 months apart (Sheldon being the older), so it was a chore to try to get everyone fed and get their naps and play times to coincide. I had to have a schedule out of shear need and MY sanity! It has been a great experience, so I thought I would share what our schedule is, and how it works.
I get up at 6:00 am, now. On some mornings when I know I do not have much to do that day I will sleep in until 6:30 (which is my comfortable rising time, anyway....6:00 is pushing it a little). And sometimes, when I am totally exhausted I do not get up until the kids get up. Sheldon or Abbie climb in my bed for cuddle time, which is a special treat for me and them. Zane loves to sleep so he is sometimes not up until 8:00, but usually 7:30.
But, for the most part, I am up at 6:00. Between 6 and 7:30, I have a set list of things I do. It doesn't matter how much time is devoted to each thing, as long as they are done between that time. I get up and go feed my horse. I sometimes ride her down our easement driveway, to the road, and back to the barn. I jog after that (I am working up slowly to getting to the road without feeling like I am going to die). Right now, I am as far as Lori's driveway, which is two thirds to the road! :) In the house, I start a small pot of coffee, take a quick bath, dress, and read my Bible, and pray while I drink my coffee. On the days that I get up later, I skip riding my horse, jogging and the bath, which are not all that important to me, because I can do them later. For instance, the kids and I ride Hope after school sometimes, and I take a bath at night instead of in the morning. The jogging is not really that important. I am just doing it to build up my cardio, and I can do it if I want to, during naptime.
By 7:30 the kids are up. I help them dress, and they attempt to make their beds. I help them to see where the bed is not made correctly every morning, in hopes that eventually, they can do it perfectly. Abbie is very efficient in making her bed, though! She is a horrible wiggle worm in the night and sometimes the bed is beyond her ability to fix but I make her try. Zane can do it, but I have to help him get it perfectly smooth and nice looking. Sheldon throws away his diaper and that is really the only chore he does in the morning. Mostly he runs around like a maniac in the morning. I make his bed for him.
Between 7:30 and 10:00 am we eat breakfast, do household chores, and morning devotion. While I make breakfast, Zane and Abbie unload the dishwasher. They take turns on who gets to stand on the counter. The other one hands up the dishes, to the one on the counter. Zane feeds the cat and Abbie feeds the dog. We eat and then start chore time, which is a good hour or hour and a half (sometimes more). On cereal/oatmeal mornings we do more chores, than on a morning where we eat Waffles or a bigger breakfast. We only need about 15-20 min to do our morning devotion, which we do after chores. If we do it before chores, it breaks up the routine too much. If we do chores right after breakfast, we have a good break between chores and schooltime to sit together on the couch and do devotions. Ashton usually comes at either 7:30 or 9:30, so we work him into the schedule. He has a 2nd breakfast with us, and then plays while we clean.
We have chores we have to do everyday. Some we have to do weekly, and some are monthly or bi-monthly. The kids help with most of these. I want my kids to learn to enjoy chores, so that when they are older, they will be efficient. When they are littler they think it is fun, so this is the perfect time to teach them. Right after breakfast I load the dishwasher, and after every other meal. At night I start the dishwasher before bed. As far as daily chores go, we have to do one load of laundry everyday. I put a load in right before breakfast. Later I put it in the dryer. Zane puts the dry clothes in a basket and brings them up from the basement. We all, except Sheldon, fold together on the couch. The kids do towels, underwear, and find sock mates. Abbie knows how to fold t-shirts and small pants already. Zane just likes the towels and underwear, so I let him do those, mostly. I have to sweep everyday, but I can sometimes do it every other day. Sheldon's chore is to follow me around with dust pan, as our floor is very big. I throw the dirt away and give the dustpan back to him. We do a weekly chore every morning, as well. Once the snow comes, Monday will be the day we bring firewood up from under the deck (we have a daylight basement with double doors out to the wood pile which is under the deck), and stack it in the house for the week. We have a large area for stacking near our wood stove. We do Art on Mondays, so besides wood, we do not have a weekly chore assigned to Monday. We have to have extra time for Art and clean-up. Tuesday we sweep and Mop the floor and make/edit the grocery list and menu plan, for the next two weeks. The kids get to play upstairs on Tuesdays, while I mop, if they have helped with the daily chores. Wednesday I vacuum the upstairs and balance the checkbooks. I also sometimes do any bill organizing this day. On the 1st and 15th of the month, I do the Family Budget and major bill-paying, and re-lay the budget to James, via instant message....that way we do not spend much of our phone time talking about the budget. I just leave him a long, detailed message on instant messaging that he can read the next time he logs on. On Thursday we dust and wash our three sliding glass doors (inside and out). The kids do the majority of these chores, as these are there favorites. We use lots of Murphy's Oil soap and Windex! :) Abbie loves to dust. I just fill the mop bucket with warm water and MO soap and she has a little cloth that she dips in and rings out and cleans everything with. She even washes the legs of my computer chair which get dusty. She is a wonderful helper! Zane usually has more patience for window washing but he sometimes switches with Abbie, and dusts. He uses a stool to wash the higher parts of the sliding glass doors, and I help him by doing what he misses. I also do any mending or ironing (that is not church-clothes-related) that needs done on Thursdays. On Fridays, we clean the bathroom and even Sheldon gets in on this and cleans the toilet or something else. I also organize school-papers and do the lesson plan for the next week on Fridays. By the way, I don't do the checkbooks, budgeting and lesson plans during the morning chore time...they are just organizational chores that I have to do SOME TIME on that day of the week. I reserve them for a time that is free and quiet for me, so I can think! :) Our home is completely clutter-free, and is at most times ready for company to drop by, which is SO nice! :) I love it!
On Saturdays we do a couple monthly chores or bimonthly chores....whichever need done. They include Vacuuming the Suburban and using Armorall on the interior, sweeping the basement and wiping down the washer and dryer, washing and changing everyone's sheets, cleaning the inside of the fridge and freezer before the 1st and 15th Grocery Shopping, organizing the Tupperware Cabinet and under the kitchen sink, wash/steam the upstairs carpets, organizing and cleaning the bathroom cabinets, and every Saturday we iron clothes for church, trim everyone's fingernails and pack the diaper bag, and set out the kids clothes for church. If you have ever had to get 3 kids ready for church, by yourself, you understand why I do it on Saturday. I would never make it to 9:45 Sunday School if I didn't do this.
So, that is our chore schedule. For family devotions we read 1/3 of a chapter of Proverbs everyday, sing hymns or praise songs, pray and sometimes recite memory verses. We also talk about the day and things we need to stay focused on....(getting along, being kind, obeying, doing school work diligently, or anything that is becoming a problem). Sheldon MUST sit still during Bible reading. This is his training time for sitting still and listening to the Bible...a book with no pictures. He must also fold his hands and close his eyes during prayer. We started family devotions when Zane was 2 years old, to teach him to sit still and it has helped tremendously for all of our kids, with sitting still through church (our church does not have children's church).
At 9:45 or so, I lay on the couch for 10-15 min and relax while the kids play in the play room. Ashton is usually asleep by 9:00 am, so the kids must play quietly. At 10:00 am, I call Zane down for school. We work diligently on Bible, Math or Phonics, Handwriting and Science or History, for an hour. During this time I do preschool with Abbie, and sometimes Sheldon. If Sheldon wants to continue playing in the playroom, he can. When Abbie is done doing school, she goes up to the playroom again, and continues playing with Sheldon.
At 11:00, the kids have an hour to watch a movie or play outside. I lay down with Sheldon on my bed and we have a quiet time. Occasionally, he falls asleep and I rest for 15 min or so. Ashton is usually still napping at this point. Around 11:45, I start lunch, Ashton usually wakes up, and we are done eating and cleaning the kitchen by 12:15.
From 12:15 til 1:00pm, Zane finishes his schoolwork, while the kids run around, and Abbie watches/plays with Ashton, or I spend time playing with just her, if Zane doesn't need my help. At 1:00 Abbie and Sheldon nap, I have computer time, Ashton plays downstairs with toys, and Zane has a free time. He plays quietly upstairs, and when I am done on the computer (when I do the checkbooks, budget, etc) he likes to play his computer games.
So, from 1:00 to 3:00, Abbie and Sheldon nap....Abbie naps longer than Sheldon and sometimes he is up by 2:00.
Ashton naps again at 3:00, until his mom comes to get him. After 3:30, our day is unscheduled. If I need to run errands I do it after 3:30, so we do not disrupt the school schedule, and I take Ashton to town so Sarah doesn't have to drive to my house. We get home from errands at about 5:00, usually.
If we do not run errands, the kids have a riding lesson on Hope, we work outside, or play on the trampoline. The kids bathe while I make dinner. We have dinner, I clean up the kitchen while the kids clean up the playroom. I also pick-up the downstairs while they are upstairs. I read aloud to the kids, and have them in bed by 8:15. I take a bath, write on my blog, or read, and am usually in bed by 9:00pm.
That is a day in our life! :) God Bless!
Thursday, September 4, 2008
Monday, September 1, 2008
Our First Day Homeschooling
ZANE, ABIGAIL & SHELDON WITH THEIR ART PROJECTS!
CUTE SMILES FROM MY CHILLIN'SZane is definitely not a genius child. He is a very average kid, and does really well in Math concepts. He loves to do Art...what kid doesn't?
Christian Liberty holds me very accountable for helping my child get his books done and sent in, which is a major help and a relief. I was a home-schooled child and my parents pretty much "un-schooled" us which for me, was very frustrating. I am and have always been very text-book oriented and loved to do lessons, in any kind of textbook. My mom had no schedule for us, and didn't do lesson planning. None of our work was recorded. It was very disorganized, which is perfectly ok for some kids but it wasn't for me. I was a very willing student and would find my own stuff to study. For Zane and especially for my sake, I could never be a disorganized homeschool mom! I want my children to have a certain amount of expected scheduling. It is not rigid scheduling, down to every minute of the day. It is a relaxed schedule with enough time given to each activity. I read and have been using the ideas in "Managers of Their Homes" and have formulated my own homeschooling schedule. This was extremely needed, as I watch my 10 month-old nephew, Ashton, sometimes 4 times a week. I end up with a Kindergarten, Preschool, Day Care type thing going on when he is here. It was making me very frazzled before Zane started school, so I spent a whole week, last week, just doing school and re-doing the schedule until it was workable. Some of the days, Ashton was here, so that gave me a good insight as to what it would be like on a schedule with him, as well.
Today was our first day on the re-worked and re-worked schedule, and it went oh-so-smoothly! A dream! I was so happy! On Mondays we do an Art Lesson and I hate Art!!! I did art with all three kids and it was a bit stressful but once we got started it was easy....and low and behold it even became fun for me! :)
I will post a picture soon, of Zane's Art project, from today! It's pretty cute....
Anyway, I will try to update on The Phipps Family Homeschool as frequently as my schedule will allow! :) And I will find out the author of the book I mentioned up there....I let my neighbor borrow it, so I don't have it in front of me. Take care, everyone!
LookItHowPrettyIAm and Passin'Hope ~ Feisty Friends
My horse, Hope at Linda's house.
Linda's horse, Look It, nose-to-nose with Hope!
I have a new friend in our neighborhood, named Linda Bumgarner! She is 50-some years old...I will not expose her real age, though I know it! :) Anyway, I can see her house and yard from my house, though she is across the marsh. She has an older (22) white Arabian mare named Look-It, who is quite feisty. Anyway, we have started letting our horses get to know one-another so we can eventually ride on the road together and not have any accidents! My horse, Hope is 19 years old and is pretty reliable if you have horse-savvy. Linda needs boosts in her confidence (Look-It is her first horse, ever) so, I think Hope and I are the perfect match for her! :) Yay....and I have another new friend! We haven't much in common except our love for horses, but we are not letting that get in our way! :)
The other night, I took Hope over there for a "horsie-sleepover" which we thought would prove to be interesting. We wanted the horses to get together while we were not ON them, in case there were any "mare shenanigans" or "territory issues". It proved very successful. We turned them out together and they didn't do much, which was surprising. The horses had actually met previously (two weeks prior), but had never been together in the field. They were separated by fence for their first meeting. This time, Hope stayed the night and some other horses belonging to our other friend Leeah, apparently came up to the fence, which caused squealing and a general excitement. Hope got a nice strip of "just" hair, removed by Look-It's hoof, when we think Look-It and Hope may have come butt to butt and kicked each other. But, other than that, all went well. Linda was very upset about Hope's scrape, but it was just hair and a little blood on the edges and I told her not to even worry about it! I am very relaxed about things like that, and Linda is just the opposite....so I hugged her and told her it was all okay and not to worry about it! It really wasn't/isn't a big deal, but I think she is still upset about it. Hope has had way, way worse things happen to her and the worst (to me) was a Bowed Tendon, which will prevent her from ever doing much more than a light canter which is to me, devastating, as I have wanted Abbie to be able to eventually jump small cavaletti and such, someday. So, any minor cuts, and scrapes are nothing compared to the inability of Hope ever being able to jump again. Maybe in a couple years that tendon will be strong enough to support just Abbie over cavaletti and maybe some 1 1/2 foot jumps, or novice cross-country (called Baby-Green) jumps. Maybe with lots of prayer that can happen someday! :(
So, anyway, I brought Hope home and now we know that we should be able to ride without something terrible happening! I am planning on going over there early in the mornings every chance I get, to ride and converse about horses. I figured I should blog on horsie-happenings around here as I have nothing about my horse on this whole entire blog! Really, she is not just a horse! She is my friend/baby of 16, almost 17 years!!!!!! :) She is extremely important to me and though I don't talk much about her, she has a huge place in my life and a special place of honor in my childhood! She was my confidence...my love...and my heart...my friend! Lord, prolong the days until she passes on, because every year she is getting older and every year, closer to the day when we have to say "good-bye". And I can tell you...it will be like the passing of family, because that is what she is! I can tell you though...if she ever needs to be put down because she will suffer, she will most definitely be honored, and I will have her euthanized. I would never let her suffer, for my own selfish feelings! I have heard of people doing so and James and I actually know someone who did this and it was so sad! :(
Well, anyway, that's the latest on the horsie-happenings! God Bless
Thursday, August 14, 2008
Sheldon and Growing Up
SHELDON, AT 18 MONTHS OLD!Such a happy little man!
I nursed him once at church this past Sunday and that was his last! It was a very sad day for me. As much as I love breast-feeding and am an advocate for extended nursing (past 12 months, at least), I knew it was time! I am down to 95-97 pounds right now, and have been trying to gain weight with no success. I know I was just not getting enough calories! Sheldon would nurse 6 and 7 times a day (sometimes more). It was only a few minutes at a time, but I know it was taking lots of needed calories and I was just so tired of being bomb-barded by him each time I would sit down!
Well, soon I will be on to potty-training. He has become very interested in what his brother and sister, do in there. Soon, I will not have a baby, anymore! He has already grown up quite a bit in the last week, and it is quite sad, but time for me to officially declare that, after 6 years of pregnancy and nursing (with a grand total of exactly 48 months spent in just nursing), we are done breast-feeding! Sad as it is! :(
Sheldon has quite a few words right now...to include "horse, ball, doggie, dada, juice, please, mama, Zane, etc." He is not as efficient, as Abbie was in talking. He is more like Zane was, and I expect him to stay this way until he is past two, just like Zane did. He may surprise us and take-off in the vocabulary department, though. We'll see, I guess.
Well, I just wanted to write a little tid-bit about Sheldon tonight. He is definitely growing up and he is at that point where he understands most things you say and our household runs smoother because of it. He laughs at funny things and is starting to show his own goofy character traits (so much like his Daddy). It is a special time! :) And one that is quickly fading.....Mommies and Daddies, don't ever take that time for granted. You hear old people always telling you to cherish the baby years, and I know at the time, when you are in the midst of them, it is hard, frustrating and sometimes there are lots of trials. They ARE really short! Just take that to heart. And remember, that even what you do with your baby from birth to 2 years old, does make a humongous difference in the life of your child. I was extremely stressed out when Abbie was between 12 months and 3 years old, and she is sometimes despondent, disobedient and rebellious, more-so than the other two. So, I know I made bad mistakes with her and know I wasn't a very good mother. Sometimes I feel it is already too late with her, but I know it's not. I have been making changes since she turned three and it is getting better. She has her moments and so do I. That time is oh-so important in the health, mind and life of your child, so don't think that just because he/she is "only" 18 months or whatever age, that it doesn't really matter how good or bad of a parent you are. It starts at birth and the first 4 years actually are more of a "clay and potter- molding time" than you think.
Well, I hope you are all doing well! Blessings ~ Rachelle
Thursday, August 7, 2008
Sheldon Walter's Birth Story
"SONS ARE A HERITAGE FROM THE LORD. CHILDREN A REWARD FROM HIM. LIKE ARROWS IN THE HAND OF A WARRIOR ARE SONS BORN IN ONE'S YOUTH. BLESSED IS THE MAN WHOSE QUIVER IS FULL OF THEM." PSALM 127: 3-5
ME PREGNANT WITH SHELDON INTHE CAMPER ~ WINTER '07/'08
SHELDON WALTERFEBRUARY 10th 2007
With Grandma Sue
WHAT A GORGEOUS LITTLE BABY
OUR FAMILY IN 2007
In 2006 we moved to Idaho, and James was stationed at Fort Lewis, WA helping to start a new battalion for the 160th, there. The kids and I stayed on my parents property, helping them to start an organic cattle farm. The kids and I would visit James at Ft. Lewis quite often and he would come home on weekends. I became pregnant in May 2006 (Abbie was 13 months old) and in October we bought our camper. The picture of me pregnant with Sheldon was taken in it the day before I had him.
I didn't want to have another baby under the circumstances and always told James that I wanted to celebrate by becoming pregnant after we had built or bought a house. God had other plans for us, though. It was a hard pregnancy, mentally and emotionally. Physically, it was an okay, pregnancy, though I had a very hard time gaining weight, because I worked too hard.
That winter was hard and cold. I was feeding 7 horses by myself twice a day and caring for the other two kids, as well as trying to lug all my laundry everyday up through the snow to my mom's and haul the propane tanks each week into my car, to town and back down to the camper for our main source of heat. I also had to trudge through the snow up to my mom's to attach the hoses and fill our camper water tank up. I was very frustrated with our current situation and did not feel that now was a good time to have a baby, nor did I even want my baby, until about my third trimester. During the first 15 or 16 weeks of my pregnancy, I even hoped that I would miscarry. I was severely depressed like I had never been before and hope to never be again, until December 2006, when I finally snapped out of it and felt more normal. James was not home much, as he was very busy with the Army, and sometimes we would go 2-3 weeks without seeing him.
I was due February 20th, 2007 and I gained only 17 lbs with Sheldon. I had a wonderful midwife/OB GYN who tried very hard to help me with my depression without putting me on anti-depressants. She delivered Sheldon for me, as well! I remember that I could not stand to look at, smell or taste Ketchup...but I LOVED mustard this time around, (so weird). My biggest craving was raw spinach and vinegar straight out of the bottle. I would actually drink it straight! :)
James did not make it to my ultrasound this time, either, and I really had no clue as to if it was a boy or girl. The doctors saw him pee on the ultrasound and he was not shy at all in showing that he was all-boy! :) Having a boy and a girl, already, if mattered not what he was...only that he was healthy!
On the morning of the 9th, I pretty much knew that I was probably going into labor. It was the same as with Abbie....just hard, painless contractions for most of the day. I called my husband at about 4 o'clock in the evening and told him to go ahead and start for Idaho, so he would have enough time to make the 6-hour drive and not miss his baby being born. I think he left about 2 hours after I called him.
At about midnight, I called up to my mom's and told my sister, Naomi to go ahead and drive me to my sister, Sarah's, house. She did, and then I went with Sarah to Newport Community Hospital, in Newport, WA. When I got there, I was only at 2 cm. I got into a warm bath-tub and never felt my contractions, but know they were doing what they needed to, because when I got out I was at 4 cm. I had become restless in the tub, so decided to just go ahead and get back up in bed. Sarah and I talked and watched CMT until my contractions became too obnoxious. They weren't going anywhere at this point and I was still a 4 when I decided to just go ahead and get my epidural. Emotionally, I do not think I was even anywhere close to successfully having a natural birth. I got my epidural before I was even in that much pain. I just didn't want to think about it, and even though at this point I wanted my baby, I still didn't want to have him in the circumstances that my family was in. I wish I could have done it all over and stayed in that tub and had a natural birth, but I didn't and I can't go back. My husband wasn't there and I just didn't have the support I needed, I think.
My husband arrived around 1:00 am or 2:00am right after I had gotten my epidural and we talked and I rested. They checked me regularly, and I progressed at a pretty normal speed, and was ready to deliver Sheldon, at about 8:30 am on the 10th. Like with my other two children, I pushed about 5 times and he was out and hollering. I cried in my husband's arms, for the love I had for this new beautiful baby! He was born at 8:42 am. He weighed 7 lbs 1 oz and was 19 inches long. He was gorgeous and nursed right away (he will be weaned at 18 months and has never had formula!). I didn't have any tearing with him or Abbie, and only a tiny bit with Zane, even though my babies come "flying" out!
I went home to 2 feet of snow and my husband was there with me for a week and I was back to my old routine. My postpartum period was pretty bad and it took 9 weeks for me to recover from having Sheldon, unlike the 5-6 period with my other children. It was hell, but gladly it is over and we are in a regular house again.
Sheldon is the joy of my life! He is beautiful, 100% all- boy and is full of go-getting life. He came at a horrible time in our life and marriage but I am thankful he is ours! :) He looks just like his Daddy and has a free-spirit, just like him, too! ;)
Abigail Virginia's Birth Story
"FOR YOU CREATED MY INMOST BEING; YOU KNIT ME TOGETHER IN MY MOTHER'S WOMB. I PRAISE YOU BECAUSE I AM FEARFULLY AND WONDERFULLY MADE."
PSALM 139:13-14
PSALM 139:13-14
ME PREGNANT WITH ABBIESPRING 2005
ABIGAIL VIRGINIAAPRIL 19th 2005
With Daddy and Mommy
WHAT A BEAUTIFUL BABY!
ZANE ENTHRALLED WITH HISBABY SISTER!
ZANE KISSES ABBIE ON HERBIRTHDAY!
I found a house to buy in LaFayette, KY in February, and when James returned from Iraq in March, we signed the papers and moved to a newer manufactured home (a double-wide) with 10 acres and lots of outbuildings. We moved in on March 13th. The rest of my pregnancy, I spent moving in, getting organized and doing some major nesting! We loved our new house and were so happy to be able to do what we wanted. Zane had a big backyard with a pool, sandbox and sometime later, his trampoline. He loved it there a lot!
This pregnancy was the best one out of the three. I was hardly sick at all and I didn't do much, so I was able to gain 31 pounds. James was in Iraq when I went in for my ultrasound, so he was not able to be there and "see" the news that we were possibly having a little girl, this time. The doctor said he was pretty sure it was a girl, but not 100%. I felt like it was a girl, but we never really knew for certain until she was born! :)
This time I had the same doctor the whole time! Another humongous baby boom had occurred on Ft. Campbell and many expectant mom's ended up being "farmed-out" to civilian hospitals, and I was one of them. I was very pleased with everything and had a wonderful and caring OB/GYN. Though it was a male, he did a good job! :)
While I was pregnant with Abigail, I couldn't stand to eat Yogurt, and to this day, I cannot finish a little carton, where I used to eat a whole one, before. Weird. She likes yogurt, though! My main craving was anything lemon! I loved and had to have lemon-water, and lemon cakes, muffins and pancakes. She does love lemon, and even eats Lemon-Heads and slices of Lemon, and doesn't make a face! :)
With Abigail, I woke up one morning, (the 18th of April) and as soon as I started the day I felt very hard, painless contractions, and more intense (though not painful) Braxton Hicks. I wasn't too sure if I was in labor since I wasn't due until the 28th, but decided that it very well could be and did the "flight of the honey bee" through the house, getting things ready and organized. When I lost my mucus plug in the middle of the day, we knew it was real labor and called my in-laws to come down, so Sherri could go with us to the hospital and Jim could watch Zane at the house, for us. We stayed around the house until the contractions were painful, which was not until midnight. We thought it was neat that it was very likely I would deliver on the 19th (the same day of the month that Zane was born).
So, off we went to Gateway Medical Center in Clarksville, TN. My contractions were very close together but definitely not as painful as with Zane (we think this is due to the "natural" labor occurrence, instead of what I experienced with Zane). We stopped at Dairy Queen (I think) to get me a vanilla milkshake....I don't know why, but that is what I wanted, even though it was not very healthy!
When the doctors checked me, I was already at 4 cm! I was ecstatic!...and thought to myself, that maybe I could have a natural birth this time! It didn't last long, and my contractions were so close together and so painful that I gave up yet again and got another epidural at 6 cm. My labor was very fast with Abigail. I got to the hospital at midnight and she was ready to be delivered at 5:00 am on the 19th. I stayed in the same room for my labor and delivery which was nice. When it came time to push, I think I pushed 4 or 5 times and she was out. I was so happy to hear her cry that I didn't even think about whether or not she was really a girl. I guess James was interested though, and since he had seen her come out but she was face down (like normal), he did not see whether it was a girl or not!...They had taken her to clean her off and do all they do, and so he went over there to see for himself if he had gotten his little girl! He came over to me and whispered in my ear, that it really was a girl! :) I was like..."oh, yeah.....I forgot about that!" And we were so happy. About a minute later, they brought her to us and she nursed on both sides for 15 min per side and I was the happiest mommy, ever! :) She eventually weaned at 17 months and has never had formula! I am big on breastfeeding, and always have this nagging worry that I will not make milk or the baby will not nurse, and she did wonderfully.
The name Abigail is Hebrew for "my father's joy", and that she was and still is! :) She is definitely a daddy's girl! She was born at 5:01 am and weighed 7 lbs, 11 oz and was 19 inches long! She had a ton of dark brown hair and my awesome friend, LaNette brought barrettes for her hair when she came to visit us in the hospital.
When Zane came to see us, he was enthralled! He was 22 months old and was not talking very well at this point. But he was very adamant that this was "His BEE-BEE"! Oh, it was so cute to see his reactions when he held and kissed his new little sister! And she has worshiped him as her older brother, ever since! :) But not over her Daddy! :)
Wednesday, August 6, 2008
Zane Christian's Birth Story
"THE FATHER OF A RIGHTEOUS MAN, HAS GREAT JOY; HE WHO HAS A WISE SON DELIGHTS IN HIM. MAY YOUR FATHER AND MOTHER BE GLAD. MAY SHE WHO GAVE YOU BIRTH REJOICE." PROVERBS 23:25
ZANE CHRISTIAN
ZANE CHRISTIANJUNE 19th 2003
With Daddy and Mommy
With Daddy and Mommy
ZANE AND A FAMILY FRIEND,DENISE PRUITTE
ZANE CHRISTIAN ~ ONE DAY OLDJames and I got married in Priest River, Idaho on August 2, 2002. About a week later we moved to Ft. Campbell, KY to start our new life together. We had dated/known each other for 5 1/2 years before marrying, so we were actually quite ready to start a family. We did want to wait to get pregnant a little longer than we actually did, but we were very happy and so excited. I found out I was pregnant in late September. James, I remember, was very proud! :)
We were living in this itty bitty house that was not the greatest, so we started looking around for a new place to rent. We moved to Clarksville, TN in December right before Christmas, to a nice single wide, where we could also keep our horses. It was a 2 bedroom, 2 bathroom, with lots of land, so it was perfect to start our little family.
We prayed everyday for a little boy, and sometimes we even asked for a little boy when we said Grace over our food. When we had our ultrasound, the doctor asked if I could tell what my baby was, and so I looked for a few seconds, and saw that he was a boy! We were so excited!
I wasn't sick while I was pregnant with Zane. I remember that the smell of ground beef cooking made me a little nauseous, and I couldn't even stand to look at mustard (he has hated mustard, all this time until just recently)! I gained 25 pounds exactly, with him. I walked a lot, with our Blue Heeler, Sissy, and I rode my horse the most during his pregnancy than with the other two.
I was due June 19th, 2003. On the 18th of June, I went in for a regular check-up with whoever was to be my doctor that day. There was a big baby boom, when I was pregnant with Zane, and I never had the same doctor more than two or three times, which was kind of frustrating, but also kind of fun! Every time I would get a new doctor, he/she would get deployed to Iraq. So, anyway, the lady checked me and casually asked if I was ready to have my baby. Of course, I said yes. Well, apparently, when she checked me she also ruptured my membrane, which very quickly put me in labor. Oh, you do not even know how absolutely angry I was. Mostly, because James had been sent out for some little mission and I did not know where he was or when he would be home. So, as soon as I left the hospital the contractions started and they were painful from the very beginning. I had to go to the commissary, so I bravely decided I better go while the getting was good. It was busy in there and by the time I got out with all my food and into my car I was in quite a bit of bearable pain, but my contractions were about 15 min apart and regular.
I get home and call my mom, and she says the doctor probably just irritated me when she checked me, and that I am probably not in labor. I call my mother-in-law and she says I probably am, so I really have no clue if I am or if I am not...........all I know is that my husband is gone and I do not know where he is. I am praying to God that he comes home soon, with each contraction. I am kind of getting scared when I make myself some dinner and it is getting dark. We didn't have a cell phone at this time, and I wouldn't have called him anyway. So, I put my bag by the door, and decide it is too late to call anyone to drive me to the hospital, so I think to myself that I will go to bed for awhile and then if the pain gets worse I will drive myself to the hospital and somewhere, someone can contact my husband.
I go to bed and probably around 10:00-10:30 pm, my husband comes home and apparently they didn't need him to go on this mission, but that he had to go somewhere.....Jimmy help me out on this ....I can't remember.......Anyway, he flew on a helicopter somewhere, to go to the mission, but didn't go on the mission, so he flew back to KY and then drove home. So, he sees my bag by the door when he comes home and is like "OMG".........I was asleep actually when he came home, with a little break from the contractions. After he got home, I tried to sleep, so he could get some sleep. I think he got an hours worth or so, before I couldn't stand it anymore. Thank God he was home to drive me! On the way there, the contractions were about 9-10 min apart and horrendous. I knew nothing about breathing or positioning, really, but did my best. We are driving our huge white 1991 Ford F-350, that my parents gave us. About halfway there, we get pulled over. James thought he was speeding, but the cop was just telling him that he had a taillight out. So, as soon as the cop comes to the window, James is making excuses for speeding and saying, "my wife is in labor, etc"....the cop is like, "no, I didn't pull you over for speeding...." And so, the cop is asking all kinds of questions while I am doubled over in the truck....finally, I say, "JUST GO!" ....and so we did.
We get there around midnight. They check me and I am only at 1 cm. I am disappointed, since I have been in pain since lunchtime the day before, and really thought I would be farther along then that. I tell the doctors I want to have an all natural delivery....I don't even think I knew what I was talking about.....anyway, but I do tell the assistant that if it gets too bad that I would like to have an epidural. My husband is not a very supportive labor person and just sits there and holds my hand (same for all our babies). Oh well, so for an hour or two I try to breathe through my contractions which are getting harder and harder and getting me nowhere really. I think I was only at 3 cm when I finally got my epidural. My epidural must have been a great one, because I didn't feel a thing until way after Zane was born. I got my epidural at about 1 or 2 in the morning and it lasted until after Zane was born (at 12:53 pm, on June 19th--my actual due date). You hear stories about epidurals not lasting long enough, but mine sure did. Anyway, so from the time I got it until I was wheeled into the delivery room, my labor progressed slowly. I knew I should probably change positions every now and then to help him out, so I did that quite a bit and rested.
I am a great pusher and have never had to push longer than 30 min and my babies are out. So, I pushed with Zane a few times and they laid him naked and slimy on my tummy and I cried and told him I loved him, and it was a very emotional time for both Daddy and I. Zane was tired and a little cold so they put him in the incubator thing, and i was pissed royally, because I just wanted to nurse him before he was way too tired, but wasn't brave enough to just tell them. So, by the time he is warm enough (to their standards) they finally give him to me, to nurse him and he is too tired and will not latch on. I try and try but he is just so asleep that nothing is working. Finally, they take him and sit him up and force a bottle into his mouth and he drinks some but is still too tired to drink much. Of course, I am furious. With my next two babies I made it very clear what I wanted and didn't let this type of thing happen again.
When he finally wakes up and is alert, he nurses like a champ and since I am a new mom, they make me stay in the hospital for like 3 days, which was fine. I didn't mind, really and I got good rest. I could have had a midwife at that time, or had him in a birthing center, I'm sure, but it is a lot of paperwork and I think you have to pay for it, and with my husband as an E-3, we just couldn't afford that, so obviously we went with our 100% covered medical, hospital birth, with free epidural! :) I had epidurals with my other two kids as well, and both of them nursed right away (I will write their birth stories sometime this next week probably) and weren't tired like Zane was, but he was my longest labor, at 23 hours long....so I don't think it was the epidural. He was just plain exhausted. He was born at Blanchfield Army Community Hospital, on Ft. Campbell, Ky. Sherri Phipps (my mother-in-law), and James were there when he was born. He weighed in at 7 pounds, 5 1/2 oz and was 20.5 inches long. He had some hair, but not much and was a pretty good baby. Eventually, when he was about 8 weeks old, after some major colicking/tummy upset, I figured out that he was sensitive to dairy products and eliminated those out of my diet for a few months and slowly added them back in. After one day, he was like a different child! I was so happy to have a happy baby! So, if you are a new mom and are having this type of problem (vomiting after nursing and crying a lot after nursing, it could be dairy products).
We brought Zane home in our cowboy truck and the first song he ever heard was something by George Strait (Jimmy, correct me if I am wrong), and he has been a little cowboy ever since! :)
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