Christmas

Well, Christmas has come and gone again this year. Is it just me or does it seem to go by faster every year? We had a wonderful Christmas or should I say a wonderful 6 Christmas's. Yes, you read right. I have to be honest; as wonderful as it was to get to see everyone I am so glad it is over. It is not easy traveling back and forth with an infant. Next year will be much easier.

We started our celebration the weekend before at Grandad and Ann's house in Kemp. Grandad's brother, Scotty, joined us this year. It was nice to see Randy and Emmy. Emmy was in wonderful spirits, having just started her chemotherapy the day before. Of course, my dad and Joy were there and Tami and Health made it in from Houston just as we all sat down for our traditional lobster dinner. Yummy! I can't believe I did not take any pictures. I love taking pictures of food.

After filling our bellies with food and wine we drove to Dad's house to open presents. It was a little rushed but after all it was late and I had to get the kids to bed. Dad ended up getting me a Belgian waffle maker. I took that as a hint that he would like his back!

We spent the night at Maw Maw's and had Christmas with my mom, Tommy, Maw Maw, Tami and Heath the next day.

Despite the fact that it was snowing and the weather reports were not very promising for the Denton area, on Christmas Eve we loaded up again and drove to Kaufman to see more of my family. We met everyone at the Catholic church's center in Terrell were we mingled with family we have not seen in a year, ate, drank and ate some more. We didn't stay too long because I was anxious to get back home due to the weather. It took us two hours to get home (it normally takes only an hour) and two crying kids nearly the entire way!
The week before Christmas, Dylan and I made reindeer cookies. She is very proud of hers!

Christmas day we were able to spend at home. My mom and Maw Maw came over to hang out and bring food. It was a very nice relaxing day.

Abe and Dylan played in the snow Christmas morning.

The next day we traveled once again to Kaufman to see Abe's family. We hung out most of the day with them, spent the night and had our official Christmas celebration with all the Rodriguez's on Sunday morning. David cooked omelets. Raquel coordinated a "white elephant" gift exchange for the kids. It has been so much fun watching this family grow. When Abe and I first started dating there were no grandkids. Now there are 15!

And that brought our Christmas festivities to an end. What a busy fun filled year. We are so blessed to have such wonderful families.

Vegan Cookies

I came across an amazing vegan cookie recipe in my Vegetarian Times magazine the other day. Dylan and I had fun baking the cookies together. (Recipe to follow at the end.)

So here is the final product. The color was a little off but they still tasted great. What happened was, in step 4, you need to let the dough cool for 10 minutes. Well, 10 minutes was not long enough and when we folded in the chocolate chips they melted.

I would like to try this recipe again, omitting the chocolate chips and maybe adding raisins in their place.

http://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipes/10870?section=

Miles's Birth Story

On October 14th at 5:30am my water broke, awaking me from my sleep. Abe was already up getting ready for work. I got up and told him I thought my water had broken but was not having any contractions. I told him to go ahead and go to work and I would call him after I spoke with my midwife. Because it was so early I thought I would wait a bit before calling anyone. I went back to bed for another 45 minutes. At 6:30 I decided to get up and start getting dressed for work. I was not sure at that point what the midwife was going to say or do. I figured she may just tell me to go about my day until I start having contractions. (I can't believe I was actually considering going to work!)

Around 7am I called Jean, my midwife. She was not on-call and she told me I would need to go in at 9am to see Betty. In the mean time she instructed me to pump with my breast-pump and take a walk around the neighborhood to get my contractions going. I called Abe and told him the plan, so he headed home. I called my mother, who headed our direction so she could help out with Dylan. We got all our stuff together and by that time it was almost time for my appointment. I had not had time to pump or walk yet.

We arrived at the birthing center and went right in to see Betty. Still no contractions but I was dilated to a 3. We unloaded our things in the large room with the birthing tub.



Betty had me pump for 30 minutes and then take a 30-45 minute walk around outside. I began pumping and Candice (the midwife in training) checked the baby's heart rate. During this time, my mother showed up.

Abe and I went for a walk around TWU's campus, which is right across the street from the birthing center. So far it continued to be a rainy, overcast day. While I was pumping I began having mild contractions. During our walk they strengthened. Before going back we walked to the gas station next door to get something to drink. I was craving a Gatorade. After we arrived back at the birthing center, my doula, Mary showed up. After Candice, checked the baby's heart rate again I decided to pump for another 20 minutes. My contractions had started to taper off and we wanted to keep them going.

This time around the contractions were much stronger. Abe, Mary and myself went on an hour walk around TWU again. It was beginning to warm up outside. Still cloudy but no need for an umbrella this time around.


This walk really got my contractions going. They were strengthening and getting much closer together. I began to have to stop and rest during the contractions. I wondered what the students walking around on campus were thinking.

We were on the last stretch back to the birthing center and I had doubts we were going to make it back. It felt as though my contractions were right on top of each other and very intense. As we walked, I kept looking at the birthing center and thinking we are almost there. At one point we saw a man driving around on a golf cart. I seriously thought about flagging him down.

Finally, we made it back at 1pm. Candice checked the baby's heart rate again. Just perfect. Betty checked to see how far I had dilated and at that point I was 5cm. I was a little disappointed. I thought surly I would be farther along with how fast my contractions were coming. Also, while she checked me I had to lie down in bed. I began having a contraction and it was horrible. I thought, what a horrible way to have to labor. No wonder so many women have a hard time at hospitals, being confined to a bed. I sat up and immediately felt better. Now, don't get me wrong. The contraction still hurt but I was amazed at how much relief I got just from sitting up.

They asked if I wanted to get in the birthing tub to relax and I quickly took them up on that offer.

It is such a huge tub it took a good 20-30 minutes to fill it up with water. I changed clothes and labored holding onto Abe and then in a squatting type position on the floor, resting on a birthing ball. Candice, massaged a pain relieving pressure point on my hand. It helped some but I couldn't wait to get in the water. My contractions were getting really intense and I was having a lot of back pain.

The tub was finally ready and Abe helped me get in. I felt immediate relief. It was like a drug. So many people do not understand why anyone would want to have a drug free delivery but I don't think they understand how many different things you can do to relieve the pain. Of course it does not take it away completely but it helps quit a bit. Abe and Candice took turns massaging my back during the contractions because of the pain I was having.

My contractions were very intense but the environment was so relaxing. The lights were dimmed. Candles were lit. Enya was playing softly in the CD player. So relaxing I felt like I was drifting off to sleep between each contraction.

After about 30 minutes in the tub I felt a very sudden need to push. It lasted through a couple of contractions and they told me I was ready to push. I had not planned on having a water birth but that is were I ended up when the time came and did not feel up to getting out of the tub. I leaned back and pushed during the next couple of contractions. It is sort of amusing thinking about the audience I had around the tub. I had Abe, Betty, Candice, Mary, Lynn (the birthing assistant) and a birthing assistant in training all lined up along the tub cheering me on. It was actually quit funny and I wish I had a picture to capture that moment.

Candice checked the baby's heart rate after each contraction. At one point I thought the heart rate sounded slower and I asked how the baby was. Betty said the baby was okay but I needed to try to get the baby out on the next push or I would need to get out of the tub. I thought to myself, "Is she crazy! How in the world does she think I am going to be capable of getting out of this tub right now!" Maybe her intent was to give me motivation or maybe she really meant it but regardless it worked. I got the baby out with the next contraction. I was told I only pushed for 7 minutes.

Abe and Candice reached down to grab the baby as it came out. They put the baby on my tummy. I immediately looked down to find out the sex. I remember yelling out "It's a boy!"

He was very calm and quiet at first (which most babies born in the water are).

Then he began crying. The first cry of a baby is one of the most beautiful sounds. They Miles out of the water and gave him to Abe. I was helped out of the tub to get in the bed and deliver the placenta.

Because my labored progressed so quickly we didn't even call my Mom to tell her to get back to the birthing center. She had left with Dylan before we went on our second walk to take Dylan to lunch. Abe called her and told her Miles had arrived at 2:02pm. They hurried back to the birthing center.

Dylan came in and saw her new baby brother for the first time. She was so excited.

Candice did Miles's first exam on the bed next to me. He weighed 7lbs 9oz and was 20 inches long.

I breastfed him within the first 30 minutes to an hour after his birth. After a few tries he latch on perfectly.

Dylan got to hold her baby brother for the first time

and Nana got to hold her first grandson for the first time.

After a couple hours of monitoring I was getting anxious to go home. There is nothing like taking a shower in your own bathroom and getting into your own bed. We headed home about 2 1/2 hours later with our new baby boy.