Jennifer's Junky Life ~

Favorite Things :: A Teething Necklace

I'd never used a teething necklace with any of my babies until I tried one with Aria starting at about four months.

Four kids and eleven years later and I wish I'd known about them the first time around. Now they're not a cure-all perfect answer to teething but the lack of drooling alone is enough for me to love them and highly recommend them.

If you are familiar with babies, they're kind of a messy bunch.

And they're super cute but they drool.

A lot.

A

lot.

Like, really a lot.

After caring for four babies, I'm no pro at this mom thing and by darn if one of them has yet to arrive with a pretty little instruction manual explaining all of their bells and whistles and hollers and cries but I have discovered that baltic amber teething necklaces stop drooling.

And that is almost as good as a manual for all of the clothing changes that has saved me with this one baby alone.

I've worn bibs on every single one of my babies. except for Aria. She'd just started drooling enough to wear one about the time I put this necklace on. So I was able to see a drastic change within a few days and she's never drooled enough to need a bib since. (She is and always has worn the necklace around the clock.) Totally worth it.

When the necklace isn't enough, I also like these.

Photos:

1. 4 months old - we began wearing ours. (Recommended age is three months but that's just when we got ours.)
2. 6 months old. We like music.
3. 7 months old - Teething necklaces are *not* for chewing on. But she doesn't care about that so that's why I'm glad that every bead is individually knotted for safety. (The baltic amber warms against the skin which in turn releases whatever it is it releases in order to soothe the discomfort that comes with teething. (That's my super technical explanation.) They're intended to be worn against the skin at all times. I'm completely comfortable with that but everyone has to make that choice themselves whether or not to wear it 24/7. We do. And always have. It only comes off during her baths. It has to warm up against the skin again each time you remove it in order to do its job. And you want to keep it clean of lotions and oils so they don't inhibit its efficacy... admittedly I'm not very good about that - but it still seems to be working just fine.

eta: One of my friends said on Facebook that she wraps it twice around her daughter's ankle during naps/sleep time so it's still in contact with her child's skin. Thought I'd pass that on as well for anyone who is concerned about wearing it around their child's neck during those times. Also, I never fully explained why I feel so comfortable wearing it during sleep time... and that is because the necklace isn't long. So, I feel personally that it's not long enough to get pulled under the child in order to get tight enough for choking. But, as I mentioned above, each parent needs to make that call for themselves! end of edit.)
4. Our 'tiny' baby.
5. See, she really is wearing a diaper.
6. Still not listening with the chewing... That's why I'm also glad the necklace has a twist closure for extra security so she can't yank it off.
7. 9 months old. Eating a troll.
8. 9 months old. Ready to go.
9. 9 1/2 months. Chicken pox.
10. 10 months old. Busy girl.
11. 10 months old. Baskets are really fun.
12. 10 1/2 months old. Getting everywhere.
13. 11 months old. Boy clothes make good pajamas.

I hunted through all of my photos and these were the best ones. I have relatively few that show the necklace well - and that's because it's always under her clothing, against her skin, as it's intended to be. If you use them, or are planning to, I hope you like them as much as we do!

Resolutions and Thoughts on Never Giving Up

I'm not really into New Year's Resolutions. At least not in the formal aspect of it all. I pretty much never make them. But this year, I made a huge list of goals for the coming year. Included in that mile long list is to start blogging regularly again. I miss it. It's just easy to just let it slide once you haven't for a while.

{On Aria: Thrifted vintage sweater, vintage dress from fuzzymama on Etsy, striped legwarmers knit by my mom, and leather baby mocs from Kaboogie.}

It's the thirteenth day of January and I figured I had better get started if I want it to count. So here we go...

I'm quite rusty at this whole thing so it'll probably take me a while to 'warm up' again but, lately, I've been doing a lot of contemplating on what it means to give up and what it means to keep going.

I started on a health journey with my doc's guidance (my chiropractor) after Aria was born last year. I've been ever so slowly dropping the weight over the past 8 months and have just about reached my prepregnancy weight. Not my ideal or my goal weight but my prepregnancy weight.

I have been so unhealthy and out of shape for so long that I knew it wouldn't be a cake-walk to get back into shape. There have been ups and downs. And I've struggled to implement a habit of daily exercise again. --In spite of finally starting and keeping one before I got pregnant with Aria. But I haven't been able to consistently start back up again ever since I was laid up with Hyperemesis Gravidarum in the beginning of my pregnancy (Fall of 2011).

But I'm not giving up. I will keep trying every day. Even if it takes me a little longer than I'd like, I will get healthy. (I say 'healthy' because just being 'thin' isn't my goal.)

I just never dreamt it would be as hard as it has been. I cut out almost all sugar and grains for the first 7 months. The weight just trickled off after the initial drop that I got when I quit sugar and grains so sometimes I feel frustrated about that because as anyone knows who enjoys sweets and grains as much as I did, it's *hard* to not eat them. But I was and am very dedicated to this. So I just keep on trucking. (I hope to blog more about my health journey if I can get back into the habit of blogging again.) I feel very fortunate to have such a supporting husband through it all though. Whenever I'm feeling frustrated or I get down about it, he's always so quick with encouraging words and an optimistic perspective to keep me on track. I couldn't do this without him.

I've been working on my loft this winter. It overlooks our living room and it's pretty much been our 'storage' room all these years of living in this under-construction-home. And every year I say it's going to be cleared out so we can use it as an art space and for homeschool. Mark calls it my "lifetime project" since it's been something I've started and stopped - and talked about getting organized - for years.

But this is the year. It's far more cleared out than it's ever been. (i.e. You can see the floor.) I've got a bunch of metal locker cupboards situated up there as well as some bookshelves and old suitcases full of arts and craft supplies. And the boxes that are left up there are boxes full of vintage clothes to list in the junk shop - and some odds and ends I need to put somewhere else. It's getting there... One more thing that's taken far longer than anticipated - but also something I've never given up on. It will be done one day and I can't wait to use it to make art up there!

I believe that if you keep going. Even when you stumble and fall. And you never quit - the things you want to happen will happen. You just have to keep going. Keep fighting. Oh, and think positive thoughts. That part is really important, too.

The New Year lit a fire in me. And I hope to keep that flame burning. I was a little down with the blues at Christmas time and I'm still working through that - but feeling much better. So it feels nice to make a list of goals and begin working toward them.

Playing with Fire

The number one reason I will not be planting tomatoes next year after planting them for about four years in a row with minimal success...

Blight. It's happened every year in spite of mulching and moving them around. I give up.

Maybe not forever. But for now.

That's our little outdoor wood burning sauna in the background there patiently waiting all these years to be sided. Mark uses it just about every night.

I've used it...once. I think.

I may be of Finnish descent but I didn't grow up with a sauna, although, my parents have one in their basement now. So I've never grown accustomed to taking them on a regular basis.

I wasn't feeling overly optimistic about the future appearance of our garden when we planted it this year, seeing as we had a newborn baby at the time. So don't mind the jungle it's become! There's always next year...

A favorite pastime of the kids'. Building a little campfire in the yard. The fire pit seems to change location with the seasons, but they really enjoy spending time around it regardless of where they build it.

{Aria, 5 months old and she has us all wrapped around her tiny baby pinky finger.}

Documentary :: Genetic Roulette

I just came across this link on the Westin A. Price Foundation's Facebook site. Passing this on for those who are interested in learning more about the detrimental effects of GMO's. This documentary is available for free on-line streaming until Sept. 22.

Genetic Roulette - The World's Most Dangerous Food Scam...Exposed.

I haven't seen it yet but I plan to watch it with the kids as our documentary, this week, for homeschool.

A Small Bump...or Two

I've been a mom for over ten years now and we've never had any real 'emergencies' with our kids (minus all of Carter's breathing issues with his asthma/allergies). That all changed, last week, when the kids were all doing cartwheels and flips in the front yard and Abram landed on a broken glass bottle top and sliced open the bottom of his right foot.

{On the way to the E.R.}

One of the kids had broken the bottle a long time ago and thought they had picked it all up - but the extremely sharp top portion was hidden in the grass.

It was a good 1/2- to 1-inch long gash and probably needed a couple of stitches or so. But it happened late in the day and I decided to wait until morning to see how it was. I also wanted to avoid the E.R./hospital if we could, so I wasn't in a hurry to bring him in. And in all honesty, I'm not a 'panicker' when it comes to injuries. I take a more 'relaxed' stance to it all - preferring the 'wait and see' approach to the 'every injury is an emergency and needs medical attention' one. But, by the next day, I thought maybe we should have brought him in when it split open again - but it was too late as it was already healing.

So, I bandaged it up well and made sure he took it easy on the couch for a few days. It didn't need to be 'butterflied' with tape because of the way it was cut so a bandage worked just fine. He crawled around the house for the first few days and then became more mobile by hopping on one foot and now he's to the point where he's walking (and even running) with just a slight limp. The cut has been healing really well. He may have a little scar but nothing to worry about!

{Carter, in the E.R. acting a little shy as the nurse was talking to him.}

Then Sunday after church everyone was changing out of their church clothes and Carter jumped on a pile of blankets in the Sitting Room and we all heard a 'crack' sound. We looked up to find him bawling and holding his head with blood going everywhere.

Apparently, the blankets were partially draped over the elliptical machine and he'd whacked his head full-force on the corner of the foot support. He split open his head a good 2-inches and although it wasn't too deep, we knew right away that stitches were inevitable this time. No question about it.

So we got him cleaned up. Mind you, he was only in his underwear at the moment! And I was just about finished nursing Aria.

Since it was his head, there was blood everywhere - and, luckily, blood doesn't scare any of our kids, they've watched chickens getting butchered and they've seen goats being born - so Nikayda and Abram helped to wash up the floor and wipe off Carter's legs while I finished nursing, as Mark held a cloth over the cut. Then I helped him to get dressed and we headed to the ER for the first time with one of our kids, 20 minutes away, where we spent the next 2 hours waiting for a doctor to see us. (2 hours, I kid you not.) He was fine the entire time, and his head wasn't bothering him at all. Thankfully. But the wait was extreme (and probably because we live in such a rural area). I kind of anticipated that it would be a long since we'd been there before (for my hyperemesis gravidarum last fall) so I grabbed some snacks for everyone. But we never dreamt it would be well over two hours before we'd be seen and released and everyone was pretty hungry by the time we left since we hadn't had the opportunity to eat lunch before it happened.

The nurses and doctor were great. The doc. had such a laid back personality, with a long ponytail to go with, and he was great with Carter. The best part was, when he went to go to put staples in Carter's head after he'd numbed it with a few shots (the worst part for Carter since it stung), he had the stapler upside down and stapled his own hand! Poor guy! But he was a great sport and had a good sense of humor about it all. And after leaving the room to have a nurse help remove the staple from his hand and to get a new stapler, he came back and we were all laughing that he'd numbed the wrong person.

{Above, Taken today, his cut just looks like a dark spot now as it's healing.}

As he went to use the new stapler, I was standing there watching the entire procedure and noticed he had the stapler upside down again. I didn't say anything, hoping he'd figure it out since he was the doctor, after all - and it took him several long seconds of holding it over the wound before he realized it was upside down again! In his defense, we all agreed that the stapler was odd because the (improper) way he was holding it, was how it looked like it should go. Doctors are only humans, too, and this was a great reminder of that! We all can make mistakes from time to time.

In the end, he figured it out and put 7 tiny metal staples into the top of our son's head. The next day, Carter was telling me that he counted his staples and said, "It doesn't even feel like I have any staples in!"

So, he's bounced back real well. I was wondering if he'd have a headache or something today but so far he's doing just fine.

We'll take it. Just a couple of little bumps in the road. I don't like when my kids get hurt. Who does? But I've been finding the humor in two injuries like this happening to us within a week when we've never had anything like it before.

{I think she's going to be a blankie girl. She loves to hold her flannel blankets (usually over her face) while she's falling asleep.}

I'm completely fascinated by health. Especially the natural way of healing the body and becoming healthy. But I'm also fascinated by modern medicine as far as it pertains to emergencies. I disagree with a lot of things as far as modern medicine goes, but it's there for a reason, too, and we're very grateful for it when we need it. I watched the entire procedure with Carter - the only part that was difficult to watch was when the doctor did multiple shots in and around the cut. And the stapling was a little crazy, for me to watch, as well. But I did. The best way to face a fear is head on - so I watched it all.

P.S. I have better pictures of his wound - but no one wants to see bloody wounds, so I'll spare you the details of those photos! :)

Never been this happy with so little sleep

I pulled two all-nighters in a row and I'm tired but oh so happy! We had our baby girl on Tuesday morning at 6:15 a.m. after 8 hours of laboring through the night.

Aria Irene - 8 lbs. 4 oz. 20.5 inches long. (Pronounced Ahr-ee-uh.) We're both healthy and well. And I'm still amazed that she wasn't ten pounds after being ten days overdue and with a belly as large as mine was! - especially because my last one (Carter) was three days overdue and he was 9 lbs. 7 oz.

{These two were taken yesterday when she was born. All others are from today.}

It was such an amazing experience to labor in the comfort of my home and to birth in water. I can't even describe how awesome it was. My midwife and her assistant did a wonderful job of helping us to deliver our baby. Mark was able to catch her when she was born and to cut the cord once it stopped pulsating.

My doula was so fabulous. This was the first time I had ever used one and she literally helped to cut the pain of most of my contractions by half just from counter pressure to my back. I also now swear by a birth ball - something I've also never used before. I wouldn't have made it without that thing during contractions - I sat on it almost every time to relieve some of the discomfort. It really made a difference.

This was such a great experience and I feel like I could do it again drug-free. (I couldn't say that after Carter's birth!) I just keep looking back at it all in awe. I feel like a first time mom all over again.

We are loving having a baby in this house again. We can't get enough of her! She was up last night from 1 a.m. to 6 a.m. with only tiny little bouts of snoozing in between but we were able to get some sleep this morning. She's been a little fussy off and on but hopefully that will work itself out soon enough. At least I can sleep when she does for now. And, really, I don't even care because she's just so darn cute and precious!

Mark is home today (and, of course, yesterday). He's been so helpful for everything I need right now so I can stay off my feet as much as possible. I couldn't do it without him! And, a huge thank you to my sister, Sara, who came and got the kids yesterday and kept them for the night! It's been so nice to rest.

The kids were home for the birth but they were upstairs sleeping in our room. They woke up right when I was delivering and were able to come downstairs as soon as we had her. I just love the whole dynamics of this birth. It was everything I'd hoped it would be.

See... No need to worry

Last night, we got a few inches of snow. I thought, for sure, that the change in weather would bring about this impending birth. But, not quite yet. She just isn't ready. But I think it will happen soon.

I was quite relieved, too, because I was worried for my midwife and my doula to be out on the roads last night. My midwife is coming from an hour away.

I love the snow. Even when we get it in April. The trees were gorgeous this morning.

But it's almost gone now.

Just like the snow in April, I'm reminding myself that labor will come and go and before you know it I'll have a sweet little baby in my arms. Everything comes. Everything goes. For now I'm continuing to enjoy her little kicks and punches and other movements as she settles in for birth.

I feel like I've been grateful for this extra time. I wasn't mentally ready a week ago - not in the way I feel now. I've continued to devour birth stories* and natural birth videos. I can't get enough of them right now. They're all so amazing and so empowering as I prepare my own mind for this amazing event. (*I discovered the Birth Story of the Week feature on Marvelous Kiddo a couple of months ago - and love reading them. They're not all about natural homebirths but they're all personal stories on many different views of birth. I like the variety because every woman has to choose what she's most comfortable with when it comes to giving birth.)

We're taught that due dates are critical from early on but contrary to what we're taught by the medical world, a due date isn't a kitchen timer where it goes off and your baby is automatically 'done'. No one bats an eye when a baby is born two or three weeks early (in spite of the risks of complications from early birth) but we're taught to 'fear' when a baby is yet to be born two or three weeks later (because of the risks of complications of going 'over). It's all a spectrum. Baby's have been born healthy and well within both time frames for all of time and no end of the spectrum is 'better' than the other. It will all happen when it's meant to happen.

I didn't have that view during my other three births but I enjoy having it now. - I feel so relaxed about being overdue (9 days and counting), knowing it's all in God's hands. And it will happen exactly how it's meant to happen. When it's meant to happen. And, as my kids say, "I can feel it in my bones" that it probably won't be too much longer.

And I can't wait!

{Photos: All images taken today - April 16, 2012.}

Routine Newborn Baby Care Info. :: Eye Ointment

I've been passing the time lately by reading up on all things natural birth and home birth as well as watching countless videos of the same. They are so inspiring and encouraging as I prep myself mentally to do this at home. Birth is such a beautiful thing. That is not to say that I'm not human and that I don't have little moments of 'oh my goodness, can I do this drug-free again?' because I have plenty of those! But I also have faith that I can do this.

I was astounded to learn today from one article that only 14% of women in the US choose to birth drug free and naturally! This shocks me considering all of the complications that can and do arise from using drugs and other medical interventions in a hospital during birth. (They are there for a reason and are a great blessing when they are needed though.)

Today, I came across an article on a birthing site with one midwife's insight as to why someone might choose homebirth and wanted to share it here as well as on Facebook. I know often that people wonder why in the world would someone choose to birth at home? And, although, everyone isn't going to 'get it' from the article, I'm sharing it because so many of my own views on the matter are so articulately spoken therein.

So many things, if they're not done the mainstream way, can be so controversial to people and they can really cause others to put their guard up about it simply because they don't understand where someone is coming from. Not everyone understands why someone chooses to live their lives with as little medical intervention as possible but I hope by sharing our experiences both here and on Facebook that at the very least it will get others to think about them.

So much of what we do where it pertains to modern medicine is done without thought - simply because that's the way everyone else does it. Case in point is the following info about the eye ointment given to all newborns in the hospital directly after birth...

I was not aware of it too many years ago and I'm sure many others are not, as well, but did you know that the eye ointment has to do with STDs - making it completely unnecessary for so many, many babies, including my own - and probably yours? It also causes pain, swelling, burning, and blurred vision for the baby for the first few days. Click on this link and scroll down until you see 'Silver Nitrate or Antiobiotic Eye Ointment' to read more about it. Yet it is automatically given to every baby in a hospital unless the parent refuses it. You as a parent, have a right to refuse this treatment as well as any others that you may research and inform yourself about and choose not to use.

I'm so anxious to be holding my own baby but continuing to try to take a relaxed attitude about being three days overdue. I had to chase down a goat today to get her back in the fence and it sure left me huffing and puffing in my current state! As comfortable as I am for how far along I am, I know I'll really be appreciating being on the other side soon enough!

{Photo: We took the kids to the park for pizza one evening a couple of weekends ago because it looked so nice out. But it didn't last long. It was cold and windy and it wasn't five minutes before we headed back to the car to finish our food!}

Swimmin' Time!

Okay...maybe not quite yet, but we're making our preparations.

It's recommended that you fill up your inflatable birth pool by 36 weeks but being the procrastinator that I am, I just did it at 37 1/2 weeks. I still need to sanitize it with some Basic G tonight before I tuck it away in a safe place until it's time to use it.

(The air pump was loud!)

It's funny because I just keep laughing. Laughing that I'm finally pregnant again. Laughing that we're having a baby girl. Laughing that my kids get to experience the whole baby thing. Laughing that I get to (try to) do this birth the way I've always wanted to do a birth. I'm having a grand old time with all these notions... I'm so excited for this baby.

But, in reality, as it gets down to the wire, I'm getting a little anxious about giving birth. I'm just doing a really good job of living in denial and squelching those feelings. This little baby is going to come out one way or another and it's easy to start getting caught up in the reality of it. My nerves are kicking in a little bit, as I'm sure every mother/mother-to-be can relate to. I feel mentally prepared to do this (drug free) this time, though, for the most part... I wasn't with my last one.

When I arrived at the hospital to have Carter, I *knew* I was going to have pain meds and when they told me it was too late, it was a really difficult transition to prepare myself to do it without. (I was only there for about 45 minutes before he was born.) On top of being a fast labor (about two hours), it was also a crazy, intense labor with a lot of back pain because he was posterior. He also had the cord wrapped around his neck and wasn't breathing right away and came out in two pushes, in spite of being 9 lbs. 7 oz. And I said I'd never do it drug free again after Abram and Carter. (With Nikayda, I was put on Pitocin and eventually took Stadol.) But here I am, about to attempt a home birth and I'll have little choice once things get going.

("Some" of our windows have trim.) :)

I never thought that those memories of pain would fade but they do and they have. Six years will do that.

But they're coming back real fast as the time closes in. Yet, after worrying that my baby was breech, a couple of weeks ago, I feel a renewed sense of calm about it all. I was so scared that I'd be forced to have a C that it completely changed my perspective. Now I just keep telling myself, I can do this.

(Photo courtesy of my current baby, who is six and a half.)

And I know I can.

Doesn't mean it's going to be a walk in the park but I know I can do it.

Nikayda just told me, with a big grin on her face, "I just can't believe we can have a baby any time. It went by so quick!"

Tell me about it! The past nine months have absolutely flown by and these last couple of weeks are not slowing down for me. We have so much we're trying to get done around here that I keep hoping she doesn't come early... Unlike my other pregnancies where I was so ready by this time.

I've been feeling so good. This has been my best pregnancy (minus the hyperemesis gravidarum in the beginning). I've never felt this good at the end of any of my pregnancies before and I attest that to our life changes over the past five/six years (a relatively clean and healthy diet and frequent visits to the chiro.). The only real issue I've been having is my adrenals. My lower back has been really sore from the weight of my belly pulling on it.

My belly is huge though! I can't wait to see what this little baby weighs. And I can't wait to hold her.

I Might Give Birth in a Stock Tank

For real.

One of the books I read on home waterbirth a woman said she had just used a feed trough/stock tank from the fleet store for her first birth. And they're a lot cheaper than ordering an actual birthing tub.

Welcome to my crazy life.

We live on a farm, after all. So what's the big deal? Right?

Ha!

Source.

Mark had to run to the feed store this afternoon after work so we all went along for the ride with the intention of stopping at the fleet to check out the tanks. And, after seeing them, I know they'd work. I'd just need some sort of inflatable backrest or something to use in it for a little more comfort.

I keep telling myself I can do this. I keep giving myself little pep talks. And brainwashing. You just have to push those thoughts out of your head and say you can do it, and you will. I know that. But I suppose it's all part of the emotions leading up to birth. That, and the little moments where I kind of get all giddy and jump up and down with excitement like a little kid waiting in anticipation for Christmas. (true story.)

The stock tanks also appeal to me because I've been wanting to add some to our garden out back. And this way it could easily be recycled into the yard afterward. It would make a great container garden. (For anyone mildly curious, you purchase a liner to be used inside to keep it sanitary for yourself and baby during the birth, regardless of which tub you go with.)

Skipping on to other things... I started scouring Craigslist today. Found a Mid-Century cupboard (like the one in the picture. but totally different) and emailed the seller. Still waiting to hear from them. But it is exactly what I've been looking for. Or at least one of the many things I've been looking for. And the price can't be beat. Mark said he'd pick it up for me, too, so I'm hoping to hear from them soon. Crossing my fingers! And trying not to get too excited about it in case I never hear back from them or something. I've heard Craigslist people can be silly like that. Wishing they had a number instead of just email.

It is so difficult to find retro furniture where I live. I have to check several different city's Craigslist listings - and they're usually at least 45 minutes to over an hour or more from us. So this would be something to find a piece like this the first day I actually started looking.