Updates

I know it has been a while. Life has been a whirlwind. I felt the need to get on here and post a few updates (pictures coming soon).

Since my last blog so much has been going on as we get ready for Madalyn's arrival. It is going to be here sooner than we can imagine, and we are so excited! We can't wait to meet her!

I spent some time in Houston over the weekend. I got in on Thursday night. Friday, my dad and I ran errands ALL day. I was beat! There are so many things that I cannot get in El Dorado that I had to get in Houston, and this was the only day to do it all.

Saturday we had our first baby shower. Unfortunately, Ryan was not able to be there because he had to work. But, I did use our wonderful new video camera (which, btw we got a STEAL on) to capture everything for him and Madalyn. It was such an amazing and overwhelming experience for me. I was blown away by the generosity of so many loved ones. I will share a few stories (with pictures included) in a future blog. Big props to my mom, my two wonderful sisters, my bro's girlfriend, and one of my besties DANNA! They did such an amazing job hosting the shower. It was more than I could have ever imagined. Oh, and a shout to my baby brother for providing the Starbucks!

Sunday was my nephew Dawson's 7th Birthday. We had a little family party at my sister's house to celebrate. One thing to mention about his birthday. He had a Star Wars themed party. His grandma Judy made him a Jedi cape just like Luke Skywalker has! It was seriously one of the coolest things I have ever seen.

Monday, I was planning on driving back to Arkansas, but I caught a stomach bug and was forced to stay one more day curled up on the couch. It was not fun! I focused on drinking a lot of water and eating the BRAT diet (bananas, rice, applesauce, and toast). By Tuesday morning I was good to go and got to come back to Arkansas.

The trip was uneventful and it was wonderful to get to see Ryan. I missed him so much. We also got to go through all of the things we were blessed with at the shower. He was in shock at the amount of pink that had been moved into our house!

I will post about my doctor's appointment in a minute. Thanks again to everyone who made my shower something that I will remember for the rest of my life.

Love to you~

Natural Childbirth

I feel the need to let y'all know that Ryan and I (well, mainly me) are going to have Madalyn all-natural. We are using The Bradley Method. I have many pregnant friends right now, and a few of them are using The Bradley Method as well.

For a quick synopsis, The Bradley Method focuses on husband-coached relaxation during first-stage labor, and a completely drug free delivery. It also focuses on preparing your body for child-birth by doing certain exercises and ensuring that you and your baby get proper nutrition.

Of course there is more to it. You can check out their website www.bradley birth.com

There are also two books that I recommend reading:

Husband-Coached Childbirth by Dr. Robert Bradley

Natural Child-birth the Bradley Way by Susan McCutcheon

If you have any questions or comments about why we are choosing to birth the baby in this way, please ask. I would love to talk to you about it.

I hope everyone has a great weekend.

Heartburn...AAAHHHHH!!!!

the one symptom that i have to complain about during this pregnancy is heartburn!

i suffered from it before the pregnancy and it has only gotten worse. i have been trying really hard not to take anything for it, but have resulted to taking some chewables here and there. i also drink milk and stay elevated to help. also, not eating big meals helps. sometimes though, i have no idea what brings it on, but it sucks. so, today i looked up some home remedies that i am going to try. i thought i would share them with you and ask if you have any home remedies that you could recommend. here goes...

almonds - they help with acidity...eat a handful when you have heartburn. i will also add that they are a good source of "good" fat and protein for the baby.

bananas - the source says to eat one a day to help with acidity and heartburn. i will probably not do this one because of constipation

natural apple cider vinegar and raw honey - 2 tsp of each in a glass of water. drink before meals

baking soda - add a pinch to some water and drink it

mustard - take one teaspoon if you have heartburn or indigestion

bubble gum - chew to help the acidity disappear

calcium also helps to fight the heartburn - yogurt or ice cream

also, don't skip meals - no large gaps between meals. sit upright after eating. sleep elevated. take a walk after you eat to help with digestion.

NOTE: while i was typing (suffering from heartburn), i ate a handful of almonds. no more heartburn. we will see how long it lasts. :)