29 Weeks Pregnant, Halloween!

I've seen those pictures of pregnant women painting their big bellies to look like basketballs or pumpkins or what-have-you, but that's just not me.  I find it mildly repulsive.  I find it immodest.  Needless to say, I wouldn't do that to myself. 

So I will not have a painted belly for Halloween.  I am not sure that I will dress up at all.  Where we live is on a highway and we don't get many trick-or-treaters.  Last year, we had not even one kid!  The good news is that I get to stay home, warm and comfy, while Hubbers and the kids go out and troll for treats.  And bring them home to me to plunder sort check.

Meanwhile, my baby is 29 weeks!!  I start my every 2 week midwife visits next week.  I had a horrible itchy rash on my chest last time and we talked about a few different ways to treat it.  It doesn't look or act like a yeast, but she suggested I treat it as such.  The apple cider vinegar wash helped a little bit with the itches, but didn't remove or heal it.  The dandelion root herb didn't seem to do much.  The probiotic was expensive and perhaps unnecessary.  I finally took matters into my own hands.



A few months ago I had a case of ringworm.  It's not worms, it's a fungus you get from animals that spend time outside shaped like a ring on your skin.  The only thing that cured that was Absorbine Jr.  That stuff is a miracle!  It fixed the ringworm FAST, though it did sting.

I decided to try the Absorbine Jr on my unidentified rash.  It worked overnight.  The itching stopped dead.  The rash has disappeared.  I'm relieved in so many ways.  Going to keep a bottle of this miracle on hand for the REST OF MY LIFE!



I'm linking up at My Joy Filled Life today.  The question is to share some scriptures that have been on my heart.  I don't have any specifics, but the ones that speak of the care and love God the Father has for me in particular have been touching my heart so much lately.  We've had some financial struggles and been very worried over money, but every time I feel like I'm at the end of what I can handle, KLOVE's encouraging word or the daily missal reading swoops in to save me.

Praise you, Jesus.

Here's an update on the Baby Bean via The Bump:

Baby already measures about 15.2 to 16.7 inches long. Right now, we weighs about 2.5 to 3.8 pounds but he's still got a ways to go -- can you believe he'll triple in weight before birth?

• She's getting a little cramped in there, since she's growing so fast. But you probably already realize that, since you're getting all those jabs and kicks.
• She's growing white fat deposits under her skin, and her energy is surging because of it.
• Feel a subtle twitch? It might be baby hiccupping.

What's For Dinner Monday: 26 Weeks Pregnant

Over the weekend I was given a large bag full of green tomatillos! (Squee!!)  We love tomatillos but usually have to resort to the grocery store variety.  Luckily for us, the recent hard freeze in the area made many gardeners have to harvest early and I benefit from that!

A good friend, N, is an older lady with a beautiful garden in her backyard.  She gave some space over to a mutual Hispanic friend who wanted to grow tomatillos.  L had more in her harvest than she could use, so N offered them to me, after I strategically angled after them some months ago.  I never thought there was a hope of getting any, but God is very good.

So tonight is a family favorite for dinner: Chicken Tomatillo Soup.  It's just chilly enough outside to make it feel like soup weather.  Here's the recipe:




Ingredients

8 cups chicken broth
1 can diced tomatoes
2 tsp. chili powder, to taste
1 tsp cumin, to taste
1 tsp crushed red pepper (a little bit of spiciness)
1 onion, chopped
1 tsp. dried oregano
1 small can diced green chiles
2 cups finely chopped tomatillos (about 8, remove husks, wash, chop)
4 cups cooked diced chicken
2 cans pinto beans, drained
4 cloves garlic pressed
Optional:
freshly squeezed lime
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro

Directions:

In large pot, combine chicken broth, canned tomatoes with juice, chili powder, cumin, crushed red pepper, chopped onion, oregano, green chiles, and chopped tomatillos. Simmer about 30 minutes, until onions and tomatillos are tender and flavors are blended. Add cilantro and lime juice now.

Add diced chicken, pinto beans, garlic and lime and simmer about 45 minutes.

Serve immediately. Add shredded cheese and sour cream.  Garnish with more chopped cilantro if desired.

My kids beg for this recipe even in the middle of high hot summer.


In the meantime, I'm 26 weeks along now and the baby weighs 2 pounds!!  She's an active one, when I'm resting.  I think this baby will really enjoy the baby carrier I plan on using.  Her ears are more developed now than ever and her eyes are starting to open!! I've noticed her hiccuping now, too.  I tried to explain to the kids today why this happens (to practice breathing) but the 15 year old asked how they can hiccup without air.  Diaphragm spasms, I suppose.

It's hitting me that we are so much closer now to her arrival than ever before.  14 short weeks.

My back is hurting, my umbilical hernia is ramping up and I'm dealing with PPD before the baby even arrives.  It's a laundry list of "bad" but I know that it's all worth it and God has his hands upon each and every ache.

Join me at the linky above to answer this discussion question for yourself:

Discussion Question:  Will you find out the gender of the baby before birth?  Or have you already?   

I knew from the beginning that this baby is a girl.  The morning sickness is as bad or worse than when I was pregnant when with my first.  At the 20 week ultrasound, the tech couldn't tell for sure if it was a girl, but my iridologist read my eyeballs and tells me that it is.  I already knew.

I wish I could share the beautiful name we've picked, but I don't want to potentially expose my kids to the bad of the internet, so I keep that quiet.  This is Baby Bean, a sweet lovely we can't wait to welcome.  14 short weeks.

21 Weeks

Precious baby via ultrasound last week:
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Baby's now the size of a pomegranate! Baby's digestive system is busy creating meconium (a tarry black substance made of swallowed amniotic fluid, digestive secretion, and dead cells), which will fill the first diaper after birth. And, if baby is a girl, her womb is now stocked up with her lifetime supply of six million eggs (the number will drop to around one million by birth).

Join me at My Joy-Filled Life linky.

11 weeks, Stomach Flu

Have you ever had the stomach flu?  You feel like you are emptying out from both ends (sometimes simultaneously) and just wish wish wish it would stop.  Now, imagine that this happens to everyone in the family at the same time.  Now imagine that you have severe morning sickness on top of that.  Welcome to my week!

My sinuses got hit right after the stomach flu left.  Sadly, most of the time my sinus goo turns into sinus infection.  I'm trying to ward it off using my neti pot, some herbal things (as per my midwife) and lots of prayer!

Before I formed you in the womb I knew you,

before you were born I set you apart...

Jeremiah 1:5

Here's my link up to the Joy-Filled Life Pregnancy Journal.

Discussion Question:  This week's question is from Katherine over at Proverbs and Pacifiers.  "I'd love to ask all those nursing mommies out there about how their nursing relationship changed when they got pregnant. Did you have problems with milk supply or babies wanting to wean early? Did anyone have to supplement with formula? Oh and how difficult is it to nurse both a toddler and a newborn?" 

 - I can't answer this as I've never tandem nursed and my babies were mostly self-weaned before I got that big fat plus sign.



How far along are you?  I'm 11 weeks 2 days.  I found myself worrying last weekend that I wasn't feeling "enough" morning sickness.  The next day, I knew I needn't have worried. 


Baby's growth?  My baby is the size of a fig!  I've been certain this was a girl since the beginning, due to the excessive morning sickness (the worst it's ever been since I was pregnant with #1) and my Iridologist confirmed it.  Apparently you can read it in the eyes!  He was right on with the last baby, so I don't doubt him.

Baby is growing hair follicles, fingernails, and ovaries (if she's a girl). She has distinct human characteristics by now, with hands and feet in front of her body, with ears nearly in their final shape, open nasal passages on the tip of her tiny nose, a tongue and palate in the mouth, and visible nipples. What else makes her look human? Those hands and feet have individual fingers and toes, no more webbing! source

Weight gain (or loss)? I've gain about 2 pounds, according to my own measurements, since I discovered the pregnancy.  I'm a plus size woman, so to see the hard work I put into losing weight seemingly disappear is hard.  I'm reminding myself that I'm eating healthy, exercising and growing a new human life.  It's all okay.

Prayer requests?  For health.  It seems like this last week has just knocked us all right over.  I have so many responsibilities and my oldest three helpers are going on vacation starting soon so I'll be even more busy.  Having some health on my side will make it much easier for me to look after the three littles, chase the goats back into the field, run laundry for 7 people (including some bed wetters), cook for, feed & wash up for 7, as well as carve out a bit of time for sleep.

Honestly, I find that I'm letting my link up here turn into such whining!  It's probably because I have no one else to share it with as this baby is still a bit of a surprise that is still in the bag.  I shall endeavor to pack away the whining and tell you just how happy we are to be having another baby.  I purchased some cute fabrics for a raggy quilt and can't wait to get started.  For now, my current baby, Chicky Punk, is intent upon helping me type, so I better be finished.  See you next week!!
 

Genesis

ObamaCare - Abortion Facts

This makes me so sick.  It's more of Bill Clinton and his "Definition of IS" fiasco.  It's fairly obvious that I'm pro-life and very Republican.  If this is a surprise, you haven't read much here, have you?

8 weeks old

And this is something very close to my heart.  I'm almost 27 weeks pregnant with a beautiful baby girl and I cannot imagine even contemplating abortion.  When I lost my son Michael, I was rent from top to bottom with pain and loss.  To purposely KILL my own child?  Incomprehensible.

Watch this video.  Think about the impact of ObamaCare on our future generations.  In fact, contemplate whether there will BE any future generations to matter.  Aldous Huxley, here we come.

In Case You Wondered...

Personalized image courtesy of Faithmouse

Also, check out what Dan has posted about The Catholic Search. I love the name: What Would Jesus Download?

The Results are in...

But first, a gratuitous shot of TheBoy:


Isn't he cute? He picked out that new outfit himself. He's totally psyched that it has Curious George on it. Personally, I hate reading those George books. I hate how much trouble George gets into and then it's all okay, no repercussions. I suppose it's good for the kids to know that troubles can be resolved, but shouldn't the parents be trying to instill a little common sense? And how come a monkey can wander around all on his own in a big city?

Whatever. TheBoy loves the Curious George show on PBS.


Back to my original story. As I told you the other day (it was yesterday) I had my 21 week ultrasound this morning!! Baby looks so good, growing right on the dates and looking so healthy.

I got some great shots of the profile but my scanner is out of commission for the past, oh, 5 to 7 years or so. I can't get the best picture of a picture with the digital. See my example here. I'll try later.

But the big question? Pink or blue? Boy or girl? Pee Pee or Not? Stand to pee, or sit? Well, I'll let this picture answer you itself:


Still need a hint?

Menu Plan Monday - sans kids!

Yup, the kids are vacationing for the week and it's just me and Hubbers! Here's what I have planned for the two of us:

1. Mini Thanksgiving Dinner
2. Hamburgers on the grill, pasta salad
3. Deli Sandwiches, chips, potato salad
4. Spaghetti
5. Leftovers
6. Anniversary Dinner Out

For more MPM, visit Organizing Junkie!

I did a lot of work over the past week on my La Leche League application stuff and wouldn't you know that when we get home, MY computer poops out (bad RAM), the laptop got dropped in the car (will test it in a moment), and Hubbers' computer doesn't like my brand spankin' new thumb drive where I stored all the writing!! ACCCKKKK!

Actually, I have great faith in Hubbers that he will fix it when he arrives home so that I may access my data. He's the man, after all...

I also had my post-miscarriage visit to the Dr today. All's clear - wait one cycle and then have another baby if we so decide. It's something we will have to think about, since I don't want to feel like I'm trying to replace my lost child. That's not fair to either of them. I gabble about this and more over on my other blog, My Forever Child.

Seeing and Believing

Christine had this picture posted on her blog. If you look closely, you can see a baby in the photo. Can you see it? It's easier to find the feet first. Now I cannot help seeing the baby.

How very softly you tiptoed into our world.
You only stayed a moment, but what an imprint your footsteps have left upon our hearts.
--Dorothy Ferguson

The Church of the Holy Innocents - Shrine of the Unborn

he Shrine is dedicated in Memory of the Children Who Have Died Unborn.

Often children who have died before birth have no grave or headstone, and sometimes not even a name. At The Church of The Holy Innocents, we invite you to name your child(ren) and to have the opportunity to have your baby's name inscribed in our "BOOK OF LIFE".

Here, a candle is always lit in their memory. All day long people stop to pray. On the first Monday of every month, our 12:15pm Mass is celebrated in honor of these children and for the comfort of their families.

We pray that you will find peace in knowing that your child(ren) will be remembered at the Shrine and honored by all who pray here.

The shrine also offers Certificates of Life.

The Church of the Holy Innocents

Thank you

The outpouring of love and hope, prayers and well-wishes is so helpful, buoyant. I cannot thank all of you enough for your support during this hard time.

I feel so much more at peace today and I suspect that it may continue this way for a while. A holding pattern, to be sure, but better than before.

Again, thank you is not enough to express my gratitude. You are all such a blessing to me.

Hurting, Sorrow... Healing

It hurts so very, very much, this loss of someone I didn't even know yet. My body is still sharing his space, but he's very much gone. Today is better than the shock of yesterday. I feel more at peace but know there is a long road ahead.

I have post-partum depression quite badly after the birth of my children, starting with #3. I take meds that are so helpful and receive therapy when it's very bad.

When I was so sick after #3 (RooBoo) was born, I was advised to check into the hospital or go be cared for by someone capable. I chose to spend the two weeks it took for my meds to kick in staying with my mother-in-law. She cared for me and all my children while I recovered. After the birth of TheBoy (#4), she came and spent a week with me, helping me settle into my own house.

So now, when the hurting is so bad, when the anxiety is ramping up, when I can't bear to be away from home without nearly going out of my skin, my blessed mother-in-law will have us stay again. She will love and care for me as if I were her own child and not the stranger who married her last son.

We had planned to visit next week already. The kids enjoy spending a week with Gramma and Grampa attending vacation bible school each summer. But this time, we're all staying.

Hubbers. He is hurting, too. I feel such sorrow at his pain, wishing I could ease it. He is here for me, just to hold me, whenever I need. We've spent much of the past two days telling each other of our love, and how it will be okay. He needs to spend some time at Gramma's house, too, soaking up her loving reassurance.

I had prepared a number of posts for the week we were to be gone, and will post them daily. They're my normal, hopeful self.

Hubbers and I will heal, in time. There may even be another baby somewhere waiting for us. Whatever comes, our little one will be looking down from heaven, awaiting OUR arrival.

Life is Fragile

It's a heavy heart that writes this and there is no nice way to say it. Here is is, plain and true.

Our baby died sometime last week. There are no heart tones, no movement. The Dr believes that it was a chromosomal abonormality, since the pregnancy lasted 11 and a half weeks.

Now we wait. Wait for nature to happen. Wait for the grief to subside. Wait to see our baby in heaven.

Someday.

In Which I Buy on the Cheap Then Make My Regrets

Uggh. I got it - the kids' tummy bug. Last night and today have just been so lovely there aren't words for it. I spent most of the day sleeping and Hubbers now thinks I'm a lump.

In my quest to alleviate my nausea, I've been trying the home remedies: lemons, ginger, peppermint, saltine crackers.

I had used ginger ale before, but always bought the cheapo 2 liter bottle kind since I hate ginger ale. Making my regrets now: I purchased the EXPENSIVE GOOD kind because it was the only one that came in cans. Guess what? I like ginger ale.

God Bless Schweppes in the pretty green can.

Moral of the story: Sometimes cheap frugal isn't always the best when quieting the upset tummy.



photo courtesy of morguefile.com and monosodium

Things That Don't Go Together... And Some That Do

This post not for the queasy!

Early Pregnancy and Cooking:

I have such great hopes for a good week of menus, as you can see by my Menu Plan Monday this week, but do I follow through? Nah - by the time dinner comes around, I can't stand the smell of cooking or meat or much of anything, so we end up with sandwiches, easy to fix ravioli, or egg burritos for Hubbers.

I think I will have to start using the crockpot until the first trimester is over, since morning seems to be the only time I feel like cooking.


Early Pregnancy and Smelling ANYTHING!

I also can't abide the smell of anything - OldestGirls' hair, Hubbers, cat breath, the vacuum...


Early pregnancy and sick children:

My RooBoo is nearly 6 and hasn't spent much time being sick and therefore hasn't learned the benefits of the "puke bucket". So when she was sick in the middle of the night on Tuesday, she made 7 piles down the hallway before I grabbed the bucket.

At 1am I was less than willing to do much cleaning, so I picked up the large bits and did some sopping up, then covered that area with a towel to take care of in the morning. Needless to say, I spent most of the next day with the carpet rake, repairing the carpet.

As Roo was trying to help, she rinsed her bucket (which was helpfully placed in her bed) down the sink, blocking it irrevocably. I told Hubbers when he came home from work that it was his joy to clear the sink since I cleaned up the piles.

Today, just when I think everyone is well, CurlyGirl and BoyBoy both have yucky tummies. CurlyGirl knows where to deposit her yucks, but BoyBoy is still very young and does the reflex projectile vomit thing. Poor baby went through three outfits and two baths today.

Please God, don't let anyone else be ill! I've got all I can handle just now without any sympathy vomiting from myself. And THANK YOU for OldestGirl who is SUCH a help - what would I do without her?

Catholic Wife and Mother is experiencing the same thing!


Some things that DO go together:

Cute Vintage Aprons and Life is Like a Lunchbox = Apronpalooza!
Nan is hosting a SERIES of apron giveaways next week and you can get in on the fun! Aprons are on the rise and making their comeback, so get yours soon. Nan can hook you up with one for free.

And Miles to Go shared an interesting Meme that I plan on doing - "Sara needs..." Google your name and see what it comes up with. More on this soon!

Mostly my post today was just whining, but I wanted to share the few links at the bottom here. Thanks if you made it all the way through!

Partial Birth Abortion BANNED!

Praise Jesus!

With the Gonzales v. Carhart decision, there has finally been a ban on the unspeakable,gruesome, horrendous procedure of partial birth abortion!

How else can this be termed anything but murder of a living child - to be partially born and then killed?

An exerpt from the National Catholic Register:

At trial, abortion doctors were forced to admit that babies are alive during partial-birth abortion; that their hearts are beating. Doctors were forced to admit that they’ve watched babies’ hands and legs move outside of the womb before crushing their heads.

There’s trial testimony that partial-birth abortion is extremely painful for the child, that women are not told the facts about partial-birth abortion before it’s done on them, and that this violent act is never medically necessary according to qualified medical experts.

After World War II, when the full horrors of the Holocaust of the Jews began to become known to the public, there was a great outcry: “We didn’t know! If only we had known!” The trial transcripts on partial-birth abortion are the permanent public record of the modern-day holocaust of abortion. No one will be able to say they didn’t know.

Don't know what Partial Birth Abortion is? Illustrations Diagrams
I couldn't watch the ultrasound video and refuse to post it here.

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World Breastfeeding Week: August 1 - 7

A Poetic Post for the Unborn

I've said it before and I'll say it again, so why not now? Abortion is murder. Abortion is wrong. Abortion is not acceptable for any purpose. Not ANY.

That being said, the air cleared, and my mind at (some) peace, please take a moment and read this post at Daring Young Mom. I wish I had written it.

Prayer for the Unborn

O Mary, bright dawn of the new world,
Mother of the living,
to you do we entrust the cause of life:
Look down, O Mother, upon the vast numbers
of babies to be born,
of the poor whose lives are made difficult,
of men and women who are victims of brutal violence,
of the elderly and the sick killed
by indifference or out of misguided mercy.
Grant that all who believe in your Son
may proclaim the Gospel of life
with honesty and love to the people of our time.
Obtain for them the grace
to accept that Gospel as a gift ever new,
the joy of celebrating it with gratitude
throughout their lives
and the courage to bear witness to it resolutely,
in order to build,
together with all people of good will,
the civilization of truth and love,
to the praise and glory of God,
the Creator and lover of life.

~~ Pope John Paul II
Encyclical Letter "The Gospel of Life"

Our Lady of Guadalupe

Defender of Children, Protectress of the Unborn

Another Blog of Passion

I admit it, I have one more thing (for now) that I'm passionate about and it's rather multi-faceted.

• Breastfeeding for as long as you and baby want
• Drs are not FRIENDS but EMPLOYEES
• Drs DO NOT KNOW EVERYTHING!

There. Now that I'm done shouting at you, take whatever you want from this post and live free.

I attended my monthly La Leche League meeting tonight and had a very good time. I'm working on becoming a leader (YIKES!) and I really like the meetings, the networking, the chatter, the helping others.

I know that many people think the only women who attend the LLL meetings are very crunchy granola, militant breastfeeding femi-Nazis, but that's not true. It's normal women like you and me and Jane down the street who want to feed our babies what God intended from the production device so supplied.

The support to breastfeed is coming back in force. More and more women are coming away from the 50's and 60's mentality that the only milk an infant should drink is powdered formula from sterilized bottles.

What LLL is really about is support. Take or leave whatever anyone at the meetings have to say about any topic - just choose what works best for you and your child(ren) and leave it at that.

It's late. I'm tired, and the screen is whirling around in circles, so I guess I'm done.

--The anti-abortion, breastfeeding, baby-wearing, modesty touting, pro-life, stay-at-home mom of 4, wife of a magnificent, loving man