Pru, Cale & Hershey's
Topic: Weirdness

Lots of little things to talk about today!!

First off, momma's kisser boy Pru Pru.  This child is now 2 (yeah. . .I'm late. . .he turned 2 Aug 8 LOL) but he can count to 11 and his vocabularly is amazing.  I'm sure it's the vocab of a "normal" 2 year old, but considering the fact that Cale took so long to speak, we are floored by Pruitt's talking!

Pru also loves music!  This excites me a ton!  His favorite songs right now are Buster Poindexter's Hot Hot Hot, Rob Thomas' Lonely No More and Nickelback's This is how You Remind Me.  Interesting selections for a 2 year old huh?

Now to Cale. . .he is fully into school and is finding his place at his new school.  This child LOVES his new school!!  He thinks it's awesome!!!!  And he's doing so well!!  Since school has started, we've seen a total change in his behavior and attitude at home.  His manners have improved and we are definitely feeling good about our decisions for this year.

Wondering why Hershey's is there too?  I'll tell ya!!  My weakness is chocolate, and mainly chocolate ice cream with chocolate syrup.  I can't let it go!!  And now Hershey's has made my life even BETTER!  I grew up with the top to the syrup bottle being a "pull" top thing, and then you'd have to keep up with the clear plastic cover that ends up smushing any syrup left up there, into the top of the top. . .are you confused yet?? LOL  Well, Hershey's has developed a new FLIP TOP for the syrup!  WOOHOO!!!!!!!!!!!!

Sad when that's what I'm excited about huh?? 

Touching on c-sections AGAIN
Topic: Doula Talk

A friend of mine just sent me the link to this article.  Yes, I haven't posted in awhile, yes she sent this to me a mere five minutes ago.  HOWEVER, we both agree that this is VERY well written.   It's an article over ways to avoid a c-section.

As I have stated before, I do believe that there are times when a c-section is a medically necessary means of bringing a baby into this world, however I feel every woman should be given the chance to push a baby out.

Gotta love #5 on their list too. . .right up my alley!  My "certified" alley now ;) 

And tonight I cried
Topic: Pruitt
It really sunk in tonight. . .after almost 5 weeks, Pruitt has weaned himself from nursing.  I'm not sure why it hit me so hard, but it did.  And I guess I'm finally mourning the loss of our time together.  On the flip side, I am so proud of how long we lasted.  I wouldn't trade that for the world.

They came today
Topic: Weirdness

And it's a somber day now. . .the call came around 1:15pm. . .the voice apparently asked to speak to Sgt. Memoli, not Jason, not Mr.  SGT.  And she knew.  She knew that today was the day.

They were told 2 weeks ago he wasn't on the list to go.  He is now.  He leaves for Iraq in January.  Yes things can change, I hope they do.  But tonight, we know he will go.  He will be there representing our country.

Say a prayer for Tatee. . .we love him and want him back safe.  He's a great brother-in-law. . .short but great.  And he'll leave his wife of 2 years and his son.  He'll leave right after E turns 2.  Imagine what all he will miss in that year that he's gone.

We love you Jas and we'll help take care of Carly & E.   Today is the day they came. . .the orders came to take him to the desert.

The booby spider
Topic: Weirdness

I sometimes wonder why God granted me the gift of a boy.  And not just one boy.  TWO boys.  I am not an outside person.  I don't like the smell of outside, I don't like the smell of freshly mowed grass, I would prefer that both children and Bubba take a shower after entering the house from playing outside.  I know. . .I can dream and wish right??

And one can deduce that if I do not enjoy the grandeurs of the natural world, that I don't particularly care for the "things" living in it.  You would be correct.  I don't like bugs.  AT.  ALL.  In fact, spiders are my least favorite.  I actually have panic attacks with spiders.  It's super awful!

But last night, I was to help my brother-in-law, Jason the muralist, with his new website (only to be seen at www.MemoliArtS.com!).  My sister turned this into a family cook-out.  Ok. . .no problem.  Throw some lettuce in a bowl, corn in a pan and some meat on the grill.  Eat, continue with the plan of website building.  Well. . .I'm not sure where we went wrong, but the meat took a lot longer than expected.  Because of this delay, my busy work that was to be my tether to the kitchen indoors, was finished.  I was forced outside into nature.

Within one minute of going outdoors, I was bit by a mosquito.  TWICE.  I then ducked back in only to have my mom banging on the window motioning me out there again.  I grabbed a dryer sheet, shoved it in my back pocket and away I went.  (Yes, one of my crunchy friends told me of this trick and it worked like a CHARM!!!)  I sat down in the chair next to dad.

As we sit there talking, me jittery with the creepy-crawly feelings of mother nature, I had an itch.  That itch moved.  That itch was in my shirt.  To be more precise, that itch was in my shirt by the girls.  I look down, but see nothing.  I open the top of my shirt a bit and there, perched between my breasts is a spider.  I could have ripped both shirts off and started screaming, but, by the grace of God, I held onto my calmness.  I reached down, grabbed that tiny eight-legged varmint, and threw him to the grass.  Yes, he was tiny, not something to have mega-nightmares about, but still, he was a spider, I touched him and he was apparently a boob man.

After my breathing resumed, then the panic hit.  I thought my mom was going to have a heart-attack.  She said the look on my face was priceless.  Well, I don't care, I made it through, calmed myself down.  I think had the spider been anywhere else, I would have asked for help.  But I don't think my dad would have been comfortable with  me asking him to reach down my shirt to flick a spider out.  That would just be sick!!

Moral of the story: don't wear a low-cut shirt if you are afraid of spiders.

Piper's moral of the story: don't go outside. 

 

Pickin' away
Topic: Banjo Pickin'

I haven't posted about my banjo playing in awhile so I thought it was time to update!! I've been going to my lessons every week (well. . .mostly every week) and have tried to go to the weekly jam sessions held on Friday nights.  I'd say I've gone 6-7 times and thoroughly enjoy playing with all the others.

And I'm getting better too!!  That's what rocks! :)  But I wanted to share one of my favorite songs to play.  Annie just taught me the chorus, but I didn't get that one recorded, just the first part.  Here's I'll Fly Away played by yours truly! I hope you enjoy it.

Oh!  Want to know something else?  On Cale's 5th birthday, my grandmother was in town.  She got a call to say that her house had been robbed and the person/people had taken my Pa's guitar and other things belonging to him.   She just hugged me and  told me that she was so happy I had his banjo.  I thank God that I do too. 

First Midwife AND VBAC
Topic: Doula Talk

For those that know me well, you know that I was unhappy about my c-section.  You also know that I fully support VBAC'ing (vaginal birth after cesarean).  I had not had a client that was a VBAC client. . .but that changed.

M found my name on a website.  She couldn't afford a doula, but wanted one and I agreed to help her.  When we first met she told me of her other two births.  The first was a c-section. . .one she felt was totally unnecessary and she was unhappy with it.  The second birth, a VBAC, but she bled incredibly and so it was very dramatic also.  She saw it as a VBAC, but was still unhappy with her experience.  She had asked me to help her make her next birth a happy memory, one not filled with drama and trauma.

M had birthed both of her children a week before her due date. . .that's when THEY decided to come, however that point came and went.  She was getting big, very big and uncomfortable.  She called me on the day before her due date and we talked.  She was scared of having to be induced, she wondered aloud if a c-section wouldn't be the best choice.  I told her that we could wait until that time comes, let's see if she goes into labor.  There was still time.

Her due date came and the next morning, Friday, May 25, 2007, her husband called me from the hospital.  Her body had finally decided it was time. I got to the hospital right as contractions started.  Her water had broken on its own, but she had gone hours with no labor.  Finally it was starting.

We walked, we talked, we rocked, we leaned, we sat and they got stronger and stronger.  When she hit the tub, she relaxed enough that her body went into overdrive.  Panic hit and the midwife and I calmed her down.  She held on for an hour, but finally decided she wanted an epidural.  We supported her decision and as soon as it was in place, the midwife checked and she was 7-8 centimeters dialated.  It was almost time.

The beauty part of having the midwife is that she allowed M to labor the baby down. . .she didn't rush pushing. . .she allowed nature to take over.  The baby descended and pushing started. . .no flurry of people came in the room, it was quiet, dimly lit. . .intimate.  But then a bit of drama insued.  The baby didn't want to tolerate her head being compressed so the room filled with people.  The midwife maintained control of the situation and I got M into a position that would help her push baby out. Within 1 minute of people rushing in, the baby came out on her own, no forceps, no vacuum, just a better pushing position.

The victory for me, the point where I know I smiled like a dork, was seeing that baby come out and also being able to see the scar.  The reminder of how her first baby came out.  

She thanked me numerous times for helping. . .for being there. . .for reminding her she could do it.  M told me that she honestly believes that she might have settled for a c-section, and been very disappointed with her choice.  She told me that she never really understood what the importance of a VBAC was for women, but that she now understands.  She "gets" it. . .and she knows it's one of the reasons that she was released 23 hours after giving birth.

It was a wonderful birth, a birth that also showed me the difference in doctors and midwives.  I thank M and her husband L for teaching me these things. 

Fast and furious
Topic: Doula Talk

She knew what she wanted. . .she wanted to know that her body could work.  She wanted to do it alone, untouched by monitors and needles.  She wanted her baby to pick his own due date.  

K had  been through a previous tough pregnancy and birth.  Tough.  Hard.  Long.  She wanted this time to be different.  She wanted a positive memory.  She had asked me to help her reach this goal. . .be there to support her.  I was honored to accept.  I felt a connection with her. . .a connection I couldn't describe.  An unexpected connection since we'd only known each other about 5 weeks.  But we meshed.  I understood her and she understood me.

K and I had enjoyed a nice long, three hour conversation together on that Wednesday morning, February 21.  She was two days from her due date and we really got a chance to talk.

It happened to be a very busy day for me:  her appointment, getting Cale fed and to school, my appointment, watching Easton, family pictures.  Finally, I got some much needed "self" time that night.  However, it didn't last long.  K called me about 9:15 telling me it was time. . .she was ready.

When I got to the hospital, she was in pain, a suprising pain that she was trying to handle, but that scared her.  She paced, crouched, paced some more.  It seemed she was trying to get away from the pain, but she couldn't.  

An hour later, she was begging to push.  She was letting her body do the work.  Her husband, watching with internalized excitement, talked non-stop.  He was nervous, he felt helpless, but he knew her wishes.  He knew she could do this.

And she did.  She got her birth.  A fast birth.  A birth untouched by needles or monitors.  A birth that showed her that her body could birth a baby without pitocin, without augmentation, without interference.  And her words at the end stated it all for me.  She looked at me, eyes glazed over with adrenaline and excitement, as she said, "Did you see that?  I just pushed a baby out of my vagina.  I did it!"

K did it.  She birthed a perfect and gorgeous baby boy, a little over an hour after reaching the hospital.  Fast and furious yes, but also miraculous and beautiful.  It can be done and it's magnificent. 

Testing. . .
Topic: Weirdness

For the LIFE of me I cannot figure out why Tripod keeps EATING MY FREAKING POSTS!  I am seriously ticked at it.  Makes me angry.  I don't know what to do about it.  

Wanna know what I've been doing since my last entry?  Two births, three dentist appointments, one filling re-done, one temporary crown, an IV complete with demerol, three days of doula training, two babywearing classes and one rockin' website.

I'll try to catch up later. . . if this works. 

Pregnant in America
Topic: Doula Talk

I try to be open minded when it comes to birth.  My births went two different directions. . .should I give birth again, it will probably go a different direction.  As a doula, I am here to give information so that my client can make an informed decision.

What do I believe?  I believe there are too many interventions.  I believe that women were meant to give birth.  I believe birth makes women stronger. . .it empowers a woman.  I do not view cesarean sections as birth.  A c-section is a surgical removal of the baby from the mother's womb. . .I do not classify Pruitt's entrance as me birthing him.

It's ok if I don't agree with others and their opinions.  That's fine.  But I do find it interesting to see the number of people standing up for birth and speaking out against insurance companies, doctors and hospitals.  Yes, I do think you can have a great birth experience in a hospital and with the right doctor, but the right doctor can be hard to find.

A fellow doula-friend of mine forwarded me this link.  It's to the trailer for the film Pregnant in America.   Here's the synopsis, copy and pasted from the site:

"Pregnant in America examines the betrayal of humanity's greatest
gift--birth- --by the greed of U.S. corporations. Hospitals, insurance
companies and other members of the healthcare industry have all pushed aside the best care of our infants and mothers to play the power game of raking in huge profits.

His wife pregnant, first-time father & filmmaker Steve Buonaugurio sets out to create a film that will expose the underside of the U.S. childbirth
industry and help end its neglectful exploitation of pregnancy and birth.

Pregnant in America is the controversial story of life's greatest miracle in the hands of a nation's most powerful interests."

Watch it and see what you think.  There's nothing wrong in researching.  You might learn something about yourself in the process.