Oh, Sick!

For some reason, I wasn't prepared for vomit. I knew having a baby meant long nights, less sleep, pee, poop, spit up, more laundry, etc, etc... But Marley has been sick, puking her poor heart out and it's caught me by surprise! I'm not sure how to handle it. But we are on day #3 of sickness, and I'm starting to get the hang of it.

Marley was up, on and off, for 3 hours Saturday night, throwing up. I was on the worship team Sunday, so Hans stayed home and took care of her. She threw up most of the morning, but it got better in the evening. I felt really bad not being home. I could tell my heart was not in to playing and singing, but I think that's OK sometimes. Yesterday we took it easy... I really enjoy just getting to hold her (she's not usually very cuddly), and letting her take naps on me. And she only threw up once yesterday- right after a bath at the bottom of the stairs while I was holding her. She started coughing, looked at me, and I knew. I covered her mouth and out it came! All over both of us. BUT it was kind of good because the clean up was just changing our clothes. In the past it's gotten on sheets, pillows, blankets, the couch... so being puked on wasn't so bad.  :)

She's also had a high fever, and yesterday I felt like we couldn't get it under control, which scared me. We give her Tylenol as often as we can, but it wasn't doing that much. Thankfully her bath really helped, and she woke up this morning feeling a lot better. I told myself if her temp was high again today we'd go to Urgent Care- now I don't feel like we need to yet.

Adding to the stress is our upcoming trip to Boston. Hans and I and my parents are going to a coffee convention there, and Marley is staying with Tim and LaRonda. They are great sports, but I will feel horrible if we have to leave while she is still sick. I'm trying not to think about it too much.

This is Marley's station. She's got a puke bucket, which she also takes to bed with her, even though she's never actually made it to the bucket on her own. Hans and I have gotten good at watching for her puke signs and helping her.   :) 

So pathetic! I feel so bad for her. She's having fun watching Curious George all day and drinking "pop" (water, ginger ale, and gatorade), but she'd rather be playing. She's tried to a few times, but ends up just laying over a stool or chair. 

On a totally unrelated note, I am sewing a quilt! Sort of. I feel like it's kind of cheating since it's a baby quilt (or lap quilt), so I can do it all with my machine. But still. Hans bought me a gift certificate to take a class at our local sewing shop for Mother's Day last year, and I am finally taking him up on it! Last Saturday was the first of two classes, and it was pure bliss. The shop is so cute, and it was quiet, and there were only 3 other students, space to work and tools to do it properly, and no interruptions from a toddler (whom I love dearly, of course!). Our "homework" is to sew whatever kind of lines we want through our quilt sandwich. I chose wavy lines, which looked really bad at first, but now that there are more of them, I like it! Then in 2 weeks we have another class to work on the binding.  Here is my quilt in progress:

I decided it's for the new baby, so I made it gender neutral (since we won't be finding out the sex of the baby). 

While I was at class, Marley and Hans had a fun little date. It was getting warm outside, so Hans got out his bike and trailer and they went to One Line for coffee.

mmm, pickin' her nose. 

They made her a "baby hot chocolate," with latte art and everything, which apparently Marley was really proud of. Hans said she told everyone she saw that she rode a bike and got hot chocolate. She told me about 5 times when I got home. It blessed me to not only have a morning off, but to see Hans and Marley have some quality time together. Hans is a great dad! I could tell Marley felt special. 

One other little rabbit trail, if you're into sewing, I really like this tutorial. It's just a tank top pattern, size 2T, but it's a gem in the world of online patterns and tutorials that may or may not turn out well. I am learning that not everything on Pinterest is worth doing, and good instruction is valuable. I have wasted too much time and fabric trying to sew things I should have gotten a pattern for. ANYWAYS, I am obsessed with this tank pattern. I made it longer to make Marley a dress:

It actually isn't long enough for a dress, so I'll either raise the hem, or call it a tunic. :) I also have two other jersey tanks 1/2 finished, made from thrifted t-shirts. Cheap cheap! 

Alright! I think that's all the ramblig for now. Here are two of my favorite videos of Marley lately. Enjoy!

Marley has been observing me taking all 11 million 9 of my prenatal vitamins (or pills). Although I've never taken pills with coffee...

Marley kept asking for "follow Jonah" at bedtime. Hans and I don't know what song she's referring to, so Hans made this one up. Watch for a children's song album coming soon! haha :)

Oh, in case you can't understand, the lyrics are:
Follow Jonah, follow Jonah,
Where he go? Where he go?
Big fish swallow him, big fish swallow him
Spit him out, Spit him out. 

Why I Love my Midwives

Just a warning, this is long and emotional! :)

I am almost 12 weeks pregnant. Yes! I have been feeling better, not so nauseous, though still not quite 100%. We had our first midwife appointment a week ago, and it went really well. I felt much more confident  this time around... We get two midwives. One of our midwives from lat time, Abby, has passed away (sad!), so we have one midwife from last time, Tanya, and one that we've met a few times and like, Jill. The appointment went well. I am looking forward to hearing the heartbeat next time! Oh, I should mention we're trying for a home birth again. Things didn't work out last time, but that only proved to me that I love the midwives' care- they were cautious enough to transfer me to a hospital when my blood pressure went through the roof and I was showing signs of pre-eclampsia.

Tuesday morning I felt great. Not very sick, not nauseated by the smell of the refrigerator. Amazing! We went to work in Mechanicsburg, and I forgot I was pregnant. Unfortunately, this meant I ate horribly, and didn't drink much water. After dinner I realized I had a headache, and my vision went really blurry. I was trying to make a few invoices before we left and was so annoyed that I couldn't see the screen! I ate some trail mix and felt better. Then we got home and it happened again. This time it kind of scared me. I ate an apple and it went away, so I thought it sounded like low blood sugar. Hans called one of my midwives, and she asked a few questions and decided it probably was low blood sugar, I needed to drink more water, and said to call her if it happened again.

Wednesday morning I woke up with the headache. Dull, but there. We had an appointment in the morning, and lots of errands to run. Around noon, I was checking out at Target and realized I felt weird. Something was not right. And I was worried... My last stop was to drop off some paperwork at the Midwives' office, so I did that and asked if someone could take my blood pressure. My midwife Jill was there and took me to a room, where I promptly started sobbing when she shut the door. I am so emotional! I explained that I was worried since I had pre-eclampsia before. I just don't want to ignore any "weird" feelings, and then not be able to have the birth experience I am so hoping for. Jill took my blood pressure, said she didn't like it, and asked me to take some deep breaths. I played with Marley for a second, and Jill asked me a few questions: "Have you been getting 80-100g protein each day?" "No." "Have you been drinking your pregnancy tea and getting a gallon of water each day?" "No." She really encouraged me to do those things, and gave me a list of other things I can try if I feel like my blood pressure is high. She also had some affirming words. She said it is understandable that I'm worried about pre-eclampsia because of what happened before, but this is a totally different pregnancy. She said it won't happen again, this will be different. I know she can't know that, but I need to start thinking that way instead of being scared. At then end of this pep talk she took my blood pressure again and it was on the high end of normal. I had worked myself in to a tizzy! Jill said to go home, take it easy, and eat as much protein as I can stomach.

Where else can you just walk into a clinic and have an impromptu meeting with your caregiver? She spent 20 minutes with me and I haven't even paid our deposit yet! And she encouraged me to stop by or call any time I'm concerned. Amazing. This is why I love my midwives.

I realized a few things:
1.) I am terrified of my body "messing up" again. I know I can have a baby anywhere, but I let my mind think about unlikely scenarios; They induce me, I have a C-section, a doctor forces me to give up my child. (Ha!)
2.) I was slacking on my diet until after the first trimester. I feel like that's acceptable, but I also know better. I need to at least try to get all that protein. No more bagels and cookies all day! (It wasn't quite that bad, but almost.)
3.) I have to be on gard against stress/business. It's OK to take a break at work, to leave a party early, or stay home when I am feeling overwhelmed. It's OK.

So now I am happy to say that I have been stuffing myself with protein. Gross. I struggle with actually enjoying the taste of a lot of what I eat (especially egg sandwiches. gag). but I've been getting my 80-100grams, and that leaves very little room for sweets. Kind of amazing. I also get my water in and started the pregnancy tea. I feel really good, no blurred vision, and I feel like my blood pressure is normal.

Yaaaay, Midwives!

Rock a Bye Baby

Seems all I get around to is posting videos these days... Sorry!

Hans took this video a few nights ago in the car. You can't actually see Marley, but you sure can hear you! I just love hearing her sing...

Oh I Love it!

Marley has been repeating such funny phrases lately. On of these is, "Oh, I love it!" This comes out when she gets a balloon at Old Navy, or in the case of this video, a cookie at Patty Cake Bakery.

One note, she hasn't spontaneously told Hans or I that she loves us, just food and balloons. :)

Christmas, Mostly Pictures

It's been a long time since an update, but I wanted to share some Christmas pictures.

Christmas began the Saturday before Christmas, with our family Christmas.

Our humble tree (the sheet is covering M's gift).

Marley's big gift was the play kitchen, which we bought from Tim and LaRonda earlier this year. I just love it! So cute. She also got the backpack, which is partially for me, because it's her diaper bag and now she can carry her own stuff everywhere instead of me! :)

Saturday evengin was Christmas with my family, but I didn't take any pictures! Shame on me. I was tired, so that's my excuse.

Sunday was spent prepping for the Eve of the Eve service at church (me at practice, Hans watching Marley). After the service, we got in a 15 passenger van with my family and drove to Iowa for Christmas with the Swartzentrubers. Marley did not sleep well, which means I did not sleep well, but we made it. :) Again, I have no pictures. Tuesday (Christmas Day) was spent at my cousin's new house, which was big enough to host everyone and so nice! As the evening rolled around, the uncles were checking the weather and noticed a storm was brewing in Indianapolis, right over our route home. After much speculation, we decided to hop right back in that van and try to get home before the storm hit. The thought of doing that to Marley (and myself) again was tiring, and I am so thankful for Hans' parents who agreed to keep her in IA with them (we asked them as were racing back to their house to pack up. So spontaneous they are!).

Wednesday (day after Christmas) was spent in Mechanicsburg catching up on sleep, roasting coffee (Hans), attempting to make donuts and getting my butt kicked exercising with Trudi (me), and finally heading back to Columbus that night.

Friday afternoon Hans' parents got here with Marley. I was so happy to see her! Even though I felt like a kid in a candy shop while she was gone. I had such a relaxing time, and we even saw a movie (it was crappy though)!

Saturday and Sunday were spent at the Rosedale International Center, here in Columbus, with all of Hans' family. It was such a good 2 days. Relaxing, there was plenty of space for kids to play, good food, and good company. :) Here are lots of pictures from that!

This little Lydia is so darn cute! She makes me want to have a baby. Hans too. So stay tuned on that. :) 

The puzzle table was quite popular.  

Lydia again, in her favorite hang out, a box.  

Papa and Adalie hang the stockings. A table is a little different place, but it did the job! 

Marley and her stocking. 

Marley got lots of good stuff! 

 

Lydia and Marley each got their very own table! It's beautiful, and the stain matches our big table that Leonard made for us. It has a nice spot in our living room and is getting lots of use already!

Hans had Kendall's name and gave him a knife he made. I was proud of him for seeing it through and then actually giving it away even though he loved it so much. :) 

Marley and one of her favorite new toys. It's the little things.  

 Sunday morning church. 

The girls in their new pajamas from Nana! So cuuuuute! 

Does she have a modeling future? I secretly hope not, but she was getting in the picture-taking spirit.  

The three youngest.  

 Kiss.

She knows she did something cute and is now expecting praise. :) 

The girl looks so much like Hans! 

It was a busy but wonderful Christmas. I wouldn't have it any other way!

Single Mom; Woe is Me!

We have been husbandless/fatherless since Tuesday. I don't like it! Actually it's been going pretty well. Wednesday and Thursday were bad days. There was a bunch of stressful stuff with the 3 business we're a part of, and I knew if I could just ask Hans about a few things I was confused about, it would be a lot better! But there is no internet at the coffee farm, and no communicating for me. :( Trudi stayed here Wednesday and Thursday night so I could work the coffee trailer Thursday and Friday morning and she'd be here when Marley woke up. I've never opened the trailer before, and I was very nervous about it. Wednesday night I slept poorly (nerves about opening the next morning), and Marley woe up at midnight, 5am, 5:15, 5:35 (changed diaper here), 5:45 (spanked her here). I didn't go back to sleep in between these or after, and was relieved when my alarm went off at 6:15am. I tried taking a nap that afternoon and couldn't. Uuuugggghhhhhh. I think sleep deprivation added to the stress of those days.

After the trailer on Friday, Marley and I went to work at the Roastery. It was a big day getting ready for Mechanicsburg's Christmas in the Village on Saturday. Trent came in the evening to roast a batch of coffee and stuck around for dinner. It was nice to have a man around. :) We stopped working around 8pm and went to mom's house to stay the night. It was so good to be home. I like my mom. :) The house was cozy and Christmasy, and I slept like a baby in the wood-stove-heated house. There's just something about wood heat- so much better! Someday I hope we have a fireplace. I'll even haul the wood! Promise. Marley liked it too because she slept like a baby (is supposed to).

Saturday I worked my butt off. The place was packed! Marley did so well. I was so nervous about her because she's been a little "off" since Hans left. She played with other kids, and we got a chance to sneak off and have sugar cookies, visit a live nativity and pet the camel, donkey, sheep, and goats, and we got to ride on a wagon pulled by two beautiful horses! She loved it.

Marley and a goat (bad picture)

Sugar cookies!

Wagon ride. 

Trudi and Jeremy were around all day (again, something nice about having a man around!), and played some Christmas music. We also had the RBC Chorus stop by after their last performance and they sang a couple songs! 

It was a long but good day, ending in some quick home tours, pizza, and driving back to our house. Again, Marley slept great!

Sunday was busy too. My mom came to Veritas, and took Marley back to my house for lunch and a nap while I opened the trailer from 11-4. It was HollidayVille- Clintonville's neighborhood Christmas celebration. I didn't have a ton of business, but a few new people stopped by because they heard about our specials (registered on the Experience Clintonville website). They seemed to love it, so hopefully they're stop back again! I got home around 4:30pm, and mom, Trudi, and I went to a few shops before dinner. Marley and I had a nice night at home. She ate a TON for dinner... and for breakfast this morning, and for lunch. Growth spurt? For lunch she had an egg, two bananas, and pretzels  Hope she not traumatized by our busy weekend and emotionally eating! Haha

This morning I took Marley for her first real haircut. Wish I had done it sooner! Her hair was... rough. I'm a big DIY type, but I think I'll lay off the hair for a while (or forever). I took her to Cookie Cutters, and they have videos for the kids to watch and she got to sit in an airplane! It went to so fast, too, and she did great.

Tonight we have meat and cheese deliveries, which feels like the last tough thing to get through. But Chad and Deborah will be there to help and the orders are small so I think it will go well. Hans gets in around midnight on Tuesday, and I'm excited to go pick him up! I work at the Roastery tomorrow then mom and I are going to a Christmas concert in the evening. So time will fly!

Marley has been missing daddy, talking to him on the phone (remote control) all morning, and asking about him a lot. In the car I heard her gabbing in the back seat, going over the facts: "Daddy buh-bye. Daddy airplane. Daddy off in Costa Rica. Daddy back? Back?" That's right, Marley he's coming back soon!

Free Christmas Music!

Hey blogy blog people! I am super excited to announce that the Christmas recording my church did is now available! 

 Photo stolen from Joe Byler's twitter feed. It's not stealing if I give credit, right?

We recorded this last January, and I'm happy it's finally available! Here is the download link: 
http://veritascolumbus.com/gloria/

You can also get it on Noisetrade: http://www.noisetrade.com/veritasmusic
Or Bandcamp: http://veritasmusic.bandcamp.com

Pick your poison!