Silly pregnancy smells

Random odd pregnancy super sense. This time around fresh cut grass smells distinctly strong of ONIONS! Every where I go, if someone has recently mowed then it smells weirdly of bulb onions.

Hearing our baby's heartbeat

Watch "Baby Pace #3 Heartbeat" on YouTube

I had to record hearing our baby's heartbeat for the first time. It never gets old. That sound is one if the most soothing and comforting sounds in the world and I love it. I wish I had gotten my face too, I was smiling ear to ear. Its wonderful to hear and know your baby is strong and healthy.  The midwife was awesome and our appointment was great. This is the practice I am doing co-care with until I find a midwife to attend my homebirth. :)

Turning my rejection into ACTION.

       So yesterday I called the woman I was hoping to be using as my Midwife for my homebirth. I had heard great things about her, her credentials looked awesome, and she took our insurance! I thought I had things all planned out.
       See in North Carolina midwifery is a little bit different then in Ohio. In Ohio midwifery was a-legal, it was like they didn't care either way, which I prefer. But let me just say this is a SUCKY TIME FOR HOMEBIRTH IN NC! That sounds horrible, but what I mean is North Carolina has deemed it illegal for professional midwives to catch babies, while it is still OK for Nurse Midwives to do homebirths, they are restricted so much that I was told I would be un-able to have my birth with a "legal" nurse midwife, because I am a VBAC client! I have already had a successful vaginal birth after cesarean but I was turned down because of my "risk"!!!
      I couldn't stop crying on the phone and afterwards yesterday. It felt like a smack in the face, how is my cesarean from 2008 still haunting me! I thought I had conquered it!!!! I know I still have options. My husband is reminding me of this, my doula is reminding me of this, and I know it is true. I will figure out how to find, and pay for a CPM that can attend my homebirth although it is "illegal" according to the state. It is just so dumb. I birthed with a CPM last time and I feel very comfortable with their knowledge base, in general.
     So this is where my ACTION comes in to place. I need to raise the money to have my homebirth. Since this is our last child I really feel so strongly the need/desire to birth where I want, in my home with my family. I will find a way to get more doula clients, before this birth. I will find some kind of craft or service to offer people in order to raise the funds. I WILL find a way to birth at home. It is what is important to me, afterall, and they always say "Where there is a will, there is a way."



http://midwifethinking.com/2011/02/23/vbac-making-a-mountain-out-of-a-molehill/
http://vbacfacts.com/hbac/
http://creatingyourcalm.com/call-to-action-nc-midwives-and-homebirth-families-need-your-help/
also this: http://birthwithoutfearblog.com/2012/05/24/introducing-the-bwf-birth-fund/ 

We are expecting Baby Pace #3!!!!!!

 

    We are very excited, albeit a little bit nervous, to announce we are expecting a new baby! Things have been so different this time! I am already about 15/16 weeks pregnant, and knew almost immediately that I was pregnant...before it would even show up on a test! It took some time to get used to for ourselves, and then for many different reasons we thought it would be cool to keep it a secret a while longer. Well, THE SECRET IS OUT! Now I am excited to start blogging all about my pregnancy and our journey to welcoming a new baby to this world~
     Here is a little on how everyone is coping with the new changes:

About 12 weeks along! Pouching out a little. :)

 Me~ Well, of course, I am very excited to be pregnant again! You all know I really love pregnancy and birth. But, this time, WHEW I have been sick non-stop and it doesn't show signs of slowing. I started feeling the wonderful baby flutters about two weeks ago and it always gives me this rush of excitement and a warm feeling of love for my baby. I feel encouraged to surround this baby with love and warmth while they grow comfortably inside my belly. I am focusing on staying positive and being around only things that will make me feel calm and loved.  I am most definitely pursuing a HOMEBIRTH again! I could not imagine bringing this baby into this world any other way.

Zack~ He knew. Even before I could tell him the news, Zack knew. :) He has been very nervous this time around and I do not blame him. He (we) are very worried about finances, mostly to fund the birth, as a newborn baby and child really does not cost a lot. But the birth.... well that can really be a lot of money. He was joking around with me tonight about baby names and I think is really warming up and getting more excited. Once the baby is really moving around and responding to his voice inside my belly is when things get a little more real for him.

Lincoln~ This little boy HAS BEEN AMAZING! He is so very excited to have a new baby brother. Of course, we do not know the sex, nor do we plan to find out, but we feel this one is a boy again and Lincoln feels the very same. He from the very beginning has called the baby "Baby Mars" so that has been his/her nickname. Lincoln rubs on my belly and kisses it and he talks to the baby all the time! Its awesome what a difference a few years has made on him. Being 4.5 he will probably remember this birth, and that makes it even more special. Lincoln also is such a big boy helper to me, especially when I am sick, he runs to get my throw up bowl or gum. :) awesome little dude.

Asher~ It's been a rough few weeks for little man. We have him night weaned now, because I really don't want to be full time nursing two! Either the milk tastes different or is not coming in as much but he tries to nurse almost constantly now throughout the day. He knows something is going on, and DOES NOT LIKE IT ONE BIT. He is being extra clingy and wanting to be mommy's baby a little while longer. Poor guy. I think things will get better for him. We are really working on doing more big boy things and hoping that other distractions will prove more fun then hanging on mommy all day.


Well, that's whats been going on in the Pace household this summer! Super exciting!!!!!!! I will be updating more and more about my journey to a NC homebirth and our progress as a family. :)

Being a doula for my best friend

   It is almost time! I am a crazy mix of emotions for my next upcoming birth I am attending as a doula. See, this one is going to be a different dynamic completely, I will be a doula for my best friend at the birth of her first baby. I am going all the way up to Ohio for it, hoping to be there from 38 weeks until after her baby is born.
   Heather, my sister, and I have been a trio of friends for over 10 years now!  We have been through so many things together, including our crazy rebellious teen years, my marriage, and the birth of my two sons. She has been an ever faithful ear to listen to all my crazy birth rants and has taken it into her own hands to become educated and aware of her options for her first birth.Seriously, this girl new more about birth before ever even conceiving then most people do that have children of their own.
  She decided on a wonderful Certified Nurse Midwife and a hospital delivery with a doula (me!) and taking a really wonderful homebirth friendly childbirth education class. I am super excited for her to experience this.
  I know it is going to be hard. The hospital we are going to is not exactly known for being natural birth friendly. I know that we will have to fight for her right to birth her way. I know that she will be surprised to feel how labor really feels, but I have confidence in this girl! Heather is an extremely strong willed person, always has been, and I know that she will fight for her birth with all she has, and I will be there to support her in whatever she does. Birth is such an unpredicitable thing! I can not even guess how hers will be: long, short, easy, or harder. But my job is to be there for her no matter what, and to support her in every decision she makes.
    The toughest part though, is going to be what my "job" entails when it comes to being a doula for my best friend. Am I her doula first, or her friend first? Because as her friend there are definitely some things I would do and say that a doula would not! So this is where I am struggling for the moment. Finding the right balance and choosing whether just to wear the "friend" hat in the delivery room, or the "doula" hat at all times. I will post again about her birth experience. I am beyond ecstatic for her to experience this life changing event! I know it will blow her mind away! :)  (Birth is kinda like that....mind blowing!)

Toddlerhood, a poem

I found this poem, and had to share it!

Toddlerhood by Hollie McNish..

Now you can walk and now you can run
Now that new words drip each day from your tongue
Now that your mind is becoming itself
Now that your child is developing strength
Now that your thoughts have become independent
Your brain is conceiving it’s first self reflections
Now that your dreams are becoming to grow
Now that your own self is starting to show
Now that your confidence is swelling each day
And all baby like features are floating away
Now that your self is making it’s moves
We complain and claim that its terrible twos
Our first shitty label for small humankind
The minute they start to know their own minds

Keeping busy and losing friends

I am in between births for a while, and my hubby is gone in SC for a few weeks. The boys and I are trying to keep busy! Running errands, gardening tons, building things together and lots of play dates. Figuring out how to change up things with Asher as he has completely become this little baby bully lately! I feel like I cant take him anywhere. But when i watch him its not out of aggression that he is acting out, its like he is getting overwhelmed or wanting my attention. I dont know! I will be watching him more to see what we need to do. Really its coming from the way Lincoln treats him, so we are working on that here too! Ahhh the joys of being a parent. I always struggle with this age. I started blogging when Lincoln was his age and struggled too, though they are completely different kids with different ways of doing things.

On that note, I have learned so much about friendship and what that truly means in the last few days. I found people who you thought might be a great friend can end up hurting you the worst. I will keep that in mind for the future and stick to keeping people around me that exude positive energy and wont turn on me in a second! I am 26! Not in high school anymore, I did not even know that people still got into drama fights at this age. I am blogging about it only because I need to vent, and remember how the event made me feel.

I will do a pic update next time! I got lots of great pics from our mini beach trip. The girls come to stay for the summer in about a week and a half, too. Look forward to having them around. Good night world... 

Summer Goals!

Wanted to set out a few summer goals for myself and my family. Ill add more when I think of them:

• I want to lose another 15 lbs and KEEP it off. 
• Work hard at my garden and help it yield the most it can
• Make fresh salsa from my tomatoes, and pickles from my cucumbers! 
• Come up with some creative ideas for the ridiculous amount of sweet corn we will probably have
• Work with Lincoln at writing his name and ABCs, and hopefully have him at least writing 50% of them by then end of summer, depending on how he takes the direction 
• Work with Asher at understanding words and communicating 
• Increase the hits from my website and doula work this summer
• Spend lots of time with my sisters, go camping, workout together 

loving this place

I am absolutely loving this new place we have here in NC. Despite the bugs, everything has been so wonderful. I drink my morning coffee on the front porch while the kids play, I run in the yard barefoot and the kids run around nakey butt just because they can. I work hard on my garden and I enjoy being outdoors more than anything. When zack gets home from work the kids and our dog run out to meet him at the gate and they play in the yard some more, or ride around on the riding lawn mower. Its so silly and entertaining. Then after we eat a dinner all together in our lovely dining room we play outside some more and catch fireflies. Totally loving this place.


I do not want to leave.

GroovyCheeks Cloth Diaper Review and Giveaway

I am more than excited to be doing this GroovyCheeks Cloth Diaper Review and Giveaway! I had emailed GroovyCheeks about a month ago with interest in their diapers and wanting to find out and possible doing a review since our local awesome cloth diaper store (All About Baby Boutique) just started carrying their bamboo diaper line. They were incredibly generous at GroovyCheeks and sent me one of each diaper to review. They sent both a bamboo and a cloth, and agreed to give one my readers a chance at winning one of their Cloth Diapers!

A little information about the diapers from the groovycheeks website is in order, I do believe.
About the One Size fits most All in One Bamboo Diaper: ." It is constructed the same as our cloth diaper but made with high quality, renewable bamboo fabric. The interior is soft against baby's skin yet able to wick wetness away at the same  time. 

Exterior fabric 70% bamboo / 30% cotton, with waterproof PUL coating to prevent leaking. Interior fabric is 100% bamboo microfleece for a soft touch against baby's skin."

About their One Size fits most All In One Cloth Diaper: "The interior pocket holds the 6 layer microfiber insert for super absorbancy. Durable, adjustable snaps for correct sizing from birth to potty training. Hip snaps also incorporated to prevent leakage. Exterior fabric has a soft waterproof coating in a variety of colors. Interior fabric is a super soft microfleece to keep baby dry and comfortable. " 

A few tibits of info about these diapers that I love: 

• They are made by a WAHM (a work at home mommy!) 
• The bamboo diaper has a dark colored lining inside so it hides stains! AHHH!! 
• They are super friendly, and fast to respond at GroovyCheeks
• The bamboo diapers are breathable and antimicrobial, great for rash prone bebes
• The cloth/microfleece is great for overnight use, its supersoft and absorbant

SO I am going to review both types of the diapers Bamboo in Green, Cloth in Black.
(but the giveaway is for the CLOTH ones, your choice of color)

Softness

 Bamboo: OMG these diapers are crazy soft! They are the definition of fluffy and I want to rub my face on them like a kitty cat! See ~

Cloth:  The cloth diapers fabric was one of the most soft microfleece lining that I have ever felt on a diaper. Super soft and silky feeling. Here is a picture of the inside soft fluffy goodness~

Absorbancy  
Bamboo: Holds in poo fantastically, and we had an issue with his heavy pees. The inner thigh lining would become wet after a few hours, and it didnt seem to bother him but I emailed Mika from GroovyCheeks about my little issue and here was her fantastic response: 
    "    The bamboo diapers do become saturated on the outside quicker than the
cloth. This is due to the outer layer being bamboo. Bamboo, as you
probably know, is more absorbent than synthetic fibers such as polyester.
Once pee gets on the outside of the diaper (on the other side of the
waterproof PUL layer) it saturates the diaper quickly. This is due to the
outside of the diaper being bamboo instead of polyester.
I rectify this issue with one of two things, I either change my little
girl every 2 hours (where I change the cloth every 3 hours) or I add an
additional insert to the bamboo diaper and it seems to work. I actually
just put a washcloth in with the bamboo insert and it works great for me.
That is the only downside of the bamboo. It is great for breath-ability
and any rash issues but the outside will become saturated if left on too
long or without an additional insert (or washcloth). "
Cloth: Had no issues whatsoever with leaks. The diaper held in several hours at a festival sitting in pee with no leaks, and holds in poop perfectly. Very absorbant insert and the inner thigh gussets held everything and were not too tight.

Fit
Bamboo: fit like a glove on my 17 month old. The diaper had so many snaps it was perfect for adjusting to what my son needed. Not too tight, not too loose.

Cloth:  Same perfect fit as the bamboo diaper. No complaints. My son walks perfectly with it on, no waddling with a big diaper between his legs. Does not leave any red marks on his belly or thighs.

Durability
Bamboo:The diaper itself has stayed in amazing condition even after repeated beatings from a toddler and an old washing machine. (although always hung to dry) The inner lining of bamboo has some aesthetic issues with wear and tear but works perfectly. *Pardon the playroom mess in the background :)

 Cloth: Still looking great after a month of use. A few little threads here and there sticking out that I needed to trim off. Is to be expected and totally has no effect on how well the diaper works. Overall, looks great! 

Colors 
Both the bamboo and cloth have vibrant colors to pick from. The bamboo one in green I especially love for how earthy it looks, and the cloth diaper colors are very shiny and gorgeous! I love the pretty blue one I have.


Overall, I am extremely pleased with the GroovyCheeks company and their diapers. I am so happy to be able to offer one of the All In One Cloth Diapers to one lucky winner. 

But in case your not the one to win, you can buy the bamboo diaper from All About Baby Boutique  http://www.allaboutbabyboutique.com/catalog.php?item=596
 and as they do not yet carry the Cloth Diapers there yet, you can purchase those straight off the groovycheeks website http://www.groovycheeks.com/Online_Store






a Rafflecopter giveaway


PS I was not compensated for this review. I did it cause I like to, and cause they sent me a diaper to try out and tell yall about!