Starting up the "stash"

I am a hoarder. A wool hoarder. I can' t help it, I am totally addicted to the squishyness, the way it glides across my knitting needles, the sheen of the color, the drape of each garment I complete. I love wool. Although it is still sweltering hot here, for the most part, I have begun Mavericks fall longies stash. What are longies? That is a whole other discussion that you would not care about unless you cloth diaper. If you do, and you don't know, look it up. Baby boy is going to be looking fit in his fall wardrobe!

Pattern Used (for the most part): Eviepants by Marilyn Porter

Silk. For play and art.

3 years ago, when I was pregnant with Isabella, I dyed a 6 foot long piece of silk. Why? Just because, I am cool like that. It has been used for so many things since. When Bella began to walk I would tie the silk around her waist so I could track her through the yard. She would have this long rainbow trailing behind her every step. The girls often times use it for fort building, it has been a parachute, and most commonly Rapunzel's hair. Unfortunately silk is somewhat delicate. After tons of use, with rips here and there, I decided to buy another piece to dye. This time we would do a family art project.

First I mixed up all the fiber reactive dyes with shaving cream in different colors in the baby jars I have been hoarding. (Thank you pinterest) I used Q-Tips initially as their paint tools, which we later added paint brushes to complete the job.





Next I wrapped my silk around some scrap wood that I built into a frame. Let the painting begin!



Tada!!!!

The home birth of John Maverick.

After dinner, the evening of July 28th it started. After doing "the deed" with my dear husband, it took only 30 minutes for my contractions to start. I would not let myself be convinced that it was "real". I continued on with my evening activities, playing outdoors with the kids, some light weeding throughout my overgrown flower beds, and the normal bedtime routine (Bath, Books, Kisses). After getting the girls to bed John and I sat down to play a game of Monopoly to keep my mind off the persistant contractions. By the end of the game they were coming every 4 minutes for 2 minutes long, I knew it was real.

11:30 p.m. my midwife and doula arrive to start setting things up. I was in the tub when they arrived and stayed there until I began getting pruney. I then relied on my ball for comfort and alternated rest periods with walking up and down the stairs. By 4:45 a.m. I was extremely exhausted, asking my midwife to check me and see what kind of progress I had made. I could see it in her face, I wasn't far. Only 4 cm. dialated and 0 station. I felt devastated. My doula and midwife advised me to lay down on my side and try to nap between contractions, so I followed their advise.

It felt like a freight train was charging through my body. I was abruptly awaken by furious contractions 30 minutes after I had lain down. I got up from my bed and made my way to the toilet to pee. Back to back with 10-20 second breaks the contractions raged through my body. Instincts took over at this point. I went back to my ball and squeezed it with all of my might, trying to "breathe" through the contractions to the best of my ability. My midwife decided to check me again, she needed to know why I was in so much pain. "We need to hurry Sally" she said to my doula. I knew he was coming. I had dialated to a 7 and was now at a +3 station. "I think you would be more comfortable in the tub, Jenn, lets try to move in between contractions." I dug deep and mustered up all the strength I could to let go of that ball and make way toward the tub.

2 steps. That is as far as I could make it before I dropped to my hands and knees, barely inside the bathroom doors. I could feel him. HE WAS COMING. I grabbed on to my husbands torso and tried to focus my breathing and low bellows. I kept thinking "You are squeezing him to hard, you are hurting him" but my hands would not ease up, my husband was just going to have to endure. "You are doing so great, he is almost here" my husband chanted to me. I reached down and felt his head emerging. John Maverick born at 6:17 a.m. July 29th 7lbs. 6oz.

My mother and stepmother arrived shortly after. My children woke up at 8:00, for the first time. (I am amazed they didn't wake through my middle of the night screams) Overnight they became big sisters, it was magical, they were completely in awe of their new brother. I couldn't have asked for a better birth. It was absolutely perfect.