Getting Ready

The Crib

David put the crib together tonight. There is something nostalgic about the crib. I don't have any intention of having Charlie sleep in it for awhile. I recently bought our co-sleeper, so he will sleep next to us initially. However I still wanted to get the crib together.

 

Mabel wanted to help too

  Finished Product

Baby Shower

We are narrowing down the essentials we need before he is here. Hand-me-down's are awesome and we have been very lucky to get clothes and baby items from our friends and family. In addition my friends Keri and Jocelyn had a shower for us last week that was awesome. We are very grateful for everything everyone has done for us :)

 Zoo Passes from Keri, Dan and Oli :)

 CHARLIE letters Jocelyn made for us, we are going to hang above the crib.

 Maggie holding Ryan, one of Charlie's soon to be sidekicks.

 Yummy Charlie cupcakes from Allison and Jim

  Mom wanted to see "the bump" one more time before Charlie was here, she was able to come to the shower :) Plus Erin Pfeifer was there, it was nice to have some of my Ohio family in Colorado :)

 Leigh made a beautiful quilt

Jen made Ethan's onsie he is wearing, which said "Charlie's side-kick"

 Allison with her beautiful Charley. She made our Charlie a cute picture frame.

Henna

Here is a picture of the Henna after the paste was removed.

Belly Henna @ 33 weeks

I have always wanted henna and was able to have Amy Swagman a local photographer, artist and doula come to my house and now I have beautiful henna on my pregnant belly.

http://hennadenver.com/

I had a great day at home with David today and this was a wonderful way to end. It is nice to take some time out and pay attention to the baby moving. I get busy at work and realize I have not checked in on him to make sure he is still doing well in there and moving around. It was nice to just sit for 2 hours watch Charlie move, trade birth/pregnancy stories with Amy and watch her at work. David and I were both impressed how she was able to talk and be present in the conversation while still being able to paint henna on my belly and do such a beautiful job.

I will try to post a picture in a few days when the paste is off and the henna should be well set in.

Birth Plan

Something was in the air 9 months ago because we have been very busy and I have caught a lot of babies the past few weeks. I do not think there could be anymore term pregnant women in the Denver/Metro area.  During a quick rest at the nurses station I sat with the Charge Nurse and friend Anne. We were discussing the variety of births occurring that day and Anne told me that I was not to have a birth plan for my delivery, at least not one in writing.

Witnessing many birthing scenarios one thing can be concluded from pregnancy and birth, you can not plan it. There are certain aspects that you can guide in the general direction for an ideal experience however birth plans might as well be thrown out the window. I laughed at Anne's comment, assured her I would not come in with my Birth Plan in hand demanding ridiculous things. I did express my ideal birth; to deliver my own baby while squatting in a dark quiet corner with nobody around (which is probably not going to happen).

In addition to my squatting dark corner birth I have also thought that whatever scenario I have not yet envisioned myself in, will probably happen. So I think of every scenario possible to hopefully rid myself of the possibility of prodromal labor, induction, postdates, breech, vacuum, forceps, c-section, D&C, etc. In the past few days I have seen women give birth in many different ways. Some births I would wish for myself and others I would not. I try to do my best and enhance the patient's experience even when things don't go the way you want and are out of our control. So with all of this in my head and the delivery becoming closer I have decided to write my birth plan one time and one time only.

My Birth Plan:

To have a healthy baby

I will control what little I can and trust my husband and co-workers to take care of me and Charlie, as I witness them taking amazing care of our patients every day. The rest is up to fate.

One thing is certain, this will not be my birth experience :)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NcHdF1eHhgc