first few photos

the girls.  Catherine, our Doula, was a clothed angel.  what a graceful woman.  she led kristyn all the way to the end of the road.

worn out.

this was one of Kris' visuals, to help her arrive to the product on the right.  

little Hensley 

there are surely to be hundreds more.  i think she is cute,  and she is.  less like an alien i think, more like the pretty little girl she is...

*7lbs 12oz.
*19 1/4 in.
*came out rippin' and snarlin'

i am going to let kristyn tell her labour story, when she gets around to it.  i feel that since she did the work, she merits the opp. to share.  she pushed herself to the limit, and then went farther than she could ever have imagined.  she worked for over an entire day; preparing for Hensley, battling and overcoming her mind.

finished

4:15 am, Hensley starts Day 1. After performing a last minute resort of a c-section, both girls are safe.  A team of doctors worked quickly to birth Hensley.  After 15 min of surgery, poof, she was out screaming full of life.  She has a full head of brown hair, a round nose like MJ and tiny everything else.

Kris is feeding her, being a good mother already.

soon

hensley will not move and correct herself.  after another hour of pushing, she is still refusing to descend.  it is the best option for kristyn and hensley to meet via c-section.  with kristyn's fatigue, and hensley's time in "open" womb, the girls need to meet in the operating room.

kristyn is a real hero.

waiting

kristyn is resting.  she is still working to get hensley to straighten.  she is cock-eyed and even though the doctor feels her when examining kris, she can't get her head to get in position.  kristyn is being brave and has finally succumb to fatigue.  she is resting and is seeing if hensley will straighten.  25 hrs down...hopefully minutes remain.

update

she is working hard, conquering her mind, and preparing well.  she rested a little, and is now between tightenings.  they are surely getting more intense, and she is handling it well.

pray

Game On...

Water broke, 1:20 a.m....here we go.

Early labor could last 2 hrs, could last 12 hrs.  She's going to labor as much at home, then we'll head out.

Pray for my ladies...

Close

Hensley -
This is your mother.  She is radiant, amazing and gracious.  You won't believe how compassionate she is and how she "feels" for the neglected and discriminated.  She is incredibly intelligent and insightful.  She has a knack for making any space utile, and and comfortable.  When you come out, I just hope you know that she has looked forward to meeting you for months.  She has been planning, and dreaming, and hoping for you.  She has changed her life for you, and will continue to do until she passes.  Your mother loves well, better than any woman I have ever known.
She is impatient for your arrival, that is how much she wants to know you, feed you, hold you, protect you, raise you, and love you.
I have watched you grow in her, and she has become beautiful more and more as each day passes.  I imagine the same for you.  Come soon, and rest in your mother's arms for the first time.  She won't easily let you go, ever...

She is an incredible woman, I know that well.  You, soon, shall experience the love of your amazing mother.

-dad

Breastfeeding: Nursing Covers

I've noticed that nursing covers (aka hooder hiders) come in handy for breastfeeding moms who would like a bit of privacy. I looked around for one and thought that these Feeder Frocks were nice, but then my mom made me these darling ones out of vintage aprons. I must admit I love her eye for all things vintage via my dad's auction business.

Labor: Ways to Get Things Going

No, not in labor yet but I'm working to get things going! There are several suggestions I've gotten on getting labor started, most of which I read in Ina May's Guild to Childbirth. 

One of those is castor oil. Here's what I read: 

Indigenous peoples all over the globe have used castor oil to induce labor for centuries. Taken orally, castor oil acts as a laxative, and the stimulation of the digestive tract often starts labor at term. No one knows exactly why castor oil works to start labor. When there is little or no money to be made as a result of research, generally little or no research is done. Nobody has figured out how to make an appreciable amount of money from castor oil, so this subject has received virtually no research attention. Nevertheless, it seems to be quite safe. Nearly nine percent of nearly eleven thousand pregnant women in a large birth center study used it to start labor, with no adverse outcomes. At The Farm Midwifery Center, we recommend beginning a castor-oil induction at breakfast after a full night of sleep. One tablespoon is added to scrambled eggs or mixed with fruit juice to make it more palatable for the woman. If necessary, she takes one more tablespoon one hour after ingesting the first. 

I just bought my castor oil at the pharmacy, and I think I'm taking my dose tomorrow morning since I thought that my due date was Wed 23rd and my midwife said Sat 26th. Sure hope it works! 


Here's a funny add about the stuff. Looks like they used to give it to children.

Don't worry, Tegegne, I won't make you take any of this yucky stuff!

photo source

House: Our Bedroom

So we totally love it here. Our bedroom is my favorite spot by far. My mom just got us the sweetest Simmons desk + chair from an antique mall nearby. Early birthday present...thanks mom (+ dad)! Can you spot Owen sound asleep in the sunshine in the last two photos. Pretty sure he likes it here too. Michael made our bed for my Christmas gift a few years ago. Speaking of beds, I love this one from emmas designblogg and hope to make our bedding look similar. Also I'm thinking of white linen curtains, industrial wall mounted bedside lighting, and so on. We've got Hensley's basket and diaper stuff set up bedside for the first month or so. Should be fun!