Gracelings

Keeping in touch

2012-02-10T06:01:00.000-05:00

Source I know some of you use Google Friend Connect to keep in read my blog. I'm not sure if you know, but starting in March, Google is going to stop supporting GFC. I plan to stop using GFC on this blog by March 1. But! There are still lots of ways you can continue to receive Gracelings content: "Like" the Gracelings Facebook Page and subscribe to the feed Subscribe to Gracelings by

The Weird Sisters Book Review

2012-02-09T07:01:00.001-05:00

December, 2011 Three Weird Sisters I wanted to love it. I tried to love it. I should have loved it. But I just. Didn't. Love it. April, 2006 Two Weird Sisters The Weird Sisters by Eleanor Brown is the mid-life quarter-life third-life coming of age tale of three sisters. Returning to live in their parents home with the convenient excuse of caring for their ailing mother, the Andreas women are

Guest Post: 100% of Men Reading This Post Are Male

2012-02-08T07:47:00.004-05:00

Today, I am thrilled to have my husband guest posting! I may be biased, but I actually do think most people would agree that he is not only funny and jolly, but pretty brilliant as well. Anyone who's been reading this blog for any amount of time knows that John is a board certified internal medicine physician; what you may not know is that he also holds a MSIS degree and has a strong background

Guest Post: 100% of Men Reading This Post Are Male

2012-02-08T07:47:00.001-05:00

Ava Joy's Birth in Pictures (and a video)

2012-02-06T09:52:00.000-05:00

There are several photos that didn't get included in Ava Joy's birth story that I thought I would share. And at the end there is a slideshow! Not every part of labor is bad! My OB didn't make it in time for the delivery, but still came in to see me! Someone loves babies. Still one of his favorite ways to love on Ava Joy Holding both my babies. All 4.

Ava Joy's Birth Story, Part 6 and Epilogue

2012-02-03T09:44:00.002-05:00

Ava Joy's Birth Story, Part 1 Ava Joy's Birth Story, Part 2 Ava Joy's Birth Story, Part 3 Ava Joy's Birth Story, Part 4 Ava Joy's Birth Story, Part 5 As I drew my new baby girl close to me, I was became slightly aware of placenta making its way out. Unlike other times that I had delivered a placenta, I actually felt an urge to help this placenta along, and pushed. It was delivered, and the

Ava Joy's Birth Story, Part 5

2012-02-02T09:15:00.000-05:00

Ava Joy's Birth Story, Part 1 Ava Joy's Birth Story, Part 2 Ava Joy's Birth Story, Part 3 Ava Joy's Birth Story, Part 4 Once I had said the words, it all made sense. That vague sense of nausea and thinking I might not be up to the task? The thought that it was transition had flitted through my mind but I quickly smothered it, afraid to get my hopes up. But there it was. It had been transition,

Ava Joy's Birth Story, Part 4

2012-02-01T21:11:00.000-05:00

Ava Joy's Birth Story, Part 1 Ava Joy's Birth Story, Part 2 Ava Joy's Birth Story, Part 3 Just before midnight, the nurse brought in a Pitocin infusion. I was having lower back pain (very typical in my labors) and felt like sitting, resting, and trying to relieve some of that pressure while the Pitocin was started. Within a few minutes, strong contractions started coming fairly regularly... I

Ava Joy's Birth Story, Part 3

2012-01-27T08:12:00.004-05:00

Ava Joy's Birth Story, Part 1 Ava Joy's Birth Story, Part 2 Once we got upstairs to Labor and Delivery, it only took a few minutes of paperwork and such before the doctor came in to break my water. Then, the walking began. Lots of walking. Walking, walking, walking. More walking than I had ever done in either of previous labors. Probably more walking than I did in my previous labors

Ava Joy's Birth Story, Part 2

2012-01-26T09:35:00.001-05:00

Ava Joy's Birth Story, Part 1 Between John and I, I tend to be more likely to shoot from the hip when it comes to bad news. So for John to just blurt it out like... "something is not right"... well, I took it to mean he was pretty freaked out. And when John is freaked out, his ability to focus goes out the window. Thus, it was, according to my sister, an overly-long time before he and I came to

Stupid Timeline

2012-01-25T08:37:00.000-05:00

Like, well, basically every other blogger on Blogger, Timeline seems to have messed up my feed. If you subscribe in a reader or by email, can you let me know if this is working okay? I'm trying to get this fixed on Facebook, too. You can always keep up with me on FB at the Gracelings Blog Facebook Page!

Ava Joy's Birth Story, Part 1

2012-01-25T07:57:00.002-05:00

I'll be honest: I was expecting Ava Joy to be born by 38 weeks. I told God that for every day past 38 weeks that I carried her, He should shave an hour off my labor. And my labors were both less than 12 hours. On Thanksgiving day, I was 38 weeks and 6 days. I felt pretty good and hosted my folks, my sister, and John's sister and her husband (although, to be honest, I did not cook a lot.) I ate.

Me, elsewhere

2012-01-24T13:28:00.002-05:00

Ava Joy's birth story starts tomorrow. Excited? In the mean time, check me out over on Jamie's blog as I talk about my breastfeeding journey in her Clever Cleavage post! (Delivery room photos included:) http://iamnotthebabysitter.com

Chicken and Rice Soup

2012-01-23T22:56:00.000-05:00

The other day I made this soup. Kind of. Here's what I actually did. I recommend you do this, too. 9 C. homemade chicken broth 2t salt 2 frozen chicken breasts 2-2.5 C. fresh veggies, prepared 1 t. Herbs de Provence 3 C. cooked rice (I used leftover jasmine rice) Wash vegetables. Dice, blend, or put them thru the food processor to desired size. (I used 3/4ths of a frozen onion, some celery

We interrupt this silence...

2012-01-23T22:39:00.000-05:00

We interrupt this bloggy radio silence for an actual post! I know. I am super behind on blogging. I have about 43 posts rattling in my head- some just Christmas catch-up, and some about actual stuff. Adult thoughts and all that. Alas, time is short, my nights are shorter, and my temper is shortest when I am sleepy. So here are a few tidbits. 1. Did you know you can make baked potatoes in the

7 Quick Takes- Random Kid Quotes, 3nd Edition

2012-01-13T08:48:00.000-05:00

Some of these are from a while back, but they still make me laugh! ~1~Abigail: Mimi, what is Eminent Domain?(Insert long explanation from Mimi.)Abigail: Well, in that case, I am against it. ~2~(shortly after the "baby scandal" news broke) Me: (singing) Billie Jean is not my luv-ah...John: You know, Justin Bieber should totally remake that song.Me: *rolls eyes*John: Come on, you know you would

Miss Representation

2012-01-11T05:00:00.000-05:00

I can't wait to see this film. Unfortunately, I can't find a screening near me. Maybe you can. If not, there is still lots you can do.

Taking it to the Street

2012-01-06T16:18:00.000-05:00

Remember how I said I loved Sesame Street? Guess what. A lot of people do. And they want to see breastfeeding return to the Street. I signed the petition. Will you? And if they did get a celeb to breastfeed on Sesame Street, who would you like to see? I think Pink would be great! She has spoken out about how she enjoys breastfeeding and has been photographed nursing in public.

The Magic Room Book Review

2011-12-29T07:56:00.001-05:00

Ava Joy was only a few days old when I picked up The Magic Room by Jeffrey Zaslow and began reading. Now, since BlogHer had asked me to participate in this book review, I had a faint idea of what the book would be about, and having just birthed my third daughter, I thought I would love it. And then I realized that this book was not a work of fiction like I had supposed. Y'all, do you know how

Target Nurse-In (and how YOU can support nursing moms!)

2011-12-28T21:40:00.000-05:00

My first Nurse-In! Selinsgrove, PA Target I attended my first Nurse-In today! Yay! What's a nurse-in? It's like a rally for breastfeeding- you know, like a sit-in, but for breastfeeding! Nursing moms and their supporters gathered at Target stores across the nation to bring recognition, awareness, and normalization to nursing in public. Target was chosen due to an incident last month where a

Why I love Sesame Street (from the 70s)

2011-12-23T17:14:00.002-05:00

I wish this clip was aired these days. It really treats breastfeeding in such a child-friendly manner, with respect. Love it.

Breastfeeding Etiquette

2011-12-19T08:38:00.002-05:00

I'm really not a lactivist. I promise. I make this distinction because I think many lactivists can be so exuberant that their activism swings to the side of making nursing actually off-putting to many. Or they judge those who don't nurse. Which is not my thing at all. But even though I am not a lactivist, I might have to become one. Here's the thing: the Jackson-metro area is the least

Anna's Hair (Update)

2011-12-14T07:54:00.000-05:00

In the words of Benita who does Anna's braids, "that girl has deceptively long hair!" Exhibit A: Freshly washed hair Exhibit B: A Curl (remember this?) Exhibit C: The Same Curl, Stretched Straight Her hair goes well past the bottom of her shoulder blade. Exhibit D: Hair in 2-strand Twists I am definitely getting better at doing Anna's hair. This style, from freshly washed to all twisted,

Groovy

2011-12-12T07:25:00.000-05:00

And that is pretty much a study in my daughters' personalities.

7 Quick Takes- Random Kid Quotes, 2nd Edition

2011-12-09T07:46:00.001-05:00

~1~Anna (to me): Momma, my neck hurts. And my hand where I got that oowie. And... my teeth tickle. ~2~Abigail: Momma, all the girls at school wear make-up, and I'm not allowed. They say I'm a baby. (Note, Abigail is a year ahead in school, so her peers are ages 10-11.) Me: Well, all I can say is that when you have an old barn, you paint it. When you have a new barn, you don't paint it. Abigail: