The Big C

C-Section that is.

Get ready, this is a novel.

I have been debating about what my "birth plan" (please, dont confuse me with a person who thinks they can plan every single aspect of a birth. This isn't my first rodeo!) will be. Really there is only one question, C-section or No?

Gasp! You are considering an ELECTIVE C-section?! 

Well, Yep.

Here's my story, short and sweet.

Went into labor with Ryder, pushed for almost 3 hours. Not labor, pushing. I remember falling asleep in between contractions and waking back up to push. My doctor was on vacation and this other doctor that I had never met before was going to deliver Ryder. I'm not someone who gets hung up on absolutely having MY doctor there, all I care about is if the one I have to see is nice and understanding. Of course if I had to choose I would like my doc, but hey I get it, you aren't completely devoted to me. I feel like that's how movies portray how doctors are supposed to be. Then if the doctor isn't there the pregnant woman always freaks out and the husband is always like "we wont accept this! You tell Dr.____ that he better leave his sons soccer game and come deliver our child!" As usual I have gotten off track.

Moving right along....

After I was just ready to meet the Lord instead of giving one more push the doctor game in and said Ryder's heart rate was dropping and they would like to do a C-Section. YES. For the Love of God, get this kid out of me! I feel like if I had any energy left I would have used it to scream that victoriously. 

They wheeled me out, got him out, brought me back to the room, and thats all I know. I remember them asking me if I wanted them to bathe him or if i wanted to feed him first. Nope, didnt want to feed. I have video of me that George took during all this and I swear my eyes roll into the back of my head at one point. Recovery was awful. The experience was awful. Awful.

Ryder had a huge bruise on his face where he kept hitting my pelvic bone and thats "why I couldnt push him out". Oh yea, also, since the nurse that was with me instructing me to push kept shoving her arm to "make way" I wound up with a blood clot the size of a golf ball. Had to have 8 ob/gyns in the practice examine me, talk about me at a party they had, and eventually send me to the UAB Oncology department because they had "never seen anything like it". 

Whew. Maybe that wasn't short and sweet after all.

2 years and 9 months later, Lucy was born. C-section again. WHY? Well, I asked my doctor about giving it a second try the old school way and she wasnt a fan. I didnt push it because I just didnt want to. She told me a horror story of a woman insisting on Vbac and her scar ripping open and her and the baby died.

Is that true? I don't know. Is it true that my hips or pelvic bone is shaped weird and thats why I couldnt push Ryder out? I dont know is my answer to that one too. Probably not.

But let me tell you this. Lucy's birth was one of the easiest, most enjoyable things I have ever done. George and I woke up, finished making the house perfect for when we came home, and I even went to Target an hour and a half before I was scheduled to have her to get Ryder a big brother gift. I know, procrastination!

The c-section went fine, everything was lovely. There were forest animals in my room from Snow White it was so magical. Moments after, I was sitting up, eating a grape Popsicle waiting on them to hand her over. Recovery time was amazing. Unlike Ryder's entrance I didnt feel like my guts were going to fall out. I was up walking around about 2 hours later. Seriously, it was awesome.

Now here we are with number 3! Ive thought a lot about what route I want to take with this one. I know my doctor isn't for Vbacs, so there wasn't even a point in asking her. I have talked a lot with my friend Ashley who is taking that route and she was awesome and even sent me several doctors in my ob/gyn group that are Pro Vbac. 

Ultimately though, Im just going to stick with the C-Section. 

I have considered keeping it a secret since I have several FB friends who are very clearly against C-sections. Not that I really give a rats ass what kind of statistics you have to share with me about how doctors just want to do sections to get more money and to make it easier. Listen I know, I have read all of the stuff. Im just not gonna love private messages urging me to reconsider. I have a LOW LOW tolerance for super opinionated people. And if I hadn't had such a crap experience with Ryder, and then such a wonderful one with Lucy I might be pluggin away switching doctors, hospitals, everything. Just to make sure I could deliver the regular way. 

Honestly, I do feel cheated that I will never have a vaginal delivery. It sort of makes my heart a little sad.

And hey, its still early in the game. If YOU, YOU PERSONALLY, have had two c-sections, were told your hips were small, and then delivered your third vaginally I would like to hear from you. I could be swayed if I hear from someone in my exact situation.

I guess that's it!

My Favorite Things

1) Trident Layers Gum. Strawberry Orange is so so good.

  I always kind of shy away from fruit flavored gum because it seems too sugary to me. Not this stuff, its super refreshing.

2) Smith's Rosebud Salve in a tube.

You can go here to get some from Sephora, or be like me and hit up Urban Outfitters. It makes my lips feel super smooth, but Im not gonna lie, at first the smell reminded me a little of a grandma. But I usually tend to buy things that smell like baked goods, so it was a change for my nose to smell a flower. 

3) This Sports Bra from Old Navy.

 I went to Old Navy last night with my friend Ashley to stock up on sports bras and running shorts. No, I am not getting outfitted to run my first 5K. HAHAHAHA! There will never be any kind of running associated with me. I was always the last to finish the mile in school, and it about killed me. But! George and I are leaving Saturday morning bright and early to fly down to Orlando for 3 days. I needed some comfortable things to wear since we will be walking around outside sweating all day. Now I just need to go steal a couple of XXL tshirts from some sorority girls. The comfort level is attracting me people.

4) The Groop Dealz website.

At first I thought all of their deals were from Etsy shops, but that's not true. I have bought from here so many times, and I love it. They have jewelry, party supplies, gifts, etc. Its one of the first things I check on my phone in the morning. Although today they aren't really offering anything great....check back tomorrow though, there is new stuff everyday!

That's it! 4 little things for you to check out and love right along with me.

Breaking News

I have made a decision with this pregnancy that is so life changing it makes me so happy when I think about it.

 

 

Get Ready.

 

 

 

 

I have decided that instead of worrying myself to death over what bedding set I should choose I am throwing all that out and only having a sheet and a crib blanket. No skirt, no bumper. 

 

I am one of these people that searches and searches and checks and re-checks online stores for my choices in....well, anything. Its a terrible habit to have. I cant make a freaking decision to save my life. I will spend HOURS, HOURS searching for the perfect ________. So I have made the decision to not even have to make one!

 

This is great for several reasons:

 

1) Now I dont have to look for forever, I can find a blanket I like, maybe a matching crib sheet or two and the rest of the crib sheets will be Circo brand solid colors. WIN.

 

2) I can spend what money I would spend on a bumber and a skirt on cute decorative pillows, and stuffed friends, and maybe a cute mobile!

 

3) This is the one I am most excited about: I wont have to deal with the terrible task of putting a new sheet on the mattress while battling with the bumper. This alone makes it all worth it. I feel like the place to break a sweat is while working out or playing outside with your kids, not while changing out an infants bedding.

 

Both Lucy and Ryder have/had all the bells and whistles, but I am thinking simple for this nugget. Here is a picture to prove my point. 

 

 

Picture from Lay Baby Lay. Seriously the best site ever if you need help in the decorating a nursery department. Thats what 85% of this site is. And she gives you the links on where to purchase most every thing you see + tells you paint colors.

Nothing but a sheet and a blanket. I like this decision each and every time I say it :)

Hey There!

Aren't Poppies pretty? Pic from here.

It's been almost a month since Ive blogged it up. 

What have I been doing?

• We are FINALLY FINALLY making actual progress in getting our house ready to put on the market. We have painted, ordered new carpet-should be in this week, and put new vinyl floors down in two of the 5 rooms that need it. Still a little ways to go, but progress is happening.
• I have become obsessed with Jim n Nicks cheese biscuits. The other night after we left Yogurt Mountain I still wasn't done stuffing my face. I had to go through the drive through and get 1/2 a dozen of these guys. I devoured 2 before we even made it home. Im happy to say that I still have three left though, so I wasn't a complete pig :)
• I have discovered Rifraff on Facebook. People, you can now buy clothes off Facebook. All you do is comment on clothes you like with "run and ship" + your size and they send it out. I am currently wearing a striped maxi dress from them and I love it.
• We did our first family photo shoot since Ryder was 6 months old. That's the last time we have had family pictures made. It's about time. Our friend Hilary did the shoot and we had such a fun time. She shoots with film, and her pictures look so rich and old. I cant wait to get the pics in! Go here to check out her blog!

I guess that's all I want to share for now. Cheese biscuits and a mound of unfolded laundry keep calling my name. Guess I should go be responsible and eat the biscuits......haha!

Color Crush: Peach

If I have to pick a second favorite color to crush on this Summer besides mint, it has to be peach.

Peaches are my favorite Summer fruit. So in honor of their juicy goodness, here are my peach Etsy pics.

Paper Garland from Glitter and Grain. $12

Peach Druzy Ring from Liesl Pawlil. $135

Hand Embroidered Peach Wall Art from Merriweather Council. $25

Jupiter Lollipop- Peaches and Cream from The Groovy Baker. $10 for 7

Floral Collage Peach Wedding Invitation Suite from Miss Wyolene. $700

*Whenever I think back on my wedding I get so angry about how much money we spent on ugly things. My invitations would be one example....but that was before Pinterest and before I knew about Etsy :/

Artist Teddy elephant in Peach from zverrriki  $88.27

Peach Chevron iPhone case from Colors and Friends. $16.99

 

Peach Branch Garland from Fleur Lux. $45. How pretty would this be hanging above a little girl's crib, or just in her room. 

Hope you enjoyed my finds! I know I do :) No excuse me while I go purchase those suckers.......

I'm just gonna say it

Get ready, it's a shocker.

Mexican restaurants are CRAP.

Lets elaborate.

My whole life I have eaten at local Mexican restaurants and pretended to be super pumped to eat there like the rest of my friends and family. But the whole time I have always thought, WHY WHY WHY do people like these places so much??! The food is never really that great. Truth be told, the only reason I never object to dining at these places is because of the chips and salsa. You can't mess that up.

Lets look at the average taco at a Mexican restaurant. Shell, UNSEASONED MEAT, lettuce and an entire bag of shredded mozzarella cheese. I realize it might be that I only order tacos with ground beef. I really think I am the only person that gets this anymore. Im usually the only girl having a one and if there does happen to be a fellow taco lover in my group they will always order a chicken one. Im the only one rocking the beef. But all of that aside the question is this: why don't they season their meat?! Add a little cumin, some chili powder, something! It tastes horrible people, and I am just not eating it anymore.

 George and I gave Iguana Grill one more try last week for date night and that was the last straw. If I am going to eat "Mexican" food it will be in the way of Moe's or Taco Casa. Maybe food snobs will tell me that neither of those places is even close to authentic Mexican food. I don't care. Tex Mex, Americanized Mexican, whatever you want to call it, it sure does taste a zillion times better than anything these other "real Mexican" restaurants are churning out. You know it's true.

Who's with me. I know there has to be other people that feel this way but have always been afraid to voice their opinion. Let's not hide behind the chips and salsa anymore. It's ok, let it out.

Summer Update

I just realized how little I have been blogging lately.

I guess we can chalk that up to how much fun we have been having! Oh my gosh- my heart is just bursting with tiny hearts and sparkles at the amazing fun I am having with my sweet kids and hubby!! 

*Are you gagging yet? I know I am. I will never seriously refer to George as my hubby, nor will I act like "we are just having the best time ever, and my family is so wonderful, and I am 'one blessed momma'(gag me), and we never fight, and I most certainly never tire of spending every single second with my children!!" 

HAHAHAHAHAHA. Im real people.

I will tell you though that Summer is the absolute best season for stay-at-home-moms. We are getting out of the house pretty much every day, and that in itself is awesome. 

We spend most days at the pool. Are you picturing me laying on a chair enjoying a magazine and some sort of cold beverage while my children play happily in the water?? That would be nice. Reality: I'm playing referee with my kids and the other wild beasts in the pool trying to steal my kids toys, going back and forth from the big pool to the toddler pool with the kids, dishing out melted chocolate cookies, and for the 10,000th time yelling at Lucy to "QUIT DRINKING THE POOL WATER!!" 

One Wonder Mom thought it would be the best idea to bring her daughter's Beauty and the Beast tea party set. Yes, thank you for aiding my child in consuming a gallon of chlorine by letting your pink and purple tea cups float right in front of her. You are practically begging her to have a seat for a spot of pool water.

I have gotten a pretty sweet tan though, and truly I do love going to the pool. If I didn't I wouldn't truck it out there everyday.

 Ryder has continually gotten better and better about not being fearful of the water. The first couple of times we went he wouldn't even think about getting in the big pool. Even with floaties, a life jacket, and my arms around him. But slowly, slowly, he is becoming brave. He will get in the big pool now with just a float around his waist, jump into the water from the edge, and will stick his head under with his goggles on! This is great progress guys. The first time we went I made him get in the big pool to prove to him that it wasn't scary. Yea, that was a disaster. He cried the whole time and during the few spurts of time I convinced him he wasn't going to die he did his usual high pitched nervous laugh the entire time. 

Lucy is the exact opposite, that girl is a fish. We just got her one of these guys:

 

A pink Puddle Jumper float. She loves it. She can swim around in the water without us holding on to her.

Seriously the reason I love Summer so much is because there are so many things to do with the kids.....and they all usually wear them out so they crash super hard for naps. Ahh, my favorite time of day. 

*Side note: We are working with Lucy to start potty training. And when I say "working with" I mean I went to Target and bought her some cute underwear and a Froggy Potty. The End. She has showed some interest in the potty, so I bought her the supplies. Im not really that concerned with rushing her to kiss diapers goodbye though. I have a very casual approach to this. We battled to the death over it with Ryder and I just don't feel like taking a trip down that road again. If she's into it, AWESOME. If not, it will come. I'll let yall know how she's doing :)

Thanks for reading my book of a blog post! Are you having a good summer??