Rainbow

Yesterday morning David went to work and everything was covered in snow. Thank goodness it and gone by the time I got up! It's been raining alot and there's a lot of flooding because of the warmer temps. The reservoirs are full from the runoff in the mountains.

Last night this rainbow looked like I could walk over to where it started.

We got internet today :) I'm already having to have them come back out :(

New video posted on youtube of Avery semi crawling :0)

7 Month Pictures

I have 2 more pictures that I was going to post but they won't load. This is Avery on Saturday. In her 18 month shirt!!

This picture is classic bored/tired Avery.

She has a small bruise under her right eye because she was laying on the floor and hit herself with the remote control.

She is pulling herself around alot now. She's only using one of her legs to help her and leaves the other one straight out behind her. It won't be much longer until she's crawling! I can't believe that!!! She was just born haha. Next think I know, she's going to be getting married :)

She got to stay up a little late last night because it was a holiday :) and because she was in such a good mood-I was really enjoying her. She slept really well last night too, Praise the Lord! If I had one more night of her waking up 50 million times, I might have lost my mind :)

I got all of my pictures of her up until 5 months printed and put in albums. Yay me! Glad I got that wal-mart gift card but I didn't think the quality of the pictures was the greatest but they were ok.

Well, little lady is disgruntled about something and won't stop complaining so I better go.

7 Months Old

I would post a picture but I can never get one to load when I use internet explorer, only when I use google chrome and right now I can't get on my blog from google chrome. I haven't had internet all day but we are actually getting internet. They're coming Tuesday to set it up :)

Well, today Avery wore a shirt that fit her perfectly and it was an 18 month size!!! I weighed her on my bathroom scale and she's about 20 lbs. My cousin in Michigan has a little girl who is 2 or somewhere around there and she's only 22 lbs.

Avery has started pulling her self forward. I think she'll be crawling soon. She drags herself, it's so exciting. Her 2 bottom teeth have come in but I think I've mentioned that. She can open drawers and likes to do so repeatedly. She tried sweet potatoes today and once again (like everything else she's tried) she made faces like it was too tart. She would even shudder and wince.

She gets really excited when you read to her and when she gets to drink out of her sippy cup...or any cup for that matter. She likes water.

David and I are watching Law Abiding Citizen. We like that movie and I saw it at 7-11 for $5 today so of course I had to get it.

Well, that's about all I know right now.

7 months!!!! Time flies!!!

Lonely Bed Side :(

Last night Avery slept in her room. It was bittersweet. She's growing so fast. It's 7:25 and she's still sleeping and normally she's up by now. She's got a bit of a stuffy nose but when she would eat at night, I noticed it would clear up. She's got a cough too that is getting worse and is becoming a little barky. Yesterday morning I think she was feeling a little yuck but seemed to get better as the day went on. I think she's just got a touch of a cold or something. I hope it doesn't get worse.

I also noticed yesterday that her bottom teeth came through. She's been chewing on her fingers like crazy. I lost her cute little razbaby raspberry teether which she loved so I ordered a new one and got it yesterday. She really likes to chew on cold washcloths. I guess it feels good on her gums. Thankfully the teething hasn't made her grumpy...yet. She's got more so we'll see!

David spoke to his patent attorney yesterday and apparently he's wanting to help David get this tool out "there". It's hard to market something when you have no money (and when you're emotionally tied to it). Hopefully the attorney can help us get somewhere with this tool that David can feel happy with. I've always hated that he invented something and we've never been able to do anything with it. I think he wants to shift the focus of the tool too which hopefully will help it sell better. Thankfully Goodson is still ordering them and just made an order a month ago. It's been a long time coming but I know a good outcome will come from this.

I can't believe it's already Memorial Day weekend. Looks like David's going to be working, maybe even on Monday.

Hope everyone has a fun and safe weekend!

Oh Gosh

Read today that the FDA has seized a shipping container of AquaBorn birthing pools at a dock in Portland, Oregon, and have ordered agents to “inspect and destroy.”

Really?

Martha Blackmore Althouse, owner and manager of Waterbirth Solutions in Beaverton, Oregon, has been interacting with attorneys and the FDA on the issue. She explains:

The FDA is requiring a 510(k) – PreMarket Authorization – to be turned in for each Inflatable Birth Pool. The problem is that there is no Pre-existing Medical Device – “Predicate” – already approved by the FDA. Hence, potential of years of clinical trials and legal fees that can cost up to a million or more. Obviously not feasible.

One potential loop hole is a “PreAmendment Status” product. If there was anyone in the US using birth pools (yes, troughs, tubs of any kind) prior to May 1978, we can get “Birth Pools” grandfathered in to the FDA as an approved Medical Device. Waterbirth would have permanent legitimacy and could not be questioned any further.

I really think this is insane. I don't see how women can be stopped from going out and buying inflatable kiddie pools to birth in. That's what I used.

Rub a Dub Dub

The bath started out like this:

And ended up like this:

I thought maybe she could sit in the tub now that she's sitting pretty good but she wouldn't sit upright so she ended up in the baby tub.

Silly Girl

Oooohhh look at this crazy girl. Now that she's figured out she can do this, she does it all the time. She can also open drawers now.


I am watching history :) It's the last Oprah show. I can't believe she's been doing her show about as long as I've been alive.

New Video

She's getting better and better at sitting :)

New Hat

The daughter and mother in law of a friend of ours made Avery a hat. Too bad it's too warm for her to wear it.

My little honey girl had been super tired since we got home. Yesterday she didn't get up until 8:30!!!! That is SUPER late for her. Then she took a long morning nap, and another 3 hour afternoon nap. She was ready for bed by 8. She napped a little earlier in the evening. She got up at 7:30 this morning, ate and went back to sleep and now it's ten after 8 and she's still asleep. Either this trip really wore her out or she's going through a growth spurt...maybe both?

David was worried she wouldn't remember him after not seeing him for so long but she did. That made him feel better I think. She really keeps her eye on him when he's home. If he's got her though, she sure watches me.

I'm more tired today then I was yesterday. I'm drinking some vanilla biscotti coffee. That stuff is delicious!

Well, there's really nothing else going on. I can't believe all of these tornadoes, everyone out there in the way, take precautions!

Home Sweet Home

Avery and I made it back from Oregon last night. David met us at a truck stop in Brigham City around 11. It's soo good to be home. I had a really good time and Avery was a champ! She was so good in the car the whole way and was so smiley while we were there. She only freaked out the last hour on the way home.

I would put pictures on here but I put them all on facebook and I don't feel like uploading here. All of the kids did so good on the trip. I was really impressed. It was Avery, me, Jocee, Gavin (4), Shae (20 months) and Lily (almost 8 months). I seriously can't get over how well the kids travelled.

We went to Unity, Oregon which is where Jocee is from. I thought that I had seen some small towns out here and I have but they're relatively close to Logan or Preston. Unity's closest town is an hour and forty five minutes away. Jocee's parent's drive that to go get groceries. This town was seriously in the middle of nowhere and the "cabin" we stayed in was the most remote, isolated place I've ever stayed. There is a guy who lives out where we stayed who had a stroke 20 years ago and all he can say is "sh*t"!!

Avery likes to dance. We went to a gradudation party and there was a great band that Jocee's uncle plays in and they were playing Tom Petty, CCR, Willie and other great music. Avery wore herself out jumping along with the beat of the music. I had to wake her up the next morning. The school that Jocee's cousin graduated from is really small. There's only one school for grades K-12. Only 5 kids graduated and one of them was an exchange student. There's only like 45 students in the whole school. The school board has projected that the school will close in 4 years because the enrollment keeps dropping. No one's living out there anymore.

It's always fun to travel but it's really great to be home. Avery and I missed David :)

Video

Avery snorts now. I tried to film it but was too late and then she just got mad.

Mmmm...

I made breakfast for dinner last night and made homemade biscuits. They were good too :) I cut out some of the too thin so some were "skinny" but that's ok. Live and learn, right?

While I was makin' dinner, Avery hung out on the counter and watched me and played with her sippy cup.

Look at her double chin! She's such a happy girl. She's getting better at sitting up and balancing herself if she starts to lean but sometimes she leans too far and falls over still. She also was trying to look at me when I was going down the hall yesterday and managed to flip herself over onto her stomach while in her bouncy seat. She got pretty mad since I left her there to find my camera, which I couldn't find so had to snap a pic with my phone. She flipped herself over last night too. Crazy girl.

Baby Booty

Awww look, baby butt crack!



Water bottles are the best!

Today I went and picked up my $100 gift card to Wal-Mart!! How stinkin' awesome! I filled out a survey back in March and for some reason the email saying I won never got to me until yesterday. I was thinking groceries but David said to spend it on me :) Hmmm...what do I want???

Thursday, Avery and I are leaving for Oregon with our friend and her kiddos. My friend says it's going to be boring but that's ok, at least we'll get to see somewhere new, right? It's also the ugly part of Oregon. Avery and I are going just to keep my friend company on the road. Free road trip for us :)

David's new guitar instructor couldn't make it last week so he had his first lesson last night and he really liked it. He's got lots of homework!

I bought the movie The Passion of the Christ from Wal-Mart last week for $5. We watched it on Sunday finally. It's a pretty good movie for wrapping your head around what Jesus went through when He died on the cross.

Well, that's all I know today :)

Videos

2 new videos are up on youtube.

Lazy Sunday

I was feeling crafty last night and made this to hold Avery's bows and clippies. She has more bows that aren't on there and more on the way...so, basically I didn't make it big enough. I'm going to have to make an even bigger one.


Here's Avery hanging out after church. I'm wishing she'd take a nap so I could...

I got a new phone yesterday!!! It's pretty cool, for me anyway. It has wifi which is cool. Not much going on around here, it's just a lazy Sunday. Oh yeah, I got accepted to Utah State. So I guess it's for real...I'm going back to school.

Happy Friday!

Someone was looking a little rough this morning ;)


The weather this week has been perfect! Last night I was thinking it might be time to get out the air conditioners!

Last Sunday, David and I went to Hastings and rented some movies and got an iced tea while we were there. I got a flavored tea and it was soooo good. I had that brand of tea at home so I decided to put a bag in my Kuerig and brew an iced tea. It turned out AWESOME!!! Now I'm addicted to brewing a glass! Blueberry flavored tea is awesome too!

I made my own kitchen cleaner out of essential oils. I love it. Nice to be non-toxic and get a little aromatherapy while cleaning!

Last night I went to a big consignment sale and got some clothes and bows for Avery. I'm super excited because I've been wanting to buy a carrier for David to carry Avery in when he's hiking and I found one at the sale for $25. I don't know what they cost new but I'm sure it's not $25. At least I hope not... I hope it works out and is comfy. If it's not, I'll just sell it.

Avery and I have bunco tonight. Maybe we'll win tonight. Won't hold my breath though.

I guess I'm going to have to get a new cell phone. Mine is acting up...letting Avery chew on it wasn't the greatest idea. I think too much slobber has gotten in it.

A friend from church is giving me a wooden rocking chair to put in Avery's room and so now I guess that means it's time for her to sleep in her room. What a big girl! Hopefully it goes well!

Motherhood.

My girl bounced back from being sick beautifully. Yesterday as the day went on, she got better and better.

She is a silly girl. I put her to bed sometime after 8, like usual. I could tell she wasn't terribly tired but I figured she'd go to sleep. Well, David and I decided to go to bed early and so we went to bed (I can't remember what time exactly but it wasn't too long after 9) and Avery was still awake. I assumed that she'd eventually go to sleep anyway. But she didn't. In fact, she got louder. She can now make spitting noises so last night she would not stop. David grew aggravated, saying it was time for her to sleep in her own room. So, I picked the chatty, spitty girl up and sat in the dark in the living room and held my ornery baby and watched TV. She quieted down and closed her eyes, sucked her thumb and played with her ear so I thought we could go back to bed. It was 9:51. I got cozy and then...it started again. She spit, cooed and rustled around, getting louder by the minute so I crawled out of bed and once again took her to the living room. Where she continued to spit, spit and spit some more. After a while she quieted down again and layed on my chest. I hoped this was really "it" this time.

I picked up my dozing baby and made the journey down my short, dark hall and thought about all the mothers who have stayed up late, even all night, with their child/ren. I gained comfort in knowing that I'm not the only one to do this. Many a mother had stayed up with their sick child (I dread this lol) and I am thankful that last night that wasn't the case. I was up because my girl was just being crazy.

I'm happy that I have joined this club of mothers. It's exciting and fearful all at the same time to think about all the things that might and will come my way being a mom. But there's a comfort in knowing you're not alone. That women generations and generations before me have experienced the same joys and hardships of mothering that I have and will experience.

I am thankful for my own mom, who although she isn't here anymore, I have memories of her sitting with me at night while sick. I have memories of her stroking my hair while I cried with my head in her lap over a boy. She told me she was proud of me. She told me every day she loved me. She never backed down when needed. She never let me get the upper hand. I miss going back and forth with her before bed time:
"Good night mom, I love you."
"I love you more."
"No, I love you more."
Nuh-uh, I love you more."
and on and on
So many precious moments, some forgotten and some not. I hope that my children will store up precious memories of our life together. And now that my mom is gone, I will mention my dad who is Mr. Mom now. He is precious to me. I am thankful for how his role in my life changed after my mom's passing for the better.

I am thankful for my mother in law. She has given me alot of things to think about in being a mother. She helped me get sleep in those first few days of being a mom by suggesting skin to skin contact. Worked like a charm. She told me the truth that I was Avery's lifeline and she needed/wanted me. She encourages thinking outside the box and not following the norm when your instincts tell you otherwise. She showed interest and had faith in me when I wanted to do homebirth. I'm glad for her support. It's been nice that when I read about things in the realm of natural or instinctive parenting she is supportive. Things I read about while pregnant like skin to skin contact, feeding on demand and whatever else I can't remember she has reiterated in person.

I am thankful for all of the other women in my life who are mothers that I have been able to call upon in times of need. I have been surrounded by wonderful christian women who have held me up in prayer and supported and encouraged me. I gained alot of support about my birth even from women who wouldn't choose it for themselves and never gave me an ounce of grief but showed respect for my determintation to do what I felt was best. I am thankful that I can literally call them at any hour for any need.

I thank God that he has placed so many women in my life for these very reasons. I am thankful that he has allowed me into the club of motherhood. I am thankful that in my happiness, in my sadness, in my confusion, in my anxiety, and any other state I am in, that I can come to him and find peace. I am thankful that he has put me on this journey of life as a mother where I can learn to live and love in a whole new way.

I pray that I can take what I have learned and will continue to learn and pass it on to my children and some day, to other women who are embarking on the journey of motherhoood. I hope to take a little of everything from everyone and meld it all together. I think this is the way to being a good mom.

Stomach Bug

Well, I hope last night was the end of the throwing up for Avery. I hope it doesn't come back this evening. We survived our first stomach bug or whatever it was.

Saddest thing ever. I'm not sure who it was harder on, me or Avery.

I wish I didn't have this uncontrollable fear of vomit. I just had to do a lot of self talk last night to get through it! I hope it becomes something I can deal with without feeling like having a major anxiety attack.

She seems to be feeling better today. She perked up around 10 last night and ate. She hasn't thrown up since sometime before 9 last night. I didn't sleep well last night though because I kept listening to hear if she threw up in bed. And not to mention my nerves were shot. I know that I'm going to be up for alot of challenges being a mom but I think this is truly going to be my biggest hurdle as a mom. It's mind over matter. Though it doesn't usually matter what my mind knows and more about how my body's reacting.

I tried giving her pedialyte because I think she's a little dehydrated but she doesn't like it. She ate well this morning so hopefully I can continue to feed her and not have to go to the doctor.

I guess I'll get off here because I keep falling asleep while typing and I have to go back and erase the stuff that's not making sense :)

The doctors office just called me though. I called them because her soft spot was a little sunken in which is a sign of dehydration. They said keep pushing fluids and since she's acting ok, to keep nursing her and she'll be fine.

Lord help me. Haha. I need it :)

A Happy Photo For You

I'm thisclose to looking for another blog hosting site. Anywho. Avery loves loves loves this hair brush. It maks her happy.


I just have to say: Look at those ears. My uncle Randy mentioned (not about Avery) something about Mills ears...where ever they came from...sorry Avery :)

So, I've been getting ideas for Avery's first birthday party! Planning 6 months in advance but it's so fun!!!

Avery has figured out (a week or so ago I think) that she can breathe through her mouth. So now she makes these funny noises all the time.

She's really not much of a snuggler right now but last week she gave me some of the sweetest moments of her just sitting with me, relaxed, not constantly trying to sit up or move around. Sometimes she'll put her little arms around my neck and it's one of the best feelings ever.

I'm so thankful that God saw fit to make me her mama.

Heavy

*insert grunt here* I must...sit...up!

Poor girl is practically laying down in this chair now since she's so heavy.

Her gums are swollen and I think they were bothering her yesterday but today she's good.

Looks like Avery and I will be going on a road trip to Oregon in 2 weeks. Woot woot!

I'm so annoyed with this blogger website. I am having problemo's with my blog. ugh!!

Some Ramblings...

So, I've been on a birthing kick again. I can't stop reading about it!!! David asked last night: "So, are you like wanting another baby or what?" I just smiled but um...yes! I do! Hahaha I didn't want to freak him out. I know that Bonnie knows this but I'm not sure if other people know that I did delayed cord clamping when I had Avery. It's no secret, just wasn't anything I had really made a point to tell people about.

Well, I read this article which can be found here and I'm super excited to read that an OB/GYN is pushing for delayed cord clamping to be the norm in hospitals. I'm sure no one will actually read through that link but oh well.

I just think it's really important for babies to get all of their blood back.

But the main reason I've been reading and watching birth videos again is because I just plain ol' love it. I have been looking at schools to get certified as a birth instructor. I want to do it right now but I've already applied to Utah State. I think it's important that I finish my degree and if I don't do it now, I probably never will. So, I've been thinking that I should get my degree and then do the courses for the certification. Maybe this will be the incentive I need to get me through school...and fast. On top of that I would like to become a lactation consultant. So, wish me luck. I'm gonna need it :0)

David starts guitar lessons on Monday. I think he's pretty excited. I hope he sticks with it, who doesn't love listening to the guitar???

And as a side note, I'm getting really frustrated with the way this blogger site has started acting up. ugh.

Video

Posted a new one.

Oh My...

Avery looks like a crazy baby here haha. This is from the beginning of April. Avery and Dayne are 4 months apart. I had to steal this off Vicki's blog because it's too funny.
Avery practiced some sippy cup skills yesterday. Today she did too but she just spit the water out instead of swallowing it. That's fine with me. I'm happy that she's figured out how to suck the water out. She's so smart :)

I mashed up some banana for her yesterday but it wasn't ripe enough so she kept making faces like it was too tart. I tried it and it was. I gave her some organic baby food bananas today and it was the same. She would eat them but I stopped because I felt bad that it was too tart.

Well, the little lady is fussin' so I better go love on her. Oh! She slept in her crib for quite a while this morning. I need to be better about putting her in it.

10 Homebirth Facts No One's Telling You

10 Homebirth Facts No One’s Telling You

by Maryn Leister
in Homebirth

1. In studies comparing home vs. hospital births, homebirths supervised by a “trained attendant” indicate fewer deaths, injuries and infections. Respiratory distress in newborns was 17 times higher in the hospital than at home. (1)

2. The US has the highest obstetrical intervention rates of any country. (1) The US is currently ranked 28th for infant mortality (that means 27 other countries have a better rate of infant survival than we do). (5, 33)

3. The superior outcomes seen in homebirths are not because the women are at lower risk or in any way special or different from women planning hospital births. (2)

4. You are very likely to have a c-section if you chose a hospital birth. The WHO concluded that there is no reason for any region of the world to have a cesarean rate of more than 10-15%. As of 2009, the US cesarean rate was 32.9% (Here is a state by state list of c-section rates) (3) C-section infants also are four times more likely to die than those born vaginally. (5, 31)

5. The newest study, done in 2005 and published in the British Medical Journal showed homebirth with a CPM (Certified Professional Midwife) to be as safe as hospital birth. The rates of medical intervention at home were lower, and the study showed a high satisfaction rate for mothers. (4)

6. The vast majority of woman are up to 6 times more likely to die if their babies are delivered in the hospital. (5, 25)

7. If your baby is born at home with a midwife, instead of in a hospital with an OB, he is six times more likely to survive his first year. (5, 29)

8. The longer your second stage of labor, the more likely you are in to receive a c-section when at the hospital. At home, there will likely be no time limit on your pushing stage unless there is a real problem. (5, 46)

9. When your birth is attended by a midwife, your chances of hemorrhaging and/or continuing to hemorrhage are significantly reduced. (5, 58)

10. A study published in the November 2003 of The Lancet found that c-sections double the rate of stillbirth before labor begins, in women who have had a previous c-section (and most likely a hospital birth). (5, 105)

“The first intervention in natural childbirth is the one that a healthy woman does herself when she walks out the front door of her own home in labour.”- Michael Rosenthal, OB/GYN (from Midwifery Today E-news 7:24)

Sources:
1. From Is Homebirth for you? 6 Myths about Childbirth Exposed
2. Goer, Henci. The Thinking Woman’s Guide to a Better Birth.
3. ICAN (International Cesarean Awareness Network)
4. MANA.org
5. Doubleday, Jock. Spontaneous Creation: 101 Reasons Not to Have Your Baby In the Hospital
6. This article is posted from http://www.indiebirth.com/10-homebirth-facts-no-ones-telling-you/

ANOTHER new hair clippie

Lovin' these little hair clippies.

Well, Avery and sleeping has become quite the issue. When she was 4 months she started waking more during the night and she's still doing it. Ugh. And now her new thing is: she wakes up shortly after I lay her down and then rolls all over and ends up on her back. She'll eventually fall asleep that way but because she's on her back, she won't stay asleep. If I go in and try to roll her over and she wakes up, she's done. I don't know why she won't roll back over onto her stomach. I guess because she knows she'll go to sleep!

Last night I went to bed and woke up because Avery had woke up. I felt great, like I'd been asleep for a long time. I was thanking God that she had slept a longer stretch and then I looked at the clock and it had only been maybe 2 hours. Well, I guess God was giving me a break...in a way...That little girl is crazy. I'm really looking forward to her growing up (I know I know don't rush it!) because I think she's just going to bring so much fun into our home. I love that girl. Every time I think she's so fun right now, she gets even more fun. I love it.

Random Photos

Oh, I think this is great haha.

*sigh* So hard to get a good picture.

And the usual, I love the faces she makes in these.
And these random vending machines are one of the reasons I love Idaho.
Only in Idaho would you have a vending machine in your front yard.

New Video

Check out my youtube. hmills619. new video.