How We Met Theo {Part One}

Prelude: So, in processing through this whole thing called "giving birth", I felt like I really should do two separate posts. One being solely about little Theo's entrance into the world and another just focusing on my reactions to our unique experience of giving birth at home. Also I should caution you: while the pictures in the post are rated G, they are by no means "clean and pretty". :) 

What a rad and awesome experience!! I honestly don't have the words to truly describe just how beautiful, freeing, peaceful and wonderful this whole birth was. I, also, don't think I'll ever get over just how quick Theo's birth went too. Here's what took place {the novel-length edition}...

Hindsight is a funny thing; sure helps to get a fuller picture, then you can start to understand the details. I'm going to start during the night before only because I now have a fuller picture and now realize that the whole process was actually starting then. :) During the early morning, I experienced some super dull lower back pressure as well as some in the abdomen. I honestly thought nothing of it--other than Theo was putting on so much pressure that I thought "surely, he's going to rupture my water with all this action." Then I proceeded to try to sleep.

The morning was very normal. W had a break in work and joined us for breakfast before heading off again. I had some contraction action during this time, but again, thought nothing of it. It was so super light that I even googled "true contractions vs. Braxton hicks" to get a refresher course on what to look out for. After breakfast, E and I took laps around the complex and played. 

I called my midwife, Melissa, during this time just to check in since I had an afternoon appointment. I told her about my last Kaiser appt on Tuesday. Also, I thought I had started to pass my mucus plug {reminder the champagne analogy?! The plug is like the cork} on Wednesday so I shared that too. I didn't really feel up to driving up to her {and honestly, figured it would just be a normal/uneventful visit} so she said just to keep her posted. 

After walking/biking, we headed inside to get ready for nap time. I was continuing to have contractions, but not really noticing them or timing them. They were still really 'soft' and short. When E was on the potty around 11:15, I have a few contractions and basically felt like I was peeing a little bit. I know this happens when you cough or sneeze, but I wasn't sure about contractions. So I texted Melissa asking her if that was normal. She calls me and as she is doing so, I literally wet my pants. I'm laughing at this point: E is sitting stranded on the toilet, I'm on the phone, and completely not in control as I 'pee' on myself. I wonder out loud on the phone as Melissa chimes in: bags of waters broke.

Melissa asks if it's been progressing and in the moment I blurt out, "Yes!" {when all I can think about is getting E to my parents and getting W back home} She ends with "I'm on my way." I called my parents, texted W, somehow clean myself and E up, and start to pack E's bag all the while trying to stay calm as E is still with me. I didn't really know what to expect from my body before everything and everyone was in place. 

W gets my text and immediately thinks the water heater broke and that he has to come home to a big 50 gallon watery mess. Then realizes that "no, it's the baby coming". My parents pick up E and reluctantly leave me alone while I wait for W and the midwives to show up. I totally brushed off their concern simply because nothing has picked up. During the next 45 minutes or so while I wait and keep myself busy with tidying up the house, I have only 4 or so contractions-- they definitely felt stronger but not very long. I could still do things through them. I'm actually a bit concerned at this point that I've cried "wolf" and the midwives will be just hanging out with us all day as we wait for this little boy. W doesn't really rush home either so he shows up at 12:30ish, two of the midwives: Melissa and Sunshine with her 2 year old, Penny, come around 12:45ish. 

They start to set up shop, W pulls out the Espresso maker to make the midwives lattes, and I get lunch ready for W. The two of us are super laxed and thinking we're in it for the long haul. My contractions started to increase in intensity at this point: I have to stop while making sandwiches and walk around downstairs. Once everyone feels at home Melissa checks baby's and my stats and I'm ready to kill some time so W and I headed outside to do some laps. Our complex is in a circle and with Ezra's birth, we seriously walked around like 50 times before I was over it. Poor, poor William. He's such a trooper as we head out the door, thinking about the next 49 laps he has to go. :) 

Four and half times around and I'm over it. It's hot. I can't talk or don't like be spoken to during contractions so we head in so I can change into shorts. It's about 2 pm now. Kerri, the last assistant, shows up. The best word I have to describe me at this point: a bit irritated. Ha. I'm thankful for William's kindness and hospitality at this point because I don't really greet Kerri. I'm still in complete denial/ignorance about my actual progress. If we had planned a hospital birth, we would have been pulling off on the side of the road because at 2 pm, I'm still not thinking "this is it!"...our hospital is a 30-45 minute drive away. It never crosses my mind that he's coming soon. Not because last time took awhile, but really, it's not hard work yet. 

Melissa is getting the tub ready in Ezra's room while I'm changing in our room. By this time, my contractions are starting to get a bit heavier and it takes a bit more focus to work through them. Melissa {the entire time knowing that this will go fast} has Kerri stay with me. I no longer like walking so Melissa has me kneel over our oversized chair in our bedroom. Kerri massages my back and legs. William is right next to me. Then it hits.

The next 4-6 contractions are way intense. I call them "dry cry contractions". Some women do a low moan, I literally dry sob {for lack of a better term} through them. They are strong, intense, and you'd do anything to avoid the next one coming. Between them, I manage to say that I don't like my position anymore and try to lay on the floor. This is worse. I have the faint awareness that I'll need to bear down soon {meaning push}. Melissa suggests the bed or the tub. There's no way I'll make it to the tub down the hall since I can barely imagine climbing the bed. With the help of William, Kerri, and Melissa, I'm able to get on the bed in the all fours position. And my body has just transitioned to pushing.

I became concerned, only because I thought it was way to early to be pushing. Based on the facts that I've only had 4-6 unbearable contractions and that this was similar to last time: the nurses told me not to push even though my body was forcing me...I didn't think it was okay to. Melissa said that my body knows what to do, listen to it, and the pushing will help dilate me faster. So push, I do. Let me just say that pushing is way better than just trying to relax during contractions. You actually get to do something with your body instead of just give in to what its doing. Pushing is a great stage! :) 

After about 3 short 'push sessions', Melissa checks my progress for the first time. She announces, "No more cervix, you're all clear!" I was really thankful that she said this, because any fear I had was now gone. He was on his way and my work was almost done. I had only maybe four more push sessions and at 2:59 pm, Theo was here!   

The midwives had me roll over to William's side of the bed, put Theo on my chest, checked everyone out and got to work cleaning up. 

Theo had a little facial bruising and a smashed nose from coming out so fast. 

What's awesome is that my mom texts William just then giving us an Ezra update and asking for an update on our side. W was able to text her a picture of her newest grandson! :)

So, I didn't get my water birth experience simply because Theo came faster than the prep work for the tub. Afterward, Melissa said I should get in anyway since it was all set up. It was the perfect 98 degree warmth to clean up and relax while Theo got his stats recorded. 

Theo getting weighed...

 He's already got over a half pound on his brother's birth weight!

Papa got some great bonding time in with Theo. Cuddling...

 And cleaning up a massive mess {oh, those Swenson boys!!}...

{and yes, I just posted a poop picture on our family blog!}

Gpa, Gma, and E came over a few hours later to check out the newest addition...

 See what I mean about newborn supply overload?! And to see how Mama was doing...

By 7:30, the house was entirely clean and in order, the bed had new sheets, a load of laundry was going and everyone was gone. It was as if it never happened at home. All that was left was just Papa, Mama, and little Theo with no interruptions and a comfy queen-sized bed to get some sleep {in between staring at this new little butterball and feedings!}

Baby Love

So happy NOT to be in labor on Labor Day! Instead, we get to spend it with this little guy and his four day old sweetness!

Hello, World!

As many of you know, Theo Zev Swenson has arrived! 

 Theophilus Zev Swenson

Born September 1, 2011

2:59pm

7 pounds 9 onuces

20 and a half inches long

Details to come about our amazing, yet super short birth story! :)

Grilled Pizza

Super simple. Super tasty.

Howdy, all, this is William. I've got something fun for you. Imagine your favorite pizza. Toppings of your choice. Whatever you want; anything goes. Now imagine in every juicy bite the smoky goodness of charbroiled flavor imbedded throughout. A little redundant? When you've tried this recipe you'll understand.

One of my favorite podcasts has a new segment called Grilling While Armed. Celebrating two of America's favorite past times (not counting Baseball), the segment pairs up a tasty charcoal-grilled (NOT propane) recipe with a sidearm to match. Such a beautiful thing. Hour 3 from the August 7th show, starting at about 17 minutes, the host and his guest discuss pizza on the grill.

So the recipe and instructions are quite simple. 

Dough: Get the store bought stuff (frozen or fresh) or pull out your favorite recipe and really live it up.

Sauce: I used the  Boboli packets, but you can do whatever sounds good. Your own recipe or store bought.

Toppings: your favorite stuff. I used onions, bell peppers, pepperoni, pepper jack and cheddar. I prepped my toppings while the coals were burning and getting ready.

Directions: Let the dough set out for 30-45 minutes to rest and rise. If you use the frozen dough you should put it in the fridge the night before to allow enough time to thaw. Roll the dough out into either one large pizza or individual pizzas. Dock the dough (poke it with a fork all over so that the dough doesn't puff up too much), then slather with extra virgin olive oil on both sides.

Start the coals. For this to work you'll want to use indirect heat because the dough will burn or crisp. If your grill is smallish you can spread the coals around rather than have them in one pile. You run the risk of running out of heat, but you have a better chance of not burning the pie. If you have a large grill just keep a "cool zone", keeping the bottom dampers open and the top dampers only open about halfway (but you should keep an eye on the whole process and adjust as necessary).

Par Cook the dough (partially cook it): bring the oiled dough to the grill and place in the cool zone. In a very few minutes, when the bottom is starting to cook, flip it over and do the same to the other side.You don't want it fully cooked because after you load it up it's going back on the grill for the rest of the grilling.

Bring it back inside. Slather with pizza sauce, then cheese, then toppings. Bring it back to the cool zone of the grill and allow to cook for about 15-20 minutes. 

Eat and enjoy!

40 weeks...or Something Like That...

So, today is my Kaiser assigned due date. I've already started to think they are a joke. Probably because I'm super regular so I know my cycle lasts 5 days longer than the average 28 days all medical offices use to assign said due dates. And I've told them this several times, but they don't seem to care. My new doctor, whom I met with this week, actually took the time to switch my date to September 2nd {this Friday} which I'm so thankful for. No use having them breathe down my neck, whispering 'induction' when really I know I have more time. :) In addition, Ezra was 10 days late from this standardize due date and a whole whopping 6 pounds, 15 ounces...a real chunk for being so late, huh? As long as everything checks out clear, I'm happy to continue to grow this little one, if he needs it. 

{40 weeks-ish}

I realized this fact at my appointment when my doctor said she could help things get going if I wanted. The technical term is "stripping the membranes" which is like taking off the wire cage thingy to a champagne bottle-- basically making the cork come off much easier. Same with potentially getting labor to start by swiping the area with a finger, and with Ezra, it's basically what kick-started my labor. There was no looking back after that...contractions just steadily grew in length and intensity from then on. So, when she suggested it, I actually panicked a bit. Um, you mean, I could start laboring now?! And like, have him? Nah, I could use some more time. Really, no rush. Let's wait until at least next week. I've been telling everyone how tired and uncomfortable I am and how ready I am to get him out. But clearly, when rubber hits the road, I'm okay with waiting it out a bit longer. Too funny!

I was happy to hear that I'm already 2 cm and he's already dropped to being inside my pelvis {station -1; baby delivers at station +3}. Clearly, signs of a second birth since last time I was at 0 dilation and station -2. All that to say, my body seems to be working this whole thing out on its own. And I'm totally cool with that--just going to let it do its thing.

Somehow I've avoided the major puffiness I had last time in the last few weeks. Not sure how that works out since it's been so much hotter this time. I'm definitely getting more lower back pain which is also a sign of contractions. And I've gained the exact same amount of weight: 35 pounds. Guess it doesn't matter how many sweets you eat or don't eat-- the gain is the same. ;) I'll remember that for future pregnancies! 

Well, are we ready?! Everything is in its place, including the car seat, as of yesterday. W plans to work through this week and then take a break for family time...which he would anyway since he'll start his auditing job next month. I'm still tutoring here and there because I feel bad about leaving him when he's just starting school again. And the rest of what's on our 'to-do' list isn't really that important.

Boy's got some great dates to select from that his birthday could share:
September 1st- when W asked me to be his wife
September 10th- when W asked me to his girlfriend

September 11th- 11 weeks apart from his cousin, Caedmon, also born in 2011
September 5th- and of course, how humorous to labor on Labor Day

So, I guess... less talk, and more labor action, please! ;)

Capturing The End of Three

The evening shoot was a bit hard..it was past E's bedtime and he was just over it. Nothing that a little bribery couldn't handle. Smarties and goofy assistants sure helped! But we were still able to capture some great moments. And seriously, canNOT wait to get these order, framed, and hung before I'm in recovery. The Shutterfly deal I got in my e-mail is a great motivator too.

{this would be one of the Smarties pics--he's chomping away! :)}

W and E took a break from pics to look at some ducks in the water. Jessi got some great shots of them hanging out.

That's right-- we're so close to fully experiencing the 'plus two' now!! EEEK!

Maternity Shoot

One item on my loooong, forever growing 'to-do' list was to get some maternity and family pictures done before Boy arrives. The last pics we've taken together was waaay back in November for our Christmas cards. We've ALL changed a ton since then. ;) I was a bit out of luck because our go-to girl, Meghan, has been out of the country for the year and told me she'd be back on Sept 8th. Just not going to work with a due date of August 31st...even if I'm preparing to go late.

So, I had to do a bit of brainstorming. Several months ago, I ran into a friend who I traveled to Haiti with in the summer of 2007 and funny enough, have known since I was like 7. She is such a sweetheart and an amazing photographer. While we were catching up, I asked about how her business was going. She works for a local photography company, but also does stuff on her own. I was randomly reminded of our conversation a few weeks ago and gave her call last minute. I booked the shoot with her during the week her twin sister was getting married and got the photos a few days after her maid-of-honor duties. Jessi is that awesome!

We did a mid-morning maternity shoot in our bedroom and then we got together again in the evening, after W got home from work, to get some family ones. She gave me over 100 beautifully edited pictures so I'm just forced to post the family ones tomorrow! I apologize in advance for the picture overload! :) Not only do I love our bedroom now, but it was also great to capture it before this past weekend of newborn-supply-overload. Let's just say that I'm glad these pictures capture what it once looked like before Pampers, chux pads, burp clothes, blankets, and oneies threw up all over it.

Here's a bit of what Jessi captured during the morning...

And a few of my favs of Ezra...he was such a ham!

Time In the Garden

 We spent some time during a morning this week in the Moogs' garden. It is the perfect, peaceful little space for two kiddos and Mamas.

{I love that they both have bed-head hair-do's.}

Great way to start the day!

Saturday Morning Pancakes...

Pretty much a weekly habit.

All the eggs are gone by then.

And whatever bananas leftover from the week are browned and mushy.

Perfect for a Saturday morning tradition!

Dinner Time

Some of the others habits we've got going on surround dinner time. In fact, from about 5:30 on, our evenings are as predictable as Monday mornings coming after Sunday evenings. There are a few 'musts' that happen during dinner and if either one of us forgets, E is always there to remind us.

{music fingers}

One of which being Pandora. We will typically play music from the time final dinner touches are being made, table is being set...all the way until Papa and E go into his room for prayers, reading, and getting into bed. For dinner, we play our "Jesus Music" or "Children's Jesus Music" stations depending on our moods. Caedmon's Call, Chris Rice, and Chris Tomlin make great dinner company. And we've since discovered this guy named Justin Roberts who does great, silly renditions of Bible stories for kids. A bit too catchy if you ask us though, because you'll hear us singing phrases throughout the day. We also love playing "Walt Disney Soundtracks" post-meal, pre-bed--think Mary Poppins, Lion King, Jungle Book, The Little Mermaid, and Beauty and the Beauty...we happen to like the classics. Or maybe we're just able to get away with being old school still since our kid isn't old enough to watch movies yet.

The other habit we have for dinner time is reading through this mini book set. I cannot for the life of me remember who gave us this set at E's shower, but we are happily putting it to good use.

W will read through a story while we eat and E loves it. And they are small enough to sit on the cabinet next to our dinner table.

What are some dinner rhythms that are specific to you, either from growing up or with your families now? I'm always curious to learn how others do it because it's such an important time and can be so different, depending on each family's needs.