Birth of Zoe Sophia Haws

Wow! I have a baby! I can hardly believe it still. It's weird not being pregnant.... Absolutely nothing went as I originally planned it would, but I don't feel bad about a thing. It was a wonderful birth!


On August 18th we went to the hospital to be induced. I planned on having a natural labor. Took the Lamaze classes and everything. We watched "9 months" until the pain was so bad it drove me nuts, so I listened to soft music on Pandora to calm me down while meditating and breathing slowly. Moving around after getting my water broken was absolutely the most disgusting thing ever. But I could not find a good position, and the monitors were always loosing the heart beat/contractions.

Around 2 pm the Dr. checked me and I found out I was only 4cm (I came in at almost a 3) and got so discouraged. By now I was breathing so hard I felt like I was running for my life or something. Couldn't handle the pain anymore, so I got an epidural. It only worked on half my body at first, and still, I was in heaven! My parents showed up not too long after. Good timing! Any earlier and I would not have wanted to see anyone. Now I could chat, sleep, whatever! Labor went from the most intense pain ever to feeling like it tickled, hahaha.

Unfortunately it didn't feel like that through the pushing. I felt like there was pain relief at all for that. But then again, I have not pushed naturally to compare it, but if it hurt that bad on the epidural, I never want to. I so scared, they said "puuuush," and I said....."I don't want to do it anymore.... " It was so wonderful to have my mother and Jake there to help me. Jake was an amazing coach.

When the baby started showing up Jake was actually off getting dinner. Well, apparently it takes a long time to have a baby, so it didn't matter. The nurse said she didn't think the baby would be over 7 lbs. after seeing the top of the head. She also pulled on the hair and said it was "so much hair...strawberry blond."



Well, she arrived in this world at 9:42 pm. She was over 7 lbs, at 9 lbs 2 oz. And she did not have a ton of hair, but it is strawberry blond! I had never felt more tired in my life. But I just wanted to hold my baby. She opened her little goop covered eyes and looked at me and my heart melted.


Welcome to the world Baby Zoe. We love you so much.

shelves!

These shelves are cuuuute.  I love open shelving.  I need something to put  baby changing stuff on anyhow, then later it can be cuter like this.  I think these are IKEA?  Picture from Lovely Design

Wonderful kitchen!

Kitchen from Country Living, found via Shabby Vintage Mom

Nursery Inspiration

My head is swimming with ideas for the nursery. Absolutely nothing has materialized yet. It's still an office/place to stash my underwear and large ugly recliner that I hate. No sign of baby whatsoever. Here is some inspiration though. I'm loving the colors of these rooms/quilt. Exactly what I want is in the quilt. I'm also thinking a collage of letters (the full alphabet), a long white dresser to put stuff in/changing table on top of, and a handmade paper mobile of some sorts. I like the idea of maps and globes, but that can wait a year or two...one step at a time.

What I'm up to

I haven't been doing internet much at all lately. I have a ton to blog about if I can get the internet time to do it. (We have it at home, but not a decent computer. Only the i-pod touch, which is no fun to blog on)
Here is what I have been up to:

• finishing the school year with Head Start Preschool
• finally getting my living room in order and presentable (thanks to the IKEA memorial day sale)
  
• crafting like a madwoman
  
• being incredibly pregnant (so tired and hungry)
  

Spice Jars

I hate the mismatched look of a ton of spices, but can't afford a bunch of jars to transplant them to right now. Plus, some would be too big, or too small for some spices. THis is a great way to get a uniform look for free thanks to Craft Leftovers, who made these templates, you can go to her blog and print 'em off. I think I will take a slightly simpler rout and just tape white paper around mine with the info (no illustrations for me). Yay for cheap practical design solutions!
(found via The Kitchn)

Non-working fireplace

We just signed the contract for our new rental. The most disappointing part of the meeting was finding out that the fireplace isn't working (or if it is we aren't allowed to use it because of insurance). I was utterly gutted to hear that. No weenie and marshmallow roasts in the living room. So I've been looking for ideas for the fireplace.

There's always the candle idea. Couldn't find a good picture of one. Seems kinda boring to me.

I love art objects being displayed inside. Especially coral. Look at that 3rd picture! The red coral looks just like fire!

Picture 4 shows crystal. I don't like this one, but it could be done better and work out very nicely.

Picture 5 is a log rapped up in lights. I love this one, but it seems a little Christmasy.

Picture 6 is my absolute favorite. I love the neatly stacked up logs. I have wanted a fireplace just to have the stacked up logs next to it in my dream home. I could just do so in my non-working fireplace now. This is a cool modern/rustic solution I've been ripping out of magazines for a few years now.






Images from: 1- mabelle, 2- gogoabigail, 3-4 domino mag, 5-6 Apartment Therapy,