Baby #5

After months of searching for a midwife/doctor who would not only take me as a patient but also subscribe to my birth philosophy, I'm happy to say we've found one!  Because of my previous history with HELLP syndrome and then the resultant C-section, it was impossible to find a midwife willing to help me with a home birth which was my ideal preference.  The midwife I was in communication with paired me up with a local doctor (actually in the same practice as the doctor who delivered Landon by c-section) who suggested they co-manage my case.  This would mean I would receive midwifery care throughout the pregnancy and then when it was time to deliver the baby, I would enter the local hospital where I would try for a VBAC (vaginal birth after cesarean).  The two obstacles I faced were the necessary permission from the doctor's partners (did they feel comfortable with her taking me on?) and the local hospitals typically not allowing for VBACs (so any VBAC would be AMA - against medical advice).  Unfortunately, the obstacles were enough to prevent this idea from working out.  I found myself at a dead end with no midwife, no doctor, no prenatal care and feeling the pressure of time working against me as I was already 23 weeks along. 

After speaking to a local midwife about my case and getting her valuable advice, she recommended a doctor associated with Concord Hospital.  At first, I wasn't so keen on traveling all the way to Concord (not when home seemed the best distance for me), but being desperate at this point, I called the office.  Getting in touch with someone at Concord Women's Care, I quickly made an appointment, if for nothing else than to get my initial prenatal blood test done and an ultrasound set up before this baby got too big!  Michael and I went to meet the doctor there and instantly knew we were in the right place.  The doctors there encourage VBACs as much as medically possible, and my previous diagnosis of HELLP didn't scare them off.  Because the VBAC was very important for me to try, I knew this was the place I would deliver.  Concord Hospital is a top-notch hospital and one of only a few hospitals in the United States given the certification of  being a "Baby Friendly" hospital (something to do with its great breastfeeding program).  I hear rave reviews about The Family Place (the name they've given their maternity ward), and I look forward to touring it soon.

After finally having my initial blood tests (which were great), an ultrasound was set up.  With bated breath we waited for the day we would find out whether this baby was a girl or boy.  Though we did not find out with the last two boys and each one was a wonderful surprise when they popped out, we figured this one might just be a girl and that just might be something worth knowing about ahead of time.  Yesterday was the big day, and we not only found out it was a seemingly healthy baby (and only one at that, thank goodness!) with ten fingers and toes, but...drum roll please....IT'S A BOY!  Again! LOL  We had to ask the technician if she was sure, and she showed us the proof-positive evidence - there was no mistaking the little appendage that proved beyond a doubt this was no girl.  As Michael apologized for not providing the necessary X chromosome yet again, I had to lay there and laugh.  So there may not be any pink in our near future, but you must agree once you get past the alien-like appearance of every sonogram photo, he's a beautiful boy, isn't he?

Merry Christmas and a Very Happy New Year!

Picture Joy Christmas

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An Ortlieb Family Short Film - 5 Stars!

Turn up your speakers, make it full-screen by clicking on the bottom right of the video screen (if your computer can handle that) and ENJOY!!!

A New School Year, A New Way of Learning

Here we are beginning another school year...well, I can't really say beginning since I haven't really officially started.  September is usually just too nice of a month to lock ourselves indoors and study.  Typically, we get going in October.  Ok, maybe November.  Hey, October is a tough month for our family with all the birthdays, our anniversary, Columbus Day, Halloween, etc.  And then in November there's Thanksgiving and the start of the Christmas season.  Well, we definitely most absolutely start by the middle of January.  Oh, the joys of homeschooling!

Anyway, I have been mentally and physically preparing for homeschooling the boys and as they are in the early years of their education, it's a whole other ballgame than homeschooling a middle/high schooler.  It takes much more dedication, motivation and effort on my part as teacher.  But I've been very excited about the direction we're headed and the first lesson about homeschooling is this:  if momma ain't excited about teachin', then the kids ain't excited about learnin'.  I've collected a few books on different methods of homeschooling, but I'm knee-deep in learning about the Charlotte Mason method and think I really am a Charlotte-Masonite at heart.  "Charlotte who?" you may ask. "And what does she have to do with homeschooling?"  She was a British educator in the 1800's who revolutionized education by believing in a liberal education for all, not just the rich class.  She firmly believed children were whole persons deserving of respect and should not be talked down to nor read dumbed-down books.  She was a big proponent of using "living" books (books written in a conversational style that sparks interest in a child) rather than using dry factual textbooks for all subjects.  She avoided busywork and developed the study of nature as a key component of education.  She focused on using narration as a tool, believing if a child could explain back to you in detail what you or they just read, they are developing stronger thought patterns and exercising their focus and attention.  After all, if a child can teach something back to you (or anyone), they most likely have a firm grasp of the material.

I really love the idea of using living books for my children.  Since I have always been a book nerd and hope to raise such, I love the practice of reading classics to my children and having them learn to appreciate them as well.  I also like the inclusion of music and art appreciation in the CM method and hope the boys can grow up knowing the masters of art along with well-known composers of music.  Since it only makes logical sense to me, we're also planning on going through history starting in Genesis and going from there using a CM handbook from Simply Charlotte Mason (love this website!) called Genesis Through Deuteronomy & Ancient Egypt.  The other thing I love about the CM method is most of it can be free by using the internet, the library, etc.  After all, their education curriculum will mostly include classic and vintage books to read.  You may ask what we do for some subjects such as science, grammar or math.  Living books can be found for science (books on such things as plants, insects, animals and bios of scientists and inventors) and grammar tends to come naturally with reading good books (though one can go over the grammar rules in the older grades).  Math is typically the one subject that needs to have a supplemental curriculum (we use Math-U-See which uses manipulatives in the early years).  I did purchase a science curriculum that looks fun and easy for their early years, but I plan on being very relaxed with it and am hoping to put more emphasis on the nature study than going through the textbook.  We also have already begun listening to the audio stories of the Jonathan Park series which teaches creation science in a very entertaining way.  So many fun things to teach and learn!

So I kind of lied when I said we hadn't even started homeschooling.  We have.  A bit.  A couple days a week we do something.  We've started to try to get into a routine of sitting down after breakfast to read our Bible story and go through our catechism.  Catechism? Yes, and we love it!  The boys are doing impressively good with it.  We came across a little catechism book for kids with cartoons at the last homeschool conference. Every time we sit down to do Bible, the boys learn the questions and answers  in the book thereby learning the very fundamentals of the doctrines of their faith.  At this point they have memorized and can recite each answer to every question halfway through the book.  (My favorite question and answer they've memorized and somewhat understand is: "What is sin?  Sin is any want of conformity unto, or transgression of the law of God."  Yes, they actually know that and will repeat it if you ask them.)  We're also hoping to start a Scripture Memory System suggested by the CM website that will help us to hide God's Word in our hearts. 

We also have started handwriting by using the curriculum A Reason for Handwriting which appealed to me as it was learning how to write (print and/or cursive) by copying Scripture.  I'm not sure how CM it is for them to learn and practice their letters, but for now it's working and the boys are liking it enough to continue. 

Charlotte Mason was also a big believer in teaching the discipline of good habits.  Through short lessons, narration, the study of virtues, etc., the children will learn good habits of attention and good character as well as maintain their love of learning.  On the subject of virtues and good habits, I'm hoping to use a book I picked up at the homeschool conference called For Instruction in Righteousness.  This very thorough, jam-packed instruction guide includes every vice under the sun along with the verses that speak about that particular sin and the blessings/cursings that go along with avoiding/enacting that sin.  I hope to use the book not only as a teaching tool for homeschooling but as a discipline tool as well.

So that's our homeschooling plan for this year in a nutshell.  Being a veteran homeschooler now for 6 years, I understand things can change quite easily and drastically - curriculum can be abandoned, methods changed, new ideas brought forward - but I hope to implement the CM way into not only our studies but our life as well for isn't that the point of education?  That one becomes the other and vice versa?  Happy learning!

An Apple a Week...

It's been awhile since I've updated you on the results of my HCG protocol.  It has now been about 11 weeks since stopping the HCG drops and going into the maintenance stage.  I have maintained the weight loss for the most part though I continue to have one steak and apple day a week.  I've been told this is not typical and that I may be eating trigger foods (foods my body doesn't tolerate well) so my body is having a hard time keeping the weight permanently off without that little bit of extra help.  Trying to identify the trigger foods has been hard, but I continue to be treated for allergies/sensitivities to foods (thanks to AATC) and have recently been treated for sugars and grains (including the biggie, wheat). I'm hoping eventually these triggers will clear and I won't have to continue with my weekly steak and apple regimen. 

I continue to enjoy my smaller dress size and my feeling of health and vitality.  Inspired by a friend's photos of her amazing weight loss of over 40 lbs. (Congrats, Teri!!!), I'm including a picture of one of my before-and-afters so you can see the difference even just from the back.  If you're even considering doing this diet, I would not hesitate.  The program from Pure, Simple Health just announced an amazing end-of-summer special - just let them know I sent you.  I would highly recommend taking advantage of it.  Good luck!