Baby Gumba's Birth Story

Here is the post that will be all about baby Gumba, but I do see a lot of these in future, so don't be thinking this will be the only one. Gumba was born in December, three and a half weeks BEFORE his due date. Husband and I are were not expecting this, since I took the very practical approach to pregnancy and imagined that my real due date was two weeks after the one the midwifes gave me. My SIL's all have gone over and I read in a book that most first pregnancies go an average of eight days past the due date. So, yeah, when my water broke at 3am I was a tad bit surprised. Husband had to get the car seat out of the box and install it, I had to figure out what I wanted to take the hospital, Didn't have that suitcase you always see in dramas/comedies ready to go. Because Gumba was so early I had to go to the hospital, in AK the midwifes are only allowed to assist in pregs that are 37-42 weeks. Husband and I waited a few hours before going to the hospital, I knew as soon as I went they would start the unofficial countdown of when they expected Gumba to come. Arrived at the hospital around 6:30am where in I was asked multiple times if my water really had broken, and just how sure I was. That was REALLY annoying, like I can't tell a bucket worth of clear liquid from a little yellow urine. Ugh, hospitals. They also were VERY insistent that I change into one of their horrible hospital gowns. I refused. I was definitely not the ideal patient following every suggestion or whim of theirs. Every hospital personnel that came into the room was given the same shpeal, there was a reason I wanted a birth center birth, don't give me anything, let me do my own thing, yadda yadda yadda. By noon the nurse kept saying, "you aren't progressing (like we want you to) are you sure you don't want anything, we have drugs for this kind of stuff." I kept declining, she kept offering. We found out later that she (who was older) had really never seen or assisted a COMPLETELY natural birth and was a bit nervous. Can you imagine, a nurse NEVER seeing a birth without drugs? Shocking I know. By 3pm I knew that the clock was ticking, I mean, imagine a woman whose water broke 12 hours ago not in active labor. So, yadda yadda yadda, I got active labor started. Had to move pretty much immediately into the shower, where I stayed for the next five hours. A midwife came to the hospital to be support, and to assist as my advocate. The midwife was amazing. I refused to give birth on my back, which the doc was completley understanding about and really worked with me. And then at 9:20pm little Gumba came into the world. I'll spare you all of the details, but pretty interesting the stuff that happens to your body, but those out that there that haven't done this yet, nothing bad.

And then the real drama came, Gumba had to be in the hospital for the next 10 days, and then we finally got to take him home. December/January were the coldest months in recent memory. While we were in the hospital it was between -45F and -50F. It was awful. But Gumba is doing well now, we've moved on from him being sick to sleep issues. So, everything is on track. I'll post pics next time, can't get it figured out.

Give me one more shot

Hi all, yes, I know, it has been a year and a half since I blogged. I've been busy. Husband and I bought another house, had a baby (he's adorable), and have been getting our rental ready, well to rent. But, I have been thinking about the blog for awhile now, and I'd like it if you all gave me another shot at this thing. I feel like my life is in more control now, and I can finally dedicate myself to this thing for at least one blog a month. And, now I have a great reason to have one, Gumba, the most precious, adorable baby boy ever. Note-Gumba is Husbands nickname for baby boy, kinda cute isn't it! So, hope you all have fun reading "This is My Life?" I'll try to make it honest, if not interesting, and maybe a little boring.

I'm Sick

That's right, I'm sick, have been for about a week now. I've realized two key things about having the sickness:

1) Almost immediately after becoming sick, you forget what it feels like to be well, and wonder if you'll ever not be sick again.
2) I regress back to my childhood and want husband to do everything for me.

I should be on the upside of this thing now. I feel a little better, just can't talk very well. Luckily I don't have the painful throat that so often accompanies the sickness. I hope you all are feeling well and keeping warm this winter!

HELP!!!!

Holy crap it is cold here. Yesterday was bad enough, the temp hovered around -35F for most of the day, and today....get this -39F. Yes, you read that right, it is 39 degrees below zero. I'm pretty amazed at how well I'm handling it. Last year I wanted to cry. For those who are even thinking about thinking that because I was born and raised here that I should be some super woman with great genes to withstand this...there is no way. I walk outside and I swear that my body feels the need to donate all of my heat, because within 30seconds I get cold. We usually don't get weather like this until the end of January-February, and luckily it is only supposed to last about a week. For all of you out there, think warm!

Yeah, sorry about that

But now I am back. I've had a few mini crisis' in the past, and I am embarrassed to say this, in the past two months. But life is good right now. I do have a few stories about the pets, which I will post over the next couple of days. The first is about Lilie's toe, or rather, her dew claw. About a month ago Lilie tore her dew claw, and I had been so wrapped up in my own dramas that who knows how long it went unnoticed. We took her the vet, who had to rip the nail away :( I can only imagine how painful that must have been. But, after a week and a half of antibiotics, her toe is growing back! Sure it is a little deformed, and we don't know what it will look like in a year, but we're happy to say that Lilie is no longer licking her toe excessively. She's feeling better!

Stay tuned, the next post will be about the cats, the dogs, and the Christmas tree.

Mom...I Gotta Go

This is what Lilie was crying at 12:30am the other night. I was woken from a deep sleep, with ear plugs in, as Lilie was whinning loudly from outside my door. I got up, went to the back door to let the dogs out, and it seems that Lilie REALLY had to go. There was a nice size puddle of urine on the floor. Have I mentioned lately that I love my pets? They sure know how to treat me well.

Jasper and his two paw touch

Jasper is one of our adorable cats, and he does a very adorable thing with his two front paws. As we walk by him, he often, and I mean often, runs by us, pauses long enough to tap us on our legs with his front paws, then runs off. That's it. That's all he does. At first we were completely surprised by this behavior, and then I started thinking it was rude (he would often do this around supper time), and now, I just get a big ol' kick out of it (no pun intended!). It's things like this that make raising all of these hellions worth it. I just look at him and smile.

By the way, this is Jasper helping Husband hang a light fixture in the bedroom. Both of our cats love to get in the way! But, at least now when I talk about Jasper you have a face to go with the name!

Copper-sitting

Husband and I are dog sitting for one of our friends. Here are her facts: she is a year old, weighs less than my cats, and is a pure-bred Beagle....yes, I said Beagle. Copper is having the time of her life here; two dogs to play with ALL the time, and two cats to harass until they catch on to the fact they can jump onto furniture higher than she is. Luckily for me, Husbands work schedule worked out just so, that I only had to manage all FIVE pets one day. The first night she howled, I turned to husband and asked if, since she was one it would stop. The second night Copper didn't stop moving until after 9:30, and that was only because I gave her a chewy. The dogs are having a blast with her. Lilie plays really well with her, half the time Sadie is policing them. Lilie only had to be scolded twice for not sharing, Sadie already knew the drill. Copper has only gotten hurt twice, which really is a miracle considering she weighs something like a sixth of my dogs. Lilie accidentally bit her little stick legs too hard. Copper's leg went in the air, and I "tough" loved her and told her to walk it off! All in all its been a fun experience and we enjoy having her. Although, lucky for Husband I won't be bothering him at all for another dog...filling five food bowls, and feeding five animals separately is a LOT of work.

Not The Butter

Anyone who has spent a fair amount of time around me knows that two of my favorite foods are butter and salt...weird right? Don't worry, I don't go around eating these two things together and only these two things. But fresh popped popcorn, hot vegetables, all these things deserve the deliciousness of butter and salt. So, here's the scene: I come home Thursday after work. Lilie goes to the water dish to quench her thirst, Sadie heads for the water dish in the kitchen. But wait, there isn't a water dish in the kitchen. And then I see it, my tub of butter lay right side up, lid showing signs of a break in from the cats, and Sadie, with butter on her chin. Not the butter! So you see, nothing is safe in this house.

It Always Brings A Smile

It snowed, it snowed, it snowed! For some reason the first snowfall always brings a smile to my face. There is something about it. I guess there is just so much anticipation for the start of winter just as there is for spring. I never realize how ready I am for winter until it snows. This year winter was late...I know for all of you lower 48ers this seems a tad on the strange side. I remember my freshman year of college there was snow the third week of September and it stayed, see nothing to complain about. It's always fun to see the dogs run outside and greet the first snowfall as well. I swear there was a little more hop in Sadie's step this morning. I suppose it's not unrealistic to thing her feet were cold! Now comes the cold, the slick roads, and the high heating costs, but it'll be worth it, until February. And then spring will come, in May.