And.....We're Walking

Yep! That's right, Aerielle is finally WALKING, and let me tell you its one of the cutest looking things I've ever seen!  

I was expecting to feel at least a little sad when she started walking (you know, cuz she's no longer a "baby"), but I honestly couldn't be happier. Watching her beautiful, smiling face as her teenie-tiny feet pitter-patter around the house makes any and all sadness dissipate completely. Sadness? What sadness?  :-)

Please enjoy the following video of her practicing her walking (with a little help from Daddy) until we get some more recent video of her going mobile all on her own.

Love and kisses!

It's Birthday Week! How Did We Get Here?

I can't believe it. Our baby is about to be 1 year old! It honestly seems like just yesterday that I was reading (and re-reading) the results of the pregnancy test that indicated she was on the way. Reflecting back on how we got to this place reminds me of a time, not all that long ago, when I was certain that I did not want to ever have children.

Back in early 2008, when Dameone and I were still settling into our marriage and our new home, the topic of  children seemed to be coming up more and more frequently. And by "children", I don't mean those awesome nieces and nephews in our lives, I mean "our children". When we had discussed this in the past (i.e. before we were married), it was always in terms of "someday we will have children". We would discuss our list of ideals; for me, that was 2 boys, 2 years apart; for him - 1 boy, 1 girl, 3 years apart. We would discuss what sports and activities we would enroll them in, how I would for sure "take the drugs" when it came time for delivery, and all sorts of fun "what-if's". 

For me, they were just that - "what -if's". I never really thought about how and when I would incorporate children into my life. Hell, I liked my life just as it was. Selfish as I know that sounds, I didn't want to give up one single piece of it. I didn't want to give up the travel, the drinking, the ability to spend my money on whatever I wanted to, my sleep, my body; none if it. I wanted to live the life of a childless bride forever and ever. What did I need kids for? I had plenty of nieces and nephews to go around. Besides, there's no way I was fit to be a parent, right? 

What I failed to realize is that, while I was busy not mentally fitting children into my life, Dameone was doing just the opposite. It didn't take Dameone long to figure this out and it sparked some very serious conversations about the future of our family and even the future our marriage. Begrudgingly, I agreed to start "trying". I have to be honest, I was expecting to get pregnant on the first try...maybe the second. I was not at all prepared for the journey I was about to take.

I did not get pregnant on the first try. I did not get pregnant on the second try. I did not get pregnant on the third try. Then I seemed to get call after call that everyone around me was getting pregnant. I just couldn't believe it! What in the hell was wrong with MY body? That's when it became a challenge; a contest of sorts. I was not about to be told that I couldn't do something. So what that I didn't actually want it? That was besides the point.

After several more months of failure, and even more calls about pregnant folks the world over, my determination transformed into defeat. Not only did we not have the money for any sort of infertility treatment, we really didn't believe in it for ourselves. If the Lord was not going to bless us with a baby of our own, then we were not going to force the issue. During our period of trying-to-conceive, I educated myself on natural childbirth and breastfeeding which ultimately turned my determination for success into deep desire for motherhood.

In hindsight, I am certain that I was meant to travel this difficult road to pregnancy, for without it I do not believe I would have the same bond with my daughter that I do today. I can say now that I am thankful for the challenges and obstacles that were placed before me because without them, my life as it is today would not exist. I love being a mother. I can't imagine going back to that life that didn't include Aerielle in it. She brings unparalleled joy to my life and I often wonder how I ever lived without it.

Papa and Baby Pedi's

Papa and daughter geting a manicure and pedicure while watching Puss In Boots in HD.

It's Not Nail Polish

Today was one of those days were I was just tired as hell. All I wanted to do after work was go home and take a nap, but me and you both know that's not going to happen with a 8 month old.

At Nanny's House

Today we went to nanny"s house to make our weekly visit. Aerielle had a chance to play with her cousin and hang out with grandpa.

Teething Baby Still Having Fun

For a baby that has a tooth coming in, she seems to still be having fun.

Focus on ME!

Sometime in the middle of my pregnancy, I joined a very popular online community called BabyCenter. I was instantly addicted to the amazing resources and endless support available to me 24-hours a day.

What Once Nourished Her, Will Now Nourish Me

As part of my birth journey, I decided to have Aerielle's placenta encapsulated. Encapsulation is a ritualistic process where the placenta  is blessed, cooked, dried out, crushed, and put into pill form for future consumption by me. Immediate benefits include reduced hormonal surges during the postpartum period, relief from the baby blues, and even possibly preventing postpartum depression. If I choose not to consume the entire placenta during the postpartum period, I can use the  placenta pills in the future for relief of PMS symptoms and even to help make my menopause more manageable!

1 Fast Labor + 1 Awesome Birth Center = 1 Amazing Baby

Throughout this pregnancy, as I read more and more about natural, unmedicated childbirth, I knew that I wanted to write my birth story for others to read. Two of the most influential texts I read in preparation for my first birth experience were "Spiritual Midwifery" and "Ina May's Guide to Childbirth" both by Ina May Gaskin. Both works contain collections of birth stories that I found to be both inspiring and insightful. Its these stories, combined with the inspirational accounts of my mother's and sister's births and topped off with witnessing a dear friend birth her first child that gave me the strength to believe in myself and my body to perform the miracle of childbirth.

Yummy in My Tummy

Little baby Jessica after eating with a now full belly.

Getting To Know Me

As Aerielle settles into her new home, we continue to enjoy this new life god has blessed us with. As promised, here are some more pics of baby Aerielle uncensored.

Holy Crap......Really?

So I can't tell you the story now. That will be something Jessica will have to tell you later, but holly crap! I just can't believe it! She's already here and so unexpected. I can't express to you how I feel right at this moment, but it is a very good feeling.

WHAT? You're Not Going to the Hospital?

In an earlier post, I promised to tell you about our choice of an out-of-hospital birthing location. This was not a decision we came to quickly, and therefore the story outlining how we arrived at this decision is quite long. Enjoy!

We Gettin' Edumacated: Natural Childbirth at Its Finest

In line with our quest for a completely unmedicated, natural childbirth, in addition to selecting an out-of-hospital birthing location (more on that in a future post), we enrolled ourselves in classes for a brand-new method of natural childbirth called Brio Birth.  I was introduced to the idea of this new method while acting as a labor support person for some dear friends of ours. They asked me to attend classes for The Bradley Method of Husband Coached Childbirth with them.  That's where I met the most amazing woman in the field of childbirth education, Angela Taylor, of Taylor Your Birth.  Angie, as we call her, is a living, breathing encyclopedia of all things childbirth, breastfeeding, and beyond.  When it came time for us to choose our childbirth educator, there was no choice; it HAD to be Angie. 

There's a Melon in There!

Here are some pics Mommy Jessi took the other day to show me what she see's when she looks down. I love it!

We're Going to the Gun Store

The time between deciding to have the ultrasound and actually having it done was a matter of only days. I called the ultrasound school on Friday afternoon and our appointment was on Monday afternoon. Yep, just that quick! The appointment coordinator gave me instructions to drink 32oz of water 1-hour prior to the procedure. I wrote it all down without really thinking about what that would mean for my already sensitive bladder. Oopsie!

OUR Great Ultrasound Debate

As this pregnancy has progressed, I always assumed I would be getting an ultrasound to determine the gender of our unborn child. I mean, its perfectly safe, right? It must be if this procedure is performed on millions of unborn babies each year, right? A doctor wouldn't ever suggest a test that isn't safe, right? WRONG!!

Another Special Day

So, my wife (and baby...lol) was craving pasta today. Jessica is working all day today, from early morning (830a) to super late at night (11p), and didn't bring enough food to last throughout the day (tsk, tsk, tsk). Being the amazingly perceptive husband that I am, I decided to run to the store to pick up all the ingredients for our "Signature Pasta", as we call it. It's the best (culinary hint: you may get a lil' drunk off of it if you eat too much! LOL j/k).

When Hormones Attack, People Get Hurt

I have been keeping a journal for quite some time as an outlet for the intense emotions that come along with all things fertility-related. Many of you do not know that the process of becoming pregnant was very difficult for Dameone and me. We had been trying to conceive, without success, for what seemed like an eternity and this journal was the only place where I could be honest about everything I was feeling about our perceived infertility. While this journal continues to be an avenue for expressing my raw emotions, the content is quite different today than it was when I first started.

My Life and What's to Come

My life isn't a fairytale, but when I think about it, our relationship can't get any better when compared to other couples. It's damn near perfect. If you can imagine, amazing and wonderful things do happen to people who believe in the possibility. You just have to want it and make it happen. This blog is my every day love letter to my wife and to the baby growing inside her belly. Life is a wonderful thing. Enjoy every minute of it.