sunshine is delicious

It's been a while

2011-12-28T20:00:00.000-08:00

With one semester of nursing school to go, I'm focusing on family and ending strong. This blog fuels a passion that can be a time hog and there's no 'extra' time to give these days. Signing off for... a while.

Don't be too trusting...

2011-09-28T12:39:00.000-07:00

This is a great video clip breaking down why cesareans are so high in the US. It's to the point, concise and hopefully will empower one person to empower another...

OBGYN vs. Midwife

2011-08-31T12:51:00.000-07:00

Thought this was worthy of sharing...Keep in mind Nurse Midwives care for low risk moms-to-be.

MORE Business of Being Born! Yahooo!!!

2011-07-06T12:23:00.000-07:00

Are you a woman reading this or know a woman? Check out the link below to support a sure-to-be another empowering documentary for Moms-to-be. If you're not already aware I'm a HUGE fan of the documentary 'The Business of Being Born' by Ricki Lake and Abby Epstein. Simply put... these are women, many who are Moms, with a passion for educating women on current birthing trends (of which many, aren't necessarily for your benefit). Since this second film is funded by them, consider clicking on the link to learn more about the film and to show your support by donating as little as $5. Know you're contributing to empowering another future Mom-to-be...

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/211982196/more-business-of-being-born-ricki-lake-and-abby-ep

Eating during labor

2011-06-25T08:23:00.000-07:00

As one of my writing assignments, I researched the history of NPO (nothing by mouth) after midnight before heading into surgery. To give you a brief over view...It started in the 1940's when an obstetrician (Curtis Mendelson) took note of a couple deaths (out of 44,016 cases) related to aspiration during labor and delivery while under general anesthesia. These deaths were related to food and liquid intake, so he recommended fasting during labor for everyone (Crenshaw & Winslow, 2008, p.963).

Fast forward 60 years... Few laboring women under go general anesthesia for C-sections and of those who rarely do, they are at a greater risk of death associated with intubation difficulty rather then aspiration (Sharts-Hopko, 2010, p.198). Not to mention the quality of anesthesia has greatly improved along with the expertise in administration. Soooooo... based on research, eating popsicles and ice chips is no longer an acceptable practice. If your doctor says this is what you should follow, challenge it AND bring your own bag of snacks to the hospital to eat as you feel up to it.

There have been numerous studies on oral intake during labor and the conclusion is that "no adverse maternal or infant outcomes were associated with food ingestion" (Sharts-Hopko, p.202). In fact, numerous studies revealed that those who drank water up to two hours prior to surgery exhibited lower gastric volumes than those who followed a nothing by mouth diet (miller, 2009, p. 16). More stomach acid equals a greater risk for nausea/vomiting. Fluids taken two hours pre-operatively actually stimulated peristalsis (digestion) and emptying (Crenshaw & Winslow, p.967).

Here's a link to the benefits and suggestions of light foods to eat during labor:
http://www.suite101.com/content/eating-during-labor--a4982

References
Crenshaw, J. & Winslow, E. (2008). Preoperative fasting duration and medical instruction: Are we improving? AORN Journal, 88(6), 963-976.

Sharts-Hopko, N. (2010). Oral intake during labor: A review of the evidence. American Journal of Maternal Child Nursing, 35(4), 197-203.

Upright = shorter, less painful recovery...

2011-05-20T06:06:00.000-07:00

An excerpt from The Birth Book by William and Martha Sears:

"Being upright for birth not only gives baby an easier angle for delivery, but it also widens the passage. When you're up and out of bed your pelvic joints, loosened by the hormones of pregnancy, are free to move and accommodate the little passenger with the large head and broad shoulders. While sitting or lying down, these bones aren't as free to move and your pelvic outlet narrows. In addition, vertical birthing allows more natural stretching of the birth canal tissues and is kinder to the perineum, making episiotomy unnecessary and tears less likely (p. 186)."

Five reasons NOT to birth on your back:
- It can hurt mother's back
- It can harm baby by reducing blood flow/oxygen
- Labor slows and becomes less efficient
- Episiotomy or tears are more likely
- You're working against gravity

Upright, moving and working WITH gravity...

2011-05-12T08:04:00.000-07:00

Healthy Birth Practice #2:
Walk, Move Around, and Change Positions Throughout Labor

This is one of the Lamaze Healthy Birth Practices.

Teri Shilling, MS, CD(DONA), IBCLC, LCCE, FACCE

A pregnant woman in a Lamaze class asks about the mixed messages she has seen about birth, “In class, I see pictures of women walking, using tubs, or sitting on birth balls. But in the birth stories on TV, it seems like women spend most of their time in bed. Is being out of bed and moving around important?”

Walking, moving around, and changing positions throughout labor make the birth of your baby easier. It is the best way for you to use gravity to help your baby move down and to increase the size and shape of your pelvis to make it easier for your baby to fit and rotate as necessary. Movement helps you respond to pain in an active way and shortens the length of the first stage of labor (Lawrence, Lewis, Hofmeyr, Dowswell, & Styles, 2009).

In contrast to what you see on popular television shows in the United States, pictures throughout history and across cultures show women in many different positions for labor. Many hospitals today provide birth balls, rocking chairs, tubs/showers, and safe places to walk in order to encourage women to stay out of bed during labor. A pilot study was recently conducted at two Canadian hospitals where women in labor were randomly assigned to a regular labor room or to an “ambient room.” In the ambient room, the standard hospital labor bed was removed, and additional equipment was added to promote relaxation, mobility, and a calm atmosphere. The evaluations from women assigned to the ambient room were positive; they spent 50% or less time laboring in bed and reduced the need for artificial oxytocic infusions (Hodnett, Stremler, Weston, & McKeever, 2009).

Activity during labor may distract you from discomfort, gives you a sense of greater personal freedom, and provides a way to release muscle tension. In fact, women who use movement in labor report that it is an effective method of relieving pain (Storton, 2007). Restricting women’s movement may result in worse birth outcomes and may decrease women’s satisfaction with their birth experiences (Storton, 2007).

Why Movement Helps
When you walk or move around in labor, your uterus, a muscle, works more efficiently (Roberts, Mendez-Bauer, & Wodell (1983). Changing position frequently moves the bones of the pelvis to help the baby find the best fit, while upright positions use gravity to help bring the baby down the birth canal (Simkin & Ancheta, 2005). The diameter of the pelvic inlet and outlet can increase as a woman moves around in labor. When labor slows, a change in position often will help you “find your rhythm” again.

At times during labor, you may feel tired and need to rest in a comfortable position. However, according to a 2003 study published in Nursing Research, a laboring woman’s lower back pain is worse when she is lying down (Adachi, Shimada, & Usai, 2003). You can get the rest you need without having more pain if you have options for resting other than lying on your back.

What Research Tells Us
Researchers who examined all of the published studies on movement in labor found that, when compared with policies restricting movement, policies that encourage women to walk, move around, or change position in labor may result in the following outcomes:

* less severe pain,
* less need for pain medications such as epidurals and narcotics,
* shorter labors,
* less continuous monitoring, and
* fewer cesarean surgeries (Lawrence et al., 2009; Simkin & Bolding, 2004; Simkin & O’Hara, 2002).

In fact, no woman who participated in any of the research studies said that she was more comfortable on her back than in other positions (Simkin & Bolding, 2004). No study has ever shown that walking in labor is harmful in healthy women with normal labors (Storton, 2007).

The Role of Support and the Birth Setting
Without encouragement from caregivers, and due to cultural conditioning and the central location of the bed in most birth settings, many women unfortunately are not be able to walk or move around during labor (Simkin & Bolding, 2004). However, when laboring women are encouraged to move and do not have restrictions, they walk and change positions frequently (Simkin & Bolding, 2004). Although your hospital may not have a policy that requires you to labor in bed, the routine use of continuous electronic fetal monitoring (EFM), intravenous lines (IVs), drugs to induce or speed up labor, and epidurals limit your movement and often will confine you to bed. When women who took part in a national survey about their childbirth experiences were asked why they did not walk around during labor, the most common answer was ”being connected to things” (Declercq, Sakala, Corry, Applebaum, & Risher, 2002, p. 25).

To improve women’s comfort during labor and to support natural, safe, and healthy birth, interventions such as EFM and IVs should be used only when complications make them necessary. If it becomes medically necessary to use these interventions, including epidural anesthesia, you should be guided to continue to move in whatever way you can (Roberts, Algert, & Olive, 2004).

For example, your nurse or labor partner can help you change from a side-lying position to a position where you lean over the back of the bed or on the squat bar. If there is a medical reason that you need continuous EFM, movement and position changes can occur while you sit on a birth ball or in a rocking chair. Monitoring does not mean you must stay in bed. Women who birth in facilities that have access to showers or tubs are also more active and upright. Water immersion during the first stage of labor reduces maternal pain (Hofmeyr et al., 2008).

Practicing Helpful Positions and Movements
In childbirth education classes, you will practice various positions and movements, including how to rock your pelvis and use techniques such as the lunge, the stomp/squat, slow dancing, the knee/chest position, and stair climbing. If you practice with aids, such as a birth ball or a rebozo (a Mexican shawl), you will find it easier to use them in labor. When you have tried different positions and movements before labor, you will have more confidence to use them during labor.

Recommendations from Lamaze International
Walking, moving around, and changing positions make labor easier and safer. Like many women throughout the world, you can use movement to make labor more comfortable and your contractions more effective. Your freedom to choose and respond in your own way allows your birth to unfold without artificial restrictions. Birth is an active process and, with support from your labor companions, you will respond to make birth easier and safer for yourself and your baby. Lamaze International encourages you to plan to be active throughout labor, to practice labor and birth positions during pregnancy, and to choose a care provider and birth setting that provide many different options for using movement.

To learn more about safe, healthy birth, read The Official Lamaze Guide: Giving Birth with Confidence (Lothian & DeVries, 2005), visit the Lamaze Web site (www.lamaze.org), and sign up to receive the Lamaze…Building Confidence Week by Week e-mails.

Most Recent Update: July 2009

References
Adachi, K., Shimada, M., & Usai, A. (2003). The relationship between the parturient’s positions and perceptions of labor pain intensity. Nursing Research, 52(1), 47–51.

Declercq, E. R., Sakala, C., Corry, M. P., Applebaum, S., & Risher, P. (2002). Listening to mothers: Report of the first national U.S. survey of women’s childbearing experiences. New York: Maternity Center Association (now, Childbirth Connection).

Hodnett, E. D., Stremler, R., Weston, J. A., & McKeever, P. (2009). Re-conceptualizing the hospital labor room: The PLACE (pregnant and laboring in an ambient clinical environment) pilot trial. Birth, 36(2), 159–166.

Hofmeyr, G., Neilson, J. P., Alfirevic, Z., Crowther, C. A., Duley, L., Gulmezoglu, M., et al. (2008). Pregnancy and childbirth – A Cochrane pocketbook. W. Sussex, England: Wiley.

Lawrence, A., Lewis, L., Hofmeyr, G., Dowswell, T., & Styles, C. (2009). Maternal positions and mobility during first stage labour. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, Issue 2, Art. No.: CD003934.

Roberts, C. L., Algert, C. S., & Olive, E. (2004). Impact of first–stage ambulation on mode of delivery among women with epidural analgesia. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, 44(6), 489–494.

Roberts, J. E., Mendez–Bauer, C., & Wodell, D. A. (1983). The effects of maternal position on uterine contractility and efficiency. Birth, 10(4), 243–249.

Simkin, P., & Ancheta, R. (2005). The labor progress handbook (2nd ed.). Malden, MA: Blackwell Science.

Simkin, P., & Bolding, A. (2004). Update on nonpharmacologic approaches to relieve labor pain and prevent suffering. Journal of Midwifery and Women’s Health, 49(6), 489–504.

Simkin, P., & O’Hara, M. (2002). Nonpharmacologic relief of pain during labor: Systematic reviews of five methods. American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, 186(Suppl. 5), S127–S159.

Storton, S. (2007). The Coalition for Improving Maternity Services: Evidence basis for the ten steps of mother–friendly care. Step 4: Provides the birthing woman with freedom of movement to walk, move, assume positions of her choice. The Journal of Perinatal Education, 16(Suppl. 1), 25S–27S.

Acknowledgements
This healthy birth practice paper was revised and updated by Teri Shilling, MS, CD(DONA), IBCLC, LCCE, FACCE.

The six healthy birth practice papers were originally written in 2003 by Lamaze International as the 6 Care Practice Papers.
http://www.lamaze.org/ChildbirthEducators/ResourcesforEducators/CarePracticePapers/FreedomofMovement/tabid/484/Default.aspx

Training for a marathon...

2011-05-02T15:46:00.001-07:00

It's finals week, so no updates till after the 9th (for my huge audience out there ; )... The video is of the ideal educated soon-to-be-laboring Mom! More hard facts to come after the 9th.

You have choices in childbirth...

2011-04-25T19:10:00.001-07:00

I'm on a journey... I'm a former Art Teacher who hung up my 'smock' to stay home to raise two beautiful boys. Two boys who arrived so differently and by doing so, altered my future career path. As a big reader, I read a fair amount about pregnancy and childbirth before the arrival of our first son. A few weeks before delivery I arrived at my prenatal check-up with a birth plan in hand. My husband and I discussed what interventions we wanted to avoid and what our expectations were. Most wishes were hesitantly accepted. It was a 26 hour labor with no epidural, no pitocin and the feeling of winning the longest race I'd ever run and it was... EXHILARATING! The repercussions of having an OB assisted hospital birth were: I was limited to the lithotomy position in bed, which resulted in a minor perineum tear (the worst recovery pain EVER!), I lacked the support/encouragement/knowledge of another experienced labor coach/assistant, and lacked food needed for energy during the long hours of labor.

Fast forward 2 years being pregnant for the 2nd time. I knew I wanted more support and encouragement from my provider. I wanted to enter a hospital feeling like I wasn't 'at risk' for something to go wrong but rather that I was capable and was designed to do this birthing thing. I sought the care of the one and only certified nurse midwife in town. She was wonderful. She explained each test, procedure and possible interventions in labor. I was informed of the risks and benefits of each. She taught and demonstrated various techniques for managing labor pains (use of a birthing ball, side lying, back massage, etc.) During labor she spent more time helping me to recognize what stage of labor I was in. She also helped ward off other unnecessary, but commonly given interventions (constant fetal monitoring, intra-uterine pressure catheter and an epidural). I freely ate, which she encouraged and shared that their was no scientific evidence to prove it unsafe. She was not only my advocate, but she empowered me to trust what I wanted and what my body could do. With this birth, I changed positions often, used a birthing ball and ended up delivering our second son in a hands and knees position. The result: a healthy baby boy with no evidence of tearing. My postpartum recovery was a snap! I went shopping 3 days later.

We have choices in childbirth and we should be questioning protocol and giving ourselves permission to say "No", because present day practices truly aren't all evidence based (meaning it's not what's best for you or baby). Maternity decisions are driven by monetary and legal reasons. Obstetricians are paid more when you arrive and deliver during their shift. On top of that, obstetricians and medical residents want to get home to their families and this means... intervening to speed up your labor process. Have you ever heard of the phrase "intervention cascade"? One intervention leads to another that leads to another. If you're considered low risk, does it make sense that you need to be poked, prodded and limited to bed? Generally speaking, obstetricians want to be in control, they want us (as one nurse summed it up) 'numb and dumb'. It's the only area I've witnessed doctors, medical residents, and nurses enter a room and state what they're going to do often without explaining risks/benefits to a patient so that she can give informed consent. You should be asking what the risks and benefits are to each and every treatment/intervention and stating that you'd like a few minutes to process the information (given it's not an emergency). You have the right to say no and to call the shots. Here's a link to 'The Rights of Childbearing Women'. It matters how our babies arrive and we'll remember their arrival forever...

Upon arrival at the hospital...

2011-04-21T18:22:00.000-07:00

Think you want an epidural? Here's a picture of what 'you'll' look like in a typical hospital labor and delivery unit after an epidural. What you may not know is that when an epidural is given before the active phase (2nd stage when you're dilated between 4-7 centimeters) of labor, your chances of having a cesarean section doubles. Epidurals commonly slow down labor, so you'll be put on a synthetic hormone called pitocin to speed up contractions. Since you can't feel your lower half, you'll be bed bound and need a urinary catheter put in. They'll routinely put in a intrauterine pressure catheter to "better" monitor how your uterus is contracting and this requires breaking your bag of water if it hasn't already. Now that you're all 'hooked up' you'll be left alone to be periodically checked on, otherwise nurses will be watching your progress on a screen at the nurses station.
Does this snapshot seem ideal? I recognize that for some women this common scenario is just fine and needed in high risk pregnancies, but for many others considered low risk this is invasive and induces powerlessness and fear. The best thing you can do for yourself and baby is to educate yourself on each of these interventions before arriving to the hospital and ask your OB about each one. We'll first take a look at epidurals. Since I'm no expert and there's no need to re-invent the wheel, here's a site that presents the risks and benefits along with questions to ask your provider in a nice chart...
http://www.kimjames.net/maternal%20risk%20chart.htm
I also liked this video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tXVhaVATcbQ

What drives OB decisions is not evidence based practice...

2011-04-20T04:29:00.000-07:00

"OB is a business. It's a volume business," chimes another doctor, Stephen Crane, MD. "If you get paid $2400 to deliver a baby and you pay out $90,000 in malpractice insurance, you have to do a lot of deliveries to pay for that fee." ---excerpt from the book PUSHED by Jennifer Block. Does this help explain the high C-section rates and invasive interventions used during labor and delivery? YES!!! I'm returning to my blog with a new focus... posting information for the pregnant Mom-to-be on labor and delivery practices, links to informative sites, and questions to specifically ask your provider to empower your choices. Our bodies are NOT failing us, the birthing industry IS... let's PUSH back!

A new focus...

2011-04-17T19:14:00.000-07:00

Being Thankful

2009-11-18T20:07:00.000-08:00

Found this paper laying around our stack of mags, papers and mail yesterday... A simple message amongst the clutter. Love reading or over hearing my boys talk when they express a personal thought without being prompted; the truest glimpse of what's inside...

Pumpkins and cider, oh my!

2009-10-14T14:00:00.000-07:00

Defenses

2009-09-22T20:05:00.000-07:00

Thought this was a moment in time to remember...
Nolan and I were on our way to pick up Ethan from school and had a little science discussion..."are these gnats blood suckers?" (we've had quite a swarm now for a week of these most annoying no see-um bugs) . Me: "no, just mosquitos". Nolan: "why are they here; what do they do, what's their defense?" Me: "they're just food for some other bugs, birds, bats". Nolan: "yeah, but what's their defense?" Me: "I don't know". Nolan: "well, the worst defense is when frogs pee on you." Me: smile.

Classic...

2009-07-26T17:04:00.001-07:00

Little brother woke up big brother at 7am to prepare for their FIRST lemonade stand during our garage sale. It was a proud Mom day...they had clothes ready to go and came to the kitchen fully dressed. Ethan grabbed a doughnut for each of them and out they came carrying their supplies. Their first sale was a customer who gave them a $1 bill to keep. Ethan looked stumped, thinking he paid for lemonade and should have some :) What a great way to start their day! With a steady flow of people, Ethan began to ask people if they'd like some lemonade and of course very few turned him down. He counted back change and exchanged niceties. It wasn't long before Nolan followed suit. What great lil entrepreneurs they were! After the sale, Ethan ran into the house to count their money and discovered they made $18, which they both split equally. I was oozing with pride...love my boys!

Catching Up...

2009-07-02T05:34:00.000-07:00

For those interested...This is what we've been up to for the last month or so...We always enjoy the annual Carillon Festival and Fireworks. We're fortunate to live nearby and can hear the bells periodically during the week and throughout the spring and summer. Anyway, the boys travel in style over to the park in our SUV Radio Flyer (gotta love gifts from Grandma and Grandpa) with glow sticks and all! Top notch fireworks AND better than any we've seen around here on the 4th of July.

Next...

Out with the old, in with the new...We said good riddens to our old, very inefficient patio door (not too mention as my Dad put it, "It looks like crap"). Thanks to my Dad, brother and Uncle Tom we're now enjoying our new energy efficient, beautiful Marvin door :) Who knew a new door could bring such small joy, but it sure does...It rolls open oh so smooth, the screen is actually on the outside, no gaps for outside winged or 6 legged critters to crawl or fly through, and the BEST part is...(drum roll please)... no billy bar needed to keep the door 'locked'! Woohoo!

Slippers in Summer

2009-06-12T19:36:00.000-07:00

Nolan started a trend over the winter...my slippers were the last thing off before slipping into the warm bed at night and the first things on my feet before hitting the floor in the morning. Nolan would often come in to "check" on me to see if I was awake and then one morning he just started handing me my slippers when I got up. With the warmer temps, I've worn them very little and haven't had them bedside for at least a few weeks. They've just been kinda here and there around the bedroom. Maybe since the mornings are brighter now, Nolan heads down stairs by himself, but this morning...I woke up to that familiar soft breathing sound towards the back of my head. Rolled over to see it was my Nolan suckin his two fingers, holding his baby bear in one hand and there behind him was a full length mirror giving me full view of what he was holding in the other...my slippers :) If time could just stand still...

Buds

2009-06-02T19:06:00.000-07:00

The other day I took Nolan with me to help out in Ethan's class on a project for his teacher...having been there awhile, the kids were lining up to head outside and Nolan asked if he could go too. Thankfully Ethan's teacher was on it before I could reply and asked that he join them. Ethan was at the front of the line and began calling for him..."bud, bud over here". Then another friend or two wanted to help summon him, too, by referring to him as "bud". Ethan very politely, but firmly looked at his friends and said "you call him Nolan, not bud". Loved that! A little big brother pride showing, the good kind :) May they be lifetime buds...

SEVEN

2009-05-11T20:02:00.000-07:00

Hard to believe my firstborn son is 7 today! Happy Birthday Ethan! He's been counting the days for a month I think...he decided to choose a lego theme for his party this year, so we sent out 6 invites to classmates. Saturday was the big party and we had 5 boys and one girl come to celebrate ringing in Ethan's 7th year. The kids started the party off with a lego hunt searching for duplo size legos hidden all around the yard. Next, everyone received a baggy with the same number of lego car parts to assemble a race car. Soon to follow was a lego car derby race to see whose car was the fastest. Josh engineered a wooden race track and ran the heats till we crowned a champion. The last game was a lego toss (much like Bozo's Grand Prize Game - loved that show!). What's a party without ice cream cake with chocolate chip cookie dough, no less :) Favorite gifts were his Agents Lego set and a square Bakugan.
It was a great day!

Double Lovin'

2009-05-02T08:34:00.000-07:00

Picked up Nolan from pre-school the other day and he says "I'm double lovin' Jesus today". You see he had on his favorite cross necklaces (2 of them)... He's so good at loving unconditionally, not expecting anything in return. My 4 year old inspires me :)

2am Scare

2009-04-05T12:29:00.000-07:00

Scene:
Hughson house
Setting:
Parent's bedroom
Time:
2:00 am
Characters:
Mom, Dad and 4 year old son

All is quiet and family is in a DEEP slumber...Enter 4 year old son...running into parent's bedroom crying. (Picture all of what you're about to read happening in half a milli-second)... Dad jerks upright, Mom is startled hearing running footsteps, and crying. Half out of it, she believes there's someone else coming after her son. She cowers into her husband believing her head may be in danger and screams twice while her husband summons their son towards him (why would he come closer, with Mom screaming in terror??) at the same time he 'protects' her from the 'intruder' by getting on top of her. He says in her ear "it's ok, it's ok". She snaps out of her moment of terror realizing her 4 year old was just reacting...to... a... bad... dream.

Oh, for the love of Pete! This is not the first time I've been scared out of a slumber because of Nolan having a bad dream, but this takes the cake. In the past, he's tiptoed into our room and stood at the side of the bed, my side of course, and I awake to the sound of 'someone' breathing heavy in my ear. Heart rate hits the fan! I'm appreciating Ethan's preferred way of seeking solace during bad dreams...he stays in bed, pulling up the covers over his face, and calls for us in an ascending manner...therefore allowing me to gently awaken and console him without a racing heart.

Oh, how different our kids can be!

Hair

2009-03-25T18:34:00.000-07:00

Why is a woman's hair so important? On a good hair day...I can feel more confident, prettier, energetic and kinder. On a bad hair day (oh boy)...I feel less confident, use less eye contact, can be more selfish and have less energy. I've been in a funk with my hair for a few months now and it just hasn't been 'pretty'. Sure wish I had been blessed with a full head of long flowing brunette wavy locks...I'm WAY on the other side. It's been a hard road, but I just look best with short hair! That's it. Googled local salons yesterday, emailed one place voicing my frustration and asked if they had an expert who had a knack in giving clients that "AHA moment" when they looked in the mirror afterward. Isn't that what we all want? To sit in the salon chair and swivel around to see a new and improved version of ourselves? Well...this place offered free consultations and each stylist had their qualifications/certifications all spelled out, so I hand picked a man named Leonard. He had a cancellation later that morning and I ran with it...Leonard sat with me and combed through my hair talking about the right look for my face, my eyes and type of hair. I asked when he could work his magic. He was hesitant to say he was available now (he wanted me to go home and think about what we talked about, so I'd have no regrets I'm sure), but offered none the less. Long story short, he cut my hair beautifully. He even instructed me on how to add some highlights to my Sally-store-bought-color-in-a box treatment. Loved the spontaneity of doing it, his objective professional opinion and leaving feeling sassy with my new do. Then it hit me...how am I gonna break it off with my other stylist? She's gonna take it so personally. I wish I didn't care so much, but just what is the RIGHT way to end your professional/personal relationship with your hair stylist? Afterall, you do share some history in those back and forth conversations over hair clipping. I feel like I'm breaking some sort of oath...ugh...I do LOVE my new do and I'm still switchin to Leonard.

*there is some exaggeration in this post*

1st Tooth

2009-03-24T19:33:00.001-07:00

My first baby boy lost his first baby tooth tonight! He's growing up so fast...He must have hit it just right with his toothbrush cause out it came. He was a little shell shocked at first and then he got excited after seeing my reaction. Grabbed the camera, took a couple quick photos and then shared the news with Dad. Then the gazillion questions followed..."where are the roots?", "when will the others come out?", "how did they get put there?", "could I have more than one tooth lose at one time?", "what does the tooth fairy do with all the teeth?", "will I need braces?" and on and on it went.
Oh to be a kid again and experience something new with your changing self...to ask endless questions and to trust in the answers. It's in these moments, I treasure being Mom.

40 Years of Marriage

2009-03-12T18:16:00.000-07:00

My parents just celebrated 40 years of marriage on the 15th! This is soooo HUGE especially in the culture we live in. I'm so proud and so blessed to have witnessed a good chunk of their story unfold...Their story begins as highschool sweethearts who married just before turning 19. They had a very simple ceremony with close family and friends. A reception followed at my Grandmother's house where cake and punch was served. Shortly after they took off for their honeymoon...a one nighter in St. Louis. Humble beginnings to say the least and many would say the odds were against them.
The lasy 40 years has brought many good times, but there was also a time when they both wanted to throw in the towel...Accepting what they needed to change about themselves, they slowly began to tear down the wall that seperated them. Today, they're closer than ever and are the better for mustering up the courage and strength needed to restore a love almost lost. My life and marriage are blessed because of their devotion...Love you Mom & Dad! Happy 40th Anniversary!

Connecting...

2009-02-17T19:25:00.000-08:00

We're going on our 2nd week of no tv...Nolan's missed his morning cartoons, I my morning Today/Regis & Kelly shows and Ethan says "I don't like tv" and hasn't missed it one bit. We've spent more time playing games, putting together puzzles, reading, writing, watching episodes of Nature on PBS.org, and doing math. So, I shouldn't find it so surprising that we're connecting so much more these days, which actually makes for an easier time for me in being a 'single Mom'. I've realized what a crutch tv can be...the number of times bedtime is rushed just so I can watch my show, mentally pulling away and feeling like my boys are interrupting me. A few highlights of this last week...

Nolan offered me one of his precious teddy bears to sleep with and even went so far as to let me pick which one I wanted. Love that!

Ethan filled out his Valentines for his classmates and came up with writing 'I love you' on almost all of them. A little peek at his big heart...

Ethan spells out words often, so instead of asking for a snack he asks "can I have a s..n..a..c..k?" Since this has been happening more and more over a course of a few weeks, Nolan is now asking "can I have a s...c...o...k?" He 'spells' out words all the time too (just not quite as successful)...So darn cute :) It's important to keep up with big brother, ya know.

Ethan, Nolan and I are sitting in Baskin Robbins eating our ice cream when Ethan recognizes that we're the only ones in the place. Soon a man walks in and Ethan says "now there's 4 of us"...Nolan tries to debate him and says with a smile on his face as if to say 'I'm smart'..."there's 2 groups of us and 4 people". Ethan and I looked at each other with the exact same expression of 'Wow!'. He's so smart :)

Last night Ethan discovered his first tooth poking through. A new and exciting change in him! He was FULL of questions! "Will it hurt when it comes out?" "When will my tooth start to wiggle?" "Can I stay awake to see the tooth fairy?" "I wonder how much $$ I'll get?"

So, with the tv only offering us 'snow' to watch, maybe I'm better able to tune into what's really important and recognize how blessed I really am...Life is good!

We all live in a Little Lego World, a Little Lego World...

2009-02-06T12:26:00.000-08:00

Who knew a constructive mess could yield such creativity! If you know me, this is a hard thing (and for Josh) to let happen. This picture was actually taken on a good day, otherwise, they're EVERYWHERE in the room. When they get picked up to vacuum, there's still the tiniest of the bunch that manage to get sucked up. And the guinea pig's cage is known to have a few scattered about...it's just the cost of creating... There isn't a day that Ethan & Nolan aren't playing with their legos (for hours). I know some parents talk about when their kids grew older, they missed the fingerprints and marks here and there, but I can say I'll REALLY miss stepping, sucking up and continually scooting little legos outta the way in order to witness our boys tap into their creative juices...I am continually AMAZED by their creative minds!
The first three below were designed by Ethan from last year. Look forward to 2009 creations later! Nolan has really just gotten the knack of making some great machines... his are the last three...Just for the record, our boys are 4 & 6 and these were ALL done solely by them. Gotta love little legos...

Ready...set...GO!

2009-01-30T11:50:00.000-08:00

Ethan experienced his first Pinewood Derby as a Tiger scout last Saturday. To start, Josh traced the pinewood block to a piece of paper and then Ethan went to town drawing up the design. He cut it out and then traced it onto the wood block. Josh did the cutting and Ethan helped with the sanding. With a sore hand from coloring it all over in colored pencil, Ethan had a finished race car. Well, almost...I had my hand in adding yellow racing stripes and 2 layers of varnish. Add to that a proud Dad who spent a good chunk of time slickin up the wheels the night before the BIG race (one key element in winning, ya know).
This was all new to us, but what FUN! With Grandpa and Grandma Taylor, Uncle Todd, Erin and Grandpa Hughson there to witness Ethan take 1st place in his Tiger den and 4th place in the Pack..it was VERY exciting! A far cry from years ago when you had to rely on biased eyeballs. The results of these heats were projected instantly onto an LCD screen via computer. No replays or convincing needed. So, Ethan was thrilled to take home a metal AND a 1st place trophy! Just good clean fun for ALL...AND what better way to celebrate than to fill our stomachs with Culver's burgers and custard after wards.

The gift of being women...

2009-01-17T17:41:00.000-08:00

LOVED this video and it was a good reminder for me why we need to put our hearts out there...gotta have both the laughter and the tears.

If I could have it ALL...

2009-01-05T19:09:00.000-08:00

I'd be a Certified Nurse Midwife, pottery makin, livin in a cordwood house on the edge of some woods with a crystal clear lake to jump into, mom of three, friend to orphans and widows, church goin, world traveler, playin in the dirt gardener, chocolate chip pancake eatin, part time interior decorator drivin a 56 black n chrome thunderbird, lovin on my man, bikin & hikin chick who made a little God imprint on all those who knew me.

A purpose in heaven

2008-11-10T13:17:00.000-08:00

Just want to say 'thank you' for all the kind thoughts, prayers and phone calls that were sent our way after miscarrying baby#3 last week. Even though we had only 4 weeks to revel in our new growing bundle of joy, it was still difficult to say goodbye to someone that was very much a part of us. Comfort comes from believing that our little one has a unique purpose in heaven and that one day we'll all be united again.

Our Little Soldiers...

2008-11-07T14:27:00.000-08:00

Gotta love Grandparents for assisting in the costumes...this was our first year adopting the tradition that we'll spend money every other year on a "new" costume AND this was our year to be creative or wear last year's duds. Our boys chose to wear what they had and had they did...lots of army gear and it's hard to believe that there were zero fights over who would wear what...yay!
We had a great night visiting neighbors and then heading off to my cousin's house for a bit of trick or treating in Leland Grove...that was a new experience for me. WOW! There were a few houses with tables lined up with a spread of full size candy bars laid out for the taking. Definitely made me appreciate the less is more philosophy...for many reasons. It was a great night! Only caught Ethan in bed with candy under his pillow the following night :) You can always count on the younger brother to keep you posted on what the older one is up to :) How much longer will that last? Hmmm...love and adore my little soldiers...

Pumpkin carving night

2008-10-29T17:56:00.000-07:00

At least this year I brought the pumpkin inside the night before so our hands wouldn't freeze :) The boys' faces say it all as far as how much they enjoyed 'helping'. I think Nolan held his nose the entire time; pretty funny. It doesn't exactly smell like pumpkin pie. So...it wasn't so much about enjoying the process, as it was delighting in the end results! Happy Halloween!

Our exciting news...

2008-10-28T19:21:00.000-07:00

Baby #3 is on the way! I guess you could say this is our tenth anniversary baby...what better gift could there be? How fun it will be to hold little fingers and little toes again...to be a part of all the 'firsts' for a third time...to be the receiver of unwarranted sparkling smiles...a baby...

Children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb is a reward. Psalm 127:3

An inspiring twist on jack-o-lanterns...

2008-10-20T10:54:00.000-07:00

There were two...now we have one...

2008-10-15T15:51:00.000-07:00

It was a sad day in our house last week (Actually, I guess it depends on who you ask)...We had our first pet guinea pig, Jackson, die on us. Thankfully there's most often a physical heads up when it comes to pets passing on, so the boys were aware that he wasn't doing well. Nolan had the hardest time with it shedding quite a few tears and petting him. Ethan was sad and just looked at him. So, it was a good time to talk about death, etc. (keeping it very simple) I think they're at a good age to experience and to begin to process how final death is.
A burial and short service was performed in the back yard a few days following. He was a good guinea...So...Thomas seems to be enjoying having his 'home' all to himself. AND I'm thinking he's a little friendlier as well (which confirms my thinking that by having two they're less interested in human interaction). Josh is happier, too...thinking there's only one more to go. I think he secretly likes Thomas, though :)

A little paper craft for the season...

2008-10-06T11:23:00.000-07:00

Just felt a little crafty and decided to create something new to decorate with...Of course it uses Close to My Heart products (the Enchanted papers, Autumn Terracotta ribbon, Friendship Alphabet and Rustic Alphabet sets). Hope you're enjoying the fall season, too.l

Small things...

2008-09-27T16:03:00.000-07:00

Whenever our family walks in the door from being 'away', our boys bee line it to the office where we have a floor full of little legos strewn all over. Gotta love the little legos; they seriously have provided hours upon hours of imaginative play. I have to admit there's something that especially draws me to the little people legos...they're just too cute AND everything is removable (which isn't so good when it's time to vaccuum...oops) But I began to wonder why is it that we (ladies) have such a fascination for small things? AND the cute factor goes through the roof the smaller things are: baby onesies (the preemies of course take the cake), small cards w/envelopes, mini lego people, teacup puppies, bite size hors d'oeuvres, butterflies, toddlers hugging, clown fish, the iPod shuffle, jewelry charms, baby penguins and pandas, and the list could go on...
After I googled 'cute factor', I ran across an article from The New York Times and it said: "Cute cues are those that indicate extreme youth, vulnerability, harmlessness and need...Cuteness is distinct from beauty, researchers say, emphasizing rounded over sculptured, soft over refined, clumsy over quick. Beauty attracts admiration and demands a pedestal; cuteness attracts affection and demands a lap." The older I get, the more I like and am embracing cute and simple...If you didn't catch the Republican National Convention, you've got to watch this clip of Sarah Palin's daughter...it's the epitome of "cute"...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iET30hB7_MY

One love, ten years...

2008-09-12T10:33:00.000-07:00

I woke up this morning with lots of emotions, unexpected feelings of deep gratefulness and pride...Ten years ago today I married my best friend, THE ONE and only for me...Earlier this week I made it my goal to sit down and think of 100 things I love about my man. It was great to recall some forgotten little moments and to see in black n' white the long list of great attributes Josh possess. Here's my top ten highlights:

I LOVE...
...the thought and planning he put into proposing to me
...that he sacrificed possessions, time, energy and his own wants to pursue and fully support my dream of being a potter
...that he can pick out a gift for me without knowing it was something I had wanted and yet never verbalized to him
...that he'll cry with me
...that he wrote me a love note every day after our wedding till the end of that year
...that when he gets me flowers, he goes above and beyond by going to my favorite gift shop to pick out the perfect container to take to the florist to then have filled
...when he picks out a book for me to read
...that he's such a man who will shop for fabric with me
...that he rarely let's my water glass sit empty
...that his faith is united with mine and ALL that that means...

To sum it up...He fulfills me in EVERY way...I am big time blessed!

Happy Anniversary, Josh!

ABC's and 123's

2008-09-11T07:53:00.000-07:00

Nolan started Pre-school last week...He was soooo excited! He skipped on the way in wearing his back pack and smile...The room is just too cute, with shapes, colors, a calendar and a weather chart on the walls. It's so bright and cheery...Got me thinkin that K-5 should be like preschool...learning through play. Sing some songs, get messy, ride big wheels, have a snack, swing, and play some games. What more does a kid need in a day?
His class is small (which I love) only 10 kids. A little dominant on the girls, but he's already made a friend named Jack. So, I'm enjoying my two hours of quiet at home three days a week and look forward to his hugs when I pick him up. He's a true delight!

Slow down, you move too fast...

2008-09-01T18:12:00.000-07:00

The title should be sung to the tune of Simon and Garfunkel's "59th Street Bridge (feelin groovy)" song...
We've had another milestone in the Hughson house...Nolan is now two wheelin' it! Ba bye training wheels! So...I'm beginning to think that my boys need to slow down in their growing up :) Isn't there a pill for that yet?
Go to the vimeo link below to watch actual footage of his new feat and don't miss the phone call to Grandma & Grandpa...he's just too cute...
http://www.vimeo.com/1641947

Love this research about play!

2008-08-27T11:44:00.000-07:00

Just caught this clip from this morning's edition of the Today Show...It's a must see...Less really is more...

http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/26421059#26421059

1st Day of 1st Grade...

2008-08-26T03:54:00.001-07:00

The BIG day arrived! We've entered 1st grade public elementary school...All in all I think it was a good day. Ethan talked my ear off for an hour after walking home. The highlights for him were P.E., playing on some sort of play equipment they brought in just for the day, having the responsibility to 'care' for the lunch boxes when necessary and asking his desk neighbor (Jack) to be his friend and that he accepted :)
The worst part of the day happened at recess...It seemed he looked around and could no longer see his class or teacher. Thankfully a Kindergarten teacher saw him in tears and took him by the hand back to his class. Not something I want to hear about...my critical self couldn't help but wonder why Ms. Hubbs didn't assign buddies to everyone?? And doesn't she remember that this is all new to him and should be treating him with extra care? (a little tongue and cheek on that last one) Lots of boys in the class - 16 out of 22. So...I'm looking forward to getting to know Ms. Hubbs along with the other kids in his class. Some PTO volunteering will be in my future...
A couple of highlights for me today...First, Ethan just seemed like he was blindly ready for it all, so mature. Second, it occurred to me that my faith will be stretched and challenged far more than if I were homeschooling in the comforts of our four walls. I still and will always recognize the advantages/perks of homeschooling but this is not one. It's that releasing and trusting my child to others that will draw me closer to God in providing me the needed comfort and peace. I've already been on my knees more in prayer and it's only the first day! Lastly, Ethan came out of his classroom with a smile...

Lincoln Art and Balloon Fest

2008-08-26T03:39:00.000-07:00

As part of celebrating my Mom's birthday, we all headed to the balloon fest on Saturday night. It was a little iffy at first whether or not the balloons would lift 'off' due to some rain clouds and wind. After 6:30 though, all was clear and calm. It's amazing that the general public is allowed to be up close and personal with the balloons and pilots. Most bring their lawn chairs and sit in the distance to watch, but we all loved walking around in the midst of it all. So fun!

A big week...

2008-08-26T02:33:00.000-07:00

This past week has been jam packed with activities...Nolan turned 4 on the 19th, so we celebrated 'Wall E' style. Wall E shoes, Wall E cake with Wall E decorations! All cute just like he is :) One of the cutest things he said (there's many but this is my favorite) was on the morning of his birthday...after giving him a good morning hug, I reminded him that he was now 4 years old. He grinned and slowly looked down towards his feet and after a few seconds slowly looked up and said "I don't look like I'm four." ...I guess he somehow had it in his head that on your birthday you have a growth spurt of some sort. So the days were followed with playing hours on end with his new Lego people set and transformers (throw in some good army dress up time, too).
Next...We took Ethan out on Friday morning to Panera Bread for a sort of 'Last Breakfast' out before school started on Monday. He just seems so at peace with going to first grade...it goes without saying that comforts me. The fears are creeping up on me in my own head...Will his teacher accept and connect with him? Will he be right there with the 'rest' academically after a year of homeschooling? Will his teacher think outside the 'box'? Will he eat his lunch? And the list goes on...

A great book to challenge your faith...

2008-08-22T13:38:00.000-07:00

Looking for a good book to read? Put this one on your list...You'll chuckle, cry, be challenged to walk the talk, and get a glimpse of true unconditional love. It brings to the surface, "What do you want to be remembered for?" So...not exactly a light read, but truly inspirational.

A couple of cards...

2008-08-22T13:29:00.000-07:00

These were both created using the NEW Close to My Heart Fall/Winter paper and September stamp of the month set (Treasure Life). Just a little eye candy for ya...

Dirtbike roots being passed down...

2008-08-05T12:38:00.001-07:00

Ethan just got his first dirtbike on Saturday...After months of watching for one on Ebay and Craiglist, Josh found one near St. Louis that was available and at the right price. It was a total surprise to Ethan. As we pulled into the owner's driveway, the lil honda was just off to the side waiting for us and Ethan's eyes got really BIG.
After arriving home, Josh pulled it around back to give Ethan his first lesson. Having not really thought too much about getting one,etc...I wasn't expecting to be moved by the father son(s) dirtbike riding session, but I was. Josh was so very patient in teaching Ethan about where and what all the parts were on the bike and how to lean side to side. Ethan was a little intimidated at first and Josh was so good at calming his fears and bringing out a smile. I kinda stepped outside of myself and reveled in watching the two of them interact...seeing the joy/peace in Josh as he was sharing his knowledge of riding a dirtbike and watching Ethan's apprehension turn into trust and excitement...understanding, for a moment, how the 'wild side' of a boy's/man's heart needs to be fed...
And then I came back to reality and my thoughts went to wondering how many ER visits we'll have in our future...Mothers of boys surely have more gray hair?!

Our future free-diver??...

2008-07-20T13:12:00.000-07:00

This was absolutely amazing to watch...All of us were in the pool this afternoon and Josh and I were encouraging Ethan to put his head under (he's done it many times during swim lessons, but only a few times at home in our pool) with little success. All of a sudden Nolan takes a breath and goes under head and all! The excitement of the three of us led him him to do it again and again. After several times we pointed out to Ethan that his little brother was gonna pass him up in his swim lessons this week. We have some diving fish that we encouraged Ethan to try and reach down to pick up. After a few tries, he got one. Nolan of course had to keep up, so under he went and picked his up on the second try. He held his breath for sooo long, I ran to get my camera (Josh was still with him) to capture his amazing feat. He's a natural...So, we have a lego engineer and a future diver on our hands :)

I'm a blogger...

2008-07-18T09:01:00.000-07:00

When my oldest son was small and learning to talk in sentences, we would be heading somewhere in the car and whether it was pouring down rain or sunny he would always say "nice day, Mom". It always stopped me in my tracks and helped me to keep things in perspective. What a blessing to have little ones around to keep my mind 'childlike'. Hence the inspiration for the name and poem on my blog. So my purpose? I'm hoping to capture moments to later scrapbook and to hopefully offer encouragement during the daily grind of life.

The Whip Guy...

2008-07-18T08:51:00.001-07:00

What a show we saw yesterday at the public library! The boys were mesmerized in jaw dropping awe over this guy. He was educational and entertaining hitting the mark on the hearts of boys. He's scheduled to attend the IL State Fair in August, so I would highly recommend taking your kids (especially boys) to see him. He was FABULOUS! In the mean time you can check out his site www.thewhipguy.com

Cards...close to my heart...

2008-07-18T06:53:00.000-07:00

A few good songs...

2008-07-15T20:43:00.000-07:00