baby paxton finally turned!!
a few weeks ago i posted a thread on facebook asking for advice on how to flip a breech baby. i received about 20 comments with various tricks to try including:
*chiropractor (acupuncture)
*pelvic rocks
*midwife (visualization)
*prayer
*handstands in a pool
and several other things including my doctor's recommendation: getting on my hands and knees with my head on the ground and butt up in the air for 45 minutes 2-3 times a day.
i tried a few of these things (including handstands in the pool on our secret trip to florida last week), but did not feel the baby flipping and did not have the patience to sit in uncomfortable positions for hours on end each day with no instant result. i went to the chiropractor 6 times for the webster technique, but even though my chiropractor was super sweet, i kind of doubt the effectiveness of the sessions. so...
i agreed to let the doctor try an ECV. on a scale of 1-10, he warned me the pain would probably be a 9, but it would take 5 minutes or less for the actual procedure (i read online that some women even get epidurals for it!).
the morning of the procedure, i went to the hospital at 6:30am (there is a chance of needing an emergency c-section so it has to be done in a hospital), where heart rate and contraction monitors were hooked up to my stomach. the nurse gave me two doses of terbulatine to relax my uterus and stop any contractions and mentioned that my doctor has "magic hands" and can flip any baby.
after the doc arrived and lubed up my belly, he pushed paxton's bottom out of my pelvis with one hand and gripped p's head with his other hand (from the outside of my stomach). he slowly rotated the baby's head in a circular motion until it was situated perfectly in my pelvis and the whole thing took less than 2 minutes.
i am very happy to report that not only was the pain not a 9 but more like a 3 (i think the iv hurt worse than the ECV), but baby paxton flipped with ease on the first attempt! i am so thankful and this is such a prayer request answered. i am still praying that he will not flip back, but i have a peace knowing that he is in an ideal position right now. i would highly recommend anyone with a breech baby try an ECV!
the first thing james said after paxton flipped was "i wish i would've brought a video camera and recorded that!" he was amazed that he could literally see paxton's head moving through my whole uterus and how smooth it was. since we didn't bring our camera, i leave you with a youtube video that gives you and idea of what it is like in case you want a visual :).
http://youtu.be/LYpkzidmaVs
love yall and hope everyone is having a wonderful memorial day weekend!!
Saturday, May 28, 2011
weddings
i have been making more shutterfly projects...most recently i ordered 5 free wedding cards to take to all of the weddings james and i are attending this summer. here's a sample:
love yall!
Thursday, May 19, 2011
$75k--the ideal salary
i have a lot on my mind (mainly turning this breech baby!!) because of the endless list of things i want to accomplish before baby #2 arrives. like parker, preparing for paxton helps me evaluate my life satisfaction and think about changes i might want to make in regards to staying home vs. working and ultimate life goals. i keep coming back to this article that explores the relationship between financial and emotional stress of various salaries: Wall Street Journal Article.
main point: the ideal salary for optimal happiness = $75,000. i agree.
sure there are lots of variables (cost of living in places like nyc, high student loans, # of dependents, etc), but i think if you have to pick a number for an ideal salary in most parts of the country, $75k is correct. in nwa, there are a good amount of jobs that pay around $75/year (especially with at least 5 years in the business world), and many that offer flexible work environments / don't interfere a great deal on family life. most people i know who make more than $75 put in a good amount of hours and have higher emotional/family stress, and others who make less are often financially stressed (especially less than $40k, but i think there is a curve from 40-75 as higher pay = more breathing room).
as a side note, most of the comments that argue $75k (for one person) is too low seem whiny.
who knows what james and i will do in the coming years. i'm not going to discuss what we make other than saying we are a two income family right now, which minimizes a lot of financial stress. while i like the concrete $75k number as an ideal income, i still struggle with knowing what an ideal amount to save for our kids' college and retirement is (and if we are are on track). all we can do is keep trying to make smart, long-term financial decisions and not hold too tight onto our money knowing it is all a gift from God.
and maybe just maybe buy a new (used) car this summer that we've been saving up to buy for 2+ years!! :) g'nite yall. hope everyone is having a great week!!
main point: the ideal salary for optimal happiness = $75,000. i agree.
sure there are lots of variables (cost of living in places like nyc, high student loans, # of dependents, etc), but i think if you have to pick a number for an ideal salary in most parts of the country, $75k is correct. in nwa, there are a good amount of jobs that pay around $75/year (especially with at least 5 years in the business world), and many that offer flexible work environments / don't interfere a great deal on family life. most people i know who make more than $75 put in a good amount of hours and have higher emotional/family stress, and others who make less are often financially stressed (especially less than $40k, but i think there is a curve from 40-75 as higher pay = more breathing room).
as a side note, most of the comments that argue $75k (for one person) is too low seem whiny.
who knows what james and i will do in the coming years. i'm not going to discuss what we make other than saying we are a two income family right now, which minimizes a lot of financial stress. while i like the concrete $75k number as an ideal income, i still struggle with knowing what an ideal amount to save for our kids' college and retirement is (and if we are are on track). all we can do is keep trying to make smart, long-term financial decisions and not hold too tight onto our money knowing it is all a gift from God.
and maybe just maybe buy a new (used) car this summer that we've been saving up to buy for 2+ years!! :) g'nite yall. hope everyone is having a great week!!
Sunday, May 1, 2011
happy anniversary baby!
"you wear white and i'll wear out the words 'i love you' and 'you're beautiful'..."
tuesday marks our 3 year wedding anniversary! i can honestly say marrying james was the best decision of my life and i would make the same decision every day since then. without making this overly cheesy and cliche (too late), i love spending time with james and there is no one i would rather spend the rest of my life with. i always look forward to coming home from work and giving him and big hug and kiss, and i think he would say the same thing.
we still have fun and laugh together, which is refreshing and really helps hold our marriage together. even though our relationship looks different than it did pre-kids, the responsibility of adult/parenthood makes life that much more fulfilling. pouring love, time, money and energy into our marriage and kids gives a deeper sense of purpose. it is so nice to have a true partner in raising parker and i don't know what i would do without james' help in the process.
our relationship is comfortable and open. we don't have extreme highs or lows and the stability of our friendship gives peace. it is nice to have someone with similar interests who compliments my personality so well. we love doing everything together from going on walks every night to playing golf, cards, grilling out, etc. while i am much more of a planner and organizer, james is extremely easy going and laid back.
love,
silvy
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