Moms..

Lately, the fact that I'm soon going to be a mom has basically taken me over! It's all I think about.

My little girl....my little girl...my little girl.

Pretty much nothing else. I think about holding her, caring for her, teaching her, turning her(since she is breech), making her laugh, and just being able to start this amazing journey in my life.

I never realized the love of a mom. When I used to get mad at my mom, and yell back at her...wonder why she didn't just kick me out, and get annoyed with things she'd say... I realize now, why she always took me back, and always cared about me no matter what.

I put my mom through hell for awhile. I grew up in a very strict household. I was homeschooled and sheltered. I rebelled against it as I got older. I didn't want to be like that anymore. I thought my mom was wrong and she didn't know what's best for me... I did. And maybe she didn't, but she sure tried her hardest to show me the best that she knew.

Things piled on top of eachother and I eventually moved out and lived with my best friend for about a month. I hardly talked to my family at all during that time. I wasn't accountable to anyone. I could go where I wanted. Do what I wanted. No 10:30 curfew. It was great for awhile.

My dad came to visit me at work one day. I hadn't seen him in what seemed like forever. I started crying. I missed my parents. He didn't yell at me, or hate me. They wanted me to come home.

After all that?? After how awful I had been to them? Yes. They did.

I think that's when I realized how much they cared about me. And even though I had treated them so bad, they still loved me.

Where else do you find a love like that?

And what did I return them with, yet again? Another shocker...especially for a conservative family like mine. I found out I was pregnant with my boyfriend...whom they hadn't even met yet. I didn't tell them right away, but said I needed to move out. Even though, I didn't really want to, I knew I had to. I couldn't live there and be pregnant! I felt like they would hate me forever once they found out. I stayed with my friend for awhile but eventually moved in with Dan, my fiance now.

I stayed in good contact with my family now though. I thought that, since they would probably hate me when they found out about my situation, I would at least try and get closer to them. Because even though I did alot wrong, I deeply cared about my family and didn't love anyone more.

Then came the time that they found out. You can only hide a pregnant belly so long!

And what happened? Did they yell at me? Did they hate me??

No.... my mom immediately began showing me how to eat healthy to make the best baby possible. She gave me anything I needed to help, since I couldn't afford it. She of course, was upset and let me know it, but she didn't ex-communicate me or hate me like I expected.

this is the most beautiful poem ever.

I am now 39 weeks pregnant and she has helped me try to turn my breech baby....she is always there for a quick phone call or txt when I don't know why I'm feeling sick or wondering what a braxton hick feels like. She has taken me to a class, encouraged me to have a natural childbirth...when people get me down with things they say about how I don't look big enough, or I won't be able to stand the pain of labor etc... who is there for me EVERY TIME?!

My wonderful mom.

I don't even have my baby yet, but I'm beginning to learn that deep love of a mother. I can't imagine anything I wouldn't do for this baby to be happy and healthy when she comes out. I'm scared to have a c-section, and I'm scared to tear during delivery, and I'm scared of the pain, but deep down, all I want is this little girl to come into this world safe and sound. I have stretch marks and they bothered me, but look what is coming of them! A beautiful child. My child.

The fact that a mother let's her body get huge and swollen for nine months to grow a baby...to go through so much discomfort for one other human being...then to dedicate the rest of her life to that child and worry about them every minute. It's indescribable. I feel SO blessed to be starting this. I know times will be rough, but I couldn't be happier.

Could I ask for a better job?

My Baby Is Breech!

“All natural birth has a purpose and a plan; who would think of tearing open the chrysalis as the butterfly is emerging? Who would break the shell to pull the chick out?” ~ Marie Mongon

I LOVE this quote!!

Well, last Thursday I went to the Doctor for my 38 week visit. He always feels near my pubic bones to see if the baby's head is there.... up until now, he had felt her head down, no problem! This week, he didn't seem as sure. It was my option to have an internal exam, and even though I didn't think it necessary, I thought it couldn't hurt.

I got in the little paper doctor's office skirt, not especially thrilled about this uncomfortable procedure.

The Doctor said I was 2-3 centimeters dilated already. Then he seemed worried and asked if the baby was moving alot still. I said she moved all the time!

The Doctor said my baby was Frank Breech.

He said that what he felt was too soft to be a head.... Then he left to go get the ultrasound machine. I was a little freaked out by this point, as you can imagine!

The ultrasound showed a perfectly healthy happy baby...besides the fact that her head was up by my ribs rather then in my pelvis. UGH!

I wanted to cry.

My Doctor was so calming about the situation, but I was still scared.  I've wanted to have a natural birth as free of drugs and pain killers as possible. But delivering a butt first instead of a head? Now that sounds painful!! The Doctor told me about a procedure called the External Cephalic Version. Basically they give you a drug to relax your uterus, then manipulate your stomach to move the baby. He said this often causes stress to the baby, which obviously isn't good! He mentioned how some women lay upside down and try different procedures, but at this point the baby is big and cramped in my uterus so it will be difficult to move.

He did say I have the option of delivering a breech baby vaginally, but most women don't. Surprisingly, I found out a couple days later that most doctors now are not even trained to deliver a breech baby!

The Doctor said my baby was Frank breech. And apparently this is the safest position for her to be in if she was breech. If the feet are down, it is more likely for there to be problems with the umbilical cord.

So basically at this point, I was facing two options. Either I get the baby to flip around somehow, or a c-section. Neither of which sounds attractive.

My mom had 5 kids. The very last one was pronounced breech in the last few weeks of her pregnancy. She was going to deliver Abigail vaginally if she didn't turn around. She laid upside down on a board....did acupuncture.... played a radio down by her underwear...anything to get her to turn. And she did! So of course as soon as I got out of the doctor's office, I called her.

What would I do without my mother!!!

She told me not to be worried. I still could get her to flip if she was meant to. If not, then a c-section is not the end of the world. She brought me from wanting to go cry in a corner to knowing I could do anything in my power to turn her.

Well....it's been 5 days since I went to the doctor. I am now 39 weeks. She has not turned yet, that I can tell. Here are the things I have done so far.

-Elevated my hips 1-2 feet above my head. I placed about 3 thick pillow under my hips and stayed in this position for awhile...til I felt sick basically. :)

-Kneeling on the couch with my elbows on the ground. This position is a little difficult to get into...and blood rushes to your head. Just hold it there for about 30 seconds. Repeat it several times.

-Kneeling on the floor-knees and elbows. This is a more comfortable position then the last one. I've been in this position and just reading. It supposedly helps if you wiggle your spread hips around...get her to know where she should be!



The point on the little toe where they perform
moxibustion.

-Get in a pool or deep tub. My parents have an awesome bathtub that is really deep. No gravity in water is supposed to confuse the baby and get her to turn. I also went to the YMCA and used the pool to do handstands...some somersaults (even though I am so awful at them!) and just see if the weightlessness would turn her.

-Music, talking, singing near your pubic area. My fiance talked to her for over an hour the other night and sang to her. The response was amazing!! She didn't turn, but this little girl knows her daddy! :) I've also been playing music down there.

-Acupuncture. I don't know if this works, but my mom said this is what turned her baby.  I went just yesterday to get this done. They stuck little thin needles in all sorts of pressure points on my body. The main point is the baby toe. They not only put a needle in my toe, but also electrically stimulated it and heated the area with mugwort herb. It sounds crazy, but it makes total sense why it works. The Doctor explained everything she did and it was amazing. She was even able to tell the sex of my baby by my pulse. That's beside the point, so anyways, she gave me moxa to burn near my toe at home. I'm doing it everyday. We shall see if it works!

-Webster Technique. I haven't done this, but it sounds like it would work great if I knew where to get it done!

These are just a few things I have done. At this point, I am going to continue burning the moxa near my little toe everyday, going to the pool, and kneeling in head-down positions. If she still doesn't turn, I don't think she is meant to. Sometimes the baby will stay in this position for a good reason! Perhaps the cord is around her neck... or she just can't move right now. Also, it is my first child, so my uterus is tight and at 39 weeks, she is less likely to turn.

I pray I don't have to get a c-section. But honestly, the only thing I care about is the health of my little girl. Whatever will get her out the safest, whether it be a c-section, breech delivery....I don't care anymore. All I want is to hold my baby and be over with everythin. :) Hopefully it will be within the next week or so!

Time for you to pop out little girl! :)




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Honey Wheat Bread

Have you ever looked at the label on a loaf of bread and wonder what all those crazy ingredients are? Did you ever think about making bread but it just looks so hard to make with all that kneading and rising and baking time?

EEK! look at all those ingredients on
this loaf of bread! Does anyone really
know what any of them are??

I thought the same thing. Then I found this awesome recipe for a delicious loaf of bread!

It only takes me about 15-20 minutes to get the loaves on the pan and rising. I usually break this recipe into two loaves. You can make one loaf, but it turns out huge and I have yet to get a single bag big enough to hold it. :)

Since this recipe is so easy and basically fool proof, I began selling it at a local farmer's store. I made about 12 loaves a week for him to sell every week. They sold like hotcakes for awhile, but I realized it wasn't really worth my time to make him the bread and both of us make a profit on it. A few weeks after I stopped selling it to him, I got a call from a lady who wanted a loaf or two on a regular basis. I make more money because I'm not selling it through  the farmer, and it takes me such a short time to make her 4 loaves every few weeks, that it's so worth it!

This bread is a sweet honey loaf. It is delicious. The crust is soft. I'm sure if you put a little dish of water in the oven when you make it, the crust would be crusty hard. :) When this comes out hot out of the oven, there is not much that is tastier!

So enough talk, here's the recipe! I don't have a fancy KitchenAide or anything, so I actually knead the bread by hand. If you have a machine, you'll have to adapt the recipe accordingly.

Honey Wheat Bread

3 cups whole wheat flour
2 packs of quick rise yeast (use fast rising!)
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1 2/3 cups very hot tap water
1/4 cup vegetable oil (I use canola)
1/2 cup honey
1 egg
2-4 cups white flour

1.In a large mixing bowl, stir together wheat flour, yeast, and salt. Add the hot water and stir until blended.
2.Mix in the oil, honey, and egg. Add one cup of white flour. Stir in until blended well.
3.Turn onto a clean, lightly floured counter top or table. Knead in enough white flour to make an elastic consistency. It shouldn't stick to your hands or the counter. It usually takes around 2 cups of extra flour for me, but depending on the type of wheat you use, you may need more.
4.Once you  have the right consistency, place it back in the bowl, cover it and let it sit for about 10 minutes for easier shaping.
5.Meanwhile, grease a large cookie sheet. I use baking spray...such as Pam.
6.After you've let the dough sit, turn onto lightly floured surface. Divide dough in half, shape, and place about 6 inches apart on the cookie sheet.
(The way I shape them is I flatten the dough into a large rectangle. Then fold over each side to look like a roll (kind of). Tuck in the ends and lay on the sheet. You can put these in bread pans, but the cooking is different and not as easy to manage as when they are free-formed.)
7.Cover them with plastic and let rise in warm place until doubled, which takes about 1/2 hour.
8.With knife, cut 3 slices in each loaf. Sprinkle lightly with flour.
9.Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. It should be browned an sound hollow when tapped on the bottom.
10.Cool completely before bagging.






And that's it! I hope you enjoy this bread as much as I do! :)

Garlic vs. Antibiotics

Yesterday morning, Dan, my fiance, woke up with a horrible cough, sore throat, aches everywhere, and a stuffy nose. Also, he couldn't taste or smell anything whatsoever! He is a bartender/server and has to be around customers stifling a cough the whole shift....not necessarily an easy thing to do! He had to leave the house quick so he didn't take anything for the cough before he left besides a few cough drops. I knew I had to get him something to take when he got home. He is in a band which is playing tonight. He is the main singer and certainly needed his voice for tonight and to not cough into the microphone while they are playing!! Plus it would help, in general not to be sick and feeling miserable.

I hate having to resort to unnatural ways to heal sicknesses. I am a firm believer in natural medicine and healing through nutrition and herbs. I am a certified Herbalist through the School of Natural Healing, still working on my certification to be a Master Herbalist.
Anyways, people often think that once they get sick, the only option you have is to go to a doctor and take the prescribed antibiotics. But isn't there another way? A more effective way?

Of course there is! And often without even leaving the comfort of your home.

Yes, antibiotics will reduce your symptoms and temporarily make you feel better. But are antibiotics healthy for your body and will they truly help you?

The answer is no. Antibiotics wipe out your bacteria in your body. That sounds good right? Not so. Antibiotics are not specific to the harmful bacteria in your body. They kill the bad along with the good. This means that your sickness is wiped out as well as your body's immune system. So even though you may temporarily be relieved of your symptoms, until your body is actually able to build up healthy bacteria again, you are now even MORE susceptible to sickness and disease because your body now has nothing to fight sickness off with.

So what are your other options?

One of the greatest natural antibiotics is raw garlic. Yes, garlic. It has powerful antibiotic, antiviral, and antiseptic properties. And the wonderful thing about it, is that it will not kill off your good bacteria along with the bad! The best way to take it is in it's raw state. When you cook it, garlic loses much of it's medicinal properties.

There are many ways to get garlic down. Everyone will agree that garlic is one potent plant! When I take it, I peel a whole clove, chew it 3-4 times to get the juices and antibiotic properties flowing, and swallow it down with a cup of orange juice like a pill. It's not too hard to take. My little brothers and sisters will take it down with a spoonful of applesauce. You can also take it down with a spoonful of raw honey(make sure it's raw!) and some raw apple cider vinegar for a very effective remedy. Take garlic several times a day when you're trying to fight off infection!

Yesterday, when Dan got off work, he ate a quick snack.. which he couldn't taste, and I had him take garlic down with orange juice before he went to practice his music with the guys. He was so stuffed up that he couldn't taste the garlic at all when he took it! And for garlic being so potent, that's saying something! On his way to his friends house, he got hungry and stopped somewhere for a sandwich. He said the garlic had cleared him out enough for him to taste the sandwich a little already!

When he got home, I had gotten a few other things for him to take. He isn't all that used to taking natural medicine to heal himself as I am. I grew up with it and have studied it alot. He has been used to going to the doctor or using cough syrups and over-the-counter drugs to heal sickness. So of course, he asked me to grab him some Dayquil because that is what he is used to. I bought some for him just so he would have it, but I also got him some other things. ;) One of my favorite antibiotic formulas is from Dr. Christopher's products. X-Ceptic.

This is such a powerful tincture. It definitely isn't the greatest tasting combination, but it produces wonderful results. I had Dan take two dropperfuls of this. There is garlic in this formula which we have already talked about. There is also cayenne which will enhance the properties of all the other herbs in this formula as well as stimulate the system. All the other herbs are highly antiseptic and antibiotic, making this formula very effective.

I also had him take high doses of Vitamin C, through Emergen-C packets. These have 1000 mg of calcium in each serving. It's definitely not my first choice to use because the calcium isn't through herbs or food, but they definitely help.

I gave Dan the combination of these herbs and formulas several times since last night. He is feeling tons better!! He can taste better now! The first time Dan took the X-Ceptic last night he said that it didn't taste that bad... just like a little bit of alcohol. Well, I know for a fact that it tastes horrible! This morning when he took it, he definitely changed his mind. :) He now agrees with me about the taste.

All these things combined with a good nights sleep is bound to help your cold go away sooner. And you'll be better off because your immune system won't be wiped out at the end of it! I am slowly making Dan a firm believer in natural ways of healing the body. I can't wait to go listen to him sing tonight and see that he is better. :)

37 weeks!! :D

I'm 37 weeks as of two days ago. :)
 
It's so crazy to me that within the next month I'm going to have a little baby of my own!  I had my Dr. appt today. The doctor said her head is down and everything seems healthy! He also said that by the feel of my fluid (who knows how he can tell that!), he has a feeling that I might be one of those ladies who's water breaks in the aisle of the grocery store. Awesome. Eek :/ Oh well.... at this point I'm just glad I'm at the final countdown and I am so anxious just to get labor over with and move on to this new point in my life. :)

I want to go as natural as possible with my labor. Everyone is telling me it's near impossible not to get an epidural, which, naturally, makes me want to do it even more. I have heard squatting or sitting up during labor will help prevent tearing, so I am hoping I can do that. I'm taking Dr. Christopher's Birth Prep Formula right now. It's specially formulated for the last 6 weeks of your pregnancy to give elasticity to your vaginal area and strength in general down there. I'm also supposed to take it for a few weeks after the baby to help bring the uterus back to size etc. I'm taking it 2 capsules 3 times a day right now, and thank God, they don't make me feel sick or have any nasty tasting residue on them like some of Dr. Christopher's other formulas. I just really hope it helps at least somewhat in the labor!

I'm honestly more scared of tearing or needing an episiotomy than actually pushing the baby out!! It just sounds so painful and the recovery takes so long. Oh well....I guess whatever it takes to bring out my beautiful baby and get her in my arms!

It's definitely getting more and more uncomfortable every day as she grows!! I can physically feel my ribs being moved by her sometimes and it's just not very pleasant feeling! I'm getting braxton hicks alot at night...reminds me how uncomfortable period cramps are. It makes me happy knowing the day is coming though!

Only thing that scares me is the hip pain.... I don't know what it is and I really hope it goes away after the baby is out, and that it doesn't interfere with the labor. It almost makes me fall over when it hits me. Yucky.

Chicken Enchiladas

Chicken Enchiladas

This recipe is so delicious. Since I'm pregnant and crave something different almost everyday, I only had to see the word enchilada the other day and I was determined to find a delicious recipe because I had to have them... Now! :) Dan, my fiance, absolutely LOVES them. He wants me to make them again already. He loves almost any food, but he said this was the best meal he has had in a really long time. So if you like a little bit of spice and some delicious Mexican food, try this! :)

1 medium onion, chopped
2 jalapenos, seeded and finely chopped
1 tbls. olive oil
3 cloves garlic, pressed
1 1/2 tbls. cayenne pepper
1 1/2 tbls. paprika
2 tsp. cumin
1 tbls. sugar
1 can tomato sauce (15 oz.)
1 can diced tomatoes (15 oz.)
1 cup water
salt and pepper to taste
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast
1 cup shredded sharp white cheddar cheese, divided
1 cup shredded monterey jack cheese, divided
1/2 cup minced cilantro
cooking spray

Directions:

Combine onion, jalapenos, and oil in a deep frying pan. Saute until tender 5-10 minutes. Add garlic, and spices, and sugar and saute for about a minute just until fragrant.

Add tomato sauce, tomatoes and water to the pan. Bring sauce to a simmer, and nestle the chicken into the sauce. Cover pan and let simmer until chicken is fully cooked, about 15 minutes. Transfer chicken to a plate.

Reserving sauce, strain out the vegetables in strainer, pressing out as much juice as possible. Add salt and pepper to sauce to taste. Shred chicken into bite size pieces and mix with the strained vegetables. Add 1/4 cup enchilada sauce, 1/2 cup of each of the cheeses, and cilantro. Mix well.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Oil 9x13 pan. Warm tortillas in microwave for a 30-60 seconds to make them pliable. Spoon 1/3 cup of enchilada mix down the middle of each tortilla. Roll up tightly and place in pan, with seam side down. Spray tops of enchiladas with cooking spray. Place in oven for about 7 minutes or until the tortillas brown slightly.

Reduce temperature to 400 degrees. Remove enchiladas from oven. Pour enchilada sauce over the tortillas evenly. Sprinkle  on remaining cheese. Cover with foil. Bake for 20 minutes. Remove foil and bake for 5 minutes more to brown the cheese lightly. Remove from oven and let sit for 10 minutes before serving to let it settle.

Enjoy!!!! We sure did! :)

New at this!

Well, here I am starting a blog. I'm not entirely sure how this is going to go, but I am going to use it now to post things that I make and do and what happened when I did them and what it turned out like! Recipes, crafts, ideas, etc. Wish me luck because I can't wait to see how this goes! :)