tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22841570421074531142024-03-12T20:51:48.276-07:00Your Morning CupMama Ramblings To GoKait Palmerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08238201343730608186noreply@blogger.comBlogger250125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2284157042107453114.post-47062207629118842172022-05-19T19:55:00.000-07:002022-05-19T19:55:51.244-07:00Either Dogs Are Getting Stronger or I'm Getting Older!<p> I find this terribly ironic. I'm actually healthier now than I was 13 years ago. My diet is much cleaner, as are our household products. My endocrine system is in a much better place and I'm physically stronger than I was!</p><p>And yet here I sit with shin splints and KT tape on my right arm. You know why? </p><p>Hawk. </p><p>That snuggly-as-can-be, stares into your soul with his human-like eyes, lovable border collie. Who--when I take him outside this out--turns into 50 lbs of muscle that rivals Roy's pulls when he weighed almost twice as much! Yep, that dog has done wore me out! </p><p>He's literally laying on my feet as I type this--the quintessential picture of devoted loyalty. But outside? That stinker becomes a speedster I can hardly control!</p><p>So I had a plan.</p><p>I would take him to the dog park and wear him out...and THEN take him on his first trail run around Roxy Ann Peak.</p><p>Genius, I thought.</p><p>Well he ran, and lay in the shade panting by the time we left. He was still worked up in the car (actually pulled the seatbelt latch out with his dog seatbelt loop!) but I thought once we started out he'd wind down.</p><p>Wrong.</p><p>We started running and it was clear I was just being drug as well. I quickly gave up trying to keep him by my side as he likes to run right in front of my feet, and just let him run while I tried to keep up...hoping he'd wear out soon!</p><p>Wrong.</p><p>After a mile my feet and shins were feeling like they were being subjected to torture so I had to reign him in! </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4sU5bSBF7yY3qn03PXR99P7Kr7epye-DMIYn8pkgK--Y52NCQM4ywr_IQJrCBj45JQ1nQVW4qRfLQ_HATwzsa6V05MHiF6SnSHs19ph41JzZa7XIeVOtzeNrVo55w1-ThojMBKd0Ivf-3i5iutInKTBPohG_hwG2rDaYsD9b3LuIS9KOklVV2f7wz/s4032/roxyann3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4sU5bSBF7yY3qn03PXR99P7Kr7epye-DMIYn8pkgK--Y52NCQM4ywr_IQJrCBj45JQ1nQVW4qRfLQ_HATwzsa6V05MHiF6SnSHs19ph41JzZa7XIeVOtzeNrVo55w1-ThojMBKd0Ivf-3i5iutInKTBPohG_hwG2rDaYsD9b3LuIS9KOklVV2f7wz/s320/roxyann3.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is just after I gave up running...notice I'm still smiling...</td></tr></tbody></table><p>He was pulling so hard I was almost walking sideways trying to keep him close to me! I looped the leash around my back like a human pulley to get some grip on this pup! </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbv8pA4HZhtmfTUntWrgmsu6r8RTCTavJd7LMgM5tRyyTZ5xcFX7Uc2AWpA9INI29cjlyzo0aPAV4ygaRmpkj6yUDpWdfnaDDqsEm7sn1KffWlva2S5E0Xh6FpKBjDTPgYaUQs_Avcunn1GdC_wdmIfzxpLPz0yAPqt3uD6wf9gMbviszNkoIpv9pV/s4032/roxyann2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbv8pA4HZhtmfTUntWrgmsu6r8RTCTavJd7LMgM5tRyyTZ5xcFX7Uc2AWpA9INI29cjlyzo0aPAV4ygaRmpkj6yUDpWdfnaDDqsEm7sn1KffWlva2S5E0Xh6FpKBjDTPgYaUQs_Avcunn1GdC_wdmIfzxpLPz0yAPqt3uD6wf9gMbviszNkoIpv9pV/s320/roxyann2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p>When I realized that running 3-4 miles was out of the question, I decided to summit the peak. Doing this you summit over 700 feet in a relatively short amount of distance...your legs will burn for sure!</p><p>I'll admit I didn't mind Hawk pulling as much on the ascent! We got to the lookout and I just wanted to sit and cool off and catch my breath! Hawk was looking for the next summit...</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvD7iAG_4rIf6yD_Oh8_ovWjlQo-X8jd3AeFUL4gw42k4GOWoJqrTMEvyfgklbTRinq5pgnFc50cCuBRWBodl4BJFJ2a-z9BlMx6Tz7qKDlKhU0tsM8GrsX5snm96Bc659XNNxDLjrncxpSqGQKLtD8oZRUrCuiMJ6CXapXj-cq2uOnU-f8pBxEGYh/s4032/roxy%20ann1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvD7iAG_4rIf6yD_Oh8_ovWjlQo-X8jd3AeFUL4gw42k4GOWoJqrTMEvyfgklbTRinq5pgnFc50cCuBRWBodl4BJFJ2a-z9BlMx6Tz7qKDlKhU0tsM8GrsX5snm96Bc659XNNxDLjrncxpSqGQKLtD8oZRUrCuiMJ6CXapXj-cq2uOnU-f8pBxEGYh/s320/roxy%20ann1.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><p>Going back down the steep eastern side of the hill was a different story. The road is gravel and I knew if Hawk pulled just the slightest amount too much I'd be drug face first down the hill. So we would walk three steps and I'd say "stop" to arrest his momentum. </p><p>Three steps, stop, three steps, stop...allllll...the...way...down...that...stinkin'...hill.</p><p>By the time we neared the bottom my legs were quivering! But surely all of that would mean an easier walk back on the fairly level trail back to the car, right?</p><p>Wrong.</p><p>He pulled harder than before, if it can be believed!</p><p>After 4 miles and the equivalent of climbing 77 flights of stairs my patience was beginning to run thin...trying to be consistent in his training was proving very difficult! He was so distracted he wouldn't even take treats!</p><p>Getting back in the car after he had a long drink I thought...dang...WHAT can I do to wear this dog out??? </p><p>So I took him back to the dog park...and that furry being of boundless energy bolted away like it was first thing in the morning!</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCyykmGAM9qwes_KzkLn6pZdADvqN7BPLHnF0lwVfHcfq_qubFUFH9Nc0JisUJ2Xcl_EluoIW78digwhg6YoitYAko4KUz2IPQlln3SPCDo1vnOUu0sN1GeG-EFbjm19e-ADnQ46NwPN7JgcSuK1Be0qw9oMx4YxpyfZ9wALNUSocMKBbiLjOOkGiC/s1440/hawk%20running.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1083" data-original-width="1440" height="241" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCyykmGAM9qwes_KzkLn6pZdADvqN7BPLHnF0lwVfHcfq_qubFUFH9Nc0JisUJ2Xcl_EluoIW78digwhg6YoitYAko4KUz2IPQlln3SPCDo1vnOUu0sN1GeG-EFbjm19e-ADnQ46NwPN7JgcSuK1Be0qw9oMx4YxpyfZ9wALNUSocMKBbiLjOOkGiC/s320/hawk%20running.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">See his torn right ear? I'd love to know the story of how that happened!</td></tr></tbody></table><p><br /></p><p>Good grief. </p><p>And so here I sit with tennis elbow that got aggravated even more from that dad-gum "trail run," and on Monday I tried to do a solo run to get some exercise in but after a mile my shins and feet were hurting too much to continue. So either dogs are getting exponentially stronger, or I'm getting older...</p><p>I'll go with the former excuse...</p><p>Now excuse me while I go take a detox bath and some Agilease!</p>Kait Palmerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08238201343730608186noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2284157042107453114.post-47640123684044976282022-05-12T12:03:00.002-07:002022-05-12T13:20:29.079-07:00A Fresh Cup<p> Time to pour yourself a fresh cup--it's a blog reboot! </p><p>If you're new here--Hi! I'm Kait Palmer, and I started this blog back in 2008 when my husband and I moved from San Diego to Seattle 11 months into our marriage. We adopted our dog--Roy--shortly after and I started blogging as a way to keep in touch with friends and family after we moved. You can read the start of the blog here: <a href="https://yourmorningcup.blogspot.com/2008/11/move.html">The Move</a></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7iTLPFIHPkEaIAFyNdIlDhCkKGOOqCx4zalPjBJJKNjQlHdVuGVwcYOT3oh_n59lpXh8-CrBi4QnrxgaL3ERnELEaM7hriXTZkCX5_s_ss3QfVJvGi9EyLORjfeTgYI92d__SZmGjxOEx3mC2B5HhfqA9pmXe_egSuE_70FhOROkJCnU54zOdC5Hp/s1600/IMG_2624.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7iTLPFIHPkEaIAFyNdIlDhCkKGOOqCx4zalPjBJJKNjQlHdVuGVwcYOT3oh_n59lpXh8-CrBi4QnrxgaL3ERnELEaM7hriXTZkCX5_s_ss3QfVJvGi9EyLORjfeTgYI92d__SZmGjxOEx3mC2B5HhfqA9pmXe_egSuE_70FhOROkJCnU54zOdC5Hp/s320/IMG_2624.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><p>Since then we had a baby, moved to Oklahoma, had two more babies, changed careers, and moved to Southern Oregon. </p><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO7zPjKNgHsPxsnuiK-AI9eo9DX5JhS6Pzrv_Dn3_ptDraq70BumvW7HQfQimShLUX-ozTXrV54F2njoUD8xkxr85r0xxssQ6tmPksXDX3Mr2L8wJt7Lvx3BJLrJfPPfFTaHcXYNGb2RvLd5BH5KbzhQScJU0wiGqQz_0vkcpsgoGvmPSEC6kogp2W/s1440/family%20bend%20pic.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1209" data-original-width="1440" height="356" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO7zPjKNgHsPxsnuiK-AI9eo9DX5JhS6Pzrv_Dn3_ptDraq70BumvW7HQfQimShLUX-ozTXrV54F2njoUD8xkxr85r0xxssQ6tmPksXDX3Mr2L8wJt7Lvx3BJLrJfPPfFTaHcXYNGb2RvLd5BH5KbzhQScJU0wiGqQz_0vkcpsgoGvmPSEC6kogp2W/w423-h356/family%20bend%20pic.JPG" width="423" /></a></div><p>Last month our Roy Boy--who was over 16 years old by that time--crossed the Rainbow Bridge. I'm still heartbroken--he was my soulmate dog. I think I'll always feel like he's just around the corner in the house, following me everywhere.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-CxrEwGRA4saz7QZfV4IhSvCmmDxhOuaiIj2z-PAfdyJPatl3cIPN8WYtEzwVu3VycKWKq2uuUR4JOXQof1rev5rPx2kdk-xw82_zNgzeD_mT-AYBIGaWq2dwSKRRyywuMUY45BsO9xU0EZvGX4PLAinmemBxAzjLLkq-6pjvrUDNoVuez-856Fic/s1440/16%20birthday%20roy.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="1440" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-CxrEwGRA4saz7QZfV4IhSvCmmDxhOuaiIj2z-PAfdyJPatl3cIPN8WYtEzwVu3VycKWKq2uuUR4JOXQof1rev5rPx2kdk-xw82_zNgzeD_mT-AYBIGaWq2dwSKRRyywuMUY45BsO9xU0EZvGX4PLAinmemBxAzjLLkq-6pjvrUDNoVuez-856Fic/s320/16%20birthday%20roy.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Celebrating Roy's 16th Birthday</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYTIRXUgLIP4xQPe_erW-dUyAuqS79eGLyUyaR-MwFDCm-6e7p021IO0OXnTJUm3cvvtCGGDbfAZKxUqWWlSBDAH6NQTXnDN3_aiK4-XYZKVJBWu6jF6gNcbad84ZGfe2FGDJrSPC6kBA6kYIbuWeeTL9ZVu9IRr7afgoAkPEqcoDImKVpgcKRn-JQ/s1284/roy.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1266" data-original-width="1284" height="316" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYTIRXUgLIP4xQPe_erW-dUyAuqS79eGLyUyaR-MwFDCm-6e7p021IO0OXnTJUm3cvvtCGGDbfAZKxUqWWlSBDAH6NQTXnDN3_aiK4-XYZKVJBWu6jF6gNcbad84ZGfe2FGDJrSPC6kBA6kYIbuWeeTL9ZVu9IRr7afgoAkPEqcoDImKVpgcKRn-JQ/s320/roy.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p>Soon after Roy passed, we found Hawk the border collie and have added him to the craziness of our lives. He fits in great so far, and it has been fun having a dog who has the energy for fetch, hikes, and bounding up the stairs and onto the top bunk bed. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-69AhciwNjpezEP58JRcCQF1Gu_I2HXQi1JG8G42Dwjc8nHFMCHZ6y0r0a3lU1taVI5moyU_V214Q08otFfiYPZEOUy0ZYeCnrwlH8YJsqviZ5N_DTVzD9O7w8mZrgWZgXJvpmyeYa0A3AvySDum09SRk6ny5E5dQ4yvQIb2DpelkCAgVTwwvtj37/s1589/bringing%20hawk%20home.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1589" data-original-width="1440" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-69AhciwNjpezEP58JRcCQF1Gu_I2HXQi1JG8G42Dwjc8nHFMCHZ6y0r0a3lU1taVI5moyU_V214Q08otFfiYPZEOUy0ZYeCnrwlH8YJsqviZ5N_DTVzD9O7w8mZrgWZgXJvpmyeYa0A3AvySDum09SRk6ny5E5dQ4yvQIb2DpelkCAgVTwwvtj37/s320/bringing%20hawk%20home.jpg" width="290" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">But you didn't come here just for the recap. If you're a long time reader you know the gist of this blog was to share the funny, daily moments. </div><div><br /></div>So how about I tell you about my new running partner? I started running again in January to train for a half marathon in support of my cousin. I highly encourage you to read the story of her and her daughter Willow on Instagram @runningforwillow <div><br /></div><div>Every time I would pull on leggings and lace up my shoes, Roy thought he was going. I would usually take him for a very slow walk around the block, but I did miss having a running partner. Hopefully a well trained one who didn't pull my arm off. </div><div><br /></div><div>Enter Hawk. </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh66DNG9M8XLJKEtQdk_bVWrpMrJRPho2CppgFBOdPII-wPjj4xJy8NjZ9PFliUFFGUxf6fQHMqx4notW1G64-Yq50iC7mZTFoknKyKmhfy1CUXl915uG1ibGghAmenml7PVYSZNCvm-P2XyV_6LoqMFEeRc53XPy6AC9DIaDg_DOegJcyiSWhkOYth/s1800/hawk.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1800" data-original-width="1440" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh66DNG9M8XLJKEtQdk_bVWrpMrJRPho2CppgFBOdPII-wPjj4xJy8NjZ9PFliUFFGUxf6fQHMqx4notW1G64-Yq50iC7mZTFoknKyKmhfy1CUXl915uG1ibGghAmenml7PVYSZNCvm-P2XyV_6LoqMFEeRc53XPy6AC9DIaDg_DOegJcyiSWhkOYth/s320/hawk.jpg" width="256" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div>As a border collie he would be able to keep up with training for a half marathon with me! Awesome! The first few days I took him on a walk after about a mile he actually did pretty well heeling at my side! I was feeling pretty good about this! Possibly a little smug...</div><div><br /></div><div>However, as the days have progressed his running speed and power seems to have increased. I feel like a cartoon being pulled out of my shoes! I literally need to go to a chiropractor because my entire body feels torqued to one side after running him! </div><div><br /></div><div>It's not even healthy running...it's slapping down hard on my feet in an effort not to fall! </div><div><br /></div><div>Not falling...that's my new running.</div><div><br /></div><div>Ironically, he is amazing when I tell him to "stop" and "sit." He looks like the best trained dog <i>ever </i>doing those things! But once we get going again, he runs so hard...his back feet coming forward at the same time like a sled dog gaining traction...he's actually filing down his nails for me!</div><div><br /></div><div>We'll be scheduling a training session soon, but until then say a prayer for me and my feet as I get drug along by this new boy.</div><div><br /></div><div>At least my average mile times have increased! </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw6CLCdVcVZPg-ur6WuNhhAjV6t4JGQbPGdEBEJQ9K__QYgCSXxMNe7NP05MW5gobTckOo0asxn8BUvkom9Fj0bce8GXKM_LKfysNpmWt0aNCoSNxfKKZPvINIY26QonV2Pn1pjII77ZbT6Fjo67l40Yj6U5RWQ1WZTc8jX2O7BW9rUqslSv2Wd9TC/s3088/hawk%20run.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3088" data-original-width="2316" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw6CLCdVcVZPg-ur6WuNhhAjV6t4JGQbPGdEBEJQ9K__QYgCSXxMNe7NP05MW5gobTckOo0asxn8BUvkom9Fj0bce8GXKM_LKfysNpmWt0aNCoSNxfKKZPvINIY26QonV2Pn1pjII77ZbT6Fjo67l40Yj6U5RWQ1WZTc8jX2O7BW9rUqslSv2Wd9TC/s320/hawk%20run.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div><br /><p>Look for more Morning Cups in the future--it's time the writer is unleashed again ;-) </p></div>Kait Palmerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08238201343730608186noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2284157042107453114.post-79562564110031276462016-06-03T11:35:00.003-07:002016-06-03T11:35:48.161-07:00I've moved!<br />
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As I'm getting back into writing consistently, I find I do a lot of it on my phone (one-handed...while nursing). Wordpress has a much easier app for posting blogs, so I've moved over there. </div>
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You can stay up to date at <a href="https://yourmorningcup.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">YourMorningCup.wordpress.com </a></div>
<br />Kait Palmerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08238201343730608186noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2284157042107453114.post-38856646331826138462016-05-30T11:51:00.000-07:002016-05-30T11:51:28.623-07:00Because of, not in spite ofAs I sat on the toilet with Kenna in my lap trying to jam her fingers into every orifice in my face chanting "OKAY! OKAY!" and Tatum climbing on the heaps of clothes in Matt's closet singing a made up song about climbing mountains in Colorado, and Roy literally laying on my feet, I realized other people might see the humor in this like I do.<br />
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And I realized I missed writing and sharing the funny, aggravating, and crazy mundane things that happen every day. I was reminded of a distinct memory, being pregnant with Tatum and laying in our upstairs neighbor's bathtub while they were out of town (with permission), reading Alice Walker's, <i>In Search Of Our Mother's Gardens</i>. There is a chapter titled, "A writer because of, not in spite of, her children."<br />
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I remember thinking I wanted that to be me. Walker goes on to describe the dedication in Buchi Emecheta's book <i>Second Class Citizen</i> which reads:<br />
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To my dear children,</div>
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Florence, Sylvester, Jake, Christy and Alice,</div>
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without whose sweet background noises</div>
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this book would not have been written.</div>
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Alice Walker initially scoffs at this--who thinks of those background noises...of FIVE kids...as sweet? But as she gives an overview of the novel--which is largely biographical--she says the heroine "reasons that since her children will someday be adults, she will fulfill the ambition of her life not only for herself, but also for them....since this novel is written to the adults her children will become, it is okay with her if the distractions and joys they represent in her life, as children, become part of it."<br />
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Re-reading those words is so inspirational to me. There will not be many days (right now) that I can sit down with a hot cup of coffee, a clean desk, soft music playing in the background and a head full of inspiration to spill out.<br />
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As I write this, I am wearing my 2-month-old daughter in a sling, just carried my screaming and overtired 2-year-old to her nap (yes while wearing the baby), and my 4-year-old is watching an annoying episode of Doc McStuffins and grudgingly eating a grilled cheese she begged daddy for for 20 minutes but doesn't want anymore.<br />
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But I will write. I'll get it down whether it be one-handed while nursing and filled with typos and stupid autocorrects, or wearing my baby and standing at my desk (thank goodness for a standing desk), or if it hits me at 4:45 in the morning after I'm done calming Tatum down from a night terror. I'll get it down before it slips into the oblivion of wet wipes and essential oils and granola bars. I'll make digital ink because one day these three girls will be the adults I want to write for.<br />
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I'll write because of, not in spite of, my children.<br />
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<br />Kait Palmerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08238201343730608186noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2284157042107453114.post-49311470001237352782016-04-08T08:08:00.001-07:002016-04-08T08:11:23.231-07:00Bennett Rae's Birth Story<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
**Just a disclaimer--this is a no-holds-barred birth story complete with talk of bodily fluids--if you want just the basics read the first paragraph and then you can scroll down to beneath the asterisks to the final portion and the pictures**</div>
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******Short version************</div>
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On Monday, March 28th I basically did everything in my power to get my body to cooperate and kick into labor. I had my membranes swept, took herbs, used the breast pumped, used oils, got a chiropractic adjustment, had the kids and Roy stay with Ammah so I could relax, vacuumed vigorously, and tried to will my body into labor. By 9:30 I was having regular painless Braxton-Hicks contractions every 10-15 minutes, but nothing strong or uncomfortable. By midnight I was getting tired and was almost ready to throw in the towel and go to bed. I was pretty sure if I did that things would peter out and I would wake up still pregnant. Then I had a few strong and uncomfortable contractions, and one I had to breathe through. I texted my midwife at 12:30, called my mom to come over, woke Matt up and we got the birth pool set up. Only an hour and a half later, at 2:02 am, Bennett Rae came into the world so quickly I caught her myself! She was 21 1/2 inches long, her head measured 15 inches around, and she weighed 10 lbs. 8 oz.! Our biggest baby! We feel so blessed!</div>
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*******Long version************</div>
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I think Bennett’s birth story started on Thursday, March 24<sup>th</sup>.
That morning my midwife, Susan, came over and swept my membranes for a second
time (something that can naturally bring about labor if the baby is ready), I
was having pretty regular Braxton-Hicks contractions (painless, but the uterus “practicing”
a contraction…like flexing a muscle), and I had gone to the chiropractor to
make sure everything was aligned and ready to go. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Then I went to pick Tatum up from school…and she had caught
a stomach bug. I immediately felt my body put on the brakes—it knew another
baby needed me more at that moment. It was pretty amazing (even if frustrating)
how quickly my body stopped any signs of baby coming because I knew my
attention was pulled in another direction. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Tatum was sick for a few days—the longest she’s ever really
been down. But we oiled and rested and while we didn’t go to church on Easter
morning, but that afternoon she was doing so much better we got together with
family and had our egg hunt and Easter dinner. That day I was one week past due—and
soooo ready to have that baby!!!<o:p></o:p></div>
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Monday I talked to Susan again and we agreed she would come
that evening and sweep my membranes again. All day long I mentally prepared for
that baby. I oiled. I did lunges and squats. I snuggled with Kenna and let all
those feel-good oxytocin hormones flow. We agreed the girls and Roy would spend
the night with Ammah so even if the baby didn’t come I’d have a restful
evening. </div>
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But when Ammah picked Tatum up from school I got a call—her fever was
back and she complained that her neck hurt. That’s always a flag to look into
things more, and I could feel my body shutting down again. But then my mom went
over and we think it was more of the full body ache that accompanies the flu,
and she’d just had a little relapse from such a big day on Sunday. <o:p></o:p></div>
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So I willed my body to relax. Again, I oiled with every
feel-good and relaxing oil I had. I went to my chiropractor again and she
straightened me out and hit all the right pressure points to encourage baby
(again). I did one last big grocery shop to stock up on necessities. At home I
picked up the house, and by the time Susan arrived I was blasting Sia and finishing
up vacuuming. She walked in, looking around and nodding and said, “I’m liking
the vibe in here” with a big smile.<o:p></o:p></div>
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After she swept my membranes (again) and I was about 5 cm,
she left me with herb tinctures to take every 15 minutes for the next three
hours, and I was going to use the breast pump for 15 minutes on and 15 minutes
off. Not only that, but I oiled up, put the diffuser on, drank some Ningxia Red
(cause if I was going to have this baby Lord knows I needed energy), and made
myself a protein shake. Then I settled down at 9 to start the herbs and
pumping. <o:p></o:p></div>
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I was having some Braxton-Hicks contractions, but nothing
uncomfortable or too strong. And really, they would only show up when I would
get up and move around. I started timing them around 9:30, and they were
between 8 and 15 minutes apart for the next couple of hours. Pump. Herbs. Oil.
Pump. Herbs. Walk around. Pump. Herbs. Oils. Pressure points. Pump. Herbs.
Oils. Hip dips. Pump. Herbs.<o:p></o:p></div>
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By midnight I still was just having painless Braxton-Hicks,
although sometimes they would feel stronger. If you’ve ever been desperate to
have a baby you know the crazy feeling of WANTING to feel some discomfort! I
was also starting to feel tired. Sometimes the contractions were 11 to 14
minutes apart still—not very encouraging. Matt had gone to bed, and I felt if I
just went to bed things would peter out and I would wake up the next morning
still pregnant. NOT what I wanted.<o:p></o:p></div>
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I had been watching Downton Abbey, but needed something in
the background I knew by heart and would elicit those feel-good hormones. Flipping
through our DVD library I came across one of my all-time favorites—Little Women.
The 1949 version with June Allyson and Margaret O’Brien. Just the opening music
makes me happy, and how appropriate since I was about to bring another little
woman into this world. Yup, it definitely hit the feel-good buttons!<o:p></o:p></div>
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Then I had one pretty strong and uncomfortable contraction.
Five minutes later, another one that was definitely not comfortable. A
Braxton-Hicks two minutes later, and then a couple of uncomfortable ones 5
minutes apart. I was just thinking about calling Susan, when I had one where I
had to actually stop and breathe through. I texted her the contraction record at
12:30 and let her know they were getting uncomfortable—and she responded she
was headed our way. <o:p></o:p></div>
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I woke Matt up to start blowing up the birthing pool, and
called my mom to head over. It seemed odd to get things so prepared with just a
handful of uncomfortable contractions, but knowing my body births fast it was
better safe than sorry! <o:p></o:p></div>
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I got my earbuds in and tuned into my Hypnobirthing tracks
and got in the zone. Susan arrived, followed by my mom and Elizabeth who is
also a midwife. Susan and some local midwives team up so there are always two
midwives at a birth—one for baby and one for mama if needed. They had started
filling the birth pool and by 1 am I definitely knew we were having the baby
that night. I was having to breathe through contractions and focus on
relaxation.<o:p></o:p></div>
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I attempted the reclined relaxation position described in
the Hypnobirthing book but found I much preferred to be moving around. I went
through a lot of contractions sitting on the toilet (it helps you relax down
south and open up), and then used the birthing ball while kneeling and rocking
over it. I used oils to help ease the discomfort, but by then was vocalizing
through contractions. I asked Matt to rub my lower back and hips, and after
just a couple more contractions I got the urge to push which was quite
surprising! I even said, “I feel like pushing!” and Elizabeth was instantly in
the room. <o:p></o:p></div>
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They were still trying to get the birthing pool water warm
enough to get in—I can’t tell you how badly I just wanted to climb in there! By
then I think it was around 1:45…but I was in laborland so who really knows?! I
walked across the house to the other bathroom and while in there had a definite
pushing instinct and was vocalizing pretty loudly and emptied my bowels. Susan
poked her head in with her eyebrows raised and I assured her it wasn’t baby—just
poop. Ahhh the filters we lose during birth…<o:p></o:p></div>
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From there they let me know the water was warm enough and I
ever-so-thankfully climbed in. I wedged my phone in the cup holder of the pool
and swayed back and forth with my eyes closed, willing my body to relax and
making whatever noises my body needed to make. There was a whole lot of “Oh
Jesus” and a few “Have mercy-s” in there! Pretty soon after getting in (I think
the water gave my body a few minutes of a break which was much appreciated), I
could feel Bennett moving down, and reaching down I could feel the top of her
head and learned that we had another baby with a full head of hair. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Taking a side trail—with Tatum and Kenna I had torn before.
Not terribly, and normally it wouldn’t have been an issue. However, getting
stitched up with Tatum was excruciating—way worse than pushing her out. It wasn’t
until I was getting a couple of stitches after Kenna was born that we realized
that my body…for whatever reason…doesn’t respond to lidocaine. You know…the
stuff that numbs? Which explains why no matter how much they used, I could
still feel the needle and thread going through each time. NOT FUN. So THIS time
around I was determined to not need stitches! If you want to talk about what I
did prior to birth to help that just let me know. I also oiled (of course), and
used oils down south as soon as I knew I was in labor to help soften things up.
But back to the birth—I just wanted you to know why this was so on the
forefront of my mind…<o:p></o:p></div>
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So I think I said out loud I could feel the head, and as the
urge to just push the baby out and get it over and done with was taking over my
body, I willed myself to slow down, slow breathing, and I held her little head
so that it was slowly coming out. I’m not sure what I sounded like on the
outside but I did most of this with my eyes closed and in my head I was very
calm and talking myself through it. I still had my headphones on so I’m sure
that was helping too. I was on both knees bent over in the water, feeling her
head come out, and felt I needed to open my pelvis more to let her birth so I
pulled my right leg up so I was just kneeling on my left knee, and as I did
that she came out and I pulled her up onto my chest. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Honestly, I was so in shock I had just caught my baby that I
just leaned back and took a minute with my eyes closed. Bennett Rae was born at
2:02 am. She came out squalling and announcing herself to the world! Only an
hour and a half after I texted Susan. Definitely the fastest labor by far!<o:p></o:p></div>
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When I had caught my breath I got to take a look at my new
little girl. Chubby cheeks, dark hair, clearing her lungs quite loudly and
covered in vernix. A cute little bum that fit in my hand, fingers long and the
nails still a little purple, and I noticed the cord of my headphones disappeared
beneath that little body. When Susan took the earbuds out of my ears and tried
to pull the cord she couldn’t, so I lifted Bennett a little bit and we saw she
had her first tightly wrapped around the cord! <o:p></o:p></div>
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I got out of the pool before birthing the placenta and moved
to our bed, that precious little bundle still on my chest. Once there I birthed
the placenta, but again had a bit of retained membrane. This happened with Kenna
and I had some minor hemorrhaging, and that danged membrane hung on for a
couple of hours before coming out. This time we did some things beforehand to
strengthen my blood, I took lots of Vitamin K to promote clotting, and cut down
on things that could potentially thin the blood. My overall blood loss was
about half of what it was with Kenna, and thankfully that membrane came out
after 15 minutes or so. And guess what? I had some minor tearing, but no
stitches! Hallelujah!!!<o:p></o:p><br />
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Matt and I got some time alone with the baby, and in that
time we talked about her name. The front runner for the name from 18 weeks on
was Carina, but Matt wasn’t sold on it. I loved the middle name Rae, but at
first Matt said it sounded like a boy’s name. Then I suggested Bennett for a
middle name. Since the girls are already Palmers, I love the idea of having
some of my family name in there as well, then when they’re older they can use
Palmer as their middle name if they want—like I use Curran as my middle name
now. Bennett is Ammah’s (my mom’s mom) maiden name. Not only that, but when I
looked up the meaning and saw it meant “blessed” or “blessing” I felt it was
perfect. Not to mention the fact it’s the last name of one of my favorite
literary heroines. So we toyed around with Carina Bennett…but still weren’t
settled. On Monday while Matt was in class he texted, “What about Bennett Rae?”
and I loved it. We still decided to wait and see her face before making a final
decision, and seeing those pink chubby cheeks we felt that our surprise blessing’s
name was Bennett Rae.<o:p></o:p></div>
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We did the newborn exam and found Benny Rae to be 21 ½ inches
long, her head was 15 inches around, and she weighed a very surprising 10 lbs.
8 oz.!!! Our biggest baby! So if you’re pregnant and they’re trying to scare
you that your baby is too big to birth naturally—take heart! I’m only 5’4” and
this big baby has been the easiest recovery!<o:p></o:p></div>
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Thanks for reading this novella. I love births and love
talking about them, so if you have any questions at all please feel free to
ask! <o:p></o:p></div>
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We really thought we were done with our two girls, and I feel
like God whispered, “but you don’t know what you’re missing” and gave us a
surprise. Our hearts are thankful, even though I know we have a lot of
challenging days ahead. For now, I’ll just get back to snuggling this squish
and smelling that newborn head!<o:p></o:p></div>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhvcA6CtP8FyTsBtPHjGjDW24zGZupzIjUtic3jab8jT5VgAMdFah7ckl0NRyKhmDsmlrtOSJo-oFR1U7ZEbLSXlL79YUwEHTLfDeBuC19Ycrch2FvW4l7B9Zd86qmeqrJCPCDm1XlzaM/s1600/first+look+small.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhvcA6CtP8FyTsBtPHjGjDW24zGZupzIjUtic3jab8jT5VgAMdFah7ckl0NRyKhmDsmlrtOSJo-oFR1U7ZEbLSXlL79YUwEHTLfDeBuC19Ycrch2FvW4l7B9Zd86qmeqrJCPCDm1XlzaM/s640/first+look+small.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Taking a minute to catch my breath</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjstbh8XjL3wlgccx4G1F0WYHYMxUeYCPuNWPnwuv8WgLsMLgOJEa221OyyXym5dhyphenhyphenxolAT0j6d7zdg-iPtHdxn6Txm3XXFudwOxi5CEpRpKt-TBftPXZ6tTZTcagSA7Xgo5d1wBmJYslk/s1600/holding+headphones+small.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjstbh8XjL3wlgccx4G1F0WYHYMxUeYCPuNWPnwuv8WgLsMLgOJEa221OyyXym5dhyphenhyphenxolAT0j6d7zdg-iPtHdxn6Txm3XXFudwOxi5CEpRpKt-TBftPXZ6tTZTcagSA7Xgo5d1wBmJYslk/s640/holding+headphones+small.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">She had a pretty good grasp on the cord!<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB6VAi9Vag9EFuXatbG9tQMSellWfd1G5veaFeSKEHuJFtqVuz1RYldpKScp76U9pVyGGvlU6RLRYdXQwVvDgJzoactyW0USr9wnA5hNL5IpQAcPTCztGEccGE_o_4iwOykv6lcUYfalM/s1600/bennett+rae+2+small.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB6VAi9Vag9EFuXatbG9tQMSellWfd1G5veaFeSKEHuJFtqVuz1RYldpKScp76U9pVyGGvlU6RLRYdXQwVvDgJzoactyW0USr9wnA5hNL5IpQAcPTCztGEccGE_o_4iwOykv6lcUYfalM/s640/bennett+rae+2+small.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYH5mID-oH8skxB94gds8L_kHojuBr8_ckdPATYybXrOrFoAqL7gdJ1y2I6zFvIrh8s40everdJR92CGxCCzZmAWUFQrEy4TVs8e9tBqjFQUMMFJd0fe6phLCfW2xj-x-vaTUFFe74wPM/s1600/IMG_9558.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYH5mID-oH8skxB94gds8L_kHojuBr8_ckdPATYybXrOrFoAqL7gdJ1y2I6zFvIrh8s40everdJR92CGxCCzZmAWUFQrEy4TVs8e9tBqjFQUMMFJd0fe6phLCfW2xj-x-vaTUFFe74wPM/s640/IMG_9558.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One proud daddy!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl9GIKXbfSIfbvfG11ZTtlpx8o1bWiI9mndx0DHuKbMFZ2SvdnommAhihwYMA3QRyy2qw-9hJxxD7TR-A5iS7hBc4r4KOW7hT2uX2xuirzy6Skwe5XHirpoQkbDmLFqRFhyphenhyphenHFMpavpfVU/s1600/IMG_9511.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl9GIKXbfSIfbvfG11ZTtlpx8o1bWiI9mndx0DHuKbMFZ2SvdnommAhihwYMA3QRyy2qw-9hJxxD7TR-A5iS7hBc4r4KOW7hT2uX2xuirzy6Skwe5XHirpoQkbDmLFqRFhyphenhyphenHFMpavpfVU/s640/IMG_9511.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">She was already sucking on her fingers</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl-wpQKv3YpnUJj1vGu7WqMcH6vT5WlVeGu95qvs4HU1idN7xKaTEJelVFNGLF48A_osC3hkWz-4NejUZ9MQts7AQrApPX0qMy6MfYmPd0OYu5skVp-PUNz97SJ4Q1Kxj5kZsukfhAf74/s1600/IMG_9522.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl-wpQKv3YpnUJj1vGu7WqMcH6vT5WlVeGu95qvs4HU1idN7xKaTEJelVFNGLF48A_osC3hkWz-4NejUZ9MQts7AQrApPX0qMy6MfYmPd0OYu5skVp-PUNz97SJ4Q1Kxj5kZsukfhAf74/s640/IMG_9522.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">So lucky to have Susan as a midwife!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVJyC7DJbL3PxnwQv4s2FvxFcaKcNZ9SNgYetXZdI4LAzfmx-aLLFMSBdexUkk522ZxOieAnbjyavuU9ZRM5Nn2yNpwCQmbGG2Tx-FWEqNIkAFLHiGBqFmvlmE2khat9dHHYhXyCdm5uE/s1600/IMG_9551.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVJyC7DJbL3PxnwQv4s2FvxFcaKcNZ9SNgYetXZdI4LAzfmx-aLLFMSBdexUkk522ZxOieAnbjyavuU9ZRM5Nn2yNpwCQmbGG2Tx-FWEqNIkAFLHiGBqFmvlmE2khat9dHHYhXyCdm5uE/s640/IMG_9551.JPG" width="480" /></a><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxZjXFJkz9yHeRQtc9mRGMjJ9Oxau7DdnMXFtbn1-I6MPhMpeIfTpbDTNw9h-rngRZ0nZysN7SmX4t5NOy_g6WSMg_p_LGQs8AjHaaTmHTLe7WAFWGHQxSZRIrwcIG2TAGpNEEzciEG64/s1600/IMG_9573.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxZjXFJkz9yHeRQtc9mRGMjJ9Oxau7DdnMXFtbn1-I6MPhMpeIfTpbDTNw9h-rngRZ0nZysN7SmX4t5NOy_g6WSMg_p_LGQs8AjHaaTmHTLe7WAFWGHQxSZRIrwcIG2TAGpNEEzciEG64/s640/IMG_9573.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">So blessed!!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
Kait Palmerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08238201343730608186noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2284157042107453114.post-46249158976885456602014-07-26T13:48:00.000-07:002014-07-26T13:51:38.012-07:00Kenna is--WHAT?!--ELEVEN WEEKS?!<div style="text-align: center;">
Okay, so we took photos at Week 7...but I didn't get around to editing them.</div>
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And then she began taking her long nap in the morning when the lighting was best in her room...so we kept putting it off until she was awake...and then not doing it at all!</div>
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So this morning right before she crashed again we were able to get some 11 week photos! But first, here she is at 7 weeks!</div>
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And a few more because she was so expressive that day!</div>
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Like expressing SHOCK</div>
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<a href="http://i276.photobucket.com/albums/kk26/Solorya/2014/Summer%202014/IMG_3581_zpseedecb1c.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://i276.photobucket.com/albums/kk26/Solorya/2014/Summer%202014/IMG_3581_zpseedecb1c.jpg" height="640" width="510" /></a></div>
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Skepticism</div>
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Amazement</div>
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And sleepiness</div>
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Shortly after this we celebrated my 30th (wait, what?) birthday, Fourth of July, and my Dad's 54th birthday (they were just babies when they had me!)</div>
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Tatum, Ammah and I went to the Edmond Parade</div>
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Then we drove north to Tulsa to go to the aquarium and watch the fireworks. Three words: hot, humid, and hot. </div>
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<a href="http://i276.photobucket.com/albums/kk26/Solorya/2014/Summer%202014/64240472-7d03-4304-b397-888e3f40e3cc_zps60890f41.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://i276.photobucket.com/albums/kk26/Solorya/2014/Summer%202014/64240472-7d03-4304-b397-888e3f40e3cc_zps60890f41.jpg" height="640" width="480" /></a></div>
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Kenna is a total Daddy's girl</div>
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In garden news we have a jungle in our backyard again! And we scored a major deal at Target for a picnic table! Then I, being tired of soggy cushions on our current patio furniture and having a fire pit in a table that's just not practical for either windy Oklahoma or toddlers, sold our patio set and bought new chairs, a bar cart, and a teak coffee table and the difference was only $5! Score! The old coffee table got a coat of outdoor spray paint and is now on the deck with chairs that take up less room and dry off much faster!</div>
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A couple of shots from April so you can see the difference:</div>
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we were getting a bit of late snow</div>
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Then here is early June:</div>
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And now in late July:</div>
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And here's the latest harvest--lots of onions and carrots!<br />
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And here's a few day to day shots of my adorable girls:<br />
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she's still working on that whole eyes-straight thing</div>
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<a href="http://i276.photobucket.com/albums/kk26/Solorya/2014/Summer%202014/IMG_0805_zpsebf27b85.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://i276.photobucket.com/albums/kk26/Solorya/2014/Summer%202014/IMG_0805_zpsebf27b85.jpg" height="640" width="640" /></a></div>
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Kenna has gone from having three modes: sleeping, nursing or angry, to being a VERY happy baby!!!</div>
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And it only took ELEVEN weeks but Tatum finally wanted to hold Kenna again!</div>
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<a href="http://i276.photobucket.com/albums/kk26/Solorya/2014/Summer%202014/IMG_1152_zps33cc4a52.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://i276.photobucket.com/albums/kk26/Solorya/2014/Summer%202014/IMG_1152_zps33cc4a52.jpg" height="640" width="480" /></a></div>
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Which finally brings us to the point of this blog post--how did my baby get to be ELEVEN WEEKS?!</div>
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My little squishy weighed in at 13lbs 10oz and 24 1/2 inches long for her two month well-baby check up! We just make big babies round here!</div>
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That's the news on the kiddo end of things. For Matt and I we've had a very unexpected side business spring up--teaching about essential oils. It started as more of a ministry and it still is, because anytime people feel better or have a weapon to fight things like depression or anger or high blood pressure or scoliosis or an autoimmune disease, it is a blessing. </div>
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Yesterday I got sick. A head cold with all the usual aches, runny nose, cough, sneezes, soreness and all-around misery of the thing. I felt it coming on when I was up at 5 am for a feeding. All day I hit the oils. And I didn't sit down unless it was to nurse or use the bathroom--very bad when you're sick but I had a lot of things to get done! </div>
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Last night I had Matt do a VERY modified and VERY fast technique called the Raindrop Massage on me. You basically use a number of oils along the spine. There's a specific order, amount of drops, height from which they are dropped on the spine, and way to massage them in.</div>
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Matt's method was <i>shake shake shake, rub rub rub.</i> Next oil. <i>Shake shake shake rub rub rub.</i></div>
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Not very exact. However, I am NINETY PERCENT BETTER this morning! If it wasn't for a little tickle in my throat and a bit of a cough I'd have no other symptoms! Hallelujah!</div>
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Anyways, I don't really "sell" oils, host "parties" or any of those typical things you think of when you think of something like this. I educate. I am a research nut and blessed to have an outlet for this. I owe not plunging into full on post-partum depression to the oils. They have changed our family's lives and regardless whether I continue teaching or not we will always be stocked! </div>
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So if you think you've tried every "natural" remedy for something (like I thought I had with my migraines), give me a shout and let me do some research for you.</div>
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Until next time my lovely friends and fam!</div>
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Kait Palmerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08238201343730608186noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2284157042107453114.post-67491395563948700072014-05-26T22:23:00.003-07:002014-05-26T22:23:41.921-07:00Kenna's Second Week<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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As Kenna is uncurling and waking up a bit more we are seeing a bit more of her little self. And it does seem like she is going to be having a mind of her own!</div>
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She is our squeaker and squealer, very often grumpy at this time. We're still getting to know each other, and it seems she prefers to be snuggled or swaddled :-)</div>
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Tatum is warming up to Kenna, too. When we go somewhere she asks if Kenna is going to go with us, she "plays" with her by bringing toys over to her when she's lying on the activity mat and shows them to her, and </div>
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asks about her when she wakes up. She's not overly in-love yet or trying to take over as a mommy like I've heard other toddler girls do, but she doesn't seem to dislike or be angry that Kenna is around.</div>
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I did survive my first week at home with two kids. It would help if Kenna would start sleeping longer stretches at night, but hey, some NingXia Red and I was able to keep on trucking!<br />
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Last Monday we made crowns, and that pretty much wiped me out for crafts for the week, lol. Luckily they were played with nearly that long!<br />
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And Kenna, who had been nursing sometimes as often as every 30-45 minutes, took a bottle! Hallelujah Mama gets a break! Ammah tried first, but it seems Daddy had the magic touch!</div>
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In other news, Tatum will be getting glasses this week! We began noticing that one eye was crossing when she looked at things up close, so we took her to the doctor's last week. (in this pic her eyes are dilated from drops and the crossing was more pronounced than it usually is)</div>
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Its something that she'll hopefully grow out of, and you know I'll be using my essential oils (frankincense) as well, but for awhile you'll be seeing a mini-librarian Tatum.</div>
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We made it a family affair to go try on glasses, and here were a few she tried on at first:</div>
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When we put on a certain pair, this girl perked up like it was a new toy. She saw herself in the mirror and started her happy dance, her little butt shaking back and forth like it had a motor in it! We could hardly get her to look at us to take a picture because she wanted to look at herself.<br />
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We pick them up later this week, and hopefully she'll still have the same reaction!</div>
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After picking them out, we went to grab lunch with my mom and Ammah. Tatum had decided to carry her doll around in the carrier, just like I was carrying Kenna around.</div>
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And Mom and Ammah both got some snuggles in from Miss K</div>
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Oh, and Roy has taken up his guard-dog approach to Kenna as well. Usually he can be found lying next to her bouncer or swing, or on the floor next to (or on) the activity mat with her.</div>
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Kait Palmerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08238201343730608186noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2284157042107453114.post-83579072766984175832014-05-17T12:50:00.000-07:002014-05-17T13:18:42.811-07:00Kenna's First Week<div style="text-align: center;">
Here's my littlest girl at one week old!</div>
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This girl eats--a LOT! More than my little ten-pounder Tatum did! And she wants us to know she is her OWN girl! Within 15 minutes of being born she got upset about something and let out a squeal to make us understand her displeasure. We've heard that little squeal a number of times since then...I don't think we're getting a calm, quiet baby like we originally thought! I think changing her name to Kenna--meaning fiery, beautiful, and strong and competent woman--was the correct choice!</div>
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Tatum got to meet her little sister about 8 hours after she was born. As she came around the corner she stopped short when she saw me holding Kenna.</div>
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"Do you know who this is?" I asked her.</div>
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"It's for ME!" she said.</div>
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"Yes!" I said, then continued with the brainwashing I've been working on, "This is your best friend! Do you know who it is?"</div>
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"Baby Kenna!" she knew right away!</div>
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"She come out of your tummy!" </div>
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"Yes she did!"</div>
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Immediately her toddler mind went to work. "Now you can hold me!!!"</div>
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Um...give Mama a week or so before I'm hefting your 40lbs again, lol!</div>
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Tatum spun and danced and played, then settled down with her guitar to sing a lullaby to Baby Sister.</div>
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Later that day Roy came home from Nonnie and Poppie's and met Kenna. He sniffed her a few times, then when my mom pointed her out again he sniffed one more time, they lay down next to the bed with a "Harumph!" as if to say, "Yep, another one."</div>
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My Uncle Larry and cousin Cara were visiting that weekend as well--good timing! We were honestly expecting Miss Kenna to be late so it was fun that they got to meet both of our girls for the first time on the same day! Since they live in Colorado and we've moved a few times, we actually haven't seen them since our wedding 6 1/2 years ago!</div>
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Tatum was hooked pretty quick--especially since Uncle Larry brought bubbles, nail polish, chapstick and toy animals. The way to this girl's heart for sure! He even painted her nails--twice! She was letting them dry in this picture :-)</div>
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By Saturday night the rolls in Kenna's neck were beginning to accumulate some junk so it was time for her first bath! </div>
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The big bathtub for her was still in the attic, so we attempted a bath in our little sink.</div>
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It did not go so well.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Why oh WHY are they doing this?!?!</td></tr>
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On Mother's Day I got the best gift--the gift of alone time! Matt and Tatum went to church and Kenna slept most of the time so I got to enjoy a quiet morning! </div>
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Later we headed to my parents for a late lunch and to hang out. Towards the very end of the day, Tatum finally used up enough energy to hold Kenna somewhat calmly. </div>
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Kenna also is pretty at home taking naps with Daddy<br />
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A day or two later we gave Kenna another bath--this time with much more success! She nearly fell asleep while taking her soak, and loved the water pouring over her feet so much she reached up and hooked her toes on the rim of the cup!</div>
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So there's our first week highlights! Tatum is handling baby sister great so far...I keep waiting for the jealous big sister to show up but she has yet to appear. Whenever she comes back from time with Ammah or Nonnie and Poppie she always looks for Kenna and says hi. This morning she came back from an overnighter and didn't see Kenna until she was going out the back door. She stopped when she saw her asleep in the bouncer and intoned, "oooooh hiiii!" Maybe my best-friend-brainwashing will work!</div>
Kait Palmerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08238201343730608186noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2284157042107453114.post-42841440759034416332014-05-13T18:03:00.001-07:002014-05-13T18:03:43.625-07:00Kenna's Birth Story<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">On Thursday morning Tatum and I went to see my midwife,
Susan, for my scheduled appointment. As I was 11 days past my ultrasound due
date with Tatum, both of us assumed we had plenty of time and we scheduled the
next appointment for the same time next week. My due date wasn’t until the 10<sup>th</sup>
or 11<sup>th</sup> and it was only the 8<sup>th</sup>—we had plenty of time!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Then Tatum and I headed to the chiropractor, then Lowe’s
where we loaded up on some discounted rosebushes and shrubs, made another trip
to the grocery store because I was determined to be stocked up whenever this
baby arrived, then headed home.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Instead of taking a nap like I’ve normally been doing while
Tatum is napping, I decided to get my 14 tomato plants, 6 jalapeño plants, and
12 marigolds in my garden. And put up the fence around my last raised bed. And
repot a bunch of plants. Basically I worked my butt off in the mid-eighty
degree weather, taking water breaks inside and using peppermint oil on my neck
to keep cool. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">After four hours of working in the sun (which honestly felt
glorious and I had the fleeting thought, “you know, I’m not even exhausted! I
think I could even handle labor!”), I made some spaghetti, had my parents come
over for dinner since Matt was at an after-work event, and took a shower to
rinse off the dirt and sweat. I was having a number of Braxton-Hicks
contractions, but that’s not unusual for me and I just attributed it to being
dehydrated and having done so much physical labor.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">While reading Tatum’s bedtime story around 9:30 I realized I
must have had 6 or 7 Braxton-Hicks in the past hour. Braxton-Hicks aren’t
painful—but your uterus tenses in a “practice” contraction and gets rock
hard just like a muscle flexing. After we put Tatum to bed Matt ran me a bath
since I really wanted another night of sleep after such a long day of work! I
also used lavender essential oil because sometimes those can make you so
relaxed that labor stops. When I got in the bath around 10 I decided to use my
contraction timer on my phone just to see how close they were to each other.
That was an eye opener! They were between 1 and 3 minutes apart—but still no
pain! But then I had a couple of contractions that were “uncomfortable.” Then I
needed to use the restroom. Twice. Hmmm….</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I called Susan just to let her know what was up—12
contractions in about 30 minutes but most of them just painless. While talking to her, however, she had
another client call in who was <i>also</i>
having contractions. Uh-oh! She asked to call me back and in that time frame I had
2 or 3 more uncomfortable contractions. She called me back around 11 and asked
if I wanted her to come check me. The
other woman was having a contraction 20 minutes apart, so she was going to get
ready and come over to see me just in case this was the real deal. I called my mom and told her I’d let her know
if anything was really happening after Susan checked me. Matt started to pick
up the house and get thing pre-ready to go.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">When Susan got to our house around 11:30, we found I was 4cm
dilated and already 50% effaced! “Sooo…I’m having my baby tonight?!” I asked.
Susan smiled and said, “You’re having your baby tonight!” We made the phone
calls, my parents headed over so my dad could take Tatum to Ammah’s house and
Roy home with him (I think he would have tried to climb in the birthing pool
with me), and my mom to be there for support.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Elizabeth, who is also a midwife, arrived as did MacKenzie,
the student midwife (who was 30 weeks pregnant herself, bless her heart!). Matt
moved the dining table against the windows, set out the tarp and blew up the
birthing pool.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Contractions began to get
regularly uncomfortable around midnight, and I tuned into a soundtrack from the
Hypnobirthing CD on my headphones, turned the lights low in the bedroom and
chilled in there for awhile. I breathed through contractions, swayed, rocked,
and walked around for about an hour. I walked out in the backyard (admiring my
day’s work), looking at the stars and feeling the coolness of the night air,
leaning on Tatum’s slide to breathe through the contractions. Matt and my mom
were placing bets on birth time, the midwives were hanging out in the nursery
and everything was so calm and peaceful. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This was taken around midnight when we knew we'd be having Kenna in our arms soon</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Elizabeth actually left to go attend
to the other woman who’s contractions were beginning to come close together.
Susan takes a <i>really </i>low number of
clients and this lady’s first two births were both early, and my first one was
so late she thought there was no way there could be an overlap—statistically
speaking it was an incredibly low chance!</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Thankfully my contractions were a few minutes apart, still. I remember
with Tatum I would get literally less than a minute to recover between
contractions before I would feel another one coming on—and it being my first
labor those close contractions were exhausting, aggravating and freaky all at
once. So this time getting to actually walk around, talk, breathe, and recover
before another wave felt like luxury! I wonder if using the lavender and taking
the bath prior to really beginning active labor helped slow contractions
down—which I was completely OK with!</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">For those of you interested in how I used essential oils
through labor, I applied Joy and Valor towards the beginning, and again around
1:00. When they began to get uncomfortable I used PanAway on my lower back and
lower abdomen, and really think that helped with pain. I would occasionally rub
some Gentle Baby on my chest and wrists as well, as it’s so calming.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Around 1:30 I asked Susan to check me again, and found that
in two hours I had progressed to 8cm and 75% effaced! She also commented that
Kenna was still high, but my cervix was very soft and stretch and all it would
take was her coming down to dilate me the rest of the way. Around this time I
asked Matt to fill the birthing pool and I began to vocalize through the
contractions. I can’t imagine having to stay still through contractions—I was
usually leaning on the bed or the kitchen bar and swaying back and forth,
willing myself to relax everything and release and tension.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">At 2ish I climbed into the birthing pool and OH what sweet
relief!!!!!! It was around then I went through transition and began to <i>really</i> vocalize. I kept moving positions
from my hands and knees to my side to kneeling but at this point nothing was
comfortable.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">At one point I found I needed something to say or recite
besides “OOOOHHH!” or “OOOOH JESUS!” so the thing that popped in my mind was
Psalm 34. In 6<sup>th</sup> grade our teacher, Miss Iris, had us learn the
entire chapter, verse by verse, over the course of the year. Most of that
chapter (I still confuse the last few verses) is still imprinted in my mind,
and is my go-to Psalm. Not only were the actual words comforting and
reassuring, but trying to remember the order of the verses, or pick up where I
left off with the last contraction kept my mind focused on that instead of the
double and triple-peaking contractions I was laboring through then.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Here is the chapter in its entirety, although I think I only
got through the first 17 or 18 verses:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="poetry" style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; margin-top: 1em; padding-left: 2.6em; position: relative;">
<div class="line">
</div>
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I will bless the <span class="small-caps" style="font-variant: small-caps;">Lord</span> at all times;</div>
<span class="text Ps-34-1" style="position: relative;"><div style="text-align: center;">
His praise <i>shall</i> continually <i>be</i> in my mouth.</div>
</span><span class="text Ps-34-2" id="en-NKJV-14391" style="position: relative;"><span class="versenum" style="display: block; font-size: 0.75em; font-weight: bold; left: -4.8em; position: absolute; text-align: center; vertical-align: top;">2 </span><div style="text-align: center;">
My soul shall make its boast in the <span class="small-caps" style="font-variant: small-caps;">Lord</span>;</div>
</span><span class="text Ps-34-2" style="position: relative;"><div style="text-align: center;">
The humble shall hear <i>of it</i> and be glad.</div>
</span><span class="text Ps-34-3" id="en-NKJV-14392" style="position: relative;"><span class="versenum" style="display: block; font-size: 0.75em; font-weight: bold; left: -4.8em; position: absolute; text-align: center; vertical-align: top;">3 </span><div style="text-align: center;">
Oh, magnify the <span class="small-caps" style="font-variant: small-caps;">Lord</span> with me,</div>
</span><span class="text Ps-34-3" style="position: relative;"><div style="text-align: center;">
And let us exalt His name together.</div>
</span></div>
<div class="poetry top-1" style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; margin-top: 1em; padding-left: 2.6em; position: relative;">
<div class="line">
<span class="text Ps-34-4" id="en-NKJV-14393" style="position: relative;"><span class="versenum" style="display: block; font-size: 0.75em; font-weight: bold; left: -4.8em; position: absolute; text-align: center; vertical-align: top;">4 </span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
I sought the <span class="small-caps" style="font-variant: small-caps;">Lord</span>, and He heard me,</div>
<span class="text Ps-34-4" style="position: relative;"><div style="text-align: center;">
And delivered me from all my fears.</div>
</span><span class="text Ps-34-5" id="en-NKJV-14394" style="position: relative;"><span class="versenum" style="display: block; font-size: 0.75em; font-weight: bold; left: -4.8em; position: absolute; text-align: center; vertical-align: top;">5 </span><div style="text-align: center;">
They looked to Him and were radiant,</div>
</span><span class="text Ps-34-5" style="position: relative;"><div style="text-align: center;">
And their faces were not ashamed.</div>
</span><span class="text Ps-34-6" id="en-NKJV-14395" style="position: relative;"><span class="versenum" style="display: block; font-size: 0.75em; font-weight: bold; left: -4.8em; position: absolute; text-align: center; vertical-align: top;">6 </span><div style="text-align: center;">
This poor man cried out, and the <span class="small-caps" style="font-variant: small-caps;">Lord</span> heard <i>him,</i></div>
</span><span class="text Ps-34-6" style="position: relative;"><div style="text-align: center;">
And saved him out of all his troubles.</div>
</span><span class="text Ps-34-7" id="en-NKJV-14396" style="position: relative;"><span class="versenum" style="display: block; font-size: 0.75em; font-weight: bold; left: -4.8em; position: absolute; text-align: center; vertical-align: top;">7 </span><div style="text-align: center;">
The angel<span class="footnote" style="font-size: 0.65em; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;" value="[<a href="#fen-NKJV-14396a" title="See footnote a">a</a>]">[<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm+34#fen-NKJV-14396a" style="color: #b37162; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: top;" title="See footnote a">a</a>]</span> of the <span class="small-caps" style="font-variant: small-caps;">Lord</span> encamps all around those who fear Him,</div>
</span><span class="text Ps-34-7" style="position: relative;"><div style="text-align: center;">
And delivers them.</div>
</span></div>
<div class="poetry top-1" style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; margin-top: 1em; padding-left: 2.6em; position: relative;">
<div class="line">
<span class="text Ps-34-8" id="en-NKJV-14397" style="position: relative;"><span class="versenum" style="display: block; font-size: 0.75em; font-weight: bold; left: -4.8em; position: absolute; text-align: center; vertical-align: top;">8 </span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Oh, taste and see that the <span class="small-caps" style="font-variant: small-caps;">Lord</span> <i>is</i> good;</div>
<span class="text Ps-34-8" style="position: relative;"><div style="text-align: center;">
Blessed <i>is</i> the man <i>who</i> trusts in Him!</div>
</span><span class="text Ps-34-9" id="en-NKJV-14398" style="position: relative;"><span class="versenum" style="display: block; font-size: 0.75em; font-weight: bold; left: -4.8em; position: absolute; text-align: center; vertical-align: top;">9 </span><div style="text-align: center;">
Oh, fear the <span class="small-caps" style="font-variant: small-caps;">Lord</span>, you His saints!</div>
</span><span class="text Ps-34-9" style="position: relative;"><div style="text-align: center;">
<i>There is</i> no want to those who fear Him.</div>
</span><span class="text Ps-34-10" id="en-NKJV-14399" style="position: relative;"><span class="versenum" style="display: block; font-size: 0.75em; font-weight: bold; left: -4.8em; position: absolute; text-align: center; vertical-align: top;">10 </span><div style="text-align: center;">
The young lions lack and suffer hunger;</div>
</span><span class="text Ps-34-10" style="position: relative;"><div style="text-align: center;">
But those who seek the <span class="small-caps" style="font-variant: small-caps;">Lord</span> shall not lack any good <i>thing.</i></div>
</span></div>
<div class="poetry top-1" style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; margin-top: 1em; padding-left: 2.6em; position: relative;">
<div class="line">
<span class="text Ps-34-11" id="en-NKJV-14400" style="position: relative;"><span class="versenum" style="display: block; font-size: 0.75em; font-weight: bold; left: -4.8em; position: absolute; text-align: center; vertical-align: top;">11 </span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Come, you children, listen to me;</div>
<span class="text Ps-34-11" style="position: relative;"><div style="text-align: center;">
I will teach you the fear of the <span class="small-caps" style="font-variant: small-caps;">Lord</span>.</div>
</span><span class="text Ps-34-12" id="en-NKJV-14401" style="position: relative;"><span class="versenum" style="display: block; font-size: 0.75em; font-weight: bold; left: -4.8em; position: absolute; text-align: center; vertical-align: top;">12 </span><div style="text-align: center;">
Who <i>is</i> the man <i>who</i> desires life,</div>
</span><span class="text Ps-34-12" style="position: relative;"><div style="text-align: center;">
And loves <i>many</i> days, that he may see good?</div>
</span><span class="text Ps-34-13" id="en-NKJV-14402" style="position: relative;"><span class="versenum" style="display: block; font-size: 0.75em; font-weight: bold; left: -4.8em; position: absolute; text-align: center; vertical-align: top;">13 </span><div style="text-align: center;">
Keep your tongue from evil,</div>
</span><span class="text Ps-34-13" style="position: relative;"><div style="text-align: center;">
And your lips from speaking deceit.</div>
</span><span class="text Ps-34-14" id="en-NKJV-14403" style="position: relative;"><span class="versenum" style="display: block; font-size: 0.75em; font-weight: bold; left: -4.8em; position: absolute; text-align: center; vertical-align: top;">14 </span><div style="text-align: center;">
Depart from evil and do good;</div>
</span><span class="text Ps-34-14" style="position: relative;"><div style="text-align: center;">
Seek peace and pursue it.</div>
</span></div>
<div class="poetry top-1" style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; margin-top: 1em; padding-left: 2.6em; position: relative;">
<div class="line">
<span class="text Ps-34-15" id="en-NKJV-14404" style="position: relative;"><span class="versenum" style="display: block; font-size: 0.75em; font-weight: bold; left: -4.8em; position: absolute; text-align: center; vertical-align: top;">15 </span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
The eyes of the <span class="small-caps" style="font-variant: small-caps;">Lord</span> <i>are</i> on the righteous,</div>
<span class="text Ps-34-15" style="position: relative;"><div style="text-align: center;">
And His ears <i>are open</i> to their cry.</div>
</span><span class="text Ps-34-16" id="en-NKJV-14405" style="position: relative;"><span class="versenum" style="display: block; font-size: 0.75em; font-weight: bold; left: -4.8em; position: absolute; text-align: center; vertical-align: top;">16 </span><div style="text-align: center;">
The face of the <span class="small-caps" style="font-variant: small-caps;">Lord</span> <i>is</i> against those who do evil,</div>
</span><span class="text Ps-34-16" style="position: relative;"><div style="text-align: center;">
To cut off the remembrance of them from the earth.</div>
</span></div>
<div class="poetry top-1" style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; margin-top: 1em; padding-left: 2.6em; position: relative;">
<div class="line">
<span class="text Ps-34-17" id="en-NKJV-14406" style="position: relative;"><span class="versenum" style="display: block; font-size: 0.75em; font-weight: bold; left: -4.8em; position: absolute; text-align: center; vertical-align: top;">17 </span><i></i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><i>The righteous</i> cry out, and the <span class="small-caps" style="font-variant: small-caps;">Lord</span> hears,</i></div>
<span class="text Ps-34-17" style="position: relative;"><div style="text-align: center;">
And delivers them out of all their troubles.</div>
</span><span class="text Ps-34-18" id="en-NKJV-14407" style="position: relative;"><span class="versenum" style="display: block; font-size: 0.75em; font-weight: bold; left: -4.8em; position: absolute; text-align: center; vertical-align: top;">18 </span><div style="text-align: center;">
The <span class="small-caps" style="font-variant: small-caps;">Lord</span> <i>is</i> near to those who have a broken heart,</div>
</span><span class="text Ps-34-18" style="position: relative;"><div style="text-align: center;">
And saves such as have a contrite spirit.</div>
</span></div>
<div class="poetry top-1" style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; margin-top: 1em; padding-left: 2.6em; position: relative;">
<div class="line">
<span class="text Ps-34-19" id="en-NKJV-14408" style="position: relative;"><span class="versenum" style="display: block; font-size: 0.75em; font-weight: bold; left: -4.8em; position: absolute; text-align: center; vertical-align: top;">19 </span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Many <i>are</i> the afflictions of the righteous,</div>
<span class="text Ps-34-19" style="position: relative;"><div style="text-align: center;">
But the <span class="small-caps" style="font-variant: small-caps;">Lord</span> delivers him out of them all.</div>
</span><span class="text Ps-34-20" id="en-NKJV-14409" style="position: relative;"><span class="versenum" style="display: block; font-size: 0.75em; font-weight: bold; left: -4.8em; position: absolute; text-align: center; vertical-align: top;">20 </span><div style="text-align: center;">
He guards all his bones;</div>
</span><span class="text Ps-34-20" style="position: relative;"><div style="text-align: center;">
Not one of them is broken.</div>
</span><span class="text Ps-34-21" id="en-NKJV-14410" style="position: relative;"><span class="versenum" style="display: block; font-size: 0.75em; font-weight: bold; left: -4.8em; position: absolute; text-align: center; vertical-align: top;">21 </span><div style="text-align: center;">
Evil shall slay the wicked,</div>
</span><span class="text Ps-34-21" style="position: relative;"><div style="text-align: center;">
And those who hate the righteous shall be condemned.</div>
</span><span class="text Ps-34-22" id="en-NKJV-14411" style="position: relative;"><span class="versenum" style="display: block; font-size: 0.75em; font-weight: bold; left: -4.8em; position: absolute; text-align: center; vertical-align: top;">22 </span><div style="text-align: center;">
The <span class="small-caps" style="font-variant: small-caps;">Lord</span> redeems the soul of His servants,</div>
</span><span class="text Ps-34-22" style="position: relative;"><div style="text-align: center;">
And none of those who trust in Him shall be condemned.</div>
</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">After awhile of that I felt I needed to use the restroom. My
midwife said that was fine, but I may be so close that I might end up pushing
the baby out in the bathroom instead of the pool. I had just had one
contraction with an urge to push and knew that might be a distinct possibility
but I still felt the need to go. So I climbed out of the tub, wrapped in a
towel and moved to the bathroom. I had two more contractions where I felt I
needed to push while on the toilet, but still no head. I headed back to the
pool and climbing back in was almost as bad as a contraction!</span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Climbing in I had another contraction and urge, and my water
broke with a little bit of meconium in it. Then, in that what felt like a VERY
VERY quick moment Kenna moved from very high in the birth canal to crowning!
While I only pushed for 20 minutes with Tatum, I felt her dropping little by
little, and even while pushing we’d see more of the head, then it would go back
a little. But <i>this</i> all happened in <i>one</i> frightening and very painful
contraction! I was VERY loud and felt my voice go from low and open to a higher
pitch and nearing a scream. My arms were grabbing a hold of the handles on the
sides of the pool and I remember them shaking violently when Susan came right
into view and locked eyes with me. I honestly don’t remember what she said but
I remember focusing on her eyes and reaching up behind me to grab onto Matt’s
arm. I also got a visual of Tatum when she freaks out about something and
thinking she must get it from the primal side of me because I felt like a
toddler freaking out!</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The next push Kenna’s head was born, and the push after that
she came into this world at 2:44 am.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">As Susan lifted her up and onto my chest I felt that
overwhelming joy at finally holding her in my arms! She coughed a number of
times and cleared her lungs. She wasn’t crying, but making those precious
newborn noises. She felt smaller in my arms than Tatum had, as well. So little, tucked against me. I heard Matt
laugh and begin to talk to her as well.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<div style="text-align: center;">
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I remember, too, realizing that the cord must have been
really short because I could feel it taut against my belly. Susan asked if I
felt like I could get out of the pool to birth the placenta so with her and
Matt’s help I did, and sat/reclined on the floor with Matt supporting me from
behind.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">When I again squatted and pushed the placenta came out
easily—except for one piece of membrane stayed attached inside. I pushed, we
waited, and I got to turn Kenna so I could get a good look at her face. The
first thing I thought was how different from Tatum she looked. Her hair was
fairer, her face not quite as chubby. She got a little mad and I started
singing Tatum’s favorite nighttime lullaby, “Godspeed,” by the Dixie Chicks
(except we sing “baby girl” instead of “little man,” and Tatum insists we add
Roy to the last verse). I figured since she had been hearing it from inside the
womb for months she would recognize it, and she certainly did! That baby
quieted right down! She also nursed for a little bit.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>This is the end of the "birth" story. There's more about the afterbirth portion, but if that isn't your cup of tea you can skip to the pictures at the end.</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The membrane was still not detaching, so Matt cut Tatum’s
cord once it stopped pulsing and held her as my mom took his place behind me. I
don’t think we got any pictures of Matt holding her, but it is imprinted in my
mind. The look on his face, his smiling and talking to her, then sitting down
and rocking her. I took a tincture of herbs to help the contractions expel that
last piece of membrane hanging on, then laid back on pillows so Susan could
check my perineum. That membrane was still not detaching so after talking to
me, Susan snipped the rest of the placenta away from it so I could have some
mobility.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I went to the bathroom and Susan massaged my uterus, then I
massaged it, all trying to get that danged membrane to detach. When it still
didn’t, Susan talked to me about using pitocin to help my uterus contract and
release that membrane. We moved to my bedroom and I got to hold my Kenna again
while I got the shot in my thigh, and another herbal tincture. This went on for
awhile, and that blasted piece of membrane didn’t detach until 4:30 or 5:00 I
think. I was so tempted to just yank it out but knew leaving a piece of it
inside made me prime for infection.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">After that I still needed to be stitched up just a bit. I
had a minor second degree tear, and Susan sutured the first row, but by the
time she began the second, outer stitches the anesthetic was wearing off. We
actually think I may be somewhat immune to it, because after Tatum was born no
matter how much the midwife used I could still feel every single stitch.
Because of the way I tore this time, Susan had given me the option to not
suture but just take it very very easy for the next ten days, so when I began
to feel every stitch I opted to just tie off what she had done and take it easy
(I didn’t have that option last time).</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">So finally, around 6, Susan and MacKenzie had cleaned up
everything, I was changed and cleaned, and we gave Kenna her newborn exam. She
weighed in at 9 pounds 5 ounces, and 22 inches long. Everything beautifully and
thankfully healthy.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The next day Kenna did develop a cephalohematoma, which are
most commonly found in babies delivered with forceps, but we think she dropped
so fast she literally banged her head against my pelvis to bruise it. So if you
notice a little bump on her head the next few weeks it’s nothing to be alarmed
about—it will resolve on its own. The kid just had to make a wham-bang entrance!</span></div>
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Kait Palmerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08238201343730608186noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2284157042107453114.post-69333187104485875702014-04-20T21:58:00.000-07:002014-04-22T21:24:12.894-07:00The End is Near!<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Well, seeing as my last post was quite a while ago how's about a quick catch up?</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">We'll start with the here and now. Thirty-seven weeks pregnant with Kenna Curran Palmer.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Kenna is Gaelic for fiery, beautiful, and a strong and competent woman.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Curran, as y'all know, is my maiden name. It also comes from the old Gaelic word <span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 19.200000762939453px;">corradh which means spear. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0b5394; line-height: 19.200000762939453px;">Let's rewind to January. We had days of snow and cold with a few beautiful days thrown in where we got outside and enjoyed the sunshine.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394;">February rolled around and we got Tatum a fish tank for Valentine's Day (lots of time spent "playing" with her fish during snowy and cold days), celebrated Matt's 31st birthday, and instituted "family dates." </span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394;">In March we got more snow, made molasses candy a la Laura Ingalls Wilder, did lots of indoor activities like making bird feeders and finger painting, and I finally got my coffee bar area set up. Mama needs her coffee.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394;">And now we're finally to April. Tatum's first experience dyeing Easter eggs, choosing paint for the nursery and getting things ready for little Kenna to make her grand appearance. As of yesterday at 37 weeks, I have the green light to have this baby! Of course we're not ready yet so we're hoping she stays snug for at least another week or two!</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394;">And most of you know by now about this old/new thing I've discovered--essential oils. These have completely changed our family. I haven't gotten a prescription for my migraines since last March (as in 2013). I used them on Roy's tumor and saved ourselves a $500 vet bill. Every sniffle and bug that has crossed our paths has been dealt with at home--I didn't take Tatum to the doctor in 14 months and when I did it was a checkup and mostly to interview a new doctor for this upcoming baby. Bonus points for the doctor: when Tatum pulled out a roller of lavender to "play" with, the doctor said, "Oh that's the good stuff!"</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394;">Anyways, I've spent hundreds of hours doing research for classes I've been teaching since last summer, and am planning on a Google hangout sometime next week (April 21-26th) to do a basic class on oils. If you're interested drop me a line. I'm also going to try to record a class on YouTube, but I find it's easier to answer questions as we go along :-)</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394;">That's all for now. I'm always hesitant to share because I'm afraid people will think I'm selling something or hosting "parties," but I've seen so many lives drastically changed in this past year from these oils it feels selfish not to tell people about it. Cancer, thyroid problems, blood pressure, emotional trauma, kidney stones, asthma, allergies...you name it and "there's an oil for that." I've said that so many times the past year I think I need a bumper sticker. Or some self-control.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394;">I'm sure there's an oil for that </span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394;">UPDATE:</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394;">I had a number of you asking for the Intro Class on YouTube, so here it is! You'll have to excuse some temporary brain lapses--I do have preggo brain and I didn't finish it until 3 in the morning! If you're interested in the long outline with 3 pages of references I used in my research, drop me a line at TherapeiaLiving@gmail.com and I will send you the PDF.</span></div>
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<a href="http://youtu.be/o38tjJM4hqE" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">Intro To Essential Oils Part 1</a></div>
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<a href="http://youtu.be/FdqlU6EYE5c" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">Intro To Essential Oils Part 2</a></div>
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Kait Palmerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08238201343730608186noreply@blogger.com1Edmond, OK, USA35.6528323 -97.47809540000002935.4464308 -97.800818900000024 35.8592338 -97.155371900000034tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2284157042107453114.post-89541141894255193522013-12-06T13:36:00.002-08:002013-12-06T13:36:22.521-08:00Baby It's Cold Outside!<div style="text-align: center;">
It's not even technically winter and we've already had our second snow of the season! That makes for one happy pregnant lady!</div>
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Yesterday morning while waiting for the storm to roll in, I started putting the lights on the tree and couldn't resist taking pics of my cute helper.</div>
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You all know Roy Boy loves the cold and the snow--in fact before it started snowing and was a brisk 20-something degrees he was outside rolling on the grass and barking at himself with sheer glee. </div>
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Last year Tatum liked the snow, too, but being only 1 1/2 she wasn't as able to express it as she is now. This kid LOVES snow. And does the cold bother her? Not a bit. Yesterday it was again in the 20's and with the windchill was close to the single digits, but this bundled baby was happy as could be outside! It was Mama who decided it was time to go in when I couldn't feel my nose anymore...</div>
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It snowed most of the day yesterday, and by this morning we had three gleaming inches of powder to play in. Bonus: Daddy was home to play too!</div>
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She tried eating the snow...apparently it is not to her liking...</div>
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The Miley Cyrus look?</div>
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After taking a little tumble (and being checked on by the Boy)...</div>
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Daddy showed her how to make a snow angel. She was not impressed.</div>
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Roy sprinted like a banshee...</div>
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We all threw snowballs at Roy because he liked it and tried to catch them (most of the time)...</div>
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And we thoroughly wore ourselves out. Here's hoping she'll take a good, warm winter's nap!</div>
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Kait Palmerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08238201343730608186noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2284157042107453114.post-51506742185812143922013-11-02T12:48:00.001-07:002013-11-02T12:48:25.140-07:00A Jazzed Up Entryway<div style="text-align: center;">
When we moved into our house one of the things I utterly did not like was the entryway. </div>
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It was dark gray. </div>
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Dreary, dark, depressing. </div>
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It was the door on the cul-de-sac that girls selling cookies wouldn't want to knock on.</div>
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The bottom was chipping badly, frayed and scuffed. The whole thing looked dirty. In fact, the day after we closed on our house the first thing I did was get a stiff scrub brush and scrubbed down the entire entry...with red mud running down the walls. Yuck.</div>
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However, since I mostly went in and out through the garage things on the inside of the house were more of a priority to get redone. We put a pretty welcome mat there and called it good.</div>
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Last May we finally decided it was time to do something about the entryway. A brand new door was not in the budget, so painting was the obvious choice.</div>
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After a lot of paint samples, determining what would look good if we left the rest of the exterior the same (the trim and garage door are gray as well...blah), or if we painted it to our preference (either an almost-white gray or a pale pale dusty blue), we decided on our entry colors.</div>
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And we decided to go bold. Hey, it's just a door. We painted it in a day, and if we hated it we could always get a small can of paint and redo it again! Why not take a chance?</div>
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So we went with Behr's Jazz Blue for the door and Light French gray for the entry.</div>
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Last May, while keeping a weather eye out during a tornado watch, we got the entry painted, and primed the trim on the front door. It was warm, muggy, and definitely not the best painting weather but we took what help we could get! We also changed out the doorbell, peep hole, door knob and deadbolt.</div>
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So much brighter! However, summer quickly followed and my outdoor time was taken up by a rapidly growing garden (including out-of-control tomatoes) and not finishing the trim or adding the kick plate.</div>
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So FINALLY, over a year and a half after moving into our house, I got the trim done and the kick plate on today. </div>
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Hallelujah!</div>
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Now <i>that's</i> an entry I would want to go right up to! </div>
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Just a refresher, and because I love comparisons:</div>
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<i>Before After</i></div>
Kait Palmerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08238201343730608186noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2284157042107453114.post-59400717255690491522013-06-15T22:48:00.002-07:002013-06-16T07:48:30.813-07:00How Does Your Garden Grow<div style="text-align: center;">
But first, here's my spunky girl.</div>
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I couldn't resist--can ya blame me?</div>
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The garden is booming. Sunflowers are shooting up 6 inches or more a day, I've got a couple dozen green tomatoes on my ten tomato plants, the morning glories are starting to bloom and we're beginning to harvest yellow squash and zucchini. Summer must be here!</div>
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Before I show you pictures of my little Eden (which is still not finished flower bed and mulch-wise but that will have to wait), let me take you back before the muddy month of March, all the way back to last summer.</div>
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This was our yard then.</div>
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One (not level) raised garden bed and a pumpkin vine. And a sad little tomato plant in a pot. We had thrown ourselves into the house and there was little energy leftover for landscaping.</div>
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When late February came around I was amped up with seed catalogue and Pinterest visions, and I bravely dug my outline.</div>
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Moved the bed...</div>
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And then the outline grew again...</div>
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And I kept digging. For a month I dug. In icy rain and sunburning heat. Often both in the same day because--hey--this is Oklahoma and we like to be a little crazy. I tossed out every tiny bit of bermuda grass I dug up. Squashed grubs and carefully transported earthworms (or chucked them into the garden bed).</div>
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Then we put our two other beds in, outlined some areas for flowers...</div>
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And I planted flower seeds, and lettuce,and carrots, and squash. And lots and lots of sunflower seeds. And put in a few seedlings. And waited...</div>
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And covered the plants when it froze. And uncovered them when it rained. Then covered them again when it was freezing rain. And watched some seedlings fry from the never-ending wind.</div>
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And then before I knew it the sunflowers were towering a foot over my head!</div>
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My flowers are finally recovering from the battering they took in a hail storm.</div>
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And this little munchkin is learning "good bugs" and "bad bugs." Although she did squash a ladybug larvae today and we said "sorry" to its poor little body.</div>
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And now to indulge myself with some more pics...</div>
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This was taken four days ago, when I could still reach the camera up and take a shot of the sunflower head forming. Now it is way too high!</div>
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We've had a couple of dinners from our squash, too. Nothing like cutting it up still warm from the sun!</div>
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And these little guys I planted from seed and they somehow managed to survive. This was the first bloom of my coreopsis!</div>
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I'm experimenting with morning glories in a hanging basket...they keep wanting to go up and I keep training them back down...we'll see how confused they are by the end of summer!</div>
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The peas that had been growing up the trellis have been pulled down, but Tatum still likes playing in her teepee.</div>
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So that's where the yard is now. It's not going to win any landscape awards but I am immensely proud of it! I still am amazed that these things came from seeds I stuck in the ground. So simple, yet when I look at the base of one of the sunflowers that is two inches thick, it still astounds me.</div>
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That's all for tonight--this tired girl is getting in bed!</div>
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I hope you all enjoy your weekend and remember to step outside, listen to the birds, and thank God for being smart enough to start life in a garden.</div>
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Kait Palmerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08238201343730608186noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2284157042107453114.post-75097420051955598792013-06-04T08:05:00.001-07:002013-06-04T08:05:20.928-07:00Cleanup<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>First off, excuse the large pics overlapping the edges on the right, but I wanted to convey the sweeping feel of the destruction, and needed the larger size for that.</i><br />
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<i>Here is <a href="http://yourmorningcup.blogspot.com/2013/05/edmond-doesnt-get-tornadoes.html" target="_blank">Part One </a>and <a href="http://yourmorningcup.blogspot.com/2013/05/then-there-was-moore.html" target="_blank">Part Two</a> of this little series.</i><br />
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It had been five days since the tornado when my mom, Matt and I headed to Moore with Henderson Hills Baptist Church. We had our leather gloves and heavy boots, but we weren't really sure what to expect. Personally I wondered if we were really needed. The influx of volunteers had been so great, I couldn't imagine that twenty of us would really make any difference.</div>
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On the drive down in the bus we all chatted. But as we drove through the strip of land that had been decimated on both sides of the freeway, the bus fell silent.</div>
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Seeing it in person is different.<br />
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<i>This was taken from what was the living room of a two-story house.</i></div>
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You can see down the stretch where the tornado ran, because nothing is left standing. Near the fringes, varying degrees of destruction showed on tarp-covered roofs and piles of mangled branches ripped from a tree and shoved into yards.</div>
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We parked at the CVS on SW 19th and Santa Fe where a large volunteer feeding station had been set up. As we ran to use the restroom in CVS before heading into the zone, the pharmacist saw us, ran out and stood to the side, nodding and thanking each one of us as we headed to the bathroom...before we had even done anything! The gratefulness touched my heart.<br />
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A few of the team members (including Matt) got a free tetanus shot from Walgreens across the street and then we began walking into the zone. We neared a house where a man was clearing out debris and asked if we could help. This house was on the outer edges of the main path. The roof was partially gone and damaged, and the backyard was filled with branches, fiberglass insulation, glass fragments, roofing shingles and wire. </div>
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Back and forth, from the backyard through the muddy red clay side yard and to the front yard we carried armfuls of debris and dumped them in an ever-growing pile. I pulled a twisted piece of metal thicker than my arm a foot and a half out of the soaked lawn where it had impaled itself. </div>
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Glass was everywhere. So many tiny fragments. How do you ever pick them all up from the grass? When can bare feet run here again?</div>
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My arms started to itch, and then my neck and chest. Fiberglass insulation was not just in cotton candy pieces on the ground, but in the air as well. Making its way into your pores, spreading with your sweat and driving you mad with itching.</div>
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We finished taking down the man's back fence, and as we toppled it over he said, "Well, we were going to replace this fence anyways."</div>
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Long stretches of wire had wound its way into trees and tied large bulk of debris together. Picking up armfuls of shingles, I found one shoe. A startlingly human reminder in the construction material cleanup we had been doing. Then I found a soaked teddy bear, his head cocked to the side as if to say, "Wha happened?!"</div>
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Matt went inside to help move out furniture and came back shaking his head. The rain had gotten everywhere inside, and everything was mildewed. </div>
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When that neighbor's backyard had been cleaned up, we did his two neighbors on either side. Carrying armfuls of debris no bigger than your hand. Sliding in the mud. Tossing it on the growing heap. When those three backyards were pretty well cleaned up, we moved on.</div>
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As we rounded the corner, we came upon the main path the tornado took. And it took our breath away. One man from our group just turned in circles with his hand over his heart.<br />
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Everything was just flattened. There were stumps of trees, and larger heaps where the homes had stood, but the overall look of everything was just smashed. Like a giant had decided to practice the polka there.<br />
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We headed down the street and broke into two groups--one searching through the wreck of one house for photos and a wedding ring, the other to help clear debris to get a truck out.<br />
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The white Dodge Ram truck only had 8,000 miles on it, and had been parked in the driveway of the house. So much debris had been shoved under it from the force that it was a couple of feet off the cement, and piled on top was the remains of a house. The front windshield was busted in, but amazingly while clearing debris the car alarm went off. When the door was finally clear, the owner got it...and started up the car! This gives a new level of meaning to their slogan "Guts. Glory. Ram."<br />
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Not only did the car start, but when a path over the debris was cleared, they hooked the back of it up to another truck, and the white Ram <i>drove</i> out.<br />
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One of the most shocking things to see was a pickup truck on its side, nearly wrapped around a tree trunk.<br />
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Want that closer?<br />
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Next we headed to a home that had been two stories. I worked in the area that was the downstairs bathroom as we dug for photos and jewelry. Thankfully we found a lot of photos--wedding pics, baby pics, graduations and birthdays, and some from the 1940's and 50's.<br />
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When I looked down this was what we were sifting through.<br />
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It was amazing we found anything at all! Sheetrock was so saturated from the rain that when you tried to lift pieces it just crumbled in your hands.<br />
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We pulled out unbroken framed pictures, books, cards, silverware, and some of her collection of bells and squirrel figurines.<br />
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While combing through I heard my mom exclaim, "OH!" I looked over and she said, "I think--I think it's...dead? OK, I can do this," and she reached in and grabbed...a wax squirrel. It was the weirdest, ugliest tchochke I'd ever seen, but it meant something to the owner of the house and we were glad we found it.<br />
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I also found a small revolver, and when I brought it to the sister of the owner who was working with us she shook her head and said, "Oh no--she wouldn't have anything like that in her house!" Wonder what house it came from...<br />
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After awhile working in that house, and lots of cheers for each time we pulled up a soggy photo, we headed out again.<br />
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The whole time, volunteers were continually driving by, offering water, hamburgers, snacks, baby wipes, and encouragement from the back of pickups or wagons they pulled around.<br />
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We pitched in at one more house where the chassis of a pickup truck was lodged firmly into the front of the house, and somehow a man who had been inside the house and trapped behind the truck was able to get out with no serious injuries.<br />
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Talking to a woman a couple of houses down, we found her son's best friend down the street had broken his pelvis and lost his mom.<br />
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As it was getting later in the day and getting warmer, most people we starting to head home. Here are a couple more snapshots from walking around.<br />
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Then we headed back, ate a hamburger and boarded the bus for home. Because of the horrendous traffic on the freeway, we took side streets miles from where we had worked, and the damage stretched all the way there, too.<br />
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When we first headed down I thought, "What's one little team going to do to really help? There are thousands of people volunteering every day?" After seeing some of the 1,200 homes destroyed and 12,000 damaged, I see that our team did help.<br />
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We helped the homeowners get their yard cleaned up a whole lot faster than if they had been by themselves.<br />
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We helped a lady recover photos that, a day or two more, would have disintegrated in the moisture.<br />
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We pulled out a toolbox for a man who had worked for GM for years, and when he retired they had it specially made for him. <br />
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What we did made a difference to those people.<br />
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And whatever contribution you make--be it monetarily, your time, your energy, food, or prayers--that makes a difference, too.<br />
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Kait Palmerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08238201343730608186noreply@blogger.com1Moore, OK, USA35.3395079 -97.48670279999998935.2358739 -97.648064299999987 35.4431419 -97.325341299999991tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2284157042107453114.post-74368629330763779562013-05-29T18:58:00.000-07:002013-05-29T18:58:32.411-07:00Then there was Moore<div style="text-align: center;">
As we came up out of our storm shelter and sat down in front of the TV we began getting news.<br />
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One coworker's kids were at Briarwood Elementary...but she hadn't heard from them. She was at work with Matt watching the storm, not knowing if it hit her kids or her home.</div>
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Another coworker's boys were in the Warren Theater--they were OK but temporarily trapped. </div>
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A friend of ours was in a store with her husband and baby and taking cover in the freezer section...we hadn't heard from them. </div>
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Our good friends Jayson and Melissa found out their friend who is a teacher at Plaza Towers Elementary was okay, but trapped.</div>
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Neighbors were pulling neighbors from the rubble before first responders could get there. A house caught fire and burned to the ground--no vehicles could get through the debris to put it out.<br />
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A medical center was hit, and they had put the doctors in the walk-in freezer, knowing their skill would be needed when the storm passed. The rest of the staff and patients took refuge in the cafeteria--including a woman who was in labor and dilated to 9cm.<br />
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<a href="http://localtvkfor.files.wordpress.com/2013/05/outside-moore-medical-3.jpg?w=560" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://localtvkfor.files.wordpress.com/2013/05/outside-moore-medical-3.jpg?w=560" width="640" /></a></div>
<i>Moore Medical Center</i><br />
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The focus quickly turned to the two schools, and rescuing teachers and kids trapped there.</div>
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We watched in horror, not knowing what to do. There was an influx of help crowding the area, lines were miles long to drop off donations. All we could do was pray.</div>
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<i>Plaza Towers Elementary School before and after</i><br />
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All kids at Briarwood were accounted for, and that coworker's home was only mud spattered, not damaged.<br />
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The Warren Theater had stood like a rock in the sea of destruction--everyone inside was uninjured and the building itself only sustained minimal damage.<br />
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Our friend and her husband and baby were okay, but the store they own was ruined. <br />
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The teacher was able to get out--with all her students. They had been in the hall, but apparently she didn't feel right about that and took them all into the bathroom.</div>
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We found out a coworker from Hobson's who is pregnant and due any day lost her home. A coworker from MACU lost his home as well.<br />
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In all, 1,200 homes were destroyed. Leveled. Gone. </div>
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And 12,000 homes were damaged.<br />
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This path continues for 17 miles.<br />
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Looking at the destruction, you could see this tornado was a "foundation sweeper." How anyone could have survived was a miracle.</div>
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Through the week, stories emerged. </div>
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A Vietnam vet and his wife who had a 12 person shelter opened it up and were able to get 22 people and 3 dogs in.</div>
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We knew of one woman who huddled in her bathtub with her kids, and they felt the tub lift from the floor, rotate, and set back down. Their tub was the only one left on their block.<br />
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People who were inside in-ground shelters could feel them rocking in the ground from the force of the wind.<br />
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Teachers who shielded their students with their own bodies as debris fell on top of them.<br />
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The man who is like a grandpa to his 6-year-old neighbor racing to the school to find him, and wearing an expression you hope you never have to.<br />
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When we went down to help with cleanup last Saturday, we talked to a woman who's pregnant daughter had been inside the house when it hit. They had been listening to the news and the tornado had been tracking more northeast. When the newscasters gave the cross streets it was at, she assumed it was heading north of her. She had been talking to her neighbor outside when they saw it at come to the end of their street. The storm turned and headed directly east. The neighbor ran inside and made it to his shelter moments before hit house was hit. The daughter ran to her house but only made it to the bottom of the stairwell. In the entire block, the only part of any house left standing was the one, white, unblemished door that was in front of the stairwell. Her boyfriend sped to help her, ignoring a police officer following him with flashing lights. He dug her out and she emerged with only a few scratches.<br />
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The neighbor said it took him 30 minutes to dig out of his shelter, it was so covered with rubble. And after a few hours it was entirely filled with water from broken water pipes. That was a reality we had never considered before.<br />
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You may have seen<a href="http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=50147264n" target="_blank"> the video</a> of the woman describing being in the storm with her dog, and while she made it OK, she didn't know where her dog was...only to have the news reporter spot the dog in the rubble.<br />
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Veterinarians were taking in animals and treating them for no cost, finding temporary housing for them until they could be reunited with their owners.<br />
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And there were the heartbreaking stories too. Twenty-four lives lost, including ten children. What was thought to have been the safest place at the school--the basement--turned out not to be. One man was running to his shelter, tripped and fell and hit his head--the tornado didn't even touch his home.<br />
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Looking at the destruction, however, it is amazing that the toll on life wasn't greater.<br />
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Another heartbreaking dimension was that the day after the storm another one blew in. Though not tornadic, this one dumped rain and hail on recovery efforts, and soaking belongings exposed to the sky. Stuffed animals, photos, clothing, everything was getting drenched.<br />
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On the Saturday after the storm, Matt, my mom and I donned our boots and gloves and headed down to help people sift through the rubble and recover anything salvageable. But you'll have to wait until tomorrow for that one.<br />
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To see the widespread amount of damage, Google released a map showing the path of the tornado. When you zoom in on the affected areas, you begin to get a sense of the devastation.<br />
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<a href="http://google.org/crisismap/2013-oklahoma-tornado">http://google.org/crisismap/2013-oklahoma-tornado</a></div>
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Kait Palmerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08238201343730608186noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2284157042107453114.post-55431209655632636882013-05-28T14:10:00.000-07:002013-05-28T14:32:32.595-07:00Edmond doesn't get tornadoes...<div style="text-align: center;">
On Sunday, May 19th, we got to try out the storm shelter for the first time. </div>
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For you west coasters, let me give you a visual. It's a 3 foot wide, 4 1/2 foot deep and 7 foot long metal box that is cemented below our garage. We can drive our car in and still get into the shelter. The door slides closed with a loud metal clanging, and if we were to be down there during a tornado and there was debris on top of to door, we have an inside wench that should be able to get the door open.</div>
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This isn't ours, but it gives you an idea of what it looks like:</div>
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We decided to let anyone who lives her after us know who's house this was...we even got Roy and Tatum's marks in there...</div>
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<a href="http://i276.photobucket.com/albums/kk26/Solorya/Crab%20Apple%20Home/IMAG1564_zpsc8ffd29e.jpg?t=1369774066" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://i276.photobucket.com/albums/kk26/Solorya/Crab%20Apple%20Home/IMAG1564_zpsc8ffd29e.jpg?t=1369774066" width="358" /></a></div>
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We have been reassured by many that tornadoes usually go around Edmond. And really, they do seem to. Even when they do touch down, they are low on the destruction scale.</div>
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Tatum did fine as long as the shelter door was open, and she recovered quickly when we closed it because I brought out the iPhone. We even managed to get Roy down there, and once we were all down with interlocking knees he found it quite comfortable to lay down and take a nap.</div>
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While the tornado sirens wailed, we watched a funnel snaking its way to earth. It touched down a few miles from us, banged up a few homes, downed a bunch of trees, really did some damage on a new medical center that was due to open in July, and out into open country where it it turned into a multi-vortex tornado before dissipating. </div>
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The cross is Life Church...just up the road from Henderson Hills Baptist where my mom was hunkered down as the tornado went through the parking lot.</div>
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<a href="https://fbcdn-sphotos-e-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-frc1/482525_10152472830942837_1692814215_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://fbcdn-sphotos-e-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-frc1/482525_10152472830942837_1692814215_n.jpg" width="570" /></a></div>
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You can see an intercept of the tornado here:</div>
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<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/VvAthNEqxJg?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
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Later a tornado touched down near Shawnee, destroying homes, turning over semis and killing two people. </div>
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<i>"Tomorrow,"</i> quoth the weatherman, <i>"has the potential for the same type of storms."</i></div>
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On Monday around 2 my family was one again at the house with the storm shelter open and ready. As a large cell near Newcastle seemed to appear from nothing, we heard tornado sirens again. Phones were beeping messages and warnings and the weather radio in our bedroom kept scaring the living daylights out of us with its super-loud warning.</div>
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We watched on TV as a low hanging wall cloud got lower and lower in Newcastle, until finally the funnel dropped down. By this time, my mom, Ammah, Roy and Tatum were in the shelter while Jeremiah and I scanned the clouds to see where this tornado report on my phone was coming from. It said it was less than half a mile away, and newscasters were obviously more absorbed with the EF-4 on the ground than anything that might be happening north.</div>
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We watched the live stream from a chopper as the tornado headed towards Moore, gaining strength, then would run outside and scan our own skies. We could hear the distant roar of what was becoming an EF-5 about 25 miles away. Then we would go back inside to see it was still there, big and black and grinding up the ground like a lawn mower. And our phone would beep and we'd head outside to look skyward again.</div>
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The air was heavy and muggy, the clouds swirling rapidly overhead in all directions. We ran back inside to see the tornado in Moore had hit one elementary school, and then another. Back outside.</div>
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So we did this for about 30 minutes. We brought out chalk for Tatum and crackers and tried to keep it light for her sake, but we knew every time we went inside that there was deadly destruction going on just half an hour to our south.</div>
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<i>This is our skies, but no tornado...</i></div>
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<a href="http://i276.photobucket.com/albums/kk26/Solorya/Spring%202013/IMG_1834_zpsab258ed8.jpg?t=1369763677" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://i276.photobucket.com/albums/kk26/Solorya/Spring%202013/IMG_1834_zpsab258ed8.jpg?t=1369763677" width="640" /></a></div>
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<i>Roy didn't like me not being in the pit with him...</i></div>
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<a href="http://i276.photobucket.com/albums/kk26/Solorya/Spring%202013/IMG_1836_zpseb09ee16.jpg?t=1369763677" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://i276.photobucket.com/albums/kk26/Solorya/Spring%202013/IMG_1836_zpseb09ee16.jpg?t=1369763677" width="480" /></a></div>
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<i>Crackers keep this kid happy...</i></div>
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<i>Tatum deciding to sit on Uncle J-J's artwork</i></div>
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When the sirens died away and we finally determined it must have been a false alarm, we headed inside and watched the tornado finally rope out and reveal the damage it had done.</div>
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It had been on the ground for 40 minutes and carved a muddy path for 17 miles. </div>
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Most of you have probably watched news coverage and seen videos and photos. Last Saturday we donned our work boots and headed down, and I have to say that nothing quite compares to seeing it in person. </div>
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But I'll post on that tomorrow.</div>
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Until then, hug your family tighter and hold your things looser. </div>
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This world is not our home, we're just a'passing through.</div>
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Kait Palmerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08238201343730608186noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2284157042107453114.post-77934135640515319582013-04-10T14:22:00.001-07:002013-04-10T14:22:16.242-07:00Walda Cometh<div style="text-align: center;">
Yesterday afternoon I was in a tank top running the A/C and thinking about making some sun tea.</div>
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Then Walda came.</div>
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A nearly fifty-degree drop in a matter of hours reminds you that Oklahoma's weather is decidedly bipolar.</div>
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Thankfully it got too cold to have any real threat of a tornado, but this morning we got to experience a bit of freezing rain. </div>
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This is when I'm glad I can stay in my pajamas <i>(get the kid breakfast)</i>, make a cup of tea <i>(get the laundry basket and balls so she can play)</i>, put a fire in the fireplace <i>(clean up the 100 plastic balls she dumped out)</i>, reheat the tea<i> (wash the breakfast dishes and start lunch)</i>, put on some soothing music <i>(turn it off to put on Elmo so she'll eat something for lunch besides a gallon of milk)</i>, and relax <i>(sit down for the 18th time to get up before 30 seconds to kiss a boo boo or go to the potty or get her a snack or yell at Roy for trying to sneak her apple slices)</i>.</div>
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Doesn't that sound lovely? Sometimes the condensed version is what I think is going on in my head, and the italics are what is really happening.</div>
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Now that she's down for a nap I'm reheating my tea again, putting my music back on and took a few minutes out in the freezing wind to take some pictures of this event.</div>
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This is when I'm thankful I haven't put any seedlings out yet! </div>
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This tree is normally a nice domed shape, but with the wind and ice it took on a new shape.</div>
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We lost a small branch off the maple tree...thankful it wasn't a bigger one!</div>
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Off to get another snack, wipe her nose, get the blocks out, and think about what to make for dinner. And there is GREAT news--my parents are flying to Arizona tonight and on Friday will be headed back east with Ammah in tow! They're due to arrive Saturday night, so if you could please keep them and their travels (and Ammah's house appraisal) in your prayers we'd appreciate it!</div>
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Yesterday Matt and I rolled up our sleeves and set to work on the swath of mud that is our garden space. First order of business was to get those raised beds into the ground so I can get some plants and seeds in. </div>
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I was going to use landscape timbers to have that rustic look, but after calling Lowe's and learning they don't cut that type of timber for you--and not wanting to hand saw 22 timbers--we decided to go with the pre-made cedar beds from Home Depot.</div>
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Putting them together was a breeze, then came the task of making sure it was level. I assigned that to Matt while I marked out the edge of a sunflower border and area where we want an evergreen tree.</div>
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After a lot of shifting, mallet-pounding, and more shifting around Matt declared he was finished. I turned to appraise it and saw it wasn't parallel with the fence...and if you're doing squares next to each other they need to be parallel. </div>
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During this time, we decided to put Tatum in an old dress and let her go crazy with sidewalk chalk paint. Sadly, I don't have any pics of her painting the sidewalk, or her feet, or her legs, or her dress...we were all too muddy and messy to handle a camera! But I do have an "after" shot...it looks like Roy was a canvas for the paint as well.</div>
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After a lot of shoveling, digging, smoothing, tamping, rinse and repeat, we finally had the bones of our garden up. Sunflower, coreopsis and nasturnium seeds are planted, and a nomadic rosemary has finally found a home. </div>
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Since we are expecting some severe weather early this week, I'm waiting a few days to put my seedlings in as I don't want them pummeled by hail the day after I plant them. </div>
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True, it just looks like a lot of different shades of brown at the moment. And Matt bought a different mulch than we already had so we're way behind on the mulching aspect. But in my mind it is lush and green and brimming with gardeny-goodness!</div>
Kait Palmerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08238201343730608186noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2284157042107453114.post-129346717176812902013-03-29T11:07:00.001-07:002013-03-29T11:45:02.300-07:00Groovy-land<div style="text-align: center;">
We left our house around 10:30ish Wednesday morning to begin our trek to see Matt's parents in Groveland, CA. Or as the locals call it, Groovy-land.</div>
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Not much detail other than this will be the last trip we don't buy a seat for Tatum. Being nearly 34 inches long she is getting far too big to sit comfortably on our laps for an extended period of time in those tiny cubicles of seats.</div>
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Here are a few pics from the journey...</div>
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And the problem with Oreos for lunch<i><b> is?</b></i>??<br />
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I've been traveling for eleven hours...I have a right to be a double-fisted-snackster...<br />
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Headed for Groovy-land...</div>
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This little trooper went 15 hours without a nap and had only a two-minute meltdown before crashing in her carseat on the drive up the mountain. She was so out that I walked in and put her in her pack n' play without even changing her diaper or taking off her bib. She stretched, rolled over and continued sleeping soundly...until about 3:30 when I'm sure she woke up wondering where the hay she was. After a change, letting her hair down, getting her in pajamas and some rocking she was back down again.</div>
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Today we rested, she took a THREE hour nap, then we went down to the lake and then to a park. Here's an overdose of cuteness for ya:</div>
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She looooves her Dada</div>
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And at the end of the day, after bath time, this is what Matt came into the bathroom to find:<br />
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Potty/pedicure time.<br />
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Such is our life and I wouldn't trade it for anything.</div>
Kait Palmerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08238201343730608186noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2284157042107453114.post-37873832792173029402013-03-23T20:11:00.002-07:002013-03-23T20:11:36.129-07:00Sod-->BUSTED!<div style="text-align: center;">
The major portion of the garden area has been sod busted!</div>
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I did the math, and I worked over 50 hours clearing 160ish square feet of sod.</div>
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Today there was just "the island" left. A portion of grass at the top of the clearing that still had to be dug up. Then we're free to rake it level and put in the garden beds! I started outside around noon, and worked for nearly 7 hours at it. And it was in the low 40's all day...brrrr! I wore my snow pants (waterproof <b>and </b>warm!) and quite a few layers on top!</div>
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To give you an idea of how long it takes to get ALL the stinking Bermuda grass out, I took this picture at <b>5:58</b></div>
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And this one at <b>6:57</b></div>
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That is some <b>SLOW </b>going! And that is one solid hour (and two buckets of grass and roots) of work. I got a cup of coffee before taking the first picture and refilled after taking the second. In between I kept my head down and worked and clawed that dirt as fast as I could.</div>
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My furry companion was there with me for most of it. At one point he was standing on the island gazing so quizzically at the dirt I went to take a picture of him...and in a second he went from just looking, to </div>
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THIS</div>
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to <b>THIS</b></div>
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With me yelling "No dig! No dig!!!"</div>
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Then I thought, <i>"Well...maybe it would go faster..."</i></div>
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Then I envisioned a yard full of holes and that affirmed my gut reaction.</div>
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And I've learned a few things in my 50+ hours of digging this past month. </div>
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That I love being outside. </div>
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That my hair actually remembers what the sun does to it and gets so much lighter. </div>
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That Tatum loves being outside too, but when I tell her she can't water the plants any more she gets fed up and goes inside. </div>
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That I love listening to the birds flirt with each other. </div>
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That our soil is actually pretty darn healthy--lots of earthworms and very few grubs. </div>
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That I can now quickly dispatch of said grubs with a pop of my fingers, whereas at the beginning I used the spade. </div>
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That I despise, loathe and HATE Bermuda grass and its never-ending maze of stubborn stolons that will magically create another lush carpet of grass if you so much as leave a quarter of an inch of the stuff. </div>
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That dirt will be under my fingernails even when wearing gloves. </div>
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And that I will be very very glad when this is all covered with landscape fabric and mulch and the real gardening (in raised beds!) can begin.</div>
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So goodnight...I've earned a long soak in a hot tub for my aching back! And hey--look! I'm actually in a picture! What you can't see is how covered in mud and dirt I am!!!</div>
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Kait Palmerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08238201343730608186noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2284157042107453114.post-35006617094055432062013-03-20T20:28:00.000-07:002013-03-21T10:41:10.510-07:00Either/Or<div style="text-align: center;">
One year ago on March 3, 2012--I walked into the front door of our house for the first time. I saw walls that needed painting, a cat smell that needed eliminating, and a wonderful floor plan that I could see our family gathering in. Matt was camping at the time and so I made an offer on my house without even talking to him--thank goodness we have a good relationship!</div>
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It is a year later and the walls have been painted, there is now a toddler smell in place of a cat smell, our family regularly gathers and it is time to turn our attention outside.</div>
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When we bought the house the backyard was 100% bermuda grass with a wood deck next to the square of concrete right outside the doors. Not a shrub, not a flower, not a tree in sight. In fact, it was so boring we don't really have any "before" pics.</div>
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With limited resources and time I managed to do a 4' x 4' veggie garden that I mostly began too late in the season and some potted flowers.<br />
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Last fall we planted a Cleveland select flowering pear tree (which I now am reconsidering for something more multi-tasking like a cherry tree or serviceberry tree), and I dug up two flowerbeds alongside the house to prepare for spring. I planted a few bulbs but nothing else, letting cardboard and mulch chill for the winter.<br />
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After a lot of research and numerous measurements and countless sketches on graph paper, I've finally got the bones of some landscaping for our backyard down. With gas and cable lines running a full 5 feet along the back of our yard by the fence, I'm restricted from really doing much along the fence, although I'll try some vines to help bring a little life to the boring wood.</div>
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A few weeks ago, after a lot of snow and some rain and before another storm was supposed to hit, I dug up the outline of Phase 1 garden area in our backyard. </div>
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<b><i>And realized</i> <i>I was either going to have an awesome backyard come June or I'd just made a really big mistake.</i></b><br />
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So I've spent the last several weeks outside, digging up bermuda grass, adjusting my plans, taking measurements again. Roy has enjoyed the increase in outdoor activity and decided to adopt a log of firewood as his new toy.<br />
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It has grown larger over the weeks...<br />
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And has spread...<br />
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And I've had a very willing helper...<br />
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And a very lazy dog (other than chasing away those savage birds)<br />
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I was able to find time to put a few flowers in one of the flower beds I started last fall, and the bulbs are coming up now. The back row will be sweet peas, and morning glories will climb the trellis.</div>
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And little by little we're digging up the hated bermuda grass and getting ready to put in the raised beds. It looks different every day...put probably only to us! And now to decide...to tree or not to tree...that is the question.</div>
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We're hoping to get that done this weekend and get some seeds in the ground before we leave for Northern California next week to spend Easter with Matt's parents. Wish us luck!</div>
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Kait Palmerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08238201343730608186noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2284157042107453114.post-22082795116815644242013-02-06T20:13:00.000-08:002013-02-06T20:13:17.245-08:00Tatum Is<div style="text-align: center;">
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px;">She loves playing with big kids. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px;">She loves to say no. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px;">She brushes her own teeth and has decided to make the switch from bottle to sippy cup a power struggle. And I thought she was totally read to be potty trained and now she knows she is going but runs away when I try to get her to go on the potty! </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px;">She can use my phone almost as well as I can. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px;">She loves to tickle her Dada, and only he can get her to go back to sleep in the middle of the night, and stretch a wake up time from 6 am to 8! </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px;">She loves her mama, and snuggles up when she's sleepy and pats my face and says "Mama" in a slow sleepy way that just makes me come undone. Then she squirms to be put down and calls for Roy and goes and decorates him with stickers and sings "Bye-o bye-o baby" to him. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px;">She is frustratingly lovable when she "accidentally" feeds Roy or pretends she has to use the potty as an excuse to not take a nap.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px;">This is just a little snapshot of my baby girl--I wrote most of this in an email with my best friend and thought I'd share it with y'all as well :-)</span></div>
Kait Palmerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08238201343730608186noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2284157042107453114.post-11040919721050320582013-01-26T18:30:00.000-08:002013-01-26T18:30:04.562-08:00Baby, You Butter My Cheese<div style="text-align: center;">
I've had the title of this post started for a couple months now and kept putting it off, but after going back to Orange County and talking to so many good friends who follow this blog I realized I need to keep posting things whether its perfect or not.</div>
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Was that a run-on sentence?</div>
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Too groggy to care. More writing, less editing.</div>
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As many of you have seen, I have a very spirited and very opinionated little girl.</div>
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She knows what she wants and it is completely my fault if I don't understand the difference between one babble and another. </div>
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A few months ago she was going through a teething phase and was hungry. Bread and butter is one of her favorite things to eat and usually involves her trying to eat as much of the butter and as little of the bread as possible. Another favorite is cheese, which she pronounces "Cheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeese" in a high pitched voice.</div>
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She wanted butter. That much I understood. But when I handed her bread and butter tears followed. </div>
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"What do you want?" I asked. </div>
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"CHEEEEEEEESE!" came the tearful reply.</div>
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I handed her a slice of cheddar cheese.</div>
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She took it...and tears started anew as she handed it back. </div>
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"What?!" I asked, exasperated, "You said you wanted cheese!"</div>
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"Bu...bu..." she wimpered.</div>
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Then I got it.</div>
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"You want butter...on your cheese?" I asked.</div>
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Vigorous nodding.</div>
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So when we really want to express how much we love each other in our family, we now say, "I'd butter your cheese."</div>
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Kait Palmerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08238201343730608186noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2284157042107453114.post-48809167066929901752012-12-20T09:51:00.002-08:002012-12-20T09:51:50.892-08:00What "Worth It" Means<div style="text-align: center;">
This post is for one of my oldest friends who was due to have her baby yesterday. Apparently everyone has been filling her in on how hard and awful and exhausting having a baby is. And all they say in the positive is, "But it's worth it..."</div>
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After a long night with a feverish baby waking up every 20-45 minutes, I'd like to (in my sleep-deprived state) share what my "worth it" is.</div>
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It's worth it when your baby recognizes your voice the instant she enters this world.</div>
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It's worth it when she then recognizes her Daddy's voice a few seconds later.</div>
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It's worth it when you see she has your eyes and her Daddy's cheeks.</div>
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It's worth it when you watch her little body and fingers and eyelashes uncurl from those cramped months like a flower blooming.</div>
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It's worth it when you see her smile for the first time. And the second. And the third...</div>
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It's worth it when she turns her head towards you when you enter the room because she can smell you.</div>
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It's worth it when you're the only one she wants.</div>
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It's worth it when it's 3 am and you doze off while nursing and then wake to find her just watching you.</div>
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It's worth it when you see her roll onto her tummy reaching for a toy.</div>
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It's worth it when you sneak up to her crib and watch her sleeping so peacefully, a binkie halfway in her mouth.</div>
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It's worth it when she figures out how to shimmy/slither/crawl in order to get to you.</div>
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It's worth it when you get to dress her up in the cutest outfits EVER.</div>
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It's worth it when you hear that most wonderful name, "Mama."</div>
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It's worth it when she lays her head on your chest, snuggled right up under your chin.</div>
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It's worth it when you watch her play in the sprinklers for the first time.</div>
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It's worth it when she laughs every time you fake sneeze. 52 times in a row.</div>
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It's worth it when you watch her smile make strangers light up on a daily basis.</div>
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It's worth it when she grabs onto your butt and wants to play choo-choo.</div>
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It's worth it when you get to watch her open presents. And it is SO much more fun than getting present ever was.</div>
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It's worth it when she's been ornery all day and when you're kneeling and cleaning up spilled cereal, she attacks your back with a bear hug and says "aawwwwww!"</div>
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It's worth it when she kisses you. For no reason.</div>
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Those are a few "worth it" moment off the top of my foggy head. Yeah, they may be cliche, but for good reason. They do, ever so, make the late nights and spit up and everything horrible you hear...<i>worth it.</i></div>
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Oh, and it's worth it when she does hilarious things like deciding to make your dog the toy box while he sleeps.</div>
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Kait Palmerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08238201343730608186noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2284157042107453114.post-64130917772127918332012-10-30T19:54:00.001-07:002012-10-30T19:54:12.474-07:00Favorite Moment<div style="text-align: center;">
My favorite moment of the day started when I heard Tatum calling "Mama!" as Matt was bringing her to the bedroom.</div>
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Then my favorite moment of the day was seeing her practice using a spoon with her oatmeal and making a grand old mess.</div>
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My next favorite moment was when I was watching her dance to Bob Marley, and she danced her little booty over to me and leaned back with her chocolate-covered face pressed against mine.</div>
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But then Matt came home and my favorite moment was watching her try to count "One, two, THREE!" with him as he would shoot her into the air and then pretend to wear her like a hat as she dissolved in giggles.</div>
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It's a good thing when there are too many favorite moments in a day.</div>
Kait Palmerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08238201343730608186noreply@blogger.com0