I'm a Hippie

No really. I am. Someone buy me a tie-dye shirt for Christmas and burn my bra while you're at it.

Actually, burn all my bras. It's not like I'm wearing them anyway.

Since I've fallen pregnant (as they say in the UK) I've had a lot of time to do research. On all sorts of baby related things. And I've come to the conclusion that I am a hippie. In the best sense of the word, of course.

I plan on breastfeeding. The act of breastfeeding alone doesn't qualify you as hippie. At least not to me. But I've become the like the ultimate defender of breastfeeding in public (or where ever you desire) since getting pregnant. I get infuriated when I hear stories about women being asked to go to the restroom to BF, or being stared at for FEEDING THEIR BABIES. But I digress.

We are also cloth diapering. This has less to do with the environment and more to do with my incessant need to save money wherever we can. But it's also good for the environment, so I'm ALL about it.

I also plan on baby wearing. And doing a delayed vaccination schedule. And baby led weaning.

You know what the best part is? I don't care what anyone else does with their parenting. Want to use formula? More power to you. Disposable diapers? Awesome. Chew up your food and feed it to your baby a la Alicia Silverstone? Gross to me, but whatever floats your boat.

Because who am I to judge? Is your baby fed, clothed, housed, and most importantly, loved? Awesome.

That's all that matters.

Love and Babydust,

Our BFP Story!

I have obviously been pretty absent the past few months. As many of you already probably know, I am almost 30 weeks pregnant with our little boy, Lane Marshall. And frankly, it couldn't have come as more of a surprise. I've been reluctant to share our story, more out of fear than anything else, because well...I'm just not used to good things happening. So for the longest time, I felt like it would keep the bad juju out. But I'm beyond ecstatic, and a mere 73 days from birth, so it's time.

With the loss we had in April, I was instructed by my reproductive endocrinologist to take a break from my meds to let my body have a chance to clear itself out. I was bummed when I found that out, especially because we were on vacation in Florida, but I could understand the rationale. Basically we were looking a 2 solid months of stress-free baby dancing.

Fast forward to the first weekend of June: we were in Columbus having a night out with our friends, C & A. Think bowling, arcades, and a lot of alcohol. I had ovulation pains, but since I wasn't taking any meds, figured I didn't release any eggs. Until I got this on June 19th:

(Please ignore the Mojo hair on my bathroom counter)

I was terrified! Three days prior I was in the ER for my neck and got some pretty heavy narcotics for the pain, as well as a regular regimen of oral narcotics. I thought for sure I had ruined my baby before he/she was even born. The nurse at the doctor's office assured me that it was still early, and that our mom's probably dropped acid, and we turned out slightly psychotic completely normal. My doctors have assured me that it was residual meds left in my system that resulted in this baby, but I still get people telling me "I told you when you stopped trying, you'd get pregnant." Those people? I WANT TO PUNCH RIGHT IN THE FACE.

And then I fell even more in love:

So far so good! My pregnancy has been pretty uncomplicated except for a bad case of sciatica which landed me in physical therapy. So be sure to look for more blog posts in the future! I don't think I will continue on Facebook after baby is born, so many of my updates on baby will be posted here (and lots of pics on Instagram of course!). As a friend from high school put it, "my baby will not be famous on Facebook".

Have a wonderful weekend! Go Bucks!

Love and Babydust :)

Thankful Thursdays

So, I've decided that not even I like to talk about infertility. All. The. Time.

Because of this I'm instituting Thankful Thursdays. You remember the month of November on Facebook when everyone wrote something they were thankful for every day? Well, I loved it. And thus, I'm introducing in into my blog. I've even got something planned for Fridays, but you'll just have to hold on to your pants for that one.

I know it sounds supa dupa cliche, but I've eternally thankful for my husband. Let's just say being married to me probably isn't the cake walk I'd like to make it out to be, but my hoosband - is a trooper. I  have a tendency to go through life at a full on sprint, and he makes it okay to walk. He gives me perspective when I need it most. Like the other day, I was diagnosed with having 3 herniated discs in my neck. And while I was feeling bummed about it, he says, "Hey, you don't have stage 4 cancer". This might be annoying to some folks, but since we've been together my mom has beaten cancer twice, and it's refreshing.

There's no one else I'd rather go on this journey through life with, and that includes my infertility. When I was diagnosed, he said "We will do whatever it takes." And he still says that, even when I get $1000+ doctor bills in the mail (yesterday). And now for the gratuitous pics of his handsome self.

On top of Mt. Vesuvius

A rare moment of him being weird, and not me

Road trip to Dallas for NYE

Love and Babydust,