Hypnobirthing...and such

As some of you may know, we are expecting baby number four! This was a total surprise for us...since we had pretty much decided that Kaylie would be our last (you know, since she has such an easygoing and mild-mannered personality and all...) and I made the mistake of saying, out loud to Ben, "If we do have another one it will have to be a surprise because I'm done!" Famous last words right? Blasted Karma...

So, our new little treasure will be joining our family in late September! This will be our last baby (oh yes, yes it will) and Ben and I wanted a whole different experience this time.

Now, don't get me wrong; I have never had a bad birth experience. All three of my kids were born without major complications. I had an epidural with all three and never had a bad reaction to it. I had relatively quick recoveries with the 2nd and 3rd deliveries. But through the whole experience and looking back on it now, I felt like an observer in the birth process. I was basically trapped on my back in a bed strapped to various monitors and iv's and medications and such...I couldn't really feel to push or anything...and looking back, I just didn't feel like I participated in the birth very much.

Enter good friend who has had both of her babies using Hypnobirthing...

She raves about this process. It is amazing and wonderful and empowering...Hmmm...

So Ben and I started looking into this. We have been participating in a Hypnobirthing class for about three or four weeks now and I have to admit, I am excited! After our first class, I felt really good about this! I know what you may be thinking.."Hypnobirthing? Is she crazy? What kind of voodoo is that?" I was a little iffy at first too, but it isn't anything crazy at all! It's just about trusting our bodies to do what God intended them to do without medical intervention. It's all about helping my body do this in the easiest, safest way for both me and the baby. It's about listening to my body and actually participating in the birth by moving and breathing. It's about my freedom to have this baby how I want and not how the Dr. or hospital thinks I should! I had my first appointment with the midwives today...and they are great! She said that about 60-70% of their ladies give birth naturally and that Ben can even help deliver the baby if he wants! Yeah, gown and gloves and catch the baby...how cool is that!?! So, I am really starting to see how my friend could think this is amazing and empowering! My brother is already making fun of me...but who cares, right? He ain't having no baby! :) I kind of can't wait!

Oh, and we are also not finding out what gender the baby is, so don't ask! (It's hard enough!) :)

So, this is my new journey...wish me luck! This is gonna' be amazing!

30 Days of Truth

Ok, I am just going to go through and answer the questions that I really like, or that I feel are more thought provoking...because obviously, I am no good at the daily thing!

So the next question I am going to answer is this:

Someone you didn't want to let go of, but you just drifted...

Growing up I had two really good friends. One was a girl who lived across the street, her name is Malia, and the other was a girl in my church class who's birthday was two weeks before mine who lived one street away. Her name is Chelsey. I pretty much spent as much time as possible with these girls! If I wasn't at Chelsey's, I was at Malia's or visa versa. I knew both of their families very well and greatly respected both of their parents. They were all such good people!!

Just before we started Junior High, Chelsey moved to Springville (funny, that's where I ended up!) and we just couldn't spend as much time together. She, of course, made new friends (she is such a fun, bubbly girl!) and we just drifted...we kept in touch for a while, but it was hard. We were young teenagers with no driver's licenses or cars!! :)

Malia and I stayed closer for longer. We used to walk together almost every morning in the summers. When we were about 15 or 16 years old, they divided our ward boundaries. Our street and the two next streets over were cut out of the old ward and put into an existing ward. I didn't take it so well. Malia was pretty much the only thing that kept me going to church. When high school came around, I decided to go to an out of boundary High School, which meant that Malia and I wouldn't be attending the same school. I think this is when we kind of started to go our separate ways. We still lived across the street from each other and would still talk, but we both were busy high school students and no longer had much extra time to spend together. When I was a senior in high school, we moved away from that neighborhood and that was pretty much the end.

Looking back now, I feel kind of selfish. I could have made more time for my friend. We lived twenty steps away from each other. But I was young and absorbed in the drama that was my high school life.

Malia's father passed away shortly after we moved. My mom and I came back as soon as we heard and went to comfort Malia, her sister and her mom. (Her brother was serving a mission in Canada). I remember feeling so helpless. I was heartbroken. Malia's dad was amazing. I remember listening to him sit on their front porch on warm summer nights playing his ukulele or guitar and singing Hawaiian songs. He made shaved ice every summer and sold it to all the neighborhood kids (though he would usually give me one or two for free :)) He was always so willing to serve anyone in need. He taught his children to work hard and he was such a wonderful example of a friend and father. I was feeling a tremendous loss, and I couldn't fathom the loss that my dear friend was feeling. I was unsure of what to say to comfort her. I just felt lost as I watched her hug her mom and sister as they all cried together. After that, we just drifted. Malia moved to New York to pursue her career. She still lives there. She has a very clever blog that I look in on every so often. She always was a fantastic writer!

So, if I could do it all again, I would make so much more of an effort to stay in touch with both of these amazing women. There were many times in my life that I could have used the love and support of my closest childhood friends. I know they are both doing very well, but I wish I could say that we have re-kindled our friendships. I am afraid too much time has gone by. I still think very highly of them both and remember them with incredible fondness. To Malia and Chelsey, wherever you are; thank you for those many years of friendship and love that you gave to me. The many nights of girly sleepover fun, the many times you lent a shoulder to cry on and a listening ear for secrets. I am sorry for any stupid things I ever did or said, and for things that I never did or said that I should have. I hope you are both well, and I love you.