A gift

A friend sewed this bear and filled it with rice and lavender buds (so it can be warmed for a child to hold), as a gift for us.  She painted wooden peg doll to look like the monk to go with the book The Sleepy Bear.  In the story, he is thrown from the train.  We added the train in our story-selling for an extra hands-on aspect!

We went on a hike with my husband, last week, who carried the 2 youngest boys for part of it.  Then, yesterday, I took the 3 boys out myself for a hike.  This is such a pretty season.  

Falling asleep in my arms... and this is when I trim his fingernails.

These tiny apples from this thick trunk tree.  Maybe above you noticed the beaver nibbled trees?  We walked past a pond with a beaver dam.

We've been invited by baby Elijah's Godfather and family to their house for Thanksgiving.  I will make pies to take there.  My favorite is maple pecan pie.

St. Elijah

This beautiful enameled icon was a

gift to our little Elijah on his baptism.  

Even the back is really lovely.

He's 6 weeks old now.  His Godmother is holding another icon of the Holy Prophet Elijah below, that was given to him just the day before his baptism.  My mom, aunt, two sisters and their families came to the baptism, as well as some friends who live locally. 

And he just started smiling!

We made 80 baby butter cookies to frost and used activated charcoal and raspberry to paint eyes and smiles.  We had a few cookies left over.  The weather has been putting on a variety show, sun, rain, wind and snow, this morning!  All the cousins had fun together.

Everyone is back home and we're on our old routine again, with homeschool lessons in the mornings.  But on to the next celebration, 2 more days until someone in our family has a birthday!

Posture

Holding my head up and pulling my shoulders back to a relaxed position feels better than my often hunched over profile.  

If I haven't put a pillow under the baby, while I nurse, I lean forward in a way that may cause back pain. Also, using my back in a symmetrical way helps, sweeping using the right and then left feels fair. I'm trying to put Elijah in the carrier, if he needs to sleep, and whatever I need to do, whether vacuum, laundry or something outside, usually results in a nap. Must be the fluidity of movement relaxes him. I listened to Katy Bowman talk about movement in our sedentary world.  A friend recently recommended her to me.  Getting outside everyday is wonderful.  I collected some leaves.  The fresh air feels so good in my lungs.  So, I think about my posture as I walk along these days.

               

We put Elijah down on a blanket more often.  Not just on his back, but on his stomach, too.  Tummy time is done every day for a few minutes and will:

• help develop strong neck and shoulder muscles
• promote gross motor skills
• prevent flat head issues
• build core muscles needed to crawl, sit, and walk
• quality time with other little siblings

It is also beneficial for adults.  Engaging my core muscles and obliques help my back to feel better.  So, I'll be there on the floor with them, with my arms out to the side, lifting them just a little up and down.  These are exercises I did while in a class at the YMCA.

Last week was Paul's namesday!  Here he is with the icon of his patron saint.

One month old and suddenly looking so alert!  I took out all the newborn clothing and have 3 month items for him.  The newborn clothing will go to a nice woman at church, Anya, who is due in 3 weeks.

House update

First you see what will be our bedroom, two windows now, where there had been only one.  The floors we had taken care of a month ago, lead paint removed and refinished.  

Next you see the dryer, which is working!  It's been over 2 years with crisp line dried towels, so fluffy, soft towels are appreciated.  My husband will put the washer in soon.  The other side will be the bathtub, sink and toilet.

Lots of windows here.  We added some and even uncovered two windows that look out at lake across the road...why did they cover them up?  I don't know, but we certainly wanted more natural light.

The kitchen ceiling is half done.  Cabinets in, as and covered to protect them.  The wood cookstove is the Kitchen Queen.  Then, we need to do the floors!  Our goal was to finish it all and move in before Oct. 1st (Elijah's due date), but he came early and the projects all take time...

Here's a video inside.

Birth story

Saturday Sept. 16th, is when it all began.  I've never had my water break first, but this time, it did about 6am.  I had no pain.  With the previous four, I felt contractions and water broke in the midst of labor.  It seemed like I was wet all day, not a big gush, but after an hour or two, with clothing changes, I realized my water broke. I walked with the boys to the neighbors in the morning.  It was a beautiful day, so I picked apples from our trees. My midwife suggested I do the Miles Circuit, so I did that throughout the afternoon. With no signs of labor starting or contractions, the midwife gave me several options and I chose to try castor oil first.  I put 4 Tbsp with vanilla ice cream at 8pm.  Then slept soundly.  

At midnight, I woke and used the bathroom, had diarrhea, about 3 times, which is what castor oil is typically used for, moving bowels, if one is constipated.  Then, contractions started 5-6 min. apart, I wrote notes and after an hour called Kathleen, the midwife.  She arrived at 3am with her assistant, Diana, a doula.  I was leaning over the couch, rocking, and wished for a bath, so got in our tub and the warm water felt great.  I got out and had a towel wrapped around me and on my back.  I drank coconut water. 

I didn't realize I was having back pain until Kathleen began to rub my lower back with a lavender and rosemary oil blend.  I felt a strong urge to push.  The midwife told me to stop pushing, so she could gently move back the "lip" but seriously it was hard, as the urge to push was so strong then.  She suggested I sing, which I did, briefly, "I love you a bushel and a peck."  Probably a bushel of apples on my mind!  And then pushed hard.  

Elijah was born at 4:39am Sunday Sept. 17th.  My husband said, "It's a boy!"  He didn't cry, so I was worried, but the midwife said he's fine, he was making other signs and sounds.  I held him on my chest and noticed was rather purple, slowly he turned pink.  I had chux pads under me and the placenta was delivered.  The midwife was concerned as she thought I was losing too much blood.  I didn't see anything, only felt the happiness of a fresh baby. She asked if she could give me a shot of pitocin and I said yes.  George came and put his finger in Elijah's hand and Rob took a photo.  I didn't tear, with such a quick labor, I was afraid I might.  Elijah was 2 weeks early, weighed 8 lbs 2 oz and if babies gain half a pound weekly until 40 weeks, he would have been 9 lbs, like George.  At 6am, Paul woke up and met Elijah.

I had more after birth pains than I remember having before, but kept a heat pad on my abdomen for about 2 days, during the night, too. I did take Tylenol 200 those first 2 nights. I'm sure it was my uterus contracting, trying to go back to its normal size.  It was all worth it.  I'd rather have pain and know what my body is doing, overall, and have a natural birth.

Grammie visits

My mom met Elijah a week ago. She was here for 5 days.  He's had some jaundice, but it seems to be better now.  Elijah is focusing well and looking around a lot.  He's grabbed his father's beard with a tight grip a few times.  Bishop Luke gave his big brothers a prosphora at church this past Sunday to give to me and Elijah.  The 40 days after his birth are a time for rest for mother and child. Elijah and I will go back the end of this month.

We did our 3rd batch of cider when my cousin came to visit.  Rob and the big boys had gone to the monastery and collected more apples Saturday, as they have so many apple trees.

Quality time with little brother.  I'm so glad George especially has bonded with him, as his role as the youngest has been taken over by Elijah.

We had a few really nice and warm days this week.  One day it was 88°F and sunny.  I wish we could have gone to swim at the lake.  Yesterday, we took a walk in the crunchy leaves.

Maybe I should share the birth story?

My mom got this icon of Mary, the Theotokos, the Milk-Giver when she was first a mother.  It's hand-painted by Father Theodore Jurewicz.  She gave him this little icon of St. Elijah, too.