Well, we have arrived. After a feverish day and a half of packing, and an exhausting evening of arrival and unpacking (because, you know, I'm a crazy person and MUST BE SETTLED IMMEDIATELY), we are here on the Farm, and my blood pressure was measured at 110 over 60 today. Yay. I'm a relaxed and happy girl.
Our cabin is lovely, after a few modifications. I brought my own table linens and comforters, bought some flowers today, and have now spread out my Blessingway goodies and pictures of my beloved women friends all over the place. There's no TV (gasp!) or microwave (the HORROR!), but we have our computers, wifi, and a great toaster oven so I think we might survive. We drove out to Lawrenceburg today, where there are horse hitches in front of the Walmart and Kroger (Amish country!), we had Chinese buffet (so yum!), and gathered some things that we needed.
Pamela came by later on and gave me an exam - only my second experience of what I think of as a true 'homebirth' prenatal appointment, where the midwife actually comes to you. (My first was in San Francisco with the incredibly awesome Michelle Welborn, who I wish could be here.) I got comfy on the bed and ready for only my second 'check' and Pamela started out by smiling at me and saying, "You're going to have a baby soon!" So sweet! I get so caught up in everything else that it's weird to stop and actually think, "I'm going to have a baby!" Crazytown. The report is that my cervix is 70% effaced, super soft and squishy, the baby is low but not super low, and all is well.
On another note, right before we left home a book that I had ordered arrived for Zoe - Mama, Talk About When Max Was Born. Oh my goodness. So incredibly wonderful! Thanks to my birthy friends for the suggestion! Zoe is in love with the book. Her favorite page is when Max is born in the birth tub and the family gets to meet him for the first time. As a result of this book, Zoe was eager to help with my latest prenatal with Pamela (she helped take my blood pressure), and this morning as we lay in bed together waking up, she asked to hear her birth story. This is an amazing time in our lives, and I am doing my best to imprint these moments in my memory.
My tasks now are to relax, eat well, drink lots of water, and walk my bootie off. So that is what I will do. Pamela is, true to her own admission, hovering like a mother hen, and will be checking in with me before she leaves the Farm property for any reason. It feels good, to have her watching over me like that. For the first time in my pregnancy, I finally feel totally safe and would be happy to go into labor. Now I just have to get my body and this baby on the same page with me. I'm ready to meet our next baby.
What an amazing opportunity to be at The Farm!! I'm a little jealous :) Just had my 2nd child via VBAC with the Vanderbilt Midwives at Vanderbilt hospital in Nashville ... such an exhilarating and empowering experience. I hope your birth experience is amazing! (Btw, I'm a friend of Scott's from Anderson!)
Posted by: Karin Simmons | January 08, 2012 at 03:31 PM
Thanks, Karin! Yeah, when I moved here from SF a year and a half ago all my birth-y friends there kept saying, "Hey! You're moving to Tennessee? You can go have your next baby on The Farm!" I thought there was no way. But here I am! CONGRATS on your VBAC! And at Vanderbilt - that's wonderful! Have you written the story down? I'd love to read it. :)
Posted by: Shelby | January 08, 2012 at 06:51 PM