Wow, it really has been a really, really long time. I have missed blogging so much. It is just really for me to justify blogging when I have so much else to do. Also, it seems like when I have free time and Asher is not particularly wanting me to use it to spend time with him, he is playing video games and the computer is not available. I really do need to get back into documenting our life.

There is so much to write about. I guess the biggest thing going on with me is that I am about to deliver Serenity. I am getting very excited about it. Yes, I realize that it is going to be a huge addition to my work load, but I can't wait to have a new member of our family. Each new little person brings in a unique personality and adds a totally new dimension to family dynamics. I really do feel so blessed to have such a large (I personally don't condsider it large) family.

I think many of you are going to be a bit surprised to find out that I am planning on having a natural birth. I did not particularly have a good experience having an epidural with Bethany. The anesthesiaologist took quite a long time to get to the hospital because it was on Saturday. By the time I got drugged up and all taken care of it was not too much longer until Bethany came. The anesthesiaologist did not make sure that my head was up and the medicine went to my head, making me feel ucky. I also started to get real itchy. Then when Bethany was born I had to wait a long time before the medicine wore off before I could even move. It just made the recovery much slower. I remember thinking at the time that I had wished I had not had an induced labor with an epidural. I think that even with the pitocin I could have made it without the epidural.

So this time I am hiring a doula. I was talking to my friend Cathy one day on the phone about my labor plans and she was telling me about how wonderful it was to have Joncia assist at her last birth. I realized that if I am going to have a natural birth I should probably have someone there who can show me how to do it. I want to move around this time and be able to do things to help myself manage the pain. I realized when I was talking to her that I really don't know too much about the pain management because I have had an epidural 3 out of 4 deliveries. With Caylee I had Stadol and I was strapped to the bed so there was not much that I could do besides breath.

I am so excited because I am actually getting two doulas for the price of one. Cathy just happens to be want to train to be a doula, so she is going to assist Joncia at my birth. I guess she was going to ask me anyway if she could come and assist at my birth, but it just made it so much easier for her when I hired Joncia.

Joncia and Cathy went with me yesterday to my OB appt. It went great! Joncia had never met Dr. Martin and was preparing for her to show fangs at the sign of a doula. But Dr. Martin is actually a big advocate of doulas, because they relieve the overworked nurses. She was great about my birth plan and is going to release me from being a patient (I can still stay in the room) just four hours after the delivery. Hurray! I cannot STAND when they come in every two hours to take my blood pressure at night time. I need to sleep. Having a baby is hard work. After I had Bethany I was so tired when I got home from the hospital. I just came home and went right to sleep.

Today Joncia and Cathy came over to show me labor positions. Let's just say there was massage and much pampering. Joncia even gave me a foot scrub and painted my toenails. I was so relaxed when they left. I really do think I can manage the pain with their help.