More

Maybe a lefty....

Papa's visit

Roman says "I can't wait to have my OWN baby". What a great Daddy he will be!

Jessi can crawl

These photos are from around Thanksgiving time....

Here's the little sweetie doing her inch worming....

Happy on Thanksgiving...

Teething in the back pack....

She cut her first tooth!

Lower left! Just noticed at 10pm today! Wasn't there this afternoon!

4 months old

She is loving Mt. Charleston.

Roman and Jessi

Halloween- she loved the wig! She reminds me of a doll I had as a child- "Wiggles".

Roman proudly sports the sling!

3 months old

Belly swimming

12 weeks old

Her first encounter on the ground with Raina- 2 months older.
At the Renaissance Festival in this photo. She peed on the ground here moments earlier. ECing at the faire wasn't easy but I managed. I actually would have liked to use the toilets but they were port-a-pots and I had the fear of dropping her in- scary! I just went under a tree, instead, and sat cross legged holding her on my lap. She peed between my legs, no problem. Pooping wasn't as easy. We used a diaper. She is such a happy little girl, though she did not like the wind at the faire. She kept gasping. More photos to come. (I have to clear off the ones on my camera!)

Feeling fine

Things are going great around here. We are moving to Mt. Charleston! The boys birthdays are today and next week. Nights are cooler. But the best thing by far is that my hubby whistled at me this morning. I'm feeling fine!

Our Beautiful Girls

Sisters....
Jessi is wearing an outfit Papa bought for her. Her first time in pants! We were at Mt. Charleston and it was chilly in the evening.

2 months old

I'm thinking I'll put this same dress on Jessi each month to show how she is growing (Trisha's idea). She is rolling front to back now! She is 11.8 lbs. She can hold her head up quite well, still a little wobbly. She can also hold herself up on her forearms when on her belly. (see her with Trish!) She also can laugh!! So, so sweet!

Rolling over

8 weeks old

25 inches

11.5 lbs

Gosh, she has Danny's eyes!

Jessica rolls over!!!

Yes, at one day shy of 8 weeks Jessica rolls over from back to front! Holy cow! Patricia and Roman were 3 months old and Gino and Gabriel (and me) were all 4 months old. I have video footage to post! Totally amazing!

Baby K'tan

My new sling arrived!! I love it- so much better then a wrap. It's too hot in this town for a wrap. There are many ways to wear her. This is the cradle hold. I wore Jessi in the hug hold today at the store. So many people commented on this sling. It's really comfy!!

The 7th DeArmas at 7 weeks

She is adorable!
Thinking....
Resting after playing with sister.

25 inches

11.1 lbs

eyes still grey- sort of look like turning light brown

loves to kick

trying to roll over!

watches siblings

wakes once a night

amazes strangers

cannot tolerate heat- naked mostly

talks and talks

thinks a lot!!

It's been 6 weeks

It's midnight and my little Jessi is asleep, as usual, in the nude. She had a very clingy day. I really think she feels when I need to just hold her and stop trying to be super mom. I'm awake trying to sort out some feelings. My house is not exactly neat. I have 5 loads of laundry to do and the floors are worse then the front side walk. But I get to hold her. I get to look down at her sweet face and see her smile so hard she almost tips over. I feel her relaxed breath and smell her familiar baby-milky smell. She has accomplished so much in 6 weeks. She weighs 10.7lbs and is 2 feet and 1/4 inches tall (laying down, of course). She loves to watch the kids play. She has been in her car seat twice and is OK as long as she is naked. She can not stand to be hot. Not at all. I know why her spirit communicated that she is not happy with where we live now! She stares at lights, likes being outside only if it is windy and gets super excited when Daddy comes home to smile at her. Gabriel can't stop kissing her and asking to hold her. Gino thinks she is so cute he can't stand it and Roman loves that she will always offer him a brilliant smile. Patricia protects her and giggles when she watches her. It's so nice to see her just light up in the company of her little sister, Jessica! I'm still doing the EC and I'm learning. She only wakes once or twice at night. She stays dry most nights and pees at dawn and sometimes poops too. She'll nurse, sleep and wake up around 9 or 10 to have several BMs. She grunts when she poops. I think she's copying me because I put her back to my belly and grunt so she feels the cue. Often in the morning she wants to nurse while she eliminates and that's fine with me. Breastfeeding relationship comes first! We're still working on the day time catches. She communicates with a little cry or screech and it's not to nurse. It's to let me know she has to go. She will also say "sssss" once in a while to cue me in. Sometimes, like me, she becomes distracted and totally gives me no warning. She almost always makes a face while eliminating. I'm feeling good about the EC'ing. I know it will take several more months to figure it out, but I like that she doesn't sit in her own stuff. That would feel horrible! (oh, she lets me know if she is in the sling and I can't feel it go through that she is uncomfortable with a wet bottom!)

I have been able to shower easily this time round. The master bath is big and so I put her in there on the floor on a blanket and she watches me- really the whole time-in the shower. Once a week or more I get in the bathtub with her afterwards. She loves it! She floats and kicks so much she makes white water! She is so strong! I am amazed at her kicks and punches- they hurt if you get in the way. And she moves so quickly. Wow. Her face rash is gone. I have found out that she gets the rash from me eating berries and tomatoes. Her pimples are gone, too. Her face is getting so plump. Her hair is coming in and it looks the same color as Patricia's. Her skin is lighter, like mine. Her eyes are still grey but turning a darker color grey.

The other children are adapting well to a new baby. Not quite back in to routine, but well. Trish really helps around the house, though she is frustrated by her demanding brothers. It's hard on her and I don't like to see her grouchy, but it happens. Roman has made some negative comments about me holding the baby all the time and I took time to tell him about when he was a baby. I also asked him if I should just let her lay by herself until she cried and he easily said NO WAY. I want to find some home movies of him as a baby and show him so he understands that I did the same thing with him, too. Gino said that I "like Jessi best right now", not in a negative or yelling way but just as a matter of fact. I'm sure it's because he loves loves loves to be hugged and sees me giving the most "hugs" to Jessica and figures it that way. I told him that I love everyone the same and the same thing I told Roman about what Jessica needs right now is the same thing he needed as a baby. He understood. HE would hold her all the time if I let him! Gabriel had a little transition time by "acting out" to get attention. It passed. The most difficulty around her is the cabin fever. Thankfully Danny took the kids to the park today so there was much less fighting among them. It happened the other summers too but last summer the pool helped. It's just too darn hot to be outside and I haven't taken them in the evenings to ride scooters on the school lot. The heat should break soon and I'll be able to take Jessica to the park without fear of both of us dehydrating.

I enjoyed the visits I've had. Danny's Mom and Dad came. Then my Sister, Tina, (she and Maggie picked out the cute dress Jessi is wearing in the photo) came and my Dad after. I hope others will come. We've had some local visitors, too. I really have some great friends here. I am so glad to have them. It makes me feel OK that my family is so far away.

So my babymoon is over. Back to grocery shopping, kid's sports, laundry and cleaning. Sigh. It's been a good run- the longest one of all! I'll start with short car trips and eventually Jessica will be fine in the car seat. My bleeding stopped and started all 6 weeks. Unusual for me. I dried Jessica's placenta- or so I thought. I had it drying in the food dehydrator for 48 hours and then I put it in a zip lock. I just checked it and it molded. Rats. No menopause "magic pill" for me. Oh well. I won't need it anyway. I just really didn't want to see the placenta rot because our freezer broke. I don't know what to do with it now. Hmmm, I can't just throw it out.

So, off to bed with me. How lucky I am. I love my children. I am so loved by them. Pure Joy.

Cutie Pie Jessi

One Month old

3 weeks old

I am amazed at this baby! She is such a delight and how beautiful! She is finally starting to look at my eyes instead of all around me! I smile at her and she smiles back. She loves to be naked! I put clothes on her for such a short time- then she lets me know that she is hot and wants them off! She is still communicating with me frequently on when she has to "go". Her pimples and face rash are clearing up.

Too cute at two weeks

Happy Baby pees on Mama

We are having much success with our EC adventure. Notice her "pee face" in this video. She actually has been doing the "psssss" sound mimicking me. Quite amazing! But not this time- just the face. Then she smiles about it- too cute!

2 weeks old today

Jessi Lou weighs 8.6 lbs and has grown to 22 and 1/4 inches!! Wow! She must have been cramped in there!!

My birth story....

After Lydi's visit Danny and I were calmed and convinced that the baby would be another week. Danny asked if I thought it would be ok for him to go play poker. I said, "sure, nothing is going on here". So off he went. I decided to read the "Powerbirth" book my midwife wrote and I stayed up to read it after the boys were in bed. I was up til about 11:30pm. I was awakened about 3:45am with a rush that was pretty strong. I got up to pee and noticed Danny wasn't home yet. I decided to go back to bed. Between 4 and 5 I had several other rushes, most feeling like I had to make a BM. Danny just got home about 5am. I waited for him to get out of the shower and then went in and layed with him. I told him that things might be rolling. Both of us were rather surprised at the timing but were excited. I called Lydi about 6am. She said she would be there in about 30 min. I had some more rushes- about 10 min apart- and I was needing to hold on to Danny now. Lydi called back and said her other mama had called, had rushes one on top the other and her water had broken. She said she would check her and call me back. Lydi called back and told me she needed to stay with her other mama and would call me after the baby and placenta came. Meanwhile, I tried the tub but I didn't like it. I didn't have Danny to hold on to and it really seemed to slow things down. The rushes were easier though. I was still able to smile and laugh at this point. Danny woke Trisha and the three of us were ok with the possibility that we might be on our own. It really was what I wanted to begin with. The only reason I continued with Lydi was because of the chance of twins. We felt ok with it. Actually rather excited. So we went through a few more rushes and then a call from Lydi. Her other mama had another baby to come- surprise twins! So here I thought it would be me with the surprise twins and it was the other mama!! Lydi said she'd be longer and that she'd call when she was on her way. I asked Danny if he wanted me to call Rosie- our wonderful friend who said she'd be here if we needed her. (she was a nurse and had caught several babies before the Dr. could arrive) He said that might not be a bad idea and it would be great to have another hand. Trish called and there was no answer. She called again and Rosie said she didn't have a car available. We were again ok with that. She called back and offered to take a cab over. How sweet! We felt good about that and took her up on that offer. She arrived rather quickly and she was amazing. Meanwhile, Lydi called and said she would be there in 30 min.

My rushes were gaining intensity and it felt good to tone through them. I ranged from grunty to actually singing! I felt close as I could get to God and felt I was remembering my ancient mind. I would take rescue remedy and it would really help me get back together. But, I was having a problem with BM and that was distracting me from trust. I really wished I hadn't used my enema a week earlier when I thought things were rolling. I was feeling more grunty and pushy when Lydi arrived. I guess rushes were 3-4 min apart. Usually I am not "checked" to see where I am- I can usually tell- but I felt so pushy I wanted to know if I could just let loose. Lydi told a surprised me that I was at 4 but completely thinned. Lydi suggested I get on the toilet to relax my muscles. I didn't like it. I couldn't hold Danny. He suggested I sit on his lap facing him and that worked well. I wanted out of the bathroom- too bright- so we went to the beanbag chair. After that I had about 45 minutes of intense rushes. One seemed to last forever. I was grunting (and having BMs- which really distracted me from my altered state) and actually yelled at one point that I "needed a break". I was hot and uncomfortable. I should have gotten in the shower to cool off. Trish sprayed me with some lavender water which felt good. I was leaning forward on the beanbag chair. The rushes continued on- one on top the other. I stood up for a change and Danny swayed with me and held me and made me feel safe. Not too much longer transition hit. I called for the trash can and the vomiting began (which happened every birth!). After that Lydi told me I was "done" and all I needed to do was push the baby out. I was all choked up and excited. I cried with Danny. We were going to see our baby soon!

I tried pushing backwards on the beanbag. I was too worried about the darn BMs and couldn't give a good push. Shucks! I asked Lydi "what do I do" and she suggested I push the beanbag up against my back and push without my feet on the floor so I was directing my pushing toward Danny who was ready to catch. She would hold my one foot and Rosie the other. I wasn't really comfortable, but it did press my rear end against the floor so I felt I would poop on my husband or the baby. I had a hard time feeling the pushing rushes. I think I must have been sitting on a nerve. I would push and the baby's head would bulge and then go back in. Bulge and back in. I just wasn't comfortable for pushing. Patricia was there the whole time, saying just the words I needed to hear. Danny asked me if I wanted to get up. I should have said yes- I had even gotten up to pee and should have squatted or even stood or asked Lydi about the birthing stool. I just wasn't quite with it feeling rather week after the vomiting. I got back on the ground and was ready to go again. I pushed but again the head would go back in. I couldn't feel the rushes. Weird. Danny broke the bag of waters (I'm not sure why Lydi told him to. I think it was tight on the baby's face without forewaters and she was concerned the baby would breathe in the veil.) I was determined and so with the next sort of rush, I pushed and her head crowned and was born. There was a pause- no other rush. Lydi seemed to become concerned about the baby- who Trish said was silver- and started pulling gently on her shoulder. I told her to "stop pulling!" and she told me well then PUSH! So I did. I didn't want any pulling!! She came right out. Lydi said the cord was folded in half. Our baby was born!

Danny caught her and proudly put our new baby girl on me. Oh, joy! She wasn't limp but she wasn't pink yet. Still a little "silver". She was coughing and whimpering a little. She had vernix covering her, but it was on top of peeling skin- sign of early and late. Lydi was rubbing her to help her pink up and I again asked her to stop and use a baby blanket instead of the chux pad she was using. She kindly stopped altogether. Rosie brought me the flower essence cauliflower and I put some on her soft spot. It is THE birth essence for spiritual connections. I had been taking a drop every two hours on behalf of the baby. She was suctioned with the bulb syringe and it helped a bit, although she didn't like that. Lydi asked if I wanted her to suction her with the tube suction. I thought, ok, but then Lydi started to cut the cord to do it and I said "NO". I wanted to keep the cord as long as possible. I really had wanted a Lotus birth where the baby kicks off the cord instead of it ever getting cut, but Danny objected and I was a little worried about sleeping with Gabriel, baby and a placenta. (as it turned out, the clamp was 10 times worse then a placenta as it kept hurting her.) Anyway, our Baby Jessica Louise pinked up, cleared herself out and was just adorable! The placenta was born and eventually Danny cut the cord. I told Jessica it was coming and she didn't flinch or cry. Phew. I was worried about severing that spiritual connection. But all was well. Lydi showed me the "heart-shaped" placenta. She said there was another lobe that had joined to the other. I guess since the lobe was really a lot smaller it looked more like a mushroom or tree, but I liked the lopsided heart idea much better. Danny Trisha and I concluded that that was because of our "disappearing twin". We were all ok with that, although it was a little hard to accept at first. Jessica is more then a dream- she is pure love!

We all were exhausted. The three boys came in and fell in love with their baby sister. They had been excitedly playing with the new stuff in the birth box. The baby loved them too and was obviously excited to see them, too. Patricia now had her little sister and grinned for hours! Danny, Jessi and I took a well needed nap. Trish took care of the boys. Our baby had arrived and Danny said, "you look like you are welcoming home an old friend". It felt like that. He also said he loved seeing me so happy. He was wonderful. I know we could have done it alone. I think Danny knows it, too. I'm feeling complete, so there probably won't be a next time, but if there is, he's my midwife with assistant Trish! I may have to revise or add to this, but that's it for now!

Funny faces

More photos

Birth story soon...Mama needs her babymoon...