tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-64113067692105779042024-03-15T18:12:22.467-07:00Joel and Sara CastroSara Bosler Castrohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00420200158654185603noreply@blogger.comBlogger46125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6411306769210577904.post-38483964440820400862023-07-18T21:36:00.000-07:002023-07-18T21:36:33.747-07:00Benjamin's Birth Story<p style="text-align: center;"> <span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: 700; text-align: center; white-space-collapse: preserve;">BENJAMIN OAK DA SILVA CASTRO</span></p><span id="docs-internal-guid-37d7ced7-7fff-90df-7877-aeea80ef78b0"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">March 21, 2022 (first day of spring!)</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">4:42 a.m.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">7 lbs. 4 oz., 21.5 inches</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Born at home</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">I had a difficult time sitting down to write Benjamin’s birth story because I did not know where to start or how to include all of the details leading up to his birth. From the decisions I made right after James was born that led me on this HBAC (homebirth after cesarean) trajectory, to the gifted necklace I held in my hands days before delivery that was made of unique beads representing each of the women in my life who supported and loved me. I attempted a few times to include it all, but it just wasn’t coming together. So I wrote this birth story directly to Benjamin instead. It may be vague or too figurative in some ways, but it has captured it all for me. Just come and talk about the details with me in person. :) Benjamin’s actual birth isn’t a long complicated story. It was a true culmination of what I had learned from the previous three births and how that became a stepping stone to a deeper learning. I hope I can express the redemptive experience his birth was for me. It was unforgettable–which is very on theme for a Castro birth story. </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">My dear baby boy,</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="text-wrap: nowrap;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Your name is Benjamin Oak. I gave you the name Oak as a reminder of so many things—nature’s own “trees of life” that first connected your body to mine in the womb and that now nurtures you with mother’s milk through infancy, a reminder of the divine privilege and stewardship I hold as a gatekeeper to this world that is symbolized by one of the two trees in Eden, the image of a tree I drew with pastels that came to my mind as I healed and prepared for your birth, nature’s way of teaching me about the seasons in my own life and that your arrival would bring back spring and signs of living again, and the lesson I’ve learned that “in trees and [mothers] good timbers grow” for “good timber doesn’t grow with ease, the stronger the wind the stronger the trees.” My pregnancy with you made me trust in my roots, and not feel weakened by my scarred and weathered trunk. It made me more aware than ever before of the sacred nature of motherhood, pregnancy and childbirth. I could feel my strength and was keenly aware of yours. I know you will stand tall and steady one day, my Benjamin Oak, and I will look up to you. Here is your birth story:</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="text-wrap: nowrap;"> </span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #18191a; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">It was Sunday, almost a week after your due date, and that evening we went to our good friends, the Merkley’s house for dinner. We had cheeseburgers with all of the best toppings, and I was so disappointed when I felt my appetite leave me and I couldn’t finish my food. It was such a shame. While we were there, I started to feel some sporadic contractions. After dinner I was chatting with Bianca in the kitchen when a contraction hit me hard enough that I had to breathe through it. I realized then that true labor had probably begun. This was it! </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #18191a; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="text-wrap: nowrap;"> </span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #18191a; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">We went home and, while Papai put the kids to bed, I stayed downstairs to sit on my birthing ball and relax. Immediately after I sat down on the ball a huge contraction came and I couldn’t move. I tried to stand up and my whole lower body felt frozen in place. I knew then that if I stayed downstairs much longer then I probably wouldn’t make it upstairs to where everything was set up for the birth. I called Grandma who was in her room upstairs and asked for her help. I held onto her shoulders and shuffled/waddled my way up the stairs. Of course, after watching me and Grandma awkwardly form a conga line up the stairs, the big kids came running to us and asked if you were coming. I told them no, and to get back to bed. There was no way they’d go to sleep if I had told them the truth. I didn’t mind if they were there to witness your birth, but I had no idea how long labor would be. I told them I would let them know when it was time.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #18191a; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="text-wrap: nowrap;"> </span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #18191a; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">I got to my room, laid down in bed and texted my midwife, Gengi. It was around 8 p.m. I was reluctant to tell her this was “it” but I thought it would be a good idea to give her a heads up before it got too late. She said to text her if I felt a shift in my emotions. I felt fairly calm and like I could get some rest before things ramped up. A strange and funny thing happened—I was laying down, checking Instagram as one does these days, and a video came up of someone deep-cleaning a car. It was so soothing and satisfying and it kept my mind off of the contractions, so I went on to watch video after video of people deep-cleaning cars, rugs, etc. I haven’t watched one of those videos since, but apparently it was just what I needed during early labor. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #18191a; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="text-wrap: nowrap;"> </span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #18191a; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">At midnight the intensity of the contractions started to pick up and I started to panic. I felt fear wash over me. </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #18191a; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Oh no, I remember this pain</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #18191a; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">, I thought to myself. </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #18191a; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">There is no turning back now.</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #18191a; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> This was the shift in my emotions Gengi was referring to. I sent her a text and she said she would start heading my way. Her ETA was about 2:45 a.m. because she lived far away. Papai began filling up the birthing tub, knowing I was going to need that soon enough to manage the pain. At some point James had crawled into our bed. I looked at his wild, blonde head of hair and his round, sleepy face. Soon he was no longer going to be my baby boy. It’s always shocking how quickly they seem to grow up when a new baby joins the family. I always grieve that change.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #18191a; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="text-wrap: nowrap;"> </span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #18191a; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">The birthing tub was filled with warm water, the room was lit only by candlelight and I had my labor playlist playing softly in the background. Papai took James into Grandma’s room to sleep. From that moment until I held you in my arms, my eyes were mostly closed. I had officially entered “Labor Land.” The next thing I knew I felt a gentle hand rubbing my foot. Gengi had arrived. She spoke softly and worked quietly around me as she laid out her supplies around the room. Her assistant midwife, Jenna was with her. They helped me into the birthing tub and the warm water dulled the pain and instantly relaxed my muscles for a moment. The pain from the contractions was intense and I tried my best to breathe through them. The midwives helped me move into different positions, rubbed and pressed on my lower back and hips through the contractions and whispered affirmations. There were no cervical checks, no unwanted interventions, no “policies'' or demands—just support. I felt encircled and buoyed up by the Divine feminine. Papai knelt next to the tub, held my hand and pressed a cold washcloth against my forehead. Although they were all quietly cheering me on, I felt like I was fighting against the pain and losing. The contractions kept coming, closer and closer together and I dreaded each one. Gengi suggested I get onto my knees and lay my arms over the side of the tub. My hips ached so badly. I really wanted to move but I couldn't. I didn’t think I could take one more contraction. I felt the urge to push, so I would, but it didn’t seem to be getting me anywhere. Suddenly I was hit by a wave of nausea, warned everyone that I felt like I was going to throw up and then I did so into a bowl Gengi had quickly handed to Papai. I knew that was a good sign. I was in transition! Gengi put a few drops of flower essence into my mouth. It made the awful taste of vomit dissipate and invigorated me. Just minutes after, I felt my waters break and that was another sign this labor was coming to an end. If it hadn’t been such a struggle for me to manage the pain, I wouldn’t have believed labor was almost over. I continued to push, quite vocally and with an intense desire to get my baby out. My other two babies that were born vaginally came out very quickly—just 2 or 3 pushes—so I expected that to be the same or faster with you. But it seemed like you were taking your sweet time. Pushing was still relatively fast, but I had never felt a baby's head crowning for more than a few pushes and it was very painful and frustrating. Later, Gengi told me that one of your shoulders was stuck and she had to help it out. Finally, one last push and you were out. Gengi placed you in my arms, she rubbed your back vigorously and I watched your body and spirit unite as you took your first breath. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #18191a; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="text-wrap: nowrap;"> </span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #18191a; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">There is nothing like the flood of relief when my baby is finally in my arms. Papai happened to start filming right before the last push and he caught all of it on camera. Watching it over again, the instant jump from being on the edge of despair to total elation is palpable. Papai said he felt it, too. He said it felt like triumph—a victory over all that had come before. It was all worth it. I stared at you as I held you with me in the birthing tub for a while, with the placenta floating beside us in a bowl (our regular popcorn bowl, that I now called “the placenta bowl”). When it was time to get out, my midwives helped me and you out and wrapped us in warm towels. They walked us over and laid us down into my bed. It was absolutely glorious to be in my own bed. Even though I was shaking uncontrollably—probably because of the post-labor shakes and the change in temperature coming out of the water—I felt so happy and comfortable. I was riding that post-labor high. We then proceeded to cut the cord (I can’t remember who cut it! Maybe me?), Gengi stamped the placenta onto a large piece of paper to keep as a print, and then she held it up and explained the different parts. (That placenta is still in our freezer, waiting to be planted under an oak tree for you wherever our new home will be.) Then, for the next couple of hours, I laid in bed holding you on my chest with our beloved Papai beside us. We chatted with Gengi and Jenna while they cleaned up the room. We watched the sunrise through the tall maple trees outside the windows. It reminded me of a line from a song in my labor playlist, “all will be well in the morning.” All was well. One by one, each of the children woke up and wandered up to our room to find a delightful surprise waiting for them. When all of my chickadees were piled into our bed at last, Gengi weighed and measured you while I ate a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Gengi and Jenna got the room into better shape than before the birth, made sure I was well and comfortable, left herbal tinctures and homeopathic remedies next to my bed for recovery, and loved on you and me just a little bit more before they left. Every day for the next few days and then weekly, Gengi came back and sat at the foot of my bed to take care of us. She is an angel and I will treasure her forever and ever. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #18191a; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">I do believe it matters to God how children come into this world and I did everything I could to hold reverence for your journey to life on earth. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #18191a; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 10pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaxx3DyvUpqhjPJ_uY90m8yTA_UJBtjP4MrTBRXEZJHn9mM6HXQJMAWuREiWqZf6NU-8sYHoEnZ-C35be5ZPS7Ea8rc2OpElhXVWdT96AnFG5XFZBobqHSpTdIkGlDjyed_LFq2mssh9M5kDpi54NRz4-wgcAxUyWQgH6bcfnmzwHEH4sc57trCWMS6P4g/s3602/IMG_5995.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2719" data-original-width="3602" height="451" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaxx3DyvUpqhjPJ_uY90m8yTA_UJBtjP4MrTBRXEZJHn9mM6HXQJMAWuREiWqZf6NU-8sYHoEnZ-C35be5ZPS7Ea8rc2OpElhXVWdT96AnFG5XFZBobqHSpTdIkGlDjyed_LFq2mssh9M5kDpi54NRz4-wgcAxUyWQgH6bcfnmzwHEH4sc57trCWMS6P4g/w597-h451/IMG_5995.jpg" width="597" /></a></div><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #18191a; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 10pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span><p></p><div><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #18191a; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 10pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #18191a; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 10pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></div></span>Sara Bosler Castrohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00420200158654185603noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6411306769210577904.post-64267973670058282022019-08-30T21:05:00.000-07:002019-08-30T21:09:38.479-07:00James's Birth Story<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Unlike the birth stories of my first two, this third one was a long time coming. I’ve just never really felt comfortable sharing it until now. There was a lot for me to process after James was born and even now, a year later, I still haven’t quite digested it yet. The wake of his birth, moving into our first home, the emergency appendectomy two months later, the drawn-out healing, the year of sleepless nights and the echoes of trauma, fear, mistrust, and postpartum-depression have really done a number on me. It’s been the most difficult year of my life, so far, and I am amazed we all made it through. I’ve never once felt that holding James in my arms has been anything less than a privilege and a blessing—I have truly enjoyed him and feel more deeply attached to him than any baby before—yet everything else seemed to consume me. It was such an exhausting dichotomy to live in. This birthday is not only a celebration of an absolutely beloved baby boy who exudes sunshine and joy, but also a triumph of the human will, and testament to the power of a village. It feels like such a feat to get here and I am grateful to be moving on toward brighter days.</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-tab-span"></span>James’s birth story echoes some of Liam’s birth story, and I had a feeling that it would. You see, if you don’t know already, I have a uterine abnormality called a “uterus didelphys” which means my reproductive system formed two separate uteruses with their own cervixes. So far, I’ve had three pregnancies (only two full term) in my right uterus and James is the first pregnancy in my left uterus. Throughout my pregnancy my midwives referred to James’s pregnancy as “primigravida” which means “first pregnancy” because it technically was for that uterus. We didn’t know whether James would come quickly like Lily or slowly like Liam, but I guessed it would be the latter. Labor with James did end up being just like my first labor—very late and very long. And it also began on a Thursday.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;">I woke up Thursday morning, August 30th, to the familiar feeling of a contraction. I lay in bed feeling them come and go about every ten minutes. I was so relieved labor was finally beginning and on its own. I was 41 weeks and 6 days along in my pregnancy and had been begging for contractions for days. I didn’t tell anyone what I was feeling because I didn’t want to feel any more pressure or give anyone false hope.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-tab-span"></span>I went to my appointment that afternoon at the midwives’ office for my third NST (non-stress test) and second biophysical profile. The baby was absolutely fine, as I figured, since women in my family usually go late and it has never negatively affected the baby. Our babies just need a little extra time to cook and we should not be held so strictly to the arbitrary “due date” calculations. Just don’t even get me started on that…</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I had consistently been feeling contractions every ten minutes but realized if they hadn’t picked up by now then I would not be experiencing a short labor like Lily’s. So I just prayed I was dilating. The midwife checked my cervix and announced, “You’re dilated to 3 cm!” I was over-the-moon. After about 30 hours of labor with Liam I was only dilated to 1 cm. My left cervix may be new to this, but it was dilating on its own—hooray!</span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-tab-span"></span> Later that day I told Joel and my mom the good news. Contractions were still ten minutes apart, but we figured that once they picked up then it wouldn’t take too long to fully dilate. I went to bed that night hoping to get as much rest as possible, but as soon as I lay down the contractions felt more intense and closer together. I slept between contractions for a couple of hours, but jumped out of bed after a contraction that made me feel like I was going to throw up. I ran to the bathroom in a cold-sweat feeling nauseous and panicked and thought, “Uh oh…I felt just like this right before Lily was born…did I wait too long? Did I underestimate things again?” I felt an intense contraction and then quickly yelled to Joel, “It’s time to go!” He and my mom quickly pulled things together, called our friends over to watch the kids and we were out the door in about twenty minutes. We left our apartment around 11pm and got the birth center in about 45 minutes. By the time we got there my contractions were back to ten minutes apart. I wanted to cry. I felt so dumb for rushing out the door when I was probably about to be sent right back home. The first mistake of many, but this one was entirely my own.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-tab-span"></span> The midwife on call, Jenna, met us at the door of the birth center. I explained the situation to her. She said she would check my cervix and and go from there. I was now 4 cm dilated, but obviously not progressing very quickly. She said that with my history (Lily) she didn’t feel comfortable sending me home, but she also didn’t want to admit me and put a time limit on my labor (the birth center usually gives you 12 hours to get into active labor, otherwise you are admitted to the hospital). She graciously asked if we wanted to make ourselves at home in the lobby and see if contractions picked up. I just wanted to have my baby so going back home felt like a huge step backwards. I should have gone home, but I was thrilled to be able to stay and relax. The lobby had a few comfortable couches for us to sleep on so we spent the night there. As soon as I lay down on the couch, contractions picked up again. They were every five minutes. I ate and slept for the next several hours until about 5 am when my contractions slowed down again. I got up and walked up and down the stairs of the birth center for about an hour. I skipped a step as I walked up the stairs and did squats when I got to the bottom of the stairs. I was so determined to will myself back into labor. An hour later Jenna checked me again and I was dilated to 6 cm. It was slow progress, but it was progress! Unfortunately, time was against me. I had until midnight that night (which would officially put me over 42 weeks) to give birth at the birth center or I would have to give birth in the hospital. Jenna sent us outside to walk around until shift change at 8pm. We walked and walked and walked around the cemetery across the street. It was a cool, beautiful morning and the fresh air felt good…too good, though. My contractions stopped. I had maybe two during our walk.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-tab-span"></span>When we got back to the birth center Jenna and I sat down to talk. We discussed breaking my water to get things moving and give me a better chance of staying at the birth center. I figured that breaking my water at 6 cm seemed like a good idea, so I told her to go for it. After several very painful attempts, Jenna vaguely said, “I can’t seem to do it. Let me get the next midwife on-call. She’s here now.” Lindsey came into the room with Jenna and she attempted to break my waters, too. But she couldn’t seem to do it either. Her attempt was terribly painful for me, too. At one point I told her it was enough. Although she was respectful, I felt injured and almost violated. She suggested we go across the street to the hospital and have one of the OBs they work with try to break it. We walked over to triage and met with the OB, Dr. Miller. I wasn’t happy to be there because I really do not like hospitals, but if Dr. Miller was successful then I could go right on back to the birth center.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-tab-span"></span>Dr. Miller checked me and then said to Lindsay, “Yeah, I feel it too.” She turned to me and said, “We are feeling some sort of thin membrane that seems to be covering the opening of your cervix. The baby might not be able to even get out that way.” They double-checked their findings by doing a transvaginal ultrasound and then gave me two options: a c-section or an epidural so they could cut out the membrane. Awesome. They said that they might be able to push the membrane out of the way if I got to the point of pushing. It was then that I proposed a third option: put me on pitocin in hopes that I fully dilate and can push. If I was fully dilated then the baby’s head might apply enough pressure to break the membrane or push it to the side. I didn’t want to jump straight to a c-section nor slow down labor even more with an epidural. They were on board with pitocin. They cant administer pitocin during labor at the birth center which meant I would be admitted to the hospital after all. Joel and I went up to Labor & Delivery while my mom grabbed our stuff from the birth center. I asked them to start me “low and slow” on the pitocin and they got me hooked up and ready to go. This was at about 11:30 AM. I was tired, but felt like I had enough energy in me to make it through a few hours of pitocin. After only about 4ish hours of pitocin during Liam’s labor my body dilated from 1 cm to 10 cm, so I was hoping to dilate quickly.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-tab-span"></span>The next six hours on pitocin were awful. The nurse kept coming in and turning up the dosage. She didn’t say a word to me—she just walked in, pressed a few buttons and walked out. I was annoyed but not in my right mind to talk to her about it. I felt the most intense pressure in my back on the left side. I figured the baby was posterior and had my mom and Joel alternate applying pressure to my back through each contraction. I don’t think I could have handled the contractions without the counter pressure. They were about 1-3 minutes apart and extremely intense back labor. I had specifically told the midwife, Lindsay, when they admitted me to the hospital that I needed her there to help with pain management, but she was nowhere to be found while I was on pitocin. She didn’t help with pain or try to get the baby in the right position. Looking back on this, it really bothers me. Changing the baby’s position could have made all of the difference, as you’ll see later on. She seemed to just check out and let the OB take over even though the midwives are supposed to be the primary care givers whether you are at the hospital or birth center. I’m disappointed in how that turned out. After six hours of laboring through pitocin—walking around, sitting in the bath tub, and laying in bed—I couldn’t take it anymore. It was the most unnatural, unnerving pain. While I was laying in bed I felt my water break. I needed someone to check my progress and tell me the baby was crowning—now! But he wasn’t. I was checked and had not progressed at all. I felt defeated. I told Dr. Miller that I was ready to move onto option #2: administer the epidural and cut out the membrane.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-tab-span"></span>The anesthesiologist came in to give me the epidural and I pretty much wanted to punch everyone in the room. I was still on pitocin, the contractions were too much and it seemed impossible to “hold completely still” as they kept telling me to do. When I was all numbed up, Dr. Miller came in to cut the membrane. She checked me and then said, with surprise in her voice, “Well, I have good news and bad news. Good news is that there isn’t actually a membrane covering your cervix. The bad news is, we have been checking the wrong cervix this whole time.” Did your jaw just drop reading that? Yep, over 30 hours of labor and they had been checking the wrong cervix. Remember how they even double-checked with an ultrasound? The membrane they “saw” did not exist!</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-tab-span"></span>I felt a mix of emotions—shocked, relieved and on the verge of crying. It turns out that my right (non-pregnant side) cervix had been dilating this whole time and that’s what they were feeling. They would reach up through my right cervix and feel the baby’s head against the uterine wall, which they thought was the mysterious membrane. When the midwives were trying to break my water, they were essentially trying to rupture a uterine wall. No wonder it was so painful and, praise the Lord, they weren’t successful.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-tab-span"></span> So my right cervix (non-pregnant) was dilated to about 6/7cm and the left cervix (pregnant side) was only dilated to 3 cm at this point. Dr. Miller said this was fine, we will treat it like a first labor and just give it time to dilate completely. With time, she was sure I would deliver this baby vaginally.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-tab-span"></span>Now, Dr. Miller is a fine doctor and I am grateful I had her there. I don’t blame her for not knowing her way around my unique reproductive system. This was the day we met! She was great at explaining everything to me, showed respect by offering options and listening to my concerns. She was motherly, but not condescending. She felt very familiar to me and I’ve learned over time that strangers who feel familiar to me have been specifically placed in my life by God. My midwife on-call, on the other hand, I am extremely disappointed with. It’s interesting because in my experience that has usually been the other way around. I digress…moving on…</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-tab-span"></span>At this point I had been in labor for 36 hours. I was off of pitocin because my cervix was dilating and I was contracting regularly on my own. I lay in bed feeling exhausted and unwell. I felt like I couldn’t breathe. I was nauseous and my body was weak. I was happy to wait for my body to dilate but it felt like it would never happen. I would never see my baby. I would never be on the other side of this. Unfortunately, the baby seemed to be feeling similarly. During the next couple of hours his heart rate kept dropping. He had always been a strong, happy baby with a steady heart rate. About a month before this I was hospitalized due to abdominal pain “attacks” I’ve been having over the past ten years. This specific “attack” ended up putting me into the hospital and early labor. Throughout my stay the nurses kept commenting on how happy the baby was and how much he was moving through everything. So when his heart rate started to drop at this point I knew it wasn’t good. His heart rate would drop and the doctor and nurses had me rolling around, up on my hands and knees, and hanging over the head of the bed. Each time it took longer to get his heart rate back to normal. They screwed an internal monitor into the baby’s head (which really upset me—like if I were in my right mind that would not have happened). I was dilated to 6 cm now, but he was posterior and his face was presenting which really slowed down the progress. He needed help getting into the right position, but nobody did anything about it. I was so out of it that I didn’t even know how to communicate the need. After about the sixth time his heart rate dropped Dr. Miller sat down and calmly discussed our options. We could wait it out or go in for a c-section. It was so clear to me, Joel and my mom what my next step would be. It was the right decision but a decision I never thought I would have to make. We agreed to go ahead with the c-section. I made it very clear how much I wanted to avoid it, why I wanted to avoid it and the anxiety I felt about the surgery. Dr. Miller talked me through every thing and promised me a few things to make me feel more comfortable throughout the surgery. They wheeled me into the blindingly bright operating room and I felt at peace, anxious, relieved and terrified all at once.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-tab-span"></span> We were told the surgery would take about an hour—including prep time. After they prepped me they brought Joel into the room. He held my hand and kept me calm. He also held the cup I kept vomiting into. Poor guy. Dr. Miller did the “pinch test” where she would pinch parts of my abdomen to see if I was numbed completely. She pinched above my belly button and I said, “Yep, I felt that one,” to which she replied, “Well…I’m really sorry Sara but I have to start because the baby has been off of the monitor for too long.” It totally freaked me out that I was about to be cut open and possibly feel it. I didn’t, thank goodness. Although c-sections are actually pretty intense. I was surprised at how much I did feel. I even cried out in pain a few times at the end. You’re not just feeling “pressure”. <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-tab-span"></span>At 11:34pm on Friday August 31st, 2018, ten minutes after they began surgery, I felt them pull the baby out of me. I looked up and saw my healthy, crying baby. He looked very familiar to me and I said to Joel, “Yeah, that is definitely our baby!” They announced we had a boy and we both cried. I didn’t cry when my other babies came out, but the relief in this moment was palpable and we were so grateful for our healthy baby to be OUTSIDE of my body. And it was a boy! How wonderful! He had swallowed some meconium so he had to be suctioned and put on CPAP, but he was fine otherwise. James was born weighing 7 lbs. 7 oz. and measuring 20 inches long. Joel followed him to the nursery about 45 minutes later, but not before he saw that things with me were taking a turn for the worse.</span></span><br />
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-tab-span"></span> I had asked for someone to be talking me through the surgery. I just wanted updates to help keep me calm, but after the baby was taken care of things got quiet. Joel said he would look over the curtain at Dr. Miller’s face and she kept shaking her head. Dr. Miller eventually said, “Sara, I’m very sorry but I cut your bladder. I’m stitching it up now.” And that was it. She told the anesthesiologist to give me shots of something in my arm a few times. I spent the next hour and 45 minutes on the operating table unsure what was going on and calling out over the curtain, “Am I going to be okay?” I was exhausted and out of it and couldn’t keep my eyes open with the bright lights above me. Nobody was telling me anything so my thoughts went wild. Joel was in the Nursery with the baby during that hour and 45 minutes planning my funeral. It all felt very dramatic. The midwife, Lindsey, had taken Joel’s place holding my hand by my side. Now I can’t remember if this happened while she was next to me or while Joel was next to me, but at one point I felt someone else holding my hand on the opposite side. The anesthesiologist was over there and I thought, “Oh that’s nice of him to do that.” I turned my head to see him and there was no one there. It was crystal clear that someone on the other side was watching over and comforting me. In fact, before I could even imagine who it could be I immediately thought of Joel’s dad. I believe it was him, and I was so grateful for that tender moment.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-tab-span"></span>Once they took me out to the recovery area, Dr. Miller came in to talk to me. She explained that due to my uterine abnormality my bladder isn’t in the normal spot. It’s higher than usual, kind of peeking out between my two uteruses. She said that at one point during surgery my bladder and my two uteruses were completely outside of my body. I sincerely hope they made it back to their usual place. I was told later that the surgery was much longer than anticipated because the bladder was difficult to repair. I wish that would’ve been communicated at the time because Joel and I were very shaken up by the unknown. The thoughts we had then still haunt us now.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-tab-span"></span> Due to the incision on my bladder, I would have to have a catheter in for ten days. Let me tell you, those ten days drove me absolutely crazy. An infection, a 6 hour trip to the ER with my newborn in tow, and four rounds of antibiotics later and I was finally done with the bladder ordeal (two months later I had an emergency appendectomy and two more rounds of antibiotics…but that is another story).</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;">Out of this long, complicated labor came a perfect, beautiful baby boy. When Joel brought him to me in recovery James latched on right away and started nursing like a pro. In that first month, he ate well, slept well, was so sweet and happy and glowed just like an angel. I couldn’t be more grateful for and in love with him. He was my pal and my source of joy throughout a painful recovery. And even after all we’ve been through—when I look at him it makes me want a million more babies.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-tab-span"></span>I’ve accepted that labor will never be “normal” for me (I mean c’mon, my three labors have been VASTLY different), but he is proof that it is all worth it in the end. After all is said and done, I feel a much deeper sense of pride and honor to be a mother. Thank you, and happy birthday, my sweet baby James.</span></span></div>
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Sara Bosler Castrohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00420200158654185603noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6411306769210577904.post-73105651948541680532015-10-31T05:33:00.002-07:002017-11-12T21:00:33.880-08:00Lily's Birth Story<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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My pregnancy with Lily began just like the old wives would
predict: a miserable amount of nausea and vomiting because I was now growing a
sweet, little girl inside of me. Once that tapered off, the pregnancy was
smooth and easy. My intuition (which I believed would reveal so much about my
pregnancy with Liam but absolutely disappeared the moment the stick read
positive) was clear that she would be a strong woman born with a full head of
black hair. One evening I sat in the temple with the intent of just meditating
on her. I felt she would be a powerful influence in the world and that her
personality would be all her own. I felt I
was carrying someone very special inside of me. </div>
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Lily’s birth story begins at 34 weeks. That is when we found
out she was breech. 34 weeks is too early to worry about the breech position,
but my midwives wanted me to prepare. While I did start trying right away to
get her to turn, I had a feeling in the pit of my stomach that she wasn’t going
to comply. </div>
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During the next few weeks I diligently did all of the
“spinning babies” exercises, went to a chiropractor certified in The Webster
Technique, did handstands in the pool, put ice packs on top of my belly, and
even tried to will her head down with meditation. All the while, I also
prepared myself for what would happen if she didn’t turn. After a lot of
prayer, study and putting my faith in the Lord I came to a final thought: <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">a c-section would be the last resort</i>.
I’m not anti-cesarean, but the Spirit has testified to me several times
throughout the years that because of my uterine abnormality I want to avoid a
c-section. Since the uterine abnormality was discovered, several doctors told
me I would only be able to give birth by cesarean. Two years ago, I put my
faith in the Lord and in my body and had an uncomplicated, vaginal birth with
Liam. Now the Lord was telling me to do it again. It was frightening because
there is a stigma around breech birth, but the more I researched it the more
comfortable I felt. The only problem was finding an option that didn’t seem to
exist anymore: a vaginal breech birth. Cue my angel-of-a-midwife, Kirsten. </div>
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The midwives I see aren’t allowed to deliver a breech baby,
so my only option with them was a c-section with one of the OBGYNs they work
with at the hospital. During one of my visits, Kirsten expressed her support
for my decision and had confidence in my reasoning and research. She referred
me to Dr. Morosky, an OBGYN who delivered breech babies. It was the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">only</i> OBGYN she knew of in Connecticut
who delivered breech babies. I called Dr. Morosky later that day and we talked
over the phone for 45 minutes (yes, 45 minutes—unheard of!). He is in his
sixties and has delivered breech babies all throughout his career (he does so
because he was a breech baby). He is incredibly skilled and experienced. I
could go on and on about his history as an OBGYN; suffice it to say, I would be
in the hands of one of the best. When I met him in person I felt peace and
comfort. He seemed so familiar to me. The Lord was lovingly guiding me along
and answering my prayers. I scheduled an external cephalic version—my final
hope for turning the baby— with Dr. Morosky and hoped for the best.</div>
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Dr. Morosky delivers at a hospital northeast of Hartford.
That is about 2 hours away from where we live. We drove to the hospital early
Saturday morning (exactly a week before Lily was born) and I was admitted for
the procedure. The risks of external cephalic version are low, and Dr. Morosky
has an exceptionally high success rate of 70%, so I was willing to take this
last attempt at turning the baby. Honestly, I knew it wouldn’t work because
that feeling was still there, but I had to know I tried every thing I could.
After three <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">extremely, awfully, terribly</i>
painful tries, the baby was still breech. They monitored her heart rate
throughout the procedure and she wasn’t even fazed by the doctor trying to
manually turn her. But, after the third try, the pain was so bad that my blood
pressure plummeted to less than half the normal measure and I passed out on the
table. The room flooded with nurses and the anesthesiologist rushed in. I,
thankfully, came to and was stable in just a few minutes. We were both fine,
but I was ready to go home and just let us both be. I felt relieved, knowing we
had done all we could and that we had safe options for the baby to be
delivered. The plan was to stop by the birth center as soon as I went into
labor, double-check that she was still breech and, if she was, then we would
continue the drive up to the hospital and Dr. Morosky would deliver her there.
Now all I had to do was relax and enjoy the last few weeks of my pregnancy.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
On Saturday morning, October 10<sup>th</sup>, after the best
night’s sleep I had in a while, a contraction woke me up around 6:30 a.m. I lay
in bed for a little while feeling a few more come and go and thinking, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">There is no way this is real labor</i>. I
woke up Joel by saying, “Guess what I’ve been feeling? Contractions!” We both
just laughed it off. I was 11 days late with Liam, and the women in my family
have a history of going late—like 2 weeks to a month late—with <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">all </i>of their babies, so the last thing I
expect is to have a baby before my due date. With Liam, the doctors kept
telling me he would be early and had me prepared to have a baby by 37 weeks. It
wasn’t until an entire month later that Liam arrived. This time around, I
spaced the baby prep out and had only partially packed my hospital bag and
washed some baby clothes by this point. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We went ahead with our morning, making breakfast and
laughing over remarks like, “We could have a baby today!” or “How shocked would
our families be!” and “We are totally unprepared!” My jokes started turning
into nervous laughter when I felt the contractions coming regularly. At around
7:00 a.m. I told Joel that we should probably get what we can finished this
morning just in case we<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> do</i> have the
baby today. We made a list: finish packing the hospital bag, wash the car seat
cover, install the car seat, pack a bag for Liam, change the sheets and throw a
meal in the crockpot. Labor with Liam lasted 36 hours, so we were expecting to
not even leave the house until later that day. The baby’s position felt exactly
the same as it had been for the last few weeks. I could feel her head up by my
rib cage. I knew she was still breech, so we decided to drive straight to the
hospital instead of stopping by the birth center. Around 7:45 a.m. I called a
friend and asked her to pick up Liam and Joel threw in a load of laundry. The
next hour felt like 10 minutes. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I felt frustrated because I could barely move into the next
room without another contraction coming along and stopping me in my tracks. I
was no help in getting anything done. Liam was toddling around, trying to take
the birthing ball I was practically bouncing on from one room to the next
because I couldn’t walk very well. I kept telling Joel that I could feel the
weight of the contractions in my bottom and, after hearing that, Liam repeatedly
asked me if I needed him to check my diaper. He also brought me one of his
binkies because I was in pain. He is a sweet and funny little boy. Around that
time I told Joel to call Dr. Morosky and finish what we could because we needed
to get in the car soon. Dr. Morosky said it might be false labor but we were welcome
to come to the hospital. I knew it wasn’t false labor and even if we ended up
being at the hospital for a while I just wanted to get myself settled there. We
had a 2-hour car ride ahead of us and it sounded more miserable the more time
went by. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I felt like such a wimp---how would I make it through any
more labor if I could barely handle these first couple of hours? The
contractions were intense and they came practically on top of each other. I
remembered parts of my labor with Liam being just like this and I was only
dilated to one centimeter at that point, so the intensity didn’t make me think
I was progressing quickly. It took me so long to just put on a shirt and pants
because I couldn’t find a break between contractions. I felt nauseous and a cold
sweat came on. I started to think, “I can’t do this. I’m not going to make it.
Just let me stay here. I don’t want to move!” Those were all symptoms of
transition I felt with Liam, but that didn’t register at all. I kept brushing
off the pain because I did not think for a second that I was in the final stage
of labor. It was 8:40-ish and our friend picked up Liam. I said a quick prayer
in my head, asking the Lord for comfort, relief and guidance. I told Joel I
would use the bathroom one last time and then we would get in the car. As soon
as I sat down I felt a HUGE contraction. It felt like my whole body went into
it. I yelled, without even knowing what I was saying, “I think the baby is
coming!” Then I felt another HUGE contraction and heard a loud POP. “Uhh…my
water just broke!” That’s when I knew the baby was on her way out. I was
completely shocked. Joel said, “That’s okay, we will just go to Norwalk
hospital instead. Let’s go!” My water didn’t break on its own with Liam, so
Joel thought we still had at least enough time to make it to the nearest
hospital. “I felt another huge contraction and this time my entire body PUSHED.
I felt like someone had taken over and I was just a bystander. I reached down
and felt the baby’s bottom coming out. It was soft and squishy. I yelled, “NO,
the baby is coming out NOW!” I told Joel to call 911. The phone call to 911
lasted 8 minutes and the following happened in just that short time.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
There was no stopping my body, so I started to work with it.
Lily’s bottom and right leg came out. Then came her left leg, and torso. I
tried to keep my hands off (which some say is best in a breech birth so as not
to stimulate the baby) but I gently held her feet up so they weren’t dangling
in the cold water. Next came her shoulders and arms. While I was delivering her
body, Joel was on the phone with 911 relaying instructions and updates. While he was giving them our information
I yelled “The baby is out!” He then put 911 on speakerphone, set the phone down
and ran into the bathroom.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When
he saw Lily’s entire body dangling out of me, he panicked and rushed forward to
pull her out. He said that for a split second he forgot she was breech and thought her head was in the water. At that exact moment (thank goodness) my body pushed her head out
and she practically glided into Joel’s hands. Joel held her and screamed, “Her
neck! The cord is wrapped around her neck!” He tried to take the cord off of
her neck but there was no slack. He started to cry, handed me the baby and
stepped backward out of the bathroom. I could see him pacing back and forth in
the hallway crying, “I don’t know what to do! I don’t know what to do!” </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
First, a breech birth is a strange thing to see. The first
video I had watched of a breech birth made me feel queasy and I love birth
videos. I warned him that he should watch a breech birth before the baby came
because I knew it would scare him. Second, he still wasn’t used to what a baby
looks like when it is born. When Liam was born Joel thought he was dead because
he didn’t know that some babies come out kind of limp and grey-ish. So to not
only see our baby girl come out bottom first, he also saw her limp and grey
with the cord wrapped tightly around her neck. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I told him that she was okay and took the baby from him. I
held her head with one hand and unwound it from the cord instead of trying to
unwrap the cord itself. The cord was wrapped around
her neck maybe 3 or 4 times. I asked Joel to find a bulb syringe—which he found
and brought it to me extremely fast. Then I laid her in my lap and rubbed her
back and torso trying to stimulate her. Joel said he could hear me saying,
“Come on baby…Come on baby.” I wiped off her mouth and nose. In a matter of
seconds she turned a beautiful shade of pink and slowly opened her eyes. She
looked straight at me. That connection made everything feel calm and quiet. She
cried. I took off my shirt, held her to my chest and wrapped a towel around us.
She was fine. I was fine. We were all fine.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwkK28pK5goKc4s6yDee9g1yMJWscBDOW9chJuEE3JWobRXBIZc8di0NBO1PheEgfOGqsOjUYD45xjwKKr0q5jYuph2G4R0-g092F42oAXbcvHNnLBAXH_BXKYjv6qkKDPp6XnopYsfMNP/s1600/IMG_0382.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwkK28pK5goKc4s6yDee9g1yMJWscBDOW9chJuEE3JWobRXBIZc8di0NBO1PheEgfOGqsOjUYD45xjwKKr0q5jYuph2G4R0-g092F42oAXbcvHNnLBAXH_BXKYjv6qkKDPp6XnopYsfMNP/s640/IMG_0382.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
And she is here! Elizabeth “Lily” Magaly da Silva Castro.
Born at 8:51 a.m. 5 pounds 12 ounces. 20 inches. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkFfzC7wfMOYPnAvsDWdG_YF_WkEtYBccA2Dk4WdnDHXjqcLffHqnWfpTcYFtXJeYpsfdd4ry6DaAYIjOXNrJ1lbyA_ndWjmksWfySi00lYPDEQu6DZjErFNUnjhmCWDfKQTrEdayE5w3U/s1600/IMG_0384.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkFfzC7wfMOYPnAvsDWdG_YF_WkEtYBccA2Dk4WdnDHXjqcLffHqnWfpTcYFtXJeYpsfdd4ry6DaAYIjOXNrJ1lbyA_ndWjmksWfySi00lYPDEQu6DZjErFNUnjhmCWDfKQTrEdayE5w3U/s640/IMG_0384.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I had the feeling of stepping back into my body—the cold
toilet underneath me (yes, she was born on a toilet!) and a wet, squirmy baby
in my arms—as the room flooded with police officers and paramedics. They tied
the cord with some shoelaces and a few minutes later I delivered the placenta. The
paramedics and police officers arrived a few minutes after she was born. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaJ_e6FGyBS-I-TVmp2kjydlD7pC05MMZ2icUurcyIUpenQsz-YmB021vT9QD4qKfgQmIh7tnR8l5GOQuAJw9So7aYbKs882Mu0Qyebs62vB6LhTtMRKpaOT_pmCfNCOK7Pdqo-VWJef4g/s1600/IMG_5114.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaJ_e6FGyBS-I-TVmp2kjydlD7pC05MMZ2icUurcyIUpenQsz-YmB021vT9QD4qKfgQmIh7tnR8l5GOQuAJw9So7aYbKs882Mu0Qyebs62vB6LhTtMRKpaOT_pmCfNCOK7Pdqo-VWJef4g/s640/IMG_5114.JPG" width="512" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I was in our teeny, tiny bathroom, inside of our tiny
apartment, but I felt as happy and peaceful as I do sitting inside the holiest
of temples. I smiled as I cut the cord with the paramedic at my feet, smiled as
they wheeled us out on the stretcher, and smiled all the way to the hospital.
Later, during my hospital stay, my nurse said she watched me come in “just
beaming from ear to ear looking like a queen being carried in on her throne!” </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiodzx3Md0w-Nh-zDEaAgMieTshq2iwDPaTFUMTgeHE_tUsCP2YB3ZeOkVvwGGIK4SXjSyKPum5Wzwb7gHEhjculCLtFxWpmBD_2ZjS09NsgHzGS7vlouv8m7mbmRBHaV4Gjewo7UN02z7H/s1600/IMG_0380.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiodzx3Md0w-Nh-zDEaAgMieTshq2iwDPaTFUMTgeHE_tUsCP2YB3ZeOkVvwGGIK4SXjSyKPum5Wzwb7gHEhjculCLtFxWpmBD_2ZjS09NsgHzGS7vlouv8m7mbmRBHaV4Gjewo7UN02z7H/s640/IMG_0380.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Lily’s
birth wasn’t scary or traumatic for me. It was incredible to witness the
miracle of the human body working so perfectly and to work alongside it to
deliver my baby. God blessed me with calmness, He guided me, and He prepared
me. The years of reading, studying and just being fascinated by childbirth
prepared me for that moment. Lily coming five days early, being so little, and
coming so quickly were not just coincidences. The last month, from finding out
she was breech to holding her in my arms, played out like a symphony. Every
note in its place, delivered perfectly. It was beautiful to be a part of. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmvz93uK5oDs8hTRlNcC0TbUyZf83AkD6JYyIwVdC1AbYWarBoRQV6FDFCYxySWSU6DrFd4T4-vf1rPsi5XNpRw73-pbXQ_-DKIfZDOiHcuAwRJTjWhAmwuoC8SuHo8t3ls_JsPdfxBZph/s1600/IMG_4985.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmvz93uK5oDs8hTRlNcC0TbUyZf83AkD6JYyIwVdC1AbYWarBoRQV6FDFCYxySWSU6DrFd4T4-vf1rPsi5XNpRw73-pbXQ_-DKIfZDOiHcuAwRJTjWhAmwuoC8SuHo8t3ls_JsPdfxBZph/s640/IMG_4985.JPG" width="480" /> </a></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Joel and I could not decide on a name during my pregnancy.
We had the hardest time even coming up with a list of possibilities. After Lily
was born, we sat in the NICU (she was fine, they just brought her there because
she was born outside of the hospital and breech) and looked up the meanings of
the names on our list. Elizabeth means “pledged to God” which reminded us of
how we owe everything to Him—especially this strong and healthy baby. Her
nickname “Lily” (less common than others, but still a derivative of Elizabeth)
comes from the New Testament verse, <i>“And why take ye thought for raiment?
Consider the lilies of field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they
spin.” </i>Our Lily is a tiny, delicate thing, but her strength runs deep as roots
in the soil. Before she was even born, and especially during her birth, she
taught us to trust in the Lord and she will always be a symbol of faith. Her middle name “Magaly”
(mah-gah-LEE) is after Joel’s mother who was also breech, born at home and
delivered by her mother. Fitting, yes?</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdq_lWjP8CnaiYOwkzeFIxLeOaVUTJSnp5KK9OfgFv-XYRK3ivT57ISDrYoS5bgm55BtjnV5Z1iUmnvNrpiX8ic8MRgD0-F8PcrdwvV_j-wlpd7oJzUqQY5A31lIlexydPzeEvvw3zDSb-/s1600/IMG_5129.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="478" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdq_lWjP8CnaiYOwkzeFIxLeOaVUTJSnp5KK9OfgFv-XYRK3ivT57ISDrYoS5bgm55BtjnV5Z1iUmnvNrpiX8ic8MRgD0-F8PcrdwvV_j-wlpd7oJzUqQY5A31lIlexydPzeEvvw3zDSb-/s640/IMG_5129.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
That day in the temple I knew she would be a powerful
influence; I just never expected it to start so early in her life. We are
blessed to have Lily in our family, and her birth story is one for the books.</div>
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</div>
Sara Bosler Castrohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00420200158654185603noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6411306769210577904.post-1836746192580995922014-02-06T19:34:00.002-08:002014-02-06T19:34:28.434-08:00My new definition of "busy"<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Someday my baby will nap in his crib (not in my arms) and I will have a moment to write again...but for now I will enjoy snuggling him and staring at his peaceful, sleepy face. </div>
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<br /></div>
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I can't get enough of his silly face either. </div>
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Awake or asleep, this baby has my full attention.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
</div>
Sara Bosler Castrohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00420200158654185603noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6411306769210577904.post-78977790138828390592013-11-01T13:49:00.000-07:002013-11-01T13:49:27.341-07:00A Baby Blessing<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Since my mom and Joel's mom overlapped their visit, we decided last minute to have his blessing the next week. It was special to have family there and we wish we could've had all of our family attend. Liam was still so teeny tiny, and we were a bit frazzled, but it turned out to be just fine.</div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="http://i1251.photobucket.com/albums/hh548/saracastro514/DSC_0437_zps740dcbad.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://i1251.photobucket.com/albums/hh548/saracastro514/DSC_0437_zps740dcbad.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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The morning of, I stared at him for a while in awe that I had a baby and he was going to receive a name and a blessing. How was I at this point in my life already? Liam looked like an angel and he was so small.</div>
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<a href="http://i1251.photobucket.com/albums/hh548/saracastro514/DSC_0447_zpsb2e88fd1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://i1251.photobucket.com/albums/hh548/saracastro514/DSC_0447_zpsb2e88fd1.jpg" width="426" /></a></div>
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It was a special day not only for Liam but for Joel, as well. It was Joel's turn to do something for Liam that I could not do. To commemorate, I bought him a new tie and had Liam's monogram and the date of his blessing embroidered on the inside. I plan to give one to Joel for each child. His part as a father and priesthood leader is so important to our family.</div>
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After the blessing we went to my aunt Sarah's house for lunch. Sarah (we actually call her Bear) nicknamed Liam "Yum Yum" when I was pregnant with him. Now the family calls him that and we love it. He's delicious, so it fits.</div>
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We love that we live so close to my mom's side of the family. It was great to be able to celebrate this day with them. We appreciate their love and support.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ella & AJ giving him love pats & kisses</td></tr>
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We never got a chance to catch the details of Liam in his blessing outfit before he spit up all over it, so a week later I took the following pictures. It was fun to dress him up again. The blanket he was wrapped in on his blessing day is the one behind him in these pictures. My sister, Rachael, crocheted it. It's beautiful and so soft. It is so special to me that I don't want to use it for anything else!</div>
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Sara Bosler Castrohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00420200158654185603noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6411306769210577904.post-6449705605393467632013-10-29T07:43:00.000-07:002013-10-30T11:44:57.397-07:00Liam's Birth Story (Part 2)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="MsoNormal">
When she told me I hadn’t progressed at all I, surprisingly,
felt much less discouraged than the first time I heard it. I was disappointed,
but by this point I felt like I had done everything I could possibly do. I
wasn’t angry or embarrassed. My body was run ragged, but my mind was clear and
I was ready to start making some choices. I had prayed for the gift of
discernment so that I could make difficult decisions during labor if I had to
and do what was best in my situation. I didn’t want someone else making those
decisions for me and I didn’t want unnecessary intervention. Cathy said I had two
options from this point: I could keep laboring on through a second night, or I
could check into the hospital and be put on Pitocin (a drug that intensifies
labor to help you dilate more quickly). She left it at that and exited the room so Joel, my mom and I could discuss what to do next. It was sort of funny because I looked at the two of them and they were completely deadpan and silent. Finally I said, "I think it's best to go to the hospital now," and I could see them both relax with relief. They knew how much I did not want to go to the hospital (hospitals make me so anxious) so they didn't want to pressure me into it, but they thought it was the right choice. Cathy came back in and I told her my decision. She had the same reaction as Joel and my mom. Cathy and I both agreed that a vaginal
delivery was our ultimate goal (besides mine & baby’s health, of course). I
knew there was a high possibility that if I continued to labor on my own that I
would never dilate. Having two cervixes can stop the cervix of the pregnant
uterus from pushing forward and dilating. Cathy said that one of the women with a
didelphic uterus that she assisted never dilated on her own.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This option increased my chance of an
emergency cesarean birth and I wanted to avoid that at all cost. So we
discussed the dosage of Pitocin she would put me on and how she would be my
caregiver at the hospital. The birthing center is directly across the street
from the hospital and the midwives have a great relationship with the staff. They
deliver babies there all of the time. She highly recommended I get an epidural
because of the combination of Pitocin and already having been through 28 hours
of labor. While epidurals can start a snowball effect of complications, they
can also help by relaxing the mother. I still didn’t want an epidural, but I knew she
was right. We then headed over to the hospital, Cathy close behind, and as I
hobbled into Labor & Delivery (oh was I a sight to see!) I knew this was
the right step. We were going to have a baby soon.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
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I expected my time in the hospital to be more pleasant. (No
pain thanks to the epidural—this should be the easy part, right?) But the next
6 hours were much worse than the last 28 hours. I had an I.V. in one arm and
the other was being poked for multiple vials of blood. Monitors were strapped
tightly around my belly and I was lying awkwardly in bed because of the numbness
of the epidural. I hated it. I felt confined and claustrophobic. I felt like a
sick patient. It was a whole different world than the last day and a half. My
heart rate monitor kept going off because I could not get my anxiety under
control. A few hours into it, half of my body was so numb I felt like I
couldn’t breathe and the other half was barely numb at all so I could still
feel the contractions. I had an amazing Nurse—she was an ANGEL!—that was
motherly and empathetic but tough. I really appreciated how she listened to me.
She convinced the anesthesiologist that something was wrong with the epidural. Eventually
he came in and redid the epidural and discovered the tube had slipped out. When
he was redoing the epidural, I know now that I was going through transition. I was
doing everything I could not to throw up but I vomited anyway. They wouldn’t
let me drink water because I would throw it back up but I felt like I was about
to pass out. I felt like I was outside of my body and dreaming. I was so exhausted but, because of the pain and my anxiety, I still hadn’t been able to sleep. Once
the second epidural was administered, I got about a half an hour of sleep until
Cathy came in to check me and said, “You’re a 10. Let’s start pushing!” We were
all shocked. It had only been 6 hours since I was admitted to the hospital and they expected it to take double that time. Joel
jumped up from the couch (he had fallen asleep) and came to my side. My mom
came to my other side to help me with the oxygen mask between pushes (those
deep breaths felt like I was being pumped with extra strength). Pushing was
awesome. 34 hours of having no control over my progress and finally, I did!
That, plus Cathy’s very specific coaching, is probably why it went so quickly.
After less than 20 minutes of pushing, Liam was born at 2:10am. I remember I
kept thinking <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Finally! Finally!</i></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1251.photobucket.com/albums/hh548/saracastro514/DSC_0168edit_zps8d609293.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://i1251.photobucket.com/albums/hh548/saracastro514/DSC_0168edit_zps8d609293.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">William da Silva Castro<br />
7 lbs. 2 oz., 20 inches</td></tr>
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<!--StartFragment--><span style="font-family: inherit;">I got a good look at Liam’s face and he looked
exactly like Joel. I looked up at Joel to tell him and I caught him wiping away
tears from his eyes. It was a sweet moment. It had all happened so quickly that
we were both caught of guard. We cried and hugged each other. We both couldn’t
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<!--StartFragment--><span style="font-family: inherit;">Thanks to Cathy, the SuperMidwife, I only had a
tiny tear and was cleaned up pretty quickly. I held my sweet, baby boy in my
arms and nursed him. Then we all just stared at the little miracle. It’s amazing
how calm and happy everyone was after the tumult of labor. We ate, laughed and
adored our newborn. They are magical, those babies. From that moment on he had
changed everything. Our present and future had been changed and even the way we
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1251.photobucket.com/albums/hh548/saracastro514/DSC_0190edit_zps7fbed67c.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://i1251.photobucket.com/albums/hh548/saracastro514/DSC_0190edit_zps7fbed67c.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Remember how <b>two days earlier</b> I did my hair so they would look good in these pictures?? HA!</td></tr>
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<!--StartFragment--><span style="font-family: inherit;">Once the exhaustion hit me again, the Nurse
wrapped Liam and placed him in Joel’s arms without asking him if he wanted to
hold him. She said she never asks dads that question, she just hands them the
baby. For a couple of hours, as I slept, Joel held Liam. That was a very
important time for the both of them.</span><!--EndFragment-->
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">As difficult as some moments were, Joel and I both feel
blessed that everything turned out the way it did. It wasn’t ideal but, under
the circumstances, it was the best way things could have gone. I’m grateful for
my past experiences of “mind over matter” when it came to pain and anxiety. I
didn’t realize it, but it was the best training for labor. Hypnobabies is a
great resource that works wonders for some women, and I used a few of their
visualizations, but in the end I already had an ingrained way of dealing with
pain and Hypnobabies mostly got in the way. I think I’m going to read more
about The Bradley Method for next time around though. I’m also grateful for
modern medicine and trained professionals that helped when my body couldn’t do
what it needed to. I’m happy that I got to see what labor was like for me outside
and inside of a hospital, with and without medication. It wasn’t a traumatic
experience and I actually look forward to next time. <a href="http://www.salon.com/2013/09/08/childbirth_is_my_extreme_sport/" target="_blank">This article</a> I read a week
after Liam was born could not have captured my feelings about childbirth any
better. It is my extreme sport. Cathy gave me her word that with the next baby
I will only labor for 4 hours and the baby will pop right out. I’m holding her
to it! ;)</span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Grandma Ann & Liam</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Showing us his tricks--he could lift his head and turn from side to side</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Going home outfit. I remember thinking there was no way he would fit into this tiny outfit. </td></tr>
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Now we are a family of <i>three</i>. </div>
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Sara Bosler Castrohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00420200158654185603noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6411306769210577904.post-88211935294846922772013-10-28T07:30:00.001-07:002013-10-28T07:30:51.657-07:00Liam's Birth Story (Part 1)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<i> I want to preface by saying that my opinions are on my labor <b>alone</b>. I throw judgement out the window when it has to do with labor and babies because every situation is so different and you have to do what works for you. So, just don't get offended, okay? I don't think epidurals are evil and if you want to eat your placenta then let me get you a glass of water. Enjoy.</i></div>
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I ended up being almost 2 weeks overdue—11 days to be exact. And it drove me absolutely crazy. We tried <i>everything</i> but Castor Oil. I walked at least 3 miles every day and a
few evenings I “curb walked” (one foot on the curb) and jumped off small rocks.
I tried to do lunges, but how pregnant women actually pull up from a lunge is a
miracle to me. My mom and I drove the <a href="http://www.ctvisit.com/dontmiss/details/206" target="_blank">Connecticut Chocolate Trail</a> and had
truffles, salted caramels, and turtles for every meal. </div>
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I relaxed, I slept, I
did jumping jacks and I walked up and down the stairs in our apartment
building. I had heard from several people about <a href="http://www.scalinis.com/Bambino.htm" target="_blank">a restaurant in Georgia that guarantees their Eggplant Parmesan will put you into labor within 48 hours of consumption</a> or you get free Eggplant Parmesan until you go into labor. So, Wednesday
night we ordered Eggplant Parmesan from a local Italian restaurant. Also, by
that point I had resigned to the idea that this baby was going to come when he
was ready and so be it if that meant I would be 42 weeks pregnant with no baby.
I had two non-stress tests in the past week confirming that the baby and I were
doing fine. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Well, Wednesday night I felt crampy as Joel and I were going to bed--but this had happened several nights in a row so I didn’t mention it to him. I was
able to sleep through the night just fine but Thursday morning I started
feeling contractions. It felt like this really deep, achy, tight pressure in my
back and pelvis. I still didn’t say anything though because I didn’t want to
get anyone’s hopes up. My grandma and grandpa came over to have lunch and when
my grandma looked at me she said, “Hmm, something is different about you. You
look like a mother.” <o:p></o:p></div>
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I ignored the contractions through lunch and a shopping trip
to Target, but by the time we got home I was getting tired. I finally let Joel
and my mom know and then lied down to rest. Joel came home at 4pm and my
contractions were consistent enough that we started timing them. I would only
time the contractions an hour at a time because I didn’t want to obsess over
it. I got into a warm bath to see if they would go away or pick up once I got
out. Thankfully, they picked up. This was really happening! I had a plan for
what I would do once labor officially “started.” First, I would take a nap.
Well, it was a little too late because I couldn’t get myself to even close my
eyes. I decided to move to step two and take a shower and do my hair. It takes
at least an hour to blow dry, straighten and curl my hair (which is why I
rarely do it) and that would help the time pass quickly. I was also determined
to have good hair after I pushed that baby out. I know that seems so vain, and
it is, but I put on 45 lbs. and got pregnancy acne so I wanted at least my hair
to look nice for a picture. When Joel got home from playing soccer and I was
finished getting ready we all sat on the bed and double-checked that we had
everything packed for the birthing center—labor supplies, after-labor supplies,
food, drinks, etc. Joel and my mom ran out to buy any last minute supplies and
packed the car. I called the midwives’ office to let whomever was on-call know
I had started labor. She said to call again when contractions were 4 – 5 minutes apart. Ready to go at the drop of a hat, we all decided to try and get what
sleep we could.<o:p></o:p></div>
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I slept for about 2 hours but couldn’t stand lying down any
longer. The contractions were so much easier to manage when I was up and
walking. I labored that entire night in our moon lit kitchen by myself. During
contractions I walked back and forth or leaned on the counters. Between contractions
I sent texts to my sister or looked at Pinterest (I couldn’t read so it was my
only distraction).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>By 5am the
contractions were 4 minutes apart and getting more intense. I knew the
contractions were getting stronger because the pain seemed to focalize into one
point. I would feel a warm squeeze wrap around my lower back and get stronger
and stronger as it traveled into my pelvis. The pain would reach its peak as
all the pressure hit one point inside my pelvis (I envisioned that point as
my cervix opening) and then everything relaxed outward. Many people call
contractions “pressure waves” and they really do feel like waves coming and
going. I also imagined them as a roller coaster ride—probably less relaxing of
an image but that’s what I was reminded of. Anyway, my mom woke up and urged me
to call Katie, the midwife on-call, (feeling paranoid because the birthing
center is almost an hour away from my house) and she said I didn’t sound like I
was ready to come in yet. So, we watched a documentary on French pastry chefs
while I labored some more. By 7am the contractions were 3 – 4 minutes apart. To
manage the intensity of the pain I would squat while holding onto door frames or
the baby’s dresser. I started to cry a little bit, not because of the pain but
because I was getting tired and wanted to get to the birthing center. Finally,
I called Katie again and she told me to come in and get checked. Laboring in
the car was just like laboring lying down. I couldn’t move during the
contractions so they were much harder to get through. I had 5 pillows
supporting and surrounding me in the car so I did my best to close my eyes and
just relax into them. It was a rough drive. When we got to the birthing center,
Katie checked me to see if I was ready to be admitted. They usually admit
someone when they’re about 4cm dilated. She checked my cervix (making sure to
check the right one because I have two!) and I was only at a one. 17 hours of
labor and only 1 cm dilated.<o:p></o:p></div>
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I knew long before this that because of my didelphic uterus
there was a chance I wouldn’t dilate. Once the midwife told me I was only 1 cm
dilated I was at least somewhat hopeful that my cervix had done something. At
the same time I couldn’t help feeling discouraged and embarrassed. Since they couldn’t
let me stay, I could either labor around town or drive another hour back home.
I didn’t really like laboring in front of Joel and my mom (I preferred being
alone) so the last thing I wanted to do was be out in public. I remember going
through this scenario beforehand and thinking, “If I’m not ready to be
admitted, then I’ll just walk around the mall!” Ha ha ha… oh, Sara. So back
home we went, and apparently it took us two hours because we were stuck in rush
hour traffic but I don’t remember any of it. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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The next 9 hours I labored again at home. The majority of
the time my contractions were 2-3 minutes apart, lasting at least a minute or
two and very intense. I walked back and forth, and back and forth, across our
apartment. I tried to lie down but that still wasn’t my thing. I was so
exhausted but staying still made the contractions practically unbearable. I was
able to kneel down on top of my bed and hunch over a few pillows while hanging
onto my headboard. That was the only way I could rest during contractions. When
I got too tired to walk by myself, I would hold onto Joel’s or my mom’s
shoulders. We walked the length of our apartment dozens of times, back and
forth…back and forth. During the most intense contractions I would walk until
the pain made me stop and then I would wrap my arms around Joel’s neck and hang
there. Those were the only times I actually made noise. Usually I would just
retreat inward and be very quiet, but during the worst of the contractions my
breathing turned into a sort of howling-whimpering noise. It sounds awful, but
the pain didn’t feel like anything I’d experienced before because it felt <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">right</i>. It felt like my body was doing
something good and natural. When I had gallbladder attacks (which were worse
than labor) my body felt sick and tortured. Labor is not easy and it can get really painful, but our bodies are strong and it amazed me how well mine could handle
something so intense. I didn’t feel like I was forcing myself to endure
unnecessary pain either—it just felt right. That’s the best way I can explain it.
Also, the time seemed to fly by even though I was in labor for so dang long.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
My mom was sure I was about to have the baby any minute, but
I refused to get into the car because I did not want to be turned away again. At
that point I was totally happy with having my baby at home. Finally, she and
Joel convinced me that we needed to head to the birthing center before we hit
rush hour traffic. We left the house around 4:30pm. I had my window rolled down
the entire ride because I felt so hot. The cool breeze was a godsend. Hypnobabies
wasn’t helping me (I will explain why later) but what did was the music of the
The Mormon Tabernacle Choir. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I can’t
explain how immediate the feeling of peace washed over me when the music came
on. I wanted labor and birth to be a spiritual experience and their music helped set that tone. We arrived at the birthing center at 6pm. The
midwives had switched shifts and now my favorite one, Cathy, was on-call for
the weekend. A tender mercy, no doubt. She has assisted two other births where
the mothers had didelphic uteruses—experience that no other doctor I’ve met
has—plus she is the head midwife of the practice and she and I share very
similar attitudes about birth. We came into the office and she hooked me up to
the monitor to measure the baby’s heart rate and my contractions. Everything
looked great. Then she checked me—which is the most uncomfortable thing someone
can do to you during labor, by the way. I was not expecting to hear what I heard next. She told me I was only 1 cm dilated. 28 hours of labor and only
1 cm dilated. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
</div>
Sara Bosler Castrohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00420200158654185603noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6411306769210577904.post-47434676290486079762013-08-16T06:20:00.000-07:002013-08-16T06:20:53.658-07:00Full Term! + Week 38<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1251.photobucket.com/albums/hh548/saracastro514/pregmomme_zps70886325.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://i1251.photobucket.com/albums/hh548/saracastro514/pregmomme_zps70886325.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">38 weeks</span></b><br /><span style="font-size: small;">2013 & 1989</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="text-align: center;"></span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
On the left is a picture of my mom pregnant with me.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Let's hope I can convince one of my daughters to carry on the tradition so we can start a human Russian nesting doll collage.</div>
<br />
<span style="text-align: center;"><br /></span>
<b>PREGNANCY:</b><br />
Before getting pregnant, I wouldn't have let myself get anywhere near excited about reaching 37 weeks. The women in my family have a long history of delivering at <i>at least</i> 41 weeks. My grandma was pregnant with her last baby for 11 months--not joking. If history is any indication, I won't be having this baby for another month. But having a didelphic uterus put my care-givers in constant fear of pre-term labor. They were continually giving us milestones to reach--"Get to 14 weeks and you probably won't miscarry...Get to 24 weeks and there may be a chance for your baby....Get to 28 weeks and the baby is viable...Get to 32 weeks..." and, finally, "Get to 37 weeks and you're in the clear!" So we're feeling very blessed to have finally reached what is considered "full term." Joel even woke me up early with a "Happy 37 weeks!" and high fives for me and the baby. But then he quickly lulled me back to sleep because <i>nobody wakes up a pregnant lady</i>.<br />
<br />
While I'm now 38 weeks and the baby could come literally any day now, I don't feel rushed. I am slowly putting things in order during my "resting and nesting" period. It's kind of wonderful. I read, organize, work on projects, eat my weight in Otter Pops, and take naps. I think everyone should follow the Duchess of Cambridge's example and go into "hiding" the last month of pregnancy. Who really wants to see someone's arms, butt and face get fat? Let us pregnant women keep at least some scrap of dignity.<br />
<br />
<b>BABY:</b><br />
On that positive note, this baby is a miracle. All babies are miracles. I am constantly amazed by this whole process. I am so close to getting to hold my baby in my arms. I get to meet my son and get to know this unique human being that God, Joel and I have created. Joel will be a father soon and I will be a mother. It's becoming more tangible by the second as I prepare his bassinet, put his clothes in drawers and pack our bags. The other night I was busy washing a third load of baby clothes (we really have a problem) while Joel scrubbed the bath tub "for the baby." I realized then that we were parents, and that I am so happy to be a parent alongside Joel. Pregnancy has not always been easy on our marriage but its end result, this beautiful baby boy, is the fulfillment of our marriage covenants. We've become one in this life and we will spend eternity nurturing our union. I know it won't be easy--nothing is--but I know it is the most important thing we will ever do.<br />
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We went in for our last growth ultrasound yesterday. I'm so ready to no longer just be seeing my baby in black and white. We did get to see a lovely fat layer around his belly though. It made me so happy. They estimated his weight to be 6 1/2 lbs. but their margin of error is large so who knows. My midwife told me they just had a mother deliver a 12 lb. baby in 3 pushes! Pray that my baby is not 12 lbs. Pray hard.<br />
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Here's the thing about having so many ultrasounds, especially late in the pregnancy--you get to see many amazing details but you also see some strange stuff. For instance, yesterday we watched our son empty his bladder...and then drink it. Do I have the next Bear Grylls inside of me? We also got to see an incredibly detailed shot of his heart beating. I feel overly sentimental describing it like this, but it was absolutely beautiful. It took my breath away. He's got a good heart, just like his dad.<br />
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Sara Bosler Castrohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00420200158654185603noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6411306769210577904.post-16702119193000367002013-08-14T20:54:00.001-07:002013-08-14T20:54:38.419-07:00Baby Shower<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Mama and Baby Castro were showered with a lot of love from our wonderful friends. They threw us the perfect children's book themed celebration. It was truly beyond what I could've imagined my baby shower would be. The hard work that went into it makes me feel overwhelmed with gratitude and love for my dear friends who have become like family to me. This baby will be born into a very special East Coast family! </div>
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The whole place was covered in books. You know me, this is my kind of heaven.</div>
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The decorations, the food, and the entire layout was beautiful. Nicole made a breakfast casserole that spoke to practically all of my pregnancy cravings. I loved it so much I want to eat it right after this baby is born as my celebratory meal. Yum!</div>
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Each dish and drink went along with the theme.</div>
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We played a "Guess Who" game with a mix of celebrity and my and Joel's baby pictures.</div>
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My favorite presents were each of the guests' lists of "Well Wishes" for the baby. I took them home and read through them out loud with Joel. They were sweet, funny and very special words I will keep forever. These were some of my favorites:</div>
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I hope you...beat your dad at soccer.</div>
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I hope you laugh...at your parents.</div>
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I hope you grow...in wisdom.</div>
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I hope you aren't afraid of...failure.</div>
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I hope you never forget...that you are loved.</div>
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I hope you respect...nature.</div>
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I hope you love...to tap dance. :)</div>
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Thank you to <a href="http://www.thesmallseed.com/" target="_blank">Lizzy</a> (not pictured because she was busy nurturing her sweet twins in the hospital), Sarah, Nicole, <a href="http://nicki-tyler.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Nicki</a> and Colleen for putting together this grand baby shower. They are quite the creative team and pulled off an amazing celebration. </div>
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Thank you to everyone who came, and those friends who live far away that have showered us with cards, emails, phone calls and gifts over the past few months. Thank you, thank you, thank you!</div>
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Sara Bosler Castrohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00420200158654185603noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6411306769210577904.post-16386396586619540112013-07-26T13:26:00.000-07:002013-08-15T07:00:23.197-07:00Week 34<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<b>BABY:</b><br />
We went in for another growth scan ultrasound and he continues to be growing normally. He is a healthy weight and size (as far as they can estimate), but I am really starting to feel bad for the little guy. He is so squished in there! As painful as it can sometimes be for me, it can't be too comfortable for him either. His head is down (hallelujah!) and his legs are right up in my rib cage. I didn't need an ultrasound to tell me that. I was amazed to see a few things in the ultrasound though. I was, again, completely thrown off guard when his face popped up in 3D. It is even clearer than the first time. It's wonderful to look at those pictures, then down at my stomach and be able to connect the dots. They also showed him breathing amniotic fluid through his nose. Pretty cool.<br />
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As you can see, he is getting chubby. I love his cheeks and his pouty lips. His nose is pretty squished, but so was mine and it turned out relatively normal (here's hopin' kid!). They also saw hair in his ultrasound. I don't know how much, but I'm hoping it's a full head of dark hair like his dad had. I wish I had a picture of Joel as a newborn to compare.<br />
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Now that he's much bigger his movements have changed. He still moves a lot, but it's either big turns or limbs dragging across my stomach and sticking out. He gets the hiccups much more often than before and it shakes my whole belly.<br />
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<b>PREGNANCY:</b><br />
I heard that the 3rd trimester is comparable to the 1st, but I don't agree. While some of the misery has come back, the 1st trimester was still the worst. Getting closer to the baby's arrival takes the edge off of returned bouts of nausea, acid reflux, swollen feet & hands, interrupted sleep, exhaustion, difficulty breathing, waddling and feeling completely neurotic. In the midst of those glorious side effects, you get to wash baby clothes so they smell like heaven, stare in awe at how tiny their socks and diapers are, prepare a cozy place for them to sleep, and daydream about holding them for the first time. Granted the baby is right here with me already, pushing down on my bladder, but he still seems like a dream. My love for him is welling up inside of me and I can finally imagine how intensely you love your babies.<br />
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The last few weeks we've had an awful heat wave. Temperatures of 95+ which feel like 110+ because of the humidity. They measure temperature here in "feels like"s because of the suffocating humidity. The heat has been the most difficult thing about this pregnancy. It is torture--especially because we don't have AC. If you can control it, do not plan to have a baby at the end of the summer. You do get to wear a "I had a baby due in August" badge of honor and commiserate with your fellow summer baby moms, but it's still not worth it. My angel of an aunt bought us a window unit and I immediately put it on full blast, took off my clothes and fell asleep. No more waking up drenched in sweat!<br />
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At a recent visit my blood pressure was higher than usual (though still in normal range) and to be on the safe side they had me tested for pre-eclampsia. I had a blood test and 24 hr urine test. If you're not familiar with what a 24 hr urine test is, here is a picture of my urine jug in all its glory:<br />
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Shelley, this isn't considered over-sharing, is it? ;) Thankfully, the results came out negative for pre-eclampsia. Now I'm waiting to hear if I'm positive or negative for Group B Strep, and then I may have jumped all of the pregnancy testing hurtles!<br />
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We've chosen our pediatrician. It was very strange for me to choose a doctor for my future child. I do not feel grown up enough for that. We also took two classes on newborn care and one on breastfeeding and watched some infant CPR videos. No real ground-breaking news in any of those classes, but there were some helpful tidbits. We're currently chipping away at our "Baby Supplies" Excel spreadsheet and drafting a packing list (we're both OCD). Feelings mentally prepared is really important to me, so I am doing everything I can now so I can just relax and let this baby come.<br />
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All in all, I feel pretty good. I only have a week and a half left until I am full term (this post is late). I've gained a lot of weight, but no stretch marks yet. I'm taking naps, staying cool and nesting like a madwoman. I only have a few more pregnancy updates until this little guy arrives!</div>
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Sara Bosler Castrohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00420200158654185603noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6411306769210577904.post-43512870280795106972013-07-25T10:52:00.000-07:002013-07-26T13:25:22.307-07:00Date Weekend<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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A month ago, Joel and I had a "date weekend" in the city. </div>
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We went to the temple on Friday night and hung out on the rooftop lawn at the Lincoln Center afterward. </div>
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It's such a treat to find a nice patch of lawn in the city that's not overly crowded. We sprawled out and talked about our baby and good food. Two popular topics around our house. It was so relaxing. We will have to make this a post-temple tradition.</div>
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We grabbed a couple of hot dogs from Gray's Papaya to eat on our walk to our favorite pizza place. </div>
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After dinner we headed to our friend's apartment to stay the night. The next morning we visited <a href="http://www.metmuseum.org/visit/visit-the-cloisters" target="_blank">The Cloisters</a>. It's been at the top of my list of things to see in the city.</div>
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Joel loved the the park around the museum. It is a sanctuary from the busy city--so lush and green, but a very different vibe than Central Park. We could've stayed there all day. </div>
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The museum itself was incredible. It was like a quick stop in Europe.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Garden</td></tr>
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I love my pal. He's pretty cute and I really enjoy being with him. </div>
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After The Cloisters, we grabbed some Shake Shack for lunch and had a picnic in Sheep Meadow. It was a hot summer day and, apparently, that means drop your clothes and lay out in your underwear. We found a shady spot and I took a nap for 45 min while Joel watched a soccer game on his phone. Pure bliss, I tell you.</div>
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On our way to <a href="http://www.thehighline.org/" target="_blank">The High Line</a> we stopped at Doughnut Plant to try their Peanut Butter & Jelly doughnut I've been craving since I saw it on The Food Network years ago. We also got Coconut Lime and Hazelnut Nutella. All delicious but, sadly, not worth the hype (or the price). Hands down, our favorite donut is the blueberry donut from Banbury Cross in SLC, UT. Sorry, New York.</div>
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The High Line. I think we'll be taking repeated trips here with our baby in tow. It is such a cool place.</div>
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Happy, but oh so tired from walking up and down the city. </div>
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I can't wait to get my energy back after this pregnancy. </div>
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We jumped on a train home and got back just in time for a night with our friends. Joel saw World War Z with a group of guys in the ward (they call it Male-richment night), while I relaxed with my fellow pregnant friend, Nicki. </div>
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It was a great weekend. We really must do some more city exploring before this babe comes. If only I can convince my nearly 9 months pregnant self to venture into the sauna that is New York City in the summer. Blech. </div>
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Sara Bosler Castrohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00420200158654185603noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6411306769210577904.post-44380114890945644702013-06-24T10:14:00.001-07:002013-06-24T10:15:18.948-07:00Week 30<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<b>BABY:</b><br />
When I went in for another ultrasound, the tech surprised me by switching to 3D. I actually didn't want a 3D ultrasound, but as soon as I saw his face I couldn't have cared less that she didn't ask me beforehand. I saw him snuggle up to my body, move around and watched his face grimace because he does not like being poked. He is not a submissive patient, that one. He moves every time someone tries to measure his heartbeat.<br />
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The bigger he gets, the more I'm aware of his position. He spends a lot of time nestling his head underneath my ribs. He favors the right side of my belly (possibly because I'm pregnant in my right uterus) and can travel pretty far to the right. No one ever told me babies can hang out on your sides and not just the front. It is not comfortable. He also uses my hip bones to push off and get into a more comfortable position. It startles me every time. He is constantly moving during the day and seems to settle down when I go to sleep. (Let's keep this routine going when you're out of the womb, too, okay baby?) We saw Iron Man 3 and The Great Gatsby recently, and both movies got him rocking and rollin' (by either my adrenaline or the level of noise). Speaking of which, ever since I could feel his movements, this little guy gets so excited by popcorn. I don't know what it is, but every time I eat popcorn he goes crazy. It's pretty cute.<br />
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We've decided on a name but we're keeping it a secret. People are much too opinionated and we don't want to hear it. We also want to make sure we're not sick of it by the time he's born.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">30 weeks at <a href="http://www.metmuseum.org/visit/visit-the-cloisters" target="_blank">The Cloisters</a></td></tr>
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<b>PREGNANCY:</b><br />
Having stepped into the 30's makes it feel like this baby is coming in no time. But who am I kidding? I still have 10 more weeks to go until I'm full term. This making a baby business takes forever. I mean, really, it takes almost a year. I was pregnant during Christmas of last year! As anxious as we are to have our baby in our arms, we are fine with letting him plump up for a couple more months. Joel and I both have our moments of feeling totally overwhelmed where we look at each other and say, "Are we <i>really</i> ready for this?!" But we also spend a lot of timing staring at my stomach begging him to just come out already. Pregnancy is full of conflicting feelings. That is an understatement.<br />
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I'm getting tired again. If I spend half of the day busy and next half napping/resting, I call that a successful day. Because I have a didelphic uterus, I only have half of the ligaments supporting my pregnant uterus. This means more strain on my ligaments and it can get painful. I'm going to buy a belly-support band (any recommendations would be helpful!) and hopefully that will ease the pain. My appetite is starting to change <i>again</i>. I am ravenous one day and completely disinterested the next. I still can't stomach most meat (I can't imagine ever eating chicken or seafood again) but I love spicy sausage and bacon. I eat through entire packages of Costco strawberries and grapes within a few days. Watermelon is my new best friend. Oh, watermelon. I've had taquitos for lunch every single day for months now. I don't understand the obsession but they're <i>just so good</i>. Give me Peruvian, Venezuelan, Brazilian or Mexican food and I am in heaven. There is no question I have a Latin baby inside of me.<br />
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As far as prepping for labor goes, I am nervous, anxious and excited. While I'm reading and practicing relaxation and breathing techniques I feel confident and as ready as I can be. I was blessed to grow up surrounded by women who have a very healthy and natural view of pregnancy and labor, but there are still times I feel panicky and unprepared. I have certain hopes for labor, but no expectations. I will do my best, and let my body do its best, and look forward to having a healthy baby (and me) at the end of it all. The human body is divinely created and it's been an incredible thing to witness during this pregnancy. I have a lot of faith in my body and I am so proud of how well it has done growing a baby so far. That sounds strange, but when I found out I have a uterine abnormality I never knew if my body could do what it needs to in order to create and sustain a healthy baby. It can! And it is! And I count every week that passes that I'm still pregnant with a growing baby boy as a miracle.<br />
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Sara Bosler Castrohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00420200158654185603noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6411306769210577904.post-4586965580386948032013-06-18T11:19:00.000-07:002013-06-18T11:19:30.875-07:00Upstate New York<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
For Memorial Day weekend we took a trip upstate to visit my Grammie Liz & Grandpa Ralph and spend a day in Palmyra. The weather was perfect and we were thrilled to see where the restoration of our church began.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">On top of The Hill Cumorah </td></tr>
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The Sacred Grove</div>
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It's not hard to imagine that such a special event happened here. The grove is that stunning New England green and the scattered patches of sunlight add a glorious glow to it. I can't imagine a more serene spot for The First Vision to take place.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The book-binder in me was so giddy in this room</td></tr>
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Beside the Sacred Grove, this was my favorite part of our trip. I have seen these two paintings countless times, but never the originals. The details were stunning and the paintings evoked strong emotions. I could've stared at them for hours. </div>
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My grandparents live on a farm in a small town called Fort Plain. Ralph is actually my step-grandpa (they were married 17 years ago) but he is the only grandpa I've ever known so I love him like he is my own. Being a World Ward II vet, he was the perfect person to spend Memorial Day with. We visited downtown Fort Plain to watch the parade and have lunch with the veterans at the VFW and American Legion.</div>
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Ralph was the life of the party at the Veteran's lunch. He is the oldest (96 and still going strong!) and the liveliest. It was amazing to see how sprite he is compared to men 10 years younger than him. </div>
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After lunch we visited the gravesides of his family members. He took a seat on top of his brother's headstone and told us stories about his life. </div>
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We look a long scenic drive back to the house and saw several Amish farms and families. Joel and I were both mesmerized by their lifestyle. We love the Amish. We want to go back and people watch at their summer auctions. My grandma said they have great produce and other goods to sell. </div>
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I took my usual afternoon nap while everyone else talked. Growing a human is tiring. </div>
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This historic church is right across the street from my grandparent's house. Ralph has a headstone next to his first wife in the cemetery in the back. To the right of the church, in the grove of trees, are old Indian and settlers' graves. Years ago, Ralph placed crosses he made at the head of each grave. My grandma painted this church in beautiful pastels and we have that painting hanging next to our bed in our apartment. </div>
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We're grateful for every moment we get to spend with those two. Joel and I love to sit and talk with them (and eat their delicious food). Ralph is one of the most interesting people I know--having been farmed out during The Depression, fought in WWII in Europe and Northern Africa, and full of stories of life on the farm. We also got to meet some of Ralph's family and they are such good people. I want to grow up to be just like my Grammie Liz. I'm hoping that the more time I spend with her the more she will rub off onto me.</div>
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Sara Bosler Castrohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00420200158654185603noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6411306769210577904.post-5020616584652693812013-06-12T07:21:00.002-07:002013-06-12T07:21:37.242-07:00Washington D.C. <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="text-align: left;">About a month ago, Joel and I took a trip to Washington D.C. We had a vacation overseas planned for this summer, but once we found out I'm pregnant we decided to save it for later. Instead, we'll be exploring the east coast over the summer--much easier on a pregnant lady who's afraid of flying. We take a lot more pit stops than usual road trips, but that is to be expected when you have a baby sitting on your bladder. </span></div>
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<span style="text-align: left;">We stayed in Old Town Alexandria and spent 2 1/2 days in D.C. If you're looking for a hotel outside of D.C. stay in Old Town Alexandria! It is so charming, full of shops and restaurants and has a lively dock area next to the river. </span></div>
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<span style="text-align: left;">To save you (and myself) from endless commentary, we were able to see the following sites:</span></div>
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<span style="text-align: left;">Arlington Nation </span><span style="text-align: left;">Cemetery</span></div>
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<span style="text-align: left;">Jefferson Memorial</span></div>
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<span style="text-align: left;">Lincoln Memorial</span></div>
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<span style="text-align: left;">MLK Memorial</span></div>
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<span style="text-align: left;">Vietnam Veterans Memorial</span></div>
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<span style="text-align: left;">WWII Memorial</span></div>
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<span style="text-align: left;">Washington Monument (hard to miss)</span></div>
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<span style="text-align: left;">Holocaust Museum</span></div>
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<span style="text-align: left;">U.S. Capitol</span></div>
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<span style="text-align: left;">Union Station</span></div>
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<span style="text-align: left;">Museum of American History</span></div>
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<span style="text-align: left;">Museum of Natural History</span></div>
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<span style="text-align: left;">The White House</span></div>
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<span style="text-align: left;">Ford's Theatre</span></div>
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<span style="text-align: left;">Georgetown</span></div>
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<span style="text-align: left;">Library of Congress</span></div>
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<span style="text-align: left;">Washington D.C. LDS Temple</span></div>
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We ate at <span style="text-align: center;">Tortilla Cafe (best tamales</span><span style="text-align: center;"> on the planet) and </span><span style="text-align: center;">Good Stuff Eatery (Joel ate the entire Toasted Marshmallow Shake and that's saying a lot because he is not a fan of sweets) in Capitol Hill.</span></div>
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<span style="text-align: center;">On the way to D.C. we made a quick stop in Baltimore to see my beloved Charm City Cakes. I was so happy to have finally made it there! </span></div>
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Joel was less than thrilled about Baltimore. The greatest city in America? Please.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Old Town Alexandria</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The gun that killed Lincoln</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ford's Theatre - the booth where Lincoln was shot</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The White House</td></tr>
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We took The Red Bus Tour and I still feel like I walked myself to death. D.C. is a walking city, there's no way around it.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">U.S. Capitol</td></tr>
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Joel needed some empathy therapy for what it feels like to tour hot & humid D.C. when you're 6 months pregnant. The water bottle simulated the weight of the amniotic fluid. And he's wearing my sunglasses? To be honest, all of the walking really tired me out. My feet were pretty swollen, my tailbone felt broken and I waddled by the end of the day. But I was in good spirits because I had plenty of water and food and Joel helped out as much as he could--carrying our stuff, wheeling me around in a wheelchair during some tours, and hailing trams meant for Senior Citizens. I still enjoyed the weekend but next time we visit I will not be pregnant.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Library of Congress -- we saw the Gutenberg Bible!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Eating Italian Ice on the steps of the Jefferson Memorial</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Washington Monument</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Lincoln Memorial</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sandstone from the LDS Nauvoo temple in the Museum of American History</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Joel's nickname "Caco" is also Kermit's name in Brazil</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rotunda - U.S. Capitol</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Brigham Young is in the U.S. Capitol. Hidden in the corner...but there!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wheelchair bound</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Georgetown - I am so in love</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Arlington National Cemetery</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">JFK Eternal Flame</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Washington D.C. Temple</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">6 months pregnant</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View of the temple from the highway</td></tr>
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Joel and I both loved Washington D.C. We were amazed at how beautiful and CLEAN it is! We can't wait to go back and see everything that we missed. There is so much to do there and we feel like we barely scratched the surface. Until next time--with our baby in tow! :)</div>
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Sara Bosler Castrohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00420200158654185603noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6411306769210577904.post-20758477181614431942013-05-20T10:22:00.000-07:002013-05-20T10:22:11.684-07:00Week 25 <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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It's been a little over a month since the last bumpdate so I have a lot to report. Let's hope I can remember any details with this forgetful, pregnant brain of mine!<br />
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BABY:<br />
We had another ultrasound and his growth is right on track. It's fun to compare the two profile shots we have from 19 and 23 weeks and see how much his features have developed. <i>(I've had, and will continue to have, an irregular amount of ultrasounds because they're keeping a close eye on the growth of the baby and my cervix. My pregnancy has been totally normal and healthy so far (hallelujah!) but the fact that I have a didelphic uterus puts me at risk for complications.)</i> He is getting stronger and, with all of the energy he already has, that means I am feeling him move even more. He's my little buddy. Whenever I rest my hand on my stomach I feel a jab right in the middle of my palm. It's like he's saying "Hello there!" Joel and I can also see him moving from the outside and I can usually tell where he is by the lopsided look of my stomach. The not-so-fun aspect of his growing strength is that he has started to kick my cervix. It is so painful! They estimate he weighs about 2 lbs now, which I am definitely feeling. I'm amazed that he still has so much more to grow. How will he fit inside of me?!<br />
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PREGNANCY:<br />
...is beginning to get uncomfortable and I still have a ways to go. Most days I feel great but if I am on my feet for too long, my body starts to ache and swell. Turning from side to side during the night is becoming difficult. I know that this is just the tip of the iceberg. Losing your core does some crazy things to your body. My body has obviously never changed like this before, so the effects can feel strange. I've started feeling Braxton Hicks contractions. I was surprised to feel them so early but apparently it's normal. They only happen every once and awhile, except for an episode I had a couple of weeks ago. I babysat all week and was lifting and standing for too long that I started getting one right after another. I called my midwife and she told me to sit for a few hours and drink 16 oz of water every half hour. That did the trick and I was fine. I just have to force myself to slow down a little bit. Of course, we did go to Washington DC that next weekend and I walked and walked and walked...but <i>now</i> I will slow things down.<br />
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My belly is streeetchiiing and I finally feel like a pregnant woman. When I'm out in public, especially while we were in DC, people stare at my stomach. There was a slimy, teenage boy who was unabashedly staring me down as I walked into a store WITH Joel. I was so disgusted. I am <i>pregnant</i>, for heaven's sake--raise your standards, boy! I've decided that growing a human inside of another human is not supposed to look cute or attractive--despite what you see on blogs, movies, TV and even those freaks of nature you come across in real life--so I just need to let my insecurities go. Watching the number on the scale go up (at an alarming rate!) and literally fitting the description of Fatty-Fatty-Two-by-Four is humbling, to say the least. I'm not ashamed that I struggle with the changes in my body because I believe those feelings are a part of the process. All of my greatest blessings have come when I've learned to abandon the temporal and find my sense of worth in the state of my spirit and the love of my Savior. And just the thought of holding my baby boy fills me to the brim with happiness.<br />
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Sara Bosler Castrohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00420200158654185603noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6411306769210577904.post-27180180494800670722013-05-14T05:39:00.000-07:002013-05-14T05:39:09.035-07:003 Years <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="281" mozallowfullscreen="" src="http://player.vimeo.com/video/16971175" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="500"></iframe> <br />
<a href="http://vimeo.com/16971175">Sara + Joel Castro: Salt Lake Temple</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/nathanpickett">Nathan Pickett</a> on <a href="http://vimeo.com/">Vimeo</a>.</div>
Sara Bosler Castrohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00420200158654185603noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6411306769210577904.post-88937273927149194052013-04-19T11:28:00.001-07:002013-04-19T11:28:19.737-07:00Birth Story<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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What will our son look like? </div>
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Will he look more like me or Joel? </div>
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Either way, he's going to have big ears. Sorry kid.</div>
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It's my birthday today and the only thing my mind can seem to focus on is our son's birthday in the near future. When will he arrive? What will he look like? What will be the story I tell him the morning of his birthdays?<br />
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Following tradition, my mom called me this morning and recited the story of when I was born. She went into labor late the night before, dropped my brother & sister off, and labored all night long. The nurses were more worried about my pale-faced Dad in the corner and kept offering him food. My mom tried to postpone my delivery until her doctor could get there because she had heard horrible things about the doctor on-call. I was persistent, so her plan was ruined. I was born at 7:50am. The doctor was a middle-eastern man with a very thick accent. When I was born he kept saying "A beautiful baby girl! A beautiful baby girl!" He asked my mom what they would name me and she told him, "Emily Elizabeth." "Oh!" he exclaimed, "You've taken all of the beautiful names!" About 15 minutes later they changed my name to Sara because I needed a "stronger name." Labor was not kind to my face--it was swollen and puffy, my nose was smushed down, my lips were gigantic and my chin stuck out so far it literally cast a shadow! My parents were worried the name Emily was too dainty for this monstrosity they created. All I needed was some beauty sleep, people. My mom always ends the story telling me how alert I was from the moment I was born. She would shake her cup of ice chips and my eyes would perk up and follow her cup as she moved it side to side. "You've always been bright," she says. And, having seen it all on video tape, I'll always remember how happy my dad was that morning. I'm the third child and they already had one of each gender; nonetheless, he doted on me like I was the first and only baby to come into this world. I am blessed to have such a loving set of parents.<br />
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I appreciate my mother even more now that I am pregnant (and I haven't even been through labor yet!). This birthday I am more grateful for her than anything. I genuinely feel blessed to take part of this tradition of sacrifice that has been passed down from woman to woman, generation to generation. It is divine. I look forward to holding each of my babies the mornings of their special day and reciting all of the painful, funny, and tender details of their own birth stories. Birthdays are the best sort of memories.<br />
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Sara Bosler Castrohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00420200158654185603noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6411306769210577904.post-44992535338718766562013-04-15T13:43:00.000-07:002013-04-15T13:49:39.113-07:00Weeks 19 & 20<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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BABY:<br />
Our baby is a BOY! We had the anatomy scan ultrasound at 19 weeks and got to see our baby from head to toe. It was such a relief to see that he's healthy and growing normally. We're so grateful. I am still on a high from seeing his little body move around inside of me. There's just no way to explain the joy I feel. Joel and I are both so happy. Our baby boy kept stretching out his arms, legs and fingers during the ultrasound. My right uterus is a little higher up than normal so his feet are already close to my ribs. He's got a lot of energy and I'm feeling him more and more each day.<br />
We had no inkling as to whether our baby is a boy or girl, so when we found out the gender we were both shocked. The look on Joel's face was priceless. His eyes lit up and he just grinned for the rest of the appointment. He's not a jump-up-and-down-on-Oprah's-couch sort of guy, but I could tell he was ecstatic. I am amazed at how quickly I fell in love with him (I know, cliche). I get choked up just thinking about my boy, especially during conference weekend as I imagined raising a son and hoping that he will be a good man. He is so special to me already. And I am already an annoyingly adoring mother.<br />
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PREGNANCY:<br />
We did some major spring cleaning and this pregnant lady is thrilled! We cleaned out our second bedroom, organized everything into boxes, and bought plastic drawers for baby stuff. We still only have a bassinet, a pack of diapers and a few sleepers but we're ready for more!<br />
I actually feel my stomach stretching now so I've been using a lot of oil to ease the feeling that this child is going to burst out of me. I use <a href="http://www.mothersspecialblend.com/" target="_blank">Mother's Special Blend</a>--it is amazing stuff. It's extremely oily when you first put it on, but when it soaks in my skin is so soft and it completely gets rid of dry skin and itchiness. I'm not trying to avoid stretch marks--because it is genetic and inevitable for me--I just use this oil to make myself more comfortable.<br />
I've had a bad case of baby brain ever since the stick said positive. I can't remember names or places and am constantly switching up dates. Just last month we arrived at my cousin's birthday party an entire week early. It's getting so bad that Joel has even caught the bug. Last week he went into the city for a meeting, which was actually scheduled for the next day.<br />
I had to start sleeping with a pillow between my legs; otherwise, my hips ache so badly it keeps me up. If I sit for too long my lower back will start to hurt. Other than that, I feel awesome. I am loving the second trimester. I can't believe I'm at the halfway mark! I do not feel 5 months pregnant.<br />
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PLACE:<br />
Just five minutes from our house is a beautiful beach. Sometimes I forget we live on the coast because the majority of the time we've lived here so far has been during the winter. Now that the sun has come out we've been heading down to the water more often, and I'm sure I'll be there most days this summer. Both Joel and I were beach babies (he in Brazil and me in Southern California) so it's fun that our little boy will be a beach babe, too. I can't wait to kiss that brown, chubby boy!<br />
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*picture taken at the end of week 20 and after Sunday dinner--so half of that belly is a food baby, sorry. Still not popping out too much.</div>
Sara Bosler Castrohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00420200158654185603noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6411306769210577904.post-61651232857366851332013-04-05T10:38:00.000-07:002013-04-15T13:50:13.835-07:00A Bouncing Baby<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Nautical blue for our East Coast BOY!</div>
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He's healthy and just about the cutest thing we've ever seen. Look at that face! We're proud parents already.</div>
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We've been secretly hoping for a boy the past few weeks so we're on cloud nine. :)</div>
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Sara Bosler Castrohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00420200158654185603noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6411306769210577904.post-89302787007238555492013-04-01T10:59:00.002-07:002013-04-01T11:01:38.618-07:00Weeks 17 & 18<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEPbFw20XRVvMoVGmnojsXGciuq5FzUh7nL61X-98nb2KVvM4yI0rBM0IeZlEflLVVcR6wfo2LwkK2x-o0gcpnuiJX6zIEXz702N8Zb9SJ2rfPC_J0hQuYgRibZC-YQ8eFYbaV0JV7OJ40/s1600/18weeks.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="474" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEPbFw20XRVvMoVGmnojsXGciuq5FzUh7nL61X-98nb2KVvM4yI0rBM0IeZlEflLVVcR6wfo2LwkK2x-o0gcpnuiJX6zIEXz702N8Zb9SJ2rfPC_J0hQuYgRibZC-YQ8eFYbaV0JV7OJ40/s640/18weeks.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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BABY:<br />
I can feel the baby move! Every so often my lower abdomen suddenly feels full and I feel something moving on its own in there. One time it felt like the baby did a flip, but for the most part it feels like small bubbles popping. The movements aren't huge but I can finally feel him/her.<br />
We're getting anxious about finding out the gender of this little one. I thought I would have a preference but I honestly don't. Joel goes back and forth. We've reached the point that we just want to know! We can't wait to find out on Friday and see how much our baby has grown in 10 weeks. I have all of this energy to plan and nest, so we've harnessed that into finding deals on baby items. Seriously, one Friday night we spent at least an hour in the diaper section of Shop Rite comparing prices in the store and online. Who would've thought diaper prices would be one of the thrills we chase in our twenties?<br />
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PREGNANCY:<br />
Week 17 & 18 have been all about appearances. Since I got pregnant, it's only shown in my chest (so painful). At around 14 weeks I broke down and got a new bra that fit better and I'll probably be replacing it in few weeks. In these last 2 weeks, the rest of my body has gone from softening around the edges to "WHAT HAPPENED?!"--I actually yelled that in a dressing room. While I'm still not obviously pregnant looking, I definitely notice the difference. I'm not complaining about the weight or changes to my body--that's what I signed up for--but I am really curious. When does this happen to everyone else? Am I small, medium or big for this stage? Do things even out? Will I look pregnant in my front and my back?! (Because seriously, already having a curvy figure is not doing me any favors!) I am constantly asking about other peoples' experiences so I can make sense of my own.<br />
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The sudden awareness of my body size sent me out shopping for maternity clothes. Why did I wait so long to buy maternity jeans?! Those things are divine. My goal is to only buy maternity clothes that make me feel exceptionally great. I found some nice stuff at Kohl's and Macy's but will be spreading most of the shopping out as I grow.<br />
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PLACE:<br />
Every day I take a walk down to the library and back. It's been a nice way to exercise and get some fresh air. The walk takes me through our town's Veteran's Cemetery. It's been a favorite place of mine since we've moved here. It's full of history, huge trees and a gorgeous lake. In the fall the foliage is stunning, and for Christmas the town decorates the graves with wreaths. I've decided to take the weekly photos in favorite spots of ours around Connecticut and New York. I know we'll look back on this time in our lives with fond memories of where we lived and the exciting changes that were taking place.<br />
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Sara Bosler Castrohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00420200158654185603noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6411306769210577904.post-59464918267596334502013-03-29T09:15:00.000-07:002013-03-29T09:15:14.395-07:00The newest member of our family.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Meet Lola, the newest addition to the Castro family. </div>
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Yes, that is a rat you see.</div>
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Here are a few things you may not know about pet rats:</div>
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<li>They're extremely smart. They can learn their name, do tricks and be litter trained.</li>
<li>They're pretty low maintenance.</li>
<li>They're the dogs of the small pet world. They're loyal, companionate, and friendly. </li>
<li>They're completely odorless and the cleanest of all rodents. Pet rats do not carry diseases.</li>
<li>They're very cuddly and love to play. </li>
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My parents got us a pet rat we named Lovey when I was around 4 years old. She was the sweetest thing. We had three more at different times growing up. The first memories I have of rats are of Lovey, so it's not strange at all for me to have one as a pet. I totally understand why it is strange for other people--I'm terrified of spiders so I would never own a pet tarantula. To each their own.</div>
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Lola is my little pal. I'm a big animal lover and have been wanting a pet for awhile. Now that I'm home most of the day it's the perfect time. She sits on my shoulder while I do the dishes, plays on the couch while I read and write, and will even fall asleep 2-3 inches from my head when I take a nap. She loves to climb all over Joel when he gets home. He feeds her treats like Pirates Booty and Cheerios. Lola will melt in your hand if you rub behind her ears. </div>
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I grew up with all sorts of pets, so it's fun to finally start having some of our own. Joel grew up having parrots and the other night he told me that he's excited to get one for our family in a few years. I'm not so thrilled about birds, but if he is fine with a rat I guess I will have to be open to a parrot.<div>
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Sara Bosler Castrohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00420200158654185603noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6411306769210577904.post-73902033054105284992013-03-25T07:14:00.000-07:002013-04-01T11:01:25.868-07:00Let's talk about...Food <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I remember saying during my first 1st trimester (I later miscarried) that I wasn't going to let pregnancy change me. I would fight back at the raging hormones by keeping my emotions steady, my energy upbeat, and eating as I normally did.<br />
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So naive. So very, very naive.<br />
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The turning point came when I was in the middle of class and I started feeling nauseous. I was hungry. I opened my backpack and each snack I packed made my stomach churn. <i>You know what would be perfect right now?--</i>the child who had taken over my mind thought--A<i> big bowl of orange sherbet</i>. And, simply enough, that's how you find yourself torso-deep inside of a freezer at the grocery store scraping out the last carton of orange sherbet because it was, conveniently, frozen to the back wall. I ate one bowl full when I came home and it was thrown into the garbage a week later because I couldn't stand the sight of it.<br />
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Welcome to crazy town.<br />
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This time around, the 1st trimester wasn't any easier on me. I didn't have a car and Joel wasn't home until very late, so some nights you would find me in tears on the couch whimpering, "I just want <i>one</i> jalapeño kettle chip...just <i>one</i>." It was all very dramatic at the time, but hindsight tends to turns pregnancy into a comedy. I'm hoping that one day I will laugh at how my body has become wide, soft, and lumpy...that day is going to come, right?....RIGHT?!<br />
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Foods that had to be out of mind & sight faster than you can say vomit:<br />
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Any and all seafood...ugh, typing seafood made me queasy<br />
Most meat--I can tolerate chicken and most sandwich meat<br />
Peeps<br />
Goldfish<br />
Pita chips<br />
Ritz crackers<br />
Green bean casserole<br />
Anything too sugary, like most candy & sweets<br />
Cream-based soups<br />
Tortellini Alfredo</blockquote>
Foods that I've become obsessed with:<br />
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Bisquick biscuits<br />
Potato Chips...okay, potato anything--like fries, tater tots, hash browns, roasted potatoes<br />
Roasted Garlic Rye Chips<br />
Pirates Booty<br />
Grapes & Chocolate covered Strawberries<br />
Any and all vegetables, especially peas and artichokes<br />
Corn dogs<br />
Limes</blockquote>
It's funny how pregnancy is such a wild ride but it never detracts from the joy and awe of seeing your baby inside of you and hearing its heartbeat. The whole thing is a miracle. It'll make you sick, frustrated and emotional--but it's a miracle and I know I'm blessed to be apart of it.<br />
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Sara Bosler Castrohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00420200158654185603noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6411306769210577904.post-3372117230954281552013-03-22T11:19:00.003-07:002013-03-22T11:19:44.368-07:00Joel turned 27<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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While I was away in Utah Joel turned 27 years old. Lest you think I'm an awful wife for being away, I did try to make his big day as special as I could. Before I left, I set up a scavenger hunt around the house. The morning of his birthday he had to follow the clues and instructions to get his presents. For example, he had to put up a Happy Birthday sign on our front door and send me a picture to get one clue.</div>
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To find his last present he had to wear a huge pin on his chest that said "It's my 27th birthday" and get a picture taken with someone. His birthday was on a Sunday and I wanted to make sure at least someone wished him a happy birthday. If it was up to him, he could go the whole day not telling a soul. </div>
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Ultimately, I had no reason to worry about that because we have some of the greatest friends out here who take really good care of us. One being the Jackson family. The night of Joel's birthday, Nicole invited Joel and a few of our friends over to their house for cake and ice cream. She made him his favorite cake topped with the Brazilian flag in sprinkles. As a cherry on top, their youngest daughter, with whom Joel is totally smitten, said "Joel" that day. It was his favorite birthday present!</div>
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When I talked to him on the phone after the party he said it had been one of his best birthdays yet (eh hm, with the exception of me being MIA). Many thanks to all of our friends who shared in the celebration. I can't tell you how happy you made him and me. </div>
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Sara Bosler Castrohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00420200158654185603noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6411306769210577904.post-6633634303705758522013-03-21T06:10:00.000-07:002013-04-01T11:01:09.274-07:00Back to Utah<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="text-align: left;">Last week I returned home from a nice getaway to Utah. The plan was to do nothing but relax, spend time with friends and family and eat Cafe Rio. It was a success! I was there for 2 1/2 weeks but it still didn't seem long enough! I was such a slacker with my camera so many rendezvous aren't pictured, but I did happen to end up with a lot of my niece and nephew. They're cute, so it works.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This trip I met Abby for the first time! <br />
She is a tiny little lady and so adorable. <br />
I got to spend a lot of time with her, Gabe and my sista Rachael.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of a few lunch dates with friends. I love these ladies!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And I love that we're all having babies together. <br />
Bethany was 29 weeks, Kassidy 18 weeks and I was 14 weeks in this picture.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cuddle time with Oreo</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dad and Sammy</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A day at the Dinosaur park with Gabe</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Um, cutest.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1251.photobucket.com/albums/hh548/saracastro514/IMAG1872-1_zps63ee8c04.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://i1251.photobucket.com/albums/hh548/saracastro514/IMAG1872-1_zps63ee8c04.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rachael & Abby</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Visiting Daniel</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1251.photobucket.com/albums/hh548/saracastro514/5f8bff17-c1d9-4788-8e94-dce6e035d3a6_zps3401245f.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://i1251.photobucket.com/albums/hh548/saracastro514/5f8bff17-c1d9-4788-8e94-dce6e035d3a6_zps3401245f.jpg" width="375" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My friend Allison and I found these helpful books for dads-to-be at a baby boutique in SLC. <br />
I was tempted to buy them for Joel.</td></tr>
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When I got to Utah I was about 14 weeks along and (praise the Lord!) my nausea had mostly subsided, my appetite came back and I had more energy. Sadly, my night sickness (let's be honest here, the term "morning sickness" really needs to go) hadn't made its way out--and still hasn't totally yet--so the flight there and back was pure torture. Also, recently my anxiety has begun manifesting itself through a fear of flying. Not a great combo.<br />
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It was all worth it to be able to hang out with family and get together with friends. It's hard to imagine that when we visit next for Christmas we will be bringing a baby with us!<br />
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Sara Bosler Castrohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00420200158654185603noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6411306769210577904.post-15355555544159943802013-03-20T07:54:00.000-07:002013-04-01T11:00:41.348-07:00Baby Castro<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1251.photobucket.com/albums/hh548/saracastro514/c0a237f3-11f1-43d3-9314-d09d6a350e6c_zpse5f432b4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="328" src="http://i1251.photobucket.com/albums/hh548/saracastro514/c0a237f3-11f1-43d3-9314-d09d6a350e6c_zpse5f432b4.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Long ago, at 9 weeks</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Due August 27, 2013</span></div>
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I'm 17 weeks along and feeling great! </div>
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We're looking forward to our next ultrasound in a few weeks to find out </div>
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whether this little baby is a BOY or a GIRL.</div>
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What're your guesses?</div>
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Sara Bosler Castrohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00420200158654185603noreply@blogger.com2