She's Here! And my energy is returning.

On the night of Sunday the fifth of December I went into labor around bedtime. We called my Doula at 3:30am an she was here helping us through it an hour later. Firstborn daughter blee slept through it all until 6:30 when she woke up on her own, a typical time. At 7:30 things shifted into high gear fast and at 8 my husband took our car and our daughter one direction to get her to school while my doula took me the other direction towards the hospital. Hoping to meet up again before the birth.

After narrowly avoiding giving birth in my doula's van, then the hospital waiting room while a receptionist lectured me about not being pre-registered and all the paperwork on me she'd have to do as a result. My husband did make the birth with all of about five minutes to spare. Charlotte Patricia was born at 8:58 and was put to my chest to feed straight away. When she did get weighed an hour later she came in at 8lbs 2oz and 19in. Not too shabby.


Big sister is loving being a big sister and we are all doing well and settling into our new lives as a family of four. She loves to tell everyone and anyone about her baby. She gives the baby gifts of her toys.

I Guess This Means I'm Nesting?

This is the start of the stash I am building for baby Charlotte. A few cozy wraps, stuffed animals, a tiny knit hat that never really fit Alex, a nursing cover, lovey blankets and more. Not much for right now, but newborns don't really need that much.

I'm twenty three weeks as of tomorrow and finally this whole we're going to have another baby business is sinking in and feeling like it is actually going to happen.

And it's perfect

so clean looking
Originally uploaded by mlee.etsy.com

While the entire move isn't complete by any means, my studio is all set up and ready to go. Now I just need to take care of that pesky rest of the house problem. Gotta say that I am pretty pleased with how it turned out and with myself a little bit. But most of all I feel very blessed and privileged to have such a great space. This downsizing and moving was something we always knew I would have to do as soon as I found out I was pregnant. But it was such a daunting task and I wasn't exactly thrilled to be giving up my studio. But I got over that selfishness a long time ago and have been itching to move for ages now. What stopped us was the hassle of it all. But we had an opportunity to get it started the Wednesday before Thanksgiving when Jon was home from work and Alex was at her toddler group so we started moving our furniture. But we couldn't move the 200lb press, that had to wait until he had a friend come over to help on the following Tuesday.

There is so much natural light I rarely have to turn the ceiling lamp on and I have no need for any of the clip or desk lamps like the old studio. I was able to hang my SAD light up on the wall so it can illuminate the entire room. This space was a blank slate for me to build on and I think I did the best I could with the space and without buying anything new. I made a lot of mistakes with the layout of my last studio, mistakes that I learned from.

And I finally framed and hung some of the art I have collected over the years!

Alex so wants to be in this room and that cannot be as there is way too much for her to get into. So we removed the door and put up a gate. Now I can be in there while watching her at the same time. We might hang a curtain for privacy and decor at some point in the future. I don't know how much work I will be able to get done when she is awake as she still requires a ton of my attention, but it has to be better than before.

Hopefully I will be back to making art sometime this month. There is still so much to do.

Happy Thanksgiving!

found hat
Originally uploaded by mlee.etsy.com

Hope all my friends in the US had a wonderful Thanksgiving weekend and didn't get too bruised up if you did participate in Black Friday. Other than a few choice Amazon purchases we abstained from shopping on Friday. And I won't set foot in a mall until next year.

We're really busy right now totally re-arranging the apartment, but are well. It is going well and I am feeling good about it.

Alex says hi!

Fast Friday - The Terrible Twos

playing in the leaves
Originally uploaded by mlee.etsy.com

I'm being tested. Our church wide Daniel Fast* began on Monday and even though I am doing a slightly modified version that allows grains and a cup of lightly honey sweetened tea once a day it is not easy. No meat or fish, no dairy and no sweets or junk in general is my diet until the 22nd. Tacked onto that I have added a severe limit to my time spent online. In fact I have decided that the internet in its entirety is off limits on Sunday. I even set up a program to block the sites I tend to frequent.

The fast started out pretty difficult the first day or two but now I am hitting my stride with it. Even though I have every reason to go back to my comfort food of sugar. Alex is not going easy on us. Lately it feels like all I say is; "Alex stop that right now!" and that is not fun thing to say.

*pause*

Alex then knocked over my full cup of tea, spilling it all over, then she wanted to play in the puddle of tea. So I had to say "it" and back her off while I tried to sop it up as quickly as possible. Then I had to keep her entertained until the EI therapist came. Normally I participate in the therapy but I really needed to get some house stuff down so I excused myself. Then we went to the playground for two hours. Then lunch which she is currently finishing up. And hopefully a nap. Some hours later I am able to wrap this entry up.

I swear, the only thing keeping my sanity beyond God is the GTD (Getting Things Done) method of scheduling I recently implemented in my life. And just in time! Despite all the craziness I am still pretty calm, not overwhelmed and actually getting things done with renewed energy. I use a website (I upgraded to Pro) and iPhone app to keep me scheduled but a simple pocket notebook would do. But since my notebook is my iPhone I figured it was best to keep it there as the website and the phone app sync.

Here I am eating a very limited diet and much less food in general, working out daily, getting woken up in the middle of the night often, with a ton to do and a needy two year old and I am doing great!

* ⁸ But Daniel resolved not to defile himself with the royal food and wine, and he asked the chief official for permission not to defile himself this way. ⁹ Now God had caused the official to show favor and sympathy to Daniel, ¹⁰ but the official told Daniel, "I am afraid of my lord the king, who has assigned your ^c]">[c] food and drink. Why should he see you looking worse than the other young men your age? The king would then have my head because of you." ¹¹ Daniel then said to the guard whom the chief official had appointed over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah, ¹² "Please test your servants for ten days: Give us nothing but vegetables to eat and water to drink. ¹³ Then compare our appearance with that of the young men who eat the royal food, and treat your servants in accordance with what you see." ¹⁴ So he agreed to this and tested them for ten days. ¹⁵ At the end of the ten days they looked healthier and better nourished than any of the young men who ate the royal food. ¹⁶ So the guard took away their choice food and the wine they were to drink and gave them vegetables instead.

Good Morning - Happy Birthday!

Good Morning
Originally uploaded by m.Lee

A week ago I was at the hospital getting a pre-induction treatment. I had no idea that by 7:14 I would be holding our beautiful baby girl.

All three of us couldn't be doing better. This little flower Jon picked for me this morning while walking the dog. The little pot was a gift for blee when she is older for her own flower picking from jdwolfepottery. Etsy user kindness strikes again!







While I haven't made any new work this week I did start listing new products that I was too tired, sore and depressed to bother with pre-pregnancy. My shop is now officially reopened. making it clear that it may take up to a week for shipping, especially internationally

Today some friends are stopping by to see the baby (and us I presume) but other than that we have no plans. So far it looks like it may not be as hot as it was yesterday so I would like to take her out on a stroll, maybe with the dog so she feels included. Our little bug was fed with the milk drug not too long ago so she should be out for awhile. After I finish up my breakfast and coffee and shower I am going to clean up my studio so I can either carve or print today or tomorrow.

Happy Sunday everybody! And happy birthday to Alexandra/ Alex/ blee/ bug at 7:14pm tonight!


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Now playing: Jens Lekman - Someone to Share My Life With
via FoxyTunes

Fast and Furious!

Marissa and baby
Originally uploaded by m.Lee

Welcome back from the weekend, hope it was fantastic for all. Though I don't think any of you could have me beat at this point for wonderfully eventful weekends! Little blee (or maybe not so little?) finally decided to enter the outside world at 7:14pm on Sunday night, and boy was she in a hurry to get here after those 12 extra days cooped up!

We went in for some pre-induction treatment at the hospital to help make the scheduled induction on Monday go easier on Sunday morning. The first treatment didn't seem to do much, we went and ate lunch across the street before coming back and getting a second dosage. There was even talk of the possibility of getting a 3rd dose before sending me home! After about a half hour of lying down I started having contractions and they came on quite strong right off the bat and got pretty serious (as in painful) very quickly. After about an hour of this we spoke with the midwife that was treating me and decided that this most likely was just the side effect of the treatment and would wear off. The pattern did not fit true labor and I had not progressed much closer. We decided to go home where I could take a bath and generally be more comfortable.

We were home and Jon was helping me with my breathing for close to two hours before I decided that this could be the real deal after all since even though it was still very erratic it was getting worse not better so when I was able to talk I had Jon call the hospital and they had us come right in. We arrived at the hospital around 6:15pm and they were ready to admit me right away. I was wheeled up to labor and delivery screaming for pain meds. Screaming for the epidural. I nearly cried when they told me that I had to be examined first as I wanted them to stick that epidural needle in my back right then and there if they would it hurt so badly.

Around 6:45 my water finally broke as the nurses were helping me get into a gown (or a Johnny as they like to call them here). By seven I was being examined and told that while I could receive an epidural the baby was so close to being born that I could have the baby by the time they got it for me. And that pushing would help direct and ease the pain more than breathing. I was absolutely terrified of the prospect of going drug free as this had never been my plan this entire pregnancy or even pre-pregnancy! But I wanted this over with as soon as possible.

With the midwife that had just gotten on duty delivering the baby, the midwife that had taken care of me all day and was on her way out when I came in cheering me on and applying wet towels to my face, two nurses and the one whose fault this was keeping me focused and motivated I did it! After thirteen minutes of pushing we had a large, healthy baby girl to hold and worry about for the rest of our lives. When she decided to come she didn't waste any time! I was in total shock for the rest of the night. Alexandra Lee Swinghammer was born at 7:14pm weighing 8.6 pounds and 20 inches. She made sure right away to let us know that her lungs work!

I feel fantastic! We had a great first day yesterday and we are both very smitten. She is already daddy's little girl and has taken quite a shine to being held by and talked to by him. I guess she heard him all the time he was saying "hi baby!" to my belly because she responds very well to his voice and him saying that now. She just loves being talked to in general.

She had her first visitors today. My aunt and her family came and two of Jon's co-workers came by to meet her. And of course her adoring public that is the etc. forum on Etsy that has been waiting to finally meet her was very pleased. I can't wait to show her all the love she already has and had even prior to birth when she is older!

Lots of phone calls lots of change. I seem to be healing quite nicely and quickly. Emotionally I feel very good and hopeful about our future as new parents. And even though it was the worst pain I have ever experienced in my life it feels so good to finally be on the other side of it and be healing instead of getting worse!

I'll be back to making art in no time at all! But for now it is time to bask in the glow of my most beautiful creation.

pssst our camera battery died so we have no pictures from Monday other than the ones that my aunt took and hasn't sent us yet. Here is a photoset that we will be updating with new photos as we get them. The battery is charging now. I need to get some film of Jon with little Alexandra because it is touching.

I just woke up from sleeping and feeding and she is in the nursery while I sent Jon to sleep at home so he could be comfortable. Now I am ready to go back to sleep. When I started this entry I was very awake, now I am sleepy enough to be in danger of some major typos.

Thank you and I love you all! I'll be around!