Tuesday, February 26, 2013
6-month Bit
My Afton Rose is 6 months old now. The time has passes so quickly it is beyond cliche. I wish I had written more...I like to say I spent all of that time LIVING instead of writing about my life, but some of it was just surviving. I told you of her difficult birth, I also think it has taken me some time to come to terms with how I feel about it. Every time I went to write about motherhood, I kept going back to that dark place, instead of sharing the wonder and the joy of being a mom, and the every day frustrations. Now I fear I won't be able to remember.
A friend's blog Turner Twins (http://turnertwins.blogspot.com) helped me realize I don't have to have a profound point (though she has hit several!) or go deep into my psyche in order to write a blog, and it doesn't have to appeal to everyone, because the point is to log the journey. :) So I want to get nostalgic here for a few minutes and share some moments of my little one's first six months.
For instance, for the first month of life, I called my sweet little girl "stinky face." She was just following her newborn instinct to root, but she scrunched up her face and shook her head back and forth as if she smelled something bad and was trying to get away. :) My mother was not pleased to hear me call her jewel of a granddaughter by that less than glamorous appellation. It's funny though, I miss my little stinky face. She has the biggest, brightest blue-grey (sometimes green? I don't think they've settled yet) eyes now, and she stares contempletively, wide-eyed at the world. But she will never again make that particular expression.
I can't describe to you how spoiled we were the first months of her life. Afton never cried. She made the tiniest, cutest little sound of displeasure. "Meh." I can't describe it, so sad and pathetic a noise, it got our attention perhaps as much as a scream. She's became way more vocal in the past few months, and let's us know her unhappiness with the world in new and unique ways; none of them as cute as that first communication--especially the vocalized grunting sound she is fond of now, lol! Speaking of talking...she's working on it! I swear she has said "mama" in a meaningful way, but my husband is disputing whether to count it!
Fortunately, she has always been a healthy baby with no worrying issues (though she had some rough cradle cap, and now some pretty bad eczema on her forehead). She's nursed well (and stil going) and loves to cuddle and be worn (in a wrap or sling, a carrier, anything that has her close to mom or dad!). Right now, though, she is going through aphase that she can't sleep without that physical contact, and then not well at all. My next research project is how to help her sleep better!
Just to describe her, she is an intelligent, curious little girl, always watching, and sometimes telling us about it. She is strong, but very uncoordinated. She didn't play with toys for the longest time. She first laughed before she was 3 months old--her dad was throwing this ball which changes color up and down in the air--apparently that was hilarious! She seldom laughs at the same "joke" twice though. She loves everyone still (no shy phase yet) and cries in empathy with other babies when they start. A sight of her friend DJ is the only thing guaranteed to make her smile.
She has unfortunate hair right now, though she was born with a head of thick, dark hair. As her head grew (90th percentile!) the hair didn't keep pace, and she's worn a bald spot on the back. The new stuff is coming in blond, or reddish brown, and she has a six-inch long section on the top of her head and at the back of her neck (what she was born with!). She's pretty though. She often looks like me, and other times like her father (or his mom!), and strangely sometimes like my twin sister.
Okay, enough rambling. I know I can't share it all in one post. Maybe someday I'll get to deeper meaning, but today, I just appreciated sharing a bit about my Bit. <3
A friend's blog Turner Twins (http://turnertwins.blogspot.com) helped me realize I don't have to have a profound point (though she has hit several!) or go deep into my psyche in order to write a blog, and it doesn't have to appeal to everyone, because the point is to log the journey. :) So I want to get nostalgic here for a few minutes and share some moments of my little one's first six months.
For instance, for the first month of life, I called my sweet little girl "stinky face." She was just following her newborn instinct to root, but she scrunched up her face and shook her head back and forth as if she smelled something bad and was trying to get away. :) My mother was not pleased to hear me call her jewel of a granddaughter by that less than glamorous appellation. It's funny though, I miss my little stinky face. She has the biggest, brightest blue-grey (sometimes green? I don't think they've settled yet) eyes now, and she stares contempletively, wide-eyed at the world. But she will never again make that particular expression.
I can't describe to you how spoiled we were the first months of her life. Afton never cried. She made the tiniest, cutest little sound of displeasure. "Meh." I can't describe it, so sad and pathetic a noise, it got our attention perhaps as much as a scream. She's became way more vocal in the past few months, and let's us know her unhappiness with the world in new and unique ways; none of them as cute as that first communication--especially the vocalized grunting sound she is fond of now, lol! Speaking of talking...she's working on it! I swear she has said "mama" in a meaningful way, but my husband is disputing whether to count it!
Fortunately, she has always been a healthy baby with no worrying issues (though she had some rough cradle cap, and now some pretty bad eczema on her forehead). She's nursed well (and stil going) and loves to cuddle and be worn (in a wrap or sling, a carrier, anything that has her close to mom or dad!). Right now, though, she is going through aphase that she can't sleep without that physical contact, and then not well at all. My next research project is how to help her sleep better!
Just to describe her, she is an intelligent, curious little girl, always watching, and sometimes telling us about it. She is strong, but very uncoordinated. She didn't play with toys for the longest time. She first laughed before she was 3 months old--her dad was throwing this ball which changes color up and down in the air--apparently that was hilarious! She seldom laughs at the same "joke" twice though. She loves everyone still (no shy phase yet) and cries in empathy with other babies when they start. A sight of her friend DJ is the only thing guaranteed to make her smile.
She has unfortunate hair right now, though she was born with a head of thick, dark hair. As her head grew (90th percentile!) the hair didn't keep pace, and she's worn a bald spot on the back. The new stuff is coming in blond, or reddish brown, and she has a six-inch long section on the top of her head and at the back of her neck (what she was born with!). She's pretty though. She often looks like me, and other times like her father (or his mom!), and strangely sometimes like my twin sister.
Okay, enough rambling. I know I can't share it all in one post. Maybe someday I'll get to deeper meaning, but today, I just appreciated sharing a bit about my Bit. <3
Thursday, August 30, 2012
Birth Story
Many of you, friends and family, have already seen the stats: Afton Rose Worthman was born 8/23 via c-section at 11:47 p.m., 8 lbs 4 oz, 20 1/4 inches long. But that doesn't tell the whole story. I had a relatively easy pregnancy, but a very difficult birth--they wanted to induce labor for mild pre-eclampsia. We faced decisions at every turn--whether to go AMA and let the baby come naturally (we had prepared so thoroughly for this), to induce, and if so, how? There are many methods. Well, we decided we couldn't accept that risk (that I could develop eclampsia, endangering my own and Afton's life) so went into the scheduled induction. The first try, starting Wednesday, August 15th, didn't work. I was in the hospital over three days before they asked me to go home and rest before another attempt. If it was safe to go home now, then how come we couldn't stay there and wait? More decisions.
We stuck by our original agreement to trust the doctors about the risk and need for induction, so we went in Tuesday, 8/21, for the second try. Nothing really happened until Thursday, when I made it all the way to completion (pushing the baby out!), but she got stuck on the way, and time was running out because I had developed an infection from the doctors prematurely rupturing the amniotic sac (breaking my water). My epidural had worn off, and after hours of pain and labor without progress, we agreed to have the c-section, to prevent further damage from the infection, and distress to the baby from being blocked. It was hard going, physically and emotionally, for those two weeks, and there are many other tiny injustices I've overlooked here, and may want to talk about eventually, and it is nowhere near the birth story I planned and hoped to share, but the result is what matters, in the end, and we have a beautiful, healthy baby girl to welcome so this is a happy story. I also was able to further feel the deep love and support of my family and friends--another silver lining.
We were able to document this momentous occasion of our daughter's birth with a talented photographer, Crystal Turner, Indy Birth Photographer (http://www.indybirthphotographer.com/ ). You may have already seen some pictures from the event already, posted on facebook. But there is a story to tell, and she has done it well with a photograph slideshow, that I invite you to view, and to share with any family or friends who may not have seen this blog.
Please click this link: Afton Rose and share with me these life-changing moments
With my love:
Rebekah (Becky) Worthman
Tuesday, June 5, 2012
6 months later...
I am 6 months pregnant! My life sort of stopped when I discovered our new addition. I haven't seen my friends in that long either. Guess that meant writing too, not that I was faithful to begin with. I'd like to start again--heck, it's why I started the blog in the first place.
I did buy a house for our growing family, and I have spent a lot of time with family, as we went through the loss of my mother-in-law and then the wedding preparations (much happier!) of my step-sister, and the graduation of my little sister and her husband.
Talk to you soon I hope!
Monday, December 12, 2011
Tuesday, September 6, 2011
I am in truth-spewing mode. It seems like I save them up as little gems, honing and polishing until they spontaneously? burst forth like confetti in a parade. Line up and hear what I really think about you, Life, the Universe, EVERYTHING! First off, I hate my job. I said it. I know, I am supposed to just be happy that I have one in this day and age, a dependable, steady, honest days work to support my family. But it is drudgery, and frankly I am better than that! Until I stop living in fear of survival, I will be scrounging for scraps when there is mana in the desert! I choose to live for Love right now. What do I LOVE doing? Helping people, and being an administrative assistant really isn't doing that, despite the title. I can heal! I can coach, give advice! I can even edit, which is helping others better communicate! But I have to lead by example, and that may mean taking the leap of faith.
Okay, do we really want to get started on faith? Some of my views may shock you! But it is my Truth and I don't expect you to take it as your own, or even understand it, though I hope you lend me understanding. Maybe that is better saved for another post? I'll get back to you.
Okay, do we really want to get started on faith? Some of my views may shock you! But it is my Truth and I don't expect you to take it as your own, or even understand it, though I hope you lend me understanding. Maybe that is better saved for another post? I'll get back to you.
Wednesday, July 6, 2011
Crawling along...
I've just realized I've had this blog for nearly two years now, and have only made 10 or so posts, with only half (or less) of them significant. I am working on my self-esteem issues megatime now for two months, and I've realized I really love writing. Why do I stop myself from doing what I love? Punishment? Silliness.
I loved my last post, experimenting with a new style and sublty making fun of overserious writers. I loved sharing that memory with you, even if it was just a fraction of a moment in my timeline. I think I need to look back more often, instead of at Current Events, which is what Clinton (http://www.clintons42blog.blogspot.com/) is good at right now. I need to explore what makes me me, and which of those experiences are a unique take on the average human experience. I will probably get philosophical at times, bear with me.
Love you! Becky
I loved my last post, experimenting with a new style and sublty making fun of overserious writers. I loved sharing that memory with you, even if it was just a fraction of a moment in my timeline. I think I need to look back more often, instead of at Current Events, which is what Clinton (http://www.clintons42blog.blogspot.com/) is good at right now. I need to explore what makes me me, and which of those experiences are a unique take on the average human experience. I will probably get philosophical at times, bear with me.
Love you! Becky
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