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January 30, 2007

24 hours

The next time I'm able to post a new entry, I'm fairly certain I'll be a soggy mess of hormonal tears. It's to be expected and at this point, I'm annoying myself knowing that the crying jags will arrive any day. Bah. I don't like being unstable.

So, my sweet, sweet Elizabeth leaves this evening to stay with Aunt Shanny for a few days. I'll start sobbing as soon as she is out of the driveway. Brian will feed me chocolate and maybe that will make me feel better.

Brian and I have to finish packing out hospital bag. Three months ago we said, "We should pack our hospital bag! Based on experience, we need to be ready to go at ANY TIME!" Obviously we're a couple of slackers. We're waiting until a few hours before the scheduled C-Section to pack.

All of the Pipers will be arriving home on Saturday (as long as there are no complications) and my Mom will be staying with us for several days to help us all settle into some sort of a routine. After that, Brian is hoping to work half days for an additional week, and by the time he heads back to work full time, I should be healed enough to handle most everything.

I'll be back to work again by the beginning of April, and will continue to accept new orders while I'm on maternity leave. The April schedule is already almost full for the more elaborate custom orders, so please don't delay in ordering if your delivery deadline is in April or May. I'm going to be booked up fairly soon.

We're still accepting orders for the more basic garb packages and items for people who have earlier delivery deadlines. All of the packages in our peasant, merchant and budget pages, as well as separates (such as bodices, chemises and skirts) can be ordered now with a speedy 3-4 week delivery timeframe.

Please note that after tonight, I won't be available to respond to emails for about a week.

My next journal entry may take a couple of weeks, but I promise to update as soon as I'm physically able!


January 24, 2007

Baby update

I just got home from my very last doctor appointment before we have the baby! Adam is FINALLY head down (not that it matters, since we're having a C-Section). The doctor estimates that he is about 7.5 pounds, and by this time next week, Brian, Adam and I will all be recovering from the surgery, and resting up for a few months of late-night feedings! We're all very excited.

I've tried explaining all of the upcoming events to Elizabeth. She stares at me blankly until I mention "Aunt Shanny" and then her eyes light up and she asks, "Go see Itchy? Go see Icky? Go see Gimpa? Do painting?

I nod and tell her, yes, she gets to go hang out with ALL of those fun people and paint for 4-5 days while Mommy and Daddy get ready to bring Adam ("Ahhh-mee") home.

We're ready. We're SO ready. Last night we boiled nipples (not mine. The rubber kind) and made a list of last-minute items we need for Adam's homecoming. Brian picked up the last few items this afternoon, so we're good to go. The bedside sleeper arrived today. Blankets, clothes and burp cloths are all washed and ready. All we need is a baby.

Seven days. Seven days. Seven days. . . . .

January 21, 2007

How to wake up REALLY FAST

This morning at 6:30 am, I heard Elizabeth's voice through the baby monitor. This is what made me leap from bed and fly up the stairs as fast as I could move (which ain't very fast):

"Poopy Nugget! HEY, MOMMY! POOPY NUGGET! COLD! WET! POOPY NUGGET!!!!"

TRANSLATION: I have found a way to take my diaper off and have discovered magical things inside. I'd hurry if I were you.

January 19, 2007

Good News

Today's appointment went much better than the last. My doctor is really pleased with the improvements on the water weight swelling (which seems to be going down a bit). My BP is normal, no headaches, no eyeball floaters. My doctor said to keep on doing what we're doing, because it seems to be working.

I have one more appointment with her before I go in for pre-admission testing on the 29th. On the 30th, E-Beth goes to Shannon's and on the 31st, we're scheduled for the C-Section.

On to other news - I wanted to wait until I received the contracts, and now that I have, the great news is that Simplicity Patterns has asked me to design for them. Of course, I feel this is a tremendous opportunity and told them yes, I would be honored to create a line of patterns for them.

Originally we were hoping to have some designs in their early fall catalog, but their deadline for delivery is at the end of this month, and, well, I've got a couple other things I can't really get out of doing. ;-) So we'll shoot for the next issue.

Either way, keep an eye on Simplicity Pattern's catalog for Very Merry Seamstress original designs, coming to a store near you!

January 12, 2007

Benched

I've been put on the sidelines. My third-to-last OBGYN appt before Adam's arrival was this morning and my doctor took one look at me and ordered me to stop working for the rest of the pregnancy. I've gained 11 pounds in under a week. My doctor told me that it would be impossible for me to gain 11 pounds of fat in under a week, and that I was way too "puffy" with water weight.

"Off your feet. I mean it. ALL DAY, EVERY DAY." she said.

"I have a two-year old-"

"Keep your babysitter."

"Cleaning? Nesting?"

"That's what husbands are for."

January 11, 2007

20 Days!

Only 20 days until I embark on the world's quickest weight-loss plan, and will lose at least 10 pounds in under an hour!

I finished my last order before maternity leave today - which means I have twenty days to nothing but nest and drive Brian and Elizabeth utterly insane.

Roughly translated, I could go through 1 bottle a day of bleach, Pine Sol, Pledge furniture polish and Mop n Glo, hover incessantly over Brian asking him when he'll put Elizbaeth's wardrobe together, and smother childypants with more kisses and hugs than any child ever wants. By the time the big trip to Aunt Shanny's, Uncle Gary's and Grandpa's arrives, she's going to be ready to be rid of me.

In other news: We have a Real and True Official Drywall Guy coming to our house tonight to tell us how much time and how much cash it'll take to finish the upstairs. THIS makes me happier than anything, ever, ever, ever. I've issued the statement, "WE WILL PAY ANY AMOUNT OF MONEY TO MAKE THIS BE DONE." I think Brian is tired enough of doing drywall that he actually agrees with me.

The Guilt has settled in, and I'm starting to feel like I need to spend every possible moment with Elizabeth, appreciating her wonderfulness, completely uninterrupted, while I still can. In 20 days Brian and I will either completely disrupt the Elizabeth Piper homestead, or we will completely enhance it by bringing a sibling into her arena. Guilty feelings were inevitable. I feel almost like I'm somehow betraying her by adding another Piper to the mix - isn't that weird?

Today I switched the babysitting schedule from a whole day to a half day because I felt guilty for wanting to work a whole day. Elizabeth and I spent the last hour before naptime washing dishes - which is her absolute, most very favorite activity in the world. Her request was simple and to the point when I asked what she wanted to do with the last bit of time before bed:

"Wash dishes. Be naked."

Instead of letting her wash dishes naked, I added blue food color to the bubbles. It rocked her world and was an easy compromise. Apparently blue ANYTHING is just as good as being naked.

The Nesting Instinct is EXTREMELY strong right now - I'm obsessed with the smell of Ajax and I want to scour everything in our house from top to bottom. Brian laughed at me last night because I alphabetized our spice cupboard. He drew his hand across his brow and whispered a "Whew," followed with a sarcastic, "I'm not sure we could have brought the baby home until you alphabetized that spice cupboard."

I'm a little overwhelmed at how much I have to do before Adam arrives, but I think I have at least a week before I completely panic. I feel like I need to be spending all of my waking hours either cleaning, or convincing Elizabeth that even though we're going to change her life forever, we will always worship the ground she walks on, and let her wash dishes naked, if that will make her forgive us for bringing home another Piper, who will probably be getting a lot more attention than she gets, at least for a little while.

I think I need to buy a lot more blue food coloring. Blue everything.


January 04, 2007

Not Superwoman afterall

So, this is it. I've got three orders left to fill and then I am officially going on maternity leave. Everything is taking me twice as long as it normally takes to do things. I'm easily winded, and have to take frequent breaks to rest and catch my breath. My body is telling me to slow down, so I'm going to listen.

I'm starting to retain a lot of water, so I'm really puffy and uncomfortable. I'm not sleeping much, so I'm extra tired too. Yep. It's time to wrap things up, take a break for a few months, and spend some time enjoying my family. To my last three pre-maternity-break customers - no worries. I'm well ahead of schedule, and I plan to have all the orders filled and shipped by the 13th of January. :-) Plus, don't forget that sister Erin, and my other seamstresses are ready to take on new orders while I'm away. I'm still here to answer emails and provide estimates, but MY sewing time is coming to an end, at least temporarily.

January 03, 2007

Countdown, Part Two

Only 28 days until I no longer have to cross my legs every time I sneeze.

Countdown

Only 28 days until I can drink obscene amounts of tequila and pass out on the living room floor.


Most people know that "obscene amounts of tequila" for me = about one shot. That's also about how much I'd be able to drink before passing out on the floor.

December 17, 2006

Baby Ticker

pregnancy

November 28, 2006

Adam's Birthday

I'm back from my regular check-up, and we've scheduled the date for Adam's delivery! He will be born on January 31 (unless I go into labor before then). I hope E-Beth is ok with almost sharing a birthday with her little brother. Her birthday is January 26.

Wow, where has the time gone? This pregnancy has zoomed by so quickly - I can't believe I only have two months left!

November 17, 2006

Bah, grumble

I flunked my glucose test. I did the same thing when I took the first glucose test while pregnant with Elizabeth. I took the one-hour glocose test, marginally failed it, and had to do the every-hour, for half a day blood draws. I passed all of them the last time, so let's hope I do the same this time.

I followed all the pre-testing rules to the letter. After failing the glucose test during Elizabeth's pregnancy, I didn't want to have to go through the secondary test unless there was a problem. I ate no sugars or carbs for 24 hours before the test (in fact, my diet this time around has been pretty good in an attempt to avoid, if possible, all of the problems I had last time around), and I fasted the morning of the test. The blood was drawn exactly on the hour.

If my glose levels are off, I'll gladly take the second one to make sure we can treat any potential problems as soon as possible. But let's hope that I pass it, just like I did last time. :-) I'd rather err on the side of caution.

Baby Ticker

pregnancy calendar

October 12, 2006

Analyze this one

Did/does anyone else have weird dreams during their pregnacy?

Last night I had a dream that I had a "cabana boy," and Brian had a "cabana girl" (I don't know if there is such a thing).

We wound up firing both of them for eating all of our cookies.

August 04, 2006

The ancestral flashback

This morning I stood barefoot and pregnant, sweating my ass off in front of my ironing board, iron in hand, pressing linen yardage, listening to the radio about the war. Apparently time travel is possible WITHOUT a deLorean.

June 29, 2006

Getting it right always takes a little time ;-)

Wow - I can't believe it's almost Friday already. I feel as though I've missed out on this whole week somehow. Those who have been pregnant know what I'm talking about when I say "tired," and understand that thick fog that envelopes your noggin as the evening wears on. This, too, shall pass.

I'm on track for orders, though - so have no worries. I'd rather have my eyeballs plucked from my skull by a murder of ravenous crows, than ever miss a deadline, as most of you know.

I've just finished two new projects: A new men's Elizabethan package consisting of trimmed doublet, shirt and pumpkin pants for our brave manly-men. Everything's available in a range of fabrics, and a range of prices, so there will be something for everyone.

We've also been working on our historically accurate Tudor peasant, and have pictures for you - I just have to find time to upload them.

Finally, we're adding a jerkin and another new shirt style to the line-up. We're hoping that this will help round out the men's line, which , in the past, has been a little "smallish."

The new Pirates of the Caribbean is coming out next week. We're terribly excited. Expect repros. ;-)

Finally, I'd like to apologize to those who were looking forward to the new line-up of movie reproductions. Due to some unforseeable miscommunications about the terms of service by which VMS operates, the new seamstress and I decided that perhaps the setup was not the best opportunity for everyone involved. We ultimately decided to discontinue the new line and have since removed the photos from the website. Again - my sincere apologies. It is our sincere goal to eventually offer new pictures and set pricing structures for these movie reproductions - it's just going to take us a bit of time to get everything done in samples and have photos completed. We'll get there, I promise.

As always, we're still utterly delighted to work with our customers to provide the highest quality service at the most affordable prices, and we still offer custom estimates on any garment you desire. If you would like a custom estimate, please feel free to submit a custom estimate form and we'll get right back to you with a price quote.

Happy, happy holiday weekend to you all - live safely, eat heartily!

January 18, 2005

Day of doctors

Could THIS be the day? I have four appointments today. I get to bunch them all up and be over and done with them in one fell swoop. How awesome is that?

And the weather is junky, and I'm a chicken driver when the roads are snowy, so my handsome hubby is chauffering me around!

We start by dropping off the pee jug, donating blood to the Heather Kidney Death Fund, fundal height measurment, lecture about weight gain, non-stress test and ultrasound! WHEW!

Test results will be read tomorrow, and then Doc will either induce or torture us with another week of waiting!

Peace, 'til next

January 15, 2005

Breast envy

My whole life I have never had boobies. I'm not kidding when I say that before I got "knocked up" (as Brian likes to call it), I wore 31 AAA bras - and even they were kinda big on me.

In high school, my well-endowed sisters with their fancy-schmancy C-cup bras would pick on me.

Sisters: "Hey, BOY! Nice NUBBINS!"

Stick girl Heather would respond, ever-so eloquently, "Yeah, well at least I can run out to get the mail without them slapping me in the face . . . " And I would offer them a visual demonstration by slapping myself in the face: thwackthwackthwackthwackthwackthwack.

Then I would continue, "and I can do it WITHOUT a bra on" and I would run in place with my breasts not moving an inch. Mostly because I didn't have breasts. Then my lack of balance and gravity would kick in and I'd fall and smack my nose on a chair on the way down - sending my sisters into hysterical fits of laughter.

In my late twenties, this fabulous miracle was devloped: THE W-UNDER BRA. (altered the name to avoid any trouble)

I bought one in a big fat hurry - a nice thick super-luxury padded one. And it had no straps, which meant I could wear it and people would think I wasn't even wearing a bra - they would just know that I was naturally curvy, busty and oh-so GIRLY.

I was working as the editor for a local newspaper at the time, and I was all suited up - professional as could be. I had appointments all day, with politicians, school administrators, corporate entities - and I was feeling good.

I had W-UNDER BRA on my side.

Halfway through the day, I started noticing that people were actually looking at my chest. No, they were STARING at my chest. And I thought to myself, "Damn! This thing really works," and I stuck my chest out proudly for the world to see.

Toward the end of the day, I ran into the Gas n Go to buy myself a cool, refreshing beverage, and the counterboy, no surprise, was staring at my chest. But he was looking at it kinda funny. Like he was confused about world economics, or the state of the environment - or something really important. . . . .

I thought, "Huh. Must be he doesn't see very many busty women during the day." I thrust my magnificent chest out, and sauntered back to my car.

As I reached to shift the car into "D" (for "Dumbass"), I caught a quick glimpse of my chest.

My W-UNDER BRA had shifted. My strapless, magnificent, miracle-working W-UNDER bra had completely betrayed me, and one enormous padded breast was now located directly below my left armpit. The other massivley padded faux breast was located directly in the center of my rib cage. I had become a one-tit W-UNDER: A complete, absolute freak of nature.

I was horrified. I suddenly realized that the whole world had not been ogling my glorious, magnificent chest with any amount of breast envy, they were gawking at my deformed W-UNDER BOOBIES, W-UNDER-ing "what the hell is up with this chick's breasts?"

That was the day I gave up on ever having a lovely rack. Once I accepted my fate, I started to appreciate them. . . . .

Until now. Now that I have boobies.

As I slip on my UNpadded bras, I often catch Brian staring at me.

"What are you lookin' at?" I ask him.

"Honey, you - you - you've got CLEAVAGE!" he sputters with awed W-UNDER.

I grin manically. He's right. I *do* have cleavage. Unfortunately my hundred-pound Elizabelly overshadows any magnificent breast-taking views I might be able to offer him.

Lucky for me, he doesn't even seem to notice the belly. Nor does he notice the puffiness, bloating, blotchy skin, leaks, swelling, crankiness, miserable rotten acne-ridden me. He just smiles and tells me how beautiful I am.

And that makes it so.

Peace, till next

January 13, 2005

Do you have the time to listen to me whine?

Me, every day, all day: whinewhinewhinewhine.

I had another prenatal exam today - kidney function is only borderline crappy. BP is down to a good healthy level. There is still protein in my urine - but I asked the doc to explain it to me. Mine is in the 300 range right now, and I asked what range does it have to be in before it's "scary" and he said up in the thousands.

"Ah, Pish!" said I. "No problem. I can avoid that."

So I'm back to a goal of holding out for 37 weeks, and I think I can do it. It's ONLY less than two weeks away. Cake.

I'm trying to remember what I did yesterday that's different from every other day for the past few weeks. Because whatever I did, it made my BP go down, my kidney function improve, and I even lost a couple of pounds.

Today's temperature was 67 degrees at noon. Tomorrow it's supposed to be 30 degrees, and by next week, back down into the 20s. You have NO idea how badly I wish I could go roller blading today. It's killing me to see all this sunshine and warm weather - and be stuck on the couch.

But then I remind myself that I'm giving birth to a gold-plated child of immaculate perfection, and that this will all be worth it to have such an angelically flawless, perfectly-behaved super-child.

And then I realize that those gold-plated perfect children don't seem to run in our family, as I remember back to a phone conversation with sister Erin, who explained to me that she opened her pantry door, only to find her young Ethan perched naked on a sack of potatoes, shoveling dog food into his mouth, grinning like a fool.

Yeah. I can just picture E-Beth and Ethan teaching each other funny little tricks of childhood trade to each other.


Peace, till next

January 12, 2005

Where is Elizabeth?

No baby today, but we got one step closer. I went in for my regular appointment yesterday at 9:45, and my doctor was worried about my kidney function and decided to send me right over to the hospital to meet with a kidney specialist. I was admitted. I had an IV put in. I peed many times for them. I had blood drawn. And all the King's horses and all the King's men decided that I was far too whiney and complainy to keep in the hopspital any longer than absolutely necessary and sent me home at 5 p.m.

I'm peeing in another big, red jug today. I have to go back to my regular doctor tomorrow for another BP check and pee in a cup, and then another NST and ultrasound on Friday. I feel very popular right now, and with all these appointments, it's ALMOST like I have a social life again. Throw in some movie theatre popcorn and it'll be a party!

I had a dream the other night that I had the baby, and she was actually a HE. We brought him home and I put him on the kitchen counter. He was a very good baby, and never cried, and after three days, I said to Brian with an amazingly empty expression on my face, "Aren't we supposed to be feeding it . . . or something?"

Brian pondered a moment, head stuck in the fridge, and finally answered, "Yeah, I think we are supposed to feed it . . . or something . . . "

People tell me that these nightmarish dreams are pretty normal. Our childbirth class teacher told us that they are - but never really elaborated on the topic much. Or maybe she did - we wouldn't know because we dropped out after three weeks and failed the class. Same as we did with Doggie-Be-Good class. And we all know how THAT story turned out.

Peace, 'til next

January 06, 2005

Oniony madness

Dear God of the Onions, how can I thank you enough for watching over me and bringing me the greatest husband on earth? Last night he proved his undying love and devotion and presented me with a plate of five glorious, crispy, make-the-dog-drool, golden, baked, low-salt onion rings. Let me tell you, those were the best mother-bleeping morsels of food I have rested on my dying palette in what seems like decades.

To hell with the gastronomical side effects. Long live the onion. Give me onion or give me death. I am woman, hear my onions. Let them eat onions.

We shall call her Elizabeth Onion Piper.

We've packed our bags for D-Day. (We actually packed them back after the Thanksgiving scare, when we realized ANYTHING can happen at ANY TIME). After wearing hospital-supplied mesh-paper underpants for three days, I decided that a packed hospital bag was among the top priorities on our list of pre-baby "TO DOs"

WHAT I PACKED FOR ME:
*Ten pair of granny undies (I hear things get messy)
*toothpaste
*new toothbrush
*deodorant
*couple pairs of sweat pants & tent shirts
*fluffy fleecey bathrobe
*pajamas, a few
*girly supplies
*socks
*hairbrush
*back massager
*Mark's (of Mark's Pizzeria) phone number

WHAT I PACKED FOR ELIZABETH:
* ten going-home outfits (too many cute choices, I couldn't pick just ONE)
*Four blankets (it might be cold)
*five hats (to match the ten outfits)
*five pairs of itty bitty baby socks (to match the ten outfits)
*Baby suede snow suit (it's just the CUTEST thing!)
*diapers (soooo tiny!)
*car seat

WHAT I PACKED FOR BRIAN:
*$60 in quarters for phones/vending - just in case
* a list of 63 people to call once she is born
*New toothbrush
*deodorant

WHAT BRIAN PACKED:
*One pair boxer shorts
*Two Skydiving magazines
*One rock climbing magazine
*One WIRED magazine
*Cheese and crackers kits
*Peppermint patties
*kickin' MP3 tunes

So, I guess we're ready, right? I'll remind Brian to pick up some onions, THEN we'll be ready.

All hail the glorious onion.

Peace, till next

January 04, 2005

Let the countdown begin!

Three weeks!

I just got back from my weekly checkup and although my kidney function isn't all that great, my blood pressure is down, no protein-crud in my urine and if I can keep things status quo, I'll be having a baby in THREE WEEKS!

Yep! That's right - mark your calendars for the week of January 23rd, because that's when the Elizababy will be making her grand entrance!

Coincidentally, that will also be the date the I become Mark's (of Mark's Pizzeria) new best friend.

I'm still on bed rest. I still have to eat cardboard for the rest of the pregnancy, and yes, I was given another big, red pee jug to take home. (By the way, I was overwhelmed with dozens of helpful email suggestions on how to handle the pee jug dilemma - thank you to all who wrote in!)

Recommended movie:
Napoleon Dynamite. We laughed heartily. Brian can do an eerily accurate impersonation of the lead, Jon Heder.

So, that's it for today. I'm not feeling particularly funny - just particularly EXCITED that it's only THREE WEEKS UNTIL WE'RE PARENTS!!!!!!

Peace, till next

January 03, 2005

I am not going insane

I am not going insane. I do not want an enormous turkey club sandwich with extra mayonnaise and crispy bacon, with extra turkey, mayonnaise and bacon on the side. Pizza is BAD. Chocolate cake is for sinners. Cheesecake will destroy your life and you will wind up living in a cardboard box. I don't need General Tso's chicken to make my life complete. Donuts are over-rated, especially when they are Krispy Kremes. Cardboard is perfectly good food. If it's good enough for hamsters, it's good enough for me.

I am not going insane. Four channels of local television, including the finest ghetto-Jerry-Springer-type-programming-America-has-to-offer is magnificent. Who needs cable? Cable is for the weak.

I am not going insane. 10 minutes of daily allotted Dialup internet is more than enough for the average American. Five minutes to download SPAM and unwanted porn emails, three minutes to delete them, leaving two minutes to respond to friends and loved ones. Sure, that's enough. DIE SPAMMERS, DIE!!!!!!!

I am not going insane. My fingers aren't twitching from sewing withdrawal. My mind isn't becoming an empty, cavernous void from lack of use. I drool because it's healthy. The blank stare is healthy. Sedentary living is healthy. Peeing in a big red jug should be the highlight of everyone's day. Convince yourself and others will believe too. . . . .

I am not going insane. I am not going insane. I am not going insane. I am not going insane. I am not going insane. I am not going insane. I am not going insane. I am not going insane. I am not going insane. I am not going insane. I am not going insane. I am not going insane. I am not going insane. I am not going insane. I am not going insane. I am not going insane. I am not going insane. I am not going insane. I am not going insane. I am not going insane. I am not going insane. I am not going insane. I am not going insane. . . . . . .

Peace, till next

Little Red Pee Jug

They gave me a new pee jug. Lucky me. My belly is bigger than it was two weeks ago, and the hole to pee in is still only two inches wide. Could someone do something to fix this very obvious design flaw?

Peeing on your hand at 3 am doesn't give you a warm cozy feeling, no matter what those freaking Arctic ice climbers tell you. It's actually rather disgusting. And it's worse when you have to trip over a spastic dog in the dark, fumbling your way to the kitchen skink because the bathroom sink is still in a disassembled porcelain heap in the corner.

Hey, don't get me wrong I'm DAMN grateful to have a place to pee without having to haul my hundred-pound belly up a flight of stairs. I'll live without the sink, and I'll do it with a smile.

A LOOK BACK AT OUR FAILURES FOR 2004:

This past year we started out Skye in doggie-be-good class. He made it to the prelim "heel" lesson, where he learned to sit next to our ankles attentively, waiting for the HEEL command - and then we dropped out due to pregnancy and home remodeling issues. (We're such losers)

So now Skye can do the beginnings of "HEEL," but then he just kinda stands there with his neck forcibly-leash cocked to the side as we try to drag him along next to us. Poor guy. We suck, and we know it..

Then we started our birthing classes - got almost to the point where we can successfully deliver a baby, and then we had to drop out because of my health issues. So now we don't know how to deliver this baby. Again, we suck.

So, to help me cope with all these feelings of failure, I've written out my birthing plan. It took a few rewrites, but I th