Back in the Ring

Hello readers!!! How is everyone today? I am here, trying to keep my happy-go-lucky attitude, especially after yesterday's fiasco.

I had called around a few weeks ago looking for another OB since my current OB is unwilling to even discuss a VBAC with me and went to the extremes of lying to me in the hopes of scaring me out of my search for a normal, non-surgical birth. When I called this new office I made sure to stress the point that I have had 2 previous c-sections, the receptionist checked with a nurse, and I thought that we were good to go...ha!

Basically the OB said that although there was nothing wrong with me, (she didn't even look at me or my scar), that I would be going against medical advice to pursue even a Trial of Labor. She attempted to lay on some common scare tactics found here, and when I brought up the new ACOG VBAC Guidelines she didn't acknowledge that women with 2 c-sections like mine should be offered the chance to labor. I think I stopped even believing anything that came out of her mouth when she stated that ALL VBAC patients HAVE to have an epidural and that if they don't "progress according to our guidelines" they are automatically sectioned.

Does anyone else see a problem with this blanket treatment?

On the way home I really struggled to keep my head and undo all the damaging lies yet another OB laid on Klint, who was with me. I knew that the OB directed many of the scare tactics at him since she knew I was determined and informed. And, to her credit, it worked... he was terrified and convinced that I should just lay down and get a c-section. All I can say is thank goodness that I knew something about birthing history and can counter the whole "doctors know best" argument with pointing out that 50 years ago women were strapped down, given drugs that made them hallucinate, and put into a haze to have babies.... they had to wear helmets to protect their heads from the wild thrashing, and put in crib-like beds to suffer alone.

I know that there are probably many other people who think that I am a total nut for fighting so hard, especially when almost every office that I have talked to basically laughed at me for daring to ask. But there is evidence- good evidence- to suggest that this is indeed the BEST possible thing I can do for both me and Miss M. More importantly, I think that if ACOG specifically points out that this is safe and appropriate for me, OB's should take note and at least listen to my information and look at me as an individual and not just a liability.

Here are some of those sources that have gotten me here... to a place where at least I feel informed enough to make an intelligent decision and can weed out the medical BS from honest open-minded truth.

ICAN- The International Cesarean Awareness Network
VBACFacts.com
http://www.theunnecesarean.com/
Birthing Beautiful Ideas
The Well-Rounded Mama

No matter what though, this is something that I am doing not only for me and Miss M, but for other women who are being forced into c-sections and have no clue what there rights are. If some serious change is going to happen it has to come from the people who are being directly affected.

And just to know I am not the only one fighting all these doctors and nurses... here is one heck of an inspiring story from a board I belong to on Baby Center... this woman has some serious guts and kept her eye on the prize.

Have a great day, thanks for listening to me, and cross your crossables (thanks Jen!) because I found an OB office about 15 mins away who does support VBAMC's... I am just waiting for the OBs to look over my records!

It's a Fabric Palooza!

Hello! How is everyone doing, especially my fellow Clevelanders who are getting a lovely break from the searing heat and humidity? I am great and have been having soooo much fun sewing and sewing, making things for Miss M's nursery and of course, making things for my girls.

Yesterday I was quite the sewing machine... I made some GIANT fabric birds (I enlarged the pattern from here to 300%!), some rice heating pads- tutorial here, and even some play strawberries for the girls... soooo easy! I would love to show you the strawberries but the cats and girls seem to think that they make great cat toys and are now wandering about the house!  (The way I learned how to make them is right here!)

I think that I am going to use a giant embroidery hoop for the top of the mobile and then stick the birds around it with the smaller bird in the middle. It will fit in with the fabric hoops on the wall and the quilt fabric. I am toying with making some more quilts for the girls as well... maybe a fabric snake for Gabby and some butterflies and flowers for AJ? Speaking of quilts.... isn't this Baby Life Quilt adorable?? (There are tons of great tutorials on this blog like this awesome rag rug... I want to make one this winter!)

A Moveable Feast Swap!

"One cannot live well, sleep well, or love well, if one has not dined well" ~Virginia Woolf

Well folks, the end of summer is in sight... the school supplies are out in stores, July is almost over, and in craft stores the fall and Halloween items are everywhere. I am looking forward to fall though, as always, for the food! I love going fruit picking, the smell of pumpkin coffee, and baking fresh pies in the kitchen. So what better time to do a swap that is centered on food?! 

Here are the Rules of the Swap:

Your package should contain food-themed items, meaning anything from recipe cards, candles that are food smells, homemade mixes, and small items for the kitchen to food themed craft supplies and felt foods. You can send an apron, tea towels with food on them, vintage recipe books, or even things to make eating food more fun like Bento supplies or chopsticks. I know I would love Bento supplies like silicone muffin liners, fun toothpicks, and of course, anything Strawberry!

The contents should not exceed $25 before shipping and should be packaged as beautifully as the contents within. You should tailor the package to fit your partner's likes and will get the same in return. There is no limit to the number of items so be as creative as possible!!!

If you want to Join In:

1. Email the following information to me (mrs.conniekrebs@gmail.com):

    * Name

    * Mailing Address

    * Blog Address (if you have one)

    * Some information about yourself to make matching you with a partner easier

    * Food allergy info

    * Let me know if you are willing to ship internationally

2. I will send you an email back to confirm that you are in the Swap Pool. 

3. You have until August 7th to enter the Swap and will get your swap partner's information by August 10th. It is up to you to email your partner and find out more about them to create a package that will delight the senses! 

4. Packages MUST be postmarked by August 31st and it would be preferable to let your partner know when the package was mailed out. 

5. When you receive your package take some pics, post about the swap on your blog, and let me know how things turned out!!

*** PLEASE: If you sign up for the swap and find out that you can't commit please let me know asap. I would hate for someone to not get their package after putting lots of time and effort into their part. I would love to make this Swap a huge success so please spread the word, blog, Facebook about it and let's have some foodie fun!

A Hottie but a Goodie

Ok, I am officially ready for fall to get here! It is about 93 degrees here in Cleveland and the humidity makes you feel as if you are breathing your water instead of drinking it... ugh! Lucky for me I got out early, hit up some garage sales (I scored a Vera Bradley diaper bag for only $15!!!), and have a nicely air conditioned house to come home to. I may go back out later to get to the farmer's market, but right now I am content to work on Miss M's baby announcement design and surf the web while the girls nap.

Here are some things that I have seen that make me smile on this hot but good day:

I am loving these fabric letters by fellow Etsian Tecelinha! This is her actual blog, but unless you know Portuguese or your computer translates it, you will be lost!

Being somewhat smaller than your average driver, I find that it is really uncomfortable to wear my seatbelt properly because the edge is always cutting into my neck. Maybe I will make a seatbelt cover like this one to alleviate the issue!

I am seeing this balloon party invitation all over the web and am soooo smitten, what a great and simple idea!

Another project on my list is to make a couple nursing covers so that I can have them stashed in bags and such and won't have to hunt them up when I want to nurse. I like this tutorial because it looks easy and there is so much room for personalization!

Klint and I rearranged our bedroom and now have a lot more wall space to decorate so I am eyeing this pretty Custom Family Tree that is not your usual tree design!

Well that is about it for now... this little one is jumping about in my belly so I am off to lay down for a bit. Cheers and stay cool!!

A Candle for Logan

As many of you know I am very lucky in that not only do I get to stay at home with my own children, but I have the privilege of caring for other children of friends. I have a wonderful group of little girls (poor Klint is surrounded by pink and estrogen!) that I "borrow" throughout the week. Well one of those little girls had a tragedy happen in her family last week and I just want to take a moment to share this story with you.

Jen, one of my parents, has a nephew named Logan that was struck by a car on July 14th. He is 9 years old and was having fun skateboarding. Jen sent out this information to everyone regarding the accident. 

 On Wednesday, July 14 Logan was riding his "Ripstick" (modified skateboard) down a newly paved road near his home. He was going pretty fast (estimate 20-25 mph) and was unable to stop for a stop sign and consequently hit a moving car who did not see him coming nor could do anything to avoid the collision. She, a neighbor who know Logan and family, was going about 18 mph. Joe & Kim were outside getting ready for an outing and heard something happen. The ambulance took Logan to the local ER (not sure which hospital) but was then immediately life-flighted to Akron Children's Hospital.

Unfortunately he has been in a coma the whole time and it is unknown what kind of brain injuries he has suffered. At best, there will be many months of rehabilitation and therapy for this energetic little boy. When a brain injury happens to a young child it is like throwing a ripple in a pool.... the brain is still growing and while some issues may not be present now, they will develop and the brain tries to grow with age. And with this prognosis come cost, a lot of cost. 

I have seen the blogging community do great things when tragedy strikes. Especially when a child is involved. If you would like to help the Janson family in their time of crisis there has been a trust fund set up in Logan's name through Huntington Bank. All you have to do is go to any branch and tell them that you want to donate to the Logan Janson fund. Or, even easier, you can use PayPal and send the money straight to the account  loganjansonfund@gmail.com. 


Jen just set up a Caring Bridge website for Logan to keep everyone updated on his progress and prognosis, simply click here and you will be taken to it! As a parent I can't imagine the stress that this family is going through and the worry with their son in a coma for almost 10 days. I hope that everyone hugs their own child a little tighter today and pray, light a candle, or whatever you do to send well wishes out into the world for other's in need. And please remember that every little bit helps this family, so please do not hesitate to send a small donation their way! 

A to Z

A to Z

Swiped from Jennifer since she is el Preggers like me and tons of fun!

a. area code: 216

b. bed size: queen, which is more than enough room for me since Klint works nights!

c. chore you hate: dishes 

d. dog’s name: Spooky Doo (she looks like a creeped out Scooby Doo) 

e. essential “start of the day” item: bagel with butter and cream cheese 

f. favorite color: sunshine yellow

g. gold or silver: silver (I am allergic to gold)

h. height: 4'10''- no I am not a Little Person and no I don't need a Booster Seat to drive!

i. instruments you play: clarinet and piano 

j. job: home daycare provider, dance teacher, Etsy artist, graphic designer, and Usborne book rep! (Yes, I really do all those jobs every week!) 

k. kids: Gabby (almost 6), Amelia (almost 3), and Miss M due 12/2/10 

l. living arrangements: renting an awesome little house a few blocks from the lake!

m. mom’s name: Lucifer

n. nickname: I don't think any of my nicknames are appropriate for this PG-rated forum!!!

o. overnight hospital stay: C-sections only I think!

p. pet peeve: wet jeans, wet bottoms of pants, not wiping off the tables and counters, ruffled slipcover, the list goes on! 

q. quote from movie: "Honey, time marches on and eventually you realize it is marching across your face!) Truvy from Steel Magnolias

r. righty or lefty: Righty

s. siblings: too complicated to try to explain

t. time you wake up: usually between 6:30 and 7 thanks to Miss M kicking my bladder

u. underwear: yep, got some on!

v. vegetables you dislike: cauliflower aka veggie brains

w. ways or reasons you are late: that is a rare thing... I run the house like a tight ship!

x. x-rays: lots and lots 

y. yummy food you make: taco dip, lasagna, fruit salsa 

z. zoo animals you like: monkeys and polar bears!

Finished Bunting Quilt!!!

I have always been envious of women who could whip up a quilt in no time flat, the assembly of such a project seemed very daunting to me, and my Crafter's ADD would never allow me to do a project that took weeks and not hours! =) That is why when I came across this easy peasy Bunting Quilt tutorial I was really excited.... the directions are short, sweet, to the point, and there is no mention of fusible webbing or anything that requires materials that I am not too familiar with.

I made a few changes to the design, actually only 2 or so: first off, I changed the size to a yard and a half and second, instead of making my own bias tape I just bought two colors of double-fold bias tape. I made more flags than what was in the tutorial as well to compensate for the larger size.

This project was so much fun that I think I may make ones for the girls as well! 

The List 7.20.10

Hello Out There!!!
  I have been gathering my fabric and such to make some things for Miss M's nursery and tomorrow will have a finished Bunting Quilt to show you! I am soooo excited with how it turned out and highly impressed with how easy it was to assemble. Best yet, it is a lot heavier than I imagined without the bulk, perfect for a winter baby girl. Anyhow, as you can see I made over my blog banner and the widget labels... I just wasn't digging my old banner and since I am obsessed with Polyvore wanted the challenge of creating my ideal craft/reading space for the header. Definitely heading in the write direction!

So here are some things that I have found on the web that I would loooove to share with you all:

I love sketching, doodling, and writing down my thoughts in "pretty" ways.... The Sketchbook Project is a great idea and just think of your future family members taking your Sketchbook out of the library for years to come! (It's like a concert tour, but with Sketchbooks!)

Speaking of writing things down... how about sewing a special note for someone you love? This Embroidery Paper kit from Twine is perfect for the hard to please person!

Do you like having photos on your tables or desk but hate those bulky photo frames? Why not just make yourself some fun Magnetic Animal Photo Holders? Soooo easy (and your kids will never miss all those plastic animals!)

With the two girls having their birthdays pretty soon I am trying to find a special and useful gift for each of them. I am thinking that these personalized bowls with their names and likenesses on them will be a huge hit, especially at breakfast time!

And of course I can't forget something handmade from Mama for each of them... in the past it has been sock animals or blankets... this year they both want huge scrap fabric snakes! This tutorial will definitely come in handy!

If we ever win the lottery or have tons of money to spend on ridiculously expensive clothes you can bet that a good portion will be going to The Tea Collection, especially since they started carrying Women's clothes.... I am in LOVE with this mustard, long, belted cardigan. (Too bad is it almost $200!) Be sure to check out the sales section though for kids... some great (and affordable) buys in there!

Finally, in looking for cute clothes for Miss M (she has to have at least a few things that aren't from Gabby and AJ!) I found this lovely onesie made by a very earth conscious company in CA. I am digging all the wooden toys and organic cotton clothes!

Well, that is about it for now folks! Have a great day and be sure to come back tomorrow for a glimpse of my finished Bunting Quilt!!!

Sisters

I have been taking photos like crazy this summer, trying to capture all the fun and the last summertime that we are going to be a family of four. It is hard to imagine next summer when we will have a 6 month old baby with us, playing in the water, watching fireworks, and catching fireflies.

One of the best things about taking all these photos is that I get beautiful shots like this one.... just walking along to a festival holding hands. I love it and can't wait to get a print of it to hang up!

I love Ballet Flats!

Another fun design board with the help of Polyvore!!

I Love Ballet by Connie Laettner Krebs featuring Marc Jacobs bags

Pirouette in Pink Dress, $80
BB Patent Ballet Flat, $123
ＲＩＯ, 99,225 JPY
Butterfly stud earrings, 3 GBP
Peach butterfly ring, 7 GBP
Flower Corsage Aliceband, 12 GBP
Beautiful Vintage Christian Dior 2056 White Butterfly Sunglasses, 148 GBP
Maybelline Color Sensational Pearls Lipstick 705 Twinkle Ulta.com -...
Z Gallerie - Snow Lotus -Natural Set of 3, $30
Basic Grey Origins, $5.99