Blonde. cute but I get sick of it quickly 

 Brunette... my other tried and true 

 Purple...ehh it was ok 

Well as stated before my husband and I pretty much hate clutter and excessive amounts of anything. We knew how easy it would be to go over board on baby items if we listened to what items the baby stores recommend on getting. So instead I asked tons of new moms what they recommend and I read other mom's blogs to see what they liked.  Since that was so helpful I thought I would share my must haves as well.

Diapers 

What I've learned is that a new born need's isn't very much.  Jovi is 3 and a half weeks old now being that we live in hawaii and it's around 85-90 degrees every day she just lives in diapers. At first we were using huggies snugglers for newborns  I think they were called. the ones with the cord cut out. as soon as she is big enough we will be switching her to prefolds and cloth diapers. 

Receiving blankets 

Everyone says to get like 10-15 of these we listened and got that many and seriously we rotate about five of these. Jovi is a pretty clean baby, she doesnt spit up or have many blow outs or anything so she doesnt go through them as fast as she could, plus it's warm here so during the day she is happy just in a diaper. 

Boppy 

Well, like most 38 wk pregnant women I was counting down the days till my due date and really hoping to have her early rather then late. Everyday seemed like a week and I was getting really uncomfortable. Jesse's mom was planning to hop on a plane from cali as soon as I went into labor and try to make it in time for the birth. But because of some important medical issues and work meetings she could only make it out here if i had Jovi a week early other wise it would be two months before she could make it out. So now we are really really getting anxious. We started praying everyday that she would come early. 

Thusday the 13th I started a new week of pregnancy and was now 39 weeks along. That night me and jesse took a very long walk and ate some super spicy food. When we got home we jokingly googled how to go into labor early. A you tube video popped up saying how to go into labor in 8hrs and it was of this awesome couple, very pregnant dancing the hardest to 80's music. Well, it looked like fun and we figured why not try it. So, we went into our kitchen blasted some Billy Idol and danced for a good hour. I kept thinking about how funny it must have looked, but it was so much fun. 

After that we went to bed. Friday morning I used to rest room and I noticed that I had lost my mucus plug. I was trying not to get to excited because I know that isn't necessarily an indication that you are going into labor but I was being hopeful. I prayed again that this could be the day and I truly felt like this was it. 

Later that night, Jesse, my roommate Nick and his friend Tony were all playing music together. I was just laying in our bed listing and relaxing. I love it when my husband plays. there is no sweeter sound. right around 11pm I started having contractions. these were not like the BH contractions that I was having all week long these were more painful and felt totally different. But they were very far apart, maybe every 20 to 30 mins. I called Jesse into the room and told him that i was having contractions. I just wasnt for sure that they were going to pickup and turn into active labor. So we laid in bed and tried to relax. I was so excited couldnt think of anything else. Around 130 am i was still getting contractions  now they were about 15 mins apart. Jesse kept suggestion that I try to sleep because this could go on for a long time and i would need my energy.  I knew he was right and agreed to try. He pasted out super fast mean while I just laid there counting down the mins and hoping they would get closer together. There was no hope of sleeping. 

I dont know what it was about laying down but i had some of the most painful contractions during that time. I knew i couldnt just lay there and hope for sleep that was obviously not coming. So I got up and went to sit in our living room. aaahh, this was so so much better. I could totally handle this. The contractions were between 8 and 10 mins apart and lasting about 45sec. Our midwife told us to call her when I was having contractions that were 4 mins apart and lasting for at least 50 secs. I was determined to wait it out. I'm really thankful for that time alone. I really think I learned how to manage the pain and relax through each contraction during that time. I called a few people on the east coast wanting a distraction and knowing that they would already be up. everyone of them told me i should try to sleep!! ahh, SLEEP!! HOW!! every 8 mins i would be woken up with pain! No my only option was to wait it out. I desided that Jesse needed his rest and i would wake him up at 5:30am and if my contractions stayed at 4mins apart for two hours i would call my midwife. 

By 5:30 I was totally having contractions that were 4 mins apart and 50 secs long. I woke Jesse up and told him I was diffinitly in labor. I called his mom and told her to get on her way. At 6:30 we called our doula and midwife. Again they said i should try to sleep!! errrr, seriously!! This baby was coming and everyone wanted me to sleep. They said call back and let us know where you are in an hour. Ten mins later I was having contractions every 3 to 21/2 mins apart. Jesse called them back and told them they need to come over. 

They got here around 8:30 and Madaline my midwife checked me. to everyones surprise I was 4cm dilated and 90% effaced, but she said I was super stretchy and could easily stretch to 6cm. This was it I was totally in active labor and going to meet my baby soon. The contractions weren't that bad. I mean they were painful but as long as I made sure to fully relax my whole body and breath threw them it was totally manageable. When I tensed up or got nervous thats when it was bad. still up to this point the most painful ones were in the beginning when I was laying down trying to sleep. So now it was just up to my body to do it's thing. We waited and they took care of me. I loved the freedom of being in my own home. Jesse and tammy my doula filled the tub and got it ready. My contractions were coming fast and it was so nice to have a break in between, but for some reason I started having really bad back and hip pain right after the contractions. These were actually hurting more then the contractions and now allowing me to get any rest. Tammy had me try a few other positions but none of them were working. As she ran to her car to grab a heat pad I stood and swayed back and forth while Jesse rubbed my back. That's when I felt a big pop!! and knew that my water had broken. It wasnt like in the movies at all actually barely any water came out at all if anything there was just a tiny dribble. It was 11:25am 

After this the contractions totally picked up a notch and I was going into transition. I kept asking when can i get into the tub?? no one thought that I was going to be so fast so they kept saying "just wait just wait." the heating pad was working miracles on the muscle pain so I could only imagine what the hot water would feel like. I really wanted to get in that tub but again they wanted me to wait. I guess that if your body isnt ready to have to baby the hot water can actually slow down the labor and make everything take longer. But, I had, had enough. I wanted in that tub and my body was starting to push. Jesse asked them again if I could get in the tub. Madeline wanted to check me again to see if I was ready. I was 8cm dilated and 100% effaced, and ready to push. 

At 1pm I got into the tub and it was like heaven!! the water felt so good and took away so much of the pain. But this is when thing got serious. Up in tell that point things weren't that bad and I could totally handle the pain. I could still handle this but it was like nothing I have ever felt before. The pushing sensation is such a crazy feeling. Your body is in so much pain and it's forcing you to push and cause your self even more pain!! I'd say that the first 90% of labor is no worse then getting a big tattoo but that last 10% ohh man there is nothing like it. 

I was at a rock and a hard place. I could push and want to die or I could keep this going for ever. I decided to suck it up and get her out. I took some really deep breaths and focused all my energy into pushing. I guess when i got her head out Tammy and Madeline both looked at each other and said wow that a big baby!!  I pushed for  about 45mins and Jovi was born at 1:39 pm Jan Sat the 15th. She was born at our house in hawaii with no medication and in the water. I couldn't have been happier with my laboring experience. My midwife and doula were amazing. When she came out they put her right into my arms and she didn't cry at all she just looked up at me and jesse and stared at us. the first thing i said was, "she's huge" 8lbs 14ozs!! It was perfect and just the way I wanted it. They left her in my arms for a while until the cord stopped pumping and Jesse could cut the cord. After that I handed her to Jesse  and got to watch him cradle our baby girl in his arms. She never cried and that worried Jesse. He asked why, and Madeline said, " ohh, she totally could cry if she wanted to but she is happy." that is the perfect way to describe Jovi, She is a happy baby. she is so good and hardly ever cries. 

after the birth I moved from the tub to my bed. Madeline checked both me and Jovi out. while Tammy cleaned up and made me some dinner. By the time they left they made sure our house was clean and we were comfortable. 

I know that home birth is not for everyone but, I'm so happy with my decision. If I went to a regular doctor they would have probably suggested a C section because of her size and my size. I'm only 4'11''. I trusted in my body and my midwife. I'm so happy knowing that there arent any foreign drugs pumping through my system or my baby's system. I love that I was able to heal and labor in my own home on my own time. I believe that women are way stronger then they give themselves credit for. Not once through my whole process was I scared or felt out of control. I'm so grateful to my husband who really helped me through everything and to Tammy and Madeline who gave me the birth experience I really wanted.