You are one of my favorite ppl to watch on youtube! Ya jokes just make me laugh! and im known for having a poker face unless its comedy or a funny moment! lol, keep it up! You just make good videos!
Dont cha hate when people wait alllllll the way until the last week of the year to decide they want to achieve something.
Dont cha hate it when you bathe, lotion, put a new diaper on and clothe the baby and then right as you are done they either spit up all over everything or poop. Ughhhh! Im like... why did you wait until I finished before you decided to spitup/poop! :)
LOL, so true. Don't cha hate it when you serve yourself some cereal to find out there was no milk in the 1st place? so you pour the cereal back in the bag. Don't cha also hate it when there's 3 good thing on TV and you can't do nothing but flip the channel almost all the time? or when ppl cannot shut up when you trying to listen to the news?!
Ha...I so agree with you. Don't you hate when you are in a GREAT conversation with someone and you go to tell them something and you can't remember it. But when everything has died and settled down or you go home and you remember what you had to tell them and it seems weird to tell them cause the convo is over.
AHAHAHAHA!! I do that ALL THE TIME when I feel like my hair is a bug. Hilaaaarious. - LOL @ the lying people part. - It irritates me so bad when someone calls and I call 'em right back and they don't answer. AHHHH!! - LMBOOOOO at the bathroom story YEESSS!! UGH!! - I hate it when I'm having a mini dramatic crisis & NOBODY picks up their phone. Then everybody calls me back when the crisis is over. - I hate it when people ask questions that have already been answered. I will yell at someone lol!
*Why do people say babies sleep peacefully when they don't!? I'm constantly waking up in the middle of the night to do something for the little critter...
*Who the heck wrote the lullaby "Rock-A-Bye Baby"!? What kind of person was this!? Who goes around putting babies in trees!!!!????
*Yes, I breastfeed in public! Anywhere and everywhere - it's my right! And it's necessary cause it hurts when my boobs fill up! Baby's gonna eat whether she's hungry or not.
*Yes, breastfeeding is painful - in the beginning. But after a while you get used to it. Plus, it saves you a ton of cash! Breast milk is cheaper than formula, even if you had a coupon.
*Yes, I believe in breastfeeding as long as possible. I breastfed my two-year-old until he was four.
*Rockabye Baby is not the only ridiculousness out there! Yes it does rain in Southern California, liar! What the heck is a "Ribbon in the Sky"!? What kind of dummy would catch a grenade for me!? How 'bout you help me duck and cover!?!
*Fellas, stop singing about how you're gonna love me all night long. There are better things you can do with the time if you're gonna be up all night long. Do something productive. Get some chores done. Balance the check book or sumthin'!
*What does giving me the moon have to do with how much you love me!? I don't want the moon! How are you gonna figure out how to get the moon down here for me before you figure out how to go to the grocery store without calling me to ask which brand of milk we should get? I love my husband, he's not interested in bringing me the moon. Milk is fine.
*What if THE MATRIX had been titled "One Pill, Two Pill, Red Pill, Blue Pill"? Would you still have thought it was a good movie!?
*TITANIC should have been called "Dumb Old Lady Doesn't Care About Her Grandkids Inheritance". What on earth possessed her to toss that necklace into the ocean!?
*You know you wouldn't have ever gone to see JURASSIC PARK if they had titled it "Messin' Wit' Ancient DNA Causes Deaths". There's no way.
*What if I titled this video "Get A Glimpse of This Pregnant Lady in Her Undies"? How many times would you watch it just to try and pause it on the moment you can catch that glimpse?? Huh? Hmm? Now I went and got the idea in your head, didn't I? lol Don't waste your time. I made sure you can't see anything special. ;)
Like Happiness, Love is also a CHOICE! Check out this video to see how to make your life-long relationships last!
"Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It I not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails!" 1 Corinthians 13:4-8
"Great things are not done by impulse, but by a series of small things brought together." George Eliot
Watch this video to see how you can start living a more fulfilling and productive life today! Remember happiness is not something you find, it's something you create!
One time when I was just a kid, someone called me stupid and I told my dad about it. His response to me was, “Well, are you?” “No!” “Okay then, why are you upset? If they think you’re stupid and you aren’t, then they’re the one with a problem, not you.” This taught me a couple life lessons; that people only make themselves look bad when they speak badly about others, that people are showing their weakness when they try and bring others down to join them in their miserable state, and most importantly, that if I’m secure in who I am, it doesn’t matter what others think of me.
Bullies are usually individuals in desperate need of attention, or just flat-out evil people with no regard for others, or people that are simply continuing a cycle of hurt and pain that someone else rolled over onto them. Many aren’t bad people, they’re victims that have been abused or neglected and have felt a sense of crippling powerlessness. Instead of maturing and using their pain as a springboard fueling their desire for success in life, they whither and allow the pain to hold them hostage. In order to feel in control, they try and enact power over people they think will allow them to steer the reigns. By poking at you, bullies try and get a reaction which shows they’ve successfully manipulated your emotions. Regardless of your reaction, whether negative or positive, they’ve affected you in some way and that’s all they wanted. Unless you’re a professional, it’s best to stay away from any and all negativity. A bully has no power when they’re completely ignored. There’s no need to get defensive if someone is talking nonsense. Bullies don’t need help making themselves look bad. There’s a saying that goes something like: “A fool and a gentleman were arguing, but I couldn’t tell which was which.” Stooping to their level to actually engage in a back and forth will only make you look as foolish and them. Even a response of encouragement, “words of wisdom”, or something like, “I’ll pray for you,” isn’t usually helpful and will only incite the bully to poke harder to try and get you to fall off your high horse. If you truly want to pray for someone, just pray for them! Don’t let a bully have that false sense of empowerment by responding to their negativity, you’ll only be feeding the beast.
True power comes from inside of you and has nothing to do with how people feel about you, or whether or not people respond to you. Don’t place your happiness in the laps of other people. It comes from feeling good about yourself which is a feeling you’ll have when you decide to treat others with love and respect. You get what you give, and if you give good things, you’ll get good things back. And when you put negativity out in the world, you end up destroying yourself.
Even if bullying gets to the point of violence, my advice is still the same – avoid it at all costs! When I was learning Kung Fu, my Sifu not only taught us self-defense, he also taught us if you can run, RUN! There’s just too much that can go wrong. The human body is very fragile and all it takes is a hit or kick in the wrong spot, a push that causes someone to fall and hit their head…You don’t want to be responsible for someone’s accidental death! That would haunt you for the rest of your life! Or what about people that just can’t lose? What if you hurt someone just trying to defend yourself and they come back the next day with a bunch of friends, or a knife, or a gun!? When you can run, RUN! Report violent people and avoid their path.
Stay away from people who want to tear you down in any way. Bullies and non-bullies alike all need to know - you are loved! There are people in this world who truly care about you, who want to help you, who want to see you happy. It’s up to you to accept help. Too many kids don’t realize how much their parents care for them, just reach out! And if your parents are the problem, seek help elsewhere, but know that there is help all around.
Hopefully every bully will grow up one day and realize they’ve been broken and need some rebuilding. Hopefully they will take the time to find healing. Until that day, it’s up to you to stay confident in yourself, the person you are, or are trying to be. Always remember what Eleanor Roosevelt said, “No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.” Peace and many blessings to all!
"Don't cry over spilt milk. Wait a couple of weeks, & whammo! Free cottage cheese!" @StephenAtHome
Sometimes bad things happen in life, sometimes you make a mistake, or sometimes stuff just goes awry. Well don't waste your time complaining or making the problem bigger instead of simply cleaning it up. When ya mess up, fess up! And when life gives you lemons, clean up your milk!
My personal top 25 Daily Tips for Healthy Living that I try to remember in my own life everyday!
1 The #1 biggest and bestest rule for healthy living – BE POSITIVE.
Positive people are happier, healthier, and live longer. Adopt the “glass-is-half-full” attitude. Always look for the bright side. Remember things really could always be worse. Be grateful for all you have today. Choose to not worry, and understand that happiness is not a goal, it’s a choice. You can be happy right now! Believe, have faith, and then, Just Do It!
2 Take the stairs.
Elevator buttons and escalator handrails are gross, and both contraptions are kinda scary anyway.
3 Walk everywhere. Walk longer distances, and walk more often.
Drive straight to the back of the parking lot when you go shopping. There are usually plenty of spots further away, and you'll have no choice but to get a little exercise in for the day. At the store, mall, or in a shopping center, park on the opposite side of where you need to go. In a structure, go straight to the top and take the stairs from the roof, and don’t you dare take the elevator up when you’re coming back! (Bonus: you’ll never have to remember what level you parked on again!)
When you go shopping, walk every single aisle. Speed walk past the cookies, soda, chips, and through any other aisle you don't need to browse.
Don't drive to the Supermarket for just a couple items, grab a re-useable shopping bag and walk to the corner market. Not driving, and not using plastic bags are also good ways to help the environment!
Take advantage of local conveniences – mailboxes, food spots, and other shopping.
On your breaks and lunches, go outside, slip on your tennis shoes, and lap the building while you chit-chat, or munch, or just take in the fresh air.
4 Ride your bike.
It's time to check those tires and buy and new helmet! Whether gas prices are up or down, you’ll save $ome ca$h!
5 Look up healthy recipes.
Use the internet to look up a healthy version of whatever you have a taste for. Look up new things like vegetarian or vegan meals, you might see something that sounds interesting.
6 Stick to your list!
Write a list before you leave the house. As you place your items on the counter, give the cashier any item you know you shouldn’t have grabbed. No impulse buying or shopping-while- hungry, no giving in to the kids, no falling for sale items (you’re not saving money if you’re spending it). You can’t eat junk if you don’t HAVE junk to eat!
7 Snack healthy.
Find alternatives for junk. Instead of chips, chop up some carrots, or cut strips of bell peppers, slice some cucumbers, or make a bag of nuts or trail mix. Instead of a donut, eat a cup of low fat yogurt, a nice crispy apple, a juicy orange, or a bunch of grapes. The healthiest foods don’t come in a package. Do you have fruit trees in your neighborhood? Snack on what you pick. *Remember if you buy (or pick) organic, you’ll have to shop often and eat what you get within a day or two.
8 Eat less, more often.
Be sure you get 3 or 4 healthy, small to medium size meals a day. Use smaller dishes to psych yourself into feeling like you’ve had a big serving. Also, eat healthy snacks every 2 to 3 hours. If you wait to eat until you’re actually hungry, you’re more likely to overeat or give in to cravings. Instead, eat to fuel your body and maintain your energy, it will keep your metabolism going throughout the day.
9 Combo meals gotta go!
Just get the grilled chicken sandwich by itself. If that’s not enough, order the $1 side salad to go with it. As good as they are, french fries are bad. Always carry your own bottle of water or juice instead of buying soda. You’ll save more money this way than you will buying a “value” meal!
10 No fried foods!
Chicken is just as good grilled, baked, roasted, boiled, or broiled.
11 If you can, skip the pork and red meat.
Chicken sausages are delicious, fish is simple, and tofu can be quite yummy. Ground turkey is just as good, if not better tasting than beef. Can’t say turkey bacon is on point, but if you saw real bacon under a microscope, you’d never want it again. Trust me.
12 Read labels.
Do some comparison shopping not only when it comes to price, but also the nutritional facts! Compare Calories, Fat, Sugars, Sodium, etc. Don’t be fooled, just because something says “Fat Free” or “Sugar Free” doesn’t mean it’s good for you. To compensate, it may be loaded with other unhealthy things.
Here are some recommendations:
Calories per day: 2,000 – Less if you’re a woman or overweight (1,500-1,900), a little more if you’re a man or underweight (2,100-2,500)
Fat per day: No more than15g if you’re overweight, 45g if you’ve got a few pounds to lose, 55g if you’re an average female, 75g if you’re an average male. Minimize Saturated Fats and cholesterol, and stay away from and Trans Fats altogether. The other fats (Polyunsaturated and Monounsaturated) are good.
Added Sugars per day (non-diabetic): Women 25g (or 6 teaspoons), Men 40g (or 9 teaspoons). Added sugars are just that, added. Sugars in fruit and pure juice or from healthy carbs are not a problem. All else is added. Just one 12-ounce can of soda can be double the amount of sugar you should have for the entire day!
Salt per day: 1,500mg (1.5g) or less for adults. This is like 1/3 of teaspoon – just a dash!
13 No HFCS, High Fructose Corn Syrup.
It’s in everything from juice to bread to crackers to condiments. If it’s in a package, it might have HFCS. Read the ingredients of everything you buy and start choosing products without this sugary stuff.
14 Ask for dressing, sauce, gravy, and toppings on the side.
A salad is good for you until you drench it in dressing. Just a few drops may actually do the trick! Stir or shake well, and it’s good to go. A baked potato is great until you top it with a dollop of sour cream and a scoop of butter! Try it with just a sprinkle of salt and pepper, chives, and 1/4 of the butter or cream you’d normally use. Start using spices and herbs more often to enhance taste.
15 Skip the dip and cut the condiments.
You probably won’t miss it much, and if you do, just dip once. I’m sure no one at the party appreciated your double-dipping anyway. And mustard, mayo, ketchup, bbq sauce, and “secret sauce” can actually add lots of secret calories, fat, and salt to your meal. You’ll hardly notice once you start using less and less.
16 Treat yourself on occasion.
If you go cold turkey on some of your favorite foods, you may be inclined to over-do it one day when you just can’t handle it anymore. Allow yourself a pass once every week or two – but follow the rules when you cheat (if that makes sense):
Don’t do it if you can’t handle it. If treating yourself will only make you want to forget about eating healthy, don’t treat yourself until you’re ready to enact some will power.
Save the best for last! Fill up on the healthy stuff first. Have one slice of pizza afteryour salad, or one scoop of ice cream after eating a fruit cup, etc.
Cut it in half. Instead of the whole donut, cupcake, or piece of pie, just half will satisfy you all the same.
Never eat from the bag! Grab one handful, close the bag, and put it away.
17 Think when you drink.
Coffee, plus sugar, plus creamer equals a bad way to start a healthy day. Energize your morning with some Orange Juice or Grapefruit Juice instead. Or, a cup of V8 Fusion, or even just a glass of water. You just may be surprised at how invigorating water can be. Substitute juice or water for soda throughout the day. Carry water around to remind you to stay hydrated. You’ll actually start craving water once you start drinking it more often.
Think when you drink – Part II - Dilute your juice.
Mix it with Carbonated or Seltzer Water. Sometimes you just want something fizzy for fun or to help you burp. It’s a great sub for soda, and it cuts the sugar in the juice. I often add just plain water and barely notice a difference in taste. I’ve been doing this a long time, and I recently saw on Dr. Oz that you can save 13 pounds a year if you mix 50/50! www.doctoroz.com
Think when you drink - Part III – Alcohol in moderation.
Anything that causes your body to violently try and get rid of it is obviously not good for you. Plus, alcohol is quite fattening! Yet another reason to cut back (along with some of the other side affects such as nausea and vomiting, passing out, liver damage, hangovers, &/or extreme embarrassment the next morning when someone tells you about yourself). Don’t you want to remember your memories?! Stop when you start to feel good. Drinking more won’t make you feel better, it’ll do the opposite. Oh yeah, and dying in a car crash is also bad for your health. So are DUI’s, and so is getting locked up for Vehicular Manslaughter. It’s easy to plan ahead, it’s hard to come back from the dead. Never drink and drive. Some of us need not drink at all. If you need help, the smart thing to do is go get it.
18 Do a fast or cleanse.
So you wouldn’t do this on a daily basis, but maybe every now-and-then. Do your research, ask questions, and choose one that’s right for you. Read and follow instructions carefully, and once you start, commit to finishing. You can look up fasts online and you can visit a vitamin store to find different types of cleanses. Most fasts and cleanses won’t help you lose weight permanently, the goal is to cleanse. And while I’m cheating and giving you a non-daily tip, I’ll slip in another: Keep up with your yearly Doctor and Dentist visits! So important!!!
19 Take the challenge.
The next time you hear, “Take our two-week challenge, “ or, “Try our product for 30 days,” go for it! The makers of Activia and Special K have challenged you, maybe your co-workers have a challenge going on, or start your own challenge among your friends. Challenge yourself to something that will make a difference each day, even if it’s small.
20 Move your exercise equipment into your Living Room...
…or wherever you watch television. Out of sight, out of mind. If your dumbbells, yoga mat, and Ab Roller are sitting right there next to the couch, you’ll have absolutely no excuse not to use them as you watch American Idol. Your favorite show will make the time on your treadmill fly by!
21 Find ways to make exercise not feel like exercise.
Make a playlist of your favorite songs and dance for 30 minutes everyday. Play really actively with your kids, or if they’re small enough, use them like a medicine ball (they’ll love being bounced around). Borrow that Wii Sports game your friend isn’t using (or maybe you’re the one not using it)! Even working out with one of your old tapes or DVD’s can make exercise feel like a fun activity. Start doing things you’ll enjoy that’ll get your heart going.
22 Explore the great outdoors!
Become more active in general. Get out and see just how much is under your nose. Driving ranges, tennis courts, basketball courts, parks, beaches, hiking trails…The world is waiting.
23 Partner up.
Get someone to walk, jog, or ride with. It’s harder to be lazy when someone is helping you be accountable. Join a team or league, start your own club. Make new friends, bond with old ones.
24 Set realistic goals and plans, be sure to follow-up.
Write down your goals for the next week. Also, create a meal plan. Keep a Health Calendar just for you to write every time you worked out, and every time you had an unhealthy eating day. At the end of every week, have you met your goals? Check your calendar for patterns. Stay consistent with re-evaluating and updating your goals and meal plans.
25 Don’t smoke!
Five bonus tips from a few of my favorite healthy HAPPINESSERS!
26 JACQUE COLLIER suggests eating vegetarian meals sometimes, using tofu and substitute meats. Make sure you maintain your balanced diet and get enough protein and iron elsewhere.
27 TOMIKO COCO BERRY reminds us to take our daily vitamins!!!
28 ALEXIS CHANDLER says to load up on fruits and veggies. The Food Pyramid suggests 3 to 5 servings of vegetables, and 2 to 4 servings of fruit each day. An easy way to accomplish this: 1 or 2 veggies with each meal, and a fruit or veggie as a snack, or combined with your snack in between meals. (A serving is a fist-full.)
29 MARSALAS MORNEY thinks being in good health is about being godly and being sexy. When you do good, you feel good, and when you look good doing it, you feel even better!
30 TY CAIN and JOSEPH MYERS know it’s important to keep your spirit in shape! She wants you to sing your heart out and smile lots! He says prayer and spreading love will keep you healthy. Things like stress, anger, depression, and unforgiveness poison your heart, soul, and body. They can manifest physically. Learn to relax, let go, enjoy life, and keep your relationships healthy. When you’re happy and healthy, and you have happy, healthy relationships, life is great!
.. THE STORY --The Aetna nurse said in her 10 years on the job, she's only seen it 3 times...Our delivering nurse took a picture cause she had never seen it before...My doctor said it's very rare, and very dangerous...Every nurse that came in my hospital room already heard the story and just had to meet my angel baby. They call it a "true knot". It's often the cause of stillbirths, or "fetal demise", as one article puts it. My son is proof GOD IS STILL A MIRACLE WORKER! Tuesday, 3/25/08 - I had my weekly doctor visit. She said, "You're one finger dilated and your cervix is ready, do you want to go to the hospital now and be induced tonight?" I was so surprised since just 2 weeks before she said it seemed the baby would be on time, somewhere around his due date of April 5th, 6th, or 7th. I decided against induction since, #1, I had a photo shoot that day, and #2, if the baby was on his way, I wanted to let him pick his own birthday. At only 37 weeks, there was no medical reason for induction - my doctor just wanted the timing of delivery to be convenient. But babies never come at a convenient hour! Thursday, 3/27/08 - I was ready for baby to come out! Aches and pains were increasing, sleep was more and more uncomfortable, and the swelling of my hands, feet, ankles, and face were very uncute. Knowing my cervix was already opening, but also knowing it could still be a couple weeks before his birth, I decided to start taking long walks, drinking raspberry tea, and I also heard sex could encourage the little one to arrive. PJ and I went for a 45 minute walk and got home around 10:30pm. I should've packed an overnight bag for the hospital weeks before, so I finally stopped my procrastinating and got it together. I made some raspberry tea, and by 11:20pm, I was getting ready to make pregnant love maybe one last time. LABOR STARTS -- PJ climbed in the bed as I stood up from the toilet, and then "POP", I felt (and almost heard) something that felt like a water balloon being popped inside me. A small gush of water came out and I quickly sat back down. At 11:47pm, I told PJ, "Sorry babe, I know you just laid down, but my water broke." Friday, 3/28/08 - By 1:30am we were ready to drive to the hospital in Santa Monica. Two hours went by quickly as I called my mom, and my brother, I showered, straighted up our room a little, we packed a bag for PJ, and for the coming baby, we also pulled the car seat out of it's box to put in the car. The movies have you believe your water breaks and there's this flood, then the baby comes. Nope. Once you feel that little pop, the gushing doesn't stop! Every half hour, another gush! Water just kept coming and coming. I didn't think I was having contractions, but every 10 minutes or so I did notice some slight lower back pain. The car ride was a little harder. Sitting still, the pains were a little stronger and now every 5-10 minutes or so. By 2am we were at the hospital. Robin, my first shift nurse, got me hooked up pretty quickly. I had an IV, a monitor for the baby's heartbeat, and a monitor for my contractions. The nurse asked me a bunch of questions including, "How far apart are your contractions?" I said, "I dunno if I'm having contractions. I feel a dull lower back pain every 5 or 10 minutes, but it's not bad, and not regular, and I don't feel it in the front." She looked at the monitor, then touched my stomach and said, "Do you feel that? See how your stomach is hard? You're having a contraction right now and they're coming every 2-3 minutes!" I laughed cause I really didn't feel anything. She checked my cervix and said, "You're 2 centimeters dilated and 90 % effaced, definitely in labor." Robin called my doctor to get an okay for an epidural, and Dr. Sehdeva said it was okay when I was 3-5 centimeters. My mom, PJ's mom, and my brother came and labored with me. The waiting game began. By the time the anesthesiologist arrived, about an hour or more later, I was 3 centimeters. Right on time! I also started feeling those contractions by then. The pain still wasn't bad, but I definitely was aware of them coming every 2 minutes. I had to use the bathroom a couple times, I threw up once, and my teeth chattered for a while, so my body was feeling it more than me! I was able to take deep breaths and close my eyes through the pains. I also requested PJ not talk to me until the contraction passed. That made it very bearable. THE EXCITEMENT STARTS -- An epidural feels weird. Dr. Roberts was very nice and explained everything he was doing. Only PJ could be in the room with me, and he was great at keeping me focused and calm. We thought Dr. Roberts was done when he said, "Okay, that wasn't quite in the right place, I'm going to do it again..." That made me nervous, but it turned out just fine. My left side when numb first, and that scared me too, cause my cousin said her epidural only numbed half her body! But a couple minutes later, my right side felt all warm and tingly too. AAAAHHHHHH, I could open my eyes again. But this time Dr. Roberts WAS done, and yet, he didn't leave the room. Robin all of a sudden looked worried. She called for another nurse. Then she told me to lay back and roll over, "No, faster, roll all the way over...okay, roll on your other side, now roll back over, c'mon move faster." She'd look at the monitor, and then push on my stomach, look at the monitor, roll me over, push on my stomach. The other nurse put an oxygen mask on me..."Take big deep breaths, give your baby some oxygen..." I looked at the monitor and the heartbeat that was once at a steady 135 - 140 was now at only 70! I looked up at PJ and as scared as I knew he was, he just smiled down at me saying, "The baby's okay, everything's okay." The nurse pulled out a shot of something and stuck me in my arm. A few seconds later, everything was back to normal. Robin said, "You just had a 3 minute contraction, we gave you a shot to stop it. It looks like there may be an umbilical cord problem and your baby's supply was cut off by the long constriction, that's why he had a deceleration of heart rate. Stay on your right side, the baby's rate drops a little when you're on your left. We'll keep monitoring you and hopefully that doesn't happen again." A couple hours later, it did happen again. THINGS GET REALLY SCARY -- After several hours of labor I was only 4 centimeters dilated. The nurse explained that once you get to 4, it usually takes an hour each centimeter to get to 7, and then a half-hour each centimeter to get to 10, which is fully dilted, ready to push. This meant I had a good 5 or 6 hours to go. But a ..couple.. hours after that, sometime around 7:30am, I was STILL only 4 to 5 centimeters. Maybe it had something to do with that shot they gave me, I dunno. Progress was slow, but with my epidural, I was just fine. Everyone in the room was nodding off or sleeping. Then, out of nowhere this older, petite, German woman with short grey hair comes busting into the room. With one arm, in one swift motion, she threw PJ's lazyboy chair out of her way, and it went sliding across the floor. The jerk of the chair woke him and everyone jumped up to see what was going on. The woman ran around to the side of my bed and started giving the instructions Robin had given earlier..."Roll over, quickly, okay, back to your other side, roll over again." She pushed on my stomach to get the baby to react to her and to massage out the contraction, she watched the monitor, she kept me rolling back and forth, she called for the nurses to help, she asked for the shot to be prepared, she had me taking deep breaths of oxygen. My mom decided to ask who she was, but she didn't have time to answer, she just said, "I'm the head nurse!" and kept working on me. After a couple minutes, my baby's heartrate came back up, just before they were about to administer the shot. My mom said she saw it drop to 60 this time. Now that the baby was okay again, superwoman nurse had time to explain through her German accent, "I'm Marika, the head nurse and I've been monitoring you from the station. Here's what's happening, since your water broke several hours ago, you've lost all your fluids. It looks like the baby has a cord problem, so when you have a long contraction like that, your stomach tightens around him and also his cord, so his blood and oxygen supply get cut off. You are only 4 centimeters and he has had a deceleration twice already. You have two options at this point, we could do what's called an Amnio Infusion. That's when we put fluids back into your uterus and hope that allows the baby some cushion through your contractions. You're stuck between a rock and a hard place because the contractions are causing him distress, but you need to have the contractions in order for labor to progress." I asked a couple questions about the infusion, but she couldn't tell me much. It seemed like they don't have to do them very often. I said, "You told me we have two options, is the second option a c-section?" Yep, that was it. A DECISION TO MAKE -- Sometime around 8am Marika called my doctor to explain the situation and have her come in right away. Dr. Sehdeva wanted to talk to me. She said, "You're only 4 centimeters and his heartrate has decelerated twice already. The only way to make sure the baby is okay is to do a cesarean. If his heartrate drops again, we don't know for sure if they can get it back up the next time." I asked, "What about the infusion?" She said we'd still be taking a risk with the infusion because there's no way to know for sure if it would help the situation or not. She said we could try it, but if it didn't work, then we'd end up having to do an emergency c-section, and an emergency situation is never the best. PJ and I looked at each other and felt like we should go with what the doctor said. I REALLY, REALLY didn't want that surgery, but if it was to only way to know our baby would be born safe and sound, then we figured we should do what was best for the baby. However, Marika was also really against the c-section. She made a case for the infusion. She said, "Jumping to do the cesarean is like going from point A to point C. You should at least try it and if it doesn't work, THEN do the surgery. Why skip point B? Either way, we have to wait for your doctor to do it, a nurse can't do the procedure. There are a couple risks involved because if we don't monitor you carefully, ..which we will.., but there's a chance we could put too much fluid in you and your uterus can rupture, and..." She said something else, but I don't remember it, all I heard was "UTERUS COULD RUPTURE"! Oh LAWD! But maybe the infusion was the best thing, we could always fall back on the c-section. Man, oh, man, we were scared and disappointed. What could we do? PRAY!!! GOD IS LISTENING -- So here we are, over 8 hours into labor, only 4-5 centimeters dilated. Our baby's heartrate had plummeted twice, our doctor was recommending a cesarean section, the head nurse was suggesting an Amnio Infusion, and we were really nervous about making the wrong decision that could cost our child's life before it even started. We didn't want the c-section, but what if it was the only way our baby could survive? The room was full of people waiting for us to say the word. We had nurses and resident doctors and family all standing around looking at us. I said, "Could everyone please leave the room, my husband and I have to talk." After everyone left, I said, "You know what, let's not try to decide on our own, we need to pray." So we prayed! God knows we want to have more children, he's the ONLY one who knows what's best for me, the baby, and our future babies. We asked him to take total control of the situation and for his will to be done. We asked for peace with the right decision. PJ called our pastor and his prayer partner, and a few minutes later, we called Marika back in and told her we felt it was right to stay calm, not panic, trust God, and try the infusion first. She called a different doctor since mine was still on her way, and cleared the room and a path in the hallway incase we needed to run for an emergency c-section. Dr. Rude arrived and checked out my chart. Both my mom and PJ's mom were so nervous, they were asking questions and trying to fill the Dr. in, but she was brushing them off saying things like, "I'm the doctor here, let me worry about that," and "Who in this room went to medical school?" I'm surprised no one slapped her (knowing our moms), but the situation was serious, so instead of arguing for too long, PJ's mom left the room and mine took a seat for a moment. Around 9am we were ready for the infusion. By this time, I started to feel my contractions through the epidural. The doctor came to my side and showed me the tube she was going to insert. She said, "See how small this is, and the last time you were checked about an hour and a half ago, you were 4 centimeters, so you see, this will go in very easily." She explained she had to insert something else and place it on the baby's head, blah, blah, blah...I said, "Dr., for the last two contractions, I've felt pressure in my bottom." I know that means the baby is coming, so I thought I should tell her. She brushed me off and said, "Well, that's just the baby's head moving down the birth canal." She picked up the tube and started to open the plastic package it was in. My mom, who had earlier let the doctor know she's only given birth five times and assisted with several births, shouted from her seat, "She says she's feeling pressure, why don't you check her..." Dr. Rude rolled her eyes as though it was a waste of her time, and with her free hand, she checked me. Her eyes opened wide, she set the tube down, said "We don't need this, you're 9 and 1/2 centimeters dilated, you can push!" and she walked out of the room. We were expecting several hours of labor before we got to this point! Everyone was. But God don't waste no time! READY TO PUSH -- Robin had long gone home, my new nurse, Adrienne had replaced her. She came into the room and reminded me that my doctor, Dr. Sehdeva, still hadn't arrived. She also reminded me that although I was just about fully dilated, we still had this cord problem to think about and we had not gone through with the infusion. She wanted me to do a practice push to see how the baby would react. She nixed that idea when she realized how important it was for my doctor to be there incase something went wrong. So what we did is called passive labor. I layed on my side and just let the contractions push the baby down on their own. It was hard to feel my body pushing him out, to feel the urge to help, and to just lay there and breathe through it. The pressure got stronger and stronger each time. It was like needing to take the biggest poop ever, but you can't go sit on the toilet. Just before 10am, we couldn't wait any longer, I HAD to push. Tons of people flooded the room. We had a couple resident doctors who wanted to observe, we had my nurse, Adrienne, an assisting nurse, the head nurse, Marika, my father-in-law dropped in, my brother was still hanging out, PJ was at my side, our moms weren't going anywhere, and there were two resident doctors who would deliver my baby if my doctor still didn't show up in time. Those two doctors didn't help much! Infact, they made everyone nervous. My mom asked if they were the observing residents because they looked so clueless. One of them kept running back and forth putting his gown on and taking it off, washing his hands, putting gloves on and taking them off, the other doctor just stood there with big ole eyes wondering what to do. When it was go time, they both just stood staring inbetween my legs looking like kids who were about to witness a birth for the first time. I knew they had no idea how to deal with this tricky situation. But they were all I had, so I kicked my brother and father-in-law out (they were happy to wait in the lobby with my dad and little brother), and I started pushing. PJ's holding one leg, my mom, the other, PJ's mom is holding my head up. "Push harder, harder. Okay, good. Deep breath, let's go again..." I pushed for about 25 minutes and everyone could see his head. With the next couple of pushes, I FELT his head! It was like a hard coconut down there. All of a sudden Marika starts yelling, "Where's the other heartbeat!? We only have one! Who's heartbeat is this, the baby's or the mother's? We lost the other heartbeat." She was going from the monitor to my side back to the monitor. She was frantic for about two whole minutes. Even with his head right there, they had me roll on my side again. I was terrified! Only ONE heartbeat!? The nurses all got in my face, "You have to push this baby out now. Push, Jessica, push as hard as you can!" I was so scared to push because I wondered if my pushing was constricting his cord and killing him. They told me to just push him out, no time to wait inbetween contractions...it was getting difficult, but I pushed!!! Just then, Dr. Sehdeva showed up. She jumped in the chair and started cheering me on. She said I was a good pusher and was happy to see the baby rapidly on his way down, but because we were in such a rush to get him out, she did a quick episiotomy and a minute later, I felt his body slide out of my body. That's an amazing feeling. And there he was, perfect. Following him was his cord, the doctor lifted it so I could see a true knot. She looked me in the eye and said slowly with gravity in her voice, "You guys are so lucky." Not lucky, blessed! Our son must've been very active in the womb. It's crazy to think that knot was in there with him since he was small enough to spin around and create such a loop. No wonder I couldn't lay on my left side the last couple months of pregnancy! No wonder he came early! Knots don't happen often and they can be deadly. Dr. Sehdeva wanted to say "I told you so," but she couldn't because our baby was born healthy and naturally. They put him on my chest and then quickly rushed him away to check on him. He let out a yell and I knew he was okay. They doctors gave us only two options, but with God, there's always an X factor. Forget option A, B, and C, I'm rolling with option G-O-D! In a time when people say they don't want to bring children into this dark, lost world, it's never been more important to bring rays of hope! It is our duty to be Kingdom builders, to be FRUITFUL, producing seeds of life that will make a positive difference, that will be warriors against evil, that will rise in the face of hopelessness. After a miscarriage the first go-round, after 39 weeks of a second pregnancy, after about 35 minutes of pushing, 11 total hours of labor, at 10:27am, on Friday, March 28th, 2008, our precious son came into the world, guided by angels, in Jesus' name. He is strong, he is a fighter, he is beautiful. Praise God!!! .. Patrick - NOBLE ONE, Jeremiah - EXALTED BY GOD
Jeremiah 1:5...... "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations." PATRICK JEREMIAH WESSON born Friday, March 28, 2008 - 6 and 1/2 pounds - 19" - Beautiful baby boy!
