Why You Should Think Twice Before Sitting On My Couch...

This is Hannah's birth story, I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoy writing it!

Like I said in my last post, after Aaron and I were engaged last September we talked about having more children...well I guess me having more children as Hannah is Aaron's first. I figured...whats one more when you already have 3?

I found out I was pregnant October 2011, but we were tight lipped about it until I made it to the 12 week mark. We were thrilled. ..especially Aaron. I've never met a man who was more excited to become a daddy than he was! I scheduled my first appointment with the obstetrician, recorded the heartbeat for Aaron (he was away...of course) and it began. Shortly after that first appointment Aaron and I joked about having a home birth....we laughed and didn't talk much more about it. I started thinking about the pros of a home birth...I wouldn't have to worry about getting someone to watch the big girls, I wouldn't have to pack a bag, and I wouldn't have to make the trip to the hospital. It started to sound very appealing to me. So it was decided, I found a midwifery group in Calgary and saw them until we moved out here. Once we were here I found 2 midwives that agreed to provide me care for the remainder of my pregnancy and attend my birth.

We were all set, I had a birthing tub and all the supplies I needed for my home birth, we were just waiting on Hannah who was a week overdue. I went into labour the morning of the 27th of May. Aaron in full blown panic mode started running around trying to prepare everything while I was easily labouring while preparing breakfast for the big girls and getting them dresses and ready for the day. The first midwife arrived around 930am, she checked me and told us that I was only 3-4cm dilated. I thought I was in for the long haul. By the time the second midwife arrived around 1030am I was in full blown labour. Shortly after she arrived my water broke and they decided we wouldn't get the tub filled in time. They quickly made me what they call a "nest" in the corner of my sectional couch and off I went, Hannah was delivered perfect as can be at 1050am on my couch. Again I was in love with my newest little girl and Aaron was the proudest father I've ever seen, it was perfect. The girls, who had spent their time downstairs while I laboured came up and met their new little sister for the first time just seconds after she was born! As we spent our first precious moments with our new baby girl, my living room which was converted in to a labour and delivery room was quickly cleaned up, laundry was put in, all by my amazing midwives. When asked what the first thing I wanted to do was...I said, "I'd like to have a shower." So up from the couch I got and walked down the hallway to my bedroom ensuite and got in the shower. It was heavenly. I was at home with my family, my new baby, it was amazing.  I'm so glad I decided to do it, I wish I had have had a home birth with all 3!

Again...this isn't for everyone...I know that.

 In my next post i'll share with you yet another list I've come up with...this one is how to tell if a  midwife is for you...which i'll guarantee you'll at least get a good laugh out of!

How the Hell Did I End Up Here...?

How does a girl who lived over 30 years in 2 big cities end up living outside a town that has less people in it than her high-school did??

Well here's the short version,

In 2002, I moved from my home town, Hamilton Onatario, to Calgary Alberta...with a boy...of course. That didn't work out...of course, but I ended up sticking around. Shorty after boy # 1 split, I met boy # 2...and married him. We had 3 beautiful little girls in a very short time frame (all 18 months apart). And again...that didn't workng out. That being said, I have to add that my ex-husband and I have a very good relationship and he is a fabulous father.

So in 2010, I found myself single...again...after being married for 6 years. What a shock to the system that is! I was 31 with 3 kids...talk about baggage!!! I jumped right back in to it, head first. A good friend of mine and I started hitting the bars..every weekend...it was fun...for a while. I dated a few "randoms", but no one I could see myself with long term...until I met Aaron.

Aaron had just come back off the rodeo circuit...touring with a very well known chuck wagon driver...he was a cowboy!! We met through a mutual friend...and the rest is history really. We moved in together rather quickly, he loved the girls instantly and they loved him. A year later we were engaged and shortly there after he somehow managed to convince to have another baby. Which finally brings me to the answer to my question...how the hell did I end up here...

With Aaron being in the Oil Industry we needed to be closer to where the work was based out of...so we found ourselves a house on 4 acres and fell in love. But shortly after driving through the town and realizing what I was doing...I had second thoughts. Could I do this? I was pregnant, I knew no one in this hick town...and wasn't sure if I wanted to know any of them, and on top of it all Aaron was working away for weeks at a time. I was ALONE! The girls stayed with there dad to finish off the school year with there friends...so I was really alone. But I stuck it out and waited for the snow to melt and things got better...now I feel at ease and at home in the middle of nowhere.

So here I am now...a city girl...raising 4 girls in the country...

The List...Why We Love Living In the Middle of Nowhere

This is a list originally compiled as a note on facebook which is actually why I decided to start the blog in the first place.

Recently I was asked by a couple of friends...why we choose to live in the middle of nowhere. For those of you who don't know, Aaron, myself and the girls live on 4 acres, on a dirt road, just outside a small town of 1000 people, called Eckville, in central Alberta.

Initially when I was asked this question I had a tough time coming up with 3 reasons, being from Hamilton, then moving to Calgary and living there for 10 years, a move to the country was not easy for me but i'm glad I did it. After more thought, I have come up with a handful of reasons why we love living here, some are humorous, some are not but all are 100% true.

In no particular order:

1. It always smells good, there is never a smog index or a poor air quality warning, only the occasional smell of cow dung, which in my opinion is better than smog!
2. No solicitors, mormons or other undesirables ever come to my door...EVER!!
3. It's quiet, very quiet...except for the cows, coyotes, rooster and the peacock across the road.
4. Without having to drive in the city, all hi-way driving...we get great fuel economy!!
5. The school bus comes right to the end of our driveway.
6. There is no traffic on my road, if you don't live on my road, or are an oil lease operator, you have no business being on my road. We WILL notice and we have guns! LOL
7. I can drive fast everywhere, the speed limit to anywhere I have to go is 100km/hr, so 120 is acceptable.
8. It's not inappropriate for us to shoot things in our backyard. Including but not limited to: gophers, squirrels, crows, magpies and targets. Our neighbours won't call the police.
9. Feels like camping all the time. I don't know how to explain this one, but in the middle of nowhere, having coffee on the deck, always feels you're camping.
10. You can yell at your children when your windows are open and not have to worry about your neighbours hearing you. Which brings me to my next reason..
11. There are 3 other couples that live on our road, 2 of them are very far away, and the other is far enough away. You really only ever see them driving down the road, or at the mailbox. No need for that neighbourly awkwardness.
12. One of my personal favourites...I can wander around my yard wearing horrible outfits, again, including but not limited to: leopard print sleep shorts, a Boston t-shirt, no bra and rubber boots...stylish...I know...but seriously...who's gonna see me!!

And finally...
 
    13. Having 4 kids isn't out of the ordinary...we know someone with 6!!!

So that's my list, hope you enjoy, have a chuckle at my expense....its all good! We know its not for everyone but its for us and we love it!!

The Beginning....

Well this is the beginning...a very spur of the moment decision to start a blog. Why you ask? Well, maybe it's more for me than anyone else...or for the girls when they're older...or to entertain readers...or maybe all 3...who knows.

This blog will be a personal journal of our experiences, the good, the bad, the hilarious of our life in the country. My ups and downs of being a mother of 4 girls with a husband who is away 75% of the month. How I deal with it and how I cope without (usually) losing my cool! How I manage to take care of a family, a household and a 4 acre property with a variety of animals.

Maybe you learn something from my experience, maybe you don't but take it all as it is and have a laugh at our expense...we do!