Hearts for Heroes

Yesterday the kids finger-painted some big sheets of paper and today we cut hearts out to hang in all our windows as a way to say THANK YOU to all the heroes out there - especially medical personnel, but also mail/package carriers, truck drivers, and our neighbors and community that are staying home.

I hope everyone can find some small way to help spread some hope and gratitude in your neighborhoods too. Thank you all!

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Things I Wish I Knew Before my C-Section

I thought I knew what to expect going into our planned c-section. After all, I read all the books and thought I knew all the steps and heard all the stories - but I soon found out I didn’t feel prepared at all and it was VERY different than I expected. Our first baby we had naturally - in fact I was able to hypnobirth her pain-free (and drug free!) and remain calm, cool, and collected (you can read more about that in my previous post HERE). However our second baby was wedged in breech and would not turn so we opted for a planned c-section. The c-section was SUCH a different experience, with a lot of surprises (for me anyways)… | This post contains affiliate links |

Disclaimer: This post shares my personal experiences and realizations and is not medical advice. Please always check with your doctors for the best advice/recommendations and know that your experiences can be very different from mine.

Things I Wish I Knew Before my C-Section

The IV Fluids will Make You Puffy.
Prior to going into the OR, they will give you IV fluids as part of your prep to make sure you’re well hydrated. For me, they made me quite puffy (thanks water retention), especially around my face and neck. Seeing myself in photos after I was surprised how puffy and swollen I looked. (I also could not take my wedding rings off and thankfully they didn’t make me as my hands somehow didn’t swell.)

The Operating Room (OR) is Intensely White.
To be frank, this totally freaked me out. Walking down a normal hallway with decor and warm lighting into a very bright, very starkly white room was absolutely jarring. It kind of felt like that scene from the original Willy Wonka when they try to send Mike Teavee through Wonka Vision. Everything was just so white and so harsh-looking. I understand the need for it (for cleanliness and sterilization purposes) but if you’re not expecting it, it can kind of set you on edge.

You Can Feel So Helpless and Not in Control.
Inserting the epidural was thankfully very fast and not bad, but once they laid me down and it kicked in I felt so helpless. I HATED not being able to feel or move anything from my chest down. I felt groggy, extremely emotional (thanks hormones), and totally helpless.

You May Feel Non-Pain Sensations After The Epidural.
Right before they got started, they pulled a piece of tape off my stomach (I think they were repositioning the drape), but I could feel the tape pulling off. This scared me and I spoke up, but they assured me it was okay. Apparently epidurals numb your ability to feel pain, but sometimes you can feel other sensations (like tape being pulled off).

You’ll Feel Like You’re Being Dissected by Aliens.
Okay, so this sounds a little dramatic but it was the most accurate description for me. Even though everything was going well, the doctors and assistants were all cheery, and everything was perfect and professional - I still couldn’t help but feel like I was in some sci-fi movie in a stark white spaceship, being dissected while I was still alive.

They Squeeze the Baby Out.
Somehow I was not aware of this… they make the incision for the baby to come out, but then they push (and push hard) down on your uterus/upper abdomen/lower ribs so the baby starts to squeeze out of the incision, then they help guide and pull the baby out. Our baby was really wedged in there, so the assist had to jump and put all her weight on me to get the baby to come out.

The Whole Procedure is FAST.
The doctors and team were very skilled and experienced and very fast. Our doula had warned us it would feel like everything was urgent and rushed but that’s just how they go (and she said during an emergency c-section they can go even quicker which is incredible). From the time we walked into the OR to the time I was being stitched up it was maybe 20 mins tops. They were fast, efficient, and experts at this.

Those Moments After Delivery Can Feel so Lonely.
Immediately after delivery they showed me the baby but then she went over to a warming table to get a quick exam and her vitals checked. She was totally fine but it’s pretty standard for baby to be checked over nearby while they finish working on you and sewing you up. My husband understandably went over to stand with the new baby and watch her, and even though he and the baby were only feet away it felt like miles. I was emotional, numb from the chest down, and felt abandoned (dramatic, huh?)… I was crying and everyone was busy (taking care of me and baby) but I just felt so alone.

You Might Have a Catheter Longer Than You Think.
They leave the catheter in until the epidural wears off and you feel strong enough to get up which was quite a while for me. And even once they do take it out, be aware that sometimes your bladder is the last thing to “wake up” - it took a long time for me to be able to pee on my own.

You’ll Get an IV Port for Most of Your Stay.
Even though I was done with the IV right after the c-section procedure, they tend to leave the IV port (in my case it was in the side of my wrist) in for the remainder of your stay in the unlikely event you need an IV for an infection, dehydration, medication, etc. And every day they need to flush it with saline to make sure it stays clear and clean… the flushing feels very weird and extremely uncomfortable which I was not expecting.

Getting the Staples Out Surprisingly Didn’t Hurt (Whew!)
I was dreading the day when they removed the staples from my incision. I thought for sure it was going to hurt or pull or there would be blood but none of those things were true. For me it didn’t hurt at all thankfully and the doctor removed them quickly and easily.

You Will Regret Standing Too Long.
For me, especially in those early days, standing or walking for just a few minutes was HARD. I would be standing - feeling fine and great - and then all at once I would suddenly feel warm and get a deep burning sensation around my incision and I would have to immediately sit down because I felt like I was going to pass out.

You Will Still Have Postpartum Bleeding.

Even though they “clean you out” during the c-section there will still be residual material that will have to run it’s course and be shed just like from a normal delivery. So get those Depends ready and be prepared to still deal with that. For me, it definitely wasn't as heavy but it still lasted several weeks.

Your Incision Can Have No Feeling For a Long Time.
For weeks my incision felt numb or very “weird” to the touch… like I was touching it through a thick quilt even tough I was touching my own skin. Apparently sometimes it takes awhile for the nerves to reconnect so that numb feeling around the incision can linger for quite a long time. It slowly wore off though and I regained my feeling there over time.

You Will Be Defensive of Your Incision for Months.
My incision healed beautifully and well but even months after the surgery I was very subconsciously protective of it. Even much later when I picked up my kids, if they pressed their foot on my incision I thought for sure they were going to pull it apart. It was all in my head though.

Overall, my c-section and recovery were all textbook and went perfectly without any real setbacks thankfully. Still, in the moment and as I recovered I realized I wasn’t as mentally prepared for the c-section as I had thought. Just because a mama goes through a c-section and not a vaginal delivery doesn’t make it feel any less emotional. It definitely helps being prepared and asking questions ahead of time so you (hopefully) won’t have as many surprises.

Best of luck, Mamas!!

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Disclaimer: This post shares my personal experiences and realizations and is not medical advice. Please always check with your doctors for the best advice/recommendations and know that your experiences can be very different from mine.

Introducing Our Newest Addition!

Here's the reason I've been so MIA recently ;)  This little lady has been keeping us busy and it's funny how easily you forget the sleep deprivation from the first baby!  I feel like a first-time mom all over again, relearning all those newborn rules.

This month I'll have some review posts for L.L. Bean and Safety 1st coming as well as an interview and giveaway with Woodboogah - stay tuned and keep your fingers crossed we get some sleep! 

Photo by: Adrian Pelletier Photography

Giving Back

About a month ago I decided to start something new for Birch Landing Home - after all, every little bit helps and we want to be a part of it!  

Starting this year, we will be donating a percentage of our profits at year-end to charity(ies) of our choice.  The charities will be chosen at the end of each year.  

We all need to remember (myself included) to give back more when we can, and I hope we can inspire other businesses and individuals to do the same.  

More information about how we plan to give back can be found here.  

Give Back When You Can

Just a little reminder to give back when you are able, even if it's something small.  

Over the course of the summer we've been blessed with a lot of produce from our garden - we enjoyed it, shared with family and friends, and froze quite a bit for future use.  Last week we picked the last of the veggies and pulled out the rest of our vining plants to get ready for winter.  We ended up with quite a few squash, cucumbers, and tomatoes and rather than try to squeeze them into the freezer we opted to bring them to our local food pantry where we know the donation will be greatly appreciated.  

Giving back doesn't always have to mean volunteering a day of your time or making a large monetary donation - it can be giving back in small ways everyday to help your neighbor and those around you.  We all need to remember this more (myself included), and next year we'll make a point to share even more of our produce with the food pantry all summer long.  

Easy Ways We Saved Thousands on Our Dream Wedding

My husband and I have been married for nearly five years now but it seems like our wedding was just yesterday.  We got married before Pinterest was a thing and so it was up to us to figure out all the details on our own.  It was a learning process and we came up with some great ways to cut costs and still have our dream wedding.  | This post contains affiliate links |

From the start we knew exactly where we wanted to get married - a beautiful historic mansion overlooking the lakes and mountains we love (it was also where my husband proposed).  So that helped narrow things down quite a bit.  But the downside?  It was expensive and didn't include much of anything.  In order to have our wedding where we wanted, we had to cut costs in other parts of the budget and in doing so we saved thousands of dollars.  

Tips for Saving Big on Your Dream Wedding

Start planning as early as you can.  We started planning our wedding about 13 months out; we thought we had plenty of time but we were shocked at how many dates were already taken at our venue of choice, how many DJs/photographers were already booked, etc - even more than a year out.  Starting early means you have the most options to choose from and are more likely to find affordable vendors that you like.  Waiting until the last minute can leave you stuck with expensive options or ones you aren't happy with.  

All photos by Steve Holmes Photography

Find a venue that includes a lot.  Okay, so this tip did not really apply to us (our venue included little other than the physical ceremony location, reception hall, and a day-of wedding coordinator).  But many venues include at least something, and some include a lot more than others.  Some items that may be included in the venue cost include:  the wedding cake, toasting champagne, linens, DJ, flowers, cake cutting fee, bar credit, coffee service, hors devours, or even all of the food/catering.  If you can find a nice venue that includes at least some of these items, it can save you big in the long run.  

Pick a venue that's beautiful in itself.  If you can find a venue that looks pretty as-is, you don't have spend a lot (or anything) on decor costs!  An outdoor wedding with a pretty view means you don't need anything for the ceremony.  And a pretty looking old hall with a lot of character means you can get away with little or no decorating for the reception.  We spent almost nothing on decor costs since we felt our ceremony location was so beautiful already. 

Use details of the wedding venue to your advantage.  One of the little touches that people remembered most about our wedding?  The wishing fountain!  Our venue had a beautiful fountain in the middle of the ceremony location and we decided to use this feature as part of our day.  We put out a jar of brand new shiny pennies dated our wedding year (which cost $2 - literally), and put a little note in our wedding program about throwing pennies in the fountain for happy wishes for the bride and groom.  

Don't get married on the weekend.  I know this sounds strange but many locations offer a great discount if you get married on any day other than a Saturday or a Sunday (and some locations offer off-season discounts as well if you get married in the winter).  The date we really wanted for our wedding had already been booked (even though it was over a year out!), and so when were deciding on a new date we chose to have our wedding on a Friday evening.  By having it on a Friday we saved around $750 just on the venue cost!  

Opt for the buffet.  When selecting a caterer (presuming it's not included with your venue), look for ones that also offer a buffet option and compare that price to their "plated meal" price.  Buffets generally cost about 1/3 less than having the meal plated and served to your guests.  We choose the buffet option for our wedding and saved a lot on meal costs!  

Make your own invitations - or at the very least assemble them.  Originally we wanted to design, print, cut, and assemble our invitations ourselves.  But with all the time and stress going into wedding planning on top of regular work, we decided to forgo the stress of designing and sourcing paper/printing services and order our invitations.  We found a beautiful invitation design that fit our theme and colors perfectly and it was all printed on thick, gorgeous paper.  The best part?  It was from a small designer/paper goods company that was priced really reasonably and also had the option of sending all your invitation materials uncut and unassembled for $150 less which was a great savings.  

Don't get sucked into buying "wedding-specific" items.  Next time you're at a bridal shop or craft store, check out wedding day items like guest books and flower girl baskets and you'll be in for some sticker-shock.  I still remember looking at a flower girl basket and not believing it cost over $25!  Because of that we decided to for-go the (ugly in my opinion) while silk flower girl basket and get a basic woven basket at a craft store for $5 and tied a piece of coordinating ribbon to the handle.  We also skipped the traditional guest book and had guests sign the photo mat of one of our favorite engagement pictures - this keepsake is now hanging in our master where we can see and appreciate it every day.  These days with Pinterest the alternative guest book ideas are endless!

Borrow your petticoat.  If your wedding dress calls for a petticoat, see if any of your friends or family has one you could borrow for your wedding.  (If they do, make sure to try it on with your dress before your dress is altered to make sure it will work.)  No one sees the petticoat and it's not a sentimental part of the day, so there's no need to actually buy one.  

Offer to do the leg work.  If you're working with a vendor and have some extra (and very reliable!) hands willing to help on the day of the wedding, offer to do the leg work for the vendors - in exchange for a discounted rate of course.  For example, the cost of our linen rental included delivery and pick-up of the linens but my husband's parents offered to take care of it since they lived nearby.  By having them pick up the linens the day before the wedding, and then drop them back off the day after the wedding it saved us $100.  Also, our florist was about half a mile from the hair dresser where we all were getting our hair done - so, rather than pay the delivery fee for our bouquets my mother-in-law ran over and picked them up for us.  

Take advantage of family and friends' talents.  If you know someone that has a great talent or hobby, feel them out to see if they'd be willing to help you with an aspect of your wedding.  My sister-in-law is super-crafty and an AMAZING baker.  She made our gorgeous custom wedding cake for us and my brother-in-law made the cake base, saving us hundreds of dollars - not to mention it's much more meaningful knowing it's made with love by someone we know.  

Willow Tree Cake Topper (Affiliate Link)

DIY wedding centerpieces.  If you choose flowers for your centerpieces each arrangement can easily cost $80+ and that adds up to a lot, fast.  We decided to make our centerpieces ourselves and save this money.  My husband and I opted for flower-free centerpieces that we could make way ahead of time; we used birch logs with hearts and table numbers carved into them (a nod to when we carved our initials into a tree while dating), along with river rocks and some other natural elements.  Everything we choose for our centerpieces meant something to us which made our them very personal.  In order to make them we only had to purchase the candles and some river rocks - for all 10 centerpieces it cost us about $35.  
(My only other piece of advice for making your own centerpieces would be to bring it to your venue and see it on one of their tables ahead of time, if possible.  Our centerpieces looked awesome on our kitchen table and we thought they were the perfect size, but once they were set up at the venue we realized they didn't fill in the center of the tables quite enough and we should have brought some smaller elements to fill in around it.)  

Simplify the bouquet.  Florists charge more for having to source out more flowers.. if you have mixed bouquets they can cost a lot more than a bouquet the same size that contains just one type of flower.  We wanted to keep it simple anyways and decided to stick with straight yellow roses for all the bouquets and that saved us a lot of money in itself.  

Borrow a fun car instead of renting a limo.  We had the advantage of having our ceremony and reception at the same location, so we didn't need to transport the wedding party from one place to another.  Even still, we wanted a fun "getaway" car to leave in at the end of the night.  Luckily for us, our family is into restoring cars as a hobby and we got to use a '66 Chevelle that we all helped fix up - definitely made it more fun and more meaningful than using a limo service.  

The One Thing Worth Splurging On

A great photographer.  Seriously folks, hire a great photographer and you won't regret it!!  Your wedding photos will be what you look back on to remember the details of your day, and it's so important to have ones you're proud of and that truly capture all the magic.  A great photographer can also do wonders with what they have - even if you don't have the most ideal backdrop for a photo they can make it look amazing with some artful focus or composition.  

When hiring a photographer make sure to look at their full portfolio; see if you like their style, if they're consistent with editing techniques, if the overall mood of the photos fits your personal taste.  It's also a good idea to hire a photographer that comes with an assistant photographer - this way you get double the photos and more angles of the ceremony.  It also allows the photographers to be in two places at once, especially helpful for taking getting-ready photos.  

You also want to find a photographer that gives you full rights to your photos - after all you want to be able to print as many copies as you like, make photobooks, send photos to your local newspaper for your announcement, post them on Facebook and other social media, or even possibly submit them to be featured in bridal magazines.  Without a letter stating you have full ownership and publishing rights to your photos you'd be unable to do any of that without going through your photographer every time (and doing so would cost you extra money each time).  

And don't forget to quiz any potential photographer on things that may go awry and how they'd handle it... just in case.  A personal emergency came up and they were unable to photograph your wedding at the last minute?  (They should have some photographer associates of equal or better caliber they can call on to fill in for them at no additional cost to you)  If a camera or lens gets dropped on the big day?  (They should have backup equipment with them as well as extra fully-charged batteries).  A great, experienced photographer should have a game plan for anything that may come up and still get you beautiful photos of the day despite any challenges that may arise.  

Photos from our wedding were featured on New Hampshire Bride Magazine's website, Maggie Sottero's website, in Super Chevy Magazine, and on Love & Lobster.

All photos by Steve Holmes Photography

Disclaimer:  Please note this post shares my opinion and prices and information mentioned are based on our experience of planning our wedding five years ago.  *Prices and packages from vendors that we used may have changed.*  

New Etsy Listing: Custom Initial Heart Ornaments, perfect for gifts or wedding favors!

Meet our latest edition to the Etsy Shop, Custom Initial Heart Ornaments in Birch!  These make a great gift for your favorite couple or a keepsake for you and your significant other.  The wood-burned design is reminiscent of initials carved in a tree.  
And if you're thinking of having these as wedding favors, please make sure to send me a custom order request as bulk discounts are available.  

Thanks for all the love!

Since a little picture of our Hand-Etched Maple Snowflake Ornaments was featured as the Instagram Favorite in this month's Martha Stewart Living, we've definitely been getting a lot of love!  I can't thank you all enough for the attention and orders you've given my little Etsy shop - thank you, thank you, thank you!  

Since then I've been a busy little bee working on all these awesome orders.  We had a little setback at first as the maples I cut took an eternity to dry for some reason - very frustrating when orders are piling up and you feel like you're just sitting there watching paint dry!  Thankfully we seem to be past that and our orders are getting turned around well within their estimated ship time.  

After the Christmas rush is done I have ideas for more wood products for the shop, including iPhone stands, wooden buttons, and wedding decorations - my favorite!  Can't wait to bring in lots more products in the New Year!