Sleep

Try getting any sleep in a hospital after giving birth to a baby.  It's impossible.  My daughter delivered her first child last week after a long labor.  She was exhausted going into the labor and delivery.  She had very little sleep the last two months of her pregnancy due to discomfort and anxiety.  After the child was born she thought she would at last be able to sleep.

The day after her delivery I sat quietly holding my new grand daughter as my daughter tried to sleep. I actually dozed off with the baby in my arms.   I was there for 4 hours.  Within that four hour period many people knocked on her door, all with good intentions.

Of course her nurse came in several times which is understandable to check her patient.
The lactation consultant came twice.
The photographer came to see if she was interested in having professional photos taken while in the hospital, leaving a brochure behind.
Someone from the kitchen popped in to let her choose from a menu for lunch.
House keeping came to tidy the room
Another person from the kitchen came to pick up the breakfast tray.
The pediatrician came to examine the baby and pronounce her healthy.
The obstetrician came to check on my daughter.
A hearing technologist came by to ask if my daughter was interested in having her baby's hearing checked.

That's 9 knocks on her door within a 4 hour period, not including the nurse who came more than once to deliver meds and ask questons.  It seemed that every time my daughter would drift off for a much needed nap someone would knock on the door.  She was a much better sport than I would have been.  With each knock she was very polite with not even a hint of frustration in her voice.  Had it been me I would have put a "do not disturb" sign on my door.

I know that one must be thinking "why didn't she sleep at night".  Well, after having a baby most women are exhausted and need to sleep but there is a certain "high" or exhilaration after delivering a baby.  No matter how tired a new mother is, I think the adrenaline in her blood keeps her alert for many hours afterward.  And let's not forget about all the pushing going on during delivery.  I don't believe many of us who have not given birth realize the exertion it takes to get a 5 to 9 pound baby out of the womb and into the world.  It's work, a lot of work that the body is not accustomed to.  Most women are terribly sore after the epidural fades, considering they even had an epidural.  And then there is the episiotomy or a big rip in the perineum to allow the baby to enter the world, which must be repaired.  This is very painful once the anesthetic has worn off.  Honestly the after affects of child birth is almost like being hit by an 18 wheeler truck.  Sleep is much needed and so hard to get.  There must be a reason for this, however I have not figured it out.  I've been through it 5 times myself and am still wondering why a new mother is not treated with more consideration.  Maybe it's preparation for the sleepless nights sure to come from taking care of a fretful baby.

The next day my daughter went home and was at last able to sleep for 2 hours at a time as the baby slept also. 

Country Life The Retirees: New Life!

Country Life The Retirees: New Life!: If you ask me, mammal babies are the prettiest of all species. We all love looking at baby dolphins, whales, monkeys, puppies and kitties b...

New Life!

If you ask me, mammal babies are the prettiest of all species.  We all love looking at baby dolphins, whales, monkeys, puppies and kitties but who doesn't love standing at the new born nursery window in a hospital gazing at all the perfect little human babies.  They are all beautiful with perfect little bodies.  The softest thing you can ever feel is the skin of a new born baby.

I cannot even begin to express the surreal experience of becoming a grand parent for the first time.  I had the very honorable experience this week of attending the birth of my first grandchild...my own daughter's first baby.  I think I was in shock throughout the entire experience as I watched my own baby bring forth her first child into the world.  I cry tears of joy as I write this blog.  It was not an easy pregnancy for her, but after being in labor almost 24 hours and pushing for one hour all her hard work paid off as the sound of her daughter's cry filled the room.

As my mom says,"all old hens think their little chick is the prettiest"....and I guess that goes along with the saying, "beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder".  I took many pictures and videos of this baby as it came into the world.  I let the parents get settled with their new baby and retreated for the night.  The next day I was able to hold my new grand daughter for a nice nap.  As I gazed into her certain to be blue eyes I thought to myself, "so what's all the hype about being a grandparent?"  I knew the answer to that but I don't know if I can even begin to put it in words.  It's more than carrying on the blood line and seeing the next generation of one's family spring forth.  I remember holding each of my own children when they were born and feeling like a lioness ready to kill and devour anything that posed a threat.  I think I remained that way well into their adult years and probably am still that way.  Looking at my new granddaughter my emotions run like a river.  What am I thinking about this perfect little human cradled in the bend of my arm?  It's love for sure, it's longing to be young again and produce more of my own, it's a certain knowledge that I never will.  It's like a period on a long sentence and a whole new chapter beginning.  It's such joy and delight that I never expected and still cannot express.  It's pride in my own child for doing such a good job. When she took her first breath outside her mother's womb and gave a little gasp and cry, I felt myself gasp also.  Her parents cried from the overwhelming emotion and I was standing there with tears in my eyes also.  Where did the time go?  I want those years back.  I want to be a young mother again and do it better this time.

I was so proud of my daughter for the long, never ending troublesome pregnancy and the perfect labor and delivery.  I felt incredible gratitude toward the nurses and doctor for doing such a wonderful job.  They were like angels moving about the delivery room performing each task like a symphony playing a beautiful musical piece, each note on key.  It was delightful to watch.  I could not have purchased the most expensive private seats to any performance any where in the world that would have equaled this performance.  The players were spectacular.  And what a fulfilling job, bringing forth new life every day!  Each time must be like a confirmation that human kind will continue to move forward.

I left the new little family to learn the task ahead of them.  I know this sweet little girl child will teach them as she makes her demands known.  They will suffer from lack of sleep for the rest of their lives as they care for and worry about their offspring, just as I still do.  But the rewards and joy are enough to keep us going and let us forget how tired we are.

I'm home now, only an hour away from them ready to jump into my vehicle and be by their sides if needed.  Of course that's just me thinking they might and knowing they won't.  They are perfectly capable of doing the job.  Whatever it is in becoming a grandparent is making me yearn for that child.  I'm a sucker all over again!

Sourdough Starter

I decided I wanted to learn to make sourdough bread.  This is not the first time I have made this decision.  I've tried several times in the past without success.  After searching the web for recipes I finally decided on one in a bread cookbook lurking on a shelf in my kitchen... Fleischmann's Yeast Best-Ever Breads.  It is a simple sourdough starter recipe to follow.  I mixed up all the ingredients and did just as it said, "put it in a container with a tight lid".  The recipe did not instruct me to put it in a much larger container than the actual starter.  I mixed up the goo and put it into a plastic container with a snug lid and placeed it in a drawer with my glass bakeware.  I was really excited when my husband returned from chopping wood  a couple of hours later, to show him the starter and where I had stashed it.  He loves sourdough bread so I was doing this for him. I didn't want him to come upon it by accident, open it and have a spill.  As soon as I opened the drawer I exploded in laughter.  The sourdough starter had become very active within two hours and had grown very large causing the "snug" lid to pop off and the starter was oozing out of the container and flowing like a volcano all over the dishes contained within.  Oh my it was a mess.  My immediate reaction was to clean up this mess which is exactly what I did before thinking to take a picture.  I transferred the remaining dough to a large cooking pot and placed it in my pantry where it is now bubbling happily!

From this sourdough starter I have made so many different types of breads, below is a sourdough flat bread.

A sourdough loaf bread

A sourdough flat bread topped with sesame seeds and loaded with Italian herbs

A rustic whole wheat sourdough baked in a cast iron dutch oven

Italian wedding soup served with sourdough Italian Herb bread

And this I am most proud of - Whole wheat sourdough hamburger buns.

An awesome burger made from the buns above

The recipes for all this bread is one basic recipe taken from   http://www.breadworld.com/   I just substituted white flour for whole wheat flour and then add whatever I want to the dough!  Last night we made a flat bread and filled it with chopped up hatch peppers and Italian seasoning.  It was like eating pizza.  Below is a picture of it after cutting.  I didn't think to take a picture of it fresh from the oven.

Now that the days are getting longer our chickens are laying again.  Apparently the black chicken who lays white eggs  wanted to start the laying season off with a bang!  I'm pretty certain this one has a double yoke!

And this is a mohair merino wool scarf I crocheted.

I'm now working on a mohair merino wool shawlette to send to a friend in Arizona.

Peace, health and prosperity to all.