BENVENUTO!!!!!! LUCA BENZ CECCARELLO

So exactly 3 weeks later I get a chance to write again, I might have 5 takes, but heres a start...
We are ecstatic to announce the birth of our angel (seriously) of a baby boy, Luca Benz. It is most definitely a different life now, but we wouldn't change it for the world. DUH.

about 5 hours old

me looking like death, but happy as ever

 I wanted to write this post about my birth experience, because it was absolutely phenomenal (even the nurses said it was a rare labor and birth story...
So it all started on the night of May 27 at 9pm, when I took two spoonfuls of castor oil. (recommended by my doctor who had been following me on my post due dates check ups... I was going on 8 days overdue) I really had low hope for this oil, I didn't think it would work at all, I was convinced that LB was having the time of his life in my womb, and just didn't want to present himself to the world... Anyway I took it, and went along with my night routine, dishes, shower, in bed with a book or movie, this night, some documentary on polar bears was on tv, very interesting. I get into bed around 11:30 with absolutely no labor signs ( I had no idea what a contraction was, I hadn't had any all 9 months), but than around midnight I started to feel a bit crampy, so I told Marco, and he jumped out of bed almost knocking his head on the book shelf, ready to pull on jeans over his boxers. I nicely convinced him to lay his ass down and stay calm, I was NOT in labor. Man was I wrong. I got out of bed around midnight because I was just really uncomfortable in bed, and I called my mom who was hosting some memorial day pick nick at her house. She told me not to worry and go back to bed, I would know when  I needed to go to the hospital, maybe in the morning? What did that mean? I had no idea, so I just said ok, and I'd call her when I had new news...
Well I had new news after ten minutes, so much news I could't even call her, Marco had to explain to my mom that I was rolled in a ball on the floor in pain. Oh lawd the pain, it happened so fast that I was in shock. Literally in shock, I couldn't even make a sound (and that lasted all throughout my labor and birth, I am such a weirdo) Marco somehow pulled together two shoes that matched (my american flag converse lowtops), and stuffed my feet in them, oh and I didn't even worry about getting out of my jammies, this was not the time to be a fashion police... Marco grabbed my hospital bag and LB's and my breast feeding pillow (which somehow was the only thing that got brought into the hospital, Marco, a breastfeeding pillow aka a Boppy, and I, oh poor  Marco he was so confused)
Soooo Boppy, Marco and I stumble into the emergency room, where I was greeted by a wheelchair. My name was already registered in the hospitals computer, so in two seconds I was wheeled to the delivery room, the whole time, people where staring at me, probably thinking, thank god thats not me. With every contraction my whole body was a shaking mess, I would have stared too. But at that point I didn't care if I was naked in front of Berlusconi. I was in too much pain. Once in the labor ward, or whatever it was I was checked out immediately by a midwife, and was already 6cm dilated. It was around 1:30am. Basically I went from 0 to 6cm dilated in 1 hour. Oh wait it gets better. Marco comes in (after getting the rest of my crap from the car to my room) and doesnt even bother to ask how I am, but asks if I want to talk to my mom. I wanted to talk to no one. I wanted to be in a peaceful hole. Midwife comes in again after about 30 min and checks me again. Midwife says I was 10 cm dilated. Ready to push. Caty (just remembered her name, such a sweet woman) asked me if I had the urge. Oh Caty, there was no way in hell that I was pushing anything out of anywhere. I had no urge in the last bit. I think I mumbled something in some language, that was not understood by anyone, let alone by me. Marco at this point shoves a cell in my ear telling me to talk to my mother. I did, well, sort of, I managed to get the phone to my ear, and than BAM, I felt this REALLY weird sensation that something had to get out of me. Well my water broke while on the phone with my mother, I throw hand, well, throw the phone at Marco while he looks in awe (or was it disgust) at me, and runs to sweet midwife Caty. Sweet Caty tells me we have to go to the delivery chair, I was thinking homegirl, there is no way I am moving from this position (I have no idea how some woman have to urge to walk around with each contraction, that was the last thing in the world I wanted to do. Anyway I don't tell her homegirl, and I oblige. we scuffle to the chair. A red odd looking thing with huge arm rest bars. Apparently I was to give birth in it. And oddly enough it was even comfortable.
Now we are into phase 2? 3? I don't even know, but it was around 2ish am and I was ready to push with every contraction. OHHH wait I forget to mention, like you all know, along with people I don't know, I wanted to have an all natural birth, so we are talking nothing attached to me, no needles, nothing. Well even if I wanted to, it all went so fast, I couldn't have an epidural even if I wanted to, AAND it was at an hour where they didn't give them. whaaaat, right? I had my whole birth planned from my essential oils,  homeopathic remedies, to the birthing tub. Well I could forget about all of it, LB   was on his way, and fast (apparently he hates castor oil) only thing I managed to do was chug water with my rescue remedy drops in it. Poor Marco was chugging it as well. Marco, that guy needs to get the husband award of the year he was so patient, and didn't even faint (even after seeing LB come out, which I told him NOT to look)
um where were we... OH yes, so my natural bum and I get onto this red chair and I start pushing, and pushing and pushing and pushing... you get the point, but during this whole pushing time I could actually put my two cents in once in a while and have a somewhat pleasant conversation with sweet Caty (lord knows what I was saying, but anyway, the contractions where fifty billion catrillion times worse than the pushing) so times goes by and basically to fast forward Luca Benz was born at 4:27 am on May 28, 2013 (Im skipping over his head coming out, because that would involve too many bad words BUUUT I swear to you, the whole time I did not utter one yelp, scream or cry, I was so in my world, that the Pope could have came in to visit me in a thong and I would not have opened my eyes) Luca came out and I was still in shock, so was Marco, it was something that words cannot describe. as cheesy as that sounds, its so true. He came out 52cm, and 3.47 kilos, sort of average. He was pink as a piggy, and sort of looked like one too. We were in love. Marco and midwife # 2 take Luca away to bath and swaddle him. I get examined and all that jazz. I'll save you the TMI part (you know mammas what I'm talking about the after birth, which btw Caty wanted to know if I wanted to see my placenta, I kindly said no f$%#ing way... and fast forward a bit)
Luca gets placed in my arms and looks like a cross between an eskimo mummy and a monkey. We fall asleep together. I wake up with Marco staring at us but with a huge grin. He had already taken 500 pictures. Me looking like death, and LB looking mike monkey mummy. You know the pictures you frame and put in your entrance wall.
Im skipping stuff but, anyway our sweet monkey was finally born and we were so ridiculously happy. Then starts the 50 million phone calls and texts and facebook messaging, welcome to 2013 LUCA!
Luca started breastfeeding as if he had done it thousands of times before.
We get let out of the hospital 1 day early, it was lovely, but my experience at the hospital was a dream they were all so great there. I sort of missed it when I went home.
A day later, I felt like ten trucks ran over me, and than dumped asphalt all over my body. I was a complete mess, my boobs were exploding, and well, you know the rest. Lets just say giving natural birth to a big headed boy is no walk in the park.
with that I say, a presto, and really I will become better at posting regularly...

with uncle Pietro

first walk in the park

I swear he put himself in this position

just like Nonno

Are we there yet?

HELLO, long time no write, I know I'm a horrible blogger, but to tell you the truth, my life has been pretty uneventful, I mean don't get me wrong I have been enjoying life, but there hasnt been much to write, I mean bore you with… SO my pregnancy is going, and has been going fantastic, really I havn't complained yet (besides those vominous, is that a word, first three months) I have though, just entered into that stage, where I am very much ready for our little guy to make his grand appearance. We have also found a name! Drum roooooolll… no sorry not going to tell, jsut going to have to bare with us and wait:) Its a name, and we like it.  I am feeling VERY heavy no I mean VERY heavy, I feel like a mix between a very overweight duck, and an obese mouse. Hmmm. I have gained to this day 11 kilos, you do the math, and have a baby with a big head, lord knows what that means! uhg! So this morning we "opened" my cartella (which means my pregnacy chart, I guess) at the hospital where I will be gving birth, which is walking distance away, so if Marco happens to be away, ill just waddle my bum there! Ha, yea right, as if my mother in law would ever let that happen! I am all ready for when lil chubs wants to join us… I have made it VERY clear to just about the whole world, even to people that really couldnt give a sh*t, that I am going to be giving a natural birth, I swear for me there is no other way, I hope to God there will be no emergency funny business, I have already had a serious conversation (in both languages in case he didnt undertand me) with the booger, that he too does not want anything else but a natural birth, so therefore he better cooperate, we will ALL be much happier in the end. Marco totally has my back (which I am a bit surprised) and he said that he will be my epidural, whatever the hell that means, but whatever, Im just glad he'll be by my side the whole time (that I have no doubts, ya know overprotective Italian men, gotta love em:)
I have been doing all, I mean ALL that hippy natural prepartion stuff they tell you will help with the birth and milk supply. Like for example I have been taking this nasty tea, that tastes like rotten indian food (Marcos convinced that the tea is actually to abort the child, god what a terrible sence of humor) but I have quit that, because also I think baby hates it he tends to kick me very hard whenver I drink it… I have also been taking Arnica, and almond milk (no idea what thats for, but at least it tastes decent) flaxseed oil, oh and the list goes on, I'm probably doing too much but f*ck it i just want to be prepared, I NEED to be prepared… I WILL be prepared.
So anyway baby "hmmm" is constatly have a kickboxing jam inside of me which makes just about EVERYTHING very, well, diferent. Sleeping is out of the question, cause I get up about 20 times to pee, but ya know what, I need to get in that mind set of getting up all the time right? Oh now he has the hiccups, another favorite pastime of his, especially when we are doing the relaxation techniques in yoga class, which makes relaxing kind of funny when my stomach keeps popping up and down.
oh yes yoga class. SO fricken fuunnn I love being in a room full of pregnant woman, things never get boring, especially because they are Italian as well, and if you didnt know, Italy and its people are NEVER boring. There is much drama and emotions, but in a very animated funny way, like how one woman comes in ranting that her husband wont have sex with her because he is afraid of "poking" the babies head. I swear.
On that note onto the nursery, which I have before and after pics, oh yeah! And sorry in advance for the crappy quality pictures it was all taken from my macbook, I have no idea how to use Marcos Cannon… bare with me, Ill learn when booger comes. Cheers, and my next post will probably be with baby whos name is not reaveled yet!

a before shot

a during shot

an I have no idea shot

another boring before shot… you get the picture

Marcos mother spent many oh many happy hours on these curtains

the lil bed where baby will be sleeping in our room, when hes still a baby bean

Little Things

So yet another month has flown by, literally, or maybe it was just because February has so few days, anyways everything is coming along. Which means, little bean is growing away, and I think it has Marcos ADD. He seems to not like staying still, that or w ehave a dancer on our hands, which would NOT be a Ceccarello gene:)

I am also officially in my last trimester, and we are SO rediculously curious and excited to meet this little guy, we havn't even met him, yet we are already in love. Heres mama, and the Dancing Bean!

The other day in the car Marco and I were talking, and I said that baby loves to move around a lot and nudge me, but he is always so gentle, and I even used the word painsy, which of course Marco didnt know what it ment so I had to explain it, he didnt like that at all, and turns out neither is baby Bean, from that day on he has been literally punching my insides, so much for painsy, we have a little Rocky on our hands!

So far I have gained 15lbs, I am now 125! I sort of forgot the whole weighing yourself during pregnacy thing (because our scale was broken) and I was being weighed only at my doctor appts, so now I try to do it weekly, but seriously who gives a poo, I mean I feel great and apparently so does Bean, and so far he hasnt been complaining about what I eat… but so many people have been asking me 3 things… have we got a name yet (no) it changes from Bean to Cicio, to Him, to the little fart, sweet baby cakes, and so on, you get the point, Marco and I seem to forget taht we actually have to name our baby at one point in time, something that wont be mocked by society:) we got time, right? And when we do find the name it will be awesome! The next question taht people ask all the time is how much weight I have gained. Nosey Italians!

Marco and I have been taking advantage to the warm weather lately and have been outside all the time, taking walks and breathing the springish air… and city pollution. The other weekend we went up to the mountains in Cortina with friends, aw there, the air was crisp and perfect.

Here are some finished house projects that we have done, and of course my dumb tail forgot to take BEFORE shots so these pics really don't say much to you all, but anyway we are happy with the results, now we are painting the nursery and I alreday have a floor plane for the interior design, SO stoked:) this time I will take Before pics… but we are not at the point yet, Soon to come:)

living room

living room 

finished (other side) of kitchen

we had just two shelves here, that held absolutely nothing

I have been also baking and cooking oh so much, because I think about food 90% of the time, and the rest of the time I think about designing the nursery. Get a life, right:) heres what I usually eat for lunch, it varies from whats in the fridge at the time, but wraps are so easy and yummy, and I hate cooking for 1 (sorry Bean ), dinner is when I heat the stove:)

todays was carrot, cucumber, lettuce, tuna, and homemade yogurt sauce

Oh and heres to the last snow! (hopefully) Taken a couple weeks ago from our living room window Im ready for birds, flowers, and no more winter coats (which my fat belly cant fit in anymore anyway)

So Ciao for now (Bean just kicked me in the bladder) and hopefully it wont be a month till the next entry… I'm sure there will be things to write about… maybe harmfully boring, buuuuuut:)
xo

Coming Along

So much has been happening, and has happened in these last, what 2 months?! Well I am now officially 6 and a half months pregnant, it is beyond insane how time flies! I am feeling absolutely fantastic, baby boy Ceccarello is growing and is a fist pumper!
Marco and I had a perfecy holiday back in Baltimore with my family and in Florida to catch some rays, but now we are back to reality and to life at home. Its good though:) I started up part time nannying again, and I will probably work until about the beginning of May when my mom comes… I have been doing a lot pf fun projects for our baby and house things, next is defintely the nursery, which I am FULL of ideas, which I will keep posted. Our kitchen is in the process of getting new cabinets, which of course I am thrilled about, more space is always nice, living in an apartment.

I sewed 4 chair covers for the kitchen table

Here are things that I have been doing around here…

(Front) Knitted and patchwork a blanket for our baby boy, far from perfect, but I heard newborns are not perfectionist:)

(back of blanket)

I also have been washing baby cloths and putting them away in his dresser (that at the moment all the crao that was in it before is now on the couch of his to be room, we are getting a new furniture for the living room to transfer crap into:) I was and am so thankful for all the baby things that we got from the baby shower my sister and friend Meredith had for me!
Next project I have is making some diaper covers. Oh the simple things that make me happy:)
Now its time to eat, Marco just finished with the pizza!
A presto

Bits and Pieces

So here is what's going on. I am feeling SO much better (I cannot stress that enough) and my nausea is I would say 80% better. I still have those awkward moments when I make a mental note to self where the closest toilet is, if I am not at home, just in case, cause it still happens that the toilet and I are face to face. I still have an appetite of a bird, a very small bird, but I can actually eat now, so no complaining on my part.  I weigh less then when I just found out I was pregnant 4 months ago, I'm convinced the holiday foods will change everything:) I just have become VERY picky, I have never been a picky eater, actually I have always been the porky eater.  Cooking had been a HUGE challenge for me, because as soon as I was finished cooking the smell would just make me run to the bathroom, and I would watch Marco eat while I nibbled on bread, if that… Now my stomach has gotten smaller, and about half the things I normally would eat like a pig, I gag just thinking about them. Actually come to think of it, I gag a lot, I mean even the smell of toothpaste…or my shampoo, I wont even get into that… I have become so ridiculous.  I don't know how Marco puts up with me:) ANYWAY I have been cooking more now, and I am obsessed with finding new recipes and conquering them, half the time I eat them, half the time I don't but I still have to cook for the hubby right? 

 You can see the bump!! I am almost 4 months, AND we get to find out the sex in about a week!! Who knows, I just hope its a boy or a girl:)

Oh look how cute this picture is, I was walking with a friend in Venice and came across this house, I of course had to take a picture of it, because I am planning on doing the same:) I am so excited about cloth diapering (Marco much less) actually that was really the main reason why I had to take the picture, because I had to show him that there are people in Italy who actually cloth diaper. It is almost unheard of though, But I am going to change that!

 I have been feeling so awesome lately that I even had to energy to take on a project:) here is the new entranceway we put in. There used to be just a white cushion on the bench, but I of course had to sew a case that matched the curtain in the hallway, the picture is crap quality, but I was happy with the end result. Our next project is the NURSERY, oh I am behind excited about that project:)

Bumps

So the secrets out. We are expecting baby Ceccarello by mid May. I am on my 15th week!
This pregnancy has been a roller coaster. Oh I wish I could say a fun one (actually I never really liked those rides) but it has been crazy. I don't know if that is the perfect word, but sure, it will do.

On my birthday on the Garda lake. Our first outing in a long time.  For obvious reasons. My nausea attacks. At least I had a gorgeous view:)

I found out to be pregnant the beginning of September, but I knew I wanted to keep it on the down low and not go right away to the doctors, I wanted to take it slow. The reason for that is because of my last pregnancy that ended at 4 weeks. I took it well, but it seemed like I was ALWAYS at the doctors getting needles, and such pocked in me, and the continuous ultrasounds that I hated. Anyway, Marco and I decided to take things slower, and just have faith that everything would go well. We got the confirmation of a heartbeat at 8 weeks, and we were elated. I can't even explain the feeling of gratitude. Of course my doctor wanted to do exams to make sure everything was okay with me and the baby, you know the list of blood work you have to do. Everything was going smoothly. Smoothly with morning sickness. Morning sickness 24/7.  I have NO idea why they call it morning sickness. I mean I had it bad. All I could do was lie on the couch or bed. Period. Oh wait, I lied, I got really good at running to the toilet in time to throw up whatever I had in my stomach, and most of the time I had nothing. So this lasted, well is still lasting, but the bad part was all of October. I still have some pretty bad moments, but MUCH better than how I was before.
Since, I'm on the topic of changes, I might add that my boobs are sore as hell, I gag about 50 times per day, (sometimes from the smell of my shampoo, the toothpaste in my mouth, to the smell of pasta on the stove) I have become the pickiest eater alive (okay maybe I"m exaggerating) but I cant wait to be able to eat like I had before! Reading back on this blog it sounds like I am going through hell, but I reassure you, that I am happy, scratch that, we are happy. There is always the scare when the doctor might say, something like "genetic disease" or "oversized bladder". But our baby is perfect. (knock on wood, I feel terrible writing that but I am a mother to be and I just hope all goes well)We even have pictures of its face! The sex we wont be able to find out until right before we leave for the states. I am so excited!! (about the states and finding out the sex, even though we know it's a girl… watch it be a boy)
It is definitely hard being away from my family and friends while going through this roller coaster ride, but I am so fortunate to have Marco and his family and our group of friends here…
I have been struggling to find a midwife and the approach on pregnancy the medical world has me under, buuuut that will be for another post. I am off to make dinner of potato curry over basmati, hopefully I'll have at least one bite: OH and a baby bump picture is to come as well:) Buona serata or afternoon depending on where you are!