the name urban

We follow a vowel pattern when naming our kids.  Most of you know that.  It's not something we tried to do, it just turned out that way.

It all started with Emerson, of course.  Emerson is the name of my great grandpa, Emerson Algernon.  My Aunt Susan wrote us a letter after Emerson was born to tell us he couldn't have been named after a sweeter man.  We thought that was so special.  He was also the world's best gardener who grew the sweetest cantaloupes each summer.  Emerson's middle name is Alton after my grandpa, Alton Albert. 

The name Ida was first introduced to me when I was in the 6th grade.  I ordered a book from Scholastic called Ida Early Comes Over The Mountain and really loved it.  I stored that name somewhere in the files of my brain and pulled it out later before our Ida was born expressing my infatuation for the name to Josh. 

He wasn't completely on board with her name until he saw her.  Then, before I could beg for him to let me name her Ida, he announced, "She's an Ida!"  And that was that. 

I still have the said book today....I guess I should say, Ida has the book today.  I gave it to her and it sits in her dresser.  I am really excited for her to read it when she is older.

Urban.  It's not a common name these days though in the day there were many a Pope named Urban (information passed to me by my sister after hearing it from Chris' sister who is a very, very smart person, but I digress).  Though Urban now shares their name, I really hope he is spared in the looks department.  These are some scary looking Popes!



(Pope Urban I, Pope Urban II, Pope Urban III)

   

(Pope Urban IV, Pope Urban V, Pope Urban VI)

 

(Pope Urban VII, Pope Urban VIII)

Now for the Urbans that are much more pleasing and delicious to the eyes.  Who couldn't love the name Urban after seeing two handsome men like these? 

  

(Keith Urban, Urban Meyer)



But seriously, here's the Urban story.

My sister, Emily, and I are always playing the name game.  We gab on the phone about what we may or may not name our future children.  It is something sisters just do, right?  This was happening more frequently this last year seeing as all the Carty sisters gave birth to a baby boy in the year 2010.  During one of our conversations I asked Emily to think of a boy and girl name starting with the letter "U" to add to our arsenal of vowel names.  Something besides Ulysses and Ursula.  We had both genders for the letter "A", a boy letter "O" name, and no "U" names.  We needed help just in case we were blessed with another baby.  Emily accepted the challenge.

Weeks later we were talking on the phone again and she dropped the name Urban.  I liked it right away thinking was a little bit country, very solid, a touch of hippy (which I totally am), extrememly handsome and very grandpa (I love old men).  It sounded so nice with Emerson and Ida, as well.  I wanted it on my list, but we Carty girls have rules when it comes to baby names.  If you speak it, it is yours.  Another sister may NOT take your name unless it is okayed by her and/or you trade a different name on your list for it.  Because of the baby name rules I couldn't have the name unless Emily didn't want it.....and in the end, it wasn't Emily that didn't want the name, it was her husband Chris.  He wouldn't be persuaded into liking it so the name was given to us and we traded the name Eliza for it.

So where did Emily find the name?  The story goes that she was watching Lloyd Carr coach his last bowl game back in 2008.  It was Michigan against Florida in the Capital One game.  Lloyd Carr and the Michigan Wolverines ended up winning the game against Urban Meyer and the Florida Gators....and there we have the name Urban.  Hence, I guess in a way, Urban is and isn't named after Urban Meyer.

But, really, he is the cutest Urban of them all.  

Our girl name will remain in the vault until next time.  Sorry, it's just the Carty way. 

first day of break

We are enjoying our first day of Christmas break.

Thank goodness we get to have Emerson for two weeks.

We get to have daddy home for a few days here and there too.

 We did some last minute Christmas fun after coming in from playing in the snow.

HA HA HA!  Look at those!

Urban got green frosting on his shirt, so I like to think he crafted along with us.

around here 1, 2, 3

1.  The Christmas tree is up and decorated.

 2.  The Christmas cookies are made and already eaten up.  We need to make more so Santa has a few to munch on while he does his Christmas magic.

 3. The Christmas fun is live and well.  Josh took the kids to see Tangled while Urban and I cuddled at home.

According to the kids, "Daddy is totally awesome."

I totally agree.

found it

We found this vintage buggy on the side of the road.

LUCKY!

The weave reminds me of a clothes hamper we used to have as kids.

The kids love using it for baby dolls and as a shopping cart.

Merry Christmas to us.

questions and answers

While someone is sleeping, I thought I would take some time and answer a few questions that popped up after I posted my delivery story. 

SO what did you do when doc pulled him out and announced the gender?! I want to know your feelings and thoughts on that? Did you kind of feel it was a boy anyway?
I was so happy to have him out I forgot that I was supposed to even care about his gender.  Really.  It sounds funny, but we were too focused on his health, cutting the cord and rejoicing that I was done with the dreaded to think about it.  He came so fast that he was in shock.  He didn't cry for a while, was kinda purple and had a fever.  I just wanted to hear him cry.  Then when he let out his first wails our doctor asked, "Dad, did you tell her what you have?"  Josh and I both laughed and said, "Oh, we don't know do we......It's a boy!"  Then it was "oh, crap" and I didn't know what to think.  We didn't have a boy name, really.  Honestly, I had a feeling he was a boy, but I didn't think my feeling would be right.  And then it all turned out just like Ida.  Once Josh saw him he said, "He's an Urban."  And then it was like he was always part of the family and him being a boy made sense. 

So Carty, Why do you do natural when you have pitocin?  Was the lack of pain meds. voluntary or did you just not have the time?
This is a combined question from two friends.  
First, I don't think that anyone is in any way dissing natural childbirth.  There, that is out of the way.
Now, here is my weirdo answer that will put me in the zoo again, and it is three fold.  I have a huge annoyance and intolerance for being numb.  I CAN'T STAND IT!  Like, here is too much information for you.  Ready?  I had a cyst removed on my back a few years ago.  It was terrible, knowing that the doctor was preforming a minor surgery and feeling tugging but nothing else.....UGH!  Then the cyst came back and I needed to have it removed again this year.  But this time there was no vomiting.  Why?  Because I asked him to slightly numb it but not completely so that I would be able to feel it but have the edge taken off.  He thought for sure I was joking, but I wasn't.  I just can't stand numbing.  HATE IT!  

Now let's talk pain.  I really don't feel like the contractions are too painful for me.  I used to have cramps so badly I would almost pass out.  I have had practice dealing with that kind of pain.  I just don't like the 10 minutes of pushing.  So I guess I don't know how to get around the numbing problem and the pushing.  What?  Is there a way to have a baby without being numb or having to push?  Darn.

After having a baby I feel so much empowerment and gratitude that the pain becomes second to the pride I feel in myself and in Josh and I as a team.

I don't know if you feel this way...but I didn't remember very much what labor and delivery was like (after my first) but after doing it 2x its very fresh in my mind so the third is scary to me.
I was very nervous.  I knew was was going to happen and I didn't want to do it but I wanted our baby.  I focused on knowing that because we already had kids I would know about the newborn style of life and be so much more comfortable with that then I was the first and even second times, so actually laboring would be the most uncomfortable time and once that was over the joy really begins.

The story behind Mr. Handsome boy's name?
That is coming.  Patience, darn.

the day

(The first meeting.  I love this picture though it is blurry.)

I have to say I was pretty nervous driving to the hospital that morning.  Shouldn't I be?  I knew I knew what would happen to my body prier to that moment of looking down and seeing a baby lying on my belly.  I couldn't tell myself I wouldn't feel anything. That would be lying to myself and I would know I was lying because it's myself.  You get it.  So, I faced the truth.
"Josh, I'm nervous."
"So am I.  It will be okay."

Leaving the house wasn't easy either.  Our little Schmides was not happy about having mommy leave her again for the day.  Being gone all of Thanksgiving day had affected her and she clung to my leg begging me not to go.  Tears burst into trickling streams when I closed the door behind me.  I knew I would miss the kids.  I let myself cry until we were to the end of our road and then Josh and I decided to make it the day we wanted.  We had to.  I refused to go to the hospital a mess.

HUMOR.  It's kinda the attitude you need when birthing a child.  I knew I would be uncomfortable during contractions.  I knew I would HATE delivery, the pushing, the baby's shoulders always seem to be just as tricky as it's head, the stitching (sorry), and all the after birth squeezing.  I knew I would try to tell the nurse which arm works best for my IV and she would try to prove me wrong and my vein would be furious because of her hard headedness and do something gross like blow up in my arm.  And probably I would be hungry and want to walk around to forget about everything but I would probably be told I couldn't because I was attached to more wires than the hospital electrical box.  I know about that stuff because that is what my dad does.  He is a wire guy, ya know!  So I would probably get to roll and bounce around on a medicine ball covered in enough towels to match the number of mattresses in the Princess and the Pea.  But seriously, why focus on that?

I was lead to believe that Urban's birthing experience was going to be a little more humorous than the other two right from the get-go.  After meeting the nurse who was assigned to wait on me hand and foot the entire day, I, in a very subtle yet direct and task-oriented way, let her know what my plans were for having this baby and the first thing I wanted to have happen was for her to turn up my pitocin.  She left and never came back.  I scared off my second nurse too.  Connie, my third nurse, hung around.  She matched my sassiness ounce-per-ounce.  Plus, she said she wanted to see how this all played out, telling me that 5% of all the women who come in to deliver a baby choose to go drug free and only a fraction of the 5% actually do it.  In her words, "You're pretty strange.  We need to pull in the bleachers because I am sure a lot of people are going to want to see this."  To which I responded, "Put me in the zoo!"

The rest of the day can be categorized into pre-huffy-puffy-contractions (PHPC) and during-and-after-huffy-puffy-contractions (DAHPC).  I am so sorry for the lame names but it is truly how I monitor my progress in the birthing process.  As soon as I hit huffing and puffing through each contraction I know I am close to having a baby.  I got huffy puffy this time around 7 cm and quickly progressed to a 10 just a few huffs and puffs later.

PHPC is a time when Josh and I work out the nerves using our super-heightened senses, which seem to be that way because of all the anxiety, to notice every detail of our environment and either laugh our heads off for 10 minutes because of it or make fun of it and then laugh our heads off for 10 minutes.  Super-heightened senses seems to be a talent most of my siblings have, which makes for really interesting road trips.  I don't know how I was so lucky to find a man who completely understands the process and humors me by playing along.

What do we find in our PHPC inventory under Birthing Urban?

1.  Did you know that our hospital was remodeled and the whole project was finished just months ago?  Our labor and delivery/mother baby rooms are awesome!  And did you know that the emergency helicopter landing pad is right outside the window of these beautifully remodeled labor and delivery rooms?  And wouldn't it be kinda funny if I told you that the nurses leave the shades open in our rooms to let the sun in to brighten things up a bit.  Oh, and because the shades aren't doing their job, the helicopter pilot and his friendly nurse partner can walk right past and see you in your birthday suit while you change into your gown that covers you until every intern and doctor in the birthing center has seen you in your birthday suit?  Yes, it happens! 

2.  When the crochet hook made it's appearance Josh excused himself to wander the halls and grab some lunch before things got harry.  I thought it a good idea because I knew that since my pitocin was up to 24 (I only hit 14 with Ida) and they were about to break my water, things would start moving and I needed him fed, watered, pottied, and level headed to stand by me and just be there while I did my thing during contractions.  He is pretty good at his assigned job...."just be quiet and don't touch me but don't leave because I need you here to just be here so I know you are here."  After about 40 minutes of him being away and contractions starting to get squeezy I was beginning to wonder where he went.  Maybe he was helping someone a few rooms down who would actually let him do something.  Maybe I needed to give him more of a job so he could feel needed.  I guess I could have him rub my feet, but that would make it hard to roll on the ball, so maybe he could roll my IV tree into the bathroom when I have to go...I was thinking.  Then he came back announcing, "You will never believe what just happened to me."  I was ready for a good laugh so I gave the shrug and he let it roll.  

But before I get into his story let me jump back in time about 31 years to when Josh was born at the very same hospital we were in birthing our little Urban.  He was born with a narrowing esophagus which means that now in his adult life, no matter how much he wants to chow down with the best of em, he has to take his eating slow or else his food gets stuck in his throat causing it to come out the way it came.  Pretty annoying for him.  Now, let's jump back into the story where the crochet hook made it's appearance.  After Josh excused himself into the hallway, some pizza lodged in his throat leaving him in a pretty sticky situation.  He needed a bathroom asap.  Not thinking very quickly at all, Josh hopped in the elevator and headed down to the cancer unit on the first floor to find a bathroom.  (He and I don't know why.)  At this point he must have been looking like he needed help because two women, not nurses but regular people, approached him trying to figure out what might be wrong.  Unable to talk and ask where to find the bathroom Josh just mumbled something and then let everything go right on the first floor hallway.  Those women felt like he needed a pick me up so bad that they shuffled through their purses and presented him with gifts for puking all over his and their shoes. The grand prize for all the mess?  A hand sanitizer dispenser disguised as a pen and a piece of stale gum.  He smiled, walked away, found a bathroom, finished his task, and walked all the way around the hospital to make his way back up to our room as to not see anyone who had seen him during his episode.  

Looking at Josh tell the story while holding his sanitizer pen and gum made me laugh so hard I had to get off the ball and sit on the bed for fear of rolling off and doing some damage to my IV tree.

"My pizza is cold now.  Darn," said Josh.

DAHPC is when things are more focused and serious.  My jokes are always funny to me and yours may or may not be.  I figure if I am going to take the brain power and energy to make the joke I will definitely laugh at it, while your joke may be coming at a time that isn't so ideal for laughing.

What do you do during the DAHPC?

1.  Do you know that I am married to an air traffic controller?  Do you see where this is going?  Not a second after the word 10 cm was dropped, Josh straightened his neck like a proud chicken and declared, "Baby Fraker, you are clear for landing" followed by "I have been waiting to say that all day!"  I thought is was funny and giggled while the nurses giggled along too.  But the jokes kept coming from everyone, "Clear for landing, clear for landing......."  I was done with the joke and told Josh, "You can give me a runway and then you are done." He quietly said, "Center runway is wide open, now I'm done."    

2.  There is a defining moment in birthing a child when a woman knows she needs to push.  I have had this sensation with every single one of our children.  I was begging the nurses to let me push with Emerson.  I just wanted to SO bad.  Ida just came naturally and was by far my easiest labor.  It was a different story with Urban.  I knew I needed to push and I just didn't want to.  During each contraction I let it be known through clenched teeth that "I am not pushing yet.  Not just yet.  I don't want to push until I am really a 10 (though they checked and said I could push).  I want to be sure it is time to push."  I was avoiding what I knew to be the most terrible part of delivery.  When it was really time to push and the baby's head was almost out, while all the nurses were bossing "one more good push" I let it be known again, "JUST GIVE ME A MINUTE!  Next contraction and get your hand out of there!"  

I turned to Josh and gave him a look.  He knew I needed him and all that "just stand there and just be there so I know you are there" thing flew out the window.  "I don't want to do this, Josh," I said.  Catching me square in the eyes, "You can do this, Mellissa," he reassured me.  That single statement coming from Josh gave me so much strength.  I will never forget how calm and confident he made me feel at that very moment when I could have lost it. 

Connie shook her head, "Never has anyone just needed a minute when the baby's head was crowning."  With the next contraction he was out.  I pushed for 1 1/2 hours with Emerson, 5 pushes with Ida, and 3 pushes with Urban.  I didn't want to be bossed.  I knew what my body needed even if I was a weirdo and I needed to feel the pain of the contraction to use it to my advantage and be done with that nastiness.  HA!

3.  I made a new friend.  He looked to be about 14 though I believe he was in college.  He followed Connie around learning the ins and outs of being a nurse.  He kinda got a little too familiar with my ins and outs too, standing back just enough during delivery that I couldn't see him but I knew we could see me.  After the baby came and I was all put back together he approached me looking like a young boy who had just seen a baby being born, "Thank you for letting me be in here.  I have only seen a c-section.  I have never seen....that."  I was a little out of it, begging for cheeseburgers and warm blankets while declaring to the world over and over again, "I am SO happy that is over" and reveling in my accomplishment, "Go me!" that I shot him a, "Just do me a favor.  If you see me on the street, just pretend you don't know me, okay?"  He looked so relieved, "I was planning on it."

Most people I talked to warned about the third baby...the labor, the child, "oh the third."  Our third is just as cute as the first and second.  We love him and I would labor 20 times over to bring him into our family.  He is such a joy and has brought out the best in us and the kids.  Ida couldn't be a better little mom, knowing exactly what he needs by each of his coos and grunts.  Emerson sings and dances putting on shows for his little brother.  Our family is much better with him.    

this is what I always wanted Christmas to be

One of the top priorities on my "must haves" list for buying a house was a wood burning fireplace.

I knew right when we walked into this house I wanted it to be ours.

We have two fireplaces. One in the living room and one in the basement.  And we have brick walls in the dining room and kitchen.  It really is heaven over here!

But, just because I got what I wanted doesn't be I got exactly what I wanted.  We have A LOT of remodeling to do, like the whole house, so we had to make the fireplace what we wanted.

This is what it looked like when we moved in.

And this is our Christmas mantel.

I really can't tell you how much I have always wanted to hang our stocking over the fireplace.  I am completely giddy this year.

I bought the reindeer from the dollar store and spray painted them green.  The brush trees are from Hobby Lobby.  All of it together was $8.

Rachel from Smile and wave bought these stocking from Gingiber.  I liked them from the moment I saw them, and they seemed oddly familiar.  Then I recognized that I used that green fabric for Ida's Strawberry Shortcake costume.  This meant I knew exactly where to buy the fabric, which meant I could make my own!

I used scraps of fabric from my tubs for the insides and I freezer papered the deer.

Each of us has our own unique deer representing our personalities.  The kids helped pick them out and were pretty spot-on with their insights to who we are.

             

(Dad, Mom, Emerson, Ida)

(Urban)

I found two straw wreaths at Good Will for $.29 each, covered them with yarn and hung them up.

 

Then I got some doilies at JoAnn for $.99 and spray painted them different colors.  It was such a fast project.

I guess Candace from Sparkle Power had the same idea.  Check out what she posted just a few days ago.

Dying them is a great idea.

I love the house like this.

nursery

Welcome to Urban's Room.

I wanted something modern, vintage, and easily converted into a kid room without having to redo everything.  I think it has a little Urban Outfitters feel.  How ironic!

Inspiration for this room was taken from here, here, here, here and here.

Everything in the room is handmade or thrifted.

Still deciding on curtains.  Our windows are so large that this darkening shade is the largest they sell and it still doesn't cover all the window.  That is why I am thinking of adding some gray striped curtains to fill in the gaps.

We shall see.

   

  

This bunny guards the door.

 

It's all for this "homemade" little bug.