Lydia Turns 2! Let the Real Labor Begin...

I remember it so clearly...
July 29th, 2007 at 5am on the dot, I woke up with excruciating pains in my back and abdomen. I knew this was it. I was 2 weeks over due with my daughter, Lydia, and I knew today had to be the day. Finally, a beautiful baby girl to hold in my arms!

I woke up her father and said, we need to go to the hospital NOW. Best believe, if I had eaten anything that morning it would of been the clear sight of Linda Blair and pea soup. You know this. And her father wanted to time them and wait until they were 5 minutes apart... F*** that. I was already strangling him as we were walking out the door. They told me it was going to be the type of pain that you cannot even see straight. They were right.

We arrived at the Hospital at 5:45am, and I was admitted. I was hooked up to all types of monitors to listen to the babies heart rate. I was checked by the doctor who determined I was only 2 centimeters dilated. Are you kidding me?
As the monitoring continued, I was trying to get through the next contraction. I had about 10-15 minutes between each one, which does not provide for much relief.

I tried everything! I tried the tub, the shower, every freaking position my Mid Wife came up with. Nothing, Nothing would work, or speed up the process. I knew I was doomed to go to hell, because I was ready to give myself a c-section right there. I kept pleading with the nurses to just shoot me in the head. They thought I was funny, for a split second, then they saw my expression.

Dear Nurses out there, don't try to reason with a woman in labor. xoxo, Me

After almost 12 hours of bullsh*t... I was dilated enough to be able to get the epidural. PRAISE THE LORD. I was 4cm dilated and my contractions were coming pretty quickly. I received the epidural, and I was instantly a new person. Literally. I was laughing and joking around and was actually able to sleep for about 3 hours. Lydia's father and my best friend Heidi were in the birthing room with me. Some say this is a private event, OK, I get how it would be. But with a friend there to help your significant other cope with what's going on is a huge help. Besides, when you are getting ready to push a baby out of your....Hmmm, the last thing on your mind is whether or not someone is looking at your Vag.
At around 11:30pm, another almost 7 hours later... I was able to push. I was at the abundant 10cm dilated and YES.. it was time!! Yeah, Not so much.
I pushed for about 2 hours. Usually people push for like 30 minutes... Me, no. I guess my child was already making things difficult.. or I was the one who was being stubborn. She was already 2 weeks late... Come on, Kid! Let's see you!
The Mid Wife told me briefly that my daughters head was stuck in the birth canal. Awesome. Give me a c-section.. If it means more drugs and no pain, I'm all for it! This wasn't the case. The brought in the Doctor on duty and she gave me the option of doing a vacuum. (Google it, there's no better way to explain it, as they just put this tube thing on the babies head, and it's supposed to suck them out of the birth canal) loving the graphic nature, hating the memories! <3
It actually worked. Amazing, and weird, but it worked. Mean while as I pushed for the last 2 hours to get this baby out... she had no stress on her heart. None. She was perfectly fine, sitting pretty, stress free. This was the most important thing.
Finally at 3:32am on 07/30/07 Lydia Grace was born.

I cried and cried and then hugged everyone around me and then yelled, "Give me my baby!" I just could not wait to snuggle this beautiful little thing, and the emotion was so overwhelming!

Suddenly, looking into her beautiful blue eyes and touching her little peach fuzz BLOND hair, I forgot about all the pain, all the pushing, all the stretchmarks, and all the sleepless nights of her kicking me in my ribs... it was all worth it!!

Happy Birthday my beautiful Lydia, and nothing else can compare to how happy you make me and how wonderful my life is now that you are in it. You are my everything and everyday I live for you! Mommy loves you so much!

Save The Ta-Ta's!

This year Lydia & I have signed up to walk in the Oct. 18 Making Strides Against Breast Cancer event in North Conway, and we're hoping you’ll support us. We know there are a lot of breast cancer events out there, but Making Strides is our choice because funds raised enable the American Cancer Society to help people stay well, get well, find cures, and fight back on the local, state, and federal level. With your help, we can save lives.

They say that every donation makes a difference, and it really is true. We know that times are tighter than normal for many of us, but if you can spare even $5, it truly will make a difference. If everyone walking in Making Strides this year were able to raise just $5 more, we would raise an additional $3 million to fight breast cancer. Imagine what an incredible difference we could make together!

To support us in our efforts, please visit our personal page. If possible, we'd love for you to join our team and walk with us. If not, please support our efforts with a donation of whatever amount you can spare.

As a little extra inspiration, we thought you might like to know a few of the ways your donation will help the American Cancer Society save lives every day:

• More people in our community will have the information and tools they need to help prevent breast cancer or find it early.
• More people with breast cancer will have a place to turn - day or night - to help them through every step of their cancer journey, whether it’s a free ride to treatment, a temporary place to stay near their treatment center, or just talking to someone who has "been there." Cancer information specialists are available 24/7, 365 days a year at: 1.800.227.2345.
• More progress will be made toward finding breast cancer’s causes and cures. The American Cancer Society has played a role in nearly every major breast cancer breakthrough of the last century, which have led to the discovery of lifesaving breast cancer treatments like Tamoxifen and Herceptin. You will help us find more.
• More women like our own mothers, aunts, daughters, sisters, and grandmothers will have access to lifesaving mammograms and treatment they need.

Each of us has our own reasons for caring about the fight against breast cancer. Whatever your reasons, we hope you’ll choose to make a difference by signing up to walk with us or by making a donation online to support our effort. Together we will make a difference, make history, and make strides.

Sincerely,

Liz & Lydia

I am a human.

Are you wondering if you are living up to your full potential? One moment you were so high and on track with your life, and the next moment you become perplexed by the way you acted in one situation or another.
You became HUMAN. and in this "humanness" you felt sorrow in the distance you have to travel to be the vision of your dreams.
By accepting who we are as imperfect as we can be & allowing our lives to radiate that essence to others, we can then move FORWARD along our path and climb HIGHER. We can look toward the future with peace and create the vision of our dreams.

"The first hope of a painter who feels hopeful about painting is the hope that the painting will move, that it will live outside the frame." -Gertrude Stein

Tito, get me a tissue!

When Michael Jackson died on June 25, 2009 it was such a heart wrenching time for America. The King of Pop was now dead and his music was left to live on in all of our hearts.

July 7th, 2009 was his memorial at the Staples Center in LA.

As all lives paused to honor his legacy, I felt irritated. I know this was a celebration of life and love but I found myself at work getting bombarded by tweets reiterating events of the service, and then E! was playing the memorial over and over (repeat 500x). Then VH1, then MTV, even the TV Guide channel.

The last time something got so much coverage was the September 11th attack in New York. Are you kidding me? I could hear myself saying in my head, "Jermaine, stop.. stop laughing!" I needed a break from the madness. OK, we get it. We get it again. We got it on June 25th.

I am not saying that this ceremony was not beautiful, and that it was not appropriate. But the coverage is saddening to me. Michael Jackson touched everyone's lives somehow, at some point. But move on. It's over with and done. Maybe this is what it took to help people move past it. I was over MJ when he wanted to become white and then wrote a song about how it doesn't matter if you're black or white. I was over MJ when he became a pedophile. (Thank God he didn't write a song about that!)

I think the most heartfelt moment of the whole event is when his daughter Mary Katherine Gallagher, I mean Paris Michael Katherine Jackson, spoke at the end of the service. Young words and honesty is what was needed during the ceremony. Not Brooke Shields attempt at comedy by talking about "What's up with the one glove?" Good one, Eyebrows.

I understand the sincerity of the moment, and the attachment that everyone had with this man. I understand that he wanted to be Peter Pan and lived in a fantasy world called Neverland. I understand that he had 3 kids to make him feel complete, and that he underwent plenty of plastic surgeries to become something of a skeleton....Awesome.

There is a lot more going on in the world than the death of Michael Jackson. How come Ed McMahon didn't get as much coverage, or Farrah Fawcett. Farrah Fawcett was subjected to American abuse by medical professionals publicly releasing her medical records stating she was diagnosed with Colon Cancer. Are you kidding me? Lets get some live coverage on the inconsiderate A-Hole of a doctor who let that one loose.

Gather at the Staples Center if you will, to help you cope with the fact that your dancing hero is now gone. But let us all remember the GOOD things that are happening in America, and the issues that we are SOLVING and OVERCOMING through these hard times.
Let a celebration of soldiers coming home be our forefront.

Tito, get me a pedestal!

Daily Dose of the Stars

ARIES:
Above you is an angel wanting a name. Call on it to help you. You don't have to face your fears alone.

TAURUS:
There is someone who is desperately seeking your attention and respect. Working like a duck in the water, you may not see it right away. Prove your admiration often.

GEMINI:
Social boldness will pay off, as you build a relationship today!

CANCER:
Watch your tongue. Someone will press those buttons today. Be careful to show the utmost respect as you will expect that back.

LEO:
You mood will reflect who you attract. Be sunny today and find happy people.

VIRGO:
Do what's required to join the group you want to belong to. Don't feel silly about it. Struggle to get back!

LIBRA:
Appreciate the life you've built for yourself from the outside looking in. Your personal development is all about perspective.

SCORPIO:
You have an awareness that will be keen to any element that seems out of place in your environment.

SAGITTARIUS:
You know you don't like extra attention. But handle the love you get this afternoon!

CAPRICORN:
Help someone express themselves today.

AQUARIUS:
Hang out with a TAURUS. They will help you feel grounded.

PISCES:
You have a clash of personalities with someone close to you. But, hang on. This relationship is reaching a new level. You will feel incredibly fulfilled by this new connection.

It's not you, I just need MySpace

I've succumb to the horrible reality that MySpace can make you or break you.

I have hopped on the peer pressure band wagon and created a MySpace page.

If you have never used MySpace before, here's how it works:
1. You fill out a bunch of information about yourself in your 'profile'
2. You post pictures of yourself in front of a mirror using your 'blackberry' or wearing tired, tinted shades to make you look more like Bono (Dear Bono, still lovin' the music... still hatin' the shades)
3. You can create blogs for yourself to make you look more 'emo'
4. And lastly, you acquire as many friends as possible in your 'network.'

If you are going to make it in the MySpace networking world you have to take extreme measures... so you lie.

MySpace has made me a "celebrity" in the sense that friends have enjoyed reading my blog and sending me comments. With being a celebrity comes the harsh reality of your actions as well. Lindsey Lohan has showed us the way, with the posting of her va-jay-jay all over the Internet. I have been 'tagged' in several photos by friends in unlikely situations that I would not normally post on my page. (I thank you to those who have contributed to this.)
Granted, I have had this page for almost 4 years now, and in this 4 years I have acquired 20 friends. The goal of MySpace is to reconnect with old friends and make new ones. Apparently, I haven't grasped this concept. I must admit, I have gone through my share of 20 friends. I have deleted some, added some, and likely blocked some. I receive friend requests and of course, what I say first is, "OMG IDK it's my new BFF." No, seriously. That's really what I say.

I did however enjoy the welcome message that came with me creating a personal profile on MySpace. The welcome message from the MySpace team came along with a friend request from Tom. Who was this guy, and how did he find me so fast? A dream actually, because he wanted to be my first friend, in my Top 8. Good for you, Tom. But than adding him as a friend, quickly found me in doubts as Tom had 6,852,749 other friends! How dare he? It's over, Tom. Delete.

I've quickly found out that the people who fill the MySpace population are teenagers and those wanting to sleep with teenagers. I was neither; I was just a MySpace wannabe. Not looking for love, not looking for sex, not even looking to reconnect with old friends either... It came apparent to me while 'reconnecting' that there was a reason why I hadn't 'reconnected' with these people in so long.

MySpace has ultimately showed me why I would rather be on FaceBook.

Much like MySpace, FaceBook was created by a Harvard student, doing a school project. Mainly a networking location for college students, it is a little more reserved. Yes, I was a college student at one point in time (far from being reserved), but did not join FaceBook until 3 years after college.
Again, I show myself as lame.

I guess MySpace has made me into the person I'd rather not be, and broken me into the person I can see myself being. It has shown me to not lie to be cool, to be aware who has the camera at the party, and contemplate why I ever went out with that guy in high school.

Kudos!

Chap Stick Junkie

If you are like any other human being who subjects themselves to the marketing geniuses of those who choose the products that line the cash registers in all major stores, than you will appreciate the relevancy of this blog.

I, Liz Allen, am a chap stick junkie.

"As if I need another one," I tell myself. But if I would only hear myself talk. Maybe it is the slight head cold that I acquired over the weekend, that has caused my own reasoning to be altered. But, I reach for a stick and put it back. "There are so many kinds," I say again. Justifying the fact that I should purchase one even though they all serve the same purpose. I reach for the newest, best, most expensive. I say outloud, "Am I crazy?" and a witty Walgreens sales clerk walks past saying, "Possibly." I laugh because I'm just trying to be polite. But actually if she could read my thoughts she would walk a little faster.

My addiction is so bad, that I carry with me 5 sticks of chap stick. I'd like to think that I have been part of the rising sales goals at any particular Walgreens due to my increased buying habit. Right now, I can tell you exactly where all my chap sticks are located. I have a fantastic 1 in my pocket that I received in my stocking for Christmas. I also carry a few sticks in my purse that consist of Burt's Bees, Mary Kay Satin Lips, and Carmex. I tend to buy the cherry flavor. Sometimes I will switch it up and buy strawberry. There's really no need to try to convince me to buy chap stick. I am already reaching for the tube before you notice it's there. I can enter a store and spot all the places the chap stick is located, within the first 30 seconds of walking through the automatic door. With this in mind, I usually don't go to a store without buying a tube.

Curse or Cure? I have been told that the more you put on, the more you will need it.

As previously stated, I acquired an illness over the weekend. Being a newbie to the Walgreen's Pharmacy, along with my prescription, I received a 'Welcome' gift from the pharmacist. Inside was an eclectic array of Walgreen's samples. Lotion, hand sanitizer, crayons, a pill box, and as amazing tube of Chap Stick.

Bottoms up to you, Walgreens. My lip therapy has just begun.