I Marched in Seattle: What's Next?

Jenny took this photo of me nursing Fiona at the Womxn's March on Seattle last Saturday. If you haven't already, check out her thoughtful reflections on the march.

Last Saturday was an inspiring day for me. I marched with two of my best friends, my mom, my aunt, and my baby daughter. We wore our 30/30 Project "Healthcare is Human Right" t-shirts and gave away a bag full of them to fellow marchers with healthcare signs along the route. We arrived at Judkins Park in south Seattle at 9:30am and didn't start marching until nearly 1:00. By the time we reached the end of the route at the Seattle Center we were literally in the last 50 people (out of 130,000) to finish the march. It was a long day, Fiona was in her stroller for nearly 8 hours outside. I nursed her sitting cross legged on the lawn at Judkins Park on top of the stroller rain cover and then sitting on 4th Avenue with my back against the wall at Starbucks. And yet being a part of the march was energizing. Talking with fellow marchers, hearing the reasons people were out there, reading the empowering and clever signs that people had put together, joining with other Seattleites in song and cheers. It left me full of hope and enthusiasm.

But as I reflect back this week, and read several articles that gave me a lot of food for thought (here, here and here) I think the most important thing that I will take away from the experience is a drive to take that energy and continue to be engaged, using my voice, money and privilege to make a difference.

I want to be able to tell that little girl that I nursed on the side of the road that her mom stood up for what was right. That in the one of the darkest hours of our country's history, my children were there with me making a difference in our community, in our country, and in this world. I have been too much of a bystander already in the struggle for equality in this country.

Tonight I'm headed to my friend Brittany's house to sign postcards with friends to mail off to our representatives. Patrick and I are in the midst of deciding what additional organizations we want send monthly donations to that will be able to hold our government accountable or step in where services are no longer being offered. Our family will be marching again this year for causes we believe in. I am joining Jenny and others in educating ourselves about the intersection of race and feminism, and about practical steps we can take to recognize our privilege and stand with people of color in our community.

Now is the time to take action.

Marching in Seattle

I was blown away to know that MILLIONS of people around the world were marching on Saturday- as far away as Africa and Antartica! Teresa and I joined the march in Seattle, along with Teresa's mom, aunt, a couple of dear friends and FIONA!

After I got home from the march, I spent a couple of hours scrolling through social media, and was amazed to see the range of people from all different parts of my life who had been marching with me. One of my first babysitters was there, so was a young woman I babysat when I was in college! There were people I'd grown up with, women who have mentored me, friends who brought their mothers and grandmothers, pastors, church groups, doctors and nurses, stay at home moms, cancer survivors, sexual assault survivors, and so many kids! Just within the sampling of people I personally know who marched, I can tell you they represent a variety of voices and opinions, politics and religious views but regardless, they were all there together.

I marched as a way to recognize my privilege, and to stand strong with people who don't have the same privileges that I do. I marched to point out these inequalities. I marched because I can, because I'm thankful to live in a country where peaceful protesting is a protected right. And I marched wearing my "Healthcare is a human right" shirt, because that is something I wholeheartedly believe.

To the people who are reading this with curiosity or opposition, who voted for Trump, or just don't think American women have anything to complain about, I encourage you to read this. I also encourage you to reach out to me, or someone you know who participated and have a conversation. Really, you are part of the reason I marched, so people would see me and ask why I was there. To be completely honest, not too long ago, I would have been right there with you, wondering what people were complaining about and maybe even a little fearful of this thing that I didn't understand. As I've traveled across the country, and even to other parts of the city I live in, my understanding continues to change and my compassion continues to grow as I hear and see how America is a very different place for people who weren't born with the same privileges as me.

Like I said above, so many different views were represented in the massive sea of people marching. One of my friends who marched shared this on her social media today and many people I know who were at the march in D.C. have voiced that they didn't agree with everything that was being said by speakers there.

Here's a smattering of some of my favorite signs I saw along the way.

Of all the signs, this was my favorite and the most important. We can't just march and say we made a difference. We have to keep going.

"Many White Women Marched. Now What?" This is exactly what we should be asking ourselves, and answering.

Here's what march organizers suggest.


PS.  Shoutout to our amazing friend Brittany who knitted hats for us!

Welcome Baby Luna!

Hello!

We have some exciting news in my family -- my sister and her husband welcomed a baby girl this December! We are over the moon to welcome baby Luna Mae Alexandra!

She was about a month early and spent a few weeks in the NICU but is now home and growing like crazy. Isn't she gorgeous!? That hair!

Something Exciting....#ImWithHer

Last week I had the opportunity to attend an event in Seattle in support of Hillary Clinton for President. My brother, Ryan, spoke eloquently about the 30/30 Project and what healthcare means to our family and then helped to introduce HRC to a VERY enthusiastic crowd! It was one of those days where you pinch yourself and say IS THIS REAL LIFE?

We don't talk much about politics on this blog (and we will keep it that way for the most part), but I've been a huge fan of Hillary for a very long time and was even more impressed with her in person. I couldn't be more excited to have my kids growing up in the era in which we have our first female president of the United States.

One of the things I was struck by at the event was how much it seemed like she was truly enjoying herself. The crowd loved her and she seemed very at ease and positive up front addressing the crowd. She is under a tremendous amount of stress but she sure does have stamina and seems genuinely excited about the prospect of the huge responsibility that may be ahead of her. I was impressed.

What I've Been Up To....

Fall is officially upon us! I went back to work September 1st and it's been a lot of transition for all of us but it's going great overall. I've been getting back into a routine and enjoying these little treats if you need a recommendation:

Reading... Liane Moriarty. How did it take me this long to catch on?? This is exactly what a sleep deprived mother needs. Also, they are making Big Little Lies into an HBO series with Nicole Kidman and Reese Witherspoon!

Watching... Easy on Netflix, check it out, lots of star power and good conversation starter.

Listening... The new Solange album (so good) and the new Bon Iver.

Burritos

A few weeks back, Teresa had me take some photos of Fiona. This is what we were going for...

But then there was Mylo. The energetic older brother.

Really, he just wanted to be involved. And he is so sweet with his little sister! 

So somehow, this is what we ended up with. I like to call it the burrito photo shoot. Some of my best work I'm pretty sure. 

Fiona's Birth Story

Better late than never!

Fiona Maeve was born on May 27th via a planned c-section -- pretty much the exact opposite of her brother's birth. After my first traumatic labor and emergency c-section I considered a VBAC but in the end decided that since I'm really not a good candidate (small pelvis) and I didn't want to end up with another emergency situation I would go for the planned c-section. It was a hard decision for me but one that made the most sense for all of us.

Ready to go for surgery and meet our little girl!

On the morning of her birth we arrived at the hospital with all of our stuff after a good night's sleep (so different). The nurses took great care of us and my anesthesiologist was absolutely amazing. After about 90 minutes of taking vitals and getting prepped we were wheeled down to the operating room. I was feeling very nervous and excited at this point, everything seemed like it was going SO quickly. I was administered the spinal which would numb me from the waist down, which stung but not as bad as I was anticipating. The worst part of the day was right after I got the spinal, I started to feel very nauseous and tingly throughout my whole body. I thought maybe I was going to feel like this for the whole surgery but within 5-10 minutes my body felt numb and a complete calm washed over me.

I had a moment to look around and made a comment about how exciting it was that there were about 10 people in the room and only one (besides Patrick) was a man (a scrub tech in the corner). I had two female OB's performing the surgery, a female anesthesiologist, and a whole bunch of amazing female nurses. It will be so fun to tell my daughter that she came into the world surrounded by a group of talented female clinicians!

After about 20 minutes we heard that she was about to come into the world! There was a little clear section of plastic in the drape that was shielding the surgery which was opened and after a little pressure on my abdomen she was right there in front of us! The first thing I said was "she looks exactly like her brother!!" Then I asked if she was really small because she seemed so tiny to me. I think it was just in comparison to her huge older brother. They told me she was normal size. :)

After a couple of minutes clearing her lungs they set her on my chest and she immediately relaxed, was quiet and snuggled in to me -- which is soooo her personality still. The doctors and nurses remarked that she was a very relaxed baby and it was unusual that she was so calm. She laid on my chest for another 40 minutes while they stitched me up and I think Patrick and I were on cloud nine just smiling and taking photos. After that we got wheeled upstairs to our room and spent the rest of the day feeding her and meeting family.

Fiona's birth-day was really sweet and heavenly, I couldn't have hoped for more from my planned c-section. I will say that the next day reality began to settle in that I was going to have a long recovery from major surgery. I unfortunately had a tear in my bladder during the procedure (caused by previous scar tissue) that caused me to have to wear a catheter home for a week. I would never recommend a c-section to someone who can give birth vaginally but it was definitely the right choice for us. And two months later I am feeling great!

Fiona: One Week Old

Fiona is a week old as of Friday! It was a special and also intense week recovering from surgery. So happy to be home and feeling like I'm on the mend. Fiona is a very relaxed baby, she sleeps a ton and is fairly easy to calm and comfort at this point. She is very snuggly which I'm loving!

She is tiny but very strong. I love watching her study the world around her and get the little scowl on her face that her big brother used to have. She's eating a lot and being passed around from friend to family so everyone can hold her and love on her.

Welcome baby girl!

Introducing...Fiona Maeve!

She's here! Fiona Maeve arrived right on time at 10:04 on May 27th weighing 7lbs 3oz. The first thing I said when I saw her was "She looks just like Mylo!" We are at home now enjoying our precious girl and getting acclimated to being a family of four. I'll share more later about her birth story and pictures with her an her big brother but for now some incredible photos courtesy of JKOE Photography. Thank you Jason and Jenny for these gorgeous pictures of Fiona's birthday!

Did you have a birth plan?

With one week to go until baby girl arrives I've been reflecting on labor and delivery quite a lot.

Going into the Mylo's birth, I had a clear plan of action. I wanted to have a natural, drug-free labor and deliver my baby vaginally. That did not happen! I ended up with a long list of interventions and an emergency c-section under general anesthesia. I was thrilled to have a healthy baby but also deeply disappointed and a little traumatized by my labor experience after he was born.

One very unhelpful thing that people still say to me is that "people shouldn't plan out their births at all, it's the one's with long and specific birth plans who end up with disappointing experiences." Sorry, but that's just BS. I am a planner and researcher by nature. I hired a doula for my labor (HIGHLY recommend!) and read several books about labor and delivery. Although things didn't turn out as I'd hoped, I had a lot of knowledge in my head that helped inform the long labor process as I was going through it. I never felt like the situation was out of my control or I didn't have enough information to make the next decision that was presented to me.

Each person has a different mentality going into birth. For me, planning and researching is calming and makes me feel more confident. For others it makes them anxious to know about all of the options and they would rather just trust the professionals.

This time, under the advisement of my OBGYN, we are doing a planned C-section. Although I would have liked to avoid major surgery, I feel confident this is the right choice for my body, our family, and my baby. It should be a totally different experience than the first time. I'll let you know how it goes!

Did you have a birth plan? Do you prefer to plan and prepare or let things just take their course? Would love to hear your thoughts in the comments.

Tea Party Baby Shower

Yesterday we celebrated baby girl with a tea party themed shower that my sister threw me here in Seattle! It was the perfect weather and the perfect group of women to celebrate with. I left the shower feeling so filled up with love and excited to introduce my girl to this incredible group of ladies that will help raise her. Here are some pictures!

#NoMomLeftBehind This Mother's Day

I am SOOO excited, both personally and professionally, to share with you all first about our new Mother's Day campaign with the 30/30 Project, #NoMomLeftBehind. We are partnering with an incredible organization called Hope Through Health to build a new maternity ward in Togo, West Africa!

I'm particularly passionate about this campaign because I have so much to celebrate in my life this Mother's Day, as both a daughter and a mother, and am committed to giving back. 

As many of you know, my mom was given five years to live when she was diagnosed as HIV positive in 1990. In large part due to the incredible healthcare that she has received here in Washington State, she is still with us today. Not only do I get to celebrate still having my mom here, I am expecting our second little baby this May. My first labor and delivery was complicated, scary and unpredictable and I'm grateful that I had the incredible care at Swedish Hospital that kept Myles and I healthy. I look forward to an even better experience in just five short weeks (eek!).

Community Health Workers with Hope Through Health in Togo, West Africa 

Sadly, 1 in 46 women die in childbirth in Togo (compared to 1 in 1800 here in the US). I so strongly believe that these women deserve the same type of access that my mom and I have had. Will you join me in building this maternity ward? We are trying to raise $30,000 through this campaign and every dollar counts. Please check out our #NoMomLeftBehind website and share this campaign with your friends. Thank you so much for supporting the 30/30 Project! 

New House, Fresh Start

We are officially, 100% moved! Moving is so much work but we are thrilled to be in a bigger house and paying a mortgage instead of rent. We are adults now, it's real.

Renovating our new house and transitioning all of our stuff, our child and our cat is no small feat so I'm patting myself on the back this week for surviving it all. Rafa is now venturing outdoors for a few hours a day and Mylo loves giving people a tour of the house, including, adorably, "baby sister's room." Most of the house is still chaotic and we don't have nearly enough furniture but I'm excited to slowly share some picture of our new space. The one above is of Rafa surveying the new neighborhood next to my beloved ficus.

We are officially on baby-watch-- five weeks from tomorrow is the big day!

Family Trip to Southern Cali

Last week we took a family trip to Southern California to visit Patrick's aunt and uncle, Kathy and Mike. They live north of LA in Ventura County and were SO generous to welcome us and our extremely energetic toddler into their home for a week. After all the sickness and busyness of this winter it was absolutely wonderful to relax and soak up some Californian sun. Mylo had a blast playing at the beach as you can see above. He wanted to run back and forth "like a jet."

Speaking of jet's, he was SOO excited to be going on a plane. For the most part he was a good little traveler (a few meltdowns along the way, after all, he is two) and we made it there and back in tact. 

We explored a lot of Ventura County with visits to Ojai, Carpenteria, Santa Barbara and Oxnard Beach. My favorite was probably Ojai, we had a wonderful time exploring Bart's Books (an outdoor bookstore!), the Sunday farmer's market, and may cute shops (FIG was my favorite!). We also had a wonderful breakfast at the Ojai Cafe Emporium that included an amazing croissant cinnamon roll!

Kathy and Mike babysat for us one afternoon/evening so we could meet up with my friend Jenn and explore the new Broad Museum in downtown LA. We had a great time learning about modern art and drinking margaritas without the toddler!

We celebrated my birthday with lots of dessert, pasta and a fun hat that Mylo couldn't get enough of. Thanks Mike and Kath for a wonderful week! 

NOW, REMIND ME WHY WE DON'T ALL LIVE IN CALIFORNIA??