Hyatt Clark Spencer

FINALLY!! We have our beautiful baby boy to stare at and adore his huge hands, alert expressions and overall tenderness. Our homebirth experience is more than we could have dreamed of and the end result of this miracle still overwhelms us (even though he is currently only 17 hours old)! Garrett was the most amazing birth partner and I'm feeling absolutely wonderful...

Hyatt Clark Spencer - named after Garrett's brother Clark and Hyattville, Wyoming - where Garrett worked on a cattle ranch and a place we both love. He tipped the scales at 8 pounds 13 ounces and 23 inches long and graced the world with his presence at 3:44 a.m. on Monday, December 27, 2010.

I'm only posting one picture currently. It's our first picture together and he's minutes old. I'm still speechless staring at our little boy.

Today we were again reminded of how blessed we are to have each other and such wonderful family and friends. Thank you and we love you! - Wendy, Garrett & Hyatt

Congratulations Colonel Etue!

First Female Appointed Director - Kriste Etue!
(Read the Detroit News Article above)

I can't begin to explain how excited and happy we are for my mother to be appointed the first female director of the State Police! It's such a huge milestone in the State Police history and it means so much more to know how hard my mom has worked to achieve such a goal. I know Grandpa Kibbey (also a State Trooper) is smiling down from heaven with how proud he is of her!

Still no baby news here - but maybe this baby will call her Colonel... since she can't decide on a nickname yet!

Official Expected Due Date - Today!

The update on the pregnancy... is that there isn't much of an update! I'm still happily pregnant, but this baby wants to stay inside a bit longer... and we'll fully support that. I'm actively enjoying my hour long walks outside and spending time with our chickens, dogs, one steer, and ducks! Thanks for all of the phone calls, texts and love!


40 weeks along. Walking on the beach with Goose & Sadie - best doggies ever!



Garrett adding the bubbler so the ducks have open water all winter.



Goose and his cows.



Henna

We are so blessed to have such a wonderful support system of our family, friends, our midwife and her apprentices! Our last prenatal appointment included Stephanie (a midwife apprentice) bringing along her henna to tattoo (only temporarily) my ever-burgeoning stomach. In many cultures, henna tattoos are a way to celebrate a big event, such as a marriage or birth. Tattooing both the mother and father is a way to show unity and excitement about the upcoming birth. Plus, the henna typically stains the skin for 1-2 weeks, usually enough to stay on until the baby comes (or so we're hoping)! Our other midwife apprentice, Jen, took many beautiful photos of the appointment. I've included one below.

Midwife update: Baby is doing great and currently head down!



9 Months of pregnancy!

We've officially moved through the 36th week of pregnancy! I'm still feeling great and this lil one is be-bopping around constantly (I can't emphasize this enough). I love it though - healthy and happy. This baby definitely loves his/her daddy already. Garrett enjoys singing or talking to my belly at night and then feeling the reaction... this baby usually jumps immediately to his voice - stretching and jabbing at mommy! There have been a few minimal days of Braxton Hicks and I do think the baby has dropped lower - but we still have a month left!

Any guesses on birth day? Weight? Length?

We'll have one more official picture on 'labor day' but I thought I'd put a recap up here of the last 8 months of pictures!

1 month

2 months

3 months

4 months

5 months

6 months

7 months

8 months

9 months - Chipmunk Cheeks arrive!







Nashville here we come!

Yet again I was reminded of what a wonderful husband I have! Garrett surprised me with a trip to Nashville to visit my friends Mike and Jenifer Campbell. Jen and I have the same due date so we've enjoyed experiencing our pregnancies together, even though it's been long-distance! On our trip down we stopped at the Jim Beam distillery - that place was huge!

The Campbell's took Garrett and I out honkey-tonking Friday night (i.e. live music on the strip in downtown Nashville), and Saturday we decided to watch/listen to a Michigan win (finally) and head to "The Farm" about an hour south of Nashville. During this home-birth process we've done a lot of reading and Ina May Gaskin (Ina May's Guide to Childbirth and Spiritual Midwifery) is an author and leading midwife in the country to discuss the positive aspects of homebirth, based on her experiences as a midwife. In 1971, Ina May, her husband, and 700 other people made the long trip from San Francisco to this piece of property they bought in Tennessee (1,750 acres) - which they named "The Farm." Although Mike and Jen may not be as "crunchy" as we are, they willingly went along to see what the experience entailed!

Entrance to The Farm

Garrett and Mike in front of the Farm Store and accoustic concert space and playground

An old Farm Bus. We're not sure if it's still livable, but it was interesting!

"The Wholeo" a meditation space on the farm - Mike, Jen, Jon Michael (due Dec 14) and Pavel

Disc Golf @ the Farm

We're home now after such a wonderful weekend... I don't see us traveling much more until Baby Spencer comes! Around 30 days left!

Hadley Mae

October 14th was a great day for the Spencer family! Grant and Lindsey started off the next generation of Spencers with the birth of their little girl, Hadley Mae. Garrett and I can't stop by the house enough - she's changing so much and is ridiculously cute! On Halloween when we stopped by, her cousin (the one in my belly) wouldn't stop kicking her!

Uncle Garrett

Uncle Q

Grandpa and Hadley



Uncle Allen



Aunt Wendy & Uncle G





Our Farm Animals

Just thought I'd share a few pictures of our changing farm and happy animals! We're down to only a few cows - all of the calves and the bull will be gone this week! Garrett assures me we'll get them back in the spring once we're better set up, but they'll be missed! Breakfast and dinner (our two remaining piggies) will be leaving their home in a couple of weeks... only chickens and ducks (and dogs and cats) to worry about through the winter.


Gooseyboy and his calves



Mama cows and the calves (pre-weaning)

Breakfast and dinner (the pigs names) eating bananas

Our chickens drink from fine china

 

Egg chickens and cocky rooster up in the yard

 

Kibs & Bobby



Bully



Midwife Appointment pictures

Sara showing Garrett where baby's head currently is!

First Blog!

We've talked about getting this blog started before Spencer baby is welcomed into the world... in about 50 days!

I plan on using this space to show our pictures to our wonderful friends and family... and to update with what we're doing around the Spencer Compound! Whether it's updates with our property and animals, me attempting the sewing machine, knitting and new recipes, working out and nutrition post-baby, Attachment Parenting, babywearing, cloth-diapering, baby Spencer milestones and laughs - and anything else that comes to mind. Feedback is always welcome!

WJ @ 32 weeks pregnant.

This baby is kicking me all the time... and I love it! Sara (our midwife) visited yesterday and updated us that the baby is currently transverse (sideways) and there are a few poses to try to get to see if we can get the baby to turn. So, today - downward dog, labor lunges, pelvic tilits, squats, and even typing this blog while sitting on the exercise ball... have been done more than once! Heartbeat was around 150 - still lots of guesses to whether it's a boy or a girl! Currently feeling lots of movement up in my ribs - I think it's baby's hands!

First sewing project starts tomorrow. I'm washing the fabric right now to make my first crib sheet. This should be interesting!

Weaning calves happened on Sunday and this afternoon we'll be vaccinating before we sell them. Our cows will definitely be missed, but I'm assured that we'll have them back in the spring. Until then, I'll just need to keep busy with Gooseyboy & Sadie, chickens, pigs & ducks!