Tuesday’s Daily Action plan is to “Share your moment of truth.” Here’s mine:

Since I was a child I knew that I would have a midwife at the birth of my child, and so it was. I loved every moment of my prenatal care, birth, and post natal experience. When a year passed and I needed an annual well woman exam I couldn’t bring myself to go to a doctor, even though it’s what I’d done my whole life. I had come to expect the kind and gentle appointments with my midwives, who really took the time to care for my health. Thankfully, I had learned that Nurse Midwives can do all the tests, exams and prescriptions that a doctor can do when I comes to women care. Hurray! It was at that first (non pregnant) meeting with my CNM that I knew I would forever choose this route for my future health care.

Now, go and share your moment of truth and check out what other peoples moments were all about.

I realize that I am at least 8 days overdue for my October Challenge post, and I have a very good reason. You see, my child is advanced! I’m not just a proud bragging parent, it’s true. He’s 21 months, and 3 months ahead of schedule he’s hit the Terrible Two’s. Oh what fun and joy has been flowing from our home for the last few weeks. Yes folks, that’s sarcasm. It’s clear that our little family is being emotionally tested and the first thing to go was the blog. Le sigh. Today, however, I think we woke up on the right side of the bed for the first time in weeks as tantrums were at a minimum. I actually smiled and laughed and I didn’t want to spend my day wallowing in bed staring at my orange walls. This is progress!

I also made a decision about the October Challenge, and that is…I’m not doing one. The rest of this month, starting next week, is going to make for some REALLY AWESOME posts. So stay tuned. November, I’ll be back on track with a new challenge. I promise.

Onto some midwifery news. Did you know that this week is National Midwifery Week?! How cool is that? I, as you can imagine, am super stoked. The American College of Nurse Midwives (ACNM) has set up a “Daily Action Plan” for everyday this week to help spread the word about how awesome midwives are, what they really do, and to help empower women to take back their health care. Can I get an AMEN!

Everyday this week I will post my responses to their Daily Action Plan and share it with you. I encourage you to go and participate in this very cool and forward thinking event. You don’t have to agree with all my ideas about midwifery either. This is something everyone can get behind. Check it out, for reals.

Monday’s Action Plan is to take the Health Promise Pledge to become an informed health care consumer. That’s right, consumer. Did you know that when we use health care, weather it’s the ER, a well women visit, or a dental exam that we are buying services? Same as any other service, like paying a housekeeper, child’s preschool, or hair stylist. We have choices and that’s great. Did you know that a Midwife can cover ALL of your well women care from birth control, PAP smears, pregnancy/birth, and beyond menopause? If you’re a lady, and you need your lady parts looked at or consulted, you don’t have to go to a doctor. Midwives do that stuff too! This may be TMI, but I currently go to Treasure Valley Midwives for any well woman needs, and I’m not even pregnant. I tell you this because I want you to know that if you feel a little crazy doing this, then at least we can be crazy together. Crazy about personalized, wholistic well woman care, completely backed with the bells and whistles of science. I’m telling you, it doesn’t get better than this.

Back to National Midwifery Week. Here are the items I pledged to do as stated on their website:

I promise to take control of my own health. I will make decisions for myself based on facts and the type of care that means the most to me in maintaining my health.

I promise to better understand the choices I have in managing my health care. I will learn more about my personal health preferences and explore the care options available that can best meet my health needs.

I promise to be an active decision maker in my care. Medical procedures performed on my body without my knowledge or understanding are not acceptable.

I promise to put my health first. I will educate myself on ways to improve or maintain my high standard of health and talk to my care provider about how they can help me meet these goals.

I promise to improve my health care experience. I will become informed about different health care providers and approaches to care and use this information to improve my own experience as a health care consumer.

I promise to encourage others to take charge of their health. I am a force for change and will inspire my friends and family to better their own health through awareness and action. (I got this one!)

Feeding Honu with an old baby bottle.

Another reason last week sucked, big toe met a can of pineapple. It was neither tasty nor pretty.

We did get in a couple fun park days. At Fairview Park, if you time it just right, you can watch the garbage truck go to every house on all four sides of the park.

I will admit that we had a sick day that involved pajamas and Dancing With the Stars. I am human, despite my aspirations of super women.

Everything looks better through the snotty, drippy, drooly haze of a head cold right? Throw in some 2 year molars and you can call me Willy Wonka!

Fall has arrived. Thankfully, mother nature is right on with her primary colors.

Porter has never had a blankie or binky, but lately he’s had THIS plane. Knowing where this plane is at all times makes a day much nicer for everyone.

Popcorn is always good.

I bought a bike trailer. Can’t say that Porter is super stoked on it, but I’m hoping he grows to love it. I can’t blame him after riding regularly in the iBert.

This gem of a tricycle/push bike is brought to us by Radio Flyer, Grandpa and Tutu.

Foreshadowing. Yes, there will be churros for breakfast!

They finally got around to putting More Business Of Being Born on Netflix (watch the trailer here). Hurray! I’ve been working my way through the four episodes that talk in depth about The Farm and Ina May Gaskin, doulas, places to birth, cesareans and VBAC (Vaginal Birth After Cesarean). My favorite one, of course, is the celebrity birth stories told by the women themselves. It’s an impressive bunch and I think you should watch it.

In the re-telling of her birth story, Melissa Joan Hart said a phrase that I hear over and over again. Especially by women who are having hospital births and are considering getting an epidural. She explained that she wanted to have a natural birth, but “didn’t want to be a hero.” Really truly, this is such a common phrase that people tell pregnant mothers. They are told by their doctors, nurses, friends and family that there is no reason to suffer, no reason to be a hero. Go ahead, get an epidural. Why should you feel pain just because you’re birthing a baby?

My response to this is…do it. Be a hero. Be a hero for your baby, be a hero for your family, be a hero for women, be a hero for yourself. Feeling the pain of childbirth, moving through it and allowing your body to DO IT’S JOB by creating LIFE and birthing it from your body is HEROIC.

There are thousands of books, spanning thousands of years dedicated to the hero. Movies, stories, fairy tales, all with a hero. People strive in their day to day lives to be a hero by helping one another, saving lives, donating $$$, donating blood. Children run around yards wearing capes, playing heroes. It’s practically human nature to aspire to be one. When given the actual opportunity to be heroic, why would anyone turn that opportunity down just because the chance presents itself in the form of birth?

What hero doesn’t overcome pain, suffering and challenge?  Martin Luther King Jr. faced racism and bigotry, but persevered in his quest for equality. Hellen Keller was born deaf and blind, but overcame those obstacles to become an activist, lecturer and author. Sacajawea was married at 13 and then sold or won (as in being used as property) before finding her way to the Lewis and Clark expedition. Without her help, there was a very real possibility that they wouldn’t have survived and found their way to the discovery of the Pacific Ocean. Oh, and she was pregnant, gave birth and cared for her small baby while doing this. Surely, birth is no more difficult and just as noble as the obstacles that these, and so many others, overcame with persistence, ability, support and a profound belief in life. Being a hero isn’t easy, but who ever said it was or should be? Isn’t it the struggle that makes us root for the hero in the end?

At the Farm to Fork dinner a few weeks ago a gentleman asked the table, if we could have any super power what it would be? Most people said flight (me included, thanks to this post) and a couple people said invisibility. Guess what. I know, and other women who have had un-medicated births know, that right after you birth a baby and in the following weeks you feel like you have mega-super- human strength. I know it’s not just me because all the women in More Business Of Being Born said the same thing. There is nothing the universe could throw your way that you couldn’t handle. I truly believe that this power is in everyone. Women are just lucky to have a clear way to access it. Over time this feeling gets subdued as you settle into a new routine and a new life, but it doesn’t go away. It’s simply laying low, under the surface. Waiting for the next time you need to call upon your super human strength. The next time you need to be a hero.

The future generation of heroes.

Porter trying to attain super human powers through the force known as sugar.

This child made a super hero out of me.

*If you want to know why I care so much about this, follow the link to this post.

Smelling the flowers

Checking to make sure they’re just right

The knock

Aww, she’s a ballerina.

Mission accomplished

We just arrived home in Boise after almost a week visiting with my family in Capitola. It was confirmed, yet again, that grandparents and uncles are way more fun than actual parents.

At the Cabrillo Farmer’s Market with Grandpa and the  awesome Radio Flyer tricycle, dubbed “Porter’s Bike”.

My dad’s garden, fecund as ever.

Oh look, a weed!

Luke, Porter and I took a trip to UCSC and I had a moment when I called for Porter in the bookstore. If you know how he got his name then you’ll understand.

We scoped the new bookstore/student union. Decidedly not as cool since it’s been updated but deemed necessary for the growth of the campus.

Followed up the UCSC visit with bread bowls and animal watching at the Santa Cruz Wharf. Here we have a multitude of sea lions being very lazy.

A pelican, a la Nemo.

I forced Luke to get a massage and soak in a tub with me at the Well Within. It was hard wearing a robe, but he pushed through like a good sport.

I’ve been looking for just the right rain boots for the upcoming seasons and finally decided on the Crocs. We took them for a test splash in front of our neighbors house. They kept the pajama bottoms dry. Success!

He made a bubble!

Gotta catch the zzz’s when you can on these trips. The days go so fast and there’s so much to do.

Took Porter to the beach for the first extended period of time. Poor kid, his mom hates sand. He loved it, and I got a full frontal of sand thrown at me. Just a quick reminder of how sand manages to get everywhere. Blech.

Shortly after arriving home. Porter’s experimenting with facial expressions. This one is usually accompanied with head nodding up and down, preferably to a beat.

New favorite past time!

Stroll up the street and collect an assortment of pine cones from neighbors yards.

Walk to main canal that has a small waterfall.

Grab a pine cone, or as many as you can cram into your fist.

Throw said pine cones into the canal water.

Looks like a little turd, no? Anyway. Watch turd float towards waterfall and then over the edge.

“Hurray!” Repeat for endless enjoyment.

It has been my great pleasure to have enjoyed the Peaceful Belly Farm to Fork dinner on more than one occasion. Tonight my friend Chelsea and I got to enjoy the September bounty as interpreted by chef Abby Carlson. She did not disappoint! The company was friendly, the wine was flowing and by the 3rd course the conversation reached a crescendo. There were many comments made when we realized that the final course was coming that we all could have eaten more of all the savory goodness. And that was the truth!

The table settings were a  diverse assortment of squash in varying shapes, sizes and colors.

Appetizer: roasted peppers on a crustini

Watermelon jalapeno non-alcoholic spritzer. Fresh and delightful.

The best dinner companion for this event, my friend Chelsea.

The Menu as designed by chef Abby and grown by Peaceful Belly Farm. Fabulous local wines by Cinder Wines.

Crespelle with Creamed Corn, Pepper Jam, Heirloom Tomato Stack, 2011 Dry Rose

2011 Dry Rose.

One of my top 2 favorite dishes: Pork Meatballs, Tomatillo Caramel, Fried Hakurei Turnips, 2011 Laissez Fair

Winter Luxury Pumpkin Soup, Joe Long Sambal, 2011 Dry Viognier. Maybe I had 3 favorites because this was really good.

I don’t remember which one this was, but it was refreshing.

Not Pictured is the Basil Sorbet. There was one bite worth and I ate it before I remembered to take a picture. That’s what I get for living in the moment. It was dark green, sweet and cold. Maybe my favorite part of the meal.

It was all fantastic really, to pick a favorite would be silly! Pork Scaloppine, Peruvian Potato Gnocchi, Confit Tomato, 2010 Syrah

That’s a legit John Deere lit up with lights and holding many bottles of wine.

Chocolate Financier, Raspberry Ganache, Salt and Pepper Caramel, 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon/Merlot Blend

You know when there’s wine spilled on the menu at the end of the night that it was all a great success. Thanks Dad!

I’ve been reading a lot of posts on Facebook about where people were on 9/11 and the lesson they have learned from that event and how it shaped our collective consciousness. Of all the posts that I read today, the radio playing the emergency 911 calls from New York (like it was live, again) and the tears that ensued, there were two things that stuck out to me. The first was that Obama and Romney declared a truce for the day on political jabs. They pulled ads and didn’t hold rallies. This was maybe the first compassionate action from either of them, maybe ever? I wonder who was copying who?

The second was more profound. It was a quote from Sandy Dahl, the wife of Flight 93 pilot Jason Dahl, and she said this:

“If we learn nothing else from this tragedy, we learn that life is short and there is no time for hate.”

I wonder how she was feeling when she made this statement. Was she saying it like a mantra, hoping that it would someday become true to her? Or did she really find a way to banish hatred from what must have been her broken heart? Either way, I applaud her strength of character and attempt to find a splinter of truth from a horrific loss.

We celebrated our lives, family and freedoms today by ordering Thai/Chinese takeout and heading over to the park for some playtime. Our great friend Danny showed up and made Porter’s night. Life is short and I’m so grateful to be able to celebrate every single day.