Alexander Valley Vineyards Wine Club Reserve

Happy Friday! My wine feature today is the Alexander Valley Vineyards Wine Club Reserve. The 2016 vintage is a blend of 80% Petite Sirah, 15% Petite Verdot and 5% Merlot. It was aged in a mix of French and American oak barrels for 18 months.

While you can buy several of their wines in stores, this is one that you can only buy through their winery. The story behind this varietal is quite unique! Every spring they host an annual Bash and Blending party for their members. Teams of members are then created to blend and create their own rendition of a wine, which is then judged. The winners blend becomes the newest vintage of the Wine Club Reserve! One day I would love to participate in this competition!

Every vintage of course is a different blend, I have been buying these for the past 3 vintages and have enjoyed them all. Can’t wait to try the 2017!

My impressions:

Pours: inky purple

Smell: blueberry cobbler, fresh dark fruits- blackberry, black cherry and a hint of blueberry, honestly it smells delicious!

Taste: black licorice, lots of tannins, bowl of dark fruits- black cherry and plum, long finish- lingers on your tongue. Cheers!

2012 Deerfield Cabernet Sauvignon

It’s a wine-Deerfield weekend! 🍷 My version of wonderful!

Wyze Wine’s first post had to be on a wine from my favorite winery, Deerfield Ranch Winery located in Kenwood, California. I love their mouth-watering red wines!

The gem I opened the other day was their 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon. I am sad to say I am down to our last few bottles of this…

This wine is a blend of 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 11% Cabernet Franc, 5% Merlot, 4% Malbec, 3% Petit Verdot and 2% Syrah. It has been aged for 39 months in 60% French and 40% American barrels, 25% new. Sounds delicious right? It sure is!

I love how Deerfield describes it as a “multi-dimensional wine that changes as you drink it. It evolves and holds your interest.” I completely agree.

My impressions:

Pours: Thick, deep garnet red

Smell: A bouquet of ripe red and dark fruit, cherries, blackberries, plum all laced with beautiful cedar and a touch of allspice.

Taste: Mouth-watering, full-bodied, oaky, syrupy, fruit forward but not sweet, tannins compliment wine and round it out.

WyzeWine

I enjoy wine not only because it is complex and delicious, but that it brings people together. Having a glass of wine is not only an experience you share with others, but one that allows a discussion. It doesn’t matter what type of wine enthusiast you are to express your opinion on the bottle, the cork, the way the wine pours, smells, swirls and tastes.  This makes it a very inclusive beverage!


While I don’t live in California, I have been to wine country many times and it is one of my favorite places for the beauty, ambiance, company and of course wine.  I started WyzeWine to share my opinions on wines and wineries whether they are in California, Georgia or partaking in a glass of wine at home from Trader Joes or Costco.  Join my table as we embark on our wine discussion. Cheers!

Wineries with a View

There is nothing better than enjoying a glass of wine overlooking a gorgeous vineyard this time of year. In every trip we have taken to Sonoma and Napa we try to balance the trip with some fantastic wines, along with wineries that have beautiful views. Here are a few of our favorite wineries for their views and ambiance.

Domaine Carneros

Domaine Carneros has one of my favorite views and ambiance in Napa and Sonoma. It is on CA-121 N , the road leading into Napa from San Francisco. We typically stop here on our first day as it is on the way into wine country. The winery itself is beautiful and looks like a french chateau. The views of the rolling vineyards surrounding the tasting room are even more breathtaking. They are open daily from 10 am- 5:30 pm and they do require reservations. We always make reservations for the terrace to enjoy the wine, fresh air and landscape. You will have table service. My advice is to plan to spend some time here and definitely snap a few pictures (or more). We first visited their winery back in 2013 and have been back numerous times. They are known for their sparkling wines and pinot noir. These are not typically my favorite varietals but they do such a good job with them and the experience is worth the stop.

Francis Ford Coppola Winery

This winery has not only gorgeous views, but a beautiful pool, cinema, dining, numerous tasting experiences and more. It’s worth a visit if you are looking for a non-conventional winery or just one with some additional flare. They allow short self-guided walks through the vineyard to explore and enjoy the views. The tasting room in Geyersville is open 11 AM to 6 PM daily.

Petroni Vineyards

We were lucky enough to visit this winery on one of our wine tours through Sonoma. The Estate is located at the top of a hill and has unbelievable views over the Valley of the Moon. It truly does remind you of an italian hillside with vines growing up the hills in all directions. Their tastings now take place in a wine cave. Petroni is open from 10 AM to 4 PM, but reservations are required. The drive to the top of the mountain is windy and narrow, but worth the trip. In addition to the ambiance they have some big bold red wines, Proprietors Reserve was my favorite.

Ferrari- Carano Vineyards and Winery

This winery is picturesque and very well groomed. The grounds are kept in pristine condition and it is a great place to stop and enjoy a glass of wine. There are two tasting rooms, one on the main floor and another in the underground cellar. Limited release wines are served in the cellar. In addition there is a terrace that overlooks the gardens and grounds, if it’s a nice day that is where I would be. Ferrari- Carano is open 10 AM to 5 PM daily. If you stay at Vintner’s Inn mentioned in my previous post about where to stay in Sonoma and Napa, you will receive a free tasting.

Viansa Sonoma Winery & Tasting Room

Viansa has a great view and terrace. Plan to stop here on your way into Sonoma and Napa or on your way out. They have an expansive terrace with several tables to enjoy the views and even some areas reserved for private tastings. In addition they have two large bars on each end of the tasting room. In the middle they have a large selection of souvenirs and wine paraphernalia. They also have a marketplace where you can buy food, cheese and charcuterie boards to enjoy a picnic inside or outside on the terrace. My favorite wines are their Reserves. They are located on CA-121 N which you can take in from Sausalito or San Francisco. They are open 10 AM to 5 PM. This is another great place to snap some beautiful pictures. There are several rows of vines where you can get pictures of the grapes up close or just a good look at them. We first visited this winery in 2012 and almost every trip we have made back to wine country we have stopped back in.

Paradise Ridge Winery

This winery has two tasting rooms. One is in Kenwood and the other is in Russian River Valley. Unfortunately the tasting room in Russian River Valley was burned by the terrible fires in 2017. They are currently rebuilding the tasting room and are slated to have it open in November 2019. When they re-open this location it is definitely a winery and view I would not miss. The views from the terrace are breathtaking over the vineyards and you can even see the ocean in the distance. The experience of sitting on their terrace overlooking the vineyards is not one I will soon forget. There is also a large steel sculpture of the word LOVE that is located below the winery, which is another great photo opportunity. We have been to both locations over the years and their wine is fantastic if you like that big bold delicious red. In the meantime stop by their Kenwood location open from 11 am-6 pm, their wine is well worth it. We love their Rockpile Cabernet.

Ridge Vineyards

This winery was recommended on our last trip to wine country. We were staying in Healdsburg and asked the concierge for suggestions of nearby wineries known for their reds. They had suggested Ridge Vineyards, which is located in Healdsburg. They have a nice tasting room with a covered outdoor terrace that overlooks their vines. The view is gorgeous! Be prepared to enjoy some good reds, beautiful views and definitely snap a picture or two too! They are known for their Monte Bello, which was made famous from the Judgement of Paris. We enjoyed their Zinfandels. Ridge is open 11 AM-4 PM (Monday-Thursday) and 11 AM-5 PM (Friday-Sunday). They also have a location in the Santa Cruz Mountains, their Monte Bello Estate.

Please note, I did not receive any compensation, gifts or royalties from these vineyards to write this post. As always these reviews are based on my own unbiased opinion.

Tracking your Pregnancy

You just found out your pregnant and you are ecstatic to begin this new chapter in your life!  Whether you got pregnant on the first try or it took a few years this is truly a magical time.

There are probably so many items on your to do list, try not to get overwhelmed but enjoy the next 9 months.  Sometimes our day to day life is too hectic to really sit back and realize that you have a miracle growing inside you and that time is fleeting.

In between all the doctor appointments, shower registries and preparing for your new arrival here are a few ideas to not only track your pregnancy but to record the next 9 months of your journey with your little one.

While doing each of these may be too demanding on your schedule, if you can fit in one or two you will appreciate it as those little miracles grow up.

Weekly/ Monthly Pictures of Baby Bump

Create a calendar invite for each week, mine was set for Sunday.  Take a few pictures each week to watch your belly grow.

Short Videos of Mommy and Daddy to Baby

Make short videos (1-2 minutes) after doctor appointments or anytime for your baby as time allows.  We plan to string these together and share with our daughter when she is old enough.

Baby Board

Highlights can include the baby’s developments this week or even just what you did with your baby bump the past week.  You can do this weekly or monthly.  Bed Bath and Beyond sells a good board to use for this, Pearhead Pregnancy Chalkboard.

Pregnancy Journal

You can create your own, or buy one in store or online.  They help keep track of how you felt physically and emotionally during your pregnancy, as well as Doctor appointments, ultrasounds and your baby’s first movements.  You can really add any additional details you want as well.  I used The Belly Book.

Pregnancy Book

Every first time mother wants to know what she should be doing, eating, activities that should be stopped and so much more.  Your Doctor will probably provide you with packets or a booklet with some general guidelines, but it is also great to buy a book to read alongside that.  I have enjoyed reading “What to expect when you are expecting.” It discusses developments that happen every week, answers to common questions, what to expect during each month of pregnancy, food safety and much more.

Pregnancy App

I used Ovia Pregnancy, which was great!  I first used the Ovia Fertility & Cycle Tracker while we were trying to conceive, which was very helpful.  Once we became pregnant I added this app to my phone.  It gives daily updates on baby’s developments, includes relevant articles and videos, tracks progress through pregnancy, has a food safety lookup feature which is so convenient and perhaps my favorite part of the app.  It is especially helpful when you are out at a restaurant.  There is a lookup feature for medication safety, as well as symptoms you may be having (to make sure they are normal).  The app has many other great features too, so be sure to check it out.

Wishing you the best over the next 9 months!

The Essentials for Baby

Before baby arrives and after you will be inundated with items your family, friends, co-workers, and of course advertisers say you will need. As a parent you want to make sure your baby has everything they need and it can become expensive quick. Luckily, a newborn baby doesn’t need much more than love, milk, sleep, diapers, wipes and of course diaper rash cream. Below are some items that I have found essential as a first-time Mom.

The Essentials

Diapers– We have used Pampers Swaddlers from the beginning for little K. The hospital used these and gave us a few packages to take home. These worked perfectly for our baby and caused no irritation. We tried the pure pampers but since we didn’t notice any difference we stayed with the regular swaddlers as they were cheaper. Unfortunately, Costco does not carry these, so we buy them from Target or Walmart.

Wipes– We first bought the Huggies Natural Care wipes from Costco. They were great and caused no irritation on little K’s skin. Then one day I decided to try the cheaper Kirkland Baby wipes. They still work great and still do not irritate little K’s skin. The one complaint is that they are not quite as wet as the Huggies. We are still using them though, I think it’s nice to not have too much moisture on the wipes since it can then lead to the babies skin being left wet. We buy these in-store at Costco.

Desitin– We use the Maximum Strength Desitin, we used to buy the 3 pack from Costco. Yes we are Costco frequenters… Diaper rash was one of our biggest concerns, so we wanted to be extra vigilant. Luckily, this has worked perfectly with no diaper rash yet. Our Costco unfortunately does not carry the 3-pack anymore, but you can order a smaller single tube from the pharmacy. Amazon, Target and Walmart all carry these and depending on what sales are going on you may be able to get these cheaper there.

Best Purchases

The Boppy– Hands down, this has been by far our best purchase! It is like a cozy recliner for a baby. We have used it every day since little K was born. She absolutely loves it! We even use it for bottle feeding. We wanted to make a clear distinction between breast feeding and bottle feeding so there would be no nipple confusion. It has worked very well and little K has no problem taking one bottle a day and breastfeeding the rest of the time. This was her favorite place to be for the first 3-4 months of her life. She is getting too big for it now but still loves to take a rest in it every now and then. We bought this from Bed Bath & Beyond but many other stores carry it too.

Receiving blankets– You can’t buy too many of these! I had no idea how handy these would be. One of our friends had given us a lot of their leftover baby items. They had included stacks of these in the bag. We decided to keep them just in case we needed them, but had no idea how much of a necessity these were, let alone how many we would use on a daily basis! They can be used for spit up, burp clothes, a changing pad, a cover for a changing pad, blanket, and so much more. We use these all day every day! These can be bought anywhere, we use the flannel ones.

Burp Cloths– Another major necessity. The more you buy the less times you will have to do laundry daily. Little K goes through these quick! We bought these from buybuy Baby and Target.

Hooded bath towels– These are great for keeping your little ones head warm after bath time. We got ours from Bed, Bath & Beyond.

Chicco Keyfit Caddy– This was also one of those amazing purchases. We bought this because of how compact it is. It is quick and easy to fold down, light weight, has an adjustable padded handle and a large storage space underneath. The storage compartment can hold a large diaper bag, personal items and even a ton of groceries when shopping. Of course don’t forget to pull them out when you check out! A cashier checking me out said, “you fit all of that underneath that cart?!” she was truly amazed and frankly so was I. This is great for heading around town or for travelling. In order to purchase this you will need to have a Chicco car seat. We bought from Bed Bath & Beyond.

Playmat– I have the Tiny Love Deluxe Gymini, which has four toys and a mirror that dangle from the arches, and a bird that attaches to the top that lights up and plays music with different play modes. The mat is decently soft and the back of it has a material that has prevented little K’s spit up from seeping through. This can be used for playtime, tummy time and more. We detach some of the toys from the arches and use them during tummy time for visual stimulation even if we are not using the mat for tummy time. It was amazing to watch little K just look at the toys to grabbing them with both hands! I think the mat has helped with her hand eye coordination. We bought from Bed, Bath & Beyond.

Bottles, Pacifiers and Pumping

Pacifiers– I had bought several different pacifiers as I did not know which one little K would like. At first she enjoyed the one from the hospital, but it ended up causing more problems with breastfeeding so I decided to try the other ones we bought. The only one she liked was the MAM Night Pacifier. The button glows in the dark which is helpful, however that only works if the paci falls out and lands button up. I would suggest getting the ones with a pink or green shield as the clear ones fade into the crib, ground or wherever they happen to land. We bought these from buybuy Baby.

Bottles Comotomo bottles are amazing! Little K has taken this bottle from the first day we introduced it when she was about 4-5 weeks old. They are small, slow flow and try to simulate the feeling of a breast. For 0-3 months there is a 5 oz bottle with slow flow and then 3-6 months there is an 8 oz bottle with medium flow available. There are also high flow tips available but we haven’t tried these yet. We recently changed to the medium flow and that was amazing. The slow flow is great up to 3 months and maybe even a little longer, but then you will need to upgrade to the medium flow tip. The tops of the bottle are interchangeable, so sometimes we will still use the 5 oz bottle with the medium flow tip as little K loves to hold her bottle and this is more her size for those cute little hands. Bottle feeding drastically decreased in time and little K was much happier with the flow. While not all babies are the same and I know some of my friends say they went through 10 different bottles before finding one they liked. I personally think this one is great.

Medela Pump– for many women the breast pump will unfortunately be your new best friend. Insurance typically covers a certain level of breast pumps and mine happened to cover this one along with others in its class. After reading reviews, talking to colleagues and friends I decided this one was for me. It works incredibly well. Typically each pumping session takes about 20-25 minutes, it can be shorter or longer depending on what level you set and how much you want to pump. The parts are easy to clean and it’s small so transporting it is not a big deal. While not always the most fun ladies, at least you can burn about 20 calories for each ounce of milk produced.

Medela Easy Expression Bustier– My pump did not come with anything to make it a hands free pumping experience. Who wants to use both hands while pumping? I bought this from Bed, Bath & Beyond and it has worked great.

Boon Grass Countertop Bottle Drying Rack– I use this all day every day. After pumping it is used to hold all the plastic pieces needed for pumping along with bottles. It works great as I carry it between floors in our home when I pump in a different room. I bought from Bed Bath & Beyond.

Glider/ Rocking chair– I always wanted a wooden rocking chair, like the one my Mom used when I was little. After looking around I decided the wooden rockers didn’t fit into our nursery. In opening my mind to other options I started looking at gliders, which in general were fairly expensive. Then I came across the Angel Line Windsor Glider and Ottoman, Gray w/ Gray Cushion at Walmart. It was only $130, which was significantly cheaper than gliders I had seen elsewhere. At first we were a little hesitant on going for the cheapest chair due to quality concerns. However, this was such a great purchase. Not only was the quality great, it matched our baby furniture (crib, dresser and changing table) from Costco and it is fairly easy to clean. Typically we spot clean the cushions, which works fine. After so many spit ups, we decided to put the cushions into our front load washer (I would probably not put it in a top load washer) and the two main cushions came out fine, while the arm cushions came out a little distorted. If I had to do it over I probably wouldn’t have washed the arm cushions, but now they are clean at least. I believe the cushions are dry clean only but the front load washer worked for me on a delicate setting.

Clothing

Onesies and Sleepers– In buying clothing for little K it seems every brand has different sizing. I look at a 3 month from Gerber, Carter’s, Little Me and and they all look so different. Be aware when buying these as there are huge discrepancies. Also, remember depending on the size of your baby they may be out of newborn clothing shortly after they are born so try not to overbuy that size. Having said that you will need several of these between spit ups and blow outs, we typically sized up so Little K would be more comfortable and we would be able to use them for longer.

Halo Sleepsack– These were great! Unfortunately you cannot have your newborn sleep with a blanket, so this is a cozy alternative to keep them warm at night. We tried swaddling little K like the nurses at the hospital showed us, but she was able to slowly break out of those through the night. We tried this as an alternative to swaddling and they worked great. They save time and little K loved it. The Halo sleep-sack multi-way is adjustable so you can wrap the baby tighter or looser depending on your preference. You can also wrap around the arms to prevent the newborn startle reflex, or you can let their arms free. We also used the regular Halo sleep-sack too.

Sleeping

Crib– We bought a convertible crib set from Costco so the furniture can grow with little K as she grows. The crib can convert to a bed, and a dresser and changing table came with the set. We opted for all 3 pieces as it is so hard to find another matching piece if you decide later that you need more drawers for storage. Luckily, we did this as our set is no longer sold, nor are the individual pieces sold and this is only 6 months after purchasing. The changing table has two large drawers, and two smaller ones. The dresser has 4 large drawers. We use all the drawers and I could use more! More storage is always better to hold all those burp cloths, receiving blankets, onesies and more!

Bassinet– While a bassinet is not cheap, I believe every penny was worth it on this item. It helped solidify our sleep routine with little K. She was sleeping through the night by 10 weeks and we were able to transition little K to her crib at 13 weeks with no issues.

The Halo bassinet was given to us at our shower and was essential in little K’s first few weeks. This particular bassinet swivels 360 degrees and it’s height can be adjusted so the baby will be at your eye level while sleeping. The legs of the bassinet can go under the bed, so I was able to sleep right next to little K but without the risk of putting her in our bed. I absolutely loved it! It made those first few nerve wrecking weeks of having a new baby so much easier being able to have her right next to me. The walls are a mesh, so they are breathable and I could see right through them. The bassinet plays music, vibrates and has soothing sounds. Little K especially loved one of the soothing sounds, similar to white noise and rushing water so we played this each night for her. This became part of her go to bed routine and ultimately helped her sleep better. If she woke up in the middle of the night it was very easy to comfort her without even leaving the bed. For feedings she was so close that it made it seamless to pick her up quickly as she was right next to me.

There are many more products that have been useful, but these are the ones I would start off with. I will be adding additional posts to discuss toys, books and more items that I have found useful as little K continues to grow.

In buying products I always look at the return policy prior to buying as so many toys and items you buy may look different in person when ordering them, or your baby may even grow out of them by the time you receive them. My favorite stores to buy from are Costco, Bed Bath & Beyond and buybuy Baby due to their return policies, helpful customer service and 20% off coupons (Bed, Bath & Beyond & buybuy Baby). I also buy from Target and Amazon for convenience.

You will notice I bought a lot of the products above from Bed, Bath & Beyond (online, not in stores) instead of buybuy Baby. I did this due to the number of Bed, Bath & Beyond stores that are located near me (in the case I had to return in item), the buybuy Baby is a little further away. If looking to buy in store you will need to go to buybuy Baby as Bed, Bath & Beyond does not carry most of these items in store. Buybuy Baby also has an amazing selection of clothing, just like Target does. If you are lucky to live in a city with a buybuy Baby definitely go check it out! Happy shopping!

Ready or not, here baby comes!

After 40 weeks, the big day is here! Or is it? I hit my 40 week mark and there I was still pregnant! I tried everything including spicy thai food, garlic, pineapple, raspberry leaf tea, and eggplant parmesan, but nothing worked. I walked 10,000 steps a day… yes I really did walk that much and still nothing happened. I had a very healthy pregnancy and was used to running and walking every day which is why I was so mobile at the end. Whether you are early, on time or late that big day will eventually be here.

I chose to divulge my birthing experience since I had so many questions prior to giving birth as a first time mom. Between friends, google and other moms sharing their experiences it helped calm my nerves, so I wanted to do the same for other soon to be mommys!

As everyone does, I had a birth plan that I was hoping to follow. I thought with my active and healthy pregnancy I would be able to go into labor myself without any intervention from my doctor. Unfortunately, that did not happen and I was just along for the ride!

To say the least my birthing plan was modified quite a bit when I went into the 40 week doctor appointment. The doctor told me I was dilated about 1-2 centimeters and effaced at 50%. They had me schedule an appointment for one week later, at 41 weeks on the nose. If I did not go into labor by then they would schedule an induction for that day. Alternatively, I could just schedule an induction for the day before I turned 41 weeks. After reading about inductions, it seemed there could be a greater chance of a c-section if I was induced. In addition there would need to be another night spent at the hospital while receiving both Pitocin and Cervidil. I was interested in doing an all natural birth, including no epidural, so this did not interest me unless absolutely necessary.

I considered the options over the next few days and made a few more calls to my doctor before making a decision. The practice I was using did not want me to go past 41 weeks as they said nothing good comes from waiting beyond that gestation. I decided I’d rather not come in for an additional appointment just to hear that I would have an induction later that day. I called the doctor back and scheduled the induction the last day they would let me go, which was the day before I turned 41 weeks.

I did not give up hope on a natural birth and every day I tried something new that I had either read online or heard from friends. No luck with any of them. This baby girl was coming on her own time or she was going to be forced out it seemed…

Hospital Bound!

That fateful Sunday rolled around and there I was still pregnant! The way my hospital began the induction process was to give me a call sometime after 12 PM that day to tell me to come in. I was essentially on call since they did not know when a bed would be free. At about 2 PM I received the call saying it was time to come into the hospital for the induction.

Taking a step back, induction was not what I planned for, nor what I wanted, but the experience wasn’t all that bad. My husband and I had extra time to pack anything we would need. We had an additional week to get prepared for the baby, spend time together and anticipate the birth. We were prepared and relatively calm heading to the hospital, as there were no contractions and nothing unexpected occurring.

Decision between Doctor and Midwife delivery

While you are pregnant part of your labor plan will include whether a doctor or midwife will be delivering your baby. I was set that I wanted a doctor to deliver me from the beginning, so I tried to set up every prenatal appointment with a new doctor in the practice. It was extremely unlikely I would actually get my doctor for delivery unless I delivered during office hours, as they all rotated night and weekend call.

When making the decision on whether to go the doctor or midwife route be sure to find out what the chances are you will actually get the individuals you want to deliver you and how often they are on call. This is very important because you will want to feel comfortable with whoever is delivering your baby. It is a good idea to meet all the doctors and midwifes in your practice or as many as you can.

After attending a Childbirth Essentials class, the knowledge, experience (15+ years) and personality of the teacher, who was also a midwife caused me to alter my labor plan. If she was on call I wanted her to deliver my baby. During this class we also learned the main differences between a doctor and midwife delivery. Typically midwifes are much more hands on prior to active labor. I liked the fact I knew she would be by my side throughout the entire labor process. While doctors will be with you during the active labor, midwifes are typically by your side long before that and helping you in any way you need.

Midwifes are also typically more flexible throughout the whole labor process and do offer more options for pain management and delivery. If you choose a doctor the nurses typically play a larger role prior to the active labor.

However, doctors do offer an extremely high level of education, knowledge and will be able to handle any complications that arise. Even if you choose to go the midwife route you may need to have a doctor intervene should any complications arise. Check with your doctors office to see how a doctor delivery can differ from a midwife.

Another factor in deciding if you would like to have a physician or midwife deliver you may be the rate of c-sections. It was about 40% for physicians and 20% for midwifes in my practice. While both are high, 40% seemed alarming. It is a good idea to ask for these rates when making your decision.

My midwife was absolutely amazing throughout the whole delivery process and worked to ensure I had a vaginal delivery. When we have our next baby (if we are so lucky) I can only hope I can have her by my side again. However, I did not feel the same way with other midwifes in the practice. I would still highly consider having a physician deliver me if I could not have this midwife as they offer an extremely high level of experience and education.

The week prior to my due date I asked for the on-call schedule for doctors and midwifes. I was allowed to switch paths through the day I went into labor. When I went past my due date I asked for the next weeks schedule. Ultimately my decision to go the midwife route was made that last week looking at who would be on call for my delivery.

Process for Induction

We got to the hospital, checked in and were taken to our room. Shortly after our arrival the first nurse came in to take vitals and set up the IV in my arm to be ready to give fluids. They then checked to see if I was dilated any further. Unfortunately nothing had changed since the prior week so the Cervidil was inserted at around 7 PM. Cervidil can help to dilate your cervix. It is a small vaginal insert that will stay in place typically for 12 hours. It looks similar to a tampon but much smaller so be careful apparently they can fall out. Mine did not, but you don’t want to have to go through the insertion process twice.

This was a quick procedure, but now the nurses needed to monitor both myself and the baby until they removed the Cervidil the following morning (12 hours later). There was one heart rate monitor on me and one on the baby. Now it was just a waiting game. We ate, talked and tried to go to bed early as we knew the next day was going to be busy, exciting, stressful and we would soon be a family of three!

It was very difficult to sleep for many reasons. First of all, you are in a hospital bed, then you have to be careful how you lay down not only for the baby, but also because of the heart rate straps that are tracking the baby and you. If you move the wrong way and the tracker comes off, the alerts will sound and the nurse will rush in. Then when you get up to go to the bathroom you have to remove the cords for the tracker to the monitors and reattach them once you got back to your bed. In addition, the monitors and heart rate belts were pretty loud. We would have the nurses turn them down in our room, but inevitably the next nurse would come in and either turn them up or forget to turn off the monitors which are way to big and bright to be a night light. If you are scheduled for an induction, try to get some sleep before heading to the hospital!

Throughout the night several nurses came in to make sure everything was alright, along with the on call doctor who wanted to introduce themselves. Every time you think you are about to get to sleep another person seemingly comes in.

The most uncomfortable part for me was the IV. It was not inserted in the typical place where I get blood drawn from, but half way between my wrist and elbow.

After the relatively sleepless night it was time to await the check-in with the midwife (since I had chosen to go with a midwife delivery).

My midwife came in to check on me around 7:30 AM. The Cervidil had worked and I was 3-4 centimeters dilated. The next thing was to decide if I wanted an enema. Of course that was not something I would want in any circumstance. It sounded very uncomfortable, but I spoke to the midwife and nurses about the benefits of doing one. I was told this could jump start contractions, so I opted to do this as anything to avoid Pitocin was worth a shot. It did work and I started having contractions!

Pitocin and Epidural

At this point my midwife told me I could take some laps around the delivery wing to try to get the labor jump started. I took several laps and my contractions were coming almost every 2 minutes and lasting about a minute. Despite the frequency they opted to start the Pitocin to make sure contractions would continue and the baby would come.

The Pitocin was pretty awful. After trying to go without the epidural for a few hours, the contractions were coming so fast and hard I opted to have one. The epidural was a pretty painless process. I had a great Anesthesiologist who was very quick and did a good job. The worst part about an epidural is you can no longer stand up and move around, you have to remain in your hospital bed.

On second thought, the worst part may have been the catheter. That is very uncomfortable and pretty awkward. In addition, you are no longer allowed to drink water or eat food, only ice chips. Oh the joys of having a baby! Totally worth all of the splendors of pregnancy and labor to meet that little one, but oh so awkward at the time! Anyways, the epidural was amazing and perhaps too amazing! My midwife then allowed me to “labor down”. Basically, I took a nap for an hour or two and by the time I woke up it was time to start pushing and have a baby!

Throughout this whole process I was pumped full of fluids. In never having an IV I didn’t know what to expect. These made me very cold and I am typically a very hot person! At times I could not stop shivering, so I was layered in blankets.

Labor and Delivery!

It was finally time for the big event! It was definitely a new challenge to push with an epidural. One of the best parts of an epidural is reducing the pain, but an unintended consequence is not feeling the contractions or the act of pushing. In my circumstance I could not feel the act of pushing at the beginning of labor which made it hard to know if I was making any progress or actually pushing at all! It is hard to explain, but I could not feel anything, so when I was pushing I couldn’t tell if I was actually pushing and whether I was pushing in the right place! The nurse was supposed to dial back the epidural, but did not which caused my epidural to be too high. This can be a problem. Be sure to make sure your epidural is at the right level. The midwife caught this error and immediately fixed the issue decreasing the dose of my epidural.

Labor was a little scary . Our babies heart rate was dropping when I was pushing… My midwife called the doctor on call to be prepared to come in for a c-section or vacuum as I was having a hard time pushing and feeling the contractions from the epidural. Boy did that scare me! I pushed and pushed and pushed with my amazing coaches, my husband and Mom, along with my midwife who truly was the best and helped ensure I had a safe and vaginal delivery.

Within 30 minutes of active labor my precious baby girl was born vaginally and it was all worth the wait, pain and everything else endured in those 41 weeks. The small amount of time you will be in pain and discomfort are worth the lifetime of happiness you will receive.

My advice is accept that your birth plan can change. Make sure you stay informed throughout the whole process and question the medical staff if you think something isn’t right. Look into benefits of doctor delivery vs midwife to see what fits into your labor plan best. Most importantly no matter how awkward or painful something is it will all be over soon and you will have the best gift!

Whale Watching in Maui

Have you ever wanted to see a whale up close? Well, lucky for you it is that time of year!

Whale Watching Tour
Whale Watching Tour

Pacific Whale Foundation Sunrise Tour
Pacific Whale Foundation Sunrise Tour

If you happen to go to Maui during whale watching season which runs from November through the end of February, consider signing up for a whale watching tour. 

Pacific Whale Foundation

We went on a sunrise cruise with the Pacific Whale Foundation in Ma’alaea.  I choose the sunrise cruise as the water was supposed to be calmer (I can sometimes get car sick when in cars) so I wanted to make sure I would have a lesser chance of feeling sick on the cruise.  It is about an hour and a half tour.  We boarded the boat before the sun rose, as this tour included watching the sunrise on the ocean.  The sunrise was spectacular as was the cruise. 

Pacific Whale Foundation Sunrise Tour
Pacific Whale Foundation Sunrise Tour

The whale activity started off slow, but continued to build until we had to go back to the dock.  The guides were amazing and taught us a lot about whales, their habits and even chased some for us to see up close.  The tour guides said we were very lucky as we saw a lot of whales.  We even saw two males showing off and competing against one another for a female whales attention.  It was very cool to watch.  It was an experience my husband nor I will ever forget and definitely one of the most memorable on our trips to Hawaii. Don’t worry if you don’t get to see a whale on the tour you book, they will let you go on another cruise for free within a year.  You can check out their whale watching cruises here: 

https://www.pacificwhale.org/cruises/maui-whalewatch/

Pacific Whale Foundation also has a great gift shop to go into either before or after your tour.  Once you see those whales, I am sure you will want to support the non- profit foundation and whales so stop in and see if anything grabs your attention.  We bought a few items to not only support the whales, but to as souvenirs to remember this amazing experience of being so close to such extraordinary animals.

Run & Walk for Whales 5K

If you are an active person like myself, when you go on vacation you may be looking for a 5K, 10K or even a half or full marathon.  We were lucky to find the Run & Walk for Whales 5K the weekend we were there.  It typically happens around the first weekend in February, so if you happen to be in town that weekend check it out.

https://www.mauiwhalefestival.org/runwalk/

Run and Walk for the Whales
Run and Walk for the Whales

Christmas at the Biltmore

Looking for something truly magical this Christmas season?  Take a drive to Asheville and experience Christmas at the Biltmore.

This was our third trip to the Biltmore Estate, the first and third trip we toured the Biltmore House and the second trip we just enjoyed the grounds.  The first time we visited they were not allowing photos during the home tour, but at this time they are allowing them on self- guided tours.

The Biltmore is approximately 180,000 square feet and is the largest privately owned home in the United States.  It is truly breathtaking to see and pictures do not do it justice.

At Christmastime there is a 55-foot spruce tree on the front lawn decorated with thousands of twinkling lights.  They do not turn the tree lights on until later in the day, near dusk.

If you visit for the candlelight evenings, the tree is lit and illuminates  the whole front yard.  They also place bags with  tealights all the way around the drive for the evening tours.

Through January 6th there are two general ticket options to enter the Biltmore House, either Christmas Daytime Celebration or Candlelight Christmas Evenings.  Since we have visited before during the day, we decided to buy Candlelight Christmas Evenings tickets.

When you book the candlelight evening tour you have to book an entry time, even on weekdays.  We planned our trip for a Tuesday but waited to book our tickets until a few days prior.  By waiting we only had our choice of entry times at 8:30 PM and later.  This entry time was not terrible, as we did get to eat dinner before touring the house.  The Biltmore closes about an hour and a half after the last assigned tour time.  As a tip, try to book your tickets earlier to get the time you would like.  Also, many weekends will sell out of the candlelight tour times.

Self guided tour of the Biltmore House- Candlelight Evenings

As you enter the home they have booklets you can take on your self- guided tour that provide a brief description and history of each room.  You can also pay for an audio guide which will provide a more in depth verbal description of each room of the Biltmore for $12.99, the desk to rent these is located on the right once you walk in.

Most rooms will also have a knowledgeable employee who you can ask additional questions to, regarding the history of the home or the room you are currently in.

One reason we chose the Candlelight Evenings was to enjoy the choir and soloists playing within the house.  This added to the magical experience.  Most rooms had a fireplace that was lit and the sparkling Christmas lights made the night truly special.  When you first walk into the house the Entrance Hall is beautifully decorated with garland.  My absolute favorite rooms were the following:

Winter Garden

If you walk to the right when you enter the house you will see the beautiful Winter Garden.  We spent a lot of time around this room.  The choir was singing in the center and there were a few soloists here too.  We enjoyed listening to the music as well as touring the rooms around the garden.

Winter Garden
Winter Garden

Banquet Hall

This room is truly royal and has ceilings that are seven- stories high.  The real Christmas Tree is nearly 40 feet tall and adds to the splendor of the room.

Banquet Hall
Banquet Hall

Live Tree in Banquet Hall
Live Tree in Banquet Hall

Breakfast Room

This room features two paintings by Renoir: Child with an Orange and Young Algerian Girl.

Breakfast Room
Breakfast Room

Breakfast Room with two paintings by Renoir
Breakfast Room with two paintings by Renoir

Music Room

This room was completed in the 1970’s and includes 12 apostle figures and 12 candlesticks made in the mid 1700’s.

12 Porcelain Apostle Figures and 12 Candlesticks made in the mid 1700's
12 Porcelain Apostle Figures and 12 Candlesticks made in the mid 1700’s

Library

There are thousands, upon thousands of books that encompass this room. It is about half of the original collection George Vanderbilt had.  We stood in this room for several minutes enjoying the marvelous decor and number of books lining the shelves.  It makes you want to take one of the myriad of books and sit by the fireplace to read.

Library
Library

These rooms were all located on the first floor, so be sure to take your time enjoying them.  The other areas of the home were beautifully decorated too and it is amazing to think about how many staff it took to run this house back in the early 19th century when it was running.

George Vanderbilt’s bedroom

For the size of this home, we were surprised about the size of the bedrooms and closets.  While his bedroom was not tiny, we would have expected a larger space and bed considering the square footage of the home.

George Vanderbilt's bedroom
George Vanderbilt’s bedroom

Edith Vanderbilt’s bedroom

Edith Vanderbilt's bedroom
Edith Vanderbilt’s bedroom

Louis XV Room

This room is decorated in french woven silk velvet wall coverings.  Both Edith and Cornelia gave birth to their children in this room.

Louis XV Room
Louis XV Room

Main Kitchen

The copper pots hanging are the original.

Main Kitchen
Main Kitchen

Gymnasium
Gymnasium

As I mentioned before this was our second time actually touring the home.  I feel like we saw more rooms this time and at the end there was an exhibit we had definitely not seen before.

Halloween Room

This was a very unique room that I do not remember seeing on our last visit.  Cornelia Vanderbilt, her husband and other family and friends helped paint the walls in this room for a party.  This room also housed various displays of pictures and history further describing the numerous individuals involved in building and designing the home.  It’s amazing that George Vanderbilt built a railroad to run directly to the Biltmore for transportation of building materials, along with setting up building on site to produce materials.  It’s amazing that in the late 1800’s it only took 6 years to build such a magnificent and beautiful home.

In addition to all of these rooms there are many, many more to see.  Hard to believe right?  I would allow at least a few hours to tour the home so you will not feel rushed and you can thoroughly enjoy and explore each room.

If you are doing only the evening tour take some time to enjoy the grounds and shops either the afternoon before your tour or the day following. While it is fall/ winter at the Biltmore, unfortunately missing their beautiful springtime gardens, the Conservatory sure is a sight to see! There are so many beautiful and colorful flowers and plants which truly bring life to the winter season.

Conservatory

If you are staying on the Biltmore Estate, which I strongly recommend,  they have a shuttle that runs every 15 minutes from the hotels to the other areas on the Estate. The shuttles are great as the drivers are extremely knowledgeable. Every ride we took we learned a lot about the Biltmore history, feel free to ask them questions too! Plan to wait for the shuttle 30-45 minutes before your assigned time to allow time in case you miss the shuttle and have to wait an additional 15 minutes and to allow time for the stops on the way. You also cannot use any of the 43 bathrooms that are in the actual Biltmore house so you will want to use the public restrooms before entering the house.

Tickets for this special time of the year are more expensive than usual entry prices. If you book at least a week ahead of time you can get a discount on their website. Costco was also selling a two day pass (has to be consecutive days) for less than $65. This was for Daytime access, but you could pay an upgrade fee of around $25 to also visit during the Candlelight Evenings.

In addition to the house, Antler Village has restaurants, shops and the winery to visit.  I will go into more detail on these activities in my next post. You also get a free wine tasting included with your entry ticket to the Biltmore.

If you have the chance I would visit the Biltmore in the spring to enjoy the gardens and the winter to enjoy Christmas at Biltmore.  Merry Christmas!

Christmas in Atlanta

The hot summer days have come to an end, planning and cooking for Thanksgiving are over and now it is time for the most festive time of the year, the Christmas season! I’m dreaming of a white Christmas…. Perhaps we don’t want to wish for that in Atlanta, nobody wants to get stuck on the roads for hours if that happens!

Garden Lights at Atlanta Botanical Garden
Garden Lights at Atlanta Botanical Garden

We have been lucky as the beginning of December started off unseasonably warm in Atlanta, which means we may have longer to enjoy the fall leaves and colors!  Just this past weekend we spent the day in Piedmont Park and took some incredible pictures of the changing leaves.  If you haven’t done that this season, I would head their soon before all the beautiful leaves fall and are subject to our numerous leaf blowers!

Piedmont Park in early December
Piedmont Park in early December

If you are looking for ideas of what to do in Atlanta this season, here are a few of our favorite:

1.) Enjoy the evening at Christmas with Atlanta Master Chorale at the Schwartz Center for Performing Arts at Emory University– This has to be one of our absolute favorite things to do this time of year.  This year the concert is December 15-16th (Saturday and Sunday). They are absolutely wonderful and this has been a yearly tradition for us the past 5 years.  Their voices are heavenly and there is nothing better than spending the night listening to them sing.

Atlanta Master Chorale Program 2017
Atlanta Master Chorale Program 2017

2.) Stroll through the Garden Lights at the Atlanta Botanical Gardens– This is yet another one of our favorite traditions.  We finally became members this year and every season the gardens surprise us with something new.  I don’t know how they continue to make Garden Lights prettier every year.  You can even enjoy a cocktail as you stroll through the garden in the evening. One of our favorite areas last year (which they have this year too) was Nature’s Wonders which includes 1,600 strands of lights with over 70,000 color changing lights that are synchronized to music and motion.  Definitely a must see this holiday season!

Garden Lights at Atlanta Botanical Garden- Nature's Wonders
Garden Lights at Atlanta Botanical Garden- Nature’s Wonders

Garden Lights at Atlanta Botanical Garden
Garden Lights at Atlanta Botanical Garden

3.) See a show at the Fox Theatre– We saw Irving Berlin’s White Christmas this year which was amazing!  Unfortunately the last show for White Christmas has aired at the Fox, but you can still catch the Nutcracker and other shows to get you into the Christmas spirit this month.

Fox Theatre
Fox Theatre

4.) Join the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra for their annual weekend of Christmas with the ASO.  This year it will be held on December 8th and 9th with two shows each day at 3 and 8pm.  A perfect time to enjoy Christmas carols and hymns!

5.) Attend Brookhaven Holiday on the Town– This is a great smaller holiday gathering, which includes Santa, reindeer (yes actual reindeer!), sleigh rides, store specials, Christmas tree lighting and more! It takes place in Town Brookhaven which is a smaller community allowing you to avoid crowds yet still see Santa (without reservations) and enjoy the holiday spirit.

Holiday on the Town at Town Brookhaven Reindeer
Holiday on the Town at Town Brookhaven Reindeer

Holiday on the Town at Town Brookhaven
Holiday on the Town at Town Brookhaven

6.) Drive to Christmas at the Biltmore– If you have time this holiday season take a drive out to Asheville North Carolina, which is about a 3 to 3.5 hour drive from Atlanta to visit the Biltmore House.  It is about 180,000 square feet (unbelievable, right?), has 65 fireplaces, a Banquet Hall with 70-foot ceilings and so much amazing history and priceless artifacts within. It is truly a magical place this time of year so book your stay and tickets early!  You can choose between the Christmas Daytime Celebration and the Candlelight Christmas Evenings or do both.  The daytime and evening visits are beautiful, but if you would like to hear a live choir, soloists, view the house in candle light and enjoy the enormous spruce tree lit up in front of the house than the evening self guided tour is for you.  You can choose to take a tour, rent an audio guide or do the self guided tour yourself.  We did the self- guided tour this time, as we have already taken a tour on a previous visit.  We read about each room through the pamphlet you can pick up at the entrance and there are knowledgeable guides in most rooms that can assist you with any questions and give you more information.  Also, don’t miss the conservatory which is filled with absolutely beautiful and colorful plants which certainly brighten your stay in winter.

Christmas at the Biltmore- View of Biltmore House at night
Christmas at the Biltmore- View of Biltmore House at night

Christmas at the Biltmore- Winter Garden
Christmas at the Biltmore- Winter Garden

Christmas at the Biltmore- Foyer
Christmas at the Biltmore- Foyer

Christmas at the Biltmore- Library
Christmas at the Biltmore- Library

Christmas at the Biltmore- Conservatory
Christmas at the Biltmore- Conservatory

7.) Attend Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol at the Shakespeare TavernThe Atlanta Shakespeare Company has been performing this show for over 20 years.  You can order food and beverages before the show to enjoy before or during the show and they offer drinks and desserts at Intermission.  They do not sell food during the actual performance.  You buy seats in a particular seating area and then it is first come first serve for the actual seat in that seating area once you arrive.  If you would like a better seat, try to arrive close to when the doors open.

Shakespeare Tavern- A Christmas Carol
Shakespeare Tavern- A Christmas Carol

Shakespeare Tavern- A Christmas Carol
Shakespeare Tavern- A Christmas Carol

8.) Ice Skate at Park Tavern in Piedmont Park- Enjoy a daytime or evening skate at the rink at Park Tavern.  If going during the daytime you can enjoy views of the midtown skyline and Piedmont Park while staying warm under the heated tent.

Park Tavern Ice Skating Rink
Park Tavern Ice Skating Rink

9.) Watch the Budweiser Clydesdales- They are making a one time appearance in Town Brookhaven on Saturday December 15th.  They are arriving at around 3PM and participating in a parade around the town.  I have never seen them, but this is something I will not miss!

There are so many more wonderful events going on in Atlanta this season, but these are just some of my favorites.  I wish everyone a Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

 

 

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