Save the North Shore Birth Center!

I just received an email from Jennie at Crunchy Granola Baby (Salem, MA). Apparently there is a proposal to close down the North Shore Birth Center at Beverly Hospital. While I didn't give birth there, I know how valuable the Birth Center is. It would be a tragedy to lose such an important place. Here is the body of the email that I received (you can also join the cause on Facebook):

Immediate Action is Needed Dear Friends,
The North Shore Birth Center has provided all of my birthing care, including pre and post natal, and they continue to provide me with superb care. It is the perfect place to plan for a natural, unmedicated birth, in the care of compassionate, capable midwives. It is a safe place to have a "home like" birth. That may change, the Birth Center is in danger and needs our help.Please advocate for our right to choose where we would like to birth. I am asking you to share your Birth stories and experiences about the North Shore Birth Center with the Northeast Health System's Board of Trustees. They need to know how much the center means to so many of us and how having the center allowed so many of us the opportunity to have the birth we desire. Lets let the Board know how important the Birth Center is to all of us by sharing with them our own Birth experiences.

Thank you,Jennie and Tommie
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Save the Birth Center!!!
There is a very serious move to stop all births at the North Shore Birth Center. It is being recommended to the Board of Trustees of Northeast Health Corporation that all birth center patients be required to labor and birth at Beverly Hospital. NSBC would continue to provide Gyn and prenatal care at their current site. On November 18th there will be a proposal to the Board of Trustees of Northeast Health Corporation to no longer allow women to labor or birth at the North Shore Birth Center. The North Shore Birth Center was established in 1980 to meet the needs of 'low risk women' wanting an alternative to home and hospital births. Since then the North Shore Birth Center has birthed over 6,494 babies, providing quality, low cost, compassionate care in an alternative setting. Letters in support of the North Shore Birth Center can be sent to your local paper and to:
Northeast Health System's Board of Trustees
c/o Mary Ellen Lear, Secretary
Beverly Hospital
85 Herrick Street
Beverly, MA 01915
For more information contact Pav Kneedler at Kneedlerpd@comcast.net

Ains is almost 7 months...

First "Solid"

Our first attempt at liquified bananas...its a start, though she still has the thrusting reflex with her tongue.  Oh, and she has two teeth...

Cheers

Ains in the Chair

Ains gets a tooth

That's right, after many cranky days Ainsley got her first tooth last Thursday. She's now working on number two. Fun. As you can see, she enjoys "brushing" her tooth. Except for when she pokes herself in the eye.

Doin' the Puyallup!

Here's Ains at her first Puyallup Fair! Next time she'll be big enough to enjoy all of the animals!

Apparently all of the walking around wore Ainsley out. I saw this nice armchair and thought I would try it out. As I sat down I asked, "What do you think of this chair Ains?" As we leaned back, her arms flopped out, her head dropped back against me, and her eyes fluttered closed. It was hilarious--the passersby all enjoyed it too! My eyes are closed just to make the photo look better. :)

Honey...we're home...

Well, we've been back in WA for 12 days now. It still feels like vacation to a certain degree, but I think that we're starting to settle in a bit. We still have quite a lot to unpack and sort through, but at least we're not living out of a suitcase. Ains is starting to hit her rhythm too, which is nice because she's the one who needs some sense of normalcy the most.

The three girls (my mom, Ains, and I) went to the Puyallup fair on opening day. It was a lot of fun and Ains was really good. I have a great story and picture to share...but you'll have to wait for another post for that. We had scones (mmmm...) and checked out all of the exhibition halls. The weather was perfect and you can't really beat getting in for free. :)

Yesterday we checked out the local Episcopal church (also called Christ Church). We were prepared for anything because while the website didn't have anything posted that would cause concern we still didn't know where the church stood on some things. Thankfully, we didn't have any outright heresy or teaching that is contrary to what we believe. The service was "short" (a mere 70 minutes) and the people were really nice. We were greeted during the peace by a good number of folks --including Father Ben-- as well as after the service. We would have stayed for a bit more of the fellowship hour time but Ains was tired and hungry which doesn't usually bode well for being social. We'll likely go back this Sunday and hopefully their choir will be singing. That should be good.

Joshua starts work tomorrow at his new Starbucks and I am still looking for employment. I hate finding new jobs, and it's all the more difficult now that I actually am getting to be a stay at home mom. I know that it can't last, but I am loathe to give it up. Please continue to pray for us as I look for a job and we settle back in to life in the NW.

ps...to our MA peeps...we MISS you all so much!!! just thought you should know....