B N K ♥ BLOG

Ace is 3 months old & such an incredible, healthy, happy, little lovebug!!! For anyone interested in following our family adventures & seeing a BILLION photos of Ace, send us a request on Instagram to @thenaellakeatons  ♥ 

Ace Wilson Born May 4th, 2015 6:23pm 7lbs 6oz 20.5" (full moon)

After a couple of hours of ER care, he was breathing on his own and crying the sweetest cry. A chest x-ray showed he had aspirated a decent amount of fluid, and it seemed a bacterial infection had developed and spread to the amniotic fluid. We were moved to a room and stayed 3 days in the hospital with him receiving oxygen, a dose of antibiotics and IV support. He improved fast, and we were discharged on day 4. The pediatrician (Dr. Herr) and staff at Vernon Memorial Hospital in Viroqua were exceptional. And to our soul-deep delight, our little man pulled through!!!!

Got "THE" phone call from Havvah on Sunday evening, May 3rd –   contractions were becoming steady, labor seemed to have officially begun!!!!  We had been staying in Madison, WI at Mariah's mom's house to be closer to Viroqua (where our home birth was planned to take place). We threw everything into our Jeep, and hit the road! Mom followed. It was a full moon, and driving through rural Wisconsin was surreal as a lightning storm filled the sky in front of us the whole way. Amish horse-drawn buggies scattered throughout. We both felt an intense mix of excitement & anxiety. We arrived to find Havvah outside walking in the warm rain with her partner, encouraging the labor to progress. What a feeling, our baby boy was ready to be born (!!!!!!) at just about 39 weeks gestational age  ♥♥♥

All packed up and ready for our temporary relocation to Wisconsin! Considering the fact that Havvah’s son was born in just 2 hours, we decided it would be best to be closer (our son’s birth is planned to take place in Viroqua at Havvah’s home. From Chicago it’s about a 6 hour drive!). Might be in Wisconsin 1 week, might be there 5 weeks.... however it works out, we’re ready and on our way!

Momma & baby packing list ♥  It was so bizarre and sweet packing a suitcase for our son!!! Life is about to drastically change in 5.....4.....3.....2.....

Lovelace Bamboo Maxi by ZhenNymph

Havvah sent us this video this morning (says he has been camera shy, so it took a while to get… But she finally got it!!!). Our baby boy is super active!! And our hearts are bursting with gratitude and excitement! Look at him in there!!!! 💗

Heading back to Wisconsin this weekend for another visit with our midwife, and to see Havvah and love on this belly!

20 week ultrasound: Anomaly Scan & Sex Reveal  (from December 18th)

With Havvah, our midwife, Lindsey Kroll and her sweet baby, Cora (George is behind the camera!) in front of the family practice in Lancaster, WI where we had our 20-week ultrasound. This place was fantastic. Our nurse had 14+ years experience and was able to talk us through everything we were seeing during the ultrasound (such a difference from common conventional clinics these days where the sonographer lacks the knowledge or is simply not "allowed" to speak about anything!). Our midwife recommended this clinic because of this, their down-to-earth approach to care and out-of-pocket pay option & discount, considering that we are having to pay for all of our baby & Havvah's prenatal care with no help from our insurance or hers (due to insurance "surrogacy exclusions": her body = so our insurance won't cover anything.... and our baby = so her insurance won't cover anything. It's NUTS. This will all be different in about 5 years when laws catch up to technology, but this is our timing.). This was Havvah's first late-pregnancy ultrasound ever, it was pretty wild for her to see what she is feeling; our baby boy wiggling and kicking and squirming around ♥ ♥ ♥ Just crazy cool!!!! He's looking good in there! All organs seem to be doing what they should be, spine looks good, no cleft palate, growth is on track. Our hearts are bursting.

We did a fun family holiday photo shoot with the talented women of Vavoom Pinups, and sent them out as Holiday "update & thank you" cards and emails. 200+ cards went into the mail, to many different countries across the world! We are so grateful for each and every one of our Baby-Backers. What a year 2014 was for us. So excited to welcome our son into the world in 2015!!!!!

Havvah and I were unintentional twins for our 17-week midwife appointment ♥ I grew up with all brothers, and I'm guessing this is what it feels like to have a [really awesome] sister.  Team BNK right here!

On Sunday (11/30), George, Havvah and I had our second session with our amazing midwife, Lindsey. We decided to meet at the yoga studio that Havvah teaches in for the sake of convenience. Our baby's heartbeat sounds so strong (in the 150's) ♥ CHILLS! Almost to the halfway mark! It is amazing for us to be at this point in our journey. We are full of gratitude every single day for the love and support of our "Baby-Backers"!!! What an amazing and challenging year 2014 was. And how sweet and rewarding it is to hear the sound of this little heart beating now!!! Havvah says she feels "great", thankfully. We have always prayed in our ways that this pregnancy not be rough on her. Next appointment we find out if our little Baby Naella-Keaton (BNK) is a boy or girl!!! Ahhhhhhh!

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From Havvah: "Lucah 'listening' to the baby" 💗 Heart melt.

We listened to this video over & over again the entire drive back to Chicago ♥. Chills. Our midwife [who also helped to deliver Havvah's son, Lucah] is Lindsey Kroll, CPM, LM in Avoca, WI. She is an incredible woman & so good at what she does! Warm and professional. Highly recommended.