Introducing Gavin Cooper!

So not much has changed since I last updated my blog.... well, other than the fact that SPARKLE ARRIVED!!!! And "sparkle" probably should have been referred to as "Spark" because we had a BOY!! I don't know why I'm writing like this is news to all of you! Most, if not everyone, who reads this already knows that and probably has already met our little guy. But if you haven't heard then first, find a new gossip in your town because you aren't being kept up to date very well and second, let me introduce you. Gavin Cooper was born February 17th at 9:59am via emergency C-section. He weighed 7 lbs 10 oz and was 21 inches long. Here's a quick over view of why we ended up having to have a C-section. I had worked that night prior to delivering him and had been contracting all night. Around 6:15 am as my night was getting ready to end, I put myself on the monitor just to see how close the contractions were and if I was feeling all of them or whether I was really having more. Once I was on the monitor I saw that I was having contractions, but that Gavin's heart rate wasn't reactive. When a heart rate is reactive it means there's a bunch of fluctuations in the HR and that's a good sign telling us the baby is adequately oxygenated. Sometimes when the baby sleeps it looks non-reactive, which is what we thought was going on. So I drank lots of sugary drinks and chewed ice cubes to try and wake the baby up to get a reactive strip. By 7 am he still wasn't reactive and so I was admitted in the labor room for a non reactive strip. I called Jason then and told him he should come in and just hang out with me for awhile until the baby woke up. The doctor and midwife came in around 8:15am and still his heart rate wasn't looking good and was starting to have subtle decelerations which were a sign that he wasn't getting enough oxygen and was getting stressed. The doctor said she didn't like how the baby looked and didn't want to wait and try and induce me naturally, that a c-section would be the best route. So TA-DA! Into the operating room we went. Talk about a weird feeling! You go to work never thinking in a million years that you'd clock out at 7am and be in the OR having your baby 2 hours later! The funny thing was that I'd been taking care of a laboring patient all night and I ended up delivering before her! Thankfully Gavin did great immediately after delivery and came out screaming. Still not really sure what caused the strip to look like that. Maybe because I'd been fighting a cold and then having worked all night it stressed him. But it's a happy ending! He's doing amazing and has totally changed our lives 100% for the better. He had his one month check up last week and already weighs 9 lbs 8 oz. Enjoy the pics!! I'll try and keep updating, but find my free time has decreased dramatically (and I wouldn't change it for anything!!)

My blog is in need of CPR...

It's been so long since I've written that I'm pretty sure my blog has started to collect dust. A quick update since I've last blogged. I had the baby...it's now 4 years old and going to pre-school everyday. I lost LOTS of weight after the baby was born and after getting super buff, I now make a living as a Sports Illustrated swimsuit model. Jason is a professional hockey player for the Hurricaines and we all lived happily ever after!

Alright maybe it hasn't been quite THAT long since updating. Honestly, I'm updating because Jason told me I probably should. I don't know what he thinks I do all day. Doesn't he know I'm working hard? First, I wake up and after kicking my way through the mounds of dirty laundry that has overtaken our bedroom, I get on-line and finish a quick 2-3 hour review of blogspot and facebook to make sure I haven't missed anything that's happened in anyone's life over night. Obviously he doesn't understand what a job that is! Then I eat roughly 4 bowls of cereal and move the 40 dirty dishes out of the sink so I can run water down the kitchen sink drain to try and get rid of the smell of curdled milk/ spoiled meat that develops after neglecting the dishes for 4 weeks. Does Jason know realize how much work it is to move all those dirty dishes out of the sink to just move them back in again? Then, I run upstairs to the computer where I spend another 3 hours on facebook reupdating myself on what may have happened while I was eating breakfast. Next, I take a 5 hour nap to rebuild my strength and then wake up in time to call Jason on his way home and tell him I've been too busy to make supper and that he should probably grab something for us on his way home.....so as you can see I have hardly had time to update my blog since I've been working around the house so much!

Okay so since I'm here I might as well give you a REAL update. I have NOT had the baby, so you'd better go call back those people you quickly dialed to ask why you hadn't heard the news or received invites to any of the baby's 4 birthday parties! I'm currently 34 weeks pregnant and feeling like roughly the size of a Greyhound bus. (I'm also being reminded by friends, coworkers, and family members, that this is, in fact, true...) I had an ultrasound at 30 weeks and at that time they said the baby was already 4lbs. Translation= BIG BABY! Usually babies are closer to 2 lbs at that time. The doctor wants me to have another ultrasound within the next couple of weeks to see how big the baby is now and to decide if I may need to deliver earlier so I don't have a 13 pound toddler!

Here's a self pic of me. My mom had requested one, and since the professional photographer that usually follows me around was in the bathroom, I took one of myself. I find the best way to take pictures is so you're looking down to really accent your double chin. (notice I'm on the phone...probably telling Jason how busy I've been working or placing my take out order!)

Mom, Dad, Jeff and Britta came up for Christmas/ New Years and helped us SO much in getting the baby's room finished. We had so much fun and I think it turned out super cute. Jason just finished staining the dresser and armiore this past weekend and we finally have the room put together!

So, even though I missed blogging a lot of important things these past few months (like my baby shower, pictures of my family up visiting..etc) I have been pretty busy. I'm still feeling great (other than back pain) and I've just been trying to take it easy and enjoy the last bit of my pregnancy. I really DO work (sometimes!)...I'm still working 12 hour nights and in the mean time trying to get everything ready for Sparkle's arrival! I'll try and be more diligent in updating....so please be patient with me!!