the postcard project.

Cooper's first postcard is in the mail!


We travel a lot. I grew up taking trips with my family, many of which I don't remember or can remember bits and pieces when my parents tell me stories...


In an effort to help Cooper remember (and us too) we have decided to start what we are calling, the postcard project.


Every trip that we take with Cooper, we will mail him a postcard describing the highlights of that trip.


Postcard #1: A souvenir postcard from Toomer's Drugs. This drugstore is considered an Auburn landmark and is famous for its fresh squeezed lemonade. I loved the lemonade (Rick did not).


We aren't exactly sure what we will do with these postcards. For now we will collect them in a photo box but eventually they will end up in a photo album or a creative artsy-craftsy project that I will invent. We shall see... we already have more trips planned (which means more postcards!) to Key West and Chicago.


Cooper was born to travel! He did so well on our flight back. This time he had just eaten an hour ago so he didn't get fed nor did he suck on his pacifier. He laughed and giggled while Grandad talked to him. He did awesome on take off, landing and everything in between. If he could eat ice cream, I would've gotten him the biggest scoop!

baby's first tailgate

Cooper had a lot of firsts this weekend.


First airplane ride. First dip in a swimming pool. First dip in a whirlpool (don't worry it wasn't set very hot and we only let him put his toes in). First postcard (more about this later). First tailgate. First football game. First loss. :(


I am still pretty bummed LSU lost. But if I had to pick, an awesome plane ride or LSU winning, I think I would've gone with an awesome plane ride. Coop did so good! I fed him on the way up and he slept the rest of the flight.


I am learning more and more about Cooper's personality. He is definitely a laid back, sort of go with the flow kinda guy.


When Grandad and Coop got in the pool yesterday you could see his brow furrow like he wasn't too sure about it but still soaked it all in. I think the temperature threw him for a loop, which is why we let him put his toes in the whirlpool. He definitely liked that more. I am sooo thankful he is not one of those babies that screams at the first sign of something new! It seems that so long as he is eased into new situations, he takes to them.


I count my blessings everyday. I know we hit the jackpot with this little man.

a stomach bug hits hard.

This has been quite the week.

Monday evening I started feeling really funny in my belly. I didn't think anything of it considering I had a C-section 6 weeks prior and just went back to work. I figured, becoming active again was working out the kinks in my belly from the surgery...

Long story, short I ended up in and out of the bathroom throughout the night and all the next 2 days!!! Some stomach bug. I went to the doctor on Tuesday morning and was so dehydrated, I had to get a bag of iv fluids. Thursday, I felt well enough to go back to school but by the end of the day my belly was all weird again. Friday, I felt even better in the morning but by the afternoon pretty run down.

We had tickets to VCU's Black and Gold Ball and reservations at the Hard Shell for dinner Friday night. I was so bummed I was feeling so crappy because I had been looking forward to this for a few weeks now, even though it meant leaving Cooper for the first time. Rick rented a tux and I bought a new dress. Mom and I were even getting our hair done!

Somehow, my body must have known because as soon as we sat down at the Hardshell, I started feeling a little better. 

We ended up having a blast. Spending almost the entire night learning/playing craps. Can't wait to go to Vegas to try out my new dice rolling skills!

It was the perfect night out!

Where do I even begin?

My life has changed more than I could ever have imagined and now I really do have all the good excuses for why I haven't been keeping up with this blog. Ironically, at the time when I need to be giving it even more attention to report all the amazing changes that are happening...


Like how Cooper smiled for the first time. Not the gassy kind of smile but the face and eyes light up kind of smile. And how instantly, I cried. I can't even explain the joy that was in my heart when he looked up with that toothless grin and giggled. (I hear this is the "mom bug" that is unavoidable. I  still swore I wasn't going to be that weepy/sappy mother.)

Or how Delaney's face lit up when she met him for the first time. She was so gentle with him like she knew how fragile he was and all she could talk about was how cute he is. And when she was ready to stop sharing her Grandad and Goose and Mommy with Cooper she would say "Cooper wants you Auntie."

These little moments we have been witnessing seem so insignificant in the moment but yet are so special. I just hope with the help of this blog, I will be able to remember them all.


So here is my pledge, I vow to blog at least once a week. I am going to schedule 30 minutes to dedicate to this blog Sunday evenings to make it a priority. Not just for you, but for Cooper and for his mother who never thought she would catch the mom bug.

random photo

Sweet little man in his froggy jammies!

our newest addition!

Meet...

Cooper James Rice

born Monday, August 30, 2010 at 8:13am

8 lbs 11 oz, 21 inches


a few photos for those non-facebookers...

cooper's birth story...finally!

So last time we were celebrating our 2 year anniversary! Gosh, so much has happened in the last 3 weeks its hard to know where to begin... and I must apologize this is a LONG post...

So our due date was fast approaching and Cooper showed no signs of being ready to join us. I was going to the doctor once a week, each time leaving school expecting not to return! And as you have probably guessed, getting more miserable/hot/swollen by each passing day. I was READY to have this baby!

Yeah, yeah, I know everyone kept telling us, get sleep while you can, enjoy it while you can.. blah blah blah I was not enjoying being the size of a whale. I could barely get out of bed all 4 million times I had to get up to pee. I really just didn't want to be pregnant anymore.

Then our due date came and went. Coop was still showing no signs of being ready. Each appointment turned me to absolute mush... instant crying the minute we got in the car to once again leave St. Mary's empty handed. It was seriously starting to feel like I would be pregnant for the rest of my life.

My go-to joke was that this was some sick joke. I wasn't actually pregnant, I just gained a bunch of weight. There actually wasn't a baby in there...

Are you starting to see how desperate I was?

Friday, August 27th my doctor scheduled yet another ultrasound to check on the baby. She said the previous Monday that we would make some decisions based on the ultrasound findings. These were the options she mentioned on Monday... a) hope that my body and baby were ready and I would go into labor on my own b) induce labor (multiple different ways were options) but with my closed cervix and the baby not engaged in my pelvic cavity at all would 50% likely result in a c-section after hours of trying to force labor OR c) elect to have a c-section.

So basically the whole week I cried. I had stopped working so needless to say had a lot of time on my hands which was mostly spent crying. I prayed more than I have ever prayed. I called my sister and sought her advice. And then cried some more...

I tried to let go. Every time I let go, God usually shows me the right answer. But as much as I tried, I couldn't let go. I had spent the better part of the last 10 months focused on not having a C-section. I wanted a natural childbirth more than anything else (well besides a healthy baby). But I was starting to feel like there was a C-section in my future...

Then I realized my goals were unrealistic. Just like my doctor said from the very beginning of this pregnancy, the way the baby comes will be up to the baby. He will guide us on his birthday, not the other way around. It was time to focus on things I could control and let go of the rest.

If I couldn't be guaranteed to hold him, I at least wanted to remember him being born. After talking with many women, including my doctor, it seemed that inducing labor with my circumstances wouldn't be successful and if I had to have a C-section after days of labor, I wouldn't remember it.

After a long week, we decided if nothing had changed at our appointment on Friday, we would elect to  have a C-section, end the waiting game and meet our little man. And sure enough, there had been zero change. At 5pm on Friday afternoon, my doctor was able to schedule a C-section for Monday morning (August 30). She said hopefully I would go into labor on my own over the weekend but if not, we would check one last time Monday morning to make sure inducing labor wasn't a better option but otherwise to plan on a C-section.

Monday morning rolls around and we are beyond excited. It took many long days of praying and crying to come to the conclusion that a C-section was the best option. We were both VERY excited our long wait was coming to an end. Little did we know how important this decision would be....

We were told to be at the hospital at 6am but in our excitement arrived a little early. The first nurse we had was very quick to voice her opinion on our elective C-section. Multiple different times she made comments about how weird it was that my doctor agreed to perform surgery when induction wasn't even attempted. I responded as politely as you can at 5:45am when someone is telling you that you are making a mistake. It took all of my energy not to tell her how unprofessional she was being. Last time I checked this was my body and the decision was between my doctor, my husband and me and had absolutely nothing to do with her. Thankfully, Rick kept reminding me that we came to this decision carefully and not to listen to her. 

Thank God for shift change because the next nurse we had was the polar opposite. She asked the same questions but instead of telling us we were making a mistake, she totally got it. She never questioned our decision. She was goofy and sweet and kept us laughing all the way through Cooper's birth. 

They checked me one last time to discover there was no change. Cooper was coming via C-section. I couldn't believe it was finally here. I was scared, nervous, excited, ya know about everything you can feel all at once.

Fast forward through the incision.... Rick was sitting next to me. He was white as a ghost in his scrubs but telling me how excited he was. I hear them tell us it's a boy and then my doctor says, Rick you are going to want to get a picture of this... and holds up the umbilical cord that is tied in a knot, a loose knot but a real knot. As Rick pulls out the camera the doctor precedes to tell us that these knots cause still births. The nurses are now explaining to me had we tried induction, the knot would've tightened cutting off all of Cooper's blood and oxygen, resulting in what they referred to as a "fire alarm" c-section, meaning we would've raced to the OR to have an emergency C-section and I would've been put to sleep. I wouldn't have my husband or my memory. 

I still have yet to hear my baby cry. I hear still birth and no baby cry and start asking Rick over and over if he is okay. Of course he was okay. Healthy as a horse, but with a little fluid in his lungs. I immediately start crying. Not because I just had a baby but because I am beyond happy to have been led down this path.

I am so happy we decided to have a c-section. Who knows what could've happened to our sweet baby boy if we had chosen option a or b.

After we got to visit with Cooper for a few minutes, they whisked him off to the nursery to make sure his lungs would get the fluid out. I just lay there in shock while they close me up, absolute shock that my baby has had a knot in his umbilical cord for the better part of this pregnancy. There is no doubt based on his size (and mine!) that he was getting nourishment throughout the pregnancy. 

I am so thankful that I was able to let go and give it to God. Because he is my little miracle. He was meant to come via C-section and he was meant to be ours! :)

Ps. Pictures to be posted soon! Will not be sharing the actually surgery pictures because they are a bit vulgar, so if you would like to see the umbilical cord, I can email it. :)