Introducing...

Jack Cohen!

Born at 8:02am, Tuesday October 14th 2008.

Weighing 6 lbs. 11oz. 20 in. long. (my biggest baby yet!)

Delivery was a dream. I was so worried about the medicine. I had a great experience with an epidural (Gillian), and an awful one with a spinal (Josh), so I didn't want another spinal. But after discussing it with the anesthesiologist, I opted for another spinal. He convinced me that he'd be able to reduce any nausea that I might experience. As soon as I started feeling woozy and sick, I told him and within 10 seconds, I was nice and comfortable again (well, as comfortable as one can be when one is being sliced in two and one's guts are being all twisted around and rearranged). I got nauseous four times in the span of the delivery, and each and every time it was taken care of quickly. I was VERY grateful to be able to enjoy the delivery.

Jack has dark hair, and he has such similar features to his big brother and sister. When Miss Gillie was born, she looked like a porcelain doll. She was born with bright red, curly hair from the get-go and had skin so light it was almost translucent. Josh was born with dark hair and had a bit more color to his skin (In fact, he tans when out in the sun. The rest of us just burn). He had a lot more skin and was especially wrinkly. To me, with his wrinkles and furrowed brow, he looked like a grumpy old man. I thought he was especially precious! When I first laid eyes on Jack, he looked like a softer version of the grumpy old man. He had fewer wrinkles than Josh, but still had them (along with a killer furrowed brow). He looked like a softer version of Josh, as if a bit of porcelain-DNA snuck in there. Such a beautiful combination of my two older kiddos. Only time will tell if his hair stays dark or if it lightens to a blond like Josh's did. Gillie's eyes are hazel (like mine) and Josh's are chocolate brown (like his daddy's). Right now, Jack has that steely grey/blue color that so many babies have, so it could turn into anything. I read that if a baby is born with brown eyes that they will stay brown, but if they're born with the blue-ish color, it can change into any color.

(warning: boob talk dead ahead)

Jack is an awesome eater. I was really praying to be able to breastfeed. After my daughter was born, I had a breast reduction. Doing so broke the connection from my milk ducts to my, uh well, you know. So after Josh was born, the milk all came in but couldn't get out. I tried all kinds of weird contraptions to try to get some milk, any milk, out but to no avail. For the last couple of months of this pregnancy, I noticed that I was leaking. I got my hopes all up that I'd be able to feed Jack, and things were looking good when they wheeled me into the recovery room, and he latched on right away and seemed to drink me dry. But after that initial feeding, nothing. Nada. Zilch. Nothing was coming out. The nurses started pushing the formula on me right away. I was really discouraged and frustrated by that, but they said that they've seen post-reduction milk production before, and it's never enough anyway, even if you can get some out at a time. I still wanted to give it the ol' college try, but I had to put lay down my dreams and face reality and so now we're formula feeding. (Although, just this morning, I attempted breastfeeding again - yes, knowing full well that any stimulation of the breasts will only produce MORE engorgement - and he latched on and got a few drops. I'd rather be massively engorged and uncomfortable than not try to feed him what little milk does find its way out.) When I was engorged with Josh, I spent the first few weeks with cabbage leaves and bags of frozen peas held close to my breasts by an ace bandage. I have produce up to my chin in all the pictures from those weeks. This time I decided to go a different route and purchase a killer sports bra. It feels like I'm being hugged by a bear, but it's smushing me all in and keeping me semi-comfortable for now. I pray this solution lasts until the milk dries up.

Ok, so Jack is stirring, and I wanna snuggle with my little mister now, so I'll leave you for now. I have lots of pictures of family and friends oohing and ahhing at Jack that I will post at some point, but for now enjoy these precious shots of God's amazing handiwork!