Caleb MacDonald Cook

It has been a crazy 5 weeks in our house! We are sleep deprived, a little stressed, and besides a few baby blues, extremely happy! Caleb is such a sweet little boy and we are so happy to have him in our family. It is hard to imagine how we went through life without him!

As mentioned by my sister Kami in the last post, I still had not decided on a middle name for Caleb. I had always planned on using MacDonald, but then started to seriously consider using Loveridge (my maiden name). In the end (meaning a few hours before I was to be released from the hospital) I decided to still go with MacDonald (I have wanted the name Caleb and the name MacDonald for about 7 years now). My Grandma Loveridge's maiden name was McDonald, and although she died a year before I was born, I've always felt a special connection to her. While in my youth I was not quite sure where this came from. My mom was great at telling us about Grandma and I could tell how much my mom and dad loved her, which always made a great impression on me. Then on my mission I had a special experience where it was obvious to me and my family that she was watching over me as my own special guardian angle. So I have always wanted to honor her through naming one of my children after her. Also, my dad's name is Mac, which his mother took from her maiden name....so MacDonald seemed to be a perfect fit for my sweet little boy. I've also always had a very special relationship with my dad, so I was very happy to name Caleb after him and his mother.

My Dad's Parents

Reva V. McDonald Loveridge

Elwood Carson Loveridge

My Dad: Mac Loveridge

Memorial Day 2009: The day after Caleb and I came home from the hospital. We went to Grandma's grave since we had just middle named Caleb after her.

Just a few more details about the delivery: I was due on June 2nd, so when I felt some contractions on May 20th I didn't think it would amount to much. Well, at 2:00am on the 21st I woke up in serious pain and I wasn't sure if my water broke or if I had peed the bed (I wouldn't have been surprised had it been the latter...he he). So I eventually went back to bed and tried to wait it out. Soon I had peed my pants again and by this time Greg had woken up and was sure it was not that I lost control of my bladder. I didn't want to head to the hospital because I really did not want to be sent home. So we waited a bit and then started timing my contractions and they were every 3-4 minutes. By this time it was 4 am and we called Greg's mom to come over and watch Nicole while we headed to the hospital. Before we left we both took a shower and I got something to eat. Greg's mom was furious and ordered us out of the house saying "I am NOT going to deliver this baby...now get!" I wasn't in serious pain until we got in the car and started driving to Orem. I have never experienced pain like that before and all I could do the whole way there was grab onto the handle and say "Oh sh**" over and over. I think some swear words were appropriate for the occasion! :) We got to the hospital around 4:45am (by this time I could hardly walk) and when the nurse checked me I was dialated to 7 cm. They couldn't believe I was that far long before I came to the hospital. You could tell this was my first delivery and I had NO idea what I was doing. I had my epidural by 5:30am. What a gift from heaven that was!! It took three tries for it to work. When he was putting the needle in for the third time (the needle to give the numbing agent) I started to cry for the first time that morning. I wasn't crying because it hurt (although it did) but because I was so scared it wasn't going to work. Greg, in true Greg fashion, held my hand and said "Be tough, no tears, come on..be tough." What a bleeding heart he is! :)

By 7am my mom and sisters had arrived to my room. They brought Pepsi, carmel popcorn and donuts and had the nerve to eat them right in front of me!! I was beyond jealous, not to mention starving. But I had to stick with my ice water and grape juice.

But we had a great time together, talking and laughing. Greg left to get some breakfast and mom and Kami and Kristi left to let me try to take a nap. My mind was going a million miles an hour and there was no sleep on the horizon, so I called everyone and told them to come back. We had lots of laughs together and it only got better (well, for a while). The epidural stopped me from dialating, so they gave me some petocin and soon I was to 10cm and ready to push. I started pushing at 10 am.

Greg held my head while I pushed and my mom and sisters also assisted and kept the conversation and laughs going. In fact, I actually missed a few pushes because I couldn't push because I was laughing too hard. Also, I missed a few because the nurse was laughing and forgot to have me push on a few contractions. Who knew labor could be so fun??? Well, the fun ended around noon when Caleb was just not progressing. I gave it my all and pushed as hard as I could, but nothing. It was was now 12:30 pm and I had been pushing for 2 1/2 hrs. Soon the doctor came in and said a C-Section was my only option. For the second time that morning I started to cry (I'm sure Greg was disappointed in me, but hey even my mom and sisters were crying by this point). I did NOT want a c-section...who does? I begged the doctor...I said I'd push for another hour, but his mind was made and I knew it was what was best for Caleb. So off I was to the operating room and soon recieved a spinal block (the feeling of being completely paralyzed from the chest down is awful...I am not a fan!).

Getting ready to go to the OR

When everyone was ready to go they let Greg come in and let my family watch through a window. I couldn't see a thing as they put up a shield to block everything (very smart!) from the patient. But I freaked out when I saw the shadow of a nurse sitting on me and then I shouted to Greg, "Is that a foot on top of me??" Yes, holy cow it was the nurse's foot. She was bracing herself while she literally jumped on my stomach to help push the baby out. Once Caleb was out they took my uterus (sorry this is all so graphic...you know I have to have detail as this is acting as my journal and one day I want Caleb to see the hell he put me through so I can hang it over his head for the rest of his life! he he he) and put it on top of my stomach in order to clean everything out. My family said it was the most disturbing thing they had ever seen! Ya think? This whole c-section process was NOT natural! Yet, at the same time I'm so glad I live now and not in earlier days where Caleb and I would have died since I could not deliever him the traditional way. We are very blessed for modern medicine.

Greg putting on his "spaceman suit" so he could join me in the OR

Greg in his full attire

Greg taking Caleb to the nursery right after the delivery

Caleb did not cry when he was first born. I was very upset and even though the doctors said he was fine I made Greg go over to where they were cleaning him up and make sure he was breathing. Yes, he assured me, everything was fine. They quickly whisked Greg and Caleb out of the room and then started to sew me up. Caleb ended up not crying once until we had been home a few days. The nurses were in total amazement...they said they had never seen anything like that. I was sure it was because he was saving it up for home...and even though he does have a great pair of lungs on him, he doesn't use them as much as he could. He is a good boy. I only got to see Caleb for a split second after I delivered but when I was back to my recovering room and they brought him in I was so full of emotion. I was so in love right from the start. I have heard that some people have this instant love and some don't. I was not expecting to, but I did. Funny too because my first thought was how much he looked like Nicole (even though they are not biologically related). Obviously they were just meant to be brother and sister!

The first time I saw my little man

Caleb and I had a good time bonding in the hospital for the next three days. My insurance allowed me to stay 4 days, but I was going stir crazy and wanted out of there! Yeah, just like the nurses said, once I got home I wished I was back in the hospital :) That was the most I've ever been waited on...it was nice!

I had family and friends come visit and it really meant a lot to me.

Uncle Andy

Aunt Kristi and cousins Samantha & Alex

Grandma Cook

Aunt Kami, Uncle Chad and cousin Cameron & Spencer

Grammy & Grampy

Aunt Terri

Cameron just ADORES his new cousin

Nicole wanted Handy Manny tools more than anything and we told her she could get them once Caleb was born. Here is a picture of her displaying her new treasure that Caleb gave her (so she thinks...it was really daddy paying Wal-Mart..he he).


Caleb has Greg's nose and eyebrows. He has my banana head, my lips and my Gramp's chin (my mom's dad). He also has his Grandpa Cook's and my Grandma Loveridge's bird legs. Thankfully I am healing very well, much better than I expected, although my post-partum body is quite the sight to be seen...well actually a sight that does not need or want to be seen...my eyes, my eyes, they burn!! Nonetheless, I am head over heels in love with this little boy and so happy he joined our family!