When it rains it pours at my house....

SO last Monday Jocelyn was running a fever and not feeling so hot so we kept her home from school she ended up missing the whole week. We ended up going to Twilight Peds that night since her fever got up to 103.5 and rising and nothing we did was helping. Turned out she had Flu B, Croup and a nasty head cold to boot. Well it was only a mader of time be for we have all started coming down with it. All but Bryan. Luckily Kooper only has a mild head cold and the Dr. said to watch to make sure that his temp doesn't higher than 101.5. AARRGGGG and to top it off I got sick starting Saturday and got really sick and ran a high fever yesterday. Luckily Bryan was home since it was Sunday and I sleep all day. I didn't even get out of bed until 3pm he would bring me Kooper when he needed to eat. I woke up today for the first time in a REALLY long time not tired.

Saturday night Tate started saying that behind his knees hurt. We didn't think to much of it since we had just asked him to eat his dinner and some thing always hurts if he is trying to get out of some thing, not that it ever works, but he woke up yesterday screaming that he couldn't walk and again today. Behind his knees hurt so bad Bryan had to carry him around the house all day. Tate didn't ask Bryan just couldn't watch him be in so much pain. I took him to the Dr. today and he has no idea what it could be but we ran a bunch of blood work to see if they could figure it out. The are testing for infection but there is no swelling or fever. I think they are also testing for arthritis and Muscular dystrophy. But we are at a real loss of what it could be any ideas? We are supost to get the blood work back tomorrow or the next day. I just feel so bad since he can't put weight on it and when he does he walks really funny. Hopefully we find out quickly so we know how to treat him.

Prayers for Eli

My 3 almost 4 year old nephew Eli, Bryan's sister Amy's son, is in the hospital because his appendix burst. The infection had spread to much to be able to do surgery yesterday. He will be in the hospital on IV's for about a week and then he will go home, pending all goes according to plan, and be on a IV at home for about 4 or 5 weeks and then have the surgery to remove the ruptured appendix. I am asking to please keep Eli and his family in your prayers so that all will go according to plan so that his body will respond well to the antibiotics and that he will be able to come home as soon as possible. Thanks for the prayers!

Kooper is 4 weeks on his 1 month birthday!

I can't believe that he is already 1 month and it just so happens that he is also 4 weeks old today. I think that it is kinda fun that it worked out that way! Mom hasn't been able to do pictures for a while since we have been sick. Well every one but Jocelyn and Kooper. I am so grateful that Kooper has not been sick. SO Kooper is not so crazy about the flash from the studio lights and bugs his eyes when it flashes. So I guess we are going to need to get some sleeping baby pictures which is proving to be easier said than done. But at least mom love taking pictures so it's not a big deal.

I love how his forehead wrinkles just like his daddy's does.

I looks so much cooler from this angle that from above where I could see.

I love this one it is my favorite one from yesterday. It looks just like him. So sweet and he is even starting to get alittle bit chubby I love it!

How has Kooper changed in the last month? He is now starting to look around when he hears familiar voices. He screams if he needs to have his diaper changed. He wants a pacifier but can't seem to keep on in his mouth. He likes to be held when he sleeps during the day... mom likes to hold him all day long so it works.... he won't be small very long. He is such a sweet little guy.

How is every one adapting to Kooper?

Chase loves him so much he does not like to share him with any one besides mom. He tells every one else that hold him that it is his baby. and he has decided that he only really wants to hold him when he is laying down next to him.

Tate says he is every ones baby. He shares him well. I have only seen a few guys turn to such mush when they hold a baby. Tate jut melts it is so sweet. He loves him so much. He has even learned how to be soft.

Jocelyn loves to hold him while I do things so Chase leaves him alone. She has also discovered that she can pick him put when they are both on the couch.... it freaks me out but she is very careful. She has learned that a new baby is allot of work and is a huge help with things for me.

Bryan loves him to death but was happy to go back to work. He said my job is way harder than his. He said managing the guys at work is hard but they don't have to be feed and have their diapers changed and don't cry when they need things and you don't understand what they are saying. He has been so much help this time around. he is changing the to older boys diapers and making meals and even helping some at night. I have never had him help at night since all the kids have been breastfeed and there is not a lot he can do and he has to get up and go to work. But I do appreciate when he gets up and is just there for the moral support when Kooper won't sleep.

I am adjusting to not getting any sleep and having sick kids and I am slowly getting enough energy to do all the things that I finally feel like doing that I haven't been able to do since the end of October like, cleaning, laundry, cleaning I still have have not got to the point that I want to do dishes but when Bryan does such a great job why would I want to. I love Kooper so much and am so in love with him and just sit and hold him as much as I can because in no time he will be crawling, walking and running and not want to be held.

Kooper's birth story

Ok so I thought that it was time that I shared our whole story of why Kooper came so early and the long story of what happened. I will try to make it as short as possible it was a 36 hour journey. Sorry this is so long but I am long winded... Like my mamma!

Monday Feb. 2nd 2008

10am Mom drove me to my 35 week appointment since Kooper had dropped the Friday before and I could no longer lift my feet there was no way I could drive... and I had been having high blood pressure head aches. Bryan had to work so we had all the kids but Tate who was at school so mom stayed in the car with the kids while I ran in my appointments never take more than a few minutes. Well they took my blood pressure and I told the nurse that it had been high all weekend and that I was kinda concerned and she acted like it was no big deal and asked me to pee in the cup which normally I go on my way out which I thought was weird but didn't think much of it but later made since because what she didn't tell me was my blood pressure was scary high. Well the Dr came in and did my Strep B test and checked to see if I had started dilating yet... and as he was checking he said "Oh good" I thought that was weird so I questioned it and he said I was dilated to a 2-3 and 70% effaced and then he told me that we were going to be having the baby that night or tomorrow... I was in shock. He said that I need to go to the hospital because my blood pressure was high and I had started spilling protein in to my urine.... I was preaclamtic. I asked if I could get the kids off to school and get Tate off the bus and find a sitter and go pack a bad and get the car seat ready. I wasn't ready to go.He told me no some one else would have to do all of that for me and then he showed me how high my blood pressure was it was 160/106 and that is really high for me. So I called Bryan to see if he could find some one to cover his store since his boss was still out of town because he had gone to the Super Bowl. So we went straight to the hospital and Bryan, his Mom and my Grandpa's wife all came down to split up the kids and take care of things.

So I went to in to be checked out and to have labs drawn. Then the Dr came over at lunch to let me know what the game plan was and while he was I asked if he would help Bryan give me a blessing since I was so freaked out.

1:20pm I was moved over to Labor and Delivery and hooked up to and IV.

2:15pm they started my Potosin and nothing really changed.

10pm the Dr decided to turn off the potosin and told me to eat, since all I had eaten all day was a small bowl of cereal at 9am, I took a shower and got a little sleep.

Tuesday Feb. 3rd 2008

At 5am they started the Potosine back up and we were just hoping that things would start working. I was just miserable.

12:30pm they Dr came and broke my water and I had moved to a 3+ and was now 80% effaced.

2:45pm I decided I didn't want to feel the contractions any more since they are getting really strong since my water got broke and I got my epidural. Then I was able to get some rest.

Bryan took lots of naps and Mom took lots of pictures. They stayed with me the whole time. I really appreciated that.

6pm-ish My Father in law and Bryan's little Brother Adam brought the kids down to us since I hadn't seen them since 10:30 the day before and poor Tate had no Idea what was going on since he was at school but was happy to be with Grandma Rookhuyzen.

We all made guesses of when he would come and how much he would weigh. Adam who is 15 guessed that he would be like 48 pounds. I told him that I wasn't having a baby hippo and that Jocelyn didn't even weigh that much. We all laughed really hard so he changed his guess to like 5 pounds 42 ounces and we all got another good laugh!

Mom was won for she was 15minutes off on time and Ashly was 1 oz off on his weight.

While the kids were there they loved my glowing finger.

Chase enjoyed watching TV.

Jocelyn was so happy to see me. But not as Happy as I was to see them. I really needed that I felt so much better after they were there.

8pm the Nurse checked me again and I was only to a 4 and 80% I was getting so frustrated. I was so done and ready for Kooper just to be here. But when the nurse checked me she felt to see how Kooper was faced since the potosine was turned really high and it wasn't doing any thing. She decided he was turned funny and so she turned me to see if that would help and guess what.... It did!

9:20 pm I had Bryan started telling me when I was having contractions because I could feel them but not. But I was starting to feel allot of pressure with the contractions. So we called the nurse to come check me. She came and and checked and I was 8-9 and 95% effaced. YEAH!! The Dr had just told her to turn the potosine off again for a bit but she went and called him and told him that she wasn't that he needed to come down now. He said that his family had just kneeled for family prayer and he got up and left before prayer he didn't want to miss it. The nurse decided to turn the potosine off since the Dr wasn't there and i was feeling him move down and I was started to feel the urge to push. But My contraction stoped after the Dr got there and we started pushing so they had to turn it back on.

10:15pm Kooper Benjamin Rookhuyzen was born. 5 pounds 9 ounces and 18 inches long. We were so grateful that he was breathing all on this own with no problems. The Dr and Nurses had told us there was a really good chance he would have to be taken out right away to give him oxygen but after such a long labor they told me that was the best thing we could have done for the baby it helped his lungs developed. Heavenly Father gives equal blessing for our trials. And what a huge blessing for a huge trial. I defiantly felt blessed.

All in all every thing went smooth for him being born at 35 weeks and we only had to say in the hospital for 36 hours after he was born. I was so glad to go home and be in my own bed after being in the hospital for 4 days and the kids were happy to finally have me home.

I am so grateful to EVERY ONE who helped Mom, Bryan's Mom, Dad and sister, Grandma Bethsy and any one else I may have missed. I am thankful all the yummy meals that were we got and all the prayers. I know that Heavenly Father was really watching over us though all this I just hope that I learned every thing I needed to this pregnancy and delivery so the next one I wont have the same trials since the whole pregnancy was a trial but what a great blessing I was given in return. He has such a sweet spirit and fits so perfectly into our home.

I need a nap!

So we are all doing good. Well other than I cry over every thing and Kooper can't seem to sleep the same every night some nights he does great and only get up every 4-6 hours and others he gets up every 15-45 minutes....aaaarrrrggg.... But we're hanging in there! Mom has been awesome and been doing pictures so go check out her blog too. You can even see Jocelyn's hair before she decided to cut her own hair AGAIN..... so she is going to be getting it cut short again... those pictures will be coming soon. Thanks every one for the gifts and yummy dinners we really appreciate it!

We are home!

After 4 very long days in the hospital we are so glad to be home. I will do the whole long birth story later but the quick basic details are as follows. I went to my 35 week appointment and we told to go strait to the hospital we had to have the baby I was preaclamtic. AAAHHHHH.... after 30+ hours of being induced he finally made his grand entrance at 10:12 pm Tuesday night weighing in at 5 pounds 9 ounces. I feel so blessed to have had such a big 35 weeker. He has had to problems at all so far. He didn't have to have any extra oxygen or any special treatment I am so grateful. If you want to see pictures of him you can check out my mom's blog she has been taking all kinds of REALLY GREAT pictures and watch for more to follow she is still going though the 400+ pictures she took over the last few days and is going to be doing a photo shoot of him today to get even more.... I can't wait!

We are all doing well and and other than being sore and tired I am feeling 100 times better than I did be for. But laying in a hospital bed for 4 days is enough to make any one hurt!

Kooper Benjamin

I will update more later. Kooper made it here on Feb. 3rd.