INTRODUCING GWEN

LABOR: much better, much shorter, would much rather do it again (as compared to last time). I was induced Friday afternoon at 4:30, had some good contractions early Saturday morning, but didn't really start "active labor" (the kind in the movies) until around noonish Saturday. I wanted to "experience" the feeling of laboring, so I decided to go as long as I could without pain meds ....

That lasted about 4 hrs. - then I got an epidural. That's why I'm looking so happy.

About 3 1/2 hrs. later baby Gwen was born. With Addi I had almost 16 hrs. of active laboring, 3 of those being pushing. With Gwen, only around 7 hrs. and 5 pushes total (less than an hour). Woo Hoo!

When Gwen was born, her umbilical cord was wrapped around her neck, like a little bow around a purple present. So they promptly gave her oxygen. I guess she didn't think much of it.

I can't believe how little she feels!

This is just before her first bath. Case helped the nurses out with taking care of her since the right side of my body was still completely numb ... completely (and stayed that way until 2 am).

We were having a serious discussion about how it was time for her to take a loooong nap. Gwen came to Earth with her mind set on eating. So she did, and did again, and again ... and pooped a lot too. Good job. Welcome to Mortality. Now let's sleep please.

And so she did ... She's a lot more mello than Addi was at this age ('this age' being less than 24 hrs. old). She just sleeps, right here next to us. Only cries when she poops or wants food. It's great! Of course, it's only been a few hours, but so far, we're thinkin' she's a keeper.

See that? 8 lbs. 6 oz. She obviously thought it was absolutely proposterous that we would so publicly display her weight without her expressed consent.

Case keeps saying, "Is she real?"

Hi. I'm Gweneth Colleen Jorgensen, but you can call me Gwen.