Cookies and Cocoa with Santa!!!! We have been fortunate enough to have Santa coming down from the North Pole! Im so glad he could fit us in. We did this last year and oh my was it hilarious!!! I love kids when they see santa! We get some so excited, some screaming and some just so flabbergasted they say nothing! Please see the following flyer, I urge you to share this with everyone so that we may help as many children and families that we can! The holidays shouldnt be about materialistic items, but about giving, and to these people giving a fleece sweatshirt, sweater or even socks literally is a miracle for them! They RARELY get new things! We donate to the Christmas box house and these children are able to get new toys something that is a rare thing for them as well. Some of the things that are in great need are Jeans (childrens all sizes, and womens all sizes), Socks (womens and childrens), coats (all sizes), sweaters and sweatshirts really just warm things for the winter. Toys are also much appreciated all ages all genders.
Hope to see all of you there!!!! Im sure Ill have a crazy hat that will make your trip worth while Plus who can resist cookies and cocoa?!

From as long as I can remember, well okay from about 30 weeks on lol, our little boy was positioned face up, no biggie right? they turn. Well, from the beginning our little boy was literally a miracle baby. He was not planned, but definitely wanted he had tricks up his sleeve the whole way through the pregnancy. when I went in at my 38 week appt he was still “sunny side up” and my midwife, which is also amazing but we will get to that in a minute, told me that she turned 90% of babies during active labor, and to not worry….but part of me thought we are never “textbook” im sure we will fall in the 10%. I was scheduled to be induced a few days later because of the gestational diabetes I was dealing with and his size. Fast forward……we check in at the hospital, get started and let me tell you…nothing in my birth story is going to be fabricated or on the “nice side” so with this being said I had an AWEFUL last epidural with my daughter, and I was delivering at the same hospital….so to say I had a touch of anxiety was an understatement….the nurse started my IV (or tried to) and ill be straight forward here, blood, needles, all that jargain doesnt scare me at all, I mean im going to school to be a midwife so im not bothered by it in the least….next thing I know, im blacking out!!!!! Im having a panic attack over my IV can you believe that? how embarassing….well luckily they gave me some oxygen (seriously I had no idea how amazing oxygen felt ha ha) luckily I started feeling better….. anywho…I ended up getting an epidural (yep I was TERRIFIED!) but luckily Dr. Silver was there, can I tell you how amazing this man is? Seriously….I had a team of amazing experts that day. After the epidural I had a team of two ladies whom are doing studies to try to update the fetal monitor equipment, its 37 years old!!! So being the wonderful person I am, my husband and I opted to do their study. Luckily they came in right then because I was already dialated to a 7 so they inserted a fetal scalp monitor, can i tell you, they were heaven sent to come into my room when they did, because if I hadnt opted for that study we would have had a c section..all of a sudden within 20 minutes I had gone from a 5 to a 10!!! I was ready to push! The babies heart rate was dipping but they could tell he was okay because we had the internal monitor Now, when they told me I was ready to push I was excited!!! Knowing I would meet my baby in a matter of minutes. See with my past three children I pushed twice and voila! they were born! Well you see, remember when I said Jace from the beginning was different? well, he was still “sunny side up”. So my midwife came in and attempted to turn him….fail! So I had to start pushing. I pushed on my side, on my back, playing tug a war on a rope, well bed sheet, with my husband. I pushed and pushed and pushed. He would not turn….two hours later they called in the OB for a second opinion…yep, they were going to do forceps, this was a last ditch effort to get him here or id be headed off to the O.R. for a c section. My heart sunk I just wanted him here and to know he was safe. Remember when I said I had a team of experts with me? Well I had the OB, the anastesiologist, the two nurses that were doing the study, my midwife, my nurse, and my personal support team: my daughter, husband, mother in law, and friend Alicia. It was quite a scene. Luckily after pushing again my heart out, he was finally born!!!! He came out with the cord around his neck, tight! I still am very thankful that he hadnt turned, we now know why he wouldnt turn, he couldnt. We were very blessed that day to welcome our son, Emil Jace Vargason into the world on July 19th, at 2:47pm weighing in at 8lbs 6oz. Now let me tell you something….my midwife, Machel Knowles from Circle of life womens center, stayed by my side the WHOLE entire two hours I pushed! She was amazing! I sat and apologized 900 times how sorry I was that I couldnt get him to come out, and how im making all of these ladies at the office wait. She looked at me straight in the eye and said, “Marissa, you are in labor, you and your baby are my priority right now, not those other gals, she then told the nurse to call the office and tell the patients they could come back tonight, or she could reschedule them.” I felt aweful, but right then knew how much she truly cared about me and my baby, and her passion for her job. I truly cant even express my thanks to her.

Here is his birth story….

Untitled from Marissa Vargason on Vimeo.

Charlotte Edwards from Marissa Vargason on Vimeo.

Okay voting =) I entered a chance to win a spot at a local photographers two day workshop and I would absolutely LOVE to go but I know many of the entrants and they deserve it as well, so I know whomever wins will be truly grateful. If you get a minute I would appreciate your vote
here
Ill bake you cookies, brownies and just love you to pieces!
Thanks everyone!

Knowledge is power =)