Hi Guys!!! Sorry for the semi-radio silence the last 2ish weeks! We brought a new member to the fam/team and it’s been a whirlwind. Meet Poppy James Dawson – born at 6lbs, 3 ounces and she’s 100% perfection and we are OBSESSED.
Before we get into her birth story – I just want to say thank you to everyone who emailed, texted, DM’ed tweeted etc with words of congratulations. We’re so over the moon and also deliriously tired and feel so lucky that Poppy is coming into such an incredible family here with the What’s Gaby Cooking community! It’s been a looooong journey but here’s what happened!
At my 30 week appointment (we didn’t do an ultrasound because no need that week) things were looking GREAT. My OB felt her in my tummy and was confident that she was head down, butt up and just chilling. I left my appt, went home, ate some Butterscotch Chocolate Caramel Balls and went on my merry way
At my 37 week appointment we did an ultrasound and MUCH to our surprise… we discovered she was Frank Breech. That means she was head up, feet up with her cute little toes touching her forehead. My OB and the ultrasound tech measured my amniotic fluid and said, we could try and flip her the next week. I never had much of a birth plan, I think babies will come into this world however the heck they want, so I said ok… let’s try and flip her next week. Back home I went to some more Butterscotch Chocolate Caramel Balls.
The following week I went in early in the week and my amniotic fluid levels were FINE. Not great but that’s to be expected as you near the end of a pregnancy. My OB scheduled me to do the flip later that week with 1 more ultrasound to double check that my amniotic fluid levels were up to snuff for the actual flip. Low and behold… when I went in for that ultrasound my amniotic fluid levels had dropped even more and my OB (who I love very much) looked at me and said…. meet me at the hospital this afternoon… C-Section coming your way.
We had discussed the possibility of having a C-Section before if she didn’t flip. It was never my first choice because the recovery time from the incision is longer and we all know I’m not very good at sitting still for any extended period of time… but there we were! Everything I had envisioned went right out the window. No laboring at home, no painful drive over the canyon to the hospital, etc. I mean… my hospital bag became mostly WORTHLESS because it was mostly things you need to recover from a vaginal birth. BUT to be honest, nothing mattered. I just wanted this baby to come out as safely as possible.
So, 2 weeks before Poppy was actually due, we rolled right into the hospital, delivered via C-section and Poppy James Dawson was born. Typically the doctors make you stay in the hospital for 3 nights with a C-Section but I’m happy to report we waltzed out of there after 2 nights so we could get home and settle into life with a newborn.
So now, here we are! A little party of 3! Healthy and happy and working on fattening up little baby Poppy. I was up and moving within 3 days and already back on the neighborhood walks daily. (moving is the BEST way to get that incision to heal so that’s what we’re doing!) Poppy is very excited to be part of the WGC world and I cannot wait to introduce her to avocados and all the other delicious things in the future!!
Also how do new moms manage to return phone calls, answer text messages and/or do laundry? THERE IS NO TIME!!
Congrats on sweet baby Poppy!
Where can I find your magazine?
I have checked Pavilions, Bristol Farms, CVS and Rite Aid – no magazine!
I have both your cookbooks and love
Making your recipes- help!
Take care and most of all enjoy Poppy!!
TY!
you can order it on amazon – that seems to be the easiest
SO HAPPY for the three of you!! Welcome, Baby Poppy!!! (I love her name!!)
Congratulations to the new and improved Dawson Clan! You couldn’t have picked a better name. I mean she looks like a poppy. She is perfection and you and Thomas will make fabulous parents.
Every good and perfect gift is from above!!! What a beautiful perfect gift given from God! Congratulations on your pink blessing of joy!!
Congratulations to you all. She’s absolutely beautiful. So happy Poppy arrived safely and marching to her own beat.
Congratulations Gabby & Thomas… Baby Poppy is adorable and I am confident you two will make for wonderful parents… As the Beatles would say “ALL YOU NEED IS LOVE”
best wishes always,
Robin
Blessings and welcome Baby Poppy!
So happy and excited for you all!
Been following you for little over a year and I just know you and Thomas will be amazing parents and that being said Poppy will be a lucky girl!
All the best! Don’t worry about “us” at all!
I know you will do posts when you have a minute and the energy!
GOD bless!
❤️ Lisa
@lisalynne1127
Wow! I didn’t know they could check fluid levels. That must be new. My water broke two weeks early and I ended up getting a C-section too. My tummy was no longer flat after that. Hope they have improved that too. Congrats!!! to a beautiful family.
Congratulations absolutely thrilled to welcome Poppy to the world and looking forward to many firsts for her abd you as a mum. Please take time off and we will all be very enthusiastic to hear from you when you feel ready.
So excited for you and Thomas. I opened a new bag of sea salt butterscotch caramels just to read this update 🙂
Congratulations and best wishes. She is beautiful!
Congratulations, she is just so precious! Soak up every minute and don’t worry about getting a single thing done! Just cuddle that baby and the rest will figure itself out.
Congratulations to both of you.
Babies are a gift from God.
~ Mum of 3 daughters, the youngest is named Gabrielle.
Welcome sweet baby Poppy!
Wonderful news! She looks like your mini-me. Laundry can wait, we’ll accept repeat recipes, not to worry. Your priority is healing and raising a healthy baby.
Thank you for this update!!! I have wondered about you since your first post about being PG and the arduous journey you and your husband have traveled. I can only say congratulations, best wishes, and enjoy the next 50+ plus years of evolving bonding and growing love!!!
Thanks for sharing! We are all so happy for your family of 3! How exciting! Enjoy every minute, the time flies by way too fast!
Hooray! We are all so happy for your family of 3! How exciting! Enjoy every minute, the time flies by way too fast!
Your baby daughter Poppy is beautiful. Welcome to this planet dear sweet Poppy. Congratulations!
Absolutely precious! Welcome to dear, sweet Poppy! Thrilled for you and Thomas–Congratulations! I, too, had a Frank breech baby–he turned 32 yesterday! My subsequent two babies were vbacs and it was much easier than the C-section recovery. Wishing you quick healing and great happiness with adorable Poppy!
Congrats you all! She is precious!Enjoy your new little family member. Can’t wait to meet her
Congratulations!!
She is perfect!!
Congratulations! LOVE the name Poppy
Congrats to you all! Poppy is absolutely precious! Enjoy this special time in your lives…emails & correspondence can wait! Time to prioritize, Momma!
It gets easier!
Congratulations!! And you don’t. You may mean to reply to a text, you may even start that reply, but 3-7 days later you’ll see that you, in fact, did not actually reply to that text. Or fold that laundry. But who cares. Just snuggle that baby. ❤️
I still remember when my first child, daughter was born 44 years ago. It was a miracle from God.
Enjoy every second of your precious child’s life. It is difficult when you are sleep deprived but it does not last forever. It does get better. AND the best is yet to come. All you have to do is take care of yourself and Poppy and everything will fall in line. God bless you all!!
Congratulations! My first was an emergency C-section and for some reason I was so disappointed in myself when the doctors came to tell me. (that’s so crazy and stupid I know) I came to terms and was happy to have a healthy baby. As a side note for the future Dawson babies. I was able to have 3 more babies naturally. Enjoy your new little family!
Looking forward to buying your magazine. Looks amazing.
Congratulations! What a tricky position your Poppy was in! Glad she is safely in the world. Best wishes to your family. What a blessing!
Congratulations! Welcome Poppy!
So happy for your little family and that she is here and healthy.
Congratulations on the birth of your Angel. Wishing so much love and joy and happiness! There is no love like the love you feel for your child and I couldn’t imagine life without my boys!!
Congrats so very happy for you all
Congratulations Gaby! What a beautiful name for a beautiful little lady! Wishing her a long healthy and happy life! Lots of love from Canada ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
Natasha
Wow Gaby! Congratulations to the three of you! I follow your accounts usually silently haha but this time needs to say congrats and just let you know, little by little you’ll find time and yourself again. Enjoy every second of it, it really passes fast, really fast. So enjoy the sleepless nights and the poops and everything. En very important surround yourself with other moms, it really takes a village.
I hope you find the time to read this. Send you three my love.
Ps. Poppy is beautiful! ♥️
You frequently don’t and family and friends forgive you. Anyone who has been there totally gets it.
So, so wonderful!! Congratulations! I’m so happy for your beautiful family!
Dear Gaby & Thomas,
Thank you for sharing the story of the birth of the one & only Poppy James Dawson!!! You will find you can manage your time better as you all adjust to your new life! Of course then she’ll change her schedule and you start over! Just enjoy every minute because time goes way too fast! I swear I just had my two boys and they are now in their 40’s! By the way, she is beautiful!
Take care, get your rest, & enjoy!
Lucy Sanders
I had my second child one month ago. Everything looks crazy. Put the phone on the side, forget about everything and take your time to recovery. You cannot see it now. But soon everything will be easier. Congrats !!
Congratulations! It will get better with time. You’ll get on a schedule and you’ll be able to get to other tasks when she is sleeping or when she’s content in her chair/bassinet/swing.
CONGRATS!!!!!! Welcome gorgeous little girl! Life is good. Xoxoxo
Congratulations!
Congratulations she is beautiful!
It’s never the way you expect it to be. Our firstborn was an emergency c-section but way overdue. Poppy is a perfect blend of both of her mommy and daddy! So precious and dainty! Enjoy this very special time!
01.21.2021`
Congrats!
Sorry you had some difficult and painful moments. y’all are a family now! Peace be with you.
J.
So happy for you and your lovely Poppy. Take time to enjoy every minute of this first year. Time flies by in the blink of an eye. Take lots of pictures and definitely don’t forget to journal. Your entries will capture all the emotion of this journey. Big air hug to you and your beautiful family.
What wonderful news!! So happy for you and your husband. Congratulations!! Here’s to new beginnings…. Cheers!
So happy for you and your family. Your upbeat DNA will ring true in your new little one. Looking forward to all you do. KA
I ❤️ Your no plan plan! Mine for my 3 was same, however they want , need etc to come in to the light was what I was going with. My last was section, I walked lots but do be gentle with yourself you had major surgery( with a very beautiful outcome! ). Life is good. God is great, enjoy your little time as a new fam!
Congratulations! Poppy is so lucky to have the best mom and dad! My kids are teens now and I’d give anything to hold them again! Don’t worry about those calls/emails/texts – you’ll get to them eventually! For now, just rest when you can and hold and kiss sweet Poppy! xo ❤️