one month

June 23, 2013

Weight: 13 pounds 2.5 ounces (100%)

Length: 23 ¾ inches (100%)

Head circumference: 15 ¾ inches (100%)

Sweet Charlie Boy!

What a joy it’s been to have you here for a whole month! You are the perfect addition to our family and we love you so very much. After a couple of days in the hospital, we came home and Carson greeted us with a celebratory cinnamon cake and lots of excitement!

You are a good snuggler and like to be held, which we LOVE, but you also enjoy time in both your swing and vibrating chair and end up napping in them quite a bit during the day so that you’re downstairs with us. You are able to sleep through a lot of talking and playing. You like to lay on both your back and your tummy when you’re awake. You are really good at holding your head up already. You are pretty laid back and easy going. Your big brother loves you so much, and it’s easy to see that you love him right back. He gets really close to your face, talks to you, sings to you, and gives you lots of hugs and kisses, and you are patient, really seeming to enjoy it most of the time.

You eat every couple of hours during the day and usually sleep between each feeding. Feeding you has been a joy! You’ve got a good latch and strong suck. I’m thankful it’s gone so well. You’re beginning to stay awake for a bit longer each time during the day and we love to see you open those sweet eyes. You like to look at the light and move your head towards our voices. You are already a rock star sleeper! We swaddle you using the swaddle me blanket and you sleep in the Fisher-Price Rock ‘n Play Sleeper in your room. The Rock ‘n Play’s bassinet shape is cozier than your crib and is more comfortable for you. You usually eat at about 9:00 at night and don’t wake up until about 3:00-5:00. Then, you sleep until 7:00-8:00 in the morning. We are thankful that eating and sleeping are both going so well!

You are a big boy and are in the 100th percentile in weight, length, and head circumference. You were not able to wear newborn sized diapers and clothes and are already growing out of many 0-3 month clothes that Carson wore until he was 2 ½ months old! We’re finishing up this pack of size one diapers, and you’ll start wearing size two tomorrow. We’re thankful you’re such a big healthy boy! Your circumcision and cord both healed at 2 weeks. You’ve developed baby acne on your face and neck, but thankfully, the doctor said it’s normal, won’t bother you, and should clear up in another month or two. You’ve also got a blocked tear duct on your left eye which causes yellow goop to come out of your eye. The doctor told us to massage it and that it should heal on its own.

You’ve already gotten to know all four of your grandparents. They were here for your birth and took turns staying with us and helping during our first couple of weeks at home. You’ve also met lots of friends from church. You had lots of sweet company both at the hospital and at home the first couple of weeks. Everyone was excited to meet you and loves you already!

Your first outing when you were 10 days old was to Loco FroYo with Mama, Daddy, Carson, Pops, and Granny. Then, you went to a hotdog supper at church the next night. You went to church on a Sunday morning for the first time at 2 ½ weeks old. You went on your first road trip when you were only 20 days old, and it was a 7 ½ hour drive! Our dear friend Lloyd from Hohenwald, TN passed away and we went so that Daddy could help with the funeral and so that we could see his sweet family and let them know how much we love them. It was special to be there to celebrate such a good friend’s life. You did a wonderful job traveling and meeting so many new people! I’m so thankful for that.

Charlie James, you are an absolute joy. I was nervous about having two kids and learning how to balance my time and energy giving you and Carson plenty of love and attention, but it has been an absolute joy and not as difficult as I imagined thanks to two sweet and patient boys who love each other! It’s also been made easier by our sweet family and friends who have spent extra time with Carson so that we could rest and have plenty of time getting to know you this month. They’ve also been really helpful in cooking for us, so that I could spend time with my boys and not have to worry about cooking. I am very thankful for your grandparents and for our sweet church family and for the love they’ve shown us.

You’ve transitioned to life in this great big world so well this first month, Sweet Boy and we are so very very thankful you are ours. Our hearts are overflowing with love and thanksgiving for you, Baby Boy!

We love you!

Mama, Daddy, and Carson

Charlie's birth story

On the days leading up to Charlie’s birth, I had a lot of contractions. They had a consistent pattern several times, but never lasted more than a couple hours at a time. We kept thinking we’d have a frantic hospital run, but Charlie decided to keep us waiting. The doctors recommended an induction, so we scheduled that for his due date, Thursday May 23. Pops and Granny arrived on Tuesday night and Bobel and Reenie got here on Wednesday. The night before Charlie’s birth we enjoyed time with both sets of grandparents. It was the first time we’d all been together since Carson’s birth almost three years before. We considered going out to eat. There’s a restaurant about an hour from us that serves eggplant parmesan that’s famous for putting pregnant women into labor, so that might have been fun, but with all of the contractions I was having, we decided it was smart to stay home and order pizza. It was a special night celebrating family and waiting for our sweet Charlie! We were all full of excitement, especially Carson, so we didn't sleep too much that night! After just a couple of hours of sleep, we woke up, loaded the car, and headed to the hospital. We had to be at there at 5:00 am!

5:00 am: We arrived at the hospital.

5:30 am: I was 3 cm dilated, 80% effaced and he was positioned at -2.

6:45 am: They stared the pitocin and contractions gradually got stronger.

I sat on a big exercise ball to help ease some of the pain of the contractions. I considered trying to go all natural without an epidural. Part of me really wanted to fully experience child birth, but as the contractions got harder, I decided I wasn't tough enough.

10:30 am: Amy broke my water. It was fairly painful with a big gush. I was now dilated 3cm and he was positioned at -1. The contractions intensified. I tried to stand up and what seemed like a gallon of water gushed out!

11:45 am: They started IV for epidural.

12:45 pm: The anesthesiologist got called to a c section which meant we would have to wait a while for epidural. I was now dilated 6cm, was 100% effaced and he was positioned at -1.

1:15 pm: I got epidural. It was really hard to sit still with such strong contractions and it took him a couple of tries to get it in the correct spot. I was now dilated 9 cm, 100% effaced and he was positioned at 0. So, they said it was about time to push. Bob brought Keith some lunch and the nurse told him to scarf it down so he swallowed his chicken strips in less than five minutes. The nurse and midwife stayed for a little while watching contractions on the monitor. They began easing up for me as the epidural took effect. They told me to scoot to the end if the bed and said to let gravity do its thing and left saying they'd return in about 20 minutes.

2:00pm: We waited. Grandparents came in for one more hello. My feet began swelling a lot as they dangled off the bed and as time passed; we began wondering when the midwife and nurse would return.

5:00pm: They finally returned and said it was time to push. As I scooted back in the bed, I realized my left side was numb, but my right side was not. I began pushing with each contraction. I only felt pressure in the left side, but the right side was in a lot of pain. It was clear that the epidural did not work correctly. Amy, the midwife, was reaching inside to feel for Charlie and discovered he was turned in an unexpected way and his shoulder was under my pelvis. She had me roll on each side while I pushed and she did her best to reposition him. As I pushed, Charlie's heart rate began to drop and they gave me an oxygen mask to use between pushes. Pushing was really intense and she was having a hard time getting him in a favorable position. His heart rate continued to drop, so they called the doctor and specialists from the NICU. I tried to remain calm and focused, but with the pain, hormones, and concern, I became quite emotional. Keith, the nurse, and Amy were all kind and encouraging to me, and before I knew it the room was full of specialists waiting for Charlie. After more intense pushing, pain, screaming, and crying, his head finally popped out, but that wasn't the end. He was still stuck so tightly that I had more hard pushing to do. I wasn't sure I could do it. I was pushing as hard as I could. She did an episiotomy.

5:54pm: Thankfully, with a few more hard pushes, he finally came. They quickly handed him off to the specialists to make sure he was okay after a traumatic labor and delivery. I was completely exhausted and full of emotion. I looked over and was able to get a peek at my precious bundle of joy. I heard a cry. Things seemed to be okay. I was so very thankful. Keith looked over as they put him on the scale and saw 10 pounds. He assumed something else was on the scale with him until they announced his weight as 10 pounds 15.3 ounces. Wow! Just shy of 11 pounds. No wonder that was intense!  He was also quite long at 22 1/4 inches. Amy began sewing me up from a 2nd degree episiotomy. With only half of the epidural effective, this was quite painful as well.

6:30pm: We finally got to hold our precious Charlie! Our hearts overflowed with joy, love, and thanksgiving! All four grandparents were able to come meet their new grandson. Keith called Carson and told him Charlie was here and Carson was so excited!  I fed him for the first time. It was so special to hold him close and begin getting to know him.

7:00pm: Carson spent the afternoon and evening with Brian, Kathy, and Miles, so after the phone call with the good news, they headed back up to the hospital. We were all looking forward to seeing the brothers meet for the first time. Keith had the camera, Reenie had the video camera, and I had Charlie. Granny brought Carson in. He was beaming with joy and love. He crawled up on the bed with Charlie and me and immediately started talking and singing to his baby brother. His touch was sweet and gentle. Then, he moved to a chair so he could hold his new baby brother. Seeing my precious boys together for the first time is a memory I will hold close and treasure always.

 8:00pm: Brian and Kathy met Charlie and then helped us move to our new room.

We spent the evening recovering and getting to know our precious baby boy. We loved our sweet Charlie so much already! He spent the days with us and the nights in the nursery. The nurses were so sweet and took such good care of us. That night, they had to check Charlie’s blood sugar every time he ate to make sure it wasn’t too low. It dropped about midnight, but thankfully it increased enough over the next few feedings, that by morning, they were no longer concerned. 

Carson, Pops, Granny, Bobel, Reenie came to visit on Friday, as well as several friends from church. Everyone was excited to meet our sweet Charlie. We rested and snuggled. They discharged us around noon on Saturday. We made a quick stop by the Kroger pharmacy before heading home. We were greeted with lots of love by Carson, Pops, and Granny. We took a couple of family pictures and then had a special lunch of pigs-in-a-blanket and cinnamon cake, planned by Carson! It was good to be home and surreal that we now had two children! What a blessing!