what's going on here?

Poor Ruby.
This little person is quite the mystery to her.

She's struggling to understand what exactly is

happening and what her role with this new creature is going to be.

She struggling to understand why suddenly

she's not allowed on the couch as often or why we don't

play with her quite as often as we used to.

Thankfully, Brett is fabulous at spending time

with the dog every night.

Thankfully, Ruby hasn't been aggressive or

acted jealous towards the baby.

She's just desperate for attention from anyone that

walks through the front door.

I can tell she's curious about Charlotte.

Anytime Charlotte cries Ruby

paces back and forth as if to say,

"Do you hear that? What's that sound?"

And Ruby smells Charlotte and her things

(blankets, baby swing, etc) constantly.

Hopefully we can make her see that

Charlotte's just another person here to love Ruby-Roo...

although I have a feeling it will be easier to convince

Ruby of that once Charlotte's out of the

tail-pulling stage in a few years!

Yoda-layheehoo! He's not "the baby" anymore!

Carson's been my "baby" for 5 years now. That's a long time to get comfortable in your family position and I worried he might have a hard time "giving up the throne" to a new baby sister. To help him make the transition from BABY to BIG BROTHER, while I was in the hospital I asked my wonderful mother-in-law if she wouldn't mind taking Carson to the store to pick out a special gift that he -- only he -- could give to Charlotte to welcome her to the family. He then got to make a visit, all by himself, no other brothers or sister allowed, to his new baby sister.

We had to chuckle when we saw what he'd picked out. I figured he'd get a little book or maybe a baby rattle. Nope...he got a stuffed animal. Or should I say "stuffed alien"? It's a pint-sized Yoda doll. Truly a gift from Carson's heart!

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

It looks right at home with Charli's

other little toys, don't you think?

Yes, the force is strong with this one...

Charlotte Maree - how she came to be...

Charlotte's only been here a very short time but already has captured our hearts completely. Through the sweet mercies of the Lord, there's an entire telling of how she came to be, but the feelings involved in that story are so tender and close to my heart, I feel they are sacred and shouldn't really be shared in a public setting. I've already typed them up and set them aside with Charli's "special things" for her to someday read and hopefully treasure as deeply as I do. However, I did want to document her birth story.

So here's the "joyful ending" to the story

of how she arrived into our family...

Monday, January 16th:

• Mid-morning had a doctor's appointment at 37 1/2 weeks. Dilated to 4 centimeters. Because of the boys' [scary] fast arrivals, Dr. Farley feels it would be prudent to have me check in on my own sometime in the next 4 days before I dilate much more. I'm not sure how I feel about it...I'd like to wait until I absolutely know it is time, but must admit I'm getting nervous "the time" might occur when Brett isn't around to be of immediate help. I stew about it all day, wondering what is the best decision for the baby.
• 10:00 p.m. I start to feel different, but still am not sure if we should go in. I can't describe the "different" feeling - I guess just more pressure, like the baby has lowered, but since I wasn't having strong, regular contractions still didn't know if this was true labor or not.
• 11:00 p.m. Finally decide we should go in. Grandma Dixie is called to come be with the kids and we head up to Layton shortly thereafter.

• Just shy of MIDNGIHT we check in at Davis Hospital. It's a good thing we did because my dilation has changed from a 4 to 6 and I'm 90% effaced. They ask if I want an epidural and I really don't, especially if things are going to go as fast as the boys' deliveries. It's now Tuesday, January 17th.
• Right away they broke my water. THAT was an experience none of us will forget anytime soon, medical staff included! I think I set a record for amniotic fluid. It just kept gushing and gushing and gushing. Nurses kept running back to the cabinet for more towels. Honestly, it sounded like a faucet was running. Just when you thought "OK, that's got to be all there is" you'd be surprised that it still wasn't done. We all had a good laugh about it afterwards because seriously, it was a TON of liquid! It was all over the floor, the nurse's shoes, you name it. Noah and the flood, that's what it felt like. I barely looked pregnant afterwards...you can ask Brett if you don't believe me. My abdomen had shrunk from a big round belly to this small little bump! It was quite the conversation piece for the rest of the delivery, especially when a new nurse would come in and inquire about the giant pile of wet towels overflowing from the laundry bin!
• 1:30 - I was hoping to avoid an epidural, mostly because I hate the process of getting one and because the two deliveries I didn't have one I felt I healed faster. However, after 90 minutes of intense contractions with only about 30 seconds or so between them, the doctor checks me and I'm still at only a 6. Obviously this isn't going to happen as fast as we'd all thought (most likely because she is posterior). I opt for the blessed Epidural.
• 2:30 - Epidural time! Man, I HATE getting those! But when it's over I enjoy some much-needed relief after only 10 minutes!
  
  
• 3:15 - @ an 8 and for the most part not feeling too much, except tired. (Even my doctor looks tired. Poor guy!)
• 3:40 - Dr. Farley leaves the room to do some paperwork. The nurses are out in the hall also. Suddenly, I feel a "pop" and panic - was that the head crowning??? Brett frantically calls doctors and nurses back into the room where they discover the popping sound was the head passing the catheter bulb as she moved down the birth canal. It won't be long now and it's time to prepare for the end. Everyone gets ready for her arrival!
• 3:45 - Pushing begins. I can't feel a thing so it's hard to know if I'm pushing correctly and if my effort is effective at all. Three pushes and I'm told to stop - Charlotte is posterior and the cord is wrapped lightly around her neck.
• 3:55 - One more big push and she's here!
  
  ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
  I'm so relieved and so emotional I don't even realize the placenta has been delivered and I'm being stitched up. My only thoughts are that "It's her!" It's the child I knew needed to be here and fought so hard to get here! The special little spirit the Lord was trying to tell me about over two years ago.

It seems surreal that everything has come full-circle and she's finally here with our family

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

7 pounds 8 ounces, 20 1/2 inches long

(depending on who you talk to!)

We're so in love!

Best doctor I've ever met in my life.

When I think about how much he cares, how capable he is, and how lucky I am to have him as my doctor, it honestly brings tears to my eyes. That probably sounds silly and over-dramatic to some, but it means a lot to have a physician you can trust without hesitation, who you know has your absolute best interest in mind, and who shares the same values you do. He has never made me feel foolish or a burden - I'm very, very grateful to have someone like Dr. Farley on my side for moments like this.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

After being up all night, and from the great emotions we felt, everyone involved was exhausted. It was great to finally rest, knowing we had Charlotte to wake up to!

The next day, her billirubin levels were lower than we felt comfortable with, so she spent the next week on lights, some at the hospital and some at home with a billibed and billiblanket. Some babies really fight the lights, but Charli was a champ! In fact, I think the white noise from the machine actually made her sleep better! We were very relieved when her numbers dropped back down to a more comfortable level and we could snuggle with our princess anytime we liked!

meeting our new sister...

After the kids got out of school on the 17th, Brett brought them up to see me - well, not me as much as someone else. Someone they'd been thinking and dreaming and imagining about since summertime, and she was finally here!

They brought with them a beautiful pink bouquet and the sweetest card:

I thought it was cute how everyone was sitting on the couch or chair, but as soon as Daddy got baby sister out of the bassinet and sat down in the rocker, everyone jumped out of their seats and just "had" to stand close to get a better look! Charli was only hours old and already drawing crowds!

They were just as enamored with her as we were!

Nursery Ready? "Check"

Come on in!

Check out Charlotte's "crib" (pun intended)...

Since we had to combine Charlotte's nursery with Brett's office, we kept things pretty simple. Space was limited so I call my design style "minimalistic" (hahaha...as if I have ever had any sort of style!). But in the end I think it turned out very nicely, and even though one can't call it roomy, I don't feel it is too overcrowded and everything seems to blend together well.

Here's Brett's corner of the room:

The colors aren't exactly what one would think of instinctively for a girl, but I have loved this painting for so long, I wanted it hung in Charli's room. So everything else stemmed from the creamy yellows, gray-blues, and rosy reds Mary Cassatt used in her beautiful "Children Playing at the Beach".

I am super-duper lucky to have two mothers who sew beautifully! Dixie made a lovely quilt, which is just finishing up at the quilters. The colors are gorgeous and I'm amazed at her talent! In addition to all that work, she was willing to use extra fabric for this colorful runner to top the dresser. I love how it brings out the red from the painting!

And my fabulous mom pieced together this adorable Dick & Jane quilt,

which was entered into the County Fair and won FIRST PRIZE!!!

I couldn't bring myself to subject a prize-winning quilt to baby spit-up and diaper blowouts, so I hung it on the wall where it adds some color behind the glider. I love it and it's going to be a treasured heirloom for Charli for many years to come!

Halle wanted to add her own bit of decor, this picture of Charlotte's crib with Halle holding her new baby sister! Charli is incredibly lucky to have a big sister who is looking forward to her arrival with such anticipation!

If this is what it means to be "HIP", count me out

I have always gotten Charlie Horse leg cramps in my calves towards the end of my pregnancies. This time, I am grateful that it seems my calves have been spared. However, something worse decided to rear it's ugly head instead. I'm not sure what it is, and my doc isn't sure either, other than to call it a muscle cramp and that there's not a whole lot I can do about it at 37 weeks... HIP CRAMPS. It started out 3 weeks ago as your typical "hip" discomfort. I felt it deep within my joints so thought it was totally unrelated to my muscle, but more the bones. I assumed my joints were loosening up, getting ready for delivery. But then about 2 weeks ago the cramping started at night. For the past 14 days, I cannot lay in the same position for more than about 45 minutes. Depending on what side I'm laying on, the bottom side (the side on the mattress) startles me awake in terrible pain. My "joint" (which I now believe is not the root of the pain - I think it's the muscle surrounding the joint) cramps up and just throbs and burns. Oh, man, does it BURN! I can try to lay there and tough it out, but it just gets worse unless I get up and walk around for about 10 minutes. Then it starts to phase out and I can go back to bed. That is, until 45 minutes later when the next round hits. This goes on all night long, almost like clockwork! And then when I get up for the day, I can feel that area of my body has really been through the ringer and the soreness lingers for a couple hours. Thankfully it doesn't last all day and I think it just needs to be worked out through movement, etc., but at night I am not getting any real quality sleep. I tried to look on the positive: I won't be pregnant much longer, this is preparing me for midnight feedings, blah-blah-blah, but this morning I'm grumpy and frustrated and sleep-deprived and I have HAD IT! I am sure later I'll feel stupid for posting this but right now I just need to vent to cyber-space to feel like I've had my say and my say is,

"Poor, poor pitiful me!"

Hopefully sometime within the next two weeks!

Looking forward to filling these shoes...

( Click Here for more heartwarming photo by Dudley Photography)

Making Mumbo-Jumbo out of nothing over the Bumbo

Am I just totally "unhip"? I have checked at 3 stores for a Bumbo seat and each store ONLY had the yellow or lime seats. I just really do not care for those colors. Not that I have a distaste for lime or yellow in general, but in these specific cases the yellow is soooo bright and the lime just doesn't ring my bell. Gotta say I'm not the biggest fan of the lilac either, but at least it's toned down a bit - I could settle for that. And the pink and blue aren't too shabby either. Why can't stores stock up on the aqua? Guess I'll have to do some looking online, but I so did not want to pay for shipping.