First night at home with Charlie

So, we finally made it out of the hospital at around 4:30pm on monday afternoon. We had spent a lot of time with the lactation consultant (who was amazing by the way) and she felt that we were ready to handle feeding on our own. Sara had been doing great with feeding but little charlie is very good at sucking and causes sara great amount of pain. We got her all packed up and made it home with no problems. At the time of leaving, she had lost 10oz which was 2 oz short of 10 percent of her body weight. After arriving home and feeding charlie, the grandparents came over and stayed for about 2.5 hours. After saying goodbye we both looked at each other and said "we are on our own". It was a weird feeling because this was the first time that we were on our own and had no one to help if we needed it. I am sure I am not the only one of the parents reading this that have had that feeling. Im sure it happens to everyone on there first night with their first baby.

Overall, the night went better than expected. We only had one time during the night where she cried for about 15 minutes. This was of course my fault. I heard her cry and went into to change her becuase it is still hard for sara to get in and out of bed due to the incisions. Charlie is a warm blooded baby. She hates when she is undressed. Obviously I had to undress her to check to see if she had a dirty diaper. This started the first wave of crying and fussing. If I change her fast, usually she just complains and whines and does not scream. Well, I checked her diaper and it was dry and clean. I put her clothes back on her, which was good because her paients was runnig out, and picked her up. As Iwent to place her back in the crib, I noticed that her back was wet. "Great I thought", she is really going to cry if I have to change her agian. Well I had to dig out a new outfit and change her and that is when all crying broke loose. I just figured that it is good practice for her lungs since she is usually a very quite baby. Well after getting a dry diaper (which I am 100% sure it was dry to begin with) on her and a dry outfit, she finally eat and went back to sleep. This all happened at around midnight so she got to sleep at 1am or so. We also went to bed and did not hear her for the rest of the night. I had set my alarm to wake up to help sara feed her at four but I must have turned it off in my sleep or something because it never went off (at least that I can remember). I woke up at 5:45 and she was sound asleep. Sara was upset with herself for letting her go 5 hours without eating but the doc said that it was ok as long as we let her go that long only 1 time every 24 hours. It was nice to get some sleep.

Today we went to the baby doctor and everything went well. Charlie has gained 1 oz since leaving the hospital and is perfectly healthy. She should be gaining a lot of weight in the future as sara's milk has come in and charlie is being more gentle with the feeding. Well below are some pictures from the last couple of days.

More pictures from the hospital

So we got some more pictures from the hospital.

Yawning, not crying don't worry

More pictures

The Third FINALLY Arrived

Well, charolette caden detig finally arrived into this world after many weeks of waiting and praying. So that was a preview and now I will tell "the rest of the story" (thank you paul harvey). Sara woke up Friday and thought that her water had broke at around 5 am. We decided that since there was not much fluid that it was probably not her water breaking. We went back to bed and got up a couple hours earlier. After calling the doctor at around 9am, we decided to go to the hospital to make sure things were ok. Being nieve and thinking that it was probably going to be a false alarm, we only brought her purse and the clothes on my back (which I am still wearing). After getting to the hospital we found that she truely had ruptured and we were to be admitted.

After getting to the bed and getting settled in, the doctor came in and we found out sara was only 1 cm dilated (which she has been for the last two weeks). After realizing that it was going to be awhile and that we hadleft all the "stuff" at home, I decided to go home and pick up what was needed for after delivery. So, I get to the apt and run up and down the stairs like 10 times to make sure I have everything. After loading up my arms with 2 bags, 1 boppy pillow, and 2 blankets, I headed down to my car to make the 15 min drive back to the hospital. As I get off the elevator and head for the exit, I realized that i had left my keys in the apt (door locks when you leave). Great, perfect timing tryan. Being that it was a holiday weekend, the leasing office was closed so they could not let me back into the apt to get the keys to my car. All this is taking place as sara was at the hospital by herself. I called the emergency number that was posted on the office door and of course the guy did not answer. That turned out to be ok becuase they would have charged me $100 to let me back in. 3 fireman did it for free. Thankfully no damage was done to the door and i got my car keys and was on my way back to the hospital (only an hour later than planned thank you). Well, Back to the hospital, sara had gone from 1 cm to 1 cm, Zero Progress. That is when I knew that we were in it for the long run. So fastforward. After about 8 hours and a couple of great pain shots, sara got an epidural whcih let her relax and get some sleep. I slept ok for those of you who care about my rest. At about 8 am, after sleeping on and off, i awoke and the doctor said she was at 4 cm. yayayaya not 1 cm, that was good news for me. Things went veryquickly after her body decided that it was time. By 11:20 am, she was 1ocm and after about 10 to 15 mins of pushing, charlie arrived. Right now charlie is clean and sara is holding her getting ready to feed her. Ok so it took so long to finish this blog that we have successfully started breastfeeding. yay. Below are the pictures I tood and some video (if it works). Thanks for all of your prayers and words of encouragement. Me and Sara both appreciate it.

This was our great nurse.

Baby News

Sorry for the long span of posting. I will admit that I haven't had much to say on the baby front. Every week no change, no movement, no news. It gets discouraging to write that so I ignored the internet for a while. Also I have been very depressed. I have been without my routine medication since April and these last few weeks it has been severely missed. It is not something I care to admit, because frankly in some Christian circles there is a thought that my problem is strictly spiritual and if I could just get right with God I wouldn't need medicine. Well my doctor, my husband and I can attest that this is not the case and I DO need medicine. We are starting back on it so that I wont be entering post partem without it. It doesn't harm the baby and is safe for breast feeding. Ryan and I are ready for me to be my old self again. We will need the old Sara as we enter this next transition to CA with a 1 month old.

Speaking of babies I know soooo many of you have been wanting to know what is going on and when this baby will be here. The answer is not yet. Today we were hoping that I would be dialated enough so that they could help our process along but I am not progressing. Some people just have a lousy cervix that never progresses on its own. Mine seems to fall into that category for this pregnancy. So, in light of the fact that I gained 4 pounds in fluid this week, am leaving in less than a month, and have a stinky cervix we are going to induce. We will arrive at the hospital on Tues at 10 AM. The first part (12ish hours) I get to wait around and be pain free as I do stage one. I will be monitored and watch a lot of tv. Once phase one is complete they will give me the meds that will start the labor process, and then we wait for Charlie. She will most likely be a Dec baby now but we don't mind, we just want her. We are praying that I will progress and won't have to have a C-section. It is not that there is anything wrong with it but the recovery time is longer and we would like to spend Christmas with our families. And who wants to go on a 17 hour + car trip after one.

Our Thanksgiving plans:
We have none. Ryan is off and we will cook at home. We were hoping we would be in the hospital but that is not happening. Pray for Ryan that he doesn't go stir crazy. My braxton contractions, swelling, ect are beginning to limit what I can do. So we will wait patiently till Tues and in the meantime will cook, play games, watch movies and try not to be too bored. Hope your Thanksgiving is full of joy and loved ones.

I am thankful for a husband who has done wonderfully these last nine months putting up with a shell of who he married.

A doctor that isn't making me wait too miserably long

A job that we are moving to

A family that I miss greatly

And a God who hasn't given up on me, though I do deserve it

A baby in our arms soon.

Charlie

arrivals and departures

So we are waiting for Charlie's arrival. We are now full term and she can come at any time. However my last two doctors appointments have stated we are dead as a door nail, when it comes to activity. My doctor (I think mostly to make me feel better) said it can change overnight. But I am not holding my breath this evening. Her glider arrived today and now we have all the pieces. But as we are all done with her nest, its time to pack it all up again. Our departure and new adventure is coming. We are moving to Southern California. Ryan's new assignment is Buena Park, CA. For those of you that don't know the area it is about 45 minutes Southeast of LA. It is 15 miles from a beach, close to Disneyland and other fun things. It is a permanent position (over a year). We know we will be there for one to two years, it could be longer but that won't play out till towards the end. Ryan would be a field coordinator (the position he was originally hired to do) and will get him out of an office and on the field. Bechtel is moving all of our stuff and we are now preparing for the move. Our first major and largest hurtle is finding a home. We are doing a lot of research right now and looking at all of our options. We may end up buying a home, if possible. We are hoping to be beginning this transition around Christmas. We hope the timing will work out to spend Christmas with families, then Ryan would drive out and prepare a way for us girls. We will stay and let people love on us and take care of us in Indy for a bit while Charlie grows old enough to fly. Once Ryan gives the all clear, away we go to our new, warmer home. I know everyone is thinking that this is crazy, we just had a baby and now are moving across the country? My only response is, yes we are. There are a few factors that we truly believe will make this transition a little easier than the last one, even with a baby. So I am going to make a list of things you can start praying for now, because frankly these next 8 weeks we will NEED it.
Things to pray for us
1. Charlie's arrival will be sooner than later so we have a little practice time as parents before we move.
2. God would provide all the details that still need to be worked out with the transfer, ie what the company will cover, ect.
3. That the Lord will provide our needs. It is so expensive to live out there and we will be on a tight budget. Also that our worries over money won't overcome or overwhelm us.
4. That God would lead us to the right house, in the matters of finance, location, according to our needs, and that it would be a place where we could shine for the Kingdom.
5. Young baby traveling by car and plane, need I say more
6. That as all these things run through our minds our joy and focus would always be the blessing of our daughter.

This is our short list. If you want the long list email me and I will send it to you.
I am nervous and excited about this next chapter. I think God could use us in new ways out there, that right now we cant even imagine. All of it is unknown from labor to being parents, to moving, ect. We know we wont be able to get through this without the strength of Christ and the support of those "around" us.

We will also gladly invite anyone who wants to visit. We are now a perfect vacation spot so all are welcome, once we get settled.

Tomorrow I will post pics of Charlie's temporary nest. But for all of the time, effort and love we put into the nursery our handiwork shall be put up in the new one, once we get there.