Third times a charm...

Where do I start? When I thought about my impending labor I had images that fell somewhere between the crappy movie "What to Expect When You're Expecting" and that film from the 1970's they show you in the hospital (you know the one, back when au natural was in vogue.) So when my water broke last Tuesday night I told Matt to grab his popcorn and coke and come along for the ride. We hummed over whether my water actually broke or if I peed my pants (not a far fetched thought given the amount of time I spent on the porcelain throne those last few weeks). The doctor told us to come in so we packed up my luggage (yes, luggage, not bag) and headed out in the first fall storm. Matt was worried about hydroplaning and I was worried about damaging the baby's ears with the F bombs I was dropping. Matt grabbed a coke before we left--he didn't use a red solo cup, he didn't grab a can from the garage--he filled a glass from the kitchen with coke and fifteen ice cubes. Every time an ice cube rolled around I thought I was going to grab that glass and break the wind shield. Ice cubes and glass had never been so annoying. When we arrived at the hospital I refused the wheel chair through more F bombs. To make a long story long, I was a peach after the first hour and a half because Dr. khaki pants arrived with the epidural. This guy looked like he just left a BBQ with his white tennis shoes and socks. After the relief from the epidural I felt like I had early signs of dementia because all I could say over and over again was, "I don't know how people do this without drugs" followed by, "I love Dr. khaki and nurse Laura." The rest, my friends, is an easy history. I wouldn't admit this on facebook but I figure only a select few will take the time to read this--I slept a little that night and this babe was born with six pushes and in less than thirty minutes. I couldn't believe there wasn't more drama (this is me you're talking about, right?). How did I feel when they put Charlotte Gabrielle's warm body on mine? Bliss. Complete. Flooded and overwhelmed with love. Here are some of our highlights since coming home:

first car trip--just like Seth I used to be portly from Knocked Up--slow and steady
first trip to Church (twinks slept the entire time)
visits with nana, papa, grandma, grandpa and aunties
first meeting with gracie (who is simultaneously sad about her bump from the baby throne and protective over her sissie)
long nights awake with C because she thinks day is night and night is day
first dr. visit with D. Goodlow--who man handled her and told us she is perfect
first Bears game with Daddy (Charlotte, Gracie and I all slept through it--we only stay awake if there is booze/milk/food.

It was all worth it because look what we get to hold and love and watch grow every day...

Hospital Tours

My doctor's nickname is Careful Carl so when my blood pressure came back through the roof on Friday he quickly ushered me to the hospital. What was funny about this is that he asked us months before if we wanted to take any classes or tour the hospital. I am very organized and meticulous about most things but somehow when it came to the logistics of having said baby and getting around in the hospital I was as cool as a cucumber. You can imagine my surprise as I struggled to dial Matt's number on the office phone (oh yeah, this is the second time in my life that I forgot my cell phone at home--we don't know any numbers anymore!). I think I called Matt fourteen times and hung up, certain I was pranking some random person from the cramped office. The good news is, I made it the hospital where my blood pressure finally went down. We got to eat chicken fingers, watch Larry Crowne so in some ways it was like a date at one of those theaters where you can eat gourmet food and have a glass of vino if you fancy it. We tried to look on the bright side. On Sunday we returned to the hospital after eating our last solo meal at Mr. A's breakfast spot (read: greasy but lovely spoon). I didn't feel the baby move much and I was all worried about how big she was. Somehow this little peanut is so low that my belly is only measuring 35 weeks...anyway, the ultrasound revealed she is just fine and will probably clock in around 8 and half or (Lord help my nether regions) 9 pounds. My doctor said he has no idea how she is hiding in there!

 Big Brothers To Be!

 Cutest outfit ever. Thanks Tia Marisa.

So...what are the take aways from this post? Always memorize the most important numbers in your phone. Don't judge a book (belly) by it's cover...

Big Sister

Here is a picture of my pug, Gracie. She is very excited about becoming a big sister this fall! She has been helping us organize the baby's room and she has definitely enjoyed sniffing all the new baby clothes and playing with her tiny socks!

If you are in the market for a new dog, a pug is your best bet! Pugs are GREAT around kids and are a wonderful, warm breed. Read more about pugs here.

Belly Problems

Well, as if there is not enough excitement in my life, yesterday flipped and flopped in an unexpected way. Here I was learning about the blogosphere when all of a sudden I felt sick. I have the strongest stomach known to man--I think I have been sick about 8 times in my life. Yesterday was one of those days. Apparently Baby C didn't like the fruit from the salad bar at Sunset because something didn't agree with me. Luckily,  I made it home and for some reason a frosty from Wendy's made me feel better. Who doesn't feel better after having a little chocolate? If you don't believe the healing powerse of chocolate, check out this article:
http://www.streetdirectory.com/food_editorials/snacks/chocolates/can_chocolate_make_people_happier.html

I tried to relax and was happy to see that Matt completed a few important projects in our house--hanging a new closet rod for baby girl and fixing our bathroom sink stopper. He says he has a two project a minimum! Today I think he has a lot on the agenda--cutting fruit, unloading the dishwasher. This is, as they say, domestic bliss. I am also happy to report that the rain has been falling and our yard is looking more green! Now on to day two of learning how to blog.

New Beginnings

Today is the official start to my blogging days. Lately, with all the changes in my life, I have been missing writing and reflecting. This picture is from my baby shower last weekend. My Mom and sisters threw me an amazing party and I enjoyed celebrating with friends and family. The day was bittersweet because my little sister, Gabby, is moving to North Carolina in a week.