Happy Birthday Charly!

Thursday morning started really early for Ryan and I. Kate and Clark spent the night at my mom's house Wednesday night, so that we could get to the hospital by 5:30am. That may seem a bit early for a scheduled C-section, but there are advantages to showing up at the hospital when there is no one else in triage and they already know you are coming. We spent about 2 hours getting ready for surgery.  They monitored the baby, put in my IV, and basically made me sign my life away. 

One last shot of my belly before the baby came out

Here we are waiting in the triage room

After 9 months of waiting, Charlotte Jane Johnson was born at 7:47am, February 24th. 

The surgery went really well, and I didn't even throw up this time! Ryan was brave enough to watch, and said it wasn't as "gooey" as he thought. It was a good thing that we did a C- section because they had a heck of a time getting her out. She was breech, but not a normal breech. Her butt came out first, then Dr Beck had to grab her hips and pull her butt out enough to pull out her legs one at a time, then wiggle out the rest of her body. Thank goodness for modern medicine and good doctors. I cannot imagine having to have a baby like that vaginally. 

I don't remember "feeling" as much with Kate and Clark as I did this time. I don't know if they used a different drug in the spinal. but i felt alot more of the tugging and pushing that I did last time. All in all it went really well and I was in the recovery room about 25 minutes after she was born. 

This is the first time I got to see Charly. I was still on the operating table. It was a really neat experience for me. Both Ryan and I had tears in our eyes the first time we heard her cry. 

This is in the recovery room when they were cleaning her all up.

Kate and Clark came to visit us Friday. I was on drugs and out of it most of Thursday, so we decided it was better that the kids come Friday. They were so good in the hospital, you could tell Ryan had lectured them the whole car ride there! They sat reverently, whispered and were very gentle with Charly. It was really cute to see their reaction to her and how excited they were to have a baby sister.
In the same breath, it was an eye opener to me too. For almost 2 days it had just been Ryan, Charly and I, and all of my energy was focused on the baby. When Kate and Clark came to the hospital I had the "duh" moment where I realized I have 2 other kids and they needed as much love and attention as Charly. Not to say they minded that I was at the hospital, they got to spend the night at Nana's house for 3 nights, go to the zoo, eat out lunch with Daddy and play at Uncle Andy and Auntie Lisa's house. They did not miss me at all! In fact, when we pulled in the the garage yesterday Clark said, "Why are we going home? Aren't we going to someone's house?"

Here's Clark and Kate holding hands with Charly. They absolutely loved this.

 That just about sums up the last few days. I'm so glad that she made it here safe and sound and that we are all home together now. More pictures to come!

Charlie, Charlee or Charley?

I can not decide how to spell Charlotte's name. I've been spelling it "Charlie" but I kinda want to do something a little different. If I spell it differently is that too weird? Will people think it's pronounced differently? What's your vote?


Here's some pictures of her room. It's nothing spectacular, but it's a start. I do have pink curtains for the windows, so that helps balance out the brown.

I got the "C" from Hobby Lobby and that is a cork board on the other wall,
it's pink with white polka dots.

Here's a closer look at the bumper pads.  I'm really happy with the way they turned out.

Here's the quilt. It took forever, but I love it now that it's done.  Yes,
I made each of the squares individually and put them together.

Just a few more days and she will be here!

Baby Update

Yesterday at my Dr. appointment we did an ultra sound and confirmed that Charlie is still breech. She was like that a few weeks ago at my last appt, but we were hoping she'd turn.  Because I am measuring bigger than my 'planned' due date, we scheduled a C- section for next Thursday, February 24th. I am some what relieved, just because of the risks involved with doing a VBAC (vaginal birth after cesarian). I really wanted to try to do a VBAC, but the closer it got, the more I realized that more than anything I wanted Dr. Beck to be there and have a complication free delivery. I was just so scared and worried that I would go into labor when Dr. Beck wasn't on call, or not available and another Dr would end up giving me a C section. Since most Dr's don't like doing VBAC 's ( because they are risky and the Dr has to be there the whole time you are in labor) I was afraid that another Dr wouldn't even let me try. So I"m kinda glad that Charlie has made the decision easy, and another C-section it is. Now at least I know when this baby is going to be here and that Dr. Beck will be the one performing the surgery. 
I have been working hard to get her room and everything ready, and I'll put pics up as soon as it is all done.  I finished making her bumper pads and quilt, Ryan painted her room, I got a few things to decorate and now we are just waiting for some crib parts to come in the mail so I can put it all together. 
So this week I am trying to get everyone in for haircuts and then next week I'll be trying to get my house clean and ready for this baby!

Science Center

Last Tuesday I took Kate and Clark to the Science Center in downtown Phoenix. My sister Nancy and son Jack, and my Mom and Dad went too. Although it was very interesting, I would not say it was the most 'kid friendly' place to go. There were a  few interactive things, but most of it just went over their heads. So, good experience for the kids, but not worth the money at this age. I think the best thing was the planetarium. Basically it was a theater  and the ceiling was a screen with all the stars.  They also got to watch a cow eye get dissected, and even got to hold it! 

Kate holding the cow eye

Watching the dissection

Clark holding the cow eye