One Month

It's hard to believe we are one month into parenthood! It has been a crazy roller coaster of emotions and experiences, but we are somewhat settled into a semi-routine now. We were blessed with a good little baby. She is a wonderful sleeper and usually pretty happy when she is awake. She hates bath time, but I am sure that will change when she realizes she can splash us! I go back to work on Monday and I am dreading that transition. I really enjoy staying home and being a full time mommy, but there are bills to pay. I consider myself lucky; I work relatively short hours and I will only be working four days a week in the beginning. And, thanks to a wonderfully supportive family, we will not have to use day care at all! Yet, I still don't want to go back and I am really going to miss the mommy/daughter time I get with Lena currently!

Well, here are a few pictures for you to enjoy!

Bathtime is no fun!

My first bottle!



Tummy time!!!
Daddy found a new remote holder!

Charlene Beverly Wilcoxon has arrived

Well, thanks to ultrasound predicting I was going to have a large baby, my doc decided to induce me a few days before my due date. I was scheduled to go in on Wednesday the 20th at 6pm for cervadil and we would start pitocin in the morning.
I arrived at the hospital Wednesday evening and a nurse checked me. She said I was 1-2 cm dilated and about 50% effaced so she wasn't sure if the doc would want me to take the cervadil. She called to verify and he asked to have someone double check her findings since I was not effaced at all at my last appointment which was Monday. So another nurse came in to check me and as she is checking me she looks at me and says, "Have you had any leaking of fluid?" I responded with "No" and she told me that she could feel hair and I must have been leaking...well in that moment, I felt and heard a 'pop' and flooded the bed with fluid. So they called the doc back and he said we would see how things progressed on their own.
At this point it was around 7:00 and I was having contractions that were about three minutes apart. I hung out with my dad, Bruce and Kim just talking and joking around. They checked me at 9 and I had made it to 80% effaced, but still just 1-2cm.

Around 11:30 I had a TREMENDOUS contraction and something just felt wrong....I told Bruce I wanted to call a nurse and as I was reaching for the call button, my nurse came in muttering something about finding the babies heartbeat...she tried and tried...two more nurses came in...they finally got her on the monitor and her heart rate was only 80 BPM. I have never been so terrified in my life!
They put me on oxygen, moved me to my left side and called the doctor. Next thing I knew, my doctor was there, voice still scratchy from sleep, and I was signing consent for a C-section. My mom showed up at some point, but I don't remember when. I was terrified of the C-section, but more terrified that something could be wrong with our precious little girl. They had me in the OR and the baby out by 12:15...it almost seemed like a dream it happened so fast!

Charlene Beverly was born perfectly healthy, with no indication of why she had such major heartrate issues, at 12:15AM on 2-21-08. She is such a perfect and wonderful little bundle of joy and we are so blessed to have her in our lives!

Induction Scheduled

I had my 39 week check up today and despite having regular contractions for the last day, I have made no progress toward having this little one. :( So, I am scheduled to be induced on Thursday unless something changes between now and then. I have mixed feelings on being induced, but the doctor suggested it primarily because she measured so big at my ultrasound. So I am sure it is the right thing to do medically.
I am VERY excited to thing that I will get to meet my daughter by the end of this week! I have been so anxious to finally meet her that it is hard to believe the time is nearly upon us! It sure is exciting to know she will be here in 4 days or less!!!! Can't wait to share pictures!

Two Weeks?!?!?

Maybe!


We had an ultrasound today to check on Charlene's size. The tech said she was measuring a little ahead of schedule, so maybe we will get to meet her early! Who knows! I have my 38 week checkup on Tuesday and we will see what the Dr has to say about her measurements.


The ultrasound was amazing! Bruce and my mom came with and got to watch while the tech took all the measurements...then she turned the screen so I could see everything too. You could tell in the ultrasound that she has my nose and chin!!!! It was so neat!


The picture below is of her head. She is facing towards you...top of her head is on the right. You can see her right eye, nose, and half her mouth, but the bottom of her face is too dark to see.

I can't wait to meet her!!!!!

One Month and Counting...

We are down to a countdown of days!

Yes...that is right, I am in my LAST MONTH of pregnancy!!! It amazes me how quickly the last 9 months have flown by! We are close to being done with everything...the stroller/travel system is waiting for us at WalMart to be picked up...most of her clothes are washed...her room is pretty much complete...and I can't wait to meet our little princess!!!!!
I had my shower on the 12th and it was tons of fun! We got a lot of beautiful things and are really looking forward to using all of them with her. Here are a few pictures from my shower...I will update more as things progress and be sure to check back here for pictures once she arrives!

The Fairy Land my mom created to set the mood for the shower!

Kathy giving me my Tinkerbell headband!
Me showing off my beautiful new headband!

Ladies and Gentlemen...we have a nursery!!!

It's been painted for a while, but as of today it has a crib and changing table and is starting to look like a real nursery!!! Just thought I would share a few pictures with everyone!






And for those who are wondering just how huge I am getting...here you go!



Whose belly is bigger?!?!?!

Two more months!!!

OH MY GOODNESS!!!!!! I suppose there comes a point in every pregnancy when you are smacked upside the head with how very real this whole baby thing is...well today is that day! My due date is two months from tomorrow. And we have accomplished very little in the preparations for our princess. She has some clothes to wear when she comes home, a bath tub in which to be bathed and an empty---painted---room. But we have no way to get her home from the hospital...no where for her to sleep when she gets there and pretty much none of the other stuff you would expect new parents to have!
I know that I should not flip out too much because we do still have two months, but at the same time...we only have two months! Two months is not that long in the big scheme of things. But surely it is enough time to finish our preparations!
Doctors appointments have been going well and I have been feeling fine for the most part. Overall, this whole pregnancy hasn't been as hard as I expected it to be...of course I hear the last two months are the worst so we will see how I feel in February!
Well...Just wanted to pop in and say Merry Christmas and give everyone a quick update!