We're Home

We made it home! We're all doing well and trying to get settled in. Laura Anne is such a great big sister. She loves Caleb and wants to help all the time. Here are some pictures of Caleb's first days.

He's Here!!!

Caleb Charlton was born Wednesday, March 26th at 5:22 PM. He weighed 7 pounds 14 ounces, measured 19 1/2 inches. He has a head full of dark brown hair (totally opposite from his big sister!) He's beautiful and we are all in love with him!

From Our Family

Happy Easter!

Check out the hair-do on Laura Anne. She was jumping up and down while we were trying to snap this picture.
Smelling the Easter lily

Happy Birthday Jerry!!
We had fun playing tennis with you today!
(Yes, folks. I said tennis. Anything I can do to encourage my son to come out!!)

Playing Dress Up

This is what having a girl is supposed to be like! Laura Anne wanted to play dress up earlier this week. She even let me put her hair up in pigtails for the event!
I'm not exactly sure what was going on here. Looks like a toddler version of the funky chicken.

No News Yet

I'm still great with child. We thought that Friday was going to be the day. I woke up at 3 AM having regular, crampy contractions. It lasted for 4 hours and then they dwindled. At this point, (Sunday afternoon) I'm still having contractions on a consistent basis, although they are not completely regular. I really haven't stopped having them since they started early Friday morning, but because they are so irregular, I haven't called my midwife. Just when I feel like maybe we should call, they slow down and/or go away for a while. It's getting old, to be perfectly honest. The bag has been packed and in the car since Friday morning. Now we're just waiting. I find myself getting annoyed whenever I feel a contraction. I'm really trying hard to place it all in God's hands, knowing that He has Caleb's birth already planned out and there's no need for the frustration and impatience on my end! It's challenging, though, when the contractions keep coming back! I keep wondering "should I time them this time?" "Are these real?" "Will today be Caleb's birthday??"
Oh well, keep praying for us. I know it will be soon!

Here are a few pictures from last night.

Not Much Longer Now

I had my 38-week checkup yesterday. I'm still 1 centimeter dilated, and the baby's head is real low. That's good news to me! My midwife doesn't think Caleb is going to be real big. That's good news to me, too! ;o)

Chris and I are "joking" that the big event will occur sometime this weekend. Friday has good possibilities. It's the 21st (Laura Anne and Caleb would be born on the same day of the month), there's a full moon, and one of our favorite midwives is on call all day Friday. I plan to spend the day walking and shopping, eating balsamic vinaigrette dressing (heard it can trigger labor), spicy food, castor oil (not really! I'm not that desperate). Anyway, we'll see what happens. Sunday is our other choice, not because it's Easter, though. Our other favorite midwife is on call all day Sunday. Also, it's the first Sunday of our new church. Our church is going through lots of changes and it has been compared to new birth, or a new beginning, so we thought it would be appropriate if Caleb was born Sunday as a visual example of that new beginning!

These are just fun topics of conversation around here. Obviously, we're not really anticipating that I'll go into labor this weekend. But I won't complain if I do! ;o)

Baby Shower Surprise!

I have some great friends and family! I was surprised today with a baby shower! It was so much fun and we received some very cool gifts. I am very excited and definitely feel more prepared to have this baby!

The lovely centerpiece
The even more lovely chocolate cake!! (made by Ellen)
Two friends!
Receiving baby boy clothes is so much fun!

My favorite siblings pitched in to get me this bedding set!! I was so excited!!!! Can you guess what I was doing for the rest of the afternoon?!

A gift just for Daddy and son!

Laura Anne even received a few big sister gifts

Thank you to everyone who came and made this a special occasion! Thank you to my family; your thoughtfulness made the day so much brighter!! I love you all! And a special thank you to my best friends Ellen and Arelys, who, despite the craziness going on in their lives over the past several weeks, still put in the time and love to make a special day for me! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! I love you!

First Haircut

The most I've done as far as trimming Laura Anne's hair up to this point has been trimming her bangs. Chris and I both like her hair long, but it was growing out crooked so yesterday we decided to take her to a wonderful place called Snip-its. Having never been to a place like this, I was surprised she handled it so well. She was a very good girl while the nice lady was trimming away. She actually had so much fun, she cried when we left! So here are some pictures of the momentus occasion! Enjoy!

Before...

The first snipsI love this picture.

What a little ham!

Two inches of her beautiful hair, and you would think that I would have thought to save some. I guess the pregnancy stupids got a hold of me because it didn't occur to me until we were on our way home! Bummer.

After the cut. How sweet!We're all done! She had a pleasant first experience, I think. And if I may say so, she looks adorable! :o)

Outside Fun

The weather has been beautiful lately and we've been taking advantage of it by spending lots of time outside. Here's a few pictures of the fun we had yesterday.

I'm not brave enough to let Sadie run free when Chris isn't home. I'm afraid I wouldn't be able to get her back in her cage. But she loves the visits from us anyway.

Three Days Late

Sorry we're late, Ryan. It's been a crazy week. At least your card got to you on time! ;o)

Hope your birthday was happy!

Four Weeks To Go!

Here I am with my pregnant belly. This was taken today, the first day of week 36.

March is here!!

It's finally baby month!! Is anyone else excited?!?! :o)