Charlotte is here!

After months of nausea and intense heartburn, Charlotte Lea Baker entered the world via c-section weighing in at 8 lbs. 3 oz. and measuring at 21 in. This is my second c-section, and just the other day I was marveling at the radically different experience each section was from the other. For example, Paton was born via emergency cesarean but Charlotte was scheduled for Feb. 22 so that I wouldn't go over my due date. My reaction to the drugs post surgery was more violent w/ this birth than w/ Paton's.

After reflecting upon my experiences at two different hospitals (Paton was born in Missouri), I've compiled a list of praises to my God for his goodness during this pregnancy and delivery.

1. Morning sickness was minimal. Though I experienced nausea, I never had the full-fledged sickness that many do.

2. Though the heartburn was intense at times, it served as a reminder that there was a live child inside me!

3. Though I was considered a high-risk pregnancy, all of the ultrasounds and extra screenings were the same--your baby is healthy, your placenta is healthy...you will probably have a healthy baby. And she is very healthy...not even jaundice was an issue though she tested Coombs positive!

4. The cesarean itself went flawlessly, and Charlotte entered the world screaming like there's no tomorrow (Paton didn't cry right away, and the nurses didn't show him to me...all making for a pretty worried mother).

5. My parents were able to make it out here the day before though the weather and road conditions through Wyoming were less than perfect. My mom's presence was especially comforting as I vomited in the trash can several times due to my body reacting to the meds post-surgery.

6. The nurses were wonderful! My every need was met, and even my wants were fulfilled.

7. My husband arranged for a cleaning lady to come to my house so that I wouldn't have to think about it! She was great!

8. Several church members came to the hospital. It was wonderful to have visitors since there wasn't much I was able to do following surgery.

9. Since my parents were here, Paton was well cared for. Also, Greg was freed up to spend time with me and Charlotte without worrying about Paton or feeling like he had to rush home to relieve a sitter.

10. The surgery was scheduled for 7:30am, but we had to be there by 5:30 for prep. Our dear friend Elaine woke early and watched Paton so that my parents could come to the hospital and see Charlotte as soon they could!

11. My blood pressure was great the entire time. With Paton, it was high rather consistently.

12. Pain meds are wonderful!

13. We were discharged yesterday, and now I'm resting and recovering. God has been so good to us through these last several months. Again and again he proves himself the kind of God one can truly rely on.

Skiing at Wolf Mountain

Greg took Paton skiing today...Paton's first time at a legit ski area. Since Paton is under 5, he was able to ski for free and the ski area has a magic carpet to ride up the beginners slope (not really even a hill) so Greg doesn't have to hike it up every time they go down.

It was wonderful to see and hear how much Paton loves to ski! Each time they'd go down, Paton would say, "Again, Daddy" or "Faster, Daddy." He was shaking with excitement as he watched the other skiers go down the slope, sympathizing when someone fell down, and shouting at me from the magic carpet incoherent 2 1/2 yr toddler speak. When you watch the video, you can hear Paton scream, "Weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!"

And since we own our ski equipment and since Mondays and Wednesday are family/friends ski day, the entire morning of fun cost us a whopping $5.

Below is the top of the magic carpet. It's a nice alternative to riding the chair lift.

Riding the magic carpet back to the top.

Daddy was pretty worn out holding Paton up the whole time. But Paton didn't seem to realize that as he consistently shouted, "Faster!"

Took the pic during a sneeze!

February Walk

One of my favorite things to do with Paton is to take a walk on my street. This morning, the snow flurries had cleared up though the sun wasn't quite out from behind the clouds. It had been a while since Paton had played outside due to the cold temperatures. So, we bundled up and walked up my street. We encountered several horses who were just as curious about us as we were of them. Unfortunately there was too much snow between them and us for a petting time. As we admired the horses, a scruffy dog I'm familiar with put on a show of barking. But as soon as it realized that we were friends, it came running up to give Paton kisses and lean against my legs. She really was quite scruffy...long, untrimmed fur and nails, muddy, and prickly balls stuck in her fur. But she was so friendly.

Paton had new mittens from his friend K-Nina (Katrina), and they're so easy to get onto his little hands. It's a kid version of those "one size fits all" stretchy gloves that are made for adults. And I was thrilled that he actually kept them on!

Below is a video of his normal, talkative nature.

Two Weeks Left!

Last weekend, I helped my friend prepare for another friend's baby shower. Heather and I are due only a few weeks apart...she is having her first boy and I'm having our first girl. Anyway, Elaine and I painted those blocks in the background for the decorations table. We were going for a giant toy theme.

The last week or so I've had some pretty painful Braxton Hicks, so I'm hoping Charlotte decides to come soon. Usually these false contractions are strongest and most painful in the evening. Not sure why that is, but my husband faithfully whips out the stopwatch in order to help me decide if these are true contractions. They haven't been so far, but I will say that it's easier to breathe now and my heart burn isn't as intense. Perhaps that means the baby has dropped.

Speaking of symptoms, I haven't been able to sit still this morning. Not sure what to do with myself, I decided to run to the store and pick up a few ingredients so I could bake. That's what I was craving...baking. Not cleaning or organizing necessarily (though that always seems to need doing). So I will sign off now and make Puppy Chow...but first I need to get the recipe off of my friend's blog. Here's a shout out for Tiffany! Thanks for putting this recipe on line so I could get at it easily!