August 28, 2014

Charlie, One Month Old

In true second child fashion... late on the blogging about Charlie Boy. He's here! One month old tomorrow. (What?! Fastest and slowest month of my life.)



Charlie arrived on his due date... his very own idea. My college roommate was born on her due date (She said only around 2% of the population naturally come on their due date!) and she is very punctual and responsible. I'd like to think that will be true of Charlie, too. I had been having contractions every day (mostly at night) two weeks prior and what a tease that was! Several nights of packing up our things only to be deflated when the contractions stopped. 

On Tuesday morning, the 29th, contractions woke me up at 4:00 am. By 4:30, they were two minutes apart. By 5:00 am, we were at the hospital where a nurse checked me and said, "You'll be holding that baby by lunch!" Hallelujah!!

I got my epidural around 7:00 am (thank you, Jesus, for your grace manifested in medicine!) and was pushing by 11:00.

At 11:43, I saw his face.



This little one that I had wept tears for. The one I begged God to let us keep. I bathed him in kisses and Andrew prayed over him with thankfulness. I was much more teary than I was at Wilson's birth... probably because I could grasp the fulness of what was happening with just a little more clarity: that this was day one of being under my wings... and each day this little baby bird would grow less dependent upon me and Andrew.



Andrew went to grab Wilson in the waiting room and the first words out of his mouth were "How'd they get him out of there?" We diverted the conversation (because we are such awesome parents in that way) and scooped W onto the bed to see his little brother for the first time. He was and still is SO interested in everything Charlie.

"What's Charlie doing now?"
"Is Charlie awake?"
"Can I hold Charlie?"
"Look at this face Charlie's making"
"Is Charlie hungry? Is Charlie cold? Charlie is so precious."



We are really blown away. I thought at best Wilson would ignore him... totally caught off guard by his obsession with his "Little Man Charlie." (He told me tonight that's what he's going to call him.)



So far it seems that Charlie's temperament is pretty easy going. On his first night I woke up to see him staring at me from his hospital crib just making sucking noises, not even crying... like, "Hey, I don't mean to bother you, but if you're awake now I'm kind of hungry." Oh, precious boy! This lasted for two weeks and now he's a little more fussy, but only when he's tired or hungry. And he doesn't love to be put down for too long so I spend a lot of time wearing him in the Ergo, which makes me feel pregnant all over again. He's back and forth from getting up either once or twice during the night... usually up for the morning around 6:00.



He's been smiling since week one, but I've just noticed this week that he is starting to smile in response to faces and not just randomly. He follows voices and especially loves to try to find Brother in the room. (Because Brother is always talking.)



Life is not easy around here and there are lots of tears from three out of the four members of this family on most days, but it is a beautiful mess. Thank you to all of our friends and family who have taken such. good. care. of us this past month.

Charlie, 

You have a place and a purpose in our family. We are all more who we are meant to be because you are with us. Your name, "Charles," means "free man" and I pray that name would swallow you up-- that from your earliest days you would run free from the chains of bondage to sin and law. And that you would run to Jesus... in Him you are free indeed, Charlie Boy. An abundant life is before you. We promise you that we will always try our very best to push you towards Him. If our hearts are exploding with love and pride, can you even imagine how much Jesus delights in you, Littlest Man? You are His inheritance... His treasure. You are ours and His forever.



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