A New Adventure!

Wow...so sorry it's been THREE MONTHS! since I last posted!! A lot has happened yet not a lot has happened ;) Today is my last day of work this week until after Christmas so maybe this week I will find some time to add some updates about Charles.

The biggest update of all for Charles is that he is going to be a BIG BROTHER!!!!! W and I found out about a month ago that we were expecting another little one! We are very excited yet very nervous.

Before even planning to get pregnant, we sat down with our Dr to discuss what would happen with our next pregnancy. We had a plan...17-P shots starting at 16wks, careful monitoring, taking it easy, pelvic rest, etc etc. And we knew that later in the pregnancy we might have complications. Except we didn't know later meant at our first appointment, at 7 weeks.

You see, I had an ultrasound done and while talking with the tech, I mentioned the issues that had occurred during my pregnancy with Charles. And so she measured my cervix. 2.5cm. Yikes! Normal range is 3-5cm. So we are starting off already in trouble...and there is NOTHING they can do right now. There is nothing they can do to save my baby if my cervix opens up at this point.

I left the appointment feeling fine, but by the end of the night (we went out with friends afterwards) all of the 'What-ifs" came flooding in my head and I was a wreck. The biggest fear I had was that we wouldn't make it the 16 week mark to start treatment and that I would never be able to carry a baby long enough for it to be viable. I have since put those thoughts out of my head and am now just going day to day, each day getting us closer to 16 weeks. I go back to our regular OB next week at which point she will write a referral to the High Risk group at our local hospital. It is likely that I will a cerclage placed, and for my sake I am hoping that it is earlier rather than later. I am just hoping that I can also resume fairly normal activities within a week or so of the placement.

I know Dr. M is going to take great care of us. She is very compassionate and asks about Charles each time we see her. I wasn't aware but he was her first 'trouble' baby! She has him on her wall with pride that she got me as far as she did and we got that happy healthy little boy!

So right now I am 8 weeks and 5 days...in approximately 7 weeks we will start the 17-P injections. Just holding on for that day now. And if you ask me if I want a boy or a girl, my response will be I just want a baby.

A first

It's hard to believe that Charlie has any more firsts right now..I mean I know we still have first day of school but that's still a long way off...Today was his first trip to the ER. Fun, right?

So what led us there?? Well, the last couple days he started coughing and then woke up with a runny nose after his nap yesterday. By bed time he was coughing a very congested cough but wasn't producing anything. I got him to bed (in my bed) but every time he coughed he would roll over so it was a restless sleep. At midnight he woke himself up again. W took him as I wasn't getting any sleep with him in my bed. W got him back to sleep and came to bed at 2. At 4:30, Charlie was up again coughing and crying so I brought him back to my bed. He snuggled up next to me and I could feel his entire little body just trying to get a breath in. For a few minutes I debated just waiting until the Dr's office opened...but I'm glad I didn't as the only open appointment that day was 11:30 (our follow up care appointment). I was also doubting my mama instinct too...thinking I was being too overprotective, but I am confident I made the right decision.
We were taken back to triage right away. Charlie immediately received a pulse-ox monitor that he did not appreciate. And fairly quickly after that we were taken to a room. The Dr listened to him and looked at his chest. Charlie was retracting horribly. The Dr ordered an albuterol breathing treatment and then we had to wait for the meds to take effect so he could listen again. I honestly didn't see much difference. but I knew we were on the right track and was comfortable knowing some meds were in him. Unfortunately his diagnosis is a viral infection so we just have to let it run its course. We went to follow up and the NP ordered more breathing treatments (at home!), so we borrowed a nebulizer from the neighbor and I have been giving them to him every four hours.

Charlie had a really rough day...and was in bed, for the night, at 6:30. He is doing better, I have only heard one coughing episode since he went to bed so I am hoping for a good night. But it's probably going to be a VERY early morning!!

My World

I'm not sure how I got so lucky..but world is FULL of cuteness!!!!

Here is lil Charlie with me just hamming it up for the camera! He is a cheeseball!

I LOVE looking in Charlie when he is sleeping and seeing what position he is in...Doesn't he look so relaxed? I have found him curled up in the corner, with his legs hanging out, and many other spots...

Tonight he decide he would feed himself his yogurt! He actually did really well! I was so impressed!

Charlie loves anything that is mechanical, and this last week he discovered the closet doors. He will play in his in his room for hours if I let him!

He is soo stinking cute..I may be a bit biased though!

No Fear

So now that Charlie is walking, he apparently thins he can do anything! Check out this kid going down the slide..FACE FIRST!! He did eat dirt a couple times, but he was also able to catch himself. And seriously, hi did this a million times as it took me that many times to get the right shots!

Getting ready to go...
On the way..with Daddy close behind.

At the bottom.

The boy LOVES being outside!! When I get home from work and pick him up, he waves bye-bye to go outside. Every.single.day. He loves it!

He also likes to go off the back of W's recliner face first, as long as there is a pillow on the floor! He will do the same off the couch, face first! He has no fear! I love that he doesn't but sometimes he scares the bejeezus out of us!

We did swim lesosns this summer! Again, he LOVED it! Everyweek, no matter what the temperature was he would laugh and laugha nd splash and splash! One of the other mom asked if we had a pool because he was so comfortable inthe water. W took him swimming in his brother's pool and Charlie seemed to think he could do it imself as he kept pushing W's hands off! Baby, you're not that good yet!

So in other news..I ran my last half marathon for a looong time two weeks ago. Why for a long time?? Well for one, its really hard to train in the summer. Two, I want to run for fun and not feel guilty that I didn't get my training run in. 3, Its kind of pricey for halfs. and lastly, I hope to be pregnant in the next couple months and that automaticaly takes me out for the next year at the least.

Charlie's walking is getting better and better!! He is less wobbly everyday and almost looks likes he's been walking forever! He is getting so big!!

He is still a somewhat picky eater but loves oreos, pizza, mandarin oranges, apple pieces and EGGS! he hates green beans and carrots and peas. And he used to be soo good at eating his vegetables. Not so much anymore.

That's all that is going on in our neck of the woods. I can't believe summer is already almost over! This coming weekend we are joining our neighbors a their lake house for a day..the next weekend I am off to my BFF's wedding..and then it's labor day! So sad that summer is over..

WALKING!!!

Woo hoo!!I am finally ready to call Charlie a walker!!!! We are soooo very excited! He has been taking steps between W and I or one of us and a piece of furniture for quite some time, but not too much walking without some encouragement...This past week he has really taken off!

We went on vacation a couple weeks ago and when we got back it was almost as if he forgot what to do. But by the next day he was doing more than before we left. He started standing up on his own without assistance and walking across the room...at least the family room!! As soon as we went out of the family room, he either needed to hold on to a finger or he was crawling. This weekend, he got up on his own outside and walked to Daddy! And yesterday, he let go of my hand on his own!! Tonight I came home from work to find him 'running' around the backyard with daddy and the neighbors. He has been walking around the house since!!

Honestly he has a few moments where he crawls, but I think he is pretty much done with it! He is also still a bit wobbly, but I think within a week or two he should be hanging out with the kids next door and chasing them too! So fun! I am so very proud of him!

On a side note...How did it get to be July? And the last week in July at that?? Yikes this year has gone soooooooo fast!!!

Daddy went fishing!!

So I spent the week with MOMMY!!! Yep ..its Charlie! I hijacked the blog from momma tonight to let you know how much she dragged me around the state of Illionois! I had a good time with mom, but man she wore me out!

So our week started with Sunday. Daddy left really early in the morning, before I got up even. mommy was bored by noon, but it rained ALL day!



Monday...Aunt Danyel and my cousins Lincoln and Kingston and Nate were going to come visit but we went there instead! I played in the pots and pans with Lincoln..
And Kingston looked on!
Tuesday we went to visit Mom's old neighbor and friend Judy. She has a Granddaughter named Dottie and we played! Judy gave us a yummy lunch and we visited till going to see Aunt Val and Uncle Mike.. You can't see my face in this picture, but I was laughing! Uncle Mike is fuuunnny!!
After walking around the mall in the morning on Wednesday...Mom and I went to the pool with Auntie and cousins Joey, Ben and Tommy (he didn't swim though..he too little). I LOVE LOVE LOVE the water!! I need to learn to wlak though..it wasn't too deep but almost too deep for crawling. Mom rescued me a couple times!
Thursday we went tot he Zoo! my first trip...although it was hard to see the animals. I did get to pet the stringrays..er atleast I tried! I got too excited about the water and splashed alot though. I think I might have scared them away..Ben did not appreciate this as he REALLY wanted to pet the stingrays.



Friday was bit more relaxing...Aunt Danyel and my cousins came to visit and we played. Then mom went to get a new cell phone and Aunt Danyel left rather quickly to try to beat eh awful storms that rolled through...(mom forgot to take pictures though)

And Saturday we went outside to clean up after the storm and I got stung by a wasp!!! It didn't feel too good and my arm was red for awhile, but I feel fine now. Mom gave me juice and I was all good! (oh, and I got my own snack..it was in my new favorite place, on the coffee table!)



Daddy surprised us around 7 last night and I gave him big hugs and his Daddy day present. I was sure glad to see him and so was Mommy!

First Haircut...

Charlie got his first..err, second, haircut (I gave him his first a week before his birthday, but let's not talk about that now. water under the bridge ya know?) and he did AWESOME in the chair!! I was pleasantly surprised! W wouldn't go with us because he was afraid! ha ha!!

Before:


During:

He looks so handsome and like a big boy now with his hair buzzed!