Just the Three of Us: June 2008

Monday, June 30, 2008

And more...

Kenny feeding Charlie for the first time. Kenny is doing so well with him!!

Who can't love that face!!!

Uncle Ted just agreed right away to hold little Charlie. He has a lot of things on his "to teach Charlie list" that Kenny and I never will!

Grandma Friedrich holding Charlie for the first time!!

Mommy, Daddy and Charlie...all SOOOO happy to be going home. Lake Forest Hospital is great...but after 3 full days, we were all ready for our house!

Finally...back in our hospital room, Kenny and I got to enjoy our sweet little Charlie that has totally turned our world upside down. Who knew that a little 7lb guy could bring us both to tears and smiles and make us be so thankful to have him in our life. I almost can't remember what it was like without him here and we've only been home for one night.

Daddy and Charlie...

Mommy and Charlie...

Proud Grammy Peck and Charlie. We owe a huge thank you to my mom for staying at the hospital ALL day on Thursday, helping keep me company and giving Kenny a break from sitting in our hospital room as we waited for Charlie's arrival. I'm not sure where else she would have been since she was so excited to meet him...but thanks anyways. :) You've been a huge help the last few days!

And Pops Peck with Charlie...always makes me smile how a little baby can get my dad talking. And I think Charlie won him over pretty quickly.

Our little Charlie makes some crazy faces...moves his lips funny, looks so serious too sometimes. And his poor little cone head that he has...that's what happens when you try to arrive sunnyside up and Mommy pushes for 2 hours.

Charles Edward Friedrich

Born Thursday, June 26, 2008 at 4:26pm at Lake Forest Hospital. Charlie weighed in at 7 lbs 5 oz and was 20 1/2 inches long.

Here I am...probably not long after we checked into the hospital at 6am to be induced. All in all, labor was a good experience, it went quickly, the epidural was great (until the end), but Mr. Charlie was face up instead of face down and I just wasn't able to get him out that way, nor was the doctor able to turn him face down. So, by about 330pm they decided that it was time to do a c-section, which was just fine with me since the epidural was wearing off.

Here's Kenny suited up for the c-section, patiently waiting to get called in the room. We loved my doctors, they were absolutely the best, really tried hard to avoid the c-section, but without compromising mine or Charlie's health. C-sections go quickly and before I knew it Dr. Logan was telling Kenny to stand up and look at his son...I kept asking if that was him crying (who else would sound like a baby crying but Charlie???).

Charlie's first picture. Kenny was able to cut the cord and then went with the nurse and Charlie into recovery to stay with him until they brought me in.

Charlie's first bath...I guess he didn't like it very much. :)

Tuesday, June 17, 2008

Book Catch Up

I realized that I have some catching up to do in terms of posting about some recent book club reads...

My pick in April was for The Glass Castle by Jeanette Walls and I know I've mentioned it as one of my top reads from 2007. I still love the book and HIGHLY recommend it if you haven't read it.

Eat Pray Love is by Elizabeth Gilbert and another book that I read in 2007, but we read it for May 2008. It was a great book, true story of self exploration by the author. I loved this book as well.

This book is called The Confessions of Max Tivoli. I didn't read it...I'll admit it. My life has just been too busy...this whole baby thing. :) I did start the book and have it on my list to finish some day. I think it will be really good though!

And this is the latest book we are supposed to be reading. The Curious Inciden of the Dog in the Night Time. It sounds like a great book. I'm hoping to get to read it. So much so that I bought it, which I usually don't do.

And here's a few others that I've read along with these...my FAVORITE author is James Patterson...and I've now just read Sail, his latest and greatest and it was great! He also just put out another book, Sundays at Tiffanys. That one was also great...but a totally different kind of read than Sail. And I'm also into Elin Hildebrand's books right now. She mainly writes about Nantucket and for some reason I just love her books. I'm reading a new one to paperback for her --- Barefoot. They are good summer reads that make you want to sit on a beach and relax. I don't know that I'll get to do that this summer, so the least I can do is pretend to while reading. :)

Saturday, June 14, 2008

Maybe the Last Charlie Update! :)

Just a short note that our boy may be here soon!! Well, for sure in the next 12 days! I had my 37 week appointment on Thursday and much to my surprise and the doctor's I am 3 cm dilated and 80% effaced already. I also had an ultrasound and Charlie is doing wonderful, his measurements were right on for 37 weeks and they are estimating his weight at just under 7 lbs. Perfect if that weight is right (in my opinion)...but they do caution you that the further along in pregnancy you get, the more difficult it is to estimate his weight. I hope they are right!

Anyways, if Charlie doesn't make his own appearance in the next 12 days, we are scheduled to be at the hospital at 6am on Thursday, June 26 and I will be induced! Hooray!!! We can't wait to meet Charlie and introduce him to all of our family and friends. I'm actually not tired of being pregnant, I feel good...but I am a little tired of dealing with the gestational diabetes. I am so thankful though that all has worked out well for Charlie given the gestational diabetes because he has stayed perfectly healthy and as the doctor believes so far, it doesn't seem to have effected him negatively.

Baby Shower

Well, as they say, better late than never...

Our wonderful family and friends threw us a great baby shower for Charlie on April 27, 2008. Thank you to everyone for coming to the shower and extra thanks to those of you who worked so hard getting ready for it. It was awesome, we loved it and are SO thankful for all of the great gifts for little Charlie.

It was in Wauconda at Lindy's Landing. The day was pretty nice, the view of Bangs Lake from the room was great, the food was fantastic and the company was the best.

Michelle opening a stuffed frog...from none other than Aunt Donna!

Michelle and Kenny opening some great coordinating pieces for Charlie's bedroom set.

Charlie's first photo album.

Since I FORCED Kenny to attend the shower, my dad and my brother Ted took one for the team and came with Kenny to make it so it wasn't 50 women and Kenny at the shower! Thanks for coming Dad and Ted!
Next to the sweets table was a great set up of diapers. The guests got to write messages on the diapers to Kenny and I so when we start to use them, we can smile and laugh at messages from family and friends. A great idea...something has to make you smile at 3am when you are changing a yucky diaper!

The room before everyone got there...at the back wall on the gift table is another children's talbe and chairs. My Aunt Nancy had those refinished for Charlie and they look fantastic. I call them Ted and Michelle's table and chairs...but they actually date back to Kathi and Larry's table and chairs. So wonderful to have!!

The patio on Bangs Lake at Lindy's Landing.