Charlotte's Birth

December 2012

Welcome to the world baby Charlotte! 

Ready to be induced

Charlotte Beth Lane

Grandma Susie and baby Charlotte

Charlotte was born at Riverside Community Hospital.  Grandma Susie and Grandpa Vern came and visited right after she was born, right after church, since she was born on sunday.  Even Dr Gifford came by right after church to hold her and check in.  It was so nice!  Grandma Janette and Grandpa Cordell were babysitting Lorelai and Gwen so they came to see Charlotte when we got home from the hospital. Later that night Randy and Christi Postoian came to visit.  We had the room to ourselves so we ordered pizza, the guys turned on the game and we hung out for hours!  It was so fun and very memorable.  Lizzy Jergensen stopped by too with flowers.  I felt so special having my best friends come visit baby Charlotte.  We left the next day for home so the girls could meed baby Charley!

leaving the hospital in a little stocking

The girls meeting their new baby sister

A Letter to Charlotte 

Dear Charlotte,

 When I found out I was having another girl I was really excited.  Three girls!  I was super happy, because I just love having girls.  We already knew what we were going to name you right from the start.  Dad and I loved the name Charlotte, we thought it was so pretty, sophisticated and classy.  We also thought we would call you Charley for short, which sometimes we do but more often we call you Charlotte or baby bean or baby boo!  Dad keeps calling you beanie or beaner which sounds pretty silly, but I must admit it’s cute when your older sisters call you that too.  Your middle name is named for your great-grandma Beth (grandpa Cordell’s mom) who passed away the year before.  I never got to tell her I was going to name my next baby after her if it was a girl, so that made me sad.  She was lovely.  So I am so glad you were named after her!

 This pregnancy was probably the hardest for me.  There were times that I was really negative and overwhelmed.  I was still working full time, had a 2 ½ hour commute to and from work, and with two toddlers to take care of when I got home, I was exhausted to say the least.  We had a little more stress than normal because daddy was starting a new job and we were living with my parents (Grandma and Grandpa Sewell), and I was the nursery leader over 20+ kids on Sunday!  I just counted down the days until I went on maternity leave and didn’t have to commute any longer.  Of course I knew I wouldn’t be pregnant forever, and I think I counted down the days until you were to arrive too!  I also ended up getting pre-gestational diabetes so I had to monitor all my food intake constantly and blood sugar, but this ended up being a slight blessing because my doctor, Dr Darcy Bryan, induced my around my due date so I didn’t have to wait any longer! 

So I knew you would be here on December 16^th, for which I was glad so it wasn’t too close to Christmas.  So we went to Riverside Community Hospital that morning.  After checking in, I talked to the nurse and asked for my epidural as soon as I could get it!  She obliged and, guess what?!  I got my epidural even before they gave me the pitocin to start my contractions, so I never felt a single contraction with you! Although we had a little scare when I started getting light headed and my heart rate dropped really low, the nurses hadn’t given me enough fluids with my epidural and so I had to go on oxygen really quickly.  Luckily they caught it before my heart rate dropped to a dangerous level, but it was scary for a moment.  I had never had an oxygen mask before.  After a few hours you were ready to come.  I was pushing well, and then Dr Bryan told me, “Let’s get this baby out!”  So she had me do 2 really hard pushes to get you out very quickly, I didn’t know, but she could see that the cord was wrapped around your neck.  She quickly moved it and it took a few long seconds, but then I heard you cry.  I was scared.  They put you on my tummy and you were really purple.  It made me super nervous, but the nurses knew you were fine.  You were so beautiful.  We discovered later that you had a blocked tear duct in your left eye, so it always looks a little watery, but other than that you were perfect!  Oh I treasured you!  I felt such a tight bond with you.  It really helped that a few months after you were born, I quit my job.  So I was home with you all the time.  I have treasured every moment and every snuggle with you.  I never once took it for granted having my sweet little babe with me.

Charlotte, you are the sweetest baby, so perfect and angelic.  Words can’t describe how blessed I feel that Heavenly Father sent you to me.  Your eyes sparkle when you smile and it makes your entire face light up.  You have been so easy to take care of.  I love snuggling with you.  The first few months of your life you slept in the crook of my arm every night.  Some nights I was so uncomfortable, but I always knew that someday you won’t be in the crook of my arm and I will have wished I could have that moment back, so I have never once, taken for granted the tender moments you and I spent together in the wee hours of the morning or putting you to bed an singing softly in your ear while I held you.  There have been a few times I have been a little sad that I have never been able to rock to sleep in my glider in your precious nursery because we are living with grandma and grandpa, but more importantly us living with them has enabled me to stay home with you full time.  What a blessing it has been for me to not have to go back to work and leave you, but to be able to snuggle you all day!  I love you so much Charlotte.  You are a sweet angel and I am so excited to get to know your personality as you get older.  Your sisters love you so much.  Lorelai loves feeding you a bottle or tries to calm you.  She likes to be a “mini mom.”  And Gwen just wants to play with you.  They get so excited when you do something new like roll over or when you crawled.  They would say “mom! Mom!  Look at Charlotte!”  They were so proud of you.  I love watching the three of you play and I love seeing your face light up when you see your sisters. 

Charlotte, you are my sweet doll baby!  I love you and know that Heavenly Father sent you to me. 

Love, Mom