Charlie Penn is 3 Months!

Charlie Penn is 2 Months Old!

Our dear boy is 2 months old, and thank God, we have managed not to drop him or forget him in the car! He's grown quite a bit, and his little personality has started to shine through those chubby cheeks.
As compared to 1 month old...
As compared to 1 day old...

Baby Cinema

Playmates

Penn isn't the only miracle on the block. In fact, he's the youngest of a mini baby boom. While I was pregnant, two families from church were also expecting their first child. So Penn has playmates in Graham Carpenter, four weeks his senior, and Mollee McClain, the seven-week-older woman.

Here is Penn's first meeting with Graham, in utero:

Here they are, meeting face to face, when Penn's about a week old. Graham's like, "That baby doesn't even open his eyes."

About 3 weeks later, they hung out again, alert and decked out with their favorite pacifiers. Graham's football onesie attests to the probability that he will be good at sports. His dad is a football coach after all. Penn's onesie just spells trouble.

Last weekend, we ran into little Mollee, who was also in her stroller getting rested up for Rhythm and Roots. She's the oldest, and possibly the smallest of the babies, a petite princess, even though she was the biggest of the babies at birth.

Penn's First Road Race

Here's to a healthy family. Brandon ran his first 5K in 30 minutes, which is 5 minutes faster than he had been running it. I walked the 2 mile race with my friend and neighbor Alison, who has been kicking my butt walking the past few weeks. We ended up finishing together at about 27 minutes. I mean, the last mile, I said to heck with dignity, and got my arms pumping like a mall walker. Penn snuggled close and slept through the whole thing, the little trooper. It was our first race as a family, and felt great to start the day outside together.

1 Month

So far, so good. We love you little guy.

Sweet P

My boy is sweet. He's impossible not to hold, love, and hope the best for.

(Thanks Aunt Stephanie for my Charlie Brown onesies!)

3 Week Photo Shoot

A Growing Lad

At 2 weeks and 6 days, Penn weighed 11 pounds and measured 23 inches. The doctor said he's a strong baby. So, even though a quarter of my day is spent feeding the ravenous little guy, it's well worth it.

He seems to have a laid back demeanor, and is happiest when he's lying on his Daddy's chest or being held. He'll go to anyone, mostly because he's asleep. He sleeps 3-4 hours at a time at night, which is great, and spends more and more daytime hours awake, just quietly looking around...even though right now, he's asleep. He holds his head up for several seconds, and bobs his head when he's lying on his tummy. That's about it. We'll try and teach him some tricks soon. Speaking of tricks...we're hoping to teach Steele how to change diapers.

The Day You Were Born

Father and son. I love them.
Doula and Baby
The wonderful, patient doctor who delivered Penn
The sweet and charming Scottish nurse who stayed past her shift to see Penn into the world.

Little Charlie Penn is already 2 weeks old, and I have yet to post much of anything about the story of his birth. So, here it goes...

His due date came.

And his due date went.

And I was still pregnant.

Mom flew in the next day, and I started through the list of old wives tales...I did try castor oil, and it got things moving...just not the baby. I took evening primrose oil. I bounced on the birth ball so much that Mom was afraid I might give the baby brain damage. I ate spicy food. I drank raspberry leaf tea. I hiked four miles.

And still nothing. Of course, I had been dilated to 4 cm for weeks. We had scheduled an induction for Tuesday, but I thought surely I would go into labor before then. Monday night, I called the doc's office and with a heavy heart canceled the sure bet of having a baby the next day. The thought of trying to have a baby naturally with the aid of Pitocin just sounded miserable. And after all the effort of planning on a natural birth just to give it all up in the final week seemed petty. But I was sooooo ready not to be pregnant any more. And I wanted Mom to meet her grandson before she had to fly back to Louisiana. We had four more days.

We made the most of Mom's visit by going to the Biltmore, where she had never been before. We went to the pool, where I continued the belly parade. We ate good food, which Mom generously cooked for us. We went shopping for cute little baby things, and Mom stocked our baby medicine cabinet with things a pediatric nurse knows best to purchase. And we had a good time.

Thursday morning, I thought maybe I was leaking amniotic fluid and went into the hospital. They said it was just a little, but that they would go ahead and keep me. Yes! I was having a baby...but would all go as planned? I asked that they break my water instead of begin Pitocin, and because I have such a great doctor who understood my desire to have this baby naturally, they were flexible.

So, they broke my water at 2 in the afternoon. The doula showed up a few minutes later, yoga pants and birth ball and all, ready to rock and roll. She and Brandon and I began walking the halls, and I wasn't really having any contractions of notice. We walked up and down the stairs in the stair well, and things started happening. I think I was so excited to actually be in labor that I didn't focus on the pain. It turns out I walked through active labor, and by the time we got back to the room, I was 8 cm dilated. At that point they wanted me to stay in the room, and I was feeling pained enough not to argue. I sat on the birth ball with my hands on Brandon's chest, eyes closed, and entered the zone. All along, the doula was encouraging us and helping keep us on track. Our amazing Scottish nurse Maggie was there to help with anything we needed. And all along, my husband was at my side, holding my hand, wiping my forehead, telling me I was doing great. I can't say enough for the support he gave me.

An hour later, when the doctor checked again, I was 9 1/2 cm, and everyone got excited, like I might have this baby by 7 that night. I got on the bed and they said to go ahead and start pushing. And push I did. Two hours in, and I started feeling very discouraged. It didn't seem like we were making much progress, and I felt exhausted, breathless, and hungry. "I just need some hope," I remember saying. Brandon went and made a few calls, asking people to pray. And it's like I could feel their prayers being answered as I labored. Just when I would think I couldn't make it any longer, I would get the strength I needed. God was with me, and he was in the room, and in my pain, I felt comforted.

My doctor's shift was up, so he went home, and a woman doctor from the same practice came in to do the delivery. As the doula's hippie music played in the background, my room transformed into a bona fide hospital room--it looked like a place where a baby might actually be born, and that inspired me. As did the clock. I had about two more hours until Friday the Thirteenth, so I told myself that I had to have that baby before then. Sparing all the gory details, at 11:30, our sweet little boy made his entrance into the world. They put him on my chest, and I kissed him, and Brandon and I looked at each other, filled with love for our son. Our 9 pound, 3 ounce, very large son.

We named him Charles Penn after Brandon's Uncle Charlie and my mom Penny. We couldn't think of two more humble people to name him after, and I'm proud of the heritage that he shares in his namesakes.

Penn's birth was an awesome challenge, but even more awesomely rewarding. We had the best team of nurses, doctors, and doula who supported us through the birth plan, and who cheered us on. I felt empowered that we had a plan and stuck to it, even though it was at times frustrating, difficult to be patient, and hurt like heck. In the two weeks following, I've felt so good, better than my last weeks of pregnancy. Penn is such a good baby, eating and sleeping and growing into a healthy little guy, one day at a time.

The Amazing Pinkcat

She takes the classic white onesie and transforms it into a miniature work of hand-stitched art. She is my friend, and her name is Adriel. She has an etsy website, and she's happy to take orders of any design you choose. Check her out at pinkcat1.etsy.com.

Charlie Penn Story!!!

Here he is, a perfect gift from God!

Charlie Penn Story

Born August 12, 11:30 p.m.

9 lbs 3 oz

D-Day

Well, here we are. August 6. 5th Anniversary. Our son's due date.

We've had a pretty wonderful 5 years, and I'm happy to say that marriage continues to get better. As our love for each other deepens, so does our patience, wisdom, character, and joy. We have sharpened each other, and grown into people more fit to do good in the world. And we hope, fit to be just the right kind of parents to nurture our little boy.

Our focus has been so baby-heavy, that we've scarcely thought about celebrating our marriage. In a way, baby is a celebration of marriage. Still, since we are here, and I have yet to go into labor, we have dinner plans at the Troutdale Bistro, a little local place downtown where we happen to have a great gift certificate. And this morning, I made a quiche, crust from scratch and everything. So, we're staying sweet around here, in spite of the frustration of one more day of waiting.

Mom flies in tomorrow around noon, and it will be so dear to see her. I had thought when we booked the ticket last month that there would be a baby by then, but alas, time will tell if things start moving in the next 24 hours. At this week's doctor's appointment, the doc scheduled an induction for Tuesday the 10th, though if we don't mind a different doctor performing it, he will let us put off induction until Friday the 13th...but wait a minute...who wants that? Maybe the 12th? Or we could just say, "No way, Jose, you're not inducing until at least 42 weeks." We could just put our foot down. Like my mother-in-law continues to remind us, "All babies are born eventually." Still, she doesn't understand our doctor's rationale that we might be better off and less likely to have a c-section if baby doesn't get too big. But try telling that to a woman who had a 10 pound baby naturally, 5 weeks late.

If I haven't had a baby by Sunday, I'm considering castor oil. I'm not kidding.

I guess it's hard to be patient when most of my pregnant friends have had their babies early. But the truth is, early babies don't run in my family. According to my mom, I was born the day after my due date, and my three sisters were born 11 days after theirs, 2 of whom were induced.

I think I got my hopes up with the doctor's reports of dilation and effacement, but I've been 4 cm and 80% for 2 weeks. And the rule appears to be, every woman is different, and the amount of dilation isn't really a predictor of when you'll go into labor. Unless, that is, you've had several kids and you know your body that well. This being my first, it's just a guessing game.

The good news is, baby's healthy, I'm healthy, Brandon's happy, the house is perfect. We've got the best community in the world to support us through this. People are praying, and God's timing will be exact. So really, what's a few more days? If I really don't want to be induced Tuesday, I can always call Monday and push it back a little. No harm done, right?

P.S. Happy Birthday to Harper Faye, who's birthday we hijacked for our anniversary and maybe our son's birthday.

Baby Attends Paul McCartney Concert

How often does one get to hear a living legend, I mean, a freaking Beatle? At 2 p.m. Wednesday, we bought tickets for the Charlotte show, and by 3:30, Brandon, Kathy, Cindy, and I (and of course baby) were on our way. The nosebleed section didn't affect our enjoyment of the show, since the set was amazing:

• 1. Venus & Mars / Rockshow
  2. Jet
  3. All My Loving
  4. Letting Go
  5. Drive My Car
  6. Highway
  7. Let Me Roll It / Foxy Lady
  8. Long And Winding Road
  9. 1985
  10. Let 'Em In
  11. My Love
  12. I've Just Seen a Face
  13. And I Love Her
  14. Blackbird
  15. Here Today
  16. Dance Tonight
  17. Mrs. Vanderbilt
  18. Eleanor Rigby
  19. Ram On
  20. Something
  21. Sing The Changes
  22. Band On The Run
  23. Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da
  24. Back In The U.S.S.R.
  25. I've Got a Feeling
  26. Paperback Writer
  27. A Day In The Life / Give Peace A Chance
  28. Let It Be
  29. Live And Let Die
  30. Hey Jude
      
  31. Encore:Day Tripper
  32. Lady Madonna
  33. Get Back
  34. Encore 2: Yesterday
  35. Helter Skelter
  36. Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (Reprise)
  37. The End

Music In Utero

All My Bags Are Packed...

37 Weeks, and counting...


Amazing diaper bags, ready to go for real baby use. Sleeping bag for dad at the hospital. Suitcase, check.


The good news is, there are 3 cm I won't have to dilate when I go into labor.
The bad news is, who knows when that will be :).

We've practiced our breathing techniques, the car seat is installed, and our bags are packed. In the meantime, we're continuing our summer of nesting. Along with fixing up the nursery, we have seriously remodeled the master bedroom, added a master bathroom, and refinished the kitchen floors. Brandon, missing his old projects, is now building a built-in wall bookshelf. I'm painting outdoor trim like doors and windows.

Ye Master Bedroom

Ye Master Jacuzzi


The Spiffied-up Country KitchenBrandon and Steele coating 23 boards with polyurethane, in preparation for bookshelf building.


The front door, in transition to a more welcoming entry-way. Soon to come...a welcome mat, a wreath, and a hanging plant.