Ringing in 2013

After my family left from our Christmas festivities, Drew and I packed up the truck (literally everything but the kitchen sink...haha) and headed down to Corpus for NYE. It was our first roadtrip as a family of 3 and our first trip to CC!

We had so much fun introducing Charlotte to some of our bestest friends... Heather, Natalie and Sean & Teresa Walker. We celebrated NYE at the Walker's on the actual NYE night. They cooked us an amazing steak dinner (we can't wait to come back Walkers!) Charlotte did so good on our little trip out of town. I can't wait to go back this summer to take her to the beach and to some of Daddy and Mama's hangouts :)

Hope all of you had a wonderful & safe NYE. We know 2013 is going to be a GREAT year for us!



Charlotte's First Christmas!!





Merry Christmas sweet Charlotte!



Here we are at 7 Weeks. What a crazy week we had last week! Charlotte was definitely much better as well as myself. I really believed we were finally over the hump of all that mess. We weren't having to do the breathing treatments every 4 hours anymore and I was walking around just great with my boot! YAY!!

My Mom left on Sunday and Drew's parents arrived to stay for our Christmas celebration #1. We were all getting so excited that we were all feeling better and for C to experience her first Christmas at home. Drew's sister and her husband came the next day (Christmas Eve). We had such a fun time being together and playing with Charlotte... thank goodness she was better! She had to be well for Santa :)

Christmas Day was filled with lots of family time. We ate lots of delicious food and opened presents. Charlotte got some ADORABLE clothes from her Gran & Grandpa & Aunt Cece and Uncle JC. She also got some money for her college savings fund from Drew's Aunt Lana and Uncle John and an adorable activity playmat to have some tummy time on.

Drew gave me a brand new Singer sewing machine that I'm SO SO SO excited about and I gave Drew some custom made cowboy boots and a Daddy Sling :) He has LOVED my Hava Sling but since it's a petite, it doesn't fit him so I got him a Daddy one to fit him. I also got money and new Kendra Scott earrings. Lucy also had a great Christmas too! She got new toys and dog treats :)



Christmas Eve with my little Christmas rose... 1st Christmas that we didn't go to church :( We didn't want to risk C getting sick again.



Presents under the tree



My happy girl!

Dueitt Christmas

Charlotte's First Christmas!

Tired girl!

What a wonderful few days we had. It was also so nice to still have continued help since I'm not fully back to walking around and getting up. Everyone went home on Wednesday so I was able to have one day to ourselves before my entire family came on Thursday/Friday for my family's Christmas. Since I had broken my ankle and C got sick... we didn't end up traveling to the ranch in Fredericksburg. My family couldn't bear the thought of not being together so they brought Christmas to us!

Christmas Celebration #2 was about to begin! My sister Amy and her family came first. My niece and nephew had so much fun playing with Charlotte and getting things ready for the rest of the family to arrive. My parents came next and then my other sister Katherine was the last to arrive. We had another delicious meal on Saturday, watched Christmas movies on TV and opened TONS TONS TONS of presents! My house looked like a bomb had gone off but it was the best feeling to be so loved and have everyone here to just be together.

 

Charlotte got more loot! More cute clothes (seriously... this girl has a wardrobe to die for!), money, jewelry, some cute toys, and a princess pig piggy bank. I received a really cute peacock sewing basket for all of my materials, more money, a new Vera Bradley wallet and a cake pop maker! What a fun, memorable and sweet Christmas this was. I can't wait for next year's when Charlotte actually can rip paper and notice what's going on... she slept the whole time this year :) Sweet baby!

Playing on her new activity mat

My wonderful parents!

Nieces and Nephews galore! Becca (12), Daniel (11), Dustin (14), Courtland (13), Kaitlyn (11) and Tyler (11)

My sister Amy and brother in law Danny

My sister Katherine and brother in law Rick

My sleeping beauty worn out for the Christmas madness

 

Gotta have my Lucy included! She loved everyone's visits and our fires in the fireplace :)

My sisters and I modeling our new sweaters



All the girls in our matching pjs... Charlotte was napping

She woke up! Merry Christmas!



6 Weeks... What a rough week!





My poor little angel... sick with RSV :(

Six Weeks for Charlotte and me has been the hardest week so far and a week I will never forget! My last post I had just broken my ankle... My mother in law came in town on Sunday to help me take care of C since I couldn't walk or drive. I was beside myself with misery!

The next day, Monday, Charlotte came down with a nasty cough and stuffy nose so we decided to take her to the pediatrician. So here we go, I loaded myself in the car with my crutches and all and we had C in the backseat hacking away... we get to the doctor and she thought it was just allergies but decided to do a swab for RSV just in case... later that day she calls me back with the results... C had RSV! She was positive that we had caught it early but to be sure to watch her breathing and if it became labored and she was wheezing to take her to the ER immediately. Of course I freaked out and didn't sleep for the next 24 hours because I was so worried about my baby... keep in mind, I still can't walk so this was even more awful because I really couldn't take care of my baby the way I would have liked to.

Tuesday, Charlotte was getting worse. She was crying all the time, not eating well, sleeping most of the day. She definitly wasn't herself and I knew that something was definitly not right with my baby. She did begin to wheeze so we decided to take her back to the doctor after my doctor appt. I had my 6 week OBGYN appt that morning. Everything was great at my appt but we ended up having to get a nebulizer and start breathing treatments every 4 hours round the clock until seeing results. Again, I was beside myself because my sweet little girl was getting sicker and sicker. It KILLED me to watch her struggle to breath because she was so full of mucus and was coughing so much. I knew she was feeling horrible and on top of that she wanted to nurse 24/7 so I was beginning to get very uncomfortable. But I knew I needed to do what was best for my baby. I had to stay strong for her.

Wednesday, I had my 2nd ankle appt with the orthopedic surgeon to see if I needed surgery or not... We loaded up poor little Charlotte and my MIL drove me. She stayed in the car with C so we didn't have to take her out and I hobbled in. Luckily after the X-Rays... I didn't need surgery! What a sigh of relief and a little bit of good news. I had to make another appt to come back in a week to reevaluate how long I would need to wear the boot. I started feeling very sick later that day and it turned out I had a horrible cold. The rest of the week would be getting worse before it would get better.

My MIL ended up leaving Thursday and my Mom came to take her place to help until my in-laws came back for Christmas the following week. I was so relieved when my Mom was here because she just KNOWS what to do. We stayed home and I rested while C rested as much as possible. After doing round the clock breathing treatments every 4 hours and suctioning out as much mucus as we could... Charlotte was finally starting to make some progress. My Mom was here to hold my hand, hold Charlotte, and just take care of us. It was the best medicine I could have asked for. I don't know how I would have made it without her.

By the end of the week I was able to walk around on my ankle using my boot without crutches and Charlotte was getting more sleep and nursing back to normal. I prayed so much to heal me and to heal Charlotte. We really needed some good luck and blessings coming our way.

What a whirlwind! We ready for this 6th week to pass and for Christmas to come it's way :)

Breathing treatments every 6 hours

At least she looked like a cute little duck!

We needed some much needed prayers :(

5 Weeks and an Unimaginable Accident!

5 Weeks old and cute as a button!

This was a very eventful week. Charlotte and I left on Sunday for our first road trip! We drove to Seguin to my parent's house (2 hours away) to stay the night. My Mom and I woke up early Monday morning and hit the road with C to Bridgeport, TX (near Dallas/Ft.Worth) to visit my grandmother and aunt. We had a wonderful visit and I'm so blessed to be able to introduce Charlotte to her Great Grandmother who is 98. I will treasure our conversations, pictures and watching her hold and snuggle Charlotte for the rest of my life. She cried so much because she kept saying how this was the most wonderful thing I ever could have given her... time with Charlotte. We stayed until Wednesday and then hit the road to go back to Seguin.

My Mimi with Charlotte... they are 98 years apart!

Me and my little Christmas rose :)

Wednesday night after we got back, one of my best friends, Mary, and her baby girl, Noelle, came to meet Charlotte at my mom's house. Mary, Zach and Noelle live in San Marcos (so close to Seguin) and she's been waiting since C was born to meet her. It was so much fun to get our babies together. We had a fun little visit!

Mary and Charlotte

The next day was Thursday and I was planning to get up, feed Charlotte and then hit the road. But my Grandmother who lives in Seguin where my parents live, really wanted to see Charlotte too. So before I left town, I headed over there to see her one more time and let her hold C. I'm so blessed with longevity in my genes... my sweet Grandmother is 102! I don't know anyone who has both their grandmothers living that are 98 and 102, so blessed :)

Charlotte and Grandmother Wyatt... they are 102 years apart!

After our little visit, I got Charlotte buckled in her carseat and I was headed out the door to head home. My Grandmother lives in an assisted living and there are lots of curbs and ramps around the building to help the elderly. I was just about to my car (carrying Charlotte in her carseat) when all of a sudden, I twisted my ankle on something near the curb and fell down. I immediately freaked out because I dropped the carseat and I was so worried about Charlotte that I didn't even think about the shooting pains going through my right ankle. Once I realized she was okay, the pains hit me and I started crying. I was scared, shocked and freaked out about what had just happened. I immediately called my Mom and she rushed over to help me. She managed to get us in the car and take me to the Seguin ER.

They X-Rayed my ankle and it turns out that it's fractured! I can't even believe that this happened to me. I'm supposed to be well and be taking care of my 5 week old baby, not have people or Drew take care of me. The reality set it and they fitted me for a walking boot. I was told that it wasn't that bad and the bone hadn't displaced (or moved) so luckily I more than likely wouldn't need surgery. Praise God! I was told to follow up with an orthopedic surgeon within 10 days. We left the ER and headed back to my mom's. My dad followed my mom while she drove my car, all the way back to Katy.  Drew met us at the house.

Poor Drew has had to completely take over all responsibilities for Charlotte (except feeding her) and he is taking care of me since I can't walk right now. I had my appt with the orthopedic surgeon yesterday and he said the same thing. He hopes that it doesn't move and to come back in a week to check the progress.

I pray that I heal quickly, don't need surgery and if everything goes as planned I will hopefully only be in this boot for a month. I PRAY PRAY PRAY that this is the outcome. My mother in law comes tomorrow to help take care of me and C, so Drew can go back to work. What a wild week this has been. So emotionally high and so emotionally low.

Pray that I heal quickly so I can return to care for my baby the way I need to.

My new right shoe... :(

A Dream Come True!

Yesterday was one of the best days of my life! I officially started my new career as Charlotte's stay at home mama :) For as long as I can remember, I've wanted to be a wife and a mom. When I was little I used to play with my baby dolls and tell my Mom, "when I grow up I want to be a wife and a mom and that's all!" I'm so blessed that Drew can provide for our family that allows me to stay home without my income.

 

I stressed and stressed throughout my pregnancy on how I would feel once Charlotte arrived and what it would be like to stay home with her full time. I knew I wanted to but I wanted to wait until she arrived to make that final decision. After being home with her for a month, I can honestly say that I don't regret resigning, I feel relieved and happy and a huge weight lifted off my shoulders. I know that many moms have to return to work and I just couldn't bear the thought of that being me and having to leave my sweet daughter in the hands of someone else. I want to be the one that feeds her, changes her diapers, plays with her and witnesses every single moment during this precious time of her early life. It makes me the happiest to know that I can and will be able to do that.

 

I have loved my job up until giving birth. Being a first grade teacher has been one of the most rewarding experiences. I also feel that it has provided me with some great tools on becoming a mother. It's giving me patience, understanding, and of course I know how to get my baby ready for school and reading! I hope she's reading at an early age like I was and has a passion for reading and books :) My school has been the best school I could ever have imagined working at. Some of my bestest friends are teachers that I've worked with and I will continue to carry those friendships into the future. And if someday I return to the classroom, I know that I will have done my first priority... being there for Charlotte when she has needed me the most.

 

My dream came true yesterday and I can't wait for Charlotte's and my new adventure! Now, my goals are to get connected with some mom groups/play dates and find a local story time. So excited for me and C's future :)

 

ONE Month

 

Charlotte Grace,

 

How can you possibly be one month already? I truly believe it feels like yesterday that we were meeting you for the first time in the hospital and we were so excited to take you home. This month has been full of sweet memories. Your Daddy and I grow to love you more and more every day that it doesn't seem possibly that we could love you anymore than we already do... and tomorrow comes and we do! You are growing so fast, starting to notice sounds (Lucy's barks, Mama and Daddy's voices) and your smiles melt our hearts. I cannot possibly think of life without you now, you complete our family. God has truly blessed us with you little one.

 

Love you with all my heart,

Mama

 

1 Month Stats

 

Weight: 9 lbs 3 oz (you've gained 2 lbs since our last visit at your 2 week!)

Length: 21 inches
Head: 14.5 inches

Eating: nursing exclusively and going about 3.5-4 hour stretches and nursing on each side for 20 minutes... you are our little piglet :)

Bedtime: still trying to figure this one out...

Awake: always for about 1-1.5 hours after each feeding (unless it's in the middle of the night and I quickly am trying to get in a routine of getting you go to go back to sleep).

Naps: you will usually sleep for around an hour between feedings, but sometimes you will not sleep at all between feedings and sometimes you will sleep the entire stretch between feedings. Just depends!

Diapers: still wearing newborn size... I'm thinking that you are almost ready for size 1 and that tears at my heartstrings... I want you to stay newborn size forever

Clothes: newborn but your little footed onesies are starting to get tight at the toes... I think we have a week or two left before we have to pack them up :( I might shed some tears on that day...

Favorites: eating, cuddling with mama and daddy, being swaddled in your "snuggy" as we call it, your paci, being shushed, being bounced, the swing, your sleep sheep, going on walks and carrides, and lullabies that mama sings to you.

Latest Tricks: smiling at me (especially after you've eaten) and following me and daddy with your eyes :)



Week 3

Meeting Santa for the first time!


Little Charlotte,

What a special week this was! Not only did you get to meet Santa for the first time, go out to eat dinner with Mama and Daddy for the first time, but your Aunt Amy came to visit for a few days!
We had been anticipating her little visit since you were born. She was sooo excited to come. We did a lot of shopping and snuggling. I was sad to see her leave today but I know she will be back soon. Here are some tidbits of this week!

-Mama braved her first outing ALONE with you to Target, it was a success!
-You met Santa for the first time
-Went shopping at Katy Mills and Memorial City Mall two days in a row.. we were POOPED by the time we got home.
-You had your first visit to the American Girl Store! Mama literally almost cried walking around in there with you because she was reminded of her childhood of playing with her Kirsten doll. I can't wait to buy you first one and have tea parties in the bistro :)
-Your first night out for dinner with Mama and Daddy was at one of our favorites... Lupe Tortilla
-Aunt Amy came to visit for a few days
-Your birth announcements came in the mail and Mama is working hard on getting those mailed out

What a wonderful week it's been. I can't bear the thought of my next post being your ONE MONTH week. How can that possibly be??

Love you little one,
Mama

Aunt Amy loves you so much

AGS with my girl!

Dressed up so cute to go shopping :)

Wide eyed and adorable

You melt my heart little one