Please Welcome...

CHARLOTTE JONES STOREY

Charlie was born on Saturday, September 6 at 3:27pm. She entered the world weighing 8 lbs, was 20.47 inches long, with a head full of dark hair and eyelashes that would make most woman jealous.

The Saturday Charlie was born started out normal enough, Ryan headed out to golf and my sister decided we should go to the U-Pick farm with the kids. No more than 10 minutes after Ryan left the house my mucus plug came out. I called Ryan to give him a heads up, but told him to still golf as it could mean nothing. Just in case though, I finished packing our bag for the hospital and made sure to get in a shower before heading out to the farm. We picked a farm close to the hospital and close to the golf course. This was Hudson's first time to the U-Pick farm and he loved it.

Enormous tomatoes

Hudson and Alexie looking for tomatoes

Alexie, Hudson, Jennifer, and my mom picking blackberries

Official berry tester

We got to the farm around 11:00am. I started having contractions shortly after, but nothing consistent and nothing that I couldn't manage. I have a stop watch on my stroller and was trying to keep track, but wasn't paying too close attention to them as they ranged from 20 minutes apart to 7 minutes back to 20 minutes and were lasting about 30 seconds. We headed to dig potatoes right around noon and this was when I decided it was time to head home so I could get Hudson down for his nap and figure out what was going on with my contractions. This was also around the time my sister starting yelling at me to start squatting and pick potatoes, haha! My mom and sister got the kids in the car while I paid for our veggies and blackberries, half of which we left at the farm as I was starting to have fairly decent contractions. I guess that's what happens when you leave a woman in labor to pay! My dad went back for the berries later that day ;) (By the way, if you've never picked potatoes before, I HIGHLY recommend it, it was really fun!!)

We got home around 12:30pm and my mom went to get Hudson down for his nap. I went in behind her though as it started to occur to me that this would probably be the last time I put him down for his nap before becoming a mom to 2! After I got him down, having contractions mind you, the guilt set in and I went into the kitchen and cried to my mom and sister. There wasn't much time to feel guilty though, I grabbed a watch and headed to my room to sit on our ab ball. My contractions at this point were 5 to 6 minutes apart and lasting about a minute. I finally called Ryan to get him home. This story wouldn't be complete without the response of "I'm 2 holes away from the best golf game of my life". He asked me if I was serious probably 3 times, funny as this was the phone call he had been waiting for from me all week!! Rest assured, he made it home in record time, called the hospital to tell them we were on our way and gave them a heads up that this would be a quick delivery. We arrived at the hospital by 1:30pm, I was 4 cm dilated when we got there.



By 3:00pm I was 6 cm dilated and honestly I was a bit concerned that things weren't going to go as quickly as I had thought or as quickly as they had with Hudson. My contractions at this point were extremely intense and I had to stay positive that I could do this again without an epidural. Charlie must have heard me talking to myself because she had plans of her own for being super speedy. My water broke, gushed actually, and I knew it was go time. I looked at the nurse and told her I needed to push. She took one peek and immediately jumped to the phone and paged the doctor, grabbed his tool tray, and the baby warmer. Apparently warning everyone that it would be quick didn't help much as they weren't ready at all. The doctor came running in and I yelled at him that I was crowning. Confirming that I wasn't a crazy woman, he said Charlie's head was almost out and one push would probably do it! I started to push on the next contraction and he asked me to wait if I could. Ryan gestured to me that the cord was around her neck. The doctor quickly snipped the cord and said it was fine to push. One more push and Charlie was out, 2 minutes of pushing total and no stitches, yay!! They put Charlie on my chest, but didn't face her to me. I asked for them to turn her around and before I knew it they had scooped her up and had her on the warmer. I asked Ryan what was going on and he just said "hang on Babe". He wouldn't tell me until much later that night that Charlotte wasn't breathing. He still won't tell me what was going through his head at that moment and I don't think he ever will.

Our blue beauty, giving us quite a scare

Love at first sight

Already wrapped around her finger

Hudson meets his sister

So curious about Charlie


Our new family of FOUR!

Grandpa gave Charlotte her first bath at the hospital with help from Auntie Jennifer and cousin Ellie



She found her thumb right away

Hudson is adjusting fine, not as well as I had thought, but doing great for the most part. He isn't acting out towards Charlie though, loves to give her kisses and always wants to know where she is. I'm trying to keep him busy with activities, we have even been back to the U-Pick Farm! Charlie is letting us get some sleep which is nice! Her last feeding for the day is usually around 9:30pm and she'll go a 5 hour stretch before needing to eat again. She was down to 7 lbs 6 oz at our follow up appointment 2 days after leaving the hospital (we were able to go home exactly 24 hours after she was born). At her 9 day check up this past Monday, she was already up to 8 lbs 10 oz and 21.25 inches!! I apparently have cream instead of milk again, I hope she's a chunkster like her brother!! We are all happy and healthy and I'm looking forward to posting Charlie stories on the blog :)