Valentine Baby

On February 14th, 2008, Charlotte was born.   

Charlotte's birth story was kind of funny.  We checked in at the desk and the nurse told me if we waited a minute we could get the "nice" birthing room that was being cleaned. 

Sure. 

I waddled down the hall with Todd to a little waiting room.  After about 20 more minutes of contractions I went to the desk and told them I didn't care where I had the baby.  They just kind of giggled and said it was done.  I was having pretty intense contractions at that point.  I'm not a screamer, but it was killing.  I think, by looking at me, they just figured I had plenty of time.  I got in there and the nurse checked me and gasped. I was dilated to a six.  She apologized for making me wait and asked if I wanted something to take the edge off while we waited for the epidural. 

Sure.

She gave me stadol and I immediately started to feel fabulous.  I was totally high.  I remember being warm, feeling like I was floating, and just not having a care in the world.  It was great.  Among other things, I told Todd I wanted Rob and Big to deliver my baby.  When the anesthesiologist got there he actually had to poke me twice.  I clearly remember telling him it was a good thing I was high or else I would have been extremely mad. 

When my Dr. got there the stadol had worn off but the epidural was working nicely.  He reprimanded the nurse for giving me the stadol, but I was totally fine with it.  He had me push through a contraction and I told him I could tell nothing was happening.  He replied, "Well, it's probably just because I started you early.  You really aren't ready yet."

Huh?  Strike one, buddy.

We sat there for a few minutes and he determined things ready and we started again.  This time I pushed through a few contractions and she was here.  Unfortunately, while pushing, the Dr.'s cell phone rang and HE TOOK THE CALL.  Yep.  One hand below and one on the phone. I remember looking at Todd with a you've got to be kidding me face to see that he was as disgusted as I.  I really wish I would have slapped the phone right out of that man's hands.  I will never forget that. I lost all respect for him in that moment.  Strike two and three.
Buh-bye.

Birthday

 Charlotte entered the world at 6 pounds 11 ounces and 19 inches long.  She aspirated meconium (probably gasped when she heard the doc chuckling on his cell phone) so she had to spend two days in the NICU.  It was weird having her in there, but it made for a nice, quiet recovery room for me :)  I could go down and hold her whenever I wanted, and the nurse would just call me when she was hungry. 

 Year One

 Year Two

Year Three

Year Four 

.  She is so beautiful and she is such a good big sister to Carver. Every morning while I work out they do blocks and build forts and watch PBS together.  She loves Macie and eagerly waits for her to get home from school every afternoon so they can play.
She definitely has a southern drawl.  She says "ma" instead of "my"and "ah" instead of "I". 
She always says Dad is her buddy and lately she cries and cries when he drops her off at preschool. 
Her favorite show is Curious George, favorite food is quesadillas, and she still loves her blankie and her thumb.  This girl LOVES to snack. 
She is a softie.  You can't even tell her no without her putting her hands over her ears and running off sobbing.
We love her so much, and she will always be my favorite Valentine.

Charlotte at four year check-up:
44 inches tall, 45 lbs 13 oz.

Back in the swing of things.

Well, I figure it is time to get back to documenting things in Kentucky.  I spent most of January being depressed, but things seem to be better now.  Most days. 

The girls go to the renowned Highland Elementary School here in Owensboro.  I think it is kind of a joke.  It seems to me that they all have their noses in the air because they are a "Blue Ribbon School", which means they perform at "very high levels" according to the government.  Only a handful of schools receive this recognition, generally because most schools have a divers population that includes some ESL students that obviously struggle meeting testing requirements in the language they don't speak.  Not at Highland.  Pure white, middle to upper class.  There are quite a few Indian kids (as in India, not Native American), but I am sure they just raise the scores.  Anyway, kind of elitist in my opinion.  They only get to go out for recess about once a month, and practically never between October and March, because they are "too busy." 

It kills me.  Kids need recess!  Anyway, I digress.  

They are a pilot school for some healthy eating initiative.  NO candy allowed in the school.  Not even for class parties.  And if you want to come for lunch, you had better not bring fast food.  You will be asked to remove the food from the wrapper and bring it into the lunch room in another bag.  Puh-lease. I have seen the lines at McDonald's here.  People eat so much fast food it is ridiculous.  I guess I should applaud the school for trying, but really, that is something parents should be doing, not Nazi school principals.  Don't get me wrong, it is a great school and the girls have wonderful teachers whom they absolutetly love.  The whole recess thing just really gets under my skin, especially when it is a state requirement to have 20 minutes. 
Soo, how much fun is a Kindergarten Valentine's party with no candy?  Lame-o.
We decided to spice things up by making extravagant Valentine boxes.  That, and we desperately needed a project to fill our Sunday afternoons.  Sunday has got to be the longest day ever.  Hours and hours of arguing and bickering here at the Johnson household.  Unfortunately it is the only day people ever ask us to socialize.  Birthday party? Swimming? Movie?  No thanks.  We prefer to make Sunday a "family day" where we go to church and then stay home and bug each other so much that we wish we weren't related. 
Once again, I digress.
One Sunday we did paper mache on a big punching balloon to make the bodies, the next week we painted, and then the following Monday we scrambled after school to get all the final touches in place for Valentine's Day.  There was still a lot of arguing, but I guess we had something to show for it in the end.