A month with Charlotte

Hello my blog!

     It has been quite awhile since I've written, as usual. But I felt like I just HAD to write today! You see, it's November 11th - A special day for various reasons, but for me it marks our baby's first month of life. Yes, it's been a whole month!! And as such, I felt it was high time that I tell you a little about our daughter, Charlotte Pearl.

Charlotte was born at 7:53pm on October 11th; 

she measured 20 inches long, weighing in at a perfect 7lbs, 7oz. 

     Those are the facts, but that doesn't even scratch the surface of her. I know now why everyone thinks their baby is beautiful. Maybe it's the fact that she was knit together inside me, but I had truly never seen anything so incredibly beautiful. She was so warm, so soft, so pink: the definition of new. She had this unbelievable shock of dark hair, just like I had when I was born. And she came out with eyes wide open - Patrick and I both laughed in surprise! She just stared and stared...I couldn't believe how alert and intent she was, taking in this new world she had been thrust into.

Day one, getting her first checkup!

     We spent the night after her birth sleeping the most peaceful sleep, her in the bassinet beside me. I've begun writing my birth experience in a separate blog, but long story very abbreviated, the task was done, our baby had arrived, and all was well. We were all physically exhausted, as well as mentally and emotionally spent. So I slept the deep sleep of a heart content and a body newly relieved of the weight it had born those past 9 months. In short, it was heaven.

     We arrived home to a whole new reality, both exciting and daunting. Parenthood. I can't even begin to sum up how much I've learned in the past month, even just about myself. I have been inducted into the ranks of all those moms before me. I now know about those long nights spent pacing the halls. I have spent what seems like hours just watching her sleep. I have lingered in those moments of stillness when she is nestled in my arms and nothing else seems to matter. It's just she and I. And it feels almost sacred.

     In one sense it has been an incredibly full, long month. And in another, it's been a mere blink of an eye. One month ago I was expecting, I was waiting, I was on the brink of this beautifully intimidating unknown. Thinking about all of the changes that took place that day and every day since is a bit dizzying. But really, she's been the most amazing gift. I can't wait to share more of her in days to come!