A successful journey

The Cincy Robenalts have made it back from their Texas journey safe and sound.

While we were there, Charlie had his first finger food-- Gerbers peach puffs. We threw a couple on his highchair tray on Sunday evening, while we were having dinner. He seemed to know what to do right away, either because he thinks everything goes in his mouth anyway, or because he was watching us eat our dinner at the time, or because he's watched the older kids at daycare eat next to him so often. He's had them again a couple of times since then, and his control gets better and better. Sometimes now he even gets them into his mouth and manages to eat them without spitting them out!

Charlie got to meet his second dog, Kacy, at my grandmother's house. As with Lucy, he wanted to pet (and grab) her fur, and reached for her feet to tug on them. He continued to be fascinated with his older cousin Briana, who seemed to make him laugh and smile each time she came near.

Charlie also got to help open some more Christmas presents. As expected, he loved playing with the crinkly paper. He got to flap around some tissue paper this time, also. He took right to the books in his stocking, and jumped right on the wooden horsey scooter as if he knew what it was for!

We got the alphabet blocks that were on his wish list from the Brewoods, and those came home with us in the suitcase for sure. We are anxiously awaiting the arrival of the UPS packages with his other fine gifts.

While we were in Houston, we managed to get some good family pictures, with all the kids looking the same way. John has them posted on his flickr site. It was not "easy," but did seem less painful than the same exercise in Lawrence last month.

Charlie did great on the plane home-- sleeping a good part of the time. On the way down, he was fussy, but I can't blame him, since it was 100 degrees on the plane, and we had to strip off his clothes just to keep him from overheating. I was fussy myself!

We are off to Dayton this afternoon to visit Charlie's Great Aunt Debbie. She has not seen him since he was one week old. What a change she will see!

Hope everyone had a great holiday, and Happy New Year!

--Michelle

Christmas is coming 2

Charlie opened his first Christmas presents ever last night. (He got some gifts at the Robenalt Christmas, but Mommy and Daddy opened those for him, because he was asleep.) Santa brought him some soft squishy blocks with numbers 1-10. Of course, he liked the wrapping paper best. Grandma Robenalt brought him a little lamb and a new chair. He really likes the lamb. How convenient that he already says "ba ba ba" all the time!

The weather has been unusually warm here the past couple of days, but it will be a nice transition to Houston weather. We're heading to the airport in just a couple of hours, to go see Grandma and Grandpa Knepper, and the Brewoods. Great Grandma Bovier is also waiting to see her little Charlie. We can't wait for the kids to be all together again.

I'd better finish packing up our bags. Merry Christmas to everyone, and Happy New Year!

--Michelle

Christmas is coming

The end of the year is always a busy time, and this year is no exception. Today we went to a holiday housewarming at the Tunnings'. Charlie got to play with Connor and meet Connor's cousin Jack as well. Charlie was very well behaved. John watched the first half of the snowy Browns game with Sean and others in the "man room" in the basement. We got home in time to see the end of the Browns victory. Later, we went to broomball and played our last game on the Blender league, where we actually played on the same team for once.

Last night the band cancelled their gig over in Newport because of the threatening weather. Earlier in the day Saturday we'd had snow, then rain, which created quite a slush. The continuing rain, and the fact that the temps did not drop as much as predicted, meant the snow and slush was mostly gone by morning. Somehow we've managed to escape the nasty weather that they've had both to the east and the west of us these past couple of weeks.

On Friday night, the CBA had another exhibition during intermission at a Cyclones game. John stayed up in the stands while I went down to play with the others. Charlie got fussy soon after that (it was past his bedtime), and the music was really loud, so we took him home during the second intermission.

We had some unfortunate news this past week, when we learned that they will be closing Charlie's daycare within the next two years. This means lots of changes, even in the near term, as many of the staff will be let go soon. We are terribly disappointed, because we like the place so well, it's so convenient, Charlie does so well there, and we know so many other parents in the center (and even in his particular room). I have tried to put it out of my mind for now, so we can focus on the holidays, but once the new year hits, I'm sure I'll realize how traumatic this will be on us. Not only will we have to find other arrangements, but it will be a change to Charlie's (and our) routine.

Charlie is doing well, however, almost crawling about. He scoots a lot, and manages to roll back and forth to get where he wants to go most of the time. He still has only two teeth, but he seems to be teething more off and on, by the significant quantity of drool that comes out of his mouth. Lucy and he continue to be great pals. Lucy has even rolled on her back to let Charlie pet or rub her belly a couple of times.

We have been using the blanket that Charlie's Aunt Taylor made for him on the floor as his play area in the family room. We often fold it over in half when he's not using it, to make way for us to walk around and so Lucy doesn't walk across it and muddy it up. Lucy has taken to curling up on the folded over blanket when Charlie's not using it, instead of laying in her bed (which is right next to the blanket). I wonder if she knows it smells like Charlie, and thinks of it like she does when she lays on our bed upstairs.

Charlie also has been really enjoying standing while holding on to our fingers. He likes to bounce and also pretend that he's dancing. His favorite book is still the one with the strings and fabric to pull on. He's very fond of different textures.

I guess that's all for now. We'll be off for the holidays soon. Keep watching our flickr sites for photos.

--Michelle

The White Death

Apparently, this is what some locals think we should call the snow storm that was due to hit us last night. As it turns out, Charlie's "first snow" was barely a dusting. Although it's been snowing since sometime before 5am, what did stick to the streets is now melting. The stuff falling now is almost like rain by the time it hits the ground, it's so wet. That does not mean that it does not feel cold outside!

I guess our first photos of Charlie in the snow will have to wait......

It's December already?

Charlie has been more back to his normal eating self, after a week or so of a diminished appetite. He's also sleeping better since getting back into his routine after the Thanksgiving break. Most nights he sleeps through, at least until I'm about ready to get up for work, anyway. Occasionally he wakes up before I'm completely showered and dressed, but John helps me out by feeding Charlie and keeping an eye on him until I'm ready to get him dressed and take him to daycare.

Charlie still just has the two teeth on the bottom, but it sure seems like he's working on some more. He's constantly drooling and chewing on his fingers.

We've tried some new foods recently-- barley cereal, sweet potatoes, vegetable mixes with spinach in them, and fruit mixes with strawberry in them. He continues to like them all.

It's hard to believe that in just three weeks we'll be enjoying Charlie's first Christmas. There is so much to do between now and then.

Big Weekend

Charlie had a big weekend. Uncle Rory visited from Florida, Charlie had his first Thanksgiving, and then we all trekked up to Cleveland for the Robenalt family Christmas, where Charlie got to meet his Great Grandfather Robenalt.

While we were away, Charlie was a bit fussy (didn't sleep at all on Friday night) and he only ate portions of several bottles. Today, at daycare, he refused bottles all day. So we took him to the doctor to make sure he didn't have an ear infection or anything like that. I had some stomach issues while in Cleveland, so I thought maybe he had something similar. But both of his ears were clear, and his belly felt fine. Once we got home from the doctor, he sucked down a couple of bottles with no problem. So hopefully whatever it was will pass quickly. It does look like his upper gums are swollen, so perhaps those teeth will be breaking through soon.

Check the photos on our flickr sites for photos from the weekend.

--Michelle

6 Month Checkup

Charlie went in for his 6-month doctor visit this morning. He has put on quite a bit of weight-- he's now at the 75th percentile at 18 pounds, 11 ounces. His height is still around 50th %, at 26 1/2 inches. His head is not quite so out of normal range anymore-- 17 1/4 inches is right at 50%.

He was stuffy with what we think is a cold, but they still gave him his 3 shots that were due, plus the first half of his flu shot. We'll go back in 30 days for the other flu shot.

The doctor was impressed with how well Charlie is doing at sitting up. He also remarked that he is very strong. These things are good to know, because we have no basis of comparison.

He's been fussy this evening, we think due to the discomfort of the shots in both thighs. He's sleeping well, now, though.

We're not in Kansas anymore...

... but we were this past weekend. We went to visit the Brewoods in Olathe, and also to see Charlie's Great Grandma Knepper at the Fischers' in Lawrence. John posted photos to his flickr site from the trip, along with some 6-month photos.

Charlie was fussy through the weekend due to teething and a bit of a stuffy nose, but we made it through the flights with few issues. He loved his cousin Briana-- laughed and smiled at her the whole weekend. Nathan doesn't yet do too much to interest him, but he did try to grab at Nathan's feet and offer him a block to play with once or twice. I'm sure by the Christmas holidays they'll be more interactive with each other.

Christine and Todd played great hosts, as did the Fischers. We got some quality alone time with Charlie and Grandma, which was great. She even got to hold him on her lap for a while, until he got too wiggly. We're sure glad that Aunt Kathryn took the time to bring Grandma down for the weekend.

Charlie has also been doing well sleeping through the night. He didn't wake up to feed at all last week-- and only had a fussy moment once on Thursday night before we left for KC. He has his 6-month appointment tomorrow-- we can't wait to see how much he weighs now!

Happy Feet/ Happy Sleep

Charlie was a penguin tonight for Halloween. We visited the neighbors on both sides, then sat at home to hand out candy. I assume because of the extra daylight due to the delay of the end of daylight savings time, and the warm weather, we had more trick-or-treaters than normal (and we usually have 75-100). I was sure glad I had those extra bags of candy just in case. Luckily, we did not have to break into the emergency pack of Crunch Crisps, which are John's new favorite.

Charlie has (knock on wood) slept through the last three nights without any early morning feedings. He's also been going down more in the 8-9pm timeframe, about an hour earlier than he had been. That leaves more time for me to take care of things like laundry and dishes (and blogging!) He's been eating the solid foods like crazy-- we found out he likes squash, and even peas are going down easier now that he's used to the solids in general. At daycare they've given him some real (not pureed babyfood) banana, and he loved that, too!

The band is practicing hard this week for the upcoming gig at Liars Club. They will play there once more in December to round out the year. They've also booked a date in January. Brian is quickly breaking in his new guitar. Photos from the gig last week at Monty's are on my flickr site, the (new) EntertainingLucy flickr site, and EntertainingLucy.com.

I've posted some of the Halloween photos on flickr already-- so enjoy our happy little penguin!

Movin' on Up

Charlie has officially moved into size 3 diapers as of Friday. The size 2-3 did not last very long-- they were fine around the legs, but his belly has gotten to full for the tabs to reach around the waist. He's also moved up to using the stroller without the carseat pretty much 100% of the time. We're having to strap him in now, too-- he's mobile enough to try and wiggle out of it! We're thinking he's about 18 pounds now-- can't wait until his 6 month appointment (the second week of November) to find out his official measurements.

I am thinking that the solid foods we've introduced are helping him to bulk up-- especially the cereal. He chows down on the oatmeal, especially if you mix a spoonful of bananas in. He seemed to like green beans, which were the most recent vegetable we've introduced.

I've posted some recent photos on my flickr site, including some of Charlie with Lucy. The two of them are really getting along well. Charlie still smiles and laughs when Lucy walks by, and also when she licks his face or hand. Lucy seems less jealous every day, and gets excited when she sees me carry Charlie in the house in his car seat.

I've also posted photos of Entertaining Lucy's gig from this past week. They're practicing now for their show this coming Saturday, which is likely the last one before the holidays.

Bananas and Carrots

Charlie seems to like Carrots, and he LOVES bananas. We're working our way through the fruits and veggies, trying something new every few days.

Charlie's other passion right now is textures. He loves to stroke John's beard, pet Lucy, and scratch at the mat under his play gym. His current favorite book is a cloth book that has different textures to feel on each page.

We still don't know for sure what color his eyes will be in the long term. Some days they look fairly brown, but other days they still seem to have some blue or grey in them.

His hair, however, is definitely blond for now. And it takes after his daddy's-- sticks straight up most of the time! They've started nicknaming him Spike at the daycare.

In other family news, John's band (Entertaining Lucy) is playing at a new spot this week. We look forward to the non-smoking atmosphere (this location is in Ohio, not Kentucky).

Going the other way

Charlie finally rolled over from his tummy to his back this evening while laying under his play gym. In fact, he did it twice. The first time, he seemed a little shocked, and looked at me as if to say "what just happened?"

I'm sure it will still be a few days before he is freely rolling to and fro, but this is a major step.

Turning Point (no pun intended!)

Last night, Charlie demonstrated his proficiency with rolling over-- at least one direction. He now freely rolls over from his back to his front. Now if only he'd figure out the other direction! After a good amount of time on his belly, he invariably gets tired of holding his head up, and then he gets frustrated. For two nights in a row now, I've gone in to find him rolled over and sleeping on his stomach. Apparently he'd been napping that way occasionally at daycare, but I'd not yet seen it happen at home.

Today we had another milestone. On Charlie's daily report from daycare, it noted that he had two teeth! We had noticed that he was drooling a lot, trying to eat his fists, and playing with his tongue over his lips. So we figured it would be soon. But we had not yet noticed the bottom teeth starting to poke out. You can't really see them too well yet, but you can definitely feel them. Maybe that's why he was so fussy last night!

Charlie is still doing really well with the thick oatmeal in the evenings at home. We will probably let him try some veggies this weekend.

Five Months Old!

Well, let's see. So much has happened in the last week. Charlie tried some applesauce, but did not like it much better than the rice cereal. We're going to try some oatmeal next, then some veggies. It continues to be hit or miss with whether he'll eat the rice cereal.

Charlie is also starting to sit up a little on his own, as long as we're there to catch him if he falls. Early last week he would lean forward until his nose eventually would touch the ground in front of him. By the end of the week he knew to put his hands in front of him to catch himself. It helps if a toy is in front of him for him to reach for, or if he is interested in reaching for his toes.

He's still very close to rolling over on his own. He gets nearly there-- except his one arm is not positioned correctly so that he can prop himself up and raise his head. It gets pinned under him instead.

Charlie also continues to be better with his coughing, as long as we give him the breathing treatment each night. He's back to his chatty self, and he's putting on lots of weight-- got a big belly now. We had to move him up to size 2-3 diapers on Sunday.

On Friday last week, we had our first parent teacher conference at the daycare. We reviewed Charlie's lesson plans with Mary, and went over a few other policies and procedures. She suggested some things we could work on with him at home.

We were a day late with our 5 month photos-- we took them last night, and will get them posted soon. John will also post photos of our visit to the Zimmermans' up in Columbus.

Roly Poly

Today while napping at daycare, Charlie turned over in his sleep and rolled onto his tummy for the first time (unassisted). I still have not seen him do it myself.

This has been a week of firsts. On Friday night, Charlie had his first paid babysitter. John and I went out for our 5th anniversary, to one of our favorite "fancy" restaurants-- Carlo and Johnny's. The food was delicious, and we enjoyed our first meal together without Charlie in a very long time.

On Saturday, we noticed him sucking his thumb for the first time. He's always been fond of sucking on two or three fingers at a time, sometimes trying to put his whole fist in his mouth. But he has finally found his thumb. He's not yet making a fist while sucking it, so it looks kind of like he's making a rude gesture when he does it!

Last night he reached out to "pet" Lucy for the first time. Lucy, as usual, was very tolerant of little wandering hands. Again this evening he smiled at her when she was at close range, and reached out to feel her fur.

Charlie's cough is also getting better, so it seems the breathing treatments have done some good. We are only giving them at night now, and we leave his inhaler at daycare in case they notice him wheezing during the day.

Little Darth Vader

I took Charlie in to the doctor today to see what we could do about his persistent cough that seems to only get worse. He listened to Charlie's chest, and agreed that he was wheezing pretty good. He suggested that Charlie was probably having an asthmatic reaction to viruses he is exposed to at daycare. He prescribed a nebulizer for us to use at home. We are to use it once in the morning, and once at night. We can also have them use the regular inhaler (with a mask) at daycare. We are supposed to try this for 5 or 6 days and see if that doesn't help improve the situation. If not, they may prescribe other medication.

The doctor made sure to say that this does not mean Charlie has asthma- he will probably outgrow this condition. We took some photos of Charlie with his mask tonight-- we'll post those soon. John has posted the photos of Charlie's first two feedings of solid food on his Flickr site.

Sleep, Saucers, and Cereal

Charlie had two good nights of sleep last week-- waking up only twice each night, and both times going right back to sleep once he had his binkie replaced. Typically, he had been waking up once to feed, between 2 and 3 am. He even did really well with sleeping on Saturday, when he spent the first part of his night at the Piedrahitas' while I went to watch John's band play in Newport.

Last night, however, he kept us up all night. I don't know whether it was because we started him on his first cereal yesterday evening (photos to be posted on John's flickr site soon), and that upset his stomach, or if it was just his cough that kept waking him up. He had had a couple of bottles in addition to the cereal right before bed, and we had thought that would put him out for a while. But while he did go down easy, it wasn't but about an hour before he started waking up every 15 or 20 minutes.

The cereal feeding went well, however-- he seemed to really get into it. We will probably just feed him once a day in the evening this week, then start having them also feed him one sitting at daycare each day.

Charlie also has a new exersaucer at home. We put it together on Thursday last week. He really likes to sit in it-- his feet just barely touch the bottom. But he is very interested in some of the gadgets it has around the edge. Last night was the first time he pushed the buttons that make animal sounds on his own. He is adapting to it quickly. I'll post photos of that soon as well.

It's off to bed soon for me-- last night wore me out. I hope tonight goes easier.

--Michelle

4 Months Old

Charlie had his 4-month checkup last Friday. He weighed 14 pounds, 9 ounces (50th%) and was 24 and 3/4 inches long (45th%). His head was 17 inches (75th%).

He received 5 vaccinations (2 shots in each thigh, plus one orally). The doctor was not concerned with the cough he continues to have. We also got some information on starting solid foods. We plan to introduce some rice cereal once a day this weekend, and go from there.

Charlie continues to make his new favorite razzing sound with his lips, and he has also been sticking his tongue out a great deal this week.

He does not know it, but he helped cheer on Daddy's Browns this weekend (to victory over the Bengals) by laying on his Browns blanket. The poor kid does not have a chance when it comes to being a fan of sports!

The Plague

Charlie brought home the plague from daycare last week. Well, that's what John has been calling it, and it seems fitting. Long story short, Charlie got it on Thursday and suffered through Friday, John came down with it Saturday, and it hit me Sunday morning. I was home from work Monday, and then as soon as I felt I'd recovered, a major fever hit me that night, causing me to miss the next morning as well. Apparently this stomach virus was so bad and so contagious, that only 4 of the kids in Charlie's room showed up on Friday and 6 on Monday. It was tearing through the whole facility, even hitting the teachers. Neither John nor I can remember being so sick in many years.

Luckily, we recovered in time to use our tickets to the Cardinals-Reds game last night. But, somewhere between the car and the stadium, we lost the tickets. So, we ended up buying some from some scalpers, since we were already there. We ended up with seats about 10 rows behind the Reds Dugout, right by first base. Even with paying the scalpers, we paid less (in total, including the cost of our original tickets), for those seats than their face value. But we sure wish we knew who ended up finding our actual tickets! John got some good photos which I'm sure he'll post soon. (Unfortunately, this time the Cardinals lost.)

On another note, Charlie has started "razzing." This is his new favorite sound. I will try to post video somewhere to show everyone.

Charlie's First Cousins

Charlie got to meet his two first cousins this past weekend in St. Louis. My side of the family met up there so that we could enjoy the company of our two new additions, Charlie and his cousin Nathan, born in July to my sister Christine. My parents and grandmother drove up from Houston, Christine and her family came over from Kansas City, and our cousin Leigh and her husband flew in from DC. We also got to see our other cousin Melinda and her family for about an hour, as they were in town to visit her in-laws.

While we were there, 6 of us went to a Cardinals game (vs. the Reds), and I was able to purchase a "Build-a-Fredbird," which I had been anxious to do for some time. For those of you who may not know this, the Build-A-Bear stores have outlets in the MLB parks where you can get the team's mascots, as well as bears, dressed in team uniforms, etc. We spent about $90, when all said and done-- because we HAD to get the catchers outfit, the cleats, the bat and ball accessories, etc. to go with the standard outfit! Of course I'm saying this is all for my 4-month-old son (who doesn't even know what baseball is yet, much less that he is a Cardinals fan), but it's really for me (don't tell!).

We also got to visit Grandpa Bovier's grave at the National Cemetery. This was very special, since Charlie is named after him. And of course, we ate lots of Imo's Pizza and Lion's Choice Roast Beef sandwiches. I even snuck in a visit to Ted Drewe's Frozen Custard.

John has loaded photos from the weekend on his flickr site.

Inspector Gadget

As Charlie reached his 100th day on August 15, we pulled out the set of "good fortune" wooden alphabet blocks that "Uncle" Chris bought for him. Based on a Korean tradition, these blocks were supposed to tell of his future profession, by observing which block he touched first.

Since he was not quite grasping onto things well enough to actually pick up a block, we were challenged to get him to reach for one at all. But at last, he chose the "I" block-- which said "Inspector."

We are not sure what type of "inspector" he will be, but given his father's penchant for the latest gadgets, we decided that Inspector Gadget would be a fitting nickname for our little guy.

On other notes, we have had to purchase a new trashcan with a firm lid. Lucy has demonstrated that she has a new fondness for digging in the garbage since Charlie came along, and it does not appear to be going away. The other day she dug in for a piece of chicken, and when I came home, I found on the floor a pop rocks wrapper, a ding dong wrapper, a diaper (dirty), a napkin (also dirty), a straw, a pop cap, and a plastic bag of some sort. She managed to get all of that out to get to the chicken, without dumping over the trash can. Such a skilled dog!

First Professional Photographs

Charlie's first professional photographs were taken on Saturday-- by an x-ray technician. We took him back to the doctor because he had gotten worse the night before, not really eating much at all, and coughing more and more. They heard a bit of noise on the right side of his chest, so they sent us for xrays to rule out pneumonia. The xrays were not conclusive, so we got an antibiotic to try and treat him either way.

The x-ray process was difficult-- it took both John and I to hold him into place properly for the two films that they took. He also vomited all over his car seat while we were registering-- spitting up everything he had eaten that morning. But now we know where the Children's Hospital Outpatient center is. It's good to know for future reference that they have an urgent care there, and it's very close to our house.

We headed on up to Cleveland as planned after that, figuring that he'd sleep just as well (if not better) in the car than he would at home. All the Robenalts were happy to see him-- we just warned them that he was sick in case they were concerned about holding him. The antibiotics seemed to help, and he was much better on Saturday night, sleeping for a good 4 hour stretch when we first put him down. On Sunday morning he seemed more himself, kicking away in the bouncy seat, which we'd taken with us on the trip.

Sunday night he seemed to take a turn for the worse, coughing much more and resisting feeding again. The pediatrician had asked us to bring him back in today (Monday) anyway, since they had seen some swollen lymph nodes on the x-rays on Saturday, so we made an appointment for first thing. They listened to him again, and heard just a little bit of noise in his chest. Since we already had him on the antibiotic, and there wasn't much we could do if it was viral, they just suggested using a breathing treatment to see if it eased his symptoms and helped him to get better. So he has a neat little contraption that connects to an inhaler, which we'll use every few hours. We will also keep giving him Tylenol at night to try and make him more comfortable for sleep. You can look at John's flickr site for photos of Charlie taking a breathing treatment at the doctor's office.

In the meantime, I myself got a sore throat and fever last night. Tylenol broke my fever, but I still have a sore throat. I went in myself this morning after we took Charlie in, and got an antibiotic. I'll stay home from work again tomorrow and hopefully we'll both be feeling better after that.

Got Formula?

Well, my breastfeeding days (at least with Charlie) are officially over. Between going back to work, and Charlie being sick, my half-and-half formula and breastmilk plan has gone to the dogs. On the positive side, this means I can now go back to taking my allergy medication, which is definitely a good thing for my well-being. The pollen counts have been quite high lately, and I've been suffering my usual itchy eyes and sneezing a good deal. I also did not feel too guilty today when I needed a good dose of caffeine to keep me going through the day at work. These last two nights with Charlie were pretty rough-- neither John nor I got much sleep.

We hope to take the little guy back to daycare tomorrow. He's doing much better now.

For those of you who've been asking about his weight, they did weigh him at the doctor on Monday, and he was 13 pounds, 8 ounces-- but that was with a diaper. So he's probably around 13 pounds.

A Quarter of a Year!

Charlie is 3 months old today. His pink eye was looking much better, until late this afternoon, when it was obvious that it was spreading to his other eye. About that same time, we noticed that he had suddenly lost his voice. We can barely hear him cry now. I think I will have him sleep in our room with us, lest he wake up screaming and we don't wake up because we can't hear him. We will probably keep him home from daycare another day, and possibly take him back to the doctor as well.

In the meantime, we did take some 3-month photos. I'm sure John is posting some to flickr as we speak.

As for this week's milestones, he is starting to grasp onto the bottle as you are feeding him. He also reaches out and grabs the toys on the tray of his swing. Every day, he is easier and easier to carry around in a vertical position.

First "Sick" Visit

Charlie made his first "sick" visit to the doctor today. He was fine when I dropped him off at daycare at 7:30, but they called me at 11 to say they thought he had pink eye. John picked him up at 1, and by then his left eye was completely swollen shut and all goopey. We were able to get him into the doctor at 1:30, and by 3 he had his antibiotic ointment and was on the way back to mend. By the time I got home from work, he had started eating again, and his eye was half open.

Other than this small incident (it was bound to happen sooner or later), things are going well at daycare. Charlie received good reports all last week, and the extra stimulation during the day was helping him go down easier at night.

Over the weekend, we had Grandma Robenalt over for a visit on Saturday while we babysat for Oscar Piedrahita, so his parents (Ricky and Teresa) could go to a movie. Oscar did fine, enjoying our bouncy seat for much of his visit. Afterwards, we all went out to dinner. On Sunday we visited the Tunnings for brunch. I brought the ingredients for a quiche over to their rental apartment (they don't move into their house yet since relocating back from Oxford in the UK) and we caught up on all sorts of topics while we adored our babies. John got some great photos this weekend on his new camera-- see his flickr site for some of the best ones.

Tomorrow is Charlie's 3 month birthday, so we'll have to take some more photos. Hopefully his eye will be more photogenic by then!

More milestones

We have been busy since last I wrote. Last week our AC went out -- again! We found out this time that we have a large leak on the coil inside the house. Rather than replacing the coil on an AC that is 12 years old, and a furnace that is more than 20, we decided to replace the whole system. They are starting that work tomorrow (thank goodness!) It is predicted that we'll have continued highs in the 90's for at least another week. The house is beginning to be intolerable at night. We can only run the AC for short periods before it freezes up, and when it is working, it's not working well.


I returned to playing broomball (summer pickup league) a couple of weeks ago, after over a year of not playing. It has been good, although there are definitely muscles around my incision that I feel afterwards. But this past Sunday I actually scored two goals, so I'm feeling better about kicking the rust off. After the game this week, a bunch of us went to BW3s for beers and some food. Tara brought the kids along, so I took a photo of the two dads with their little ones. Hard to believe that Ava is 4 or 5 weeks younger than Charlie-- they appear to be the same size!

On Monday, Charlie turned 12 weeks old, and had his first "day" at daycare. When I dropped him off he went right to town on the bouncy seat (photo here).

Unlike the one at home, which has lights and sound that are activated by his feet kicking, this one has music and motion that are activated by pulling on some toys on the bar. He grabbed right hold of them and learned very quickly. He is starting to grab and hold onto things at home, too. He is really enjoying his play gym, which has a cowboy theme (to match some of the clothes his Grandma Knepper gave him!)

He stayed at daycare for about 6 hours on Monday, while I went to take care of some errands, including shopping for new work clothes. Although I've lost my baby weight, my shape is now different than it was before.



Today I took him to the baby movies for one last time, with Teresa and Jodi and two more of Teresa's friends. We all went to lunch with our babies afterward, and then I dropped Charlie off at daycare for the remainder of the afternoon. John picked him up on his way home.



Tomorrow is my first day at work-- I'll be dropping Charlie off at daycare after an early morning meeting here near the house. I will probably be more worried about what's going on at home with the AC install than what Charlie is up to! I really think he'll be fine.

Getting Ready for Work

This is my last week here at home with Charlie. On Tuesday we visited the daycare room for about 2 hours and met Mary, Charlie's primary caregiver. He smiled at her as soon as she sat down beside him while he sat in his carseat. I think they are going to have great fun.

Charlie is starting to reach for things now while playing on his gym mat. He really likes looking in the mirror that is attached to one of the arms, so this morning I bought one to put in his crib. This week he is also now fascinated by watching the mobile hanging on his crib. If only it were battery operated and did not require winding up so often! Over the past two days he has also started to laugh out loud. This makes it very hard for me to think about leaving him to go to work!

This morning we visited with Dr. Chin's office, to share our happy little boy with the folks who helped bring him into our life. They all agreed that he looks like a little man.

We will visit the daycare for one more short session this week, to help Charlie and Mary get more acquainted with one another. Then on Monday and Tuesday I will probably drop him off for a few hours while I go take care of some errands. Wednesday is my first day back at work, and will be Charlie's first full day at daycare by himself. It's hard to believe my little boy is almost 12 weeks old!

On other family notes, my nephew Nathan Robert Brewood was born this morning in Kansas City. He was 7 pounds, 14 ounces, and 19 1/2 inches long. Mom and Dad arrived there in the early afternoon to meet him. I can't wait until we all get together in St. Louis over Labor Day and Charlie can meet both of his cousins.

John's first baseball game with Charlie

On Friday night Oscar and Charlie went to their second baseball game together. We went to the Florence Freedom (Frontier League) game. Having been to a minor league game before (although not at this stadium), we knew we would enjoy the experience. Our "premium" seats were only $9.50 a piece, and the food prices were also reasonable. I myself had a cheeseburger, a bag of peanuts, and one of the best ice cream cones I've had in a while. The weather was beautiful, especially cool for July in Cincinnati.

Although we did not stay for the fireworks after the game, we did get to witness a bit of excitement. I am not sure I've ever been in the stadium before during an altercation quite like what we experienced. I can't recall ever seeing a manager actually take the glove from his catcher and get down behind the plate to demonstrate exactly what he was trying to argue. From our great seats we could almost see the spit flying between the manager and the umpire as they yelled face-to-face. On his way out of the park, he threw a bucket of balls onto the field.

Later in the game one of the other players was thrown out as well. To be honest, it did seem like they were not calling the game evenly. The most ridiculous part was when the manager had kicked dirt all over home plate, and the umpire refused to sweep it off before resuming play. How he was calling balls and strikes with home plate completely hidden I don't know!

All in all it was a pleasant, entertaining evening. We'll probably try to get over there for another game soon.

In other news, we finally managed to get the Baby Bjorn to fit on John. Now he can sit and work on the computer while holding Charlie in the carrier.

Charlie's First Movie

Today Charlie and I went to the movies with Julia and Jodi. At one of our local theaters they have a once a week showing for $5.50 that is specifically for you to bring your babies. They leave the lights on dim and turn the sound volume down a bit. Plus they have changing stations and a refreshment cart in the front of the theater.

We saw the new Harry Potter movie. Charlie must have either been afraid of the scary parts, or he wanted to express his dislike of the movie, because he poo-ed all over his carseat about half way through the movie. Thank goodness for those changing stations!

After the movie we went and had lunch. Later in the afternoon John and Charlie and I had our orientation at the P&G daycare. We did not meet Charlie's primary caregiver yet, because she works the early shift and was gone by the time we got there. I will go back to begin transition with Charlie next Tuesday, and we will meet her then.

Meet the Robenalts

Charlie got a head start on meeting his extended family on Sunday. John's Uncle Tom (Charlie's Great Uncle) and his family were in town, so we popped over for a short visit. There was some confusion amongst the kids about what to call Charlie-- "first-cousin-once-removed" seems like a mouthful to an 8-year-old. I think we decided on just "cousin."














We look forward to meeting up with the rest of the Robenalt clan in August in Cleveland.

2 Month Checkup

Today Charlie had his 2-month check-up at the pediatrician. He got 4 shots and an oral vaccination. He was not pleased. Of course, he was fussy as soon as they started describing the shots to me, as if he understood what they were saying.

He measured at 22 3/4 inches (55%), 11 lbs 2 oz (50%), and 16 inches around the head ( 70%). So he has slowed down in his growth. He sure seemed bigger to me.

Grandma's first babysitting job

Today Grandma Robenalt babysat Charlie for the first time. I had errands to do upon returning home from New Mexico, and it gave me a chance to get a few things done quickly without having to bring him along. Apparently all went well. He watched some animal videos and had a bottle and a diaper change. Grandma noted that his hair is coming back in in the front, and that his hand control definitely got better while we were away last week.

While we were gone, Charlie transitioned into size 2 diapers. I've found since I got home that he can wear some of his larger clothes now. I can't wait until Thursday to find out how much he weighs at his 2 month checkup.

More news from our trip after I can get my photos and thoughts organized.

World Traveler

Today Charlie visited his first National Park. We braved the blazing sun to visit Petroglyph National Monument just outside Albuquerque. I invested in a National Parks Passport for Charlie, so he could start to collect stamps when we visit landmarks.

After a stop at a Mexican restaurant (complete with live music and an excellent red chile), we made the drive up to Santa Fe. Our photography workshops begin in the morning.

We have internet access this year at the rental house, so I'll be able to post some photos later this week, including some from the park today. For now, I'm going to try and get some rest. I want to be awake in class tomorrow!

--Michelle

What's so Funny?

This morning I brought Charlie into the bedroom with me to lay down for a few minutes before my alarm went off. He had been fussing a bit and it woke me up. I put the binkie back in his mouth and he went right back to sleep, so I knew I could put off feeding and changing him for at least a few minutes.

After a minute or so, he smiled, and the binkie fell out of his mouth as he relaxed. Then, all of a sudden, he let out the cutest giggle I think I've ever heard. I sure wish I knew what he was dreaming or thinking about.

I was so sorry that John missed Charlie's first laugh. Hopefully he'll do it again while we're on vacation.

The jinx is broken!

The jinx of my Albert Pujols t-shirt has been broken! I wore the shirt and the Cardinals still won! I guess that Charlie's identical little Pujols t-shirt cancelled mine out.

We had a successful outing to the Reds (Cardinals) game tonight here in Cincinnati. John's already on the road to New Mexico, so I handled the expedition on my own (a good practice for tomorrow's venture to the airport). Charlie did really well overall, although he did spit up all over "uncle" Steve's arm. "Uncle" Steve and "uncle" Greg also came up with an ingenious plan to "sanitize" a dropped binkie in Greg's beer. I hope Charlie doesn't get a hangover.

They had a big fireworks show after the game tonight, also. It was loud with the echo inside the stadium, but Charlie didn't seem to mind. He would get startled sometimes when there were some bigger bangs after a quieter period, but he didn't cry.

Someday, we'll be telling Oscar and Charlie about their first baseball game. They sure turned a lot of heads!

Time for a haircut?

This morning Charlie grabbed at my hair for the first time. I'd been letting it grow longer for the summer so I could easily pull it back into a ponytail. I guess it's time to set up an appointment to get it cut shorter before I go back to work.

John was actually the first to have his hair pulled on by Charlie-- but it was his chest hair! That happened a couple of days ago.

On other notes, John and Beth left in the car for New Mexico this morning. Charlie and I saw them off from the driveway. Lucy is already over at Grandma's house, so Charlie and I have the house to ourselves today.

We're going to Charlie's first Cardinals game tonight with a group of friends. I bought him a little Pujols t-shirt to match mine. Hopefully I'll get some good photos to post.

Tomorrow we head to the airport for Charlie's first airplane ride. I'm going to leave extra early so I can have enough time to manage all the extra gear I'm going to have to shuffle by myself. After a long debate, we decided I should take the carseat and stroller and check them at the gate. It will be fun going through security with all that, plus having to declare all my liquid formula, etc.!

More when we get a chance to jump on the internet-- hopefully while we're in Santa Fe.

--Michelle

Try this on for size

This week I had to buy new tennis shoes-- my feet have apparently decided to stay a bit longer than they were pre-Charlie. I also took my rings in to be resized-- still can't get them over my knuckle, despite having lost all my pregnancy weight already. I guess my sleep pattern isn't the only thing to have changed.

Charlie is now definitely smiling for us. Last night he also grasped one of his toys for the first time. I'm not sure it was intentional, or that he even realized it. But it was still cute to see. Not so cute was the vomiting of milk out the nose that he did just before bedtime. That one scared us a bit.

Only three more days before we leave on vacation.

TGIF!

Today Charlie and I went to lunch with his Grandma Robenalt. The two of them played "lizard"-- sticking their tongues out at one another.

Now that Charlie is getting better control of his hands, and no longer reaches to scratch his eyes all of the time, I've started to let him go more and more without his protective mittens. As a result, he's started to find putting his fingers in his mouth as a way to soothe himself. This is good news to his mom and dad, who get tired of running over to reinsert the pacifier he has pushed, pulled, or dropped out of his mouth.

Charlie seems to be getting longer faster than he is getting wider. As a result, I'm having to pull out some of the 3 month clothes because they are the only thing long enough for him to wear. They look pretty baggy on him, because he's not very chubby, but I think that may be a trend we have to live with. Can't wait to see what he measures at his 2-month appointment in July.

Three letter words

Yesterday Charlie uttered his first "goo" and "gaa"-- graduating to using the occasional consonant in addition to the "ooh" and "eh" vowel sounds we've been hearing for quite some time. He can actually be quite the talker at times.

I think he might be starting a social smile as well, but I can't be sure.

On Tuesday we visited John's work and had a nice time passing Charlie around to folks while eating delicious cake. Photos are posted on flickr.

Our First Fathers Day/ 6 weeks old

John got to enjoy a lot of time with Charlie for his first Fathers' Day. He also got to eat some of his favorite foods. I made him a special quiche for brunch, and I picked up takeout from PF Chang's for dinner. After dinner I made some fresh cookies for him with some refrigerated dough that was leftover from earlier in the week. (I didn't say I cooked it all from scratch!)

While John was spending time with Charlie in the afternoon, I took Lucy to the dog park so she could have some "mommy time." I knew she had been feeling neglected.

Today did not go as well. Our AC at the house went out, as did one of our DVRs. I also found a bunch of mole trails in the front yard. I guess all the watering I was doing to save the lawn made for good digging! Hopefully by the end of the week we'll at least have AC and our DVR back. The mole is another story.

On other notes, John now thinks maybe Charlie is left handed. He seems to use his left hand for grabbing his binkie and other similar tasks. I'm not completely sure I'm convinced yet.

Tomorrow I will take Charlie in to John's work for a visit. At least I know they have AC there!

Busy week

Charlie and I have had a busy week. Over the weekend, John and I took him on two separate shopping trips to gather items we need for our upcoming vacation to New Mexico. He did pretty well, only getting fussy on the way home from the last trip. I also took Charlie with me to a volunteer event at Cincinnati Bell on Saturday morning. He was an absolute angel.

On Tuesday I had a dentist appointment, so I took John's mom along to sit with Charlie while I had my teeth cleaned. He was an angel again. We took him to lunch at Frisch's after the appointment, and I stopped to buy a new garden hose at Home Depot. (The weather has been so warm and dry here I wanted to try and save the back lawn.)

On Wednesday we visited my work group at Cincinnati Bell. Charlie did well on this trip also. But last night he was pretty irritable, and didn't sleep much between 3 and 7 AM.

Today, Thursday, we went to visit my friend Jodi and her new daughter Julia. Julia is 5 days older than Charlie. We took a long walk and went to lunch down the street from their house. We had a chance to compare the two little ones, and also determined that Charlie definitely looks like his father from the nose up.

Tomorrow we will hang out at home-- it has been a long week and we're tired!

On other fronts, Charlie is making more and more vocal noises. He is moving up in clothing sizes, wearing some 3 month or 3-6 month pieces, depending on the brand. He can go longer between feedings now as well. I'm also starting to get him used to one bottle a day this week. I'll work my way up to 3 or 4 a day by the time we leave for New Mexico. This will be a good chance to see how he'll do for daycare in August, also.

New photos are posted on Flickr.

I am one month old!

Charlie had his one month check-up today. He now weighs 10 pounds, 2.5 ounces-- a 2 pound gain since his one week visit. He has also grown 2 inches, and now is in the 90th percentile on length.

One month photos will be posted on my flickr site shortly.

Champion Spitter

John came home from work on Tuesday just in time for burping duty. Charlie decided to show him just how far he could spit up. Thank goodness the Maloney's sent us those great burp cloths--just in time!

Look Ma, No Mittens!

I left the house today to run to the store, and left Charlie with no mittens on. John had trimmed his fingernails, and we wanted to see how he did without the mittens. When I returned, he was wearing socks on his hands!

John could not find the clean mittens, so he used socks to protect Charlie's eyes from scratching. How resourceful Daddies can be when faced with adversity!

Visit from cousin Sarah

Charlie had a visitor last night. John's cousin Sarah was driving through town and stopped to see us for a couple of hours. He's quite the popular fellow!

I was cleared by my doctor to drive yesterday, and I made two trips out into the world today. One to buy a replacement bulb for our TV, and one to take Charlie to the doctor for a quick check.

We were a little concerned about the projectile spit-up that Charlie seemed to eject about every other feeding. The pediatrician's office suggested we bring him in to be sure there wasn't a reflux problem. Turns out he's doing just fine-- as long as he has no pain or discomfort when he is spitting up like that, they won't put him on baby antacids. My main concern was whether he was getting enough to eat. Between the large amounts of spitting up, and the fact that he only feeds about 10 minutes at a sitting, I was concerned about his weight gain. But it turns out he's gained at least a pound in the last two weeks, which is right on target. We go back in in one more week for his one-month visit, and I can't wait to see what he weighs then!

Who do I look like?

We are still collecting votes in response to the "who does Charlie look like" question. Some say he is starting to look more like John in the photo here, especially from the nose up. Unquestionably, he has the Knepper mouth and chin. But he has his daddy's feet. (See most recent photos loaded on flickr.)

What do you think?

An hour of freedom for Mommy

Today I had a pedicure appointment at Becoming Mom spa. This is the second to last month of the membership package that John got for me for our anniversary last fall. Since I cannot yet drive, John and Charlie dropped me off for my one hour of "me time."

While I was enjoying my relaxation, John took Charlie to Best Buy. Apparently the folks there are not used to daddies shopping with babies in strollers. Lots of people asked him if he needed any help! But it was a successful outing-- John picked out a video game to buy with his birthday money from my Grandma Knepper.

After picking me up from my appointment, we took Charlie with us to the mall so we could exchange a pair of pants we got as a gift which were the wrong size. We ate at the food court and also went to the Apple Store (of course!) Charlie did really well through all of this, even though he missed a feeding time. We tried to feed him at the food court (with some milk I had pumped before we left the house), but he wouldn't have it. I think it was just too noisy in there-- he fed fine as soon as we got home.

Tomorrow we have friends coming over for our annual Memorial Day Weekend grillout. It will be one of the first times any of our friends see Charlie (Beth is the only one to have met him so far). John and Beth also plan a small performance of the new Entertaining Lucy band (minus Eric). It should be fun.

Just how much can a diaper hold?

As a testament to the capacity of a Pampers newborn-size diaper, I present the attached photo. Apparently, John forgot to remove the diaper from the pocket of his cargo shorts before putting them in the laundry pile. And I, deprived of sleep, did not think to check his pockets before putting the shorts in the laundry.

Upon removing the shorts from the washer, I noticed that they were extremely heavy. At first, I thought perhaps one of Charlie's onesies had become stuck in the leg of the shorts, but no-- it was a diaper in the pocket! If only I had a proper scale with which to measure the weight. I'm sure it is a few pounds! I bet P&G never thought to test their diapers this way.....

In any case, I hope that Charlie never manages to fill a diaper that well. At least I know it will hold that much if necessary!

Missing: One Binkie

Missing: One Binkie. Green in color. Last seen in the juice aisle at the Kroger on Route 42. Call Charlie Robenalt's Mommy with any information.

Our first trip to the grocery as a family resulted in one lost binkie. Luckily, Michelle was smart enough to stash a spare one in John's pocket before we left the house. Emergency averted!

Mom left for home yesterday, so we had our first night unassisted last night. Things went pretty well, with John taking the "late shift." He is a natural night owl, doing a lot of work between the hours of 11pm and 2am. I took the early morning shift, taking little Charlie downstairs with me at around 7am, so John could have some peaceful sleep for a few hours before I woke him up. We'll test this procedure again tonight.

The grocery trip today was meant to set me up with all the necessities I will need to be shut in this week. Since I cannot drive yet, and John will be at work, I wanted to be sure I had everything I'd need to make it through the next few days. I'm sure there is something I've forgotten! But we managed to make it to the store and back between Charlie's feedings, so I count the trip a success!

First Doctor Visit & First Trip to the Store

Charlie had his first doctor visit on Tuesday. He's already back up to his birth weight. Seems he's going to be a big boy. Otherwise, everything was fine. Turns out, he does not have a "bucket head" after all-- taking after neither his father nor his maternal grandfather (this was a source of great debate). His head is "just right" -- at the 50th percentile. Weight and length are at the 75th percentile.

On Wednesday we made our first trip out to the store. Charlie did a little shopping with his Mom and Grandma K. I got worn out fast. Since I can't drive yet, Charlie's Grandma had to do the driving.

Life is settling down to a routine at home. With the help of the lactation consultant at our pediatrician's office, we were able to get the little guy started latching on (finally!) Now we're adapting to that new schedule and process of feeding.

Thanks to everyone for the comments and posts on our blog. We're glad everyone is enjoying the website. For those folks in Cincinnati, please let us know if you'd like to stop in for a live visit.

I am 1 week old!

Charlie turned 1 week old on Monday evening, and we took some photos to remember how small he was at this particular age. Some are loaded on John's flickr site already, and I'll add mine later this week.

It's hard to believe it's only been 1 week since Charlie came into this world. So much has happened since then. On the other hand, it feels like yesterday we were driving to the hospital.

Our First Mothers' Day

Sunday was the Cincy Robenalts' first occasion to celebrate Mothers' Day, just 6 days after Charlie arrived in this world. Somehow, he managed to get word to his daddy that he wanted to buy his mommy a gift. I was surprised by a cute little card and the largest balloon I think I've ever seen. If Charlie knew what it was, it would probably scare the little guy-- it's so much bigger than him!

We also purchased a new grill yesterday, so I could have a steak dinner for Mothers' Day. Charlie and Grandma K helped John put it together (see photos). After all of that fresh air outside, Charlie slept for 5 hours straight. Of course, I only got to partly take advantage of that, because I still woke up every hour wondering why he hadn't cried out yet!

Today is John's first day back at work, and we will miss him. Tonight we celebrate Charlie's "1-week birthday."

Alternate uses for a Boppy

Alternate uses for a Boppy
Originally uploaded by robenalt.

So I have discovered that the boppy is the best neck pillow I have ever tried. Forget those crappy airline pillows and bring your boppy on your next flight : )

First Bath

John and I gave Charles his first bath at home today. Just a sponge bath, but exciting nonetheless. He likes getting washed about as much as he liked having his temperature taken at the hospital (which was not at all).

Grandma Connie and Great Aunt Debbie also came to visit today. Grandma got to feed Charlie, and he slept on Debbie's lap for a couple of hours. Lucy was excited to have visitors at the house, but I think she wished they were there for her.

My dad left for home today, taking with him a video tape of Charlie for Great Grandma Bovier. It sure was nice for him to be here in time for the birth, and to get some time with his grandson before heading back to Houston. Mom will stay on for an extra week, to help me out a little since I'm still recovering from the surgery. She's making chocolate chip cookies right now. Just wait until Charlie learns about Grandma's chocolate chip cookies!

Web Nursery

Our photo from the hospital has been posted on their website. It's not the pose we chose, but that's okay. Here is a link!
http://www.growingfamily.com/webnursery/babypage.asp?UrlID=7Y7P4D1U2G

Coming Home

We brought Charlie home today. Posted on my flickr site are photos of the ride home, as well as the moments when Charlie met Lucy. She seems to be adjusting well to the new addition. Or maybe she was just glad that John and I were finally home! Thanks again to Helana for watching her for a few days while we were at the hospital 24-7.

The home nurse will visit us tomorrow, and then we'll see the pediatrician for Charlie's 1 week visit next Tuesday. He lost a few ounces the first night, but as of last night was only down to 7 pounds, 12 ounces, so he's probably levelling off. His appetite is good, even if he won't take it from the breast. We've been pumping and feeding via a bottle for now, based on the lactation consultant's advice. We'll keep trying day by day and see how it goes.

I had my staples removed today, and don't go back

to the doctor until the 30th of this month. Until then, I cannot drive, which will be the most inconvenient thing. Mom will stay here in town for another week to help me out around the house. We're both glad she's willing and able to do that.

Now that we're home, and have better access to the internet, I'll probably try to post more often. For now, I'm going to try and get some sleep. Thanks to everyone for the comments and posts!

Home Sweet Home

We came home today. Sorry for a gap in the blogs but the free internet access at Christ Hospital is very SLOW during "normal"waking hours. We hope to have some more pictures and video online very soon now that we have reliable internet access.

By the way, how does so much poo come out of such a small guy????

Charlie's First Day

Baby Charlie
Originally uploaded by mrobenalt.

Well, the pull out love seat in the family unit must have been more comfortable than the pull out chair in the labor and delivery room, because we had a steady stream of people coming through this morning, and John slept through it all. Before he got up, we were already visited by audiology, medical records, two nurses, one resident, our childbirth instructor, and the person bringing my breakfast (of clear liquids). Of course, he did make the statement that he was "too tired to blog," so that might have had something to do with it.

Later in the day we were visited by the Knepper and Robenalt grandparents, as well as Uncle Rory (see photos posted on my Flickr site). They also came to take Charlie's photos for the hospital website (we'll confirm when those are posted). The OB and pediatrician also visited with us.

As for me, I am feeling pretty good. I have less discomfort and am already more mobile than expected based on my previous abdominal surgery which had basically the same incision. I am pretty tired, still, though, because I am such a light sleeper that the noises of the hospital kept me up most of the night, even when we sent Charlie to the nursery so we could get some rest.

Charlie is doing well also, although still not quite getting the hang of breastfeeding. Today he decided to explode a diaper on me while trying. Of course, it was when I was alone in the room, with no one to help me without making a mess of things. Luckily for me, I had already called the nurse for something else, so I just had to wait for her to rescue me!

So far my favorite quote was John's statement late last night, when we were starting to go to bed after one very long day. He said that the day had been "exhausting, exhilerating, scary, and fun." I think that about sums it up!

Survival as a Species / Upgrade

Ok, how have we survived as a species this long with breast feeding be this difficult? Charlie took to it the first time like I would have thought. Then apparently he decided to not continue this behaviour past the first feeding.

On a good note, the love seat version of the ched (bed / chair) was much more comfortable. Maybe I was just too tired to care?

Everyone is doing well,

Charles Durbin Robenalt

DSC04206
Originally uploaded by robenalt.

Born at 10:17pm via C-section. He is 19 inches long and 8lbs 2 oz. Mom and baby are recovering well. For more photo look at my Flickr page (link on the left). More pictures and video to come when I can see straight and michelle gets a chance to comb her hair.

8cm - woot

We are at 8 cm and we got there very fast. Hope to have more info soon

Epidural - Better living through chemistry

We we have the epidural now.  Michelle is resting now.  Still alot of waiting but all is well.  They plan to check Michelle again in about 30 min. so I will update then.

John

Time for the fun to start

They are going to start the pitocin at 11:00 am. This will start force the contractions to start as well as be the time that Michelle may grab my bottom lip and pull it over my head.

Note to self: Bring your own pillow

DSC04200
Originally uploaded by robenalt.

No new news to report. We are just waiting around right now. I will post when we are getting ready to start the next phase.

Note for future new dads:
Bring your own pillow. The ched (chair / bed) is very uncomfortable.

View from Birthing Room

View from birthing room,
originally uploaded by robenalt.

We have a nice view of the city from our room at the hospital.

At the Hospital

We are here. And we have internet access.

We have started with cervadial that is supposed to soften the cervix. This treatment usually goes for about 12 hours. Then we will move on to pitocin to induce contractions tomorrow. We have a nice view of the city from our room. I will post a picture soon.

All is well

Off to the Hospital

Well we are heading off to the hospital. We are supposed to check in by 10pm. More to come from the hospital

Almost Here

OK, Baby Robenalt is almost here. We will be posting information and pictures on this blog. We expect to see him on Monday, May 7.

Who Who

Who Who
Originally uploaded by robenalt.

This is what happens when I try to sing the "who who" backup part of Sympathy for the Devil. This picture was taken at Liars Club in Newport. For more information see Entertaining Lucy website

Introduction

Spring has finally arrived in Cincinnati, and with it the daffodils in our backyard. How appropriate that we will soon be welcoming a young "bloom" into our family, a baby boy, due April 28.

We hope that this blog will help our friends and family keep up to date on our adventures as we grow our family. Welcome to the story of the Cincinnati Robenalts!