Hiccups

Charlotte gets the hiccups, a lot. When we asked the pediatrician about it, she asked us if Charlotte had hiccuped in the womb. "Why, yes, she did, all the time" I answered. "Well, there you go, she's the same baby!" True enough.

Daddy loves to film Charlotte hiccuping. Here is a little compilation of our many, many hiccuping videos.

Food Train

In the weeks right after Charlotte was born, all our good friends brought over food to nourish our new family. We appreciated it so much!! We tried to take pictures of Charlotte meeting her new community- we missed a few but here they are:

Kay and Trevor

Ben, Libbe, and Bea

Chad

Dan and Meera

Marya

Leah and Jason

Cullen

First Bath

When Charlotte's umbilical cord finally fell off, we were very excited to give her her first real bath. We had made our first parenting mistake when we tried to give Charlotte a sponge bath. To keep the baby warm, you're supposed to just wash one body part at a time and dry it right off. But in our over zealousness we just jumped right in and sponged her whole body! Of course she got cold and started crying and we realized our error. So needless to say, we were looking forward to full submersion. Charlotte loved it, too.

 

Baby Naming Ceremony

On Saturday, November 26th, we held Charlotte's baby naming at the Montlake Community Center. The whole family was in town for Thanksgiving so everyone was able to be there. And all our friends came, too. 

Grandma baked a ton of cookies and we had a huge cake decorated with Charlotte's Hebrew name, "Bellah," named for her Great Grandma Belle. 

Rabbi Jessica Marshall gave a beautiful service that Matt & I helped write. We wrapped her in our chuppah that Hattie made for our wedding. Matt couldn't hold back the tears during his reading:

Build me a daughter who will be strong enough to know when she is weak and brave enough to face herself when she is afraid; one who will be proud and unbending in honest defeat, but humble and gentle in victory.  Send her not only in the path of ease and comfort, but also in the spur of difficulty and challenge.  Let her learn to stand up in the storm; Let her learn compassion for those who fall.  Grant her the insight to know herself, and the wisdom to honor her heritage.  Be with us, her parents, as we begin this new journey through life.

Build me a daughter whose heart will be clear, whose goal will be high; a daughter who will master herself before she seeks to master others; one who will learn to laugh, yet never forget how to weep; one who will reach into the future, yet never forget the past. Give her the humility that she may always remember the simplicity of true greatness, the open mind of true wisdom, and the meekness of true strength.  May she always be a blessing to her family and friends.

Aunt Bobbie Linda spoke about Grandma Jeanne, Charlotte's namesake, and Uncle Peter presented Charlotte with a handmade turtle amulet that holds a piece of her umbilical cord and connects her to her maternal lineage.
 















Aunt Liz wrote a beautiful poem that had everyone pulling out their kleenex:

One Week

By Elizabeth Knaster

Charlotte, you are sleeping again,

tucked into a sleep sack tucked into a receiving blanket tucked into my arms, curved like a nest.

People say that babies smell good and you do not disappoint:

waffle cones, cherry blossoms, freshly shampooed hair.

You frown and half smile and furrow your brow.

What are you dreaming about?

Lights and voices? Your fists against your forehead? Your first bit of air?

You are the smallest thing I have ever loved.

7 lbs 2 oz is no weight, like carrying a spool of cotton candy.

I am afraid to move my arms,

not because I’ll wake you but because I don’t want you to feel uncertainty

when you need rhythm, swaddle, skin.

It is your instinct to trust me.

I have a list of 10,000 beautiful things about the world and I want to tell you about all of them, Charlotte, it will take my lifetime to tell them all.

When I’m done you will lean over my bed and watch me sleep

and count my fingers and toes and smell my hair,

which will smell like an old book.

By then, may your heart be filled to the brim,

topped off with the love I gave you all my years.

My charlotte,

I will do everything.

Charlotte slept in her daddy's arms the entire time.

And since it was Thanksgiving weekend, Charlotte also starred as a rodent of unusual size in in her first family play, "The Princess Bride."

How Charlotte Came Into The World

On the first day of the lunar New Year, in the very lucky year of the rabbit, Mommy and Daddy decided to bring you into the world.

A couple weeks later we took a test and yes! It was positive. You were already growing inside your mommy’s tummy.

We went to the doctor to have your picture taken. For the first time, we heard your little heart beating.

Then you grew and grew. First, you were the size of a blueberry. Then you were the size of a grape. Soon you were the size of a fig, and then a lime. Next, you were the size of a shrimp, so we nicknamed you The Prawn.

The doctor took your picture again and you were so big! Now we could see your hands and your feet and your beautiful face.

The doctor ran some tests, and for a whole week we worried because we thought you might be sick. But oops! It was all a big mistake, and when they ran the tests again you were just perfect. And we found out that you were a girl. Yay!

To celebrate, Mommy and Daddy went on a trip to Hawaii. We swam in the warm blue ocean and relaxed. You were there with us in your mommy’s tummy.

Inside Mommy’s tummy, you were very busy moving around. You practiced karate, played soccer, and danced a ballet. Mommy felt you moving all day long, but you were nice and quiet at night so Mommy could sleep.

The whole family was so excited for you to come. But what should we name you? Aunt Liz joked that we should call you Skipper after Barbie’s little sister. Skipper has been one of your nicknames ever since.

We got all ready for you to come. Daddy put a new door and new windows on your nursery and we decorated it just for you with jungle animals.

Mommy’s tummy got bigger and bigger and bigger as you grew. Soon it was time for you to be born.

But the cord that connected you to Mommy had gotten wrapped around your neck- twice! You weren’t going to budge.  “I’m not coming out. Y’all gonna have to come in and get me!” you said.

A week went by past your due date, but still you wouldn’t budge. “I’m not coming out. Y’all gonna have to come in and get me,” you said a little louder.

Another five days went by, and we went to see Dr. Harvey. “I’m not coming out. Y’all gonna have to come in and get me,” you shouted. So Dr. Harvey sent us to the hospital.

At the hospital, you still wouldn’t budge. “I’m not coming out. Y’all gonna have to come in and get me,” you yelled to Dr. Daniels. She heard you loud and clear and said, “Let’s get this baby out of here!”

On Wednesday, November 9, 2011, at 2:47 in the morning, the doctors opened up Mommy’s tummy and pulled you out. You weighed 7 pounds 2 ounces and you were 19 inches long. You were absolutely perfect.

They wrapped you in a cozy blanket and put a little pink hat on your head to keep you warm. Daddy held you first, and Mommy held you next. And we knew right then that we would name you Charlotte Jeanne.

As they wheeled us back to our room, we saw Aunt Liz, Grandma and Pops in the waiting room. You looked them straight in the eye and spoke your very first word: “Weh!” Aunt Liz said you looked like a baby squirrel.

Then Papa and Grandma Mary held you. Then Pops and Grandma held you. Then Aunt Liz and Uncle Eric got their turn. Everyone loved you instantly.

A couple days later it was time to go home. You had your first car ride, and Pops, Grandma, Aunt Liz and Uncle Eric were there to greet us when we arrived.

“Welcome home, Charlotte,” they said. "Welcome to the family. Welcome to the world. We love you."