Charlie is here!

One of the last pictures of BIG MAMA!

Charlie is here!  It's a BOY!  I thought it was a boy, but I knew it was a girl... haha!  I still can't believe we won't have all girls!  So fun we have a SON!

Charlie's story of coming into this world.

Long story short: I was induced at 40 weeks and 4 days.  I had pretty bad anxiety leading up to his birth while pregnant and wasn't progressing, so my kind kind kind midwife allowed for me to be induced.  You hear horror stories of people being induced, but I kind of loved it.  It felt like checking into a hotel.  Going to sleep on Sunday, March 26th we knew that we were going to wake up and have a baby.... it was great!

So, the alarm goes off at 4:30am on March 27th... we load the card and head to Greenville!  Clint called on the way to the hospital to make sure there was still a bed available for us to be induced and they let us know that we were all set and we were on "Side A," this means you have the BIG birthing rooms that you labor, give birth, and recover in!  Everyone wants to be on this side!  So, I started doing jumping jacks I was so excited!

Look at this HUGE room!  Getting all settled!

We checked in, got all unpacked into our room, started the IV (side note: I passed out during this and for the rest of our stay I was red-flagged as someone who might pass out...).  At about 8AM they started me on the beloved drug Pitocin to get things moving, it succeeded at it's job!  Then about 11AM they broke my water, and things REALLY got moving.  I'm asking everyone for the epidural at this point.... Thank you Dr. Jones for working your magic!  This was about 12PM and I was 6cm.  From there on out I was able to "labor down."  Little did I know how soon Charlie was going to be born!  Around 2:30pm I was calling in the midwife because I felt it coming if you know what I mean!  They brought the crew in, at 2:39pm I started pushing and then BOOM Charlie was born at 2:42pm!  He came out like a rocket!  When he was born Clint was the first to say to the room if it were a boy or girl and when he said, "It's a BOY!" I just started crying and kept saying "It's a Boy, It's a Boy, It's a BOY!"  Charles Clinton Rouse III weighted 7lbs 11oz and was 19 inches long.

Here HE is!

Sweet little boy!

First time Clint holding him!

Since he came out like a rocket, he didn't get a good "squeeze" on his lungs, so he had to go to the NICU for a couple of hours to get all of the liquid out of his lungs.  This was scary and sad that he had to be taken right away, but gosh SO SO SO thankful he was only there for such a short time.  My heart aches for all of those mamas and daddys that have their babys in the NICU.  Bless y'all!

Charlie also was born with a breathing conditions called laryngomalacia.  This is a big word for floppy cartilages  over his larynx that make him a noisy breather, eater, and sleeper.  He will grow out of this hopefully by the age of 1.  From here on out he will be known as our "recessive baby" with his BLONDE hair and BLUE eyes!

Oh Charlie!  I am so thankful to be your mama! I love that you will grow up and be bigger than me one day and I will look up to you, but until then I will rock you and kiss you and snuggle you!

You are SO loved Charlie!

All 3 Charles Clinton Rouses!

Waiting room filled with family!

Headed home!