Heading Home!

We brought Charlotte home from the hospital on December 26, 2011.  Spending Christmas in the hospital certainly felt different.  It was almost hard to remember that it was Christmas.  It was a nice reminder though of the many selfless people who work, and truly do an amazing job, on such a holiday.  I can't say enough positive things about the staff at Mercy Hospital...everyone from my nurses to the food service workers who delivered my meals to my room did so with a smile and helpful tone.  Christmas was no exception.  Bless them! On Christmas Day, my nurse even moved us to a nicer, bigger hospital room that opened up since our current one was quite cramped.

 On Christmas Eve, my mom spent the night at the hospital with me.  It was a rough night, my most painful, but I awoke on Christmas morning feeling a bit better and Charlotte had a pretty good night that evening.  Mat came back to the hospital late that morning, and then that evening the rest of the family came and we watched The Polar Express together in our hospital room.  Quite different, but still special in a whole new way. 

By the next morning, I was feeling even better and ready to head home!  There was one thing I was dreading though...getting my staples removed!  Yes, I'd been dreading this part since about midway through my pregnancy when I learned that my doctor used staples.  My last c-section was closed just with glue, so staples were a whole new world to me.  Cut me open?  Sure, no problem!  Pull out staples?  Ummm, drugs please!!  LOL  I'm such a baby about those little things.  Luckily it was pretty painless, as so many people told me it would be, and then I could feel more excited about having that behind me and heading home!  My dad and Jeff brought MJ up so he could ride home with us and help bring his baby sister home, and of course they helped in loading up our car. 

MJ was rocking  Charlotte while chowing down on one of the ten thousand Dum-Dums he ate at the hospital.  He was excited to help us bring her home!  He's been an amazing big brother thus far. 

Our family of four ready to bust out of the hospital and head to our little abode! 

Having two kiddos in the backseat was quite a new feeling.  MJ talked about mommy and daddy and baby Charlotte being at home the whole ride home.  I think he was glad to have us all together, along with Uncle Jeff, GiGi, and PopPop still...not to mention that he also knew Mema and Papa were arriving the next day.  This little boy was loaded with lovin'! 

It was such a great joy to be able to bring our healthy baby girl home from the hospital with us! I had envisioned there being a foot of snow on the ground, as in typical winter Dubuque fashion, but instead it was a beautiful and mild winter day.  Such a memorable day!