Bob wrote this to Charli about a year ago and I think it's just the sweetest. Since he blogged last, I decided to go ahead and post it. So, now he's on a roll. Maybe he should just take over...

Charli,

                Its 5am Saturday morning on May 12, 2012. We just found out Thursday that you are going to be part of our crazy, noisy, family. I’ve been tossing and turning all night and just can’t seem to sleep. Each time I wake up, thoughts of you pop into my head. Your mother has been pregnant with boys (your older brothers….that sounds so weird to say) for basically the past five years, but all that has changed now. Your mother has a different glow about her now…she’s carrying you…my daughter. I’m still trying to get used to the concept of meeting you, taking care of you, laughing with you, telling boys to quit calling, and buying you too many clothes because you are a picky dresser. However, it’s a situation I’ve been longing to be in the midst of for a long time.

                When we first found out we were pregnant with you, your brothers weren’t super excited. In fact Sam’s response was “I told you not to get anymore babies.” Since then he has come more accustomed to the idea of having another sibling. I figure we have a few more months to warm him up to the concept of a girl playing with “his” toys. Which by the way, you need to at least act interested in Thomas the Train and the Cars movies if you want to stand a chance in this house! Don’t worry, we can help you blend in and make friends with the three amigos.

                Most of the time when I think about you I try and envision what our relationship will be like and wonder what you will look like. Sam, Grey, and Bo have all sort of favored looking like me as a baby, so I hope for your sake you look like your mommy. I don’t think me with long hair is gonna make for a cute baby…we’ll see soon enough I guess. Speaking of your mom. You have an amazing role model waiting outside the womb for you. I think she’s scared to have a daughter because all she knows is raising boys, but I have no doubt she’ll do an incredible job caring for you. I only hope for your sake you will realize sooner than later that she is someone you want to be friends with. I think when I picture you in my head, I imagine you with her big brown eyes, some curly brown hair, and maybe some cute chunky baby wrists. The kind of wrists and ankles that look like rubber bands are pinching off your circulation.

                Everyone tells me that you are going to have me wrapped around your little finger. I don’t think I would disagree with that, and actually am looking forward to it. I love my little boys and the posse that we’ve become, but there is something special about a father and daughter’s relationship. I’m going to train those tres amigos to be your little bodyguards. They can be my eyes and ears on the ground when you are in school and boys are chasing after your heart. You’re lucky to have such sweet older brothers. They all have the heart of your mom and for the most part are extremely loving…you’ll see soon enough

                Lastly I want you to know that I’ve prayed for you for a long time. For all logical reasons it would be easier for us if we had another boy, but there is just something inside me that aches to have a daughter.  As we sat there in that ultra sound room, there was a split second where I thought we were having another boy and that we’d never get to meet you. I saw something on that screen that in an instant brought disappointment. However, only moments later and after much debate from several technicians, we got word that you are in fact going to be part of our family. Your mom got teary eyed and so did I. My tears only lasted for a split second though because Sam was with us and kept hitting me with his chair…it was a brief, but sweet moment. I’ve thanked God for you many times since then. I look forward to meeting you and welcoming you into this noisy household. In the months to come I will keep praying for you and cannot wait for 10/10/10 to get here. It can’t come soon enough!

Love, your Daddy

{So far, no curly brown hair, brown eyes, OR chunky baby wrists, ha! But we love that sweet little bald head, bright blue eyes and chunky thighs!

4 Months & 5 Months–Charli

Sigh…
This sweet little one is just over 5 months old, what a fun age! She continues to draw attention and admiration from everyone in the family, especially the boys. She is so cute, smiles freely, and loves to snuggle. She sleeps pretty well and goes with the flow real easily (which often means missing naps…which lends itself to some fussy times but who can blame her? I don’t like missing naps either!)
Some shots from 4 months…

Bo got in on this photo shoot. Such a sweet little guy…


And some from 5…

A little scary, a lot cute…

Charli, you’re a teensy little thing. In fact, I’m banking on you not even being on the charts when we go in for your 6 month check-up. You look and seem totally great though – just tiny. What’s up?! We started solids, namely avocado, peas, squash and sweet potatoes. You eye everything we’re eating, grab at it and have taken to eating just fine! You also make it real easy to know when you’re full…cue the fussing and whipping your head side to side. Clear communication. I like it.

The Girls’ Team

Being in a house full of testosterone, Charli and I have to stick together.
I present to you….The Girls’ Team.
 

Oh, you know how everyone is “showing their real?”
(To the grandparents, and others who have no idea what that means, it’s basically an effort to not sugarcoat your life as you show it through pictures on social media.)
Here we are, unedited. Neither of us have on make-up and Charli has bathed more recently than I have. She also has fancier pajamas. In my opinion, those eyes and a smile cover a multitude of poor hygiene sins.


And yes, we’re just gonna brush on by the fact that I don’t actually blog anymore. You can thank Twitter, Instagram (greta_carter), and our four kids for that.



Whut?

3 Months–Charli

I apologize for the lack of posting.
As I tell Sam allllll…the….time, people before things. In this case, the people are all these children someone left at my house ;) and the blog is the thing.



Little Char, oh how we love you. I think we’re all pretty taken by the tiny female that is you. You’re so, so sweet. You give smiles away like you should, like there is no end to them. You’re ticklish all over. I mean all over. And when babies are 3 months old and they get tickled, the laugh is involuntary and super awkward sounding, but still so wonderful.



You’ll just sit in our laps, still. That’s new to us. Bo has been the most snuggly and still baby yet, but you’re knocking it out of the park. We have high hopes for lots of snuggly times with you.
I remember, with each baby, how magical 3 months is. You want to be around people. You cry SO much less. We’ve gotten into a nice little routine and so far, you are pretty go with the flow with a side of drama.



We love you baby girl! Thanks for staying out of the hospital this month.

Charli–1 Month and 2 Months

This sweet little thing is fitting in just right with our rough and tumble family. It’s amazing how much easier it’s been going from 3 kids to 4, versus going from 2 to 3. Everyone who said that was the case, spoke the truth. Thankfully.

I’m amazed by how gently the boys are with Charli, for the most part. I’d say they were pretty much obsessed with her for the first 2 or 3 weeks, always wanting to hold her, asking if they could feed her, acting shocked every time she moved or opened her eyes. It’s been so much fun seeing them be excited about her.

Grey especially loves to care for things. In the past, he’s been the dad (and mom) to his stuffed animals, or as he calls them, his babies. He’s also the one who told us, in the sweetest little voice, “I wish we had a pet… I wish we could have a puppy.” Break my heart! That, friends, is how people end up with pets they don’t actually want. I finally communicated to him that we got an infant, we don’t need a pet. I think he bought it, for now.

All the boys comment on how cute Charli is and how sweet she is. She’s smiling a ton now too and I can’t wait for them to realize they can make her smile and laugh too!


Charli’s almost 7 weeks now so I’m obviously a little late in posting this 1 month update. I’ll try to make sure the updates correspond with her age though since I’ll, most definitely, be late getting them up all the time.

I always forget how little newborns are. I mean, thankfully they’re small, but it’s still a shock to remember just how small they are. I’m trying to soak up every little ounce of the tiny baby phase, since yes, this was our last planned pregnancy. I don’t expect to experience this again. It’s definitely difficult at times, when she just won’t get settled and I can tell she’s in pain. Like her brothers, Charli has been quite gassy. I hate that. It’s so hard to see such a tiny thing be in such pain and not be able to help them feel better. Plus, it’s really hard to listen to all the crying and not be able to fix it. Honestly.


Charli is sweet, snuggly, and petite. She has small hands, long fingers, curly eyelashes, and looks a lot like a feminine, newborn Sam. She sleeps great with lots of noise (as I’m typing this, the boys are playing/screaming right around her and she’s rocking away and sleeping in the swing).

Bob is completely in love with her, too. It is a different kind of blessing to see him with a daughter. I mean it is a huge blessing to me to see how he fathers the boys and to think how his interactions with them will shape them as men, later in life. I didn’t really expect it to seem different to watch him with a daughter, but it does, already.

True to form, I’m even later posting this than I thought I would be. Time to just round it out with a 2 month update too.

In Charli’s short little life, she has made a trip to the NICU, which ended up being more precautionary than anything annnnd a trip to the ER. Both of those resulted in a few nights spent in the hospital slash special bonding time for me and my girl. Trying to look on the bright side here, folks. It really was nice to get to focus so much attention on her and hold her so much without any competing responsibilities. Of course, it would’ve been nice to have that without the medical scariness and bills, but it was nice nonetheless.

Charli, we love ya!

She's Here!

Charli Wells

October 17, 2012 12:42 a.m.

7 lbs., 11 oz., 19 3/4 inches

 

 

Welcome to the crazy, sweet girl!

*Birth story will be up shortly and I use the term shortly, loosely.