Wednesday, February 4, 2009

Wacky Wednesday - Daddy Karst


Okay since we are back into the BS (Busy Season, click here to read more about it), I am taking a chance that Karst won't read the blog for a few months and I can share with you what he is like as a daddy without him being embarrassed.
He is such a cute little daddy with Charlee, he just loves every bit of her and everything that is her, which in turn has brought out every protective bone in him.  

When she was born we were lucky enough to be invited to share her first day with her, once the hospital staff knew we were the adoptive parents, Nurse Wendy took Karst under her wing and taught him what he needed to know.  She taught him how to swaddle her, feed, burp, change diapers.  I was with our birth mom Elle, during her orientation and when I went back to the nursery he was an old pro.  So much so that if I did anything different he let me know that was not how Nurse Wendy did it.   I read all the books, but he had Nurse Wendy so he knew more.  But I will forever be grateful to her for helping him get on his daddy pants.

 
 
He was so emotional during the first 2 weeks, even in front of my family.  If you know Karst, you know he isn't one to show on the outside what he is feeling on the inside, but when it came to his baby girl he just couldn't help it.  When he had to leave us in Wyoming and go back to work that next week, it tore his heart out.  

The salon I work at on Saturdays gave us a baby shower and the only way I could have Charlee there was if Karst brought her up only for an hour and no one could hold or touch her.  I tried to explain to the girls how it was, but they didn't believe me until they saw it for themselves.  He just held her in the back room and let them look, if they got close to touching he handed them the purell.  He fed her, changed her and even opened the gifts while I was doing hair.  When he left they realized I wasn't kidding and one of them  said. "Karst has a baby, when do you think you'll get one?"


He has a certain way that he always feeds her, this all has to be in place before the bottle hits her mouth, the blanket, the baby a cloth diaper put under her chin and then the bottle.  He then has a separate cloth diaper over his shoulder for when he burps her.  He is the best at getting her burped.

When one of my friends came over to meet Charlee, and he thought the way she was holding her wasn't as comfortable as it should have he just went over to her and adjusted her.  On Saturday's when he is watching her, he can tell me exactly how many ounces she has had throughout the day and how much sleep she has received, I don't keep track of those things as well.

A few weeks ago we had some good friends over, Veronica and Mary have been our hired hands to help us with yard work and painting, they have known us for years.  When they came to our house and Karst was feeding her and taking care of her, just the way he was doing it, they didn't think he was going to let them hold her, but he did.  

  
We took her to church when she was 2 months old, before this he hated sitting toward the front, but now he realizes there is less chance people will touch her if we are sitting in benches.  So now it is benches for us.  He told one of the girls in the ward that she had to stay back 5 feet from her.

We have gone out to eat only a few times with her, and the whole time he kept her covered and kept checkin on her.  Same thing when we go into a store.  If he thinks he is getting a cold he stays away from her even though he just wants to hold her.  He loves to fall asleep holding her and then I pick her up and put her in the cradle for the night.  

He sings to her, he baths her, he does everything in his power to make sure everything is good and she is happy.  

He loves Elle (Charlee's birth mom) so much, and thinks the world of her.  He is really protective of her and gets really upset when he finds out she has been hurt, and wishes he could fix everything for her.  He gets very emotional whenever we talk about her. He makes sure he always gives her a hug when he sees her, Karst is not a hugging type of guy.  I hope when Charlee is older she will recognize the honor and respect Karst has for Elle.


A picture says more then I can, so the best way for you to see for yourself how amazing he is as a father is to see all these pictures.  It just makes my heart sing, to see him be a father and I am grateful beyond words that we have been given this chance.  We have been blessed beyond our wildest dreams.  


5 comments:

Vanessa Shannon said...

That is so sweet! How awesome to watch that transformation in a guy. I cant believe how big she looks in that last picture! We need to get together so I can see her...and get my baby fix :)

Susan said...

How fun! What a great thing! Good Luck with Busy season Karsten!

Naomi said...

I always new that he would be like that. Seeing him with her just melted my heart. Charlee is amazing and she has such wonderful parents. The Lord has a plan.

Unknown said...

Very sweet. He sounds so protective...thankful I have been able to hold her a few times now! :) Love how much hair that girl has. Beautiful.

Leisha said...

Nothing like a little girl to tug at your heart strings. I can tell that she already has Karsten wrapped around her little finger. So cute and so protective. Just like a dad should be.