dear charlie, you're TWO!

Dear Charlie,

I literally cannot believe that you are TWO years old. You are totally a genius, probably because I let you watch lots of TV and play lots of games on your ipod.

You talk more than any other two year old I know. And I can’t remember for sure, but I’m pretty sure you talk more than your sister did at your age, and that is saying something. You are constantly amazing me (not to mention cracking me up) with your vacabulary. Just today you were wandering around after lunch singing “No NAP, Mommy” over and over, until I put you down for a nap. You insist on TWO blankies at nap, as well as baby, and monkey, and turtle, and little doggie, and big doggie, and cow, and...WAIT just a minute, have you mastered STALLING?! You almost had me there, dude, but I am catching on to you.

We’ve been gearing up for your birthday party and you always always always say that you want to “wear birthday hat (on) my head”, and you want balloons, and you want to “eat donuts”. Which, I think we can do. You only turn two once so I think we will go ahead and splurge for the donuts, balloons, AND birthday hats this year, since I’m thinking when you’re sixteen it might cost a little more to keep you happy.

You love to “play choo choo train cars, mommy”
You love to “read ‘nother book mommy”
You love to “jump high” from the ottoman to the couch
You love to drink “hot milk”
You love to say “come, come”
You love to “I ride my bike”
You love to “eat lunch” (even if it’s breakfast or dinner)
You love to eat a “treat” which means you want a sucker, pretty much every time you get in a shopping cart
You love to play with other kids
You love to “call Nanny”

I just love watching how your mind works. It’s funny seeing your mind working and your mouth trying to come up with the words you are trying to say. I know I say it all. the. time...but it’s pretty darn cute.

When you wake up in the morning you yell, “mommy, mommy, mommy” over and over and over again until I come get you up. The second I open your door you stop yelling and say, “Hi, Mommy!” which instantly melts my heart and has the effect of making me forget that you’ve been yelling my name for 50 minutes. See, I told you you were a genius.

Happy Birthday Big Boy!

I love love love you,
Love, Mom
xxoo

dear charlie

looking for wordless wednesday but with words? click here

Dear Charlie,

23 months old, dude.

We just had Christmas and it was so so fun with you. You got the hang of opening gifts pretty quickly and in no time at all you were asking anybody who would listen, "more presents, please?" You got a really annoying Lightening McQueen chair from Mimi and Papa that I've threatened to return, because you know, it doesn't really "go" in the family room, AND it makes noise. Santa brought you your own laptop so you can check your email, and it also alerts you when there is a "new blog entry". And me and Dad got you your very own bike, because around here we like to start that addiction early. We got a balance bike (it doesn't have pedals) and so far you seem to like it.

You are talking ALL THE TIME and your vocabulary seems crazy huge, especially since you're not even TWO yet! You also enjoy singing Jingle Bells (which, for the record sounds NOTHING like Jingle Bells). And you love love love watching (Fresh) "Beat Band" on demand. You've got some sweet dance moves.

Mimi got a new iPhone and gave you and me her old one, which you have quickly become addicted to. Your favorite "game" is the Lego Duplo Jams. The first thing you say every morning (after "hi mommy!") is "new game please mommy"?

You are a happy kid. But you've also learned how to whine. Let's not do that ok? Like right now, you're sitting next to me, watching Nemo, playing your iPod and periodically whining, "more miiiiilk please, mommy?" But then you get sucked back into the movie or your game and forget about it for a minute.

You are wearing 2T pants, and 3T tops. Size 5 diapers. Size 8 shoes. You weigh about 30 pounds. My chunky little monkey naps about 2-3 hours each day after lunch and sleeps from about 7:30 to 7:00 each night. Pretty much perfect from head to toe.

I love love love you,

Love, Mom

xxoo

dear charlie

Dear Charlie,

You are twenty-two months old today. Um? Just two months til you turn TWO years old! This is a special month for you because two is your favorite number. Well, it's actually the only number you know. When you count it sounds like this: "two, two, two, two" When we count together I say "one", you say "two", I say "three", you say "two", etc.

You love cars. You love to hold them, "vroom" them, or watch the cars movie (which you call "keen" after Lightning McQueen), or both, at the same time! You like to say "play cars, mommy, too?". Dude. That is a whole freaking sentence!

I just love listening to you talk. You prefer to end each and every sentence with "mommy", which is perfectly fine with me. I think it is pretty much the cutest thing in the world, because you are talking so MUCH, and most of the time I understand what you are talking about.

You like to drink "hot" milk, and eat DIP, bananas, toast, cereal, apples, DIP, grapes, crackers, cheese, "tookies," DIP, and that's pretty much it.

You love to read books and play cars with Mimi, who has been coming down for playdates every week or so, and you love to go to Nanny and Jim's so you can take the lids off all the spices in their spice cabinet (which they conveniently placed right at your level).
You love babies. And apparently aren't a baby yourself anymore. We found one of your old binkies under your bed and you didn't even put it in your mouth. You wanted to give it to your baby doll instead. Sometimes I'll ask you if you're a baby, or if you're a monkey...but you always say, "NO! kid!" which pretty much cracks me up every. single. time.

You go to bed a little after 7:00 and sleep until 7:00. (THANK YOU!!) You take a 2-3 hour nap each day after lunch, but it's been inching closer to two hours since you (finally) started sleeping in until 7:00. You go to bed pretty easily, especially if you're "ready" for bed. We just have to say goodnight to everybody...daddy, sissy, "camy", the christmas tree, your toys, and maybe some books, and you're good to go.

I can't wait to watch you this Christmas time. You're going to love it.

Love love love you.
xxoo
Mom

dear charlie. a day late.

Dear Charlie,

So yesterday you turned 21 months old, but I completely forgot. Until I read another post on one of our friend's blogs (whose daughter has the same birthday as you), and I realized my complete mom fail. Oh well, I'm over it. I've been busy. This week I made a ton (or ten) one of a kind camera strap covers for my little shop. Plus I've been "working" now for a few months. Once a week I go to my old people's house and help them with their bookkeeping. I call them my old people affectionately of course, I really like them, and they pay me in fruit and baked goods and cold hard cash. While I'm at work you are at "school" where you get to play with your friends for 3 hours. You love this. When I drop you off you always wave and say "bye, mommy!"

A new favorite past-time of yours is to inquire as to the specific location of everybody you think of. It starts first thing in the morning. When I get you up you go through the rundown. "Daddy?" at work. "Sissy?" getting ready for school. "Cam-y?" still sleeping. It continues with "Nanny, Mimi, Clare" etc.

things of note this month:
arching your back thing when you don't want to get in your carseat (not fun),
I showed you how to kiss with your lips (instead of your forehead?) you decided to just lick me (a little weird)
when you ask for "neilk" and I say not right now you whine, if I say in a little bit you say "ok" even though in a little bit is not right now (funny)
you got two shots this month at the doctor and didn't cry at all (REALLY weird)

Your vocabulary is growing exponentially. Seriously. You have picked up so many words this month, and while I may be the only one who understands some of your words (open, guy, thank you), many of them are decipherable by the average not-mom (eat, nap, no, peeeease)!

Charlie-isms:
"me-mo" (nemo)
"keen" (lightning mcqueen)
"meow" (kitty)
"baa" (sheep)
"ball" (soccer)
"pump-me" (pumpkin)
"mump-me" (monkey)
"bana" (banana)

Love love love you.
xxoo
Love,
Mom

dear charlie

Dear Charlie,

Today you turn twenty months old. You are well on your way to TWO, young man. Which is really what you are starting to look like (a young man) since you got your hair cut last week. It wasn't your first haircut (I think it was either your third or fourth!), but it's your first "big boy" haircut.

You are talking SO much. You are always rambling on about something, and even when I have no idea what you are talking about it seems that you definitely know what you're saying. I love that you are learning the proper inflections, and that pretty much every word you say ends on a high note, like it's a question. You said your very first "sentence" this weekend, which was "bye bye, Daddy!". Ok, maybe that's more of a phrase than a full on sentence, but you put a couple of words TOGETHER which impressed me and Daddy for sure. One of my favorite things that you say is "yeah". Because you don't say "yes", you say "yeah", and I LOVE it. It is so cute. I'll ask you if you want milk, "yeah". Or if you want to watch George, "yeah!", or if you have poops, "yeah!", or if you want to go take a nap, "yeah!" (I'm not kidding, it happens, sometimes you DO want to take a nap)! Don't get me wrong, you know how to say "NO" too, with a serious head shake to go with it, but your "yeah" is absolutely adorable.

You can't jump. And I don't mean in a "white men can't jump" kind of way, I mean literally you can't jump. You think you can, you say jump, and then crouch down like you're going to catch some serious air but you just can't seem to get those two feet off the ground. I'm sorry, dude, but it's funny to watch.

You are such a happy, social little guy, and we just can't get enough of you around here. Unless you happen to wake up as "wrong side of the bed Charlie", which pretty much only happens if somebody slams a door and wakes you up and then has the nerve to not be Mommy when they get you out of bed. It doesn't happen too often, but when it does you're not all that fun to be around. But most of the time you're a happy boy who loves to "play" (which is another of your favorite words).

I'm so blessed to have you, my sweet, sweet boy. I love love love you.
Love, Mom
xoxo

I'm linking the above shot up with my friend Heidi for her new black and white wednesday linky. (and you should too).

Here's my confession:
I don't really "get" wordless wednesday. So let's call it what it is. Around here words are totally ok, and actually encouraged! So if you like words too and want to link up your wordless wednesday, but with words, please do. And if it's Thursday by the time you get around to it, well heck, that's ok too.

<center><a href="http://andthen-shesnapped.com" target="_blank"><img alt="and then, she {snapped}" src="http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j52/drexgal/and%20then%20she%20snapped/word2s.jpg" /></a></center>

dear charlie

Dear Charlie,

Dude. You're up to 19 months old now. If that were YEARS you'd be able to drink in Canada.

No more binkie. I just kind of forgot to give it to you one night, then at nap the next day, then at bedtime that night, etc etc. You're ok with it (now).

You also finally figured out how to work a straw. Not sure what was so difficult about it, but for some reason, you had a hard time until one day, "ta-da!" and you got it! It may have had something to do with the new "Cars" straw cups we bought you.

You like cars (the vehicles, and the movie), you growl whenever you see them (I think you are trying to "vroom", but it comes out sounding more like a growl).

Your vocabulary has grown this month, as it expect it will from here on out. Now you say Dada, Mommeee, No, Please, No, Nanny, Mine, No, Hot, Hi, Bye, No, Dog, Meow, Moo, Vroom (sounds like grrrrrr), Tubby, No, More.

You like it when we sing to you, but prefer Christmas songs over anything else. When we stop singing you always say "more", unless it's dad singing, in which case when he starts singing you say "No!" To go along with the singing you have learned some sweet dance moves. You like to spread your legs into a wide stance and then point your fingers (see photo). This is pretty much exactly like your dad dances, so it makes sense. You also learned the choreography that goes along with I'm a Little Teapot (kind of). And Itsy Bitsy Spider. You're pretty awesome if you ask me.

Love Love Love you!
Love, Mom
xxoo

dear charlie

Dear Charlie,

I always start these little notes to you the same way, writing something about how I can't believe how fast you are growing. But Dude. Seriously. You are growing so fast. You are 18 months today. ONE AND A HALF. You are well on your way to TWO! It's crazy. I love every minute of it though. For realz.

You had your 18 month check up this week and have moved up the scales a little bit, now weighing in at 25 lbs 15.5 oz, and 32 1/2 inches. This puts you at about the fiftieth percantile for your age for both height and weight. Your Auntie Cousin Hilary suggested that maybe you should lay off the whole milk a bit. (You are getting a bit of a milk belly), but your doctor assured me that you really do need all that fat to grow that brain of yours big and smart. Your doctor also said that you did really well on the social tests she put you through (without even telling you ahead of time!), nervous when you were supposed to be, looking for reassurance to me, smiling when she smiled, etc. I'm pretty sure she thinks you're a genius.

Yesterday in the car you were super cranky and crying and yelling and whatnot, so Grace and I broke into song. A medley of Christmas songs to be exact. And you? You busted up laughing. It was really funny. I'm not sure WHAT you thought was so funny. I mean, yeah, we were singing Christmas songs in the middle of July, but I think maybe you must have been laughing at the awesomeness of our voices. The best part though, was that when we finished you signed "more". You just could not get enough of us!

You can identify (by pointing) most of your body parts, your family members, and some friends too. In addition to milk you LOVE dip and chocolate chips. You love books, you love tubby time, and even though you sometimes don't think you do, you love to go to bed. You have been sleeping lately from about 8pm til about 7:30am. As soon as I get you up in the morning you do the sign for milk (it has to be just warm enough too), and as soon as that first cup is gone (which takes about 29 seconds) you sign for "more". After that you like to go wake up Sissy and see if you can get her to get you some breakfast or something. You're getting pretty good at communicating even though your vocabulary is very limited. But there has also been a definite increase in your yelling, crying, etc. I think they call that a tantrum. But let me let you in on a little secret. You are NOT my first baby, I have seen tantrums before, mister, and you can just go ahead and keep on throwing them, but they are NOT going to work. Got it?


This last month you've gotten really really good at shaking your head "no" (almost too good, I might add), so I have been trying to teach you to nod your head "yes". You haven't really mastered it yet, but you do try occassionally (especially if you think it will get some dip, or some chocolate chips). Although it's more of a nod of your entire upper body, not just your head. It's just another if the many things that you do that are pretty darn cute.


Love love love you!
Love
Mom
xxoo

dear charlie

Dear Charlie,
Seventeen Months. Wow. You are getting so big, I mean look at you. You're a chunky little monkey!

Such a sweet boy. So happy. Unless you're in the car any longer than 20 minutes. Then it's more of a not happy situation. Like today, for example: you, your brother and sister, and I drove home from Whidbey Island. You  were content for the first half hour or so, then you made it clear that you wanted to be anywhere else but in the car. Camden started crying because your screams were "hurting his ears", which added to the drama. So that was fun.

You loved being at the island. We took you down to the beach and you loved throwing rocks, looking for crabs, and just exploring. We invited some friends over for s'mores in the evening and didn't anticipate that open fire and a 17 month old isn't the greatest combination, it was a little stressful watching you around the fire because you have no fear. But you liked the marshmallows. You loved walking around on the deck, looking for birdies, or feeding the dog. I'm pretty sure you ate nothing but a few bananas and some cookies this weekend, but Cinder ate great!

I can't be sure, but I think you chipped one of your front teeth last week. It was probably during one of the many times you fell down (you seem to do that more and more lately as you get more and more brave), but don't worry, you still look cute. You are still working on getting those top two molars, and you have a new tooth on the bottom poking through...So that makes 4 on the top, and 2 1/2 on the bottom, and the 2 molars.

You've started saying bye bye, only it sounds like "dada" and you wave at the tv when the man with the yellow hat leaves in his car.
You are the sweetest baby boy, Charlie, and I'm a little bit sad to see you growing up so fast!
Love love love you,
Love, Mom
xxoo

dear charlie

Dear Charlie,

Today you are 16 months old. See that bottle over there? Your doctor says we need to get rid of those, so do you think maybe you could start taking your milk out of a sippy cup? Ok, thanks.

You got some more teeth this month, which brings your total to four on the top, and two on the bottom, as well as TWO of your upper molars making their way in. I'm pretty sure they must really hurt, which may account for your sudden interest in YELLING all day long. You better stop that though because Dad is threatening to stick you in a time out. No, but really, it is pretty annoying. Maybe if you learned some words then you could tell us what you want rather than just screaming all the time. So maybe we should work on that too.

Lately you've learned to walk around with your hands clasped behind your back. I'm not sure where you got that from, but it's pretty cute. You really really love to be outside, just walking around or looking for doggies (as long as they don't get TOO close). You love to play with friends, whether it's playing outside with your friend Julia (you point to her house when I ask where she is!), or with your friends at Moms' Day Out. This week when I dropped you off you even reached OUT of my arms because you wanted to go play! And then you waved goodbye to me! You've come a long way from crying when I would drop you off. But don't worry, you were still excited to see me when I came back to get you too.

You are really good at listening and can follow directions really well (if you feel like it - which you got from your sister). I'm always surprised at how much you seem to understand. If I ask you to throw something in the garbage you will, or to go get a cup out of the drawer, or to put your blocks in a basket. You're so smart, Charlie! The other day you were yelling and yelling and yelling and I went to investigate and you had climbed in and were sitting in your wagon waiting for me to push you around the house. It was pretty darn funny. You definitely have your own ideas about what you want, just like your momma.

Charlie, you're such a sweet boy, you really are. I'm so blessed to have you!

love love love you!
love, mom
xxoo

dear charlie

Dear Charlie,
Happy 15 months today!  You're a toddler now, you know.  And you're awesome.  You've mastered walking without having your arms out in front of you all Frankenstein like, and you can totally get down off the couch all by yourself.  Which is awesome, because it means I can leave you there, watching George, and not worry about your falling off. At your checkup this week you weighed 22 lbs 9.5 oz, and you measured 30 1/2 inches long.  I can't remember the percentages, but I think it's like 20% and 26%, respectively, which is considerably smaller (charts-wise) than Grace or Camden ever were, which means your pants aren't always too short (yay!).  You got four shots at the doctor's office and were NOT at all happy about that. I don't blame you, that nurse is lame, she's not quick enough. You have turned into an awesome sleeper (even though I'm afraid that simply by typing that sentence I will ruin everything).  You sleep from about 7pm til about 6:30 am, and then you take one nap that lasts 2-3 hours.  You actually seem to LIKE to go to bed, it's pretty cute. You just got another tooth this week, which makes 5 total (the same number of cavities your brother had this week), so maybe we should start brushing those pearly whites a little more regularly. You love to be outside, just walking around, and checking out what the "big kids" are doing. I can't wait til spring actually starts around here so we can be outside a little bit more (it's the end of April, and the weather report had the nerve to mention SNOW last night).  SERIOUSLY!?  You also love to look for doggies, kitties, and birdies.  And you like to show me what a dinosaur says, or a car (and they sound pretty much the same). You can point to your hair, ears, nose, eyes, and "fat tummy", and you like to take your socks off and let your piggies run free. You talk ALL THE TIME, but I honestly have NO idea what the heck you are talking about.  I'm sure it's super important though. You love to sit on the couch in the living room with me and watch for Gracie to come home from school, you get so excited when you see her. And you LOVE when she asks if you want to have "tubby time" (the answer is ALWAYS "YES!"). You enjoy playing with your "friends" at Moms' Day Out on Fridays, and sometimes I peek at you through the window there and it's so amazing to watch you just be a big kid! I cannot believe how fast you are growing, and I know that in no time at all I'll be dropping you off at preschool, then kindergarten, then COLLEGE! OMG! Please slow down, just a little bit, k?

Love love love you,
Love, Mom
xxoo

linking up with the anderson crew for embrace the camera
and momma in focus

Dear Charlie

Dear Charlie,

You are 14 months old today and I am such a bad mommy that I am just now writing your Dear Charlie post.  Usually I write them a day or so before the actual day and schedule it, but this week  has been too busy, getting ready for our big spring vacation!  This morning we woke up really early (I think you were wondering why we didn't send you back to bed but instead gave you waffles at 5:30 in the morning)...anyway, we had to get up to get the airport so we could come to Palm Springs and see Mimi and Papa!  We had a fabulous trip.  There was an extra seat so you got to sit in your own seat and watch Curious George on Gracie's laptop.  You also got to drink about 16 ounces of full fat milk on the way, you were in Heaven I tell you.  So far you've grown quite fond of the pool, and of Mimi's rock garden.  Taking the rocks out, and throwing them back in. 

This month has been a big one for you.  You're now full on WALKING!  It's still a little Frankenstein-ish, with your arms out in front of you and your legs spread wide, but it's pretty darn cute, so you don't need to worry about perfecting that quite yet.  Also, by the way, there will be no more boob for you.  You'd been waking up consistently at 5 am for a snack, but lately I'd nurse you and you wouldn't go back to sleep and my thought is, um, then you get no boob, since that's kind of the whole POINT of me feeding you at 5 am.  Me getting a couple more hours of sleep, I mean. 

You love playing with your friends at Moms Day Out, and at your MOPPets class, you are such a happy boy.  You also love taking naps (but only one a day), and you love to eat.  Waffles, bananas, and macaroni and cheese are your favorite.

Your other new tricks include dancing, pointing to things (or people) that we name, and reading books. 

Love love love you!
Love,
Mom
xxoo




oh! and one more thing...I love it when you:

Dear Charlie

Dear Charlie,

Today you are 13 months old.  Since you've surpassed the ripe old age of ONE, you have decided to give walking a try.  On MY birthday just two weeks ago you took your first two steps unassisted, and now you're up to about five or even six, if you try real hard and get your balance first.  Often times, though, you like to be a crazy baby and just start walking before you get balanced first, which usually just ends with you flat on your belly.  (Which, sorry, but it's kind of funny). 

You love opening and closing cupboards and drawers, and removing whatever is in them.  There are a few drawers which are fine by me, and others that you aren't supposed to get into.  You totally know which are which too, because if you go over to open one of the off limits drawers you'll stop, and look at me first, to see if I'm going to come and get you.  Then you'll usually try and open it real fast and get whatever out of there that you can before I get to you.  For example, in the bathroom, the cupboard with the toilet paper is ok.  The one with the nail polish, not ok.  In the kitchen, the drawer with the sippy cups and baby bottles is ok, the one with the cheese grater and glass measuring cups, not ok.  Unfortunately we don't have knobs on our kitchen cabinets that I could rubberband shut all ghetto like, and also unfortunately I am not going to go through every stinking cabinet and screw on some baby proofing latches.  Because I'm pretty sure then NOBODY would be able to get into the cabinets, which is NOT what we are going for.  I did, however, to Grace's dismay, put a bungee cord on the handles of my china buffet so that you can't pull my fancy dishes out (anymore).  So HA!  I AM smarter than a baby. 

You are sleeping pretty well...going to bed about 7, waking up at 5 to nurse and then going back to sleep until 7 or so.  Usually.  Then there are days like today where you woke up at 6 and then would NOT go back to sleep.  You're napping really well once a day, and I'm afraid maybe you're done with two naps because you haven't taken two naps a day in over a week.  Oh, that makes me sad!  I love you, but I also love times like now when I can put my feet up, and mindlessly play on the computer, without pulling you away from off limits cupboards and drawers over and over and over.

You're now signing MORE, EAT, and ALL DONE.  (Mostly more though).
You love to read books.
You love when we sing to you.
You love to watch George.
You love to pull all the books off your bookshelf.  (or mine).
You love waffles and bananas.
You're not a fan of the sippy cup, but love the bottle.
You love to wave bye bye.
You say goodnight by waving bye bye.
You love tubby time.
You can point to your piggies, your tummy, you nose and sometimes your teeth.
OH!  You got two new teeth this month.  Your top two are just barely poking through.
You DESPERATELY need a haircut.

Love love love you!
xoxo
mom

Dear Charlie

Dear Charlie,

HAPPY FREAKING BIRTHDAY! 
It literally blows my mind that you are ONE YEAR OLD today.  Like seriously, it seems like just yesterday that I was driving (myself) to the hospital for my scheduled c-section, stopping at Forza so your inconsiderate father could get himself a coffee to drink in front of his very pregnant wife who hadn't been allowed to eat or drink anything since midnight the night before.  But here we are, and you're no longer a baby anymore, (even though you'll always be MY baby).

This month you learned to sign "more" and now you sign it ALL the time.  More is always better, right?  MORE waffles, MORE applesauce, MORE fish crackers, MORE craisins, MORE cheerios, MORE bananas, etc.  You also figured out how to go UP the stairs, and when I come to get you OFF the stairs you laugh and go faster, except when you go faster you don't really GO any faster, you just kind of expend more energy getting nowhere, faster.  You're so funny, Charlie, thinking you can outrun your Mom.  Silly boy! 

You are still really good at going to bed.  (thank you for that!)  If you're tired, you will literally dive into your bed, snuggle up your blankie and go to sleep.  (with your binkie).  If you're not tired though, you will hand me your binkie and point to your bedroom door, as if to say, I don't need this right now and let's get out of here.  I know I said that I was going to take your binkie away around, oh EIGHT months ago, but, you're my BABY, and you like your binkie to help you fall asleep, and, well, to hell with it.  You can keep it.  And remember how I said I wasn't going to feed you in the middle of the night anymore, since about, oh SEVEN months ago?  Well now I am SERIOUS.  For real.  I mean it.  Don't even try to wake up for a snack anymore.  OK?  (pretty please?) 

You started going to Moms' Day Out this month (a couple weeks before you were officially ONE, shhh, don't tell!).  Anyway, Moms' Day Out is three hours Friday mornings where I get to drop you off and I get to go to Target by myself!  You like to put on a nice show and cry while I'm leaving, until I'm (apparently) just out of earshot, when you settle in and play the rest of the time with your new friends.  At least that's what they tell me.  It's nice to have a little free time without you, although a) I really don't know what to do with myself without you and b) I always feel like I'm forgetting something when you're not with me.  Because c) I LOVE YOU.  d) LOTS.

Happy Birthday my sweet darling baby boy.
xoxo
Love,
Mom

(if you want to join us, please let me know so I get enough donuts!)

Dear Charlie

Dear Charlie,

Dude.  You are eleven months old today and this has been a great big month for you! 

You FINALLY got your first tooth.  I mean seriously, I've been accusing you of teething since you turned four months old and it isn't until now that one finally pops through.  True, I haven't ever actually SEEN this tooth, but I have felt it and it is SHARP!  **UPDATE!  Tooth number two is peeking through just this morning!

You finally figured out how to get your belly off the ground and crawl like normal babies do. 

Speaking of bellies, you spent a couple weeks this month being afraid of belly buttons. Which meant MINUTES of entertainment for the rest of us.  We'd show you our belly buttons and you would do this high pitched little whine.  SO funny. 

You started pulling yourself up this month and "walking" around the coffee table, and even (as of the last couple days) became an expert at "walking" your new walker wagon around the house.  We got it for you for Christmas and within 24 hours you were a pro. 

Speaking of Christmas, you are NOT a fan of Santa Claus.  And you are probably wondering why we kept setting you on the lap of some strange old guy with a white beard (who is not your papa rob).  The truth is, it's ONLY for the sake of mama needing a picture.  Sorry (well, not really...mama's gotta do what mama's gotta do!). 

We play this game where I put the letter magnets ON the fridge and you take them OFF as fast as you can, you usually win that one.  And then of course your favorite game...you know, the one where you drop something (anything) and then look at it waiting for somebody to get it back for you. 

This month also brought you your first ear infection.  Poor baby.  Fortunately though, you seemed to love your pink medicine. 

You also learned how to growl, and as a result we just LOVE to ask, "Charlie, what does a bear say?" and wait for your response.  You are so proud of yourself for knowing the answer. 

You also figured out how to point to what you want, so you spend a lot of time pointing to the pantry and hoping it gets you some cheerios, or a cracker.  You also point to the Christmas tree...I think you love the lights on it. 

You're funny, and you seem to know it. 

You still LOVE reading books, tubby time, eating (waffles are your favorite!), and Curious George. 

We got you a baby doll for Christmas and you are so cute giving it big hugs and kisses. 

I LOVE when you put your head on my shoulder and your arms around my neck.  It's my favorite.

Santa brought you a Little People Farm and you love to drop all the animals down the hole in the silo and then open the door below to get them out.  You do this over and over and over.  It's so cute. 

YOU're so cute.  I can't believe you're almost a year old, Charlie!  You're not a baby anymore...you're nearly a toddler.  It makes me so glad yet a little bit sad all at the same time.  Can't wait to see what the next month brings.

LOVE love LOVE you,
xoxo
Mom

PS  For Charlie's 11 month birthday could you spare a vote for us on top mommy blogs?  He would love it.  : )

Dear Charlie

Dear Charlie,

Today you are ten months old.  Double digits!  This has been a big month for you.  Just look at everything you can do now!:

say mamamama or dadadadada or bababababa (indiscriminately)
throw a ball
play patty cake
pull yourself up (OMG, when I came into your room the first morning you did that you looked so proud of yourself)
crawl over stuff (you particularly like to crawl over the rungs underneath our chairs--weirdo!)
eat a LOT (you loved Thanksgiving dinner, except for the cranberry sauce...you were not a fan)
sleep until 4 am.  (what is it about 4am that makes you want to get up and have a snack EVERY. SINGLE. DAY?)
you understand a lot of things, I ask if you want cheerios and you look towards the pantry, when I ask if you want more you start rocking in your chair, I ask where daddy is and you look at daddy.  same thing with George (as in curious george).  somehow you DON'T do the same for me.  Who's your momma?
you throw your binky out in the car all the time.  and then cry about it.  really, dude?  maybe you shouldn't throw it out then?
you sleep on your tummy...sooooo cute
you adjust the volume on the tv (thanks for that)
you love our new Christmas tree...you like to "point" at it although you don't really point, you just kind of raise your hand up like "talk to the hand"
it snowed over Thansgiving and we sat you outside in it...but you wouldn't touch it.  you looked like you really wanted to but then would chicken out at the last minute...and then Camden hit you in the face with some snow so it was all over then.  check it out:

I'm so excited for your first Christmas.  I think you're going to love it.  although I have a feeling you are NOT going to like meeting Santa.  don't you worry though, I'll take pictures of the event.

Love,

Mom

xoxo

PS  you still don't have ANY teeth.



Dear Charlie

Dear Charlie,
Nine months!  You've now been out as long as you were in!  You are growing so fast I can't believe it.  In the last month you have mastered your mobility, as well as your ability to pick up tiny things and insert them promptly into your mouth.  What this means to me is that I am now spending much more time trying to keep the floor clean than I would like, simply because I don't want you to end up digesting something icky.  Or worse yet, dangerous!  You still LOVE to eat, (duh) and will eat pretty much anything (aside from green beans--you still refuse those).  Some of your new favorite foods are steel cut oatmeal, tuna noodle casserole, homemade mac and cheese, whole wheat cinnamon pancakes, and the old standbys:  applesauce, cheerios, bananas, and gerber puffs.  What would we do without puffs?  (actually, we are about to find out what we would do because we ran out of them today...so you're probably going to just have to deal with it).  We also gave you gerber graduates 'lil crunchies', but we will NOT be getting those again because they made your breath stink. Like really really bad.  Like babies shouldn't smell like that kind of bad.  Costco is fun, because you love to sit in the cart and eat the samples, and the pizza, of course.  So now, I can get one of those big ass pieces of pizza at the food court there, under the premise that my baby is hungry...not that I want it. So thanks for that!  I'm still breastfeeding you, and you would probably nurse 11 times a day if I'd let you.  But I'm kind of over feeling like a cow, so I may start weaning you down to 3 times a day and giving you a bottle if you need more than that.  I'm thinking morning, noon, and night should be good.  I'm sure you won't have a problem with it because have I ever told you...you are pretty damn chill for a baby.  At least for MY baby.  I've never had a chill baby before you. 

You've learned how to give high fives and to wave.  But you've decided that waving is for wimps, so you just stick your hand up all cool, like "wassup?" or something.  You're at the age where you can be happy pulling out all the tupperware from the cupboard, or scooting around on the floor with really anything that's not a baby toy.  It could be keys, a piece of mail, the clicker, anything really...you are also drawn to the dvd player and the dvr.  Why wouldn't you be...they are right at your level, and they have all sorts of buttons and cords and stuff that you're not supposed to touch.  Your favorite "game" is definitely the game where you drop something (anything) on the floor and then wait for somebody to pick it up.  This game can go on for a while because there are four other people in this house who LOVE to dote on you.  Your favorite book is one that has pictures of babies in it and on one particular page, you always kiss the baby.  And you love to turn the last page to get to the peek-a-boo at the end.  OMG it is so cute.  I should totally get a video of that.  I know I always say this, but you are so fun.  Your smile makes everybody smile.  You are constantly flirting with complete strangers, and they just melt in your itty bitty hands.  One of my favorite times is when I nurse you for bed, and stick you over my shoulder to burp you.  Your head nuzzles right into my neck, and your arm goes around my neck and holds on.  Holds on!  I love this time with you and sometimes I let it drag out a little longer than it needs to.  Then when I do lay you down in your bed, I lay you on your tummy (with your binkie) and you close your eyes and reach for your blankie.  It is a-DOR-able.  OMG.  I should totally get a video of that, too, because I am really going to miss it when you stop being so damn snuggly.  In the meantime here are a couple of videos from last week that show you in action:

ANYWAY...we love you.  You are the sweetest. cutest. baby. ever.  EVER!

Love love love you,

xoxo

Mom

Dear Charlie

Dear Charlie,

Crazy Eights
Eight Mile
Eight is Enough
Eight Crazy Nights
Eight Maids-a-Milking

YOU are EIGHT months old!

You are soooo delightful, young man.  And now you are 2/3 of the way to a year.  I can hardly believe how fast you are growing.  When I nurse you now I can't believe how LONG your body is.  You used to fit so nice and small cradled in my arms, and now you're all big and stuff!  Today you graduated to your big boy carseat.  And when I put you in it for the first time this morning you looked around, checking it out, like, "all right, this is sweet!"  When Nanny Janis first saw it she said "Oh, what other patterns did they have?"  But I like the cowmooflauge, and therefore you do too:

You're crawling very efficiently these days, but still haven't picked your belly up off the floor when you do so.  I have taken to vacuuming the hardwoods every day now, because I don't like picking you up and having dirt and hair and fuzz and who-knows-what-else all over your tummy.

You are also eating really well.  We have nearly depleted your second batch of homemade baby food from the most awesome Shannon, but I think we'll be ok because we are now giving you "real food".  (Although I am almost certain that anything Shannon made for you was also "real food").  In the past week you have eaten:

applesauce

bananas

cumin rice and beans

guacamole

massaman curry (you loved this)

banana bread

you turned your nose up at pureed pears of all things, I think you know when I buy the stuff at the store, or maybe you just didn't like it served with cumin rice and beans?

Dad taught you how to high five this week.  And he thinks that you know who we all are, by name.  I'm not so convinced.  We'll say "look at Gracie" or "look at Daddy" and eventually you do, but you also look at anyone else who is in the room and do a big smile. 

You are definitely in the out of sight, out of mind stage.  If you see me leaving the room, you SCREAM.  But it takes about two seconds of me being out of sight for you to forget all about me.  When I come back, you immediately scream again, as though you're saying, "HEY, YOU!  How come you're over there and I'm over here?  Come get me!"

You have learned what the signs we have taught you mean, though you're not doing them yet.  Milk, Eat, and More definitely get an excited reaction from you, whereas the sign for All Gone usually results in an ear-piercing scream.

You've outgrown your fear of Papa's scary beard (which I can't quite understand because I'm still afraid of it!)

You love Curious George.  (who doesn't?, it's the best. show. ever!)

Can't wait to see what month NINE brings.  I bet by next month you'll be really crawling, and maybe doing some signs, and trying to pull yourself up.  Please don't grow up too fast though.  I love you too much!

Kisses!

xoxo

Mom

Dear Charlie

Dear Charlie,

You are SEVEN months old today.  AND, it is un-freakin-believable how cute you are (see photo, above)!

Things you can do now:

I know I said you were an expert sitter before, but now you can sit EVEN better.  I don't even worry if you don't have pillows behind you or anything.

You are also getting mobile...
You scoot yourself around in circles.
You get up on your knees...occassionally...but haven't yet propelled yourself forward when you're up on all fours. 

You play.

You eat. A LOT.

We've begun using some sign language with you.  We are starting with "more", "eat", and "milk".  Because what else are you going to want to talk about besides your next meal?  From what I've read it can take a couple months for you to begin signing back to us. 

I took your bumper pads out this week.  : (  They were so cute, but I needed to change your sheet and it's such a pain with the pads on, and a few times I've caught you peering over the top of it, so I figured I'd better be safe and get them out of there before you climb up on them and propel yourself over the top of your crib rail.  I'd feel bad if you did that and I had left them in just because they were cute.  (which, by the way, they ARE).

And as long as we're talking about your bed...omg I can't believe I almost forgot to tell you that you sleep.  through.  the.  night!  (oh, except for the nights that you, um, don't).  This makes mama soooo happy.  We started (again) on the evening of your six month check up when Dr Sanders again reminded us that you did not need to eat throughout the night anymore.  She said the fastest way (not necessarily the easiest) was to just. stop. feeding you.  So, I did.  That first night was the worst.  You cried from 11:00 pm all the way until 12:45 am.  (That is an hour and 45 minutes in case you're having trouble with the math).  It sucked, but the next night you didn't cry AT ALL. 

We took your first trip to Whidbey Island last weekend, which included your first ferry boat ride, and your mother almost going to jail. You got to play in the sand, stick your feet in the water, and sleep in a closet. Your cousin cousin Tula and her family came with us, and everybody had a great time.  The grownups got to eat crab cakes made from freshly caught dungeness crab.  They were delicious.  You got to eat sweet potatoes and pears which were, I'm sure, just as delicious.

love love love you!
love,
mom

Dear Charlie

Dear Charlie,

Today you are six months old.  That is half a freaking year.  You are the most.  chillaxed.  baby.  Ever.  It has been amazing watching you grow, but you must slow down, you're growing too fast! 

Last week we started feeding you solids.  We started with three days of just rice cereal, mixed with a little formula.  The first day you were quite hesitant, I think you wondered if maybe we didn't know what we were doing.  The third day we added butternut squash, and that's when the real fun began.  You were all over that.  Mommy's friend Shannon made you tons of homemade, organic, baby food. So you have your meals for the first month or so all ready to go. Butternut squash, then zucchini (which you just started last night), apples, sweet potatoes, and pears. You are lucky mommy has a friend like Shannon, because you will be eating better than the rest of us are for a few more weeks!  It's only been a week so far and now when I put you in your Bumbo seat you start licking your lips because you know it's mealtime! 

It's been a couple weeks or so now since you started sitting and now you are definitely a professional sitter upper.  You sit with your back perfectly straight, and with your feet, heels together.  It's kinda cute.  Sometimes you fall over, but only when Grace or Dad or Camden is in charge of you.  Mommy would never do that to you. 

Grace thinks it is time to teach you sign language.  I'm not exactly sure how that is going to work out, since none of us actually knows sign language.  But when I get ready to nurse you if I don't ask you if you want some "milk" while simultaneously signing "milk", she yells at me.  She also wants to teach you "bedtime," "all gone," and "shoes".  Shoes I get, the rest of it is all nonsense if you ask me.

I guess we have to talk about sleep.  That is the #2 question that everyone always asks about babies.  The first is, "is he a good baby?"  (are there really "bad" babies?).  Then they ask, "is he sleeping through the night?".  That's the other thing.  What does sleeping through the night really mean?  The books say that sleeping through the night means like 5-6 hours at a stretch, so by that definition, yes, you are sleeping through the night.  But if you ask me, sleeping through the night means I put you to bed at 7 and you don't wake up until 7 the next morning.  So, by those standards you are NOT sleeping through the night.  NOWHERE near sleeping through the night.  But, you ARE a "good" baby, and I actually don't mind nursing you in the middle of the night (as long as it's just ONCE in the middle of the night).  When you eat you always stick your arm straight up over your head, like you're pushing me away from you.  It's pretty cute, you should keep doing that.  Oh, and that biting thing, NOT COOL.  Even without teeth.  You should definitely STOP doing that.

A few days ago you were all snotty nosed and felt warm.  I took your temperature and when I said that you had a little fever Camden immediately started crying.  He said, "I don't want Charlie to die".  It broke my heart.  Before you were born, we had a baby girl, named Mina.  She was a beautiful little baby girl and she died when she was only six days old.  She never even got to come home from the hospital with us.  It was devastating to all of us, and I think it was exceptionally hard on Camden, because he didn't completely understand.  So he worried that if you got a fever it meant that you might die.  You're fine though.  You survived your first cold.  And Camden understands now that you're sticking around for a long long time.

Thanks for being the sweetest baby.  We all love you bunches.  Especially me.

xoxo
Love,
Mom

Dear Charlie

Ladies and Dudes!!

I can totally drink beer and sit now, though not necessarily in that order.

And also, tonight I learned that my mom can totally rock the cartwheel.

And, I've been thinking I could pull off Gene Simmons for Halloween, what do you think?

Laters,
C to the P

P.P.S.

If you're reading this and not "following" my mom's blog ask yourself, "why?"