Sunday, May 13, 2012

Happy Mother's Day!

Happy Mother's Day to all of my mom (and mommy-to-be) readers and friends! I'm super lucky to have a great mom and a great mother-in-law - as well as an awesome big sister whom I've always thought of as a 2nd mom.

I had an awesome first Mother's Day! Ben took Charlotte this morning & let me sleep in for an extra couple of hours. He surprised me with a gift certificate to Posh Spa - and now I get to decide what kind of amazing pampering treatments I'd like! Then we went to lunch at Three Suns Bistro - DELICIOUS. Charlotte was a ham, of course, delighting everyone with her smiles, waves, funny faces, and squeals.



Mother's Day isn't about sleeping in, or gifts, or flowers, or greeting cards, or possession of the remote control (I totally tried playing that card this evening). It's about reflecting on how much our mothers mean to us, how much they sacrificed to bring us into this world, how much care they put into raising us, and how much they love us. I think it's also a day for mothers to really think about how much our kids mean to us. All of the poop, vomit, sleepless nights, loads of laundry, tears, skinned knees... they've all been and will be worth it. Charlotte loves me just as deeply as I love her. I'm reminded of that every time she smiles & squeals with delight when our eyes meet, every time she snuggles into my neck, every time she chases after me while playing hide-and-seek.

Happy Mother's Day! 

Silly Girl didn't want to be photographed tonight! 



Wednesday, May 9, 2012

9 Months!

I can't believe my little baby is 9 months old already! It seems like it was just a few weeks ago that we brought her home. But here we are again with another monthly update.

Taking a photo of Charlotte at 9 months old was tricky! We tried to take her photo on the recliner... here are 2 of about 20 shots.



Next, we tried to take her photo on the couch. Again, these are the cutest 2 pictures out of about 20. 

"reading" the sign with her little pointer finger! 


After another little while, I tried taking her picture up in the glider - where her other monthly photos are taken. 




I can't decide which one I'll use for her photo album, but I definitely have many to choose from! That little paper sign is just the most fascinating thing to her - she can't keep her eyes or hands off of it. Ben and I clap and sing and make fools of ourselves trying to hold her attention. 

Charlotte's sweet, funny, adventurous personality is starting to really shine. She's full of life and we love every minute with her. She never ceases to amaze us - especially with all the tricks she has up her sleeve!

* clapping
* waving
* raising arms up when Daddy says "Woo Hoo!"
* repeating sounds like "lalala" or "bbbbb" with fingers over lips
* blowing kisses (working on the form a little bit, still)
* crawling 
* pulling up to stand
* "cruising" along furniture
* climbing stairs
* dancing to music
* grabbing stuff off of the shelves near her crib - specifically pacifiers & books

Charlotte's been taking better naps and sleeping well at night, too! She still wakes up at least once to eat, but maybe she's getting ready to drop that - - on May 7, the day she turned 9 months old, she slept through the night for the first time. She slept from 7:50 PM to 6:05 AM. She let a couple little whimpers or babbles out throughout the night to let us know she was okay, but neither of us had to set foot in her room for over 10 hours! Way to go!! It's crazy - I've been hoping and praying for sleep for months and months - and then she finally does it and I missed her. I woke up at around 4:30 and just laid there listening to the monitor, waiting for her to wake up. I just couldn't wait to see her! 

At Charlotte's 9-month well baby checkup, she weighed 19 lbs, 2 oz (50-75%ile) and measured 29 inches long (95%ile). Her pediatrician was very happy with her growth and said she looks super healthy! Charlotte, of course, was a doll the whole time we were at the doctor's office. She was waving to all kinds of new friends in the waiting room, chatting with Dr. Gilliam, squealing and giggling at her naked self in the mirror, and playing with the instruments & paper on the exam table! 



We love you very much, Charlotte! We can't wait to see what new & exciting things you have in store for us this month! 

Monday, May 7, 2012

Toys That Aren't Toys: Coffee Can Drumming

Charlotte has two toy hand drums. They're battery-operated, light up, play accompanying music - they're great and she loves them! But sometimes, it's the low-tech toys that provide the most amusement!

Pillow Drumming

Charlotte loves to play percussion. She loves hand drums & shakers & maracas. She loves to pull Ben's sticks out of his bag & whack anything nearby. Our lazy Sunday morning turned into a jam session on a couch pillow with her Daddy.