Happy Halloween!

Of course Charlotte was a LotteBug. What else could she have been for her first Halloween?

Thank you, Carrie, for making her tutu... I promise it didn't look like a bundled up mess like it does here. We had just been holding her and walking around so it got squished. It went perfect - thanks!

(and we'll be using it with her birthday shirt for her party =)

"The candy is all mine!!! MuAhaHaha!"

(I'll post more pictures and video of her first Halloween when I'm not so dang tired...)

sharing time

We've been working on sharing lately. She's at the stage where if someone has something she wants, by golly she's going to take it. She's starting to "share" by handing things to you that she may or may not let go once you've grabbed it... but it's a start.

Then just a minute ago she was eating some cut up pieces of toast and put one right in my mouth, then in hers, mine, hers, and so on.

And here she is sharing her beloved sock that she ripped off her foot. What a pal.

little miss walker

Almost two weeks ago Charlotte took her first few steps. Then a week later she would take a dozen or so (video below) steps. Now she walks across the room, squats down to regain her balance, and stands right back up again and gets going. I'm very proud (and she looks pretty adorable toddling around), but I'm sad... she's growing up too fast.

the Evergreen State

Back in September I went to Seattle to be there for my sister's delivery of her fourth baby. I've never been around for her others because for the past 7 1/2 years I've always lived far away and have been working or in college. Now that I don't work, I got to fly back. Well, I visited and we waited and waited and waited... my return flight was at 10 am and she had her baby that night... awesome... at least I got to spend time with the fam, but once again I missed the birth of a niece... dang it...

We tried on many Halloween hats at Target... and then licked some carts.

We went to the Puyallup Fair which I used to LOVE going to and haven't been in years.

Above Hallie and below Emma having fun at the fair.

Grandma and Claire

They were selling kid's helmets and I had to try one on Charlotte. She looks thrilled doesn't she?

"Mom, get this off of me, people are starting to stare."

Trying her first cotton candy. She wasn't so sure at first.

I remember when I was little trying my first cotton candy ( I was five and not 9 months old like her ) I thought it felt like hair in my mouth and hated it.

Playing in a hot tub.

Pulling on the poor sheep's fleece. Always pulling...

Bundling up for the crisp Washington fall weather.

My other sister, Laura, is a high school counselor and volleyball coach. So my mom, Charlotte, and I watched a game. Her team did awesome and Charlotte loved dancing to a little Kanye West warm up music... no joke... her little bum was bouncing.

This was how I found Charlotte after a nap one day.

Teasing Sophie, my parent's dog.

a go-kart, pool, and some sheep

For Labor Day weekend we went up to Minnesota with our friends Eli and Krista. We went to their state fair for the second year in a row, hung out at their farm, and rode in their go kart. I just love Minnesota. Clean fresh air, trees, lakes, laid back people... it's a nice getaway from Chicago.

Charlotte didn't quite know what to make of riding in the go-kart. When they were driving around she didn't show much of an emotion, but when they'd stop she'd smile from ear to ear and bounce up and down like she was having the time of her life.

Being rather gentle with the sheep... normally she's a grab and pull kind of gal.

Wearing her John Deere ears.

Getting her first tat, matching Dad's.

And here was her last time enjoying the tiny pool. She would not give me the time of day as she played. I called, yelled, sang, clapped my hands... nothing worked to get her to look at the camera. She was too focused on splashing and enjoying the last remnants of summer.

(although the past two days have been in the 80's again so I suppose we could pull out her swimsuit again)

*videos below are of petting the sheep and riding in the go-kart*

somebody...

... took FOUR steps on her own today!

(of course I didn't have my camera ready... so you'll have to enjoy a picture from DisneyWorld)

ten months young

Four days ago was Lotte's ten month birthday. Weird... I keep having to remind myself that it keeps getting better and that I keep falling more and more in love with her otherwise I'd be in some serious mourning. This lucky little girl got to spend her seven month birthday in Disneyland and her ten month in Disneyworld... spoiled already...

We didn't get in to see the doctor for her 9 month appointment until about a week before her 10 month, but here are her stats anyway:

Height: 2'5" (75-80th percentile)

Weight: 19 lbs 4.8 oz (50th percentile)

Head: 17.4" (around 50th percentile)

She's super friendly as always. She reaches for anyone after she studies them for a second. On the monorail at Disneyworld I was sitting next to a ten year old boy that Charlotte insisted on hugging and sitting on his lap. So she did for the last 5 minutes of our ride. She loves kissing herself in the mirror and does her surprised "oh" face when she's happy about anything. She gives really good hugs with her tiny arm around your neck and head on your shoulder. It makes us melt. She has a third tooth on top that's off to the side making her look like a pirate. She dances to any kind of music whether it's The Wizard of Oz or JayZ her booty gets bouncing (video to come).

She's awesome.

Charlotte + babies = holy terror

I'm a little frightened to have Charlotte around any future children that we'll have. We got her this baby doll for Christmas when she was a whopping 4 weeks old. She's just started to take an interest in it which I was so excited about. Then I started taking all of these pictures and what transpired was flippin' hilarious and kind of scary.

"ohhh, my pretty dolly..."

"I wonder what would happen if I bent you backwards in half like this..."

"... and screamed in your face..."

"... and bit your bum..."

"...oh how I love my little dolly..."

Maybe she just has a crazy love for this doll...? or is already showing signs of bullying tendencies...? I'll guess we'll have to wait and see. =)

Chicago's Tall Ships

This was also back in August. We went out onto Navy Pier to view/board ships from around the world and different time periods. It was a perfect windy/hot Chicago day.

below is the same picture as above but zoomed in to see the scrumptiousness of this little girl