8 years later

(us last week at his sister's wedding)

We celebrated by canceling the babysitter (our kiddos had hacking coughs) and taking them to the apple store for a new phone and Red Robin.

Cheers to us! 

Best decision. Ever.

Four Months Young (plus a day)

 This little peanut is four months old!

I won't be repetitious and ask how four months have passed already…

But really, how the heck has it already been four months?!

 *She's a chatter box. Constantly gurgling and cooing, trying really hard to have a conversation with you. Still as smiley and happy as can be.

*Starting to 'play' with toys by hitting, shaking, and sucking/biting them.

*Had her first day away from me (12 hrs) and did just fine with frozen milk and hanging out with her second mom, Mandi. Her other mom, Abby, also has magical mommy powers and watches her quite a bit.

 *Still has very blue eyes.

*Is very ticklish but will cry if you tickle her.

*Started giggling on her four month birthday when I nibbled her delicious tummy.

 *Is ginormous (in a good delectable way)

- 17 lbs 12 oz (90th percentile)

- 26 1/2 inches long (waaaay off the charts)

*Her doctor said she was the size of a 6 1/2 month old =)

*Can surprisingly fit into quite a bit of her 3-6 month clothes, but is safely and comfortably wearing 6-9 month.

*I called Ben at work to tell him her stats which he passed along to 2 other doctors he was working with who said we must get her into sport's camps pronto and not waste that size.

I completely agree.

 *About 3 weeks ago started sleeping 12 hours straight at night. Then a few days ago started waking up once to nurse. Her doctor says it's probably a growth spurt and give her another week then shut the night feeding down. You bet I will.

 *Has her first airplane ride to SLC next week then Seattle a few weeks after that.

*Wish Charlotte and I luck.

 *Is so scrumptious it's hard not to constantly kiss and nibble on her.

*Charlotte was talking to her and said, "Ohhhh, baby, you are so cute! I want to rip your head off and eat you!"

I told her that wasn't normal.

In which she replied (annoyed), "Oh, Mom. I'll put her head back on."

 "Give me that camera.. I need to give it a lickery kiss."

 "Mmmmmmmm…"

 *Is very very close to rolling over. 

 Oh

 my

 goodness

 I

love her.

my firstborn turns four

Today (well, it was the 29th @ 9:06 AM - so I guess yesterday) my tiny turned 4!

It feels like she should have turned 7 with the way she acts and talks.

Well, more like 14.

 Ben had the day off and made her rainbow pancakes and spelled this out.

He's much more dedicated than I am.

Bless his heart.

She was thrilled.

 We all had a slow and groggy morning after our Thanksgiving festivities so Charlotte got to pick out two presents to unwrap.

First was a children's National Geographic series we collect "Little Kid's Big Book of ____".

She reads these every single night. Her favorite is the solar system one. 

For her birthday we got her an animals one and my mom got her a 'why' one.

We read these for awhile all cuddled under an electric blanket while Jane slept and slept.

 Then she picked another one my mom sent.

 She died.

 And went straight to heaven.

 They put it together then played with it for at least an hour.

 We had a full agenda per the birthday girl's wishes:

1) open presents

2) buy a Christmas tree

3) go swimming (at the Y)

4) go see a movie (Frozen - loved it)

5) go out for pizza

6) have a Hello Kitty birthday cake

 We were able to accomplish all minus one (the most obvious one you do on a birthday…).

We were busy busy busy running around making this wee one happy.

We finally were done and home and in bed by 10:30.

 We first swam at the gym then quickly changed and headed out for our tree, pizza, and movie.

 Heading to Costco for a Christmas tree that she picked out.

 Thrilled when I told her the next stop was pizza then the movie.

 Let her order an orange soda.

 We ate at Jim and Pete's (if you're local, it's good).

They brought out this sinful chocolate cake and we all sang.

(Good thing because we ran out of time to go home and make her a cake. We'll do it in a few days when Ben gets home from work).

She hid her face for the first half of the song before blowing out the candles. 

She then told me she was brave and decided to not hide and be shy anymore.

 She wolfed it down (we helped a little).

 We then rushed to drop off the tree and headed to see Frozen where she got to order whatever she wanted from the concession stand.

She was in heaven and the movie was super cute and hilarious.

 We got home to finish unwrapping presents.

Jane was along for the ride the whole day and mostly slept (I won't mention how she's been sleeping 12 straight hours at night because I don't want to jinx it…).

Charlotte at FOUR:

Is hilarious and loves to make you laugh, but even loves to laugh at her own jokes more.

Still sings. A lot. Like all.of.the.time. About everything and anything. And usually not quietly.

Always tells me if I say something that is not allowed like: duh, wah wah waaaah, stupid, poop, shut up… she never slips. Apparently I do.

Loves loves loves all things Hello Kitty, Minnie Mouse, Barbie, Lalaloopsy, pirates, ballet, and princesses. Her Hello Kitty-themed birthday party is in two weeks.

Wears at least 2 tutus a day and dances.

Is dying to take a ballet class, but whenever we find a class that fits our schedules we don't have the money. Boo.

Is getting more disinterested in television and more into make believe play. Once I was heading to the kitchen to make dinner and asked her if she'd like me to put a show on. She said that she'd rather come help make dinner then play with her toys. 

Finishes my sentences for me if I pause to think of the word I want to say.

Hates getting into trouble by me or anyone. Usually results in tears and a tiny broken heart.

Doesn't take naps but needs one at about 4 o'clock. We don't get along too well for a good two hours before dinner and a much earlier bedtime of 6:30/7.

Has an amazing memory. We had the stomach flu last Sunday and she walked into the bathroom as I was finishing emptying the contents of my stomach and proceeded to tell me about the last time I had the flu which was at Grandma's house. I slept and stayed away from her for a good 36 hours then. She told me all about it. This was over a year and a half ago.

Can have the attitude of a 13 year old which makes me laugh and deeply frightens me.

Is gutsy. She will try anything. She'll try any kind of food just once. Will go on any ride. It's not that she doesn't have any fear, she just pushes herself past it with a little gleam in her eye. She'll be the bride-to-be that goes skydiving on the eve of her wedding day. With her dad and not mom of course…

Loves to get "cozy" and snuggle. Kisses and hugs a lot.

75% of the time will choose The Sound of Music if we're going to watch a movie.

Still loves watching Super Why, Cat in the Hat, Curious George, and Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood on PBS. Every so often she'll ask to watch a cheesy girly show (Littlest Pet Shop, My Little Pony), but for the most part still loves these ones best. I'll be sad when she's over them.

Always wants to know what time it is (hence the alarm clock for her bday), where things came from (wants to be shown on a map), and why things are the way they are (why does it look like the sun is moving, why do people grow up, why do only girls have babies…).

Is very well-behaved at other's houses. This one I'm unbelievably proud of. She's a saucy one, but she saves that for me. She's been babysat a lot lately for different things I've had going on and they always say how easy and well behaved she is. She doesn't talk back, hit the other kids (I think I've seen her hit another child once in her life), or get whiny. I'm glad that she's turning into a nice and responsible little person.

Four sounds old to me and yet I feel like she's been around so much longer. I can definitely remember what life was like before her, but compared to now, it was a lot less full.  She brings so much joy to our home. Her and Jane are definitely my tiny best friends (and Ben's just my big one). If I knew my future children would turn out like these two I'd have five more. 

Happy Birthday, my tiny!

I love you to the moon and back.

tight pants

I was dressing earlier and pulling on some skinny jeans. Charlotte asked why I was yanking them up and I said because they were tight. 

She then started to sing;

"I got my tight pants, I got my tight pants, I got my tight pants on. Everyone in town is talking 'bout my tight pants. Don't wake the snake. Sssssss…"

If this makes absolute no sense to you then youtube Jimmy Fallon and "tight pants."

You'll die.

(Yes, I realize the ending has a cuss word. She heard the very end once and hasn't remembered that part nor have we let her watch it again. Just the singing and dancing bit.)

picture taken two years ago today

true that

(helping separate pumpkin seeds to roast)

Ben has this morning off so he and the baby are sleeping in while Charlotte and I are painting our fingernails and building legos. I told Charlotte to make sure she stayed quiet to let Daddy sleep in because he works really hard and needs his rest. She then said (completely unprompted), 

"Well, you should like naps because you work really hard at home. You fix the dishes, you fix my drawer, you get tired of cleaning the floor, and you get tired of cleaning everything, and decorating the house, and fixing my tent, and making the bed, and fixing the sheets on my bed and yours, and then having fun with me, and playing ball all day with me, and get me apple juice so I feel all better." 

No truer words were ever spoken.

Thank you, Charlotte.

Now get out of bed, Ben. It's my turn for a nap.

(she loves her carrots)

Three Months Young

Scrumptious baby.

I believe 'scrumptious' pretty much sums her up.

*She's calm, nice, smiley, laid back, cuddly but not clingy, and ridiculously adorable.

*Tummy time is getting better, but still a bit of a struggle for more than 5 minutes.

*She's very easy to get to smile and does to everyone who gives her eye contact or makes clicking sounds like the ones you'd do if you were trying to get a horse to move.

*Drools like a basset hound (I believe I see 2 bottom teeth already trying to make an appearance).

*She goes to bed by 9 in her crib and wakes up sometime between 3-4 to nurse then sleeps until about 7:30 or so.

*She takes 2 long naps and 1-2 short naps in the late afternoon.

*I remembered to take her 3 month pictures about 15 minutes before bedtime.

She wasn't too pleased.

*She only takes a binky if she's almost asleep and needs to calm down while in her swing or carseat.

Never for the heck of it, when she's hungry, while she's asleep, or when she's going down for the night. I feel like I've mentioned this before but am too lazy to check past posts...

*Likes to face outward when you're trying to calm her down (like today at church for a good 20 minutes).

*Is SO close to giggling. I'm dying to hear it.

                                      

*One night she was fussy and I wasn't connecting that to "Gosh, she seems tired. I should put her to bed."

So instead I laid her in front of the t.v. and she watched Dancing with the Stars for a solid hour and cried when it ended. I kid you not. 

Don't judge.

*Jane is growing way too fast. I measured her at a little over 25" the other day. So in 3 1/2 weeks she had grown 3/4".

*Still wears 3-6 month clothes but I bet by Christmas we'll be packing those up.

*Just found out that she loves being bounced while laying on the bed. If you put your hands on either side of her and bounce bounce bounce she's in heaven.

*When she's upset she whimpers like a sad kitten for a good 10 minutes before she starts to really cry.

*Has long curly eyelashes like her sister and daddy.

*Big BLUE (?!?!?) eyes that don't seem to be changing. I have no idea where blue came from...

*Usually wants to stand on your lap and does not like sitting back against you but straight up on her own.

*Started 'kissing' with her mouth wide open. Gross and adorable at the same time.

 We are pretty head over heels in love with this wee one.

*****

I sometimes find this in the morning if Ben is on call at the hospital.

Charlotte wakes up usually around 3 or 4 and uses the bathroom.

I love hearing her stumble there and dutifully put down the seat cover and wash her hands afterwards even though she's half asleep. 

If she peeks in and sees Ben gone, she'll often climb in for a few hours.

    

I set my alarm at 7:15 to pump and get ready for the day so these two are usually still asleep.

              

Her hand-eye coordination is getting better and better.

She loves swatting and is starting to grab at things.

Hence her love for the floor mat (for awhile at least).

                                               

                                

                                       

 Some mornings I have to wake her up to take Charlotte to school.

But first I watch her sleep for a minute.

This morning she had fallen asleep on her side and rolled over to her stomach squishing her yummy cheeks into the mattress.

Usually on Mondays I'll watch SNL skits from the previous Saturday.

She was enjoying them with me.

 Perfect indeed.