A night out

This week we went out and grabbed some dinner to enjoy the beautiful weather and to take a much need break from getting back into the swing of things at work and with summer coming to an end. When we go out to dinner we find places where we can bring Charli's stroller and all relax together as a family and not feel pressured. With such a happy, smiling, little girl we are sooooo lucky. She is so vocal and we all enjoy each other's company and conversation.

Charli has been holding her bottle by herself for a few weeks now, as well as rolling over and sleeping on her stomach or her side, and get this...in the middle of the night she lifts her legs up and slams them down in her bed and repeats this for about 10-20 minutes. It sounds like a dinosaur and without notice she stops and goes back to sleep. It is so funny, I am going to have to get out my night vision to record it.

As you know she loves her "jump jump" and goes to town on it jumping up and down and side to side, she also thinks she is an animal in the jungle as she imitates the sounds. She imitates the elephant and yells out and not only in her "jump jump" but when she meets people and especially when she sees Grampy, she sounds like a monkey and an elephant. It is hilarious, she is so entertaining.


She reaches for everything and here she is at the restaurant reaching for Daddy's colorful drink. Look at her hair!!!! It is starting to lighten up and just continues to grow and grow like a munch chee chee!

Dress up...

Charli's first kiss

And so it begins...Charli got her first kiss at the high school football game on Friday night. My friend Krystal's 19 month old little boy Brayden gave her a sweet little kiss. He is definitely a charmer!

Back to work...ugh

Well it happens to most families, the dreaded day after having a baby when they have to go back to work and leave their precious angel. I have to say I am very lucky to have had all this time at home with Charli, but I will also say it doesn't make it any easier to leave her. Ugh...it's just hard. I was thinking, I am spending my time with other people's kids wishing I was with mine. It is the down time at work when I wish I could just go over on lunch and hold her, but I just think that she is sleeping for the majority of the time she is there... and I get 2 quality hours with her in the morning and since we are done at 3:30 the entire late afternoon and evening, so again we are very lucky for that. Charli has been great with the transition, Daddy dropped her off the first day and she was laughing and smiling when he left and doing the same when I picked her up. Beth is so wonderful with her and Charli has such an amazing environment with an aodrable golden retirever and 4 other kids, so she comes home happy and tired. We have really gotten a routine going after work of playing, stroller -walk, bath, dinner, and night night. I know every Monday morning I will just keep thinking its almost Friday! and hey although it is 91' today winter break is just around the corner.

Here are some pictures of her helping Daddy get ready for work and her first day at Beth's house.

1st morning of school on her way to Beth's house, happy as a clam

Fun firsts

Guess who popped her head up while Mommy was finishing her homework!

Taking a little pretend nap in Mommy and Daddy's bed

Alright, you got me, I'm up!

Hanging with Grandma at Uncle Eric's team's first scrimmage. Her first football game!!

5 months old

We have a roller and a butt scooter. Charli likes to scoot all over the bed and floor on her back. She is also not in her bassinet anymore, but not her crib yet either. We have moved her pack and play where her bassinet was next to our bed, so she is still next to us. She lifts up both her legs during the night and then slams them back down, it is hilarious--a dupa*smash type motion...up and down up and down.

She has had rice cereal which she doesn't necessarily seem to enjoy, but today when we tried sweet potatoes it was a different story she seemed to enjoy them. So we will monitor how she does with that and have some more tomorrow.

 She spends some of the afternoon in her jumperoo and when she "jump jumps" she actually kicks her legs to the side like a leprechaun, tapping her heels together, I guess she is more Irish than I thought ;)

Being 5 months old is a lot of work, I'm tired!



Family time

The weather has just been beautiful, and now that Grandma has moved into an assisted living place it makes for such a nice time to go and visit. We went for tea and snacks, which was sooooo good. Grandma had her hair done, and her nails, and looked so nice! The residents there are amused by Charli, she truly lights up the room. All the ladies say how pretty she is and comment on her eyes and hair, when we get to her name they all get puzzled..."Charli? Is she still a girl?" Too funny!!!

After spending time with Grandma we went back to hang out with Mom and Dad on the deck, I love August nights when the temperature drops. It is so relaxing and peaceful, makes for the perfect family time.

SuperBaby

Everyday Charli changes more and more...from these pictures you can see how her legs are changing. She is so strong and actually at times is bearing all her own weight while standing. It is just so funny to see her little body starting to resemble the" Michelin Man"--well not that much but she is a little chubby and we love it! Oh and talk about talking, every morning is the "Charli talk show" even while she is in her stroller on our walk, she just talks and talks. Lately she has been putting her entire hand in her mouth as well as her feet, and now any blanket or anything we put in front of her, I think we may have some teeth on the way-- but we'll see. As far as likes, she is still in love with the bath tub and we have removed the infant sling and now she is able to kick around and splash all she wants, which she takes full advantage of. As her vision has improved she is really interested in the dogs, especially River and has no fear of either of them, even when they give her a tongue bath all over her face (which Reilly has become a pain in the butt). We have given her rice cereal a few times and will be moving on to fruits and vegetables. Dr. Mike said get your camera ready because you are gonna see some faces when she tries the different foods for the first time! She is also very interested in the pictures in books and holding on to the books. She is also a certified bottle holder she holds her own bottle, and talk about excitement, I think seeing the bottle or a boob is the highlight of her day, she is a fantastic eater which makes for a fantastic sleeper, during the night that is...Charli likes to push it during the day and be a part of the action as much as she can, but the morning walk always makes for a sleeping baby by the time we get home. It's the perfect life with her, what were we doing without her.

Turtle races!!!

Charli has had quite an eventful few days. We took her to Arlington to see the horses and then we took her to her first turtle races. They have an annual turtle race at Twin Lakes where you can purchase inflatable turtles and they race them in the lake with a little help of hoses. The first 40 to come in win prizes and the grand prize is $500!!! Charli's turtles placed 17th and a close to first finish with 4th place!!! Charli won a free drum lesson and Sox tickets, plus parking!!!! Way to go turtles!

Hey Mom, you said Uncle Eric was coming to the track!

I'm ready for the races!

Oh yeah, my turtle is really fast!!

Those are all the turtles coming down the chute patrolled by the kayaking turtle police!

So much anticiaption for the race, she was asleep for the results!!

Daddy and sleeping Charli waiting patiently to be called...

Charli's turtle winning 17th place winning her the free drum lesson

Charli's turtle winning 4th place!!!! Winning her Sox tix and parking!! Can you feel her excitement!!

The music was great and so was the crowd. We had a really nice time, can't wait for next year!! Either can Charli!! See you next year turtles, hopefully we can beat that 4th place finish!

Work Party

What a hot summer and in a few weeks it is coming to an end and it's about that time to start heading back to work. Charli is almost 5 months old, and it was the first time we left her with someone not in our family. Although she was sleeping, and it was only 3 miles away, we were able to hang out for Shannon's 40th and really enjoyed the night. Thanks Victoria!

 It is always a great time hanging with the girls in my office which makes going back to work not all that bad. Especially when all the kids on the girl's side are 8 and under, (which including Charli makes 10 kids between us) it makes it easier to know they have gone through it and are there to help and support me. Plus we have some really good laughs which is key!! I couldn't be happier having these girls to work with and for Charli to grow up with their families, we are a very lucky bunch!