21

Wow. What a month it has been! My heart melts for this girl every.single.day. She's always the friendliest kid at the park saying hi to every kid accompanied by a cute little wave and often followed by at attempt to hug some snotty kid. I always cringe a little but luckily she's yet to be successful.

I never imagined I could be so proud of anything or anyone in my whole life! But hearing her sweet voice make words and watching her grow and understand something as simple as "go get your baby"... Let me tell you... My heart, it swells to the size if a watermelon!

Weight:~21lbs

Likes: She loves looking out the window. She loves "cooking" and tea parties and will stop whatever she's doing to bust a move when the music comes on. As any girl, she enjoys getting her hair brushed and will sit on my lap forever as long and I'm running a brush through it. She requests almost daily to get her nails painted. Probably created a monster already because my girl loves shopping. But I don't even care because it's so dang cute when she takes a hanger from a rack and holds the dress or shirt or whatever up to her and whispers "soooo" (so cute).


Dislikes: Still not a fan of being told "no". Don't see her growing out of that anytime soon. She does not appreciate being fed like a baby and will refuse even her most favorite meal if I'm trying to feed her. Which means I sweep eighty times a day and change her outfit just as often.

Favorite activities: Playing in the dirt, taking her baby for a walks with her stroller, sidewalk chalk, the park

Favorite food: Sweets, sweets, sweets. If she could eat a donut and cookies for every meal she would. I don't know how she doesn't weigh more. In an attempt to get her to eat more greens I started making smoothies and she LOVES them. Making a big deal about how "yummy" healthy food tastes goes a long way with this girl. I've found I can trick her into eating almost anything.

Favorite words: "All geen" (all gone) and "all dee" (all done). And my favorite was when out of nowhere she tooted and goes "too tee" and smiled up at me. Haha! I think she learns new words daily, her newest being sorry (ssigh)

Milestones: She is independent in everything except sleeping. That's the only time she refuses to be left alone. She still spends most of the night in our bed. Charlie now folds her arms for prayer. I'll admit, sometimes I can't bring myself to close my eyes because watching her is just too cute. It seems like at this age she's almost learning something new everyday. I am a proud mama! But also I want time to slow down. Like, can't I just hit a button to make everything go in slow motion? I want to remember every moment. Being a mom to this girl is the dream job!!

She has sooo much empathy it amazes me. I had a particularly sad day this month and Charlie must've sensed it because she literally didn't touch her toys, just simply snuggled with me all day. At one point I cried a bit and she crawled on top of me and hugged me tight for a second and then gave me a reassuring smile and squeezed me again. When she looked up the second time to check on me I noticed she too was beginning to cry. It was the saddest sweetest thing ever! We just hugged it out. It was probably the best moment if my life.

I don't care what anyone thinks, she is my best friend.

Not only is she empathetic but she's also hilarious. Whenever I'm cooking and using the oven I always put the mit on and tell her to go back. And she always listens. Randomly she will put her own sock on her hand and run over the oven and yell at me "Go! Go!" With the most serious look on her face. She is a crack up!
I could go on and on with stories of our days but I'll stop there for now. I love watching her grow and learn everyday. I've said it before and I'll say it again. I LOVE being her mom!

Twenty Months.

At 20 months Charlie (Charli?, Charlee?,Charley?- I've been thinking about changing the spelling of her nick name to more be more girly. Because if you've met my daughter you know she's the girliest one year old you'll ever meet!)

 
Weight: ~21 lbs

 

Clothes: she was beginning to venture into 12-18 months but she got really sick this last month and lost a little more than a pound. So it's 9-12 for now with a couple 12-18 month clothes thrown in there.

LOVES: snuggling, getting her nails painted, carrying her purse around, "helping" me cook, working with dad in the garage, hugs, playing outside, shoes, COOKIES-or anything sweet, bath time-even though she's started pooping in the tub! Also thinks 'Rock, Paper, Scissors' is a hilarious game (Jared and I play it to change diapers sometimes).

DISLIKES: falling asleep, being told "No", sitting in one spot for more than 30 seconds, doctors offices (can't blame her for that one..)
 Favorite foods: This girl has the biggest sweet tooth ever. She also loves, and I mean LOVES my chicken tacos. Which is super weird because she refuses all other meat.

Favorite words: "uh-oh". She says it all the time. Even when it doesn't really apply which makes it pretty funny. Like when she intentionally dumps her bowl of pears on the floor from her high chair- I think she does it just so she can say "uh-oh!" Another favorite is "Ey! Ey! Eeyyy!" But not as in "hi", she says it when you take something away from her, like "hey you! Give that back!" She can also pretty clearly say "buh-buy" and "hiiii" with the cutest wave you ever did see and has learned "mo-er". Not sure if that's a good thing or a bad thing yet.. And "whooaa" or "wooowww" like whatever you have is the most spectacular thing she's ever laid her eyes upon. So.Cute.

Signature moves: face planting herself on the floor when you take something she's not supposed to have away from her. Running out from behind doors, walls, or pretty much anything with a high pitched scream, laughing hysterically-she got you! Hah, it's pretty darn cute. And my favorite.. Looking back at you with the most mischievous smile as she does something she knows she shouldn't.
Other milestones: Her new thing is bringing me a diaper from her closet when she poops and sniffing. That and the fact the she poops in the tub makes me think potty training could be around the corner?

 

Can I also just say how much I love this girl? She makes me the happiest person in the world and I thank Heavenly Father every single day that he trusted ME to be her mom.

 

572 days old

This age is so much fun, I just want to bottle it up and keep it forever. Charlie is so much fun and I really do want to remember it forever. I thought I'd share it and document it here.

Age: Almost 19 months

Clothes: Still in 9-12 months but I think we'll make the switch to 12-18 in the next week or so. She is such a little peanut!

Favorite Foods: Cookies! I really created a monster over Christmas with all of our baking. It's like she's always listening for the cookie jar to open and whenever she hear it (even if I think I'm being SUPER quiet) she not just drops whatever she is playing with but throws it down and comes running with her hand up in the air. Also, several times a week she walks to the corner of the kitchen where the cookie jar is with her arm up and her hand curved ready to dip into the jar. She also enjoys beans and rice with salsa, white chili, grapes, blackberries, croutons and anything I'm eating. But only if she can feed herself. I am not allowed to help her AT ALL anymore.

Favorite Words: She doesn't talk a whole lot yet, especially around other people, but she says "hey!" "Mom" "da" "do" -dog, "do"-don't she says this when she's doing something she's not supposed to do, and oh, how could I forget, her favorite word of all time is "no" and "no mom"- Especially when I tell her its time for bed

Favorite Activities: Taking all the books of her shelf and reading them to herself. She insists on helping me cook in the kitchen and loves to sit on the counter. We spend hours on bath time and I practically have to drag her out of an icy cold tub every night.She LOVES to put her doll in her stroller and push them around. She loves walking around outside and collecting rocks, but she's also the biggest girly girl- she brushes her hair (and mine and dads) and carries a purse around- in fact today she grabbed my phone put it in my purse, waved goodbye to me and walked to the door. SO independent! She puts on her own necklaces and headbands and sits on the bathroom rug every morning to watch me get ready.

Favorite Things: Her play kitchen, rocking chair, chalkboard table, doll stroller. She also loves my wallet. And she goes crazy for The Wiggles.

Signature Moves: Dancing. All. The. Time. She loves to move and groove. We went to a friends going away party last weekend and there was a dancing game going on where everyone stood in a circle and Charlie made her way to the center of the circle and shook her booty with the grown ups. I'm shocked and inspired and oh so proud of her confidence. She also loves to give hugs, they are the best hugs ever. And she loves to give kisses to a few of her favorite dolls and she frequently brings them to me to give kisses.

Least Favorites: Sleeping and going to sleep. The last few weeks have been filled with late nights that are followed by much restlessness. She fights going down like the plague and hates sleeping without me next to her. When I say "okay Charlie, time for night, night" she immediately begins her struggle to get out if my arms screaming "no mom! No mom!"

Other Milestones: Like I mentioned before she is really into feeding herself. Mom and Dad are not allowed to help at all or a major meltdown ensues. Usually only about half to food makes it into her month but she is determined!

She let me paint her toenails this month and sat ever so patiently while they dried. It was the cutest thing ever.

Other than this sleeping struggle, she truly is the best, funniest, most bright and caring baby ever. I love everything about her personality and am so excited for all the new things to come.

Here's to 2014

I know this is such a late post but it's been sitting half written for about a month now and I decided I needed to finish it.. 

I suppose it is that time of year that I should reflect on the happenings of 2013.

So much has happened this year. So much change, some of it has been so good and some of it has brought tears. It's been a happy year and a hard year and I have grown so much from it all. As a mother, as a wife and as a person. But perhaps that's just the story as we grow older.

This year we traveled, we loved, we fought, we grew. I am so excited for 2014 and all the joy and even sadness it might bring. (Wait a second, did she just say she's excited for sadness?!) I know, you must think I am crazy. But I really do feel like the sad times we have make our happy times so much happier and makes us appreciate them so much more. So, here's to a New Year. Here's to finishing things I start. Here's to remembering Charlie is a baby, and its okay for her to make messes. Here's to going on more dates with my husband. Here's to being patient with him. Here's to staying positive. Here's to embracing even the moments that I want to fast forward- because I am learning that every moment should be celebrated since life just goes by too quickly. Here's to trying something new. Here's to letting Charlie stir the flour even though I know half of it will end up on the counter. Here's to dancing like nobody's watching. Here's to new projects. Here's to being grateful for what we have. Here's to skipping the dishes and snuggling with my girl- who is getting big wayyy to fast! 

 (She was so excited to have her toenails painted and sat ever so patiently while they dried-- see what I mean about her growing up too quickly?!)

Happy 2014! 

Merry and Thankful

I am feeling especially grateful this holiday season for my family. I have the best husband ever who works so hard everyday and comes home to a house that's usually messy and lately, due to a nap strike, a grumpy baby (which, lets be honest.. equals grumpy wife) and he still puts up with it all and usually has a smile on his face. 

And Charlotte.. Even through her teething tantrums and somehow sneaking her way right into the middle of our bed most nights and even though she has the need to smoosh pears into the carpet and crunch cheesy crackers over any freshly vacuumed area I can't get enough of her. I still miss her when she goes to sleep. She is the most kind baby ever and already has the need to nurture everyone. She loves to help, and she is so good at sharing. I love watching the little girl she is becoming, there is no other way I would want to spend my days! I am so proud to be her mama.

On Christmas Eve we went to see Santa.

Safe to say she's not too excited about him. 

Christmas morning was the best ever. Charlie was super excited about her Santa gifts and not really into opening anything from us.

I think these holidays will just get better and better!

'Tis the Season

Each year I am more and more amazed at how fast time goes! And now as a mom I am aware of it now more than ever! I swear I went to bed last night with a little 5 pounder sleeping soundly next to me only to be awoken by a foot in the face from my giant almost 18 month old! But I do so enjoy her growing personality and her new-found need to discover how everything works- even if that means redecorating the tree every hour. Our ornaments keep getting higher and higher.

I couldn't wait until after Christmas to start celebrating! I was making gingerbread cupcakes long before December came and it didn't take long after Thanksgiving before Charlie and I were back in the kitchen making Christmas cookies despite having colds.

And let me just say, there is nothing that gets you in the Christmas Spirit more than chopping down your very own tree.

Here is Charlie and our tree in all it's natural tree glory before we chopped it down.

Is it just me or do trees always look so tiny in the woods and I always spend the whole drive home hoping we got a big enough one only to get it home and find our tree bending against the ceiling. 

Jared so badly wanted to leave it that way..  

Here she is redecorating it for the hundredth time.

I was surprised how warm of a winter we were having but just like clockwork as December rolled in so did the snow. 

I thought for sure Charlie would go crazy in the snow but she was not really sure how she felt about this icy cold powder (me too baby, me too...).

It's Just a Bunch of Hocus Pocus

This was my favorite Halloween yet!

I think it goes without saying that holidays are better with kids. Not to mention Halloween is one of my most favorite holidays!

Charlie is getting such a personality and I couldn't be more in love with it.

Halloween started for us last weekend with the trunk or treat at church. She had so much fun. I let her have a fun-sized candy bar and.. Well, lets just say she inherited my sweet tooth. After that, she went crazy! She carried her pumpkin purse around running through the parking lot literally screaming and laughing hysterically. Then I put her in our trunk while I handed out Halloween candy and when the first group of kids ran up and yelled "trick or treat!" She cackled at them and yelled back. It was so appropriate.

We celebrated Halloween eve by carving some pumpkins. Charlie thought it was so funny and wouldn't stop giving my pumpkin kisses. Girl after my own heart.

We weren't going to take her trick or treating this year because I thought she wouldn't understand but at the last minute I changed my mind. Charlotte was so upset when I filled her pumpkin with candy and started handing it out to the kids that came to our door. And why wouldn't she? She'd dragged that thing everywhere with her for the last week. So I put her costume on and we went to visit our neighbors in our court.

 She got the hang of it really quickly and had so much fun toting her pumpkin around and watching it fill up with goodies. She had such a good time that when we started walking up our driveway she cried- until she realized being home meant she got to go through her loot.

We walked in the door she went straight to her elephant chair and began going through her candy.

It didn't take long for her to figure out how to open her candy. She was so proud of herself!

Since this was our first year in a house we spent the rest of the night handing out candy to our first trick or treaters and Charlie had so much fun watching them. Every time the doorbell would ring she'd run over and peek around her dads legs to see who was there.

I had so much fun making her costume and celebrating this with her.