“Yeah, I can Stand!”

 

Charlie Kate is Eight Months Old

I’m not sure if this is supposed to work like this?!  Is she suppose to be this big?  I know I am always saying that, but seriously, I’m not loving this “speed of light” infancy!  Anyway…

We have been remodeling our house for over a year now, and feel that the end is near, but not there yet.  I have to say, Charlie Kate has been a trooper through all of it!  She was in my belly for most of it, but for the bit that she has been out here with all of us has been pretty great.  She has had to give up her nap once or twice due to drilling and loud noise, or had to stay off the floors due to dust and yucky”ness” being traipsed in the house. 

In the midst of the chaos she has: had her first bump on the head, which left a knot for a day (She cried pretty hard for a couple of minutes and I had some unexplained moisture in my eyes?!?  Ha!); began to pull up and walk around holding on to sturdy furniture; given her first “I don’t like you” look; started growing more teeth, Boo; started feeding yourself; stopped wanting to drink all of her bottle in one sitting; had her first ear infection, bless; began waving and saying “hey” (in her own way); started to wear nine month clothing; grown a lot (weighs 18.5 lbs.; skinny but super long); continued to amaze us!

We had a blast parading around on Halloween!  We went to see Jon at work.  We went to church, where we saw Grandma and Granddad and all of her little friends.  We had great intentions to go visit Matt, Whit, Dan, and Leann, but had to end the night at Nana and Papa’s.  Charlie Kate wore her owl costume, and of course, she was super sweet!

I don’t get how no matter what Charlie Kate is wearing or how many ways I emphasize that she is a female, people call her a “he”.  “He sure is cute!”, “He sure does smile big!”  I think it’s kind of like that view I had as a child about cats and dogs.  I thought cats were girls and dogs were boys.  Maybe some people just view all babies as male.  Ha!

So to sum it up, being a parent is smelly, dirty, confusing, and hilarious!  Charlie Kate Rocks our world and is so wonderful!!!

 

Visiting Daddy at work on Halloween

What?

I love nature

Grandad, Big Mama, and Me

EVERYTHING goes in my mouth

First boyfriend- Jeffrey better watch it!

First horse ride with daddy

Serious play mode

Me and Laney just palying ball

Molly and Me in class

Guntersville Retreat with AU buds (Lilly, me, and Jeffrey)

Boating buds (Gracie and Me)

Sam, Nora, me, Evvy

Grandma trying to get my attention from the ceiling

Aunt Katy making me laugh



Aunt Leann snuggling

Feeding myself!!

First bump



Charlie Kate and cousin Nora


 

 

Charlie Kate,  

We love you forever and ever, to the moon and back, with chocolate sauce, whip topping, sprinkles, and cherries on top!

 

Our Family Novemeber 2012

 

 

Month 7 of Many, Many, More!

 

Dear Charlie Kate,

This is such a fun time in your life!  God has such a great sense of humor, and you are proof of that!  Daddy and I are having such a fun time with you at this stage, we laugh a lot.  Every day you amaze us with the silly expressions, physical techniques, and your overall cuteness!  Your personality is so great!

The crazy, awesome things you are doing/ we are finding out:  Responding to your name, crawling more confidently, pulling up on stationary things to a standing position, saying dada (first words), and many sound slurs, your two bottom teeth have come in and are super sharp!!!, eating tons of new veggie’s, eating puffs broken into three parts, resisting diaper changesJ, we found out that you are ticklish under your arms and on your ribs,  you LOVE fruit (all kinds), you refuse to hold your bottle, and you are super astounded by shoes.

We have had to start giving you baths as a team because you are trying to stand up in the bath tub, but you are such a trooper at bath time.  We got your ears pierced!  They are so cute!  You love your class on Wednesday nights and Sunday mornings.  You play with Molly, Sam, Laney, and Gracie… well, I call it play.  You all look at each other while putting your hand, or whatever is in it, in your mouth.  There was a special day to present all of the babies born in 2012 with a Bible.  So you have your very first pink engraved Bible, and it’s just the right size for you!

Our days consist of eating, playing in the floor, napping, playing in the play-yard, swinging, strolling outside, swinging outside, jumping in the jumper, reading books (you love to pat them), and snuggling on the couch.  Grandma (Linda) or Papa (Travis) gets to keep you during the day when I get to work and daddy is working too.  I miss you so much when I go, but you have such a great time with them, and it is so special.  We feel blessed that I don’t work every day right now, and that daddy has entire days off to spend with us.  We usually try to plan something fun for us to do.  We went to McGee Farm and played with the chickens, goats, and pigs.  We walked around to see all of the different pumpkins, and mums that they grow, and you were nuts over Everything there!  We got each of us a pumpkin, and yours was just the right size for you!  It is almost Halloween, and we are looking forward to your very first Harvest Festival and Trunk-or-Treat! 

We pray for you every night.  We pray that we teach you the right way to act and treat others.  We pray that you meet a man to marry, whom you will respect, that respects you, and that will be your team-mate to get to Heaven.  We pray for the friends you will have (their parnets too), that they are good examples to you, and you to them.  We know that this world can be cruel, and we pray that you don’t conform to it.  God is Awesome and loves you even more than we do! We can’t fathom a love deeper than ours for you, but it’s true!  We pray that you are fruitful, and that you are a light to others.  We have started recently praying for a specific “fruit of the spirit” a day.  We hope that we can be the good example to you, that we should be, by becoming more intentional on a daily basis.  You have changed our lives for the better!  We are so glad that God gave you to us, and are just excited to see what this next month brings! 

Until then..

We LOVE you to the moon and back,

Mommy and Daddy

Just Us!

 

Loves her Aunt Katy

Sitting in Jackson's lap

Love to Swing

First two teeth!

Grandad hugs

Visiting Daddy at work

2012 Baby Recognition at Cross Point

Always moving my hands

Cosin Nora and I love to suck on our hands!

This is how we stroll!

We got your ears pierced!  Yay!

Sadie giving kisses.. yuck!

Mommy and Me

"Yup, this tastes like a toy!"

Happy Fall Y'all!

Sweetness

Love



Happy Half Birthday Charlie Kate!

Charlie “Cake” (in the words of Sam Burgess),

            Today you are Six months and three days old.  We were just starting to feel like we were figuring things out with you when, “BAM!” you started teething, got a stomach virus, a horrible diaper burn from the virus, and your sleep/ eating schedule went out the door for 2 weeks!  It was so awful to see you so pitiful.  We tried every single thing to make you feel better and to get you to eat.  It turns out that we all made it through and you are still the sweetest most content little girl.  You seem to still like us, even after all of the forced Pedialight.   

We went to Oklahoma to Amber’s wedding last weekend.  We traveled at night which worked out great for you!   You slept the whole way there.  Daddy and I took turns sleeping.  The trip back, however, was a very different story!  You were awake for most of the twelve hours, and very frustrated that you couldn’t get out of your seat.  We will NEVER drive twelve hours again! 

You are so active!  I’m excited, but nervous about your upcoming months.   You will definitely be crawling soon, and putting more non-toys in your mouth… so we’re probably going to do some décor changes in the very near future.  You get up on all fours like you are revving up your engine, about to go!  For now you just roll over, or take a lunge with one of your legs and lose your balance because you don’t move your arms yet.  I think it’s hilarious when you roll over next to the couch and you get super mad because it stops you from rolling further! 

Two sweet little teeth have broken through your bottom gums at the same time, and are the cutest!  You do not allow us to look at them, so when we see them it’s a definite treat.  When you eat with the rubber spoon, you bite down really hard on it now.  I think you have wanted to do that for a while, and now you are making up for the time that you couldn’t grab the spoon with your teeth.  I was cleaning your gums the night we got back from Oklahoma when I felt them.  You bit down super hard on my finger as if to say, “Look what I got!”  

We got your ears pierced for your half birthday!  You did so well, and barley cried.  You definitely hesitated to cry at all, and then decided that you better express your dismay for at least ten seconds.  They look very sweet on you.  We got your birthstone, so they bring out the blue in your eyes.  We thought your eyes would turn completely green, but so far they only have a green ring around the middle.  Your hair is growing and seems to have a gold tint to it. 

You are beautiful inside, outside, up, down, and all around.  We love to hold you, and snuggle with you, but I think those days that you let us are numbered.  Boo!   We love you way so much! 

-Mommy and Daddy

Sweet Feet

Looks Like Daddy

  

Charlie Kate Loves Her Bath

Watching Daddy and Sam play a game

On our way to Oklahoma in my jammies

I'm a Drooler!

Grandma with all of the Grandkids

The Queen of Oatmeal and Carrots is 5 Months Old

Sweet Darling,

        You are such a big girl, and we are in such awe of how fast you are growing.  I am pretty sure you are going to be a beat boxer or a master in languages since you are constantly making outstanding new sounds.  We have been playing a pretty intense game of peek-a-Boo, which you LOVE!  The biggest accomplishment this month has been that you are sitting up, yay!  You are so strong, and you just roll around all over the floor.  In the morning when you wake up, you play so good in your crib until we come get you to eat your oatmeal.  You like your oatmeal, but still love a bottle.  We have to hide your bottle until you finish your food. J So far, Carrots seem to be your favorite of the food- foods.  You grunt, suck on your bottom lip, and say, ”mmm” when you eat them. 

       When you play:  You still love your bouncy gym, and your play mat.  We are cautious when you are in your Bumbo now since there has been a safety recall.  You would rather sit up to play with your toys and get frustrated when you are on your back or belly.  You are really laid back, and can go to sleep almost anywhere!  We just make you cozy, put the sleep app on my phone on “rain”, and you go right to sleep.  You are AWESOME! 

       I am about to start substitute teaching and you will stay with Popa, Grandma, or Daddy on those days.  I will miss you like crazy, but I know you will love having time with them. 

       We have fun with some of your friends, love Sundays at Grandma’s, and family fun with Nana and Popa’s crew. 

      We are so thankful for you every single day, and we pray that we are teaching you and helping you grow the way God wants us to

Love Mommy and Daddy

Big Mama, Katy, Mommy, Charlie Kate

Ava, Sam, Norah, Charlie Kate

Sweet Sleep

Grandad and Chalie Kate

Molly, Sam, and Charlie Kate

Daddy's is being a bad influence!  War Eagle!

 

Charlie Kate and Cousin Norah

 

Sam is such a great help!  If she could teach Charlie Kate to hold it herslef, we would be in business!