On the Move.

My little Lolo has decided to advance her ability in getting around the room.  Up until last week we thought she would never crawl and just go straight to walking.  She still walks along all of the furniture as if she is rock climbing and makes her way around any room.  

But, this past week, she has crawled a bit (but kinda doesn't like it and moans the whole time).  She also mastered going from belly and crawling position to seated.  And she greets me in her crib on her knees and holding onto the railing.

Charlotte has always been my laid back baby (unlike Liv) when it comes to physicality and getting around.  She has been content with just sitting and staying put.  Not now......She really wants to start getting around.

Week of Family.

This week we have had alot of fun just being a family.  We haven't done much other than just enjoy each other.  We have had daily trips to the beach (sometimes two), walks to get ice cream/water ice, and bike rides to the coffee shop.  Liv discovered she loved swimming in the bay. Ry and I had a date night of sushi and drinks.  And most of our meals were either take out or cook ins.  

With all of the hopping around we did, the girls were only in the car for one quick ride to the health food store off shore.  The rest of the week the girls were in the bike trailer while Ry and I biked around town.  We felt like true islanders.

Looks like this week is exactly what we needed.  And we still have a few days left....

More beach time.

Digging to China.

VACATION!!!!!

Basement fun.

Red Wagon.

First Birthday Celebration.

On Sunday we had Charlotte's birthday celebration.  We decided to keep it small and more intimate.  But when the day came, I forgot how big our family is growing....we had 12 kids (which was about one third of the party).  The kids had an amazing time.  Between the swingset and Liv's room and Charlotte's room and the sun room.......By the end of the night I couldn't see one single square inch of Liv's bedroom floor.  

Charlotte was a trooper.  After warming up to the "party" idea she would hop from one person's arms to another.  She loved walking along all of the furniture and walls to mingle.  She was quite the socialist.  

When we sang happy birthday......Well that is a whole story in itself.  I decided to use this Sparkler/Fancy Lotus flower candle that Grandmom gave Lo.  She told me to use it on her real birthday because we were a bit skeptical of how safe this candle was (the directions said to stay 4 feet away from it).  I took the risk....I figured it would either be a disaster or a hit.....  Well, it was a little of both.

"Mother of the year" over here forgot about the "4 feet away rule" and poor Liv was so excited to help Lo blow out this fancy candle....  Until it was about 1 foot in front of her face and the flame was about a foot high in the sky.  Liv lost it. I mean LOST it.  I think I scarred her.

The candle was really fun after the flame calmed down and the flower opened.  Each petal had a candle and it played the happy birthday song.  Thank you, Grandmom!

Charlotte on the other hand wasn't phased by all of the chaos.  After Ry helped her blow out her candle, she delicately and slowly took a few bites of her cupcake.  

We got one of those fun "Pull Apart" cakes that is made up of all cupcakes (it was a hit).  Meme made really good sausage and peppers.  We had some tomato pie and chips, etc.  It was pretty low maintenance.  Less about the frill, but more about the Love.  I could feel the love and support in the air.  

Charlotte got lots of stylish new clothes, a Buggy Car, a Radio Flyer wagon, a turtle planetarium, a doll, a school house to go along with her doll house, money, and gift cards.

Charlie-Bear is one Lucky girl.  Lots of fun new gifts.  But most importantly, Lots of Love.

Hannah's 4th Birthday Party.

Like father, like daughter.

Liv spent over an hour outside with daddy doing yardwork.......She would take a break here and there to pick a few clover flowers ( or whatever you call the white flowers that grow in your grass) for me.  She would run in, put them in my vase on the counter, and then run back out with daddy......

The two Brunette Cousins.

Ava loves playing with Charlotte so much.  She is so sweet with her and loves trying to make her smile.  And Lo just lights up when she sees Ava coming her way to play.

Our new "after breakfast" ritual.

After breakfast, we go into the sunroom and watch some of Liv's favorite music videos on You Tube.  I love watching the girls when they are involved in the same thing.  The older they get, the less their age gap matters.

Over heard.

Ryan left tonight around 6pm to go to the UFC fights with Uncle Kevin and Uncle John.  Liv didn't quite understand where he was going and seemed to think he was leaving and going somewhere far (probably because of his recent business trip).  So when he left she had this obsession with Daddy.  She made him a card and put it on his pillow so he would see it when he gets home.  

She was watching a Taylor Swift video where Taylor goes to a prom.

Liv says, "Mommy, is she getting married?"

I said, "No, she is going to a prom."

"What is that?"

"It is a dance you go to when you are in high school, right around the time that you are old enough to drive.  You can go to one when you get older.  You can go with a nice boy, a friend, or by yourself.  You decide..."

"No I won't.  I want to go with Daddy."

Let's see how she feels about that is about 13 years......

"

My belly button.

Charlotte has this obsession with taking her pointer finger and sticking it as far as she can into my belly button while I lay in bed in the morning.  Now that is a strange and awkward feeling... especially the first thing when you wake up.  It is like chinese water torture.

1 Year Check-up.

Well it looks like my Charlie-Bear is taking after her big sis.  At her 1 year check up she was in the 5-10 percentile for length and weight.  She was 16 pounds and 10 ounces and 27.5 inches long.  The doctor had zero concern and just confirmed that Ryan and I just have small kids.  Genetics.....Ryan was super tiny even when he was in middle school.  So was my brother......Liv didn't hit 20 pounds until she was about 18 months old.

The visit was pretty uneventful. Charlotte got one shot.  And Liv got about 10 Dora stickers for being such a great big sister.  I scheduled the girls next appointment which will be together (4 year and 15 month).  It looks like we will be holding off on the MMR shot for a bit because it contains egg.

Happy 1st Birthday, Charlie-Bear.

Click here for a video taken at 3:08 pm a year ago today (charlotte was 8 minutes old).

Dear Charlotte,

From the very moment, I found out I was pregnant, I knew you would be the missing piece to our puzzle.  We would go to the doctor's and patiently await hearing the beautiful sound of your heartbeat.  At the ultrasound, when we found out you were a girl, we were able to begin daydreaming about having our two little girls.  We would explain to Liv how incredibly lucky she was to be a big sister and have a little sister, a best friend for life.

You decided to join us on your exact due date.  As soon as I opened my eyes on August 3rd 2008, I felt my first little contraction.  I remember the details of that day so vividly.........

I fell completely head over heels in love with you the very first moment that I looked into your eyes.  Having had the experience I had with Liv, I never doubted my love for you.  But I wondered if my second birth experience would be less exciting because I knew what to expect.  I was 100% wrong.  I vividly remember the nurse holding you up over me, you turning bright pink.  The dimple in your chin.  Your dark, long brown hair.  Royal blue eyes.  Wrinkled finger tips.  Quivering lip.  Shaky cry. Surrounded by so much family and love.  Within 15 minutes of entering this world, your big sister sat on my lap and held you.  Daddy stood over us and kissed you.  We were at last, a family of four.  A moment that Daddy and I have talked about for the past 12 years.  

I have taken so many paths in my life to end up where I am at this very moment..... a mommy to the two most beautiful little girls in the world.  There is no place I would rather be. 

 Holding you in my arms, playing with you, watching you discover the world......You have given me my purpose in life.  Throughout the past year, my heart has expanded far beyond I ever imagined.  There is nothing in the world I wouldn't do for you. You will always be my little girl.  I could never hold you tight enough, kiss you long enough, or say," I love you" too much.  

Every day, every moment with you is a gift.  Thank you for completing our family.  We now get to  live our "happily ever after".

I love you and will always be your number one fan.

Happy Birthday my sweet little Charlie Bear.

Love,

Mama xoxoxoxo

  

Play hard...... Sleep hard.

On the ride home, we were hoping Charlotte would take her nap.......Looks like we got a napper, just the wrong one.

Look at this CHEESY Face!

Softball.

I can't even tell you how thankful I was that I brought that random, plastic softball to the beach.  Last minute I threw it in Liv's wagon thinking maybe we would have a little catch.  I had no clue she would spend over 40 minutes digging a hole and burying it over and over and over again.  

The beach fosters so much imagination.  Love it.

Ry and I enjoyed some R and R (Lo was napping at Meme's).

Our bed before 7am.

When the girls are up before 7, they usually sit between us in the bed.  We both take turns giving them random objects, hoping they buy us some more shut eye.  I know the remote will buy me about 4 minutes with Lo (she uses it as a phone and talks into it, then presses buttons and looks at the tv for a response- a great cause and effect lesson) and my laptop will occupy Liv (she is obsessed with looking at her friend's blogs).  

By the time Ry and I give up and get out of bed, there is usually a pile of about 20 random objects between us.

.

Big Debut.