Awwwww

Why is it nap-time often is the best part of the day? She is so cute!

Lovey

Here are some random cute pictures, that really do not have a story to go with them. They are just my sweet angelic little girl being cute.

A different kind of love

I love my backyard. Although it is not my dream backyard, and it needs a little love, it has it positives. On of my favorite things are these trees. Yes they are dying (sad) and have seen better days, but they are awesome.

1: They hide my yard from my insane neighbor, and I do not have to look at her eyesore of a backyard.

2: Vines are starting to grow on them and in the summer they are a beautiful green, and in the fall the vines turn a vibrant red, and I have a wall of beautiful fall colors.

3: I have dozens of birds that live in them. I have at least 3 bird feeders that I am always filling. These birds seem to devourer the food. I could sit and watch them for hours. The cat is always hunched down starting out the door, and Charlotte is just starting to notice them and too she will stand at the door and watch them.

4:These trees where shelter for my sweet Leo, before we took him in. We did not know he was living in them for the longest time. For months he roamed the neighborhood, and I only saw him in the front. It was not until winter time, when we noticed a trail from the gate, along the trees and between to fountain. Once we took him in, and the snow cleared we could see his little home. Just inside the trees you could see where he had made a little bed out of the needles. He is my little snuggle-bug.

Rocker

Recently I gave Charlotte a rocker that was mine when I was knee high to a grasshopper.

Never did I think it would be used in this way. Rarely is her bum in the seat. She is either standing on it, collecting treasures on it, Climbing over the arms.

However I am glad that she likes it. She plays with it daily, and often throughout the day. I really wanted to get her a chair for her birhtday, but refused to part with the $80.00 + they cost. I am so glad I didnt and even more glad I was able to pass this down to her.

Nana

As many of you know Steve and I bought my grandparents house. Recently I was in the backyard and noticed this.One of us grand kids wrote "NANA" on the brick just outside the sliding glass door.

Squeak Squeak

Recently my mother bought Charlotte a pair of squeaky shoes. Charlotte's first time wearing them did not go as planned. She was scared. It was almost as if she thought someone or something was following her since every time she took a step she squeaked. She started crying so the shoes came off. The next morning I put the shoes on her again and it was a completely different experience. She LOVES them. She loves to put them on and run around the house. She will even bring them to me to put them on her. When she wears them out she will prance and show off her new squeaky shoes to whoever will pay her any attention. She now has a few pair and I am sure many more to come.

Whirlwind

Yesterday was just one of those days where nothing is planned yet you are constantly running around. This was my day

Charlotte was up at 730.

Snuggle and drink bottle

Eat and feed Char breakfast

Clean up

Sweep, mop vacuum kitchen

play

Clean windows

Boy scouts came by for their food drive

Go through cupboards looking for donations which leads to cleaning out and organizing the cupboard.

Floor is now dirty again.

Sweep, mop and Vacuum kitchen.

Char went down for nap

Got ready for the day

Ran to the grocery store

When I got home from he grocery store it was noon. I can not remember the last time I got all the above done, it such a short amount of time.

Adios

Goodbye liquid gold. You are no longer needed.

First Word

WOAH

Spring Fever

With the temperature rising, we are starting to spend more time outside, and I have a hard time getting Charlotte to come in the house. Just around the street from the house there is a playground and this was our first time going over to play. This was a whole new experience for Charlotte. She loved crossing the bridges due to that they swung when walked on, and also she also enjoyed the slides, but once she discovered the sand, that is what she wanted to play with and eat.

It was so nice to get out and feel the sun on our skin. It seems we have been in hybernation for too long.

Bring on Spirng!

Lucky me

I have DeQuervains Tenosynovities. My wrist have been really bothering me for about the last 9 months. I just believed it would get better on its own over time. I pro bably still would not have gone to see anyone if I had not gone to stop Charlotte the last week from getting in the dog food. I reached for her and the worst pain i had ever felt in my wrist shot right up my arm. It was extremely tender for about a week. This morning I went and saw a specialist, and they determined what it was pretty quickly. Dr. Kimball really believes that it will take surgery to repair the damage, but that is something I am not going to jump quickly to. Instead I chose to have a wrist sling for the next two weeks, and take some cortisone pills vs the shot which goes directly into the wrist tendons. The sling prevents any wrist or thumb movement, and is really making things more difficult for me. Especially with a 1yr old running around. I really hope surgery can be avoided.

To learn more click here.

Charlottes First Birthday

IT'S PARTY TIME

It was a great party. For those of you who could make it ,Thank you !

We have been looking forward to this party all week and it was all I imagined it would be. Great friends and family, and a little host who turned One.

Her is Charlotte and Grandma relaxing and reading before the chaos.

First we did present and Charlotte was showered with great gifts. Lots of toys, books, and cute clothes. She had her favorites, and clothes were not it. Some toys made her cry (aunt joy), others made her smile. now my question is where to put it all. I am going to have to go shopping for more toy storage.

After gifts it was time for cake, and by this time Charlotte hit overload. After a rousing rendition of Happy Birthday I got her undressed, got her in the highchair(which I used when I was little), and it was time. In the beginning she was a little hesitant. She kept looking at me for approval. She knew that what she was doing is something I would normally same "no" to. So, with hesitant hands she started for her cake. A little poke here, and then a few more fingers until she was grabbing handfuls of frosting and cake. She even shared with me and Grandma Jean.

10 minutes into her cake she her all time overload. She had had it.

So off to the bath where she cried the entire time.

After her bath she finally calmed down, and rejoined the party and started playing with the other kids

Again thanks to all those who came. What a great party

Birthday Week - Day 6

Charlotte gave me a gift today, and that we to sleep in. We both slept in until 0940. She probably would have slept even longer had I not gone into her room to check on her. After breakfast and some down time at home, we got ready for the day and went to IKEA. I had nothing in mind when looking around, but you usually can not get out of that place without buying something. After walking around, we decided to get a bite to eat. What an expensive lunch. It cost us $2.00. She really enjoyed their Mac and Cheese. She obviously has not had good Mac and Cheese because I was not that great, but as long as she liked it. After some more walking around, it was obvious it was nap time. Not 5 minutes after getting in the car she was out like a light.

Rest up baby girl. Tomorrow is your birthday party. YEAH

1 Year Check-up

Where did this girl get her height?

Height 31 1/4 inches, 99th percentile.

(that is almost 10 inches in a years time)

Weight 20 lbs 11 oz , 64th percentile

Head 45 1/2 , 63rd percentile

We are going to have to wait a little while before totally taking her off of formula and switching her to milk. Ever since she got the flu last week her BM's have not been normal, and it could be due to a little lactose problem, or she still has a little stomach bug. So, for now she is on some Soy formula. He also noticed that her stomach is sticking out a little far, so we had to invest in some gas drops to see if helps clear that up.

Poor thing received 7 shots, and I was the one who decided to get them all over with at once. The nurse there is super fast at giving shots so that was my only reason for saying yes.

She received her

DTaP

Hib

Measles

Hepatitis A

PCV

Chicken Pox

and

her H1N1 booster.

Birthday Week - Day 5

So, day 5 is no fun. Charlotte was stirring about 630 this morning, and usually she will fall back to sleep. I knew something was up, so I went to make her a bottle. Once I reached her door I knew what was wrong. In-fact I could smell what was wrong. Poor thing was saturated in number 1 and number 2. So I got her all cleaned up and feed as she was fine until 1030. She had her 1 year check-up with Dr. M where she received 7 shots. It was horrible seeing her get that many shots, and even worse having to be the one to hold her down. She cried and cried afterwards, so I thought it would be best to just relax at home today.

Birthday Week - Day 4

IT'S MY BIRTHDAY

Happy first birthday Charlotte. It was like any morning, we snuggled as she had her bottle, then we ate breakfast. But today being her birthday we had a pancake breakfast.

Charlotte loves pancakes.

After breakfast we opened some cards

and her present.

Later we were going to meet Grandma Jean for lunch but plans changed, so we went over to Grandmas for a short visit. I guess still being full from breakfast, Charlotte was not too interested in lunch, so she and Grandma just shared some Sprite. Let me tell you, this girl loves Sprite. Every-time grandma would put the cup down, Charlotte would jump off of her lap, and run right over to the sprite

Charlotte refused to hold still and let me get a picture of her birthday outfit. Her shirt read " It's fun to be One". Her are some pictures. You get the idea. She was darling.

What is a birthday without a little crying?

Once Steve got home we out to a birthday dinner as a family.

Charlotte was more interested in the surrounding,

and the people than her meal, but once it was time for ice

cream....I had her full attention.

Happy Birthday Charlotte