Pneumonia + Asthma UPDATE II

Had a check-up today and Charlotte is starting to get better!!! Still have to continue with nebulizer treatments every 4 hours for the next 5 days, oral antibiotic and oral steroid treatments. Can't wait til she is off this steroid - it's like having a monster child! She can't fall asleep to nap and, as a result, gets super crabby. Poor thing. She is also going through a major separation anxiety stage which makes things much worse! No one will do but Mama! (Can't even use the ladies room alone!)

BTW - Doc definitely believes she has a mild case of asthma. We have a little reading to do and now know the signs to look for. Not too surprising since Daddy was diagnosed around the same age.

Pneumonia + Asthma UPDATE

Back at the doc again this morning. Charlotte was quite lethargic. She received ANOTHER antibiotic shot and ANOTHER steroid shot. They switched her oral antibiotic, took her off the nebulizer steriod and started her on an oral steroid. She also received another in-office nebulizer treatment. The doc said that if we could keep up with home nebulizer treatments every three hours around the clock for 5 days then we won't have to admit her to the hospital. That is our plan.

Christmas Morning

Merry Christmas everyone! More pics over at FLICKR!

Pneumonia + Asthma

Remember how the doc wanted us to start nebulizer treatments again? Well, Charlotte has not improved since Monday's visit so we took her back to the doctor's office. Diagnosis? Probable asthma and the start of pneumonia. She received an antibiotic shot AND a steroid shot at today's visit, along with a special nebulizer treatment. She is also to start an oral antibiotic and steroid nebulizer treatment along with regular nebulizer treatments. We'll keep you posted.

Twelve Month Check-Up

Boy, this check-up was a tough one. Five shots - 3 in one leg and 2 in another AND a prick in her big toe (for iron). Poor thing. And, she has to go back on nebulizer treatments for chest congestion.

Good news - our little lady is growing! She is now 24.4 pounds and 30 inches tall; both 90% percentile. And she is right on par with everything else!

Checked with doc about the bottle-to-sippy cup transition (we are having a tough time) and she said to go cold turkey...wait til the new year, then switch bottles to water and sippy cups to milk. And after three weeks, no more bottle. Yowza.

Whole Milk

Charlotte is now on half whole milk / half formula bottles for every feeding! We'll ween her slowly over the next week and by next (week) it should be all whole milk. Next comes the bottle-to-sippy cup transition - that's going to be a tough one. Ugh.

Climbing Up The Stairs

She can climb up the stairs now. Did it all by herself in front of everyone at her birthday party!

Happy Birthday Charlotte!

Happy One-Year Charlotte! What a blast we had! We were joined by close friends and family for a red and pink, apple-themed extravanganza. Thanks to everyone for an extra-special day! More pics can be seen here!

Joy To You & Yours!

We opted to go 'green' this year and send e-cards. I DID, however, make a couple of my handmade masterpieces for a few special recipients! Those cards, along with another very special gift, are in the mail already, via UPS, and Mom will be delivering this weekend.You can click on the pic below for a larger version. Enjoy!

Playing With Flashcards

Don't know what it is but, Charlotte LOVES to play with her flashcards. I think she could play with them for hours on end.

Playing With Flashcards, originally uploaded by MamaBeaker.

Car Seat Turned Around

We turned her car seat around one week early. Rule of thumb: child must be at least 20 pounds and 1 year of age to have a forward-facing car seat. She was 20 pounds at her nine month check-up. She loves it!

First 1ST Birthday Card

A BIG box of birthday presents arrived the other day for Charlotte from Nana + PapPaw, and Aunt Casey + Cousin Jordan. Here she is inspecting her very first 1st birthday card with Daddy. And, since she will have a lot to open come the big day, we've been giving her a present a day to 'practice' opening. I'll post a video soon!

Ho Ho Ho

Here you have it, folks! Charlotte's first visit with Santa! She did real well. Sat upon his lap for a whole 4.5 minutes and then the crying started. Not so bad! She was REAL serious practically the entire time and only once were we able to get her to crack a smile. Enjoy!

Lowered The Crib - AGAIN

Had to lower the crib again last night. All this standing up made us a little nervous. Thing is, the crib is now at its lowest point. What happens after this? Eek.

Fifth Tooth!

Number five is on its way in. Right next to the front right. She really looks goofy with all these teeth coming in! Like a little jack-o-lantern.

Kitchen Step

Now that she can pull herself up to stand, it took Charlotte no time to figure out how to crawl up the step into the kitchen! What a great Thanksgiving treat!

Standing Up

Started standing up! We went in to wake her this morning, she crawled over to the side of the crib and pulled herself right up!

Fourth Tooth!

Charlotte's fourth tooth has made an appearance! Front, right.

First Birthday Party Invites UPDATE

Here's a little peek at the invite I put together for Charlotte's first birthday party. I think it turned out pretty good. (Click on the image to see a larger version!)

Do You See What I See?

Correct me if I'm wrong but, didn't I say we'd get a shot of those choppers? Victory! Woohoo! Two on the bottom, one up on top and three more coming in!

Eleven Months Old

Ok. I say it EVERY time but, this time I really mean it - can you believe it? Eleven months old? Seriously. She's crawling, talking and very into everything. Is pulling up to her knees. And pals around with Brynne at daycare; they play follow-the-leader. Her knees are bruised - crawling is tough, you know? She loves the dogs and they give her kisses when we get home at night. And she really likes to crawl over to the fireplace to bang on the coal bucket. Big girl baths every night. LOVES to eat what we're eating, bit sized of course. And still loves to dance.

By the way, the little red mark on her cheek is a bit of excema, I think. Goes to bed fine and wakes up with it some times. Must ask doc on 12 month check-up.

First Birthday Party Invites

I mailed invites for Charlotte's First Birthday Party today! They turned out so lovely! I only handmade 10 (for the 'locals') since the majority of our family are out-of-towners :( Just wouldn't have made sense to make a ton only to receive a, "No," reply! But! I will post a pic in a day or two so everyone can see!

Moving Along!

She's really moving now! It's hard to keep up! Sorry the video is so dark - we need to remember to turn more lights on!

Moving Along!, originally uploaded by MamaBeaker.

More Teeth!

Tooth number #3 is poking through and #'s 4, 5, and 6 are making their way too!

A Visit From PapPap + PopPop

Had an absolutely fabulous time with PapPap and PopPop this past weekend. Did a little shopping, snoozing, playing and even made an early Thanksgiving dinner. Can't wait to see ya'll again!

Flying In Airplanes With Children

So, the flight TO Philly was just fine - Charlotte slept the whole way (as she has previously done on all other flights). The return trip? Whew. Not so good. Fussed and cried and screamed at the top of her lungs the entire time. We figured it was pretty bad when people started asking for head phones. We felt awful but there wasn't anything we could do. An interrupted nap schedule plus daylight savings time sure puts a kink in a little one's day. This experience gives me the willies just thinking about ever flying again. Yowza.

Bradlau Wedding Recap

Had a blast at the Bradlau wedding. Stayed at The Grand Eastonian - an amazing suite-style hotel. Absolutely beautiful. And we all got to spend lots of time with Gammy + Granddad, and Uncle Adrian + Aunt Ciara. Even perused through the Crayola Factory store; didn't have time to do a full tour.

Dancing With Daddy

Dancing with Daddy at the Bradlau wedding. They sure do clean up nice!

Dancing With Daddy, originally uploaded by MamaBeaker.

Happy Halloween!

Waiting for more pics of the little lady bug from Gammy + Granddad - hope they got some good ones! Spending Halloween weekend in Easton, PA for a Bradlau wedding. A little dinner and dancing should be lots of fun!

First Time "Crawling"

Just started today! Vesa had her crawl to me when I picked her up today. I sat there and cried. Who's the baby now?

First Time 'Crawling', originally uploaded by MamaBeaker.

Lowered The Crib

Had to lower the crib last night. Since Charlotte has learned to sit up by herself she is now also pulling up. Had to go in to her room 3 times (after we put her down for the night) to assist her in sitting back down because she couldn't figure it out - lots of tears and drama. We decided it was best to lower the crib right away just so nothing yicky would/could happen.

Sitting Up

Walked into Charlotte's room this morning and, low-and-behold, she was sitting up! Got there all by herself! Daddy received the same surprise yesterday morning.

Third Word

Ma-ma. She's been saying it the past couple days. Last night she wanted out of her booster seat and started crying, "Ma-ma, ma-ma, ma-ma," with real tears. It made me weak in the knees.

FAILED: Photoshoot

Tried so so so hard to get a photo of Charlotte's teeth. Failed. Big time. It's like trying to get a photo of bigfoot. Or the loch ness monster. Ugh.

Falling Asleep On Her Own

So, I'm not quite sure if it will stick but, this whole entire past week Charlotte has been falling asleep on her own! Perhaps I am jinxing it as I speak. Who knows. But, after her dinner, bath and bottle we take her up to her room (WIDE AWAKE), lay her in her crib and she rolls right over onto her side and goes to sleep. And that's it. Sound asleep. Guess crying it out is helping after all.

Battling Diaper Rash UPDATE

It's looking better! Been using a combo of desitin and corn starch. Just gotta keep on top of it.

Not A Happy Baby

Diarrhea, diaper rash, rash on her chin and more teeth coming in does not a happy baby make. Eek. Teething is tough (on her, certainly not on us).

Second Word

It's da-da. Told ya so. She says it all the time. SO sweet.

Pumpkin Patch

Went to the pumpkin 'patch' yesterday. Charlotte was thrilled with the mini pumpkin they gave her upon arrival. She tried to eat it the entire time; guess a little dirt won't hurt. We picked up a large pumpkin to carve, 2 'fairy tale' pumpkins and a hay bale. Gotta get some mums and the front porch display will be fini!

Battling Diaper Rash

Ugh. A diaper rash showed up Friday night. Got worse Saturday, and even worse Sunday - almost to the point of bleeding. Poor thing. We've tried Desitin, A+D Ointment, a light application of cortisone cream and even air drying but nothing seems to want to work. Nana recommended we try corn starch and nothing else. We tried it last night and it actually looked a little bit better this morning. Keep your fingers crossed.

Fall Is Here

One thing about living in the South is that fall always comes so late. I miss those Friday night football games with sweatshirts and a chill in the air that start in late September. But, I was on my run this morning and was pleasantly surprised to 'smell' fall in the air. So lovely.

Passed Out

This is how we found Charlotte when we went to wake her from her nap on Saturday morning. She protested a ton and must have passed out mid-shout.

Morning Run

Ready for our morning run, complete with footie pajamas and TWO ra-roos (we lost one along the way)! It's been pretty chilly the past couple mornings so I whipped out some of Charlotte's handknit hats. This one is a snowman - the orange part sticking up is his carrot nose.

Second Tooth!

Charlotte's second tooth is now poking through; the bottom left. She still won't let us in there - we sneak peaks while feeding her dinner at night and when she laughs.

Uh Oh Video

Charlotte saying, "Uh oh!" And, yes I know, I held the camera the wrong way and can't figure out how to flip the video. Ugh.

Uh Oh Video, originally uploaded by sweetbeaker.

First Word

Can't believe it (same thing I always say) but, Charlotte is saying her first word! Know what it is? It's 'uh oh'. Seriously, uh oh. It's really funny. She uses it in context too! If you say it, she says it. I did try to get her to say for Vesa this morning and she was suddenly shy. Silly little lady.

You know what's really funny? I went psycho mama this morning. I was driving to work and talking to my mom (via ear piece of course, both hands on the wheel) and told her the fabulous news when suddenly it occurred to me - what if 'uh oh' isn't really a word and we are just thinking that it is? My mind started to go crazy. I got to work, ran to my computer, and was immediately satisfied to know that dictionary.com DOES indeed recognize 'uh oh' as a word. Whew.

Da Da is not far behind. Actually, she says it all the time but has no clue what it means. It's her babble-speak.

Top 20 baby Must Haves Link

Added a link to the right for easy access to my Top 20 baby Must Haves list.

Sippy Cup

By the way, Charlotte is really starting to get the hang of a sippy cup! We've been trying since 6 months, gave it a little break and now it's working. Woot.

Broccoli

Charlotte is really enjoying more textured, chunkier foods. Here she is eating broccoli last night. She had it EVERYWHERE...throughout her hair, smooshed in her neck and stuck to her underside and backs of her legs. Amazing. The bathtub looked like a sea of broccoli afterwards.

The Girls

Attended a lovely birthday party Saturday night. Most brought their little ones - ALL girls, just a couple months apart. Is that just weird? Here's a pic of the girls chillin'. Leah (6 mos) is on the left, Charlotte (9 mos) is in the middle and Brynne (8 mos) is on the right. Alyssa (4 mos), not pictured, was taking it easy in her car seat.

InStep Safari Swivel Baby Jogger UPDATE II

Ok. Love the jogger; it's pretty great. Nice, smooth run. VERY quiet - try running with a regular stroller and see how noisy that is! It turns nicely with and without the front wheel locked and Charlotte seems to dig it. LOVE the bug net - no more mosquitos feasting upon my little one AND it catches the toys she decides to throw overboard.

A couple of things though. I took it shopping with my Mom and, overall, the experience was only ok. It does turn wonderfully it tight situations but, it is much wider than our Chicco, and I got stuck a bunch. The weight of the diaper bag (hanging from the handle bar) made it really top heavy. I would have opted to put the diaper bag in the tray underneath but I tend to pack on the heavy side and it wouldn't fit. The jogger is also much heavier and more difficult to get in and out of the trunk. The parent tray popped off twice when I was folding and unfolding - not sure what the dilly is there. And I pinched my finger big time in one of the folding joints; gotta watch where your fingers are!

I am still very happy with the Jogger - hands down. It's definitely worth it and it'll get a lot of use. But, I think I will stick with the Chicco for shopping expeditions and quick stops. Afterall, it's called a 'jogger' for a reason.

First Tooth! UPDATE

Just wanted to let ya'll know that Charlotte's tooth has definitely poked through. Still haven't gotten a shot of it - it's really too small at this point and she doesn't quite want to let us in there yet either. Think there might be another on the way though - she was a tough cookie last night. Stay tuned!

Nine Month Check-Up

Charlotte and I took a trip to see Dr. Beckford this morning for her 9 month check-up and she is now 20 pounds, 1 ounce and 27.25" long. Now, I'm not normally one who talks percentiles but, here goes anyways...her weight is in the 75th and her height is in the 40th. Poor thing is going to be short (not really surprising) and the doc said things will even out once Charlotte starts crawling and/or walking.

We can move her up to stage 3 foods and even start giving her our dinners. The doc has suggested that we start using sippy cups more frequently as she hopes Charlotte will be done with the bottle around 1 year. THAT IS MAJOR. THAT is going to be tough. Right now she just thinks of sippy cups as toys. What is one to do?

Fun With Nana & PapPaw

Here is a little snapshot of what we did while Nana and PapPaw were visiting. We had a blast! Mets game, yummy dinners, carousel and shopping!

First Tooth!

Charlotte has her FIRST TOOTH!!! Can't believe it...

First, you have to understand, Charlotte is the most pleasant baby when she wakes in the morning. All smiles, giggles, sweet chitter-chatter and just so genuinely happy to see someone peer over her crib rail.

Yesterday morning was the exact opposite so we knew something was up. Coupled with a slight fever we just thought she was catching a bug. I called Vesa and asked if we could still bring her in and she said no problem; she would keep a close eye on her and if she got worse we could go and pick her up.

Didn't receive any 'pick-up' phones calls so I called over lunch. Vesa said, "She is absolutely perfect. She has a tooth!" I was in awe and cried. I know, ridiculous. But, in my offense, that is some MAJOR growing up. I called and shared the news with Stevens and he was equally surprised. It was really hard to stay at the office all freaking day long - I just wanted to go scoop her up and check out the 'newness'.

After a super loooooooong day I finally got to my little lady and, sure enough, there was a tooth. You can barely see it but you can surely feel it. It's like a little razor. We're guessing it was pushing through the skin yesterday morning a.k.a., the 'crankiness'. She let me touch it once and that was it. Daddy got to feel it too, just once as well. It must be so tender and sore - she purses her lips so tight and now won't let us back in. Poor thing. I'll post pics once I get 'em - this one is gonna be tough.

InStep Safari Swivel Baby Jogger UPDATE

Just wanted to let ya'll know the jogger is fabulous - so far. Have to pick up an air pump for the tires - they are like mini bicycle tires. I totally forgot. Can't wait to take it out in the morning!

Upcoming Events + Happenings

Some fun things to look forward to...

• visit from Nana + PapPaw
• Charlotte's first Met's game - she'll be wearing this
• 9 Months (!)
• Chili Cook-Off
• Charlotte's first Halloween
• family wedding
• visit from PapPap + PopPop

InStep Safari Swivel Baby Jogger

I finally did it and took the plunge - I bought a baby jogger. Seeing as some weight is finding it way back to me after stopping breastfeeding, Charlotte and I have taken to the streets walking. And I mean WALKING. I'd like to step it up a bit and start running again. I tried running with our current stroller and it just isn't going to work (though it is otherwise glorious). So, I introduce to you - the InStep Safari Swivel Baby Jogger.

Did lots and lots of research on this one. Not only is it car seat compatible (taking into consideration baby #2 - always have to plan ahead) and gender neutral, it boasts an adjustable handle to accommodate either Stevens or myself, has a front swivel wheel, parking break, new parent tray, removable child tray and even a mosquito net...all for an affordable price. We're on a budget here folks and it's gotta fit. All in all it seems to be the most bang for our buck. And, most reviews were outstanding. I'll let ya know more about after its arrival on Thursday! Here's to getting back in shape!

Top 20 Baby Must Haves

A girlfriend of mine wanted to know what items, besides the BIG ones (e.g. stroller, car seat, crib, glider, high chair etc.), I considered necessary when getting ready for baby. There is just so much out there that I thought it necessary to consolidate - twenty sounded like a good number so I stuck with it.

01. bibs, bibs and more bibs. not the tiny newborn cutesy kind, the larger ones that actually work. charlotte had a double chin and she plumped up so quickly that the little bibs simply did not fit. burp cloths too. we still go through tons of bibs and burp cloths a day. babies are drooly. these work and wash really well for daily wear and these are great for (solid food) feeding time.

02. start stocking up on diapers AND wipes. we are pampers people. they work well for girls. i have heard though that huggies seem to work better for boys.

03.* a really good bottle brush. this one is necessary. all others we tried fell apart. buy 3 of them.

04.* a really good drying rack. can't find the one we have online. whichever option you do go with, be sure it accommodates all the teensy bottle parts really well.

* these items are always good to have even if you start out breastfeeding. a bottle brush and drying rack are small items that can be stored until you need them.

05. pacifier clip. can't tell you how many times a baby will spit it out, onto the floor only to send you to the sink to rinse. they are somewhat tacky, but they work. get the baby gund pacifier clip(s). i tried lots and we didn't like most because they were made of cheap plastic.

06. wipes warmer. most people either hate 'em or love 'em. there seems to be no in between. charlotte HATED, and i mean HATED being changed until Mimi bought her a wipes warmer. you will need to keep a little distilled water on hand to dampen the EverFresh pillow.

07. diaper champ. NOT a diaper genie. diaper champs let you use any sort of trash bag (we use scented ones). you apparently have to buy specific bags for the genie and it looks like a gigantic poo sausage when you pull it out.

08. boppy bare naked with slipcover

09. a travel sized swing and/or a bouncer. some babies hate swinging and like bouncing and vice versa. we had the room so we had both. on the contrary, i would not recommend a full-size swing because they take up a HUGE amount of space. we have a swing similar to this one and this bouncer. the bouncer was by far one of the most cheapest items and she loved it the most. we didn't even use the battery / vibrate feature. she did the bouncing all by herself.

10. bath tub-to-seat. it's great for on-the-counter baths AND it converts to a seat that attaches securely to the side of the tub for when your little can sit up by themselves.

11. nail clippers. i don't use the magnifier but it is there if you want it.

12. breast pump. they are so expensive, but so worth it. if you can borrow one from a friend - do it. i did (and bought a replacement set of tubes so everything was clean). i recommend the Medela Pump In Style Advanced BackPack. very easy to use. a simple black backpack conceals everything. i traveled with this bugger to and from work everyday for 4 months.

13. footie pajamas with snaps. lots of these in different sizes; they grow out of them quickly. once you hit size 12+ months, you'll have to switch to zippered footies. they don't seem to make larger sizes with snaps, at least not that i can find. (FYI - snaps are just my preference because i'm always afraid i'll pinch charlotte's skin with zippers - she is squirmy).

14. exersaucer

15. hooded towels

16. nasal aspirator. be sure to KEEP THE BLUE ONE THE HOSPITAL GIVES YOU! this one should keep for awhile - be sure to rinse it with a mild salt water solution after using to keep it clean and sanitized.

17. baby carrier of some sort. we have a hotsling and we have a bjorn. charlotte did not care for the hotsling - i think it was too small for me and did not give her enough room; she looked smooshed. charlotte loved the bjorn but quickly grew out of it. i always wished that i had gotten a ring sling - perhaps for baby #2. this guide is a great, succinct reference to keep handy when considering babywearing - like everything else, there are a ton of options out there and it can get really frustrating and confusing.

18. a baby monitor. this is the one we have. it's great, never had any problems with it.

19. a roomy diaper bag. the jessica messenger has a regular shoulder strap, plus a set of straps that allow you to carry it as a back pack (which i usually always do) AND it even has another set of straps so you can attach it to the stroller.

update - for my first mother's day, daddy and the little lady gifted me with this one. there is no turning back. it's. the. ultimate.

20. puppy pads to cover the nursery changing pad and public changing stations. i realize this sounds absolutely ridiculous, BUT THEY WORK. can't tell you how many times charlotte tinkled while on the changing table (cold air). i stumbled upon a pack of leftover, oversized puppy pads we had for daisy and chopper and thought it would be a perfect stand-in for the one cotton liner we ALWAYS had to wash. if it gets soiled just pitch it. no worries when the stains don't come out! they are also great to cover public restroom changing surfaces. i have found that most diaper bag changing pads are NOT nearly large enough to cover such nasty, germy surfaces. we always have two or three on-hand when traveling.

If you find that a link above does not work, please let me know and I will update it!

BabyHawk

A preview of hairdo's to come and the exquisite stylings of Daddy. I give you the BabyHawk...


Click to view bigger.

Baked Potatoes

Turns out Charlotte loves baked potatoes just like Mommy. Mmm good. She is mastering the pincer grasp quite well, I must say.

Baked Potatoes, originally uploaded by sweetbeaker.

Clappin'

She definitely claps now. You clap to her and she claps back.

Bumble Butt

Here's a shot of Charlotte's toosh this morning. I couldn't resist.

Eye Surgery Update II

Well, it's been two full weeks since Charlotte's eye surgery and she is looking wonderful! No goop!

What What Chicken Butt

Charlotte had her first 'meat' for dinner last night - a chicken and sweet potato blend. She loved it. Our little carnivore, sigh.

Straws

Charlotte can drink out of straws now. Not so much a sippy cup but, she has the straw down.

Peek-A-Boo

Forgot to mention that Charlotte has started to play peek-a-boo. She'll pull a burp cloth over her head and wait for you to ask, "Where's Charlotte?", and then she pulls it down to reveal a super huge grin and gives a giggle. It's great.

Gammy & Granddad

Had a wonderful visit from Gammy & Granddad this past weekend! Here are some pics from our dinner with Denny, Melissa & Brandon.

Music Class

Charlotte had her first music class today (9 more sessions to go)! She absolutely loved it. I am sure you are thinking, "What the heck does an 8-month old do in music class?" Quite honestly, it is a glorified play hour with lots of singing and dancing. The point is to introduce babies and toddlers to rhythm, and song and dance. The kids get to play with instruments and to learn about music too. It requires TONS of energy - you are up and down, up and down and all over the place. I was pooped. Charlotte was pooped and we both had a fantastic nap afterwards.

Eye Surgery Update

All good! It has been three days since Charlotte's last round of eye antibiotics and so far NO eye goop! Woot! Usually by this time, after antibiotics, a considerable amount has returned. Keep your fingers crossed that the surgery really worked!

8 Months Old

Here she is folks! A whole 8 months old and playing with Annabelle, my childhood babydoll. Hang in there Annabelle!

Clean Clean Clean

Did I mention that the house is CLEAN? I mean really, really clean? I think it's the first time the house has been this clean since the Sunday before we had Charlotte. It took two weeks to get it this way and it was worth it.

FYI: Stevens and I have agreed that once Charlotte is done with formula we are hiring a cleaning service. Sooo excited. Not excited for her to grow up and be off formula but excited about having a clean house and not having to do the work to get it that way. Oh! So wonderful!

Tough Night

Whew. Last night was a tough one. Not sure what was wrong, maybe her teeth? Charlotte went down pretty easy 'bout 8:30ish, then was up at 11:30 for about an hour and then again from 4 to 5:30. Lots of crying. She and I ended up sleeping in the guest room. Nights like last remind me how lucky we have it. Lots of little ones still don't make it through the whole night at this point. Charlotte usually gets 10-12 hours a night - WITHOUT waking. I am beat.

"Mama"

Yesterday Charlotte said, as plain as day, "Mama." It was in the midst of her usual jibber-jabber but, she said it. Made me stop and drop what I was doing. Of course, she had no clue what she said because everything else was just Charlotte-speak. But, man, it gave me chills.

New Car Seat(s)

Stevens installed Charlotte's new car seats today. We actually bought them a month or so ago — I think we were in denial - she is getting so big - and procrastinated installation. The other day she really looked squished. Poor thing. But, all is well now. She is riding in style in her new Britax Diplomat convertible. Had to get two since convertibles don't have interchangeable bases like infants seats. Things just had to get more difficult, huh?

Eye Surgery

Charlotte had eye surgery today and all went very well. Remember I mentioned that her tear duct was clogged (at two weeks old)? Well, most of the time such a thing clears up on its own by 4-6 months; Charlotte's did not. So, the pediatric opthamologist recommended that we surgically unclog the duct to make everything better. So far so good. Keep your fingers crossed!

Here is a pic of her waiting to go in to the operating room. She wore the teensiest hospital gown complete with ties in the back. And, they put a smiley face above her left eye to make sure the correct eye was operated on. The surgery was simple - she was in and out in 10 minutes. There are a couple more pics here.

Super-Duper Update

Ok. I'll be the first to admit it - I have been awful with the blog. So sorry. I promise to be better. I swear. That being said, there has been a ton of stuff going on since the last post. I contemplated writing millions of separate posts but, that will take forever. So, just this once, I 'm gonna go all-in-one on you (this accounts for the entire 7 month period). Here goes...

• reaches up to you when she wants to be picked up, and sometimes just because you walked by the exersaucer
• knows exactly what her pacifier is - we can bury it in a pile of toys, she will pick it out and put it right in her mouth while she plays
• first vacation - trip to Bethany Beach with ENTIRE family; pics are here
  
• she loves to 'dance' - shakes her head back and forth, waits for you to do it and then she repeats
• scoots herself backwards (with arms) when on tummy - she still isn't too sure what those little legs are for
• 'practices' consonants; jabbers & babbles
• sits very well without support
• starting to clap hands together and wave bye-bye
• lunges forward to reach objects and toys
• sleeping on tummy though she most always flips herself over in the middle of the night
• gets very upset when mommy or daddy leaves the room

Can you believe all of this?

Nantucket Weekend GIVEAWAY!!!!

This outfit is too adorable AND free! Yes, I said free! Charlotte is a bit too small for it right now but, I'm sure she'll grow into in no time. Check out the link below!

Nantucket Weekend GIVEAWAY!!!!

Puffs

Charlotte has learned to eat puffs now - ALL ON HER OWN! Kudos to Gammy for purchasing them at the store!

Pumping, Or Lack There Of

So, over the holiday weekend, I decided to wean myself from the pump completely. I started Thursday with one pump and made it to Saturday when I had to relieve the pressure and pain. I haven't pumped since. I'm still having SOME pain but, it is finally starting to subside. Advil, cabbage leaves, and warm water soaks have really helped.

Charlotte will still have enough BM to get her through to 7 months - lots in the freezer. My boobs feel like bags of marbles as everything dries up. I'm sure that will go away with time. I still have lots of mixed emotions and don't want to elaborate for fear of breaking down and crying at my desk (at work). Pumping is no more. It's over. It's a very sad time for me.

Cold

Had to take Charlotte to the doctor today. Came down with a cold at the beginning of the holiday weekend. Lots of sneezing and a little cough. She's on the mend now.

Mashed Potatoes

Charlotte has mashed potatoes for the first time tonight! She liked 'em. Still only PLAYED with the potatoes and didn't eat them. She's silly.

She Found Her Feet

Finally! Charlotte found her feet! Went into her room this morning and she had her foot and footie pajamas in her mouth.

Screaming

Charlotte's 'thing' this week is to scream at the top of her lungs just because she can. It's alarming sometimes and startles the crap out of me.

Jumperoo Exhaustion Part I

Charlotte in action. Click HERE for Part II, the END OF THE VIDEO! (FLICKR only allows 90 second videos so I had to split this in two)

Jumperoo Exhaustion Part I, originally uploaded by sweetbeaker.

Jumperoo

Aunt Kirsten and Uncle Todd were generous enough to lend us their Jumperoo. Thank you! Charlotte loves it so much; she jumped herself to sleep.

Giggles & Dogs

Most evenings when we get home and situated we'll sit on the floor in the living room to watch the dogs play. Charlotte thinks it is pretty funny.

Giggles & Dogs, originally uploaded by sweetbeaker.

Pediatatric Opthamologist

Visited the pediatric opthamologist today. The doctor would like to wait two more months to see if her clogged tear duct will clear up on its own. If it doesn't, she will be scheduled for MINOR surgery to unclog the duct. Doc also noted that Charlotte is a little more farsighted than what is normal at this stage. We'll need to keep watch because farsighted babies can sometimes over focus and cross their eyes.

Announcements Are Coming

Charlotte's birth announcements are FINALLY in the mail. If you haven't gotten yours yet, PLEASE let me know.

YES, I know it took awhile. Each one was handmade - BY ME. Some have asked, "Why even bother at this point?" Well, gosh darnnit, when I start something, I finish it. And doggone it, they're done. So there.

Formula Update

Charlotte is now on 3 formula bottles a day plus 2 breast milk bottles. It was tough in the beginning - poor little lady had a reaction to the milk-based formula, so we switched her to soy. She didn't like the Enfamil soy and refused to drink it so we switched, again, to another brand (of soy). Then she was super constipated and we just had to wait and let her system get used to something so new. Poor thing. She's better now. No worries!

Finger Food

I tried uploading the 'finger food' video to FLICKR but it's too big. So, here are some pics instead. Charlotte puts EVERYTHING in her mouth. So naturally, we thought she would put finger foods in her mouth too. But, nooooooooo! She played with it (bananas) instead. What a goofball.

Six Month Check-Up

Charlotte is now 16 pounds, 15 ounces and 26 inches long. The doctor said she can start to eat some finger foods - smashed to smitherines of course! I think we'll try bananas tonight! She has been getting a rash from her pacifier and we learned how to treat that and, no worries about her flat spot since it has greatly improved since our last visit.

We do have to see a pediatric opthamologist for her eye though since it is still goopy (from a clogged tear duct). It has been this way since she was 2 weeks old, but a small procedure at the eye doctor should clear it up just fine.

She Sits Alone

Charlotte is learning to sit by herself. She'll do it for a bit, then forgets and throws herself backwards...

She Sits Alone, originally uploaded by sweetbeaker.

6 Months Old

Today Charlotte is 6 months old! Amazing. Like usual, we can't believe it. Her hair is finally starting to grow in (kind of a dark blonde), she is infatuated with the dogs and she still only flips over to the left. She is trying really, really hard to go from her back to her tummy - the bottom half goes and she isn't quite sure how to flip the top half over.

She had bed-head for the first time this morning. It was cute.

Sun Hat

Charlotte's sun hat suddenly does NOT fit. It fit fine on Sunday when we were at the pool. Some times things DO happen over night.

Splashing Like Crazy

So tonight in the tub Charlotte was going crazy splashing. Don't know where it all came from! Maybe the pool yesterday?

Back In The Pool

We went swimming again and, this time, Charlotte loved it! I guess it helps that the water is now 10 degrees warmer. She enjoyed floating around with us and kicking her little legs.

First Bottle Of Formula

It's official. We are starting the wean from breast to bottle! It is tougher than what I thought it would be - emotionally, I mean. Breastfeeding is biggest and best job I've ever had. And part of me feels I am saying good-bye to a little part of her life. I never thought I would feel this way so soon! The pains of 'growing up' for Mommy. This is just a first of the many milestones that we will come to! I've gotta get used to it!

Anyhow, enough of the, 'oh whoa is me', spiel...a combination of having 4 bottles a day at daycare, fussing and pushing the breast away and the intro of solids - Charlotte sure is ready.

So far she has taken to formula just fine! Seems to be no different than drinking bmilk for her. We've started with just one formula bottle a day and are about to switch to 2 formula bottles a day! She is such a trooper. Once she is completely on formula I will start the weaning process from pumping. Woot! I won't miss that one bit!

First Movie

We went to see Iron Man and took Charlotte with us! Daring, huh? She did wonderfully though - slept the first half in Daddy's arms and then sat wide-eyed and stared at the screen for the second half. No fussing! Imagine that!

Starting To Hold Bottle

Charlotte is trying very hard to hold her own bottle. She'll do it for a little while and then forgets what she's doing and drops it. It's so sweet.

Playdate With Brynne

First playdate with Brynne Massey. They stared at each other - it was quite captivating.

She's Got The Giggles

Charlotte was quite amused while eating her apples. Enjoy!

A Case Of The Giggles, originally uploaded by sweetbeaker.

Peas: Update

Ok. Peas are no longer a hit. Poor thing cried the other night while eating them. Maybe she was just crabby, but still. And then, she was a bit stopped up, if you know what I mean. Apparently peas have lots of starch - the culprit. Had to call the advice nurse and all went well after that. I think we'll take a break from peas for now and try again later.

Peas

Can't believe it - Charlotte actually liked her peas! Everyone has told us stories of their babies despising peas. Not Charlotte! She seemed a bit hesitant at first but then gobbled them down. Who knows, maybe she'll change her mind down the road but, for now, this is great!

Charlotte Eating Peas, originally uploaded by sweetbeaker.

High Chair Fun

Thank You!

Thanks, Andrew, Sydney + Audrey for sending Charlotte clothes! She will have on a new outfit every day! Oh the choices! Oh the selection!

Five Months

Can't believe it. Charlotte is 5 months old today! Please forgive some of the photos - they are blown out a bit. Gotta get used to the flash on our new camera!

A little bit about Charlotte - she is very curious now and reaches for absolutely everything. Last night she was obsessed with my water glass. EVERYTHING goes in her mouth. She rolls over, from tummy to back, mostly to the left and she is trying to figure out the logistics of back to tummy and going to the right. She is awake a lot now and likes to spend time in her exersaucer, bumbo and bouncer. Knock on wood, nights are pretty easy with the occasional wake up and, she can usually put herself back to sleep. She loves her veggies and fruits - so far she has had carrots, pears, sweet potatoes, apples, and bananas. Cooing, ahhing, babbling and lots of other strange noises are a regularity now too. She also likes to stare at the pups - I think Chopper is her favorite (only mostly because he actually pays attention to her).

New Camera

Got a new camera this weekend! Our old Olympus was surely on its way out - had to 'jimmy' it to get the lens to open and STAY open. It always managed to close mid-shot, regardless of the 'jimmy-ing', and not catch anything. And the battery wouldn't last more than an hour - tops. It's nice to have new technology.

Trip To The Park

Here's a little glimpse of our trip to the park this past weekend.

She Rolled!

It's official! Charlotte rolled over for me first thing this morning - twice! Woot! It was great! And then she rolled over for Stevens too!

First Fruit!

Charlotte had pears last night for dinner and loved them. We ooh'd and ahh'd at how quickly she scarfed the carrots down but, the pears went down even faster!

Exersaucer

I had Stevens put together Charlotte's exersaucer the other day and it's a good thing too - she loves it (for short time chunks anyways). As you can see from the pics she is a very busy girl! The doll she is munching on is Lulu - her first Xmas present from us.

Still Waiting...

...to see her roll over with our own eyes! The anticipation is killing me! Argh!

First Mother's Day

I must say my first Mother's Day was absolutely wonderful! I received the most beautiful fine bone china tea set. And then we just chilled for most of the day - all but a few household chores - and went to dinner at Figo.

First Veggies!

Charlotte had her first taste of veggies today! Carrots! She absolutely loved them! She, of course, made a mess but that is the fun of it! We have video of her eating rice cereal for the first time - we'll have to figure out how to post that too!

Interesting Article

Thought this was an interesting article. Thanks for sending it our way Ciara!

She Rolled Over

Yes. It's true. She rolled over. From her tummy to her back — all by herself. BUT!?! We didn't actually get to see it (she was with Ms. Vesa)! Darn. We eagerly await the weekend to see if she does it again!

Ms. Vesa put her on the floor for some tummy time while she changed Lucas. She looked away for a moment and Charlotte started laughing hysterically. She looked back and she had flipped herself over.

Charlotte's Christening Weekend

Charlotte was christened on Sunday, April 20th at 10:45AM at Christ Lutheran Church. And, boy, what a fun weekend it was! A weekend of 'firsts' too...

01. First plane ride
02. First trip to Pennsylvania
03. First night out for Mommy & Daddy
04. First night away from home

As fun as it was it sure was exhausting too! But, it was great to get to see everyone - both of our families were all together at once. We are waiting for everyone to send us CDs of their developed pictures so we can post those too! We surely couldn't hold Charlotte AND take pics at the same time!

Tummy Ache

Whew. Poor little lady had a real tough day yesterday. Lot's of crying and pulling her knees up. Must have been something I ate and I feel awful about it. Come to think of it, it was probably the 2 chocolate chip cookies I had yesterday. Bad Mommy.

And BTW, I thought it was difficult eating while pregnant — yeah right. Now it's even more difficult AND more limiting since we are breastfeeding because Charlotte has such a sensitive little tummy. No onions, broccoli, peppers, gorgonzola, prunes, CHOCOLATE...yadda yadda yadda...and the list goes on.

I am making a vow to cut out chocolate (ok, not completely but ALMOST completely). I'm gonna try real hard. I'm sure going to miss it. A lot.

Four Months Old

Hard to believe it has been four months already! Charlotte is doing wonderfully and she and Daddy made a trip to the pediatrician yesterday for her four month check-up. She is now 23.75" long and weighs 14 pounds, 6 ounces. She found her ears the other day and seems a bit stumped by them - not sure why she can't bring them to her mouth so she just holds on to them. And she is babbling up a storm - sometimes it sounds like we have a parrot in the house, other times a cat and sometimes I have no idea what it sounds like but it sure is funny. We also get to start giving her rice cereal! Gotta get the video camera out for this one!

Time Flies

One year ago today (on a Monday morning to be exact) we found out that we were expecting. Hee.

Talking Up A Storm

Boy oh boy. Charlotte sure has found her voice - she has been babbling up a storm tonight! It's great!

Ready To Go

I couldn't resist taking more pics - these are of Charlotte on her way to daycare this morning. What a hoot.

3 Months Old

It's hard to believe that 3 months have gone by already! Charlotte is doing so well - smiling, giggling and really taking everything in! She babbles when you talk to her and loves to see other people smile. Oh?! And, she is starting to grip and grab - gotta wear my hair up now for sure. You will have to excuse me for being completely biased but, boy, she is just absolutely wonderful.

Bronchiolitis

So the little lady woke up on Saturday morning with a major cough and even more congestion than last time. It seriously sounded like she was going to cough up a lung; poor little thing. Our trip to the doctor revealed bronchiolitis and the need for nebulizer breathing treatments every four hours. Charlotte will be just fine, it's just gonna take a little while. The pic above is of the fishy face mask she wears for her treatments; in a way it is actually kinda cute.

Giggle!

Charlotte giggled for the first time yesterday. It was simply amazing.

'School' Pictures

So today Charlotte is to have her first 'school' (daycare) pictures. Just thinking about it cracks me up. Can't wait to see them!

Sniffles!

Well, it looks like daycare has started to take its toll - I took Charlotte to the doctor Monday morning for a cough and congestion. Then Monday night I came down with a sore throat, the sniffles and some sneezing and now Daddy is starting to feel the crud too. Argh! What is one to do?

Four Generations

It sure was fun having FOUR WHOLE GENERATIONS in the house last weekend!

Back At Work

I have no idea where the past 10 weeks have gone; they have flown by so quickly and I am now back at work full-time.

The 'trial' half-days at daycare were much easier — Charlotte was right around the corner and I could pick her up any time. Today has been very, very tough.

First Half-Day

Today I took Charlotte to daycare for her first half-day 'trial'. I dread Thursday.

Happy Valentine's Day

FLICKR Updated!

Just wanted to let everyone know that we uploaded some new pics to our FLICKR account. So sorry posts have been scarce - it's been real busy 'round here lately!

Amazing news - CHARLOTTE HAS STARTED TO SMILE - it's so hard to catch on camera though...she's so darn quick (started right around the end of week 4 / beginning of week 5). And, I have started working from home a bit; needless to say, it has been very stressful working and caring for our little lady at the same time!

So much more has happened, but my mind is boggled for now. I'll write more soon!

Photoshoot

The photographer we hired was nice enough to come to our house to get photos of Charlotte. And the shoot was fantastic! Proofs will be online early next week so be sure to check your email for a link and password! You can order a la carte 'til your heart's content!

Gammy & Granddad's Visit

Just wanted to let everyone know that we have uploaded some really great pics from Gammy & Grandad's visit (December 26, 2007 - January 1, 2008) and lots more!