Snow! (again)

It snowed! Yay! Probably had a good 3 inches - just enough to go out and play! Charlotte wasn't too sure of it. Daddy wiped out. Daisy attacked the snow shovel. Chopper ran laps and collected snow balls in his beard. And, Mommy took a nap after!


Chopper mid-air. Good snapshot, Daddy! You can click on the picture for a larger version. You'll see - he doesn't have one paw on the ground!


We're headed to The Gigi's for a quick afternoon visit. And then we'll be bringing in the New Year at Uncle Ado + Aunt CC's with Wise Guy pizzas. Mmm.

Perioral Dermatitis

Had to go to the dermatologist today - yes, while in PA. Hello, out-of-pocket. A rash started to break out on Charlotte's face again Christmas Eve. It's been steadily getting worse and we didn't think it wise to wait another week until we could get an appointment back in Georgia.

Diagnosis = Perioral Dermatitis.

It's a combo of acne and eczema. She has such sensitive skin. Doc gave us a steroid and said she'll be back to good in no time.

Open House

Had an open house last evening so everyone could get together all under one roof all at once... Mimi + GrandDad, Nona + PapPaw, PapPap + PopPop, The Gigi's, Aunt KC, Jordan, Jen and Lucy. Doesn't happen all that often! It was a full house and we had a lovely time.


Highlight: Charlotte sang for everyone. Seriously! At the top of her lungs. Probably about 10 songs. At the end of each song everyone clapped and said, "Yay!" She would mimic with amazing enthusiasm and break into the next song. Each song kept getting shorter and shorter because she couldn't wait for everyone to clap again.

It was sweet.

Made It To PA

We made it safely the rest of the way to PA. Will never again stop mid-way. Never. It was the worst. Charlotte had WAY too much energy from being in the car and in one spot for so long. A half-hour bed time routine turned into two hours. And then once she settled down and fell asleep she woke about 5 more times to make sure Mommy was still in bed next to her. And then from 5:30-7 (when the alarm was set to go off) she kept poking at me and lifting my eyelids. All this while Daddy peacefully slumbered with his ear plugs and mask. Hmmm.

Merry Christmas

Ever see anyone so excited to get a soccer ball for Christmas? Hehe.


We're headed to PA later this afternoon - Mommy, Daddy, Charlotte, Daisy + Chopper all in the car with pod on top. Should be interesting. Planning on stopping midway to get a good night's sleep. Merry Christmas everyone!


Here we are testing out the Tickle Monster mits. Poor Daisy-dog - she thought they were for her.

The Party

What a great time. Seriously. Charlotte had a blast with Mario, Cole, Ellie, Ryder and Porter (and I think they did too)! The best was when we got to the end of singing Happy Birthday, Charlotte asked everyone to sing again (shingings song again, pease?). It was darling. And, she even blew out her first candle! Thanks to everyone who made this such a special day for Charlotte.

Get the flash player here: http://www.adobe.com/flashplayer

There will be more photos to come and, be sure to read more about the party details!

Happy Birthday Charlotte!

And, year two begins...

Happy Holidays?

Santa didn't go over too well this year...

Get the flash player here: http://www.adobe.com/flashplayer

First Snow

Charlotte's first memorable snow! Here she is with Aunt KC catching snow...so sweet!

Our Weekend In PA

This past weekend Charlotte and I had a blast in PA! It was our first time traveling alone, without Daddy and it went pretty well. We got lucky on our flight up - a whole row to ourselves (really only two seats, nothing crazy)! And, to Charlotte's surprise, GrandDad was there waiting for us in baggage claim (our bags were waiting for us for us too - that never happens.)!

Once we were all settled in the car, Charlotte, GrandDad and I stopped at McD's for lunch (no black eye this time) and then headed over to Mimi's school for a quick visit. Next, we went to Mimi and GrandDad's house where another surprise was waiting for Charlotte - a brand new play room chock-full of toys! Plus, TWO Christmas trees from which she could steal ornaments!

After a napless afternoon, we headed to PapPap and PopPops for dinner. The GG's were there and Lucy too! Charlotte had a blast with Max, PapPap and PopPop's dog. They did laps upon laps - through the living room, into the kitchen, then to the dining room and back again. Max would bark when Charlotte stopped so she kept going.

Saturday morning we had breakfast with Nona, PapPaw, Aunt KC, Jordan and Jenn. Charlotte was sneaky and put a pancake in Nona's glasses case. Pretty funny, if you ask me. Another surprise - it was snowing after breakfast (Charlotte's first)!

Charlotte and I headed back to Mimi and GrandDad's. She had a little play time with GrandDad while Mimi and I got ready to head out for Aunt Ciara's baby shower. Aunt Karen and cousin Courtney arrived to pick us up and off we went. Charlotte stayed behind with GrandDad for a little milk and a two-hour nap (way to go GrandDad!).

Upon our arrival at the Boyle abode we were greeted with more family, tons of 'I-haven't-seen-in-forever' friends and mountains of food and yummy treats. We stayed the whole afternoon and into the evening. Charlotte (and GrandDad) showed up after nap time to provide the evening's entertainment.

Our flight home was a bit more confined but Charlotte managed well with a little help from Dora and a set of headphones. It sure was a whirlwind weekend! We had a great time and loved getting to spend time with everyone! See ya'll again in two weeks!

Some pics from our weekend!

A Few Of Our Favorite Things...

...that Charlotte is saying lately...

"Oooooh. Wow! Sparkles!" (as we pass the Christmas lights on the way home at night)

"No more shingings!" (when she wants you to stop singing)

No Naps!

No naps the past two days despite our every attempt. Are naps gone too, along with the ra-roo??? (no, please, no - don't let it be - she's not even two yet!)

Tutu + Mommy's Shoes

Here she is, in all her glory prancing around in my shoes and tutu (yes, I say my tutu because it was my tutu when I was little). We asked Santa Claus for a new one - this one is getting a little beat up and I'd like to try and keep it nice. Nostalgia and all. Notice her eye is pretty much healed? There is a little mark but we've been using vitamin E oil and neosporin to help it go away.


See Charlotte 'help' decorate the Christmas tree plus a couple of videos over on FLICKR!

Bye-Bye Ra-Roo

You read right - "Bye-bye, ra-roo!" We started Tuesday night, figuring it'd be best since we had a long holiday weekend in front of us. How'd we do it? We hid all ra-roos but one and cut the tip off. I know, it sounds mean but it is seriously time. Charlotte was quite puzzled by a missing tip and said to both Stevens and I, "Mommy? Daddy? Ra-roo broken?" To which we replied, "Yes, sweetie. Ra-roo broken. It's all gone."

We told her when things are broken and can't be fixed we throw them in the trash for the trashman to come take away. She asked for my hand and we walked to the trashcan. Without hesitation she placed her ra-roo in the trash and waved bye-bye.

It wasn't until she sat down for storytime with Daddy that she truly understood that ra-roo was really gone. Tuesday night was tough - Charlotte cried for an hour and a half. Tuesday morning, the first thing she said was, "Ra-roo broken, Mommy. It's all gone." Wednesday, surprisingly, she took a nap at Vesa's without a fight. She fussed a bit Wednesday night. Thursday was the worst - she was up a lot in the night. Ra-roo was Charlotte's 'soother' and now she has to find another way to soothe.

We've taken it night by night and nap by nap (nap time is especially hard) since Thursday. It hasn't been easy. We're certainly not looking for sympathy, just a way to share. We'll keep you posted.

Thankful

Many thanks to those who are reading and, may you have a safe and happy holiday! We stayed in town, had a low-key day and spent time with great family friends. We'll be up in PA for the Christmas holiday - hope to see ya'll then!

The images below are from our lovely thanksgiving day spread. Thanks you, Mimi and GrandDad, for sending the beautiful flowers!

Charlotte Is Turning Two!

Here's a peek at Charlotte's second birthday party invitations! These bad boys just went out in the mail today and I just couldn't wait to post. Charlotte is Dora-obsessed, folks. Seriously. She completely 'zones' out when it's on tv. Good luck getting her attention...





We really wish everyone could be in attendance for Charlotte's party! But, as the distance is so great, we know it's not always possible. I'll be sure to post lots of party pics and keep ya'll in the loop!

If you'd like to read more about how I put these invitations together, head on over here.

Bruiser

So, yesterday after Daddy's football game, Charlotte and I headed over to McD's for a quick lunch. A quick lunch it was not...

You know how newer McD's give you a cup and you go fill it at the little fill stations off to the side? Yeah, ok. And you know how they have those nice little stainless steel countertops that stick out so you can slide your tray along while you fill? Yeah, well. Charlotte made a bee line for me from across the restaurant while I was filling our beverages and she didn't stop. She ran right into the stainless countertop.

Charlotte now has a black eye just like Daddy's two weeks ago. Click on the photo to see a larger version.


The worst part (besides that silent purple to red in the face blood curdling cry) is that NOT ONE SINGLE McDONALD'S EMPLOYEE came over to make sure Charlotte was ok. Seriously. We were lucky an ENT nurse was there. She came over and helped us out. Thank you ENT lady - I can't remember your name.

FYI - You can still see a little impetigo leftovers. She is still on antibiotic and doing ok.

Last Game Of The Season

Charlotte had a blast running around at Stevens' last flag football game of the season. She played 'soccer', climbed the bleachers and ran up and down a little hill. Oh and yeah, the weather was awesome - 78 and sunny.

More pics and videos here.

Impetigo

The past couple months, Charlotte has had a bit of an issue with a persistent rash right around her nose. It pretty much started when her pulmonologist prescribed Nasonex. When we stopped the Nasonex it would go away. It finally got to the point where it wouldn't go away and the doc switched her to Flonase. Worked for about a week. Rash started to come back. Went to see the ped last Tuesday (or Monday, I can't remember). Got a topical prescription. Got worse. Stopped using topical. Miraculously, her nose looked 100% Saturday morning. Yay! It doesn't stop there...

Fever, coughing and super runny nose come out of nowhere Saturday evening. Sunday morning she wakes and the rash is back 10-fold. Ugh.

Went to the doc this morning. She has impetigo AND a head cold. What is one to do???

Weekend With Nona

Had a lovely weekend with just the girls! Daddy was gone - in NJ for a family wedding. Kids weren't allowed so Charlotte and I invited Nona to come down! Had a lovely time! Thanks, Nona, for everything!


Charlotte has a bit of a rash. We're headed to the doc in the morning to find out what's going on!

Happy Halloween (a day late)

So, this year was Charlotte's first 'real' Halloween. Last year she wasn't even walking and we were out of town (though she did go to dinner as a Lady Bug).

We tried (all week) to get her to say, "Trick or treat," but she just wasn't having it. We trekked up and down our street, despite the rain. By house number 3 she was a pro and held her bucket up to everyone, though most people caved and let her take candy by the handfuls (ugh!). She fell a couple times walking up and down the curb but that surely didn't crush her spirit. She thought it was great and was quite upset when she realized we were walking back up the steps to our house!

BTW - she was supposed to be a BUNNY ballerina. The bunny ears barely lasted 3 minutes.

This photo cracks me up - she was amazed at my reflection and the flash on the fireplace doors. Didn't want to look at Mommy and say, "Cheese!" More photos here.

Jack VIII

Had to replace Jack VII. Poor guy didn't make it what with all the warm, cold, freeze, warm, cold, rain weather we've had. Jack VIII is quite the suitable replacement - done by Daddy. He went all out. You like him?

In The Car

Charlotte in the car this morning (in the drive way, BEFORE we got on the road. I'm not crazy, you know?).

Please take note of the scarf and head band. She pulled the scarf from a hanger in the closet, walked over to me and said, "Hep (help). On. Mommy," and there it stayed until we got to Vesa's. She's not allowed to bring any of her own stuff (to Vesa's) because of possible possession issues so we had to disrobe before entering.

I put the head band on her as she walked by just for fun. She's not a fan of hair accessories. It lasted about 3 minutes.


Oh?! And by the way, she was saying, "CHEESE," as I snapped the pic(s). When I stopped she said, "Mo CHEESE Mommmmmmy!"

First Pumpkin Carving

Charlotte 'carved' her first pumpkin last night!

She was really only interested in tasting the guts at first. It took a little bit for her to catch on and start scooping the contents and placing them in a trash bag (nope! we didn't bake the seeds, maybe next year). And, yes, she ended up wearing most everything she touched!

We had a blast and can't wait to light it!

Mastering The Slide

Charlotte is no longer afraid of the slide! Here she is in action...

Mastering The Slide, originally uploaded by MamaBeaker.

Pumpkin Patch

Went to the pumpkin patch today! Such a difference from last year...Charlotte then...


And, Charlotte now...


More pics from our outing here!

Here, Lizard Lizard

We were greeted by a chameleon Saturday morning. Charlotte really, really liked him and couldn't understand why he scampered away when she banged on the door.

Wedding Weekend

Had a lovely time in Williamsburg, Virginia while attending David + Scottie's wedding. The weather held up wonderfully (thank goodness because it had been a 60% chance of rain for the BIG day) and we even got to trek through downtown Colonial Williamsburg. Thank you to all families - you were great hosts!

Get the flash player here: http://www.adobe.com/flashplayer

Just FYI - if you see a real blurry photo, it's a video. You can view it here! And, more photos from our weekend are here and here.

Chillin' Watching Dora

Here's Charlotte chillin' at the Newport News airport, watching Dora and waiting to pack-up and board the plane.

Purse

Nona (Nana) sent Charlotte a purse. She puts her cell phone and bracelets in it. She likes it. A lot.


And, here she is on our way to Vesa's this morning. We've got baby, Kokoa, sunglasses AND the new purse.

Kokoa

Kokoa is/was my Pound Puppy from when I was a wee little one. She still even has her collar with a heart name tag. It reads, 'Kokoa belongs to Karly'. Kokoa had lots of outfits too, my favorite being a little yellow rain coat, hat and matching paw covers. Mom, you still have that in the attic?

Well, anyhow, enough reminiscing. Quite some time ago, I snuck Kokoa (along with a couple other childhood items of mine) into Charlotte's pile of stuffed animals. The other day you'd have thought she found the next best thing to sliced bread. The past couple of days she and Kokoa have been inseparable. She covers Kokoa's eyes with her big long ears and says, "Night, night Kokoa." It's sweet.

End Of Summer Freeze Pop

Charlotte enjoying a freeze pop outside this afternoon. Weather was finally gorgeous! Can't believe summer is officially over!

Ellie's Third Birthday Party

We had a great time at Ellie's third birthday party. If it weren't for so much darn rain we'd have had the extravaganza at a local park. We had a blast at Mickey D's all the same!

Get the flash player here: http://www.adobe.com/flashplayer

Running Around

Here's Charlotte running around at Stevens' flag football game yesterday. Her cheeks were practically purple by the time we left!

Flag Football Field, originally uploaded by MamaBeaker.

Orange Juice

Charlotte calls orange Gatorade, "Orange juice." She's been obsessed with it since the last time she was sick (two weeks ago).

Running Shoes

Charlotte's first pair of running shoes! Just so you know, she is much quicker now.

Dancing

Dancing in the hallway before her bath. What a goofball...

Dancing, originally uploaded by MamaBeaker.

High Heels

High Heels, originally uploaded by MamaBeaker.

Table + Chairs

When Nana (Nona) was in town the girls took a trip to Ikea to explore table + chair options for Charlotte. We left, disappointed. The set we liked was out of stock. Ikea, luckily, has a nice online inventory check and to my surprise the table was in stock this morning! Woot!


Here's a link to the accompanying video!

Peep Peep

Charlotte peed in the potty this morning! We bought some potty seats while Nana (Nona) was in town but, Charlotte wasn't quite feeling it then.

This morning she brought her potty seat right to me and said, "Peep Peep, Mommy!" So, we headed over to her bathroom, set the seat and stool up and sat, and read and sat a little more. Then, all of a sudden, a tinkling! I jumped for joy, clapping and praising. Charlotte started clapping too and was very excited.

She wasn't quite ready to hop down so we read a little more. Another minute passed and she turned and said, "More peep peep?" To which I replied, "Sure!" She squeezed and more came out!

Amazing. So unexpected.

Say, "What?"

Pease Beaks

WORD KEY
Pease = Please | Beaks = Grapes

The other night at dinner Charlotte, of course, wanted her beaks. Daddy got up, cleaned and brought them to the table. She was adamant that she get them and she get them now, now, now.

Daddy said, "Charlotte, say please."
"No," shaking her head.
Daddy said, "Charlotte, say please, please."
"No. No," still shaking her head.
Daddy said, "Charlotte, say please and you make have your grapes."
"No," still shaking her head, lip starting to curl.

This went on for a good 10 minutes and Charlotte would not give in. Charlotte didn't get any grapes.

The next morning Charlotte and I were in the car and on our way to Vesa's. Suddenly, Charlotte was 'practicing' in her mirror..."Pease, beaks." Over and over again.

That night she said, "Pease beaks?" Charlotte got her grapes.

End note — way to go Daddy for persevering! I was a wimp and wanted to leave the room.

Weekly Words WRAP-UP

It's official. Must. Stop. Adding. Words. I can't keep up. As of this date, here are the words she uses on a regular basis...

Walk
Eh-fant (Elephant)
Backpack
Bu-shies (Buses)
Wawer (Water)
Pool
Uck (Stuck)
Down
Hand
Water
All Gone / Done
Emma
Poo Poo
Cook
Hear
Eat
Stoo (Stool)
A-do (Uncle Adrian)
EE-go (Rodrigo)
Mario
Bear
Mimi (Gammy)
Gra-Da (GrandDad)
E (Ear)
Eye
Fru (Fruit)
Boo
Nice
Uh Oh
Mia (Friend @ Daycare)
Sky
No (Nose)
Uck (Truck)
Ball
Do It
Gago (Gotta Go)
Ra-roo (pacifier)
Cracker
Mo (More)
Hi Da-da
Ow (Ouch)
Say
Momma | Mommy
Gos (Goats)
Go Go Go
Bye Bye
Hi
Beya (Vesa)
Bishies
Night Night
Melmo (Elmo)
Baby
Boon (Spoon)
Ba (Up)
Daisy
No No No
Da-da

I do have to mention that Charlotte has been crazy with two-word phrases this week. Last night Daddy's phone rang and she said to me, "Daddy's phone?" This morning it was, "Mommy's shoes." Seems like she is starting to understand ownership.

Under The Weather

Been under the weather this past week. Charlotte woke with a fever Monday and stayed home with Daddy. Tuesday morning - no fever, so off we went to Vesa's. She had a pretty good day; was just a little quieter than normal. The trek home is where it got real interesting - ever have a child vomit ALL OVER THE BACK SEAT?

Yeah. She did. It was awful. Thank goodness we were pretty much in the drive way when it happened. Scooped her out in a towel and headed straight for the bathtub. She had major chills and a sudden fever of 104. Not fun.

I stayed home with her Wednesday and we took a trip to the doc. Got some anti-vomit medication and a sure fire diagnosis of 'the virus that is going around' that she probably picked it up from our trip to Imagine It! What a souvenir!

We are still home today since it's been less that 24 hours since her last fever. No sign of another, so far, today. Poor thing. It's been a tough couple of days - for everyone.

Weekly Words

Bean. Juice. You name it, she pretty much says it. It's getting to the point where it's hard to remember! Thinking of taking "Charlotte's Words" (over on the right) down. It's only going to get longer and we're going to run out of space soon!

Imagine It!

Our trip with Nana to Imagine It! Children's Museum of Atlanta...

Get the flash player here: http://www.adobe.com/flashplayer

Swim Lessons With Daddy

Finally got some shots of Charlotte with Daddy in swim class! They are a bit blurry, I know - I have to steer clear and remain out of sight Charlotte doesn't freak - I took them from outside and through a window. Oh, the things parents do! Here's a little video too...

Swim Lessons With Daddy, originally uploaded by MamaBeaker.

Weekly Words

Nona (Banana). Beebop (Freeze Pop). Bakes (Grapes) has now turned into Beaks; don't know why. Sh-wopper (Chopper).

2+ word phrases are also increasing! Mommy sit. Baby sit. Bye-bye Daddy (...Mommy, Baby...). Yesterday on Skype, she told Mimi and Gra-d, "Baby beebop (freezpop) too," because she had been 'sharing' a freezepop with Baby earlier in the day.

In GrandDad's Shoes

Some day, Charlotte will not be happy that videos like this have been posted :).

Walking In GrandDad's Shoes, originally uploaded by MamaBeaker.

Weekly Words

Backpack, because Dora has one. Elephant ('eh-fant'), just because. Walk. Buses (kinda comes out like 'bus-ies').

How To Feed A Toddler

I post this, because people have asked - "How do you feed a toddler?" Let me start by saying dinner time is never an easy time as an overly tired baby who refuses a second nap can be quite unpredictable. You just kinda go with the flow. However, we have found some great products that help wonderfully...


The Fisher Price Healthy Care Booster Seat has been a staple since I can't even remember. Charlotte now uses it without the tray, pushed up to the table. The height is adjustable and it fits perfectly.

Talk about an item we thought we'd never use because it just sat in the drawer F O R E V E R - the Kiddopotamus Tiny Diner Placemat. The placemat sticks fast to the table with suction cups and even works for a round table (which ours is). The best part is the 'tray' that hangs over the edge to catch all debri (yes, there is a lot of debri and the dogs love it).

Charlotte's table setting is the Skip Hop Mate. The web site claims that the 'mat' part is 'stay-put'. I beg to differ, hence the Tiny Diner Placemat (when you put the mate and tiny diner placemat together, you've really got 'stay-put', just FYI). The little plate is removable and microwaveable and you can even buy replacements should you need to. It comes with a set of plasticware as well however, the spoon is kind of shallow and makes it hard for scooping. We use these spoons. They are very malleable and work well with a toddler's rough and tumble table-top maneuvers.

The bib hanging over the chair? It's a Bumkins Junior Bib. We've been using Bumkins since we started feeding Charlotte solids - all the way back to four months old. A catch-all pocket and slots for arms allow for it to stay put and catch any extra debri. They are very durable and hold up well washing after washing (with mild soap at the kitchen sink).

We've found what works for us and hope that it'll help you! Here's to a happy dinner time!

18 Month Check-Up (A Little Late)

Charlotte had her 18 month check-up this morning! Seeing as she IS 19 months old now, I can understand your confusion. Quite honestly, I just forgot to make the appointment. I try. Everyone slips now and again.

Stats - 33 inches tall and 26 pounds. That is 86 and 77 for all the percentile nuts out there. Growing like a weed and doesn't miss a beat. Gammy came along for our visit. When the doctor left the room Charlotte blew her a kiss and said, "Ciao!"

Ra-Roo Plan UPDATE

K. It didn't go so well. Just didn't happen. It will though, in time.

Weekly Words

Ciao. Baka (Grandma in Bosnian). Bag (she always runs to get her 'bag' at the end of the day so we can go home). Sit (kinda sounds like 'shit', very funny). Bapes (grapes). Honey. Look. Waggy (her little car she motors around on). Car. Bay-kie (blankie).

Anything Goes

Raspberries

This was our car ride home (you'll need the volume for this one).

Raspberries, originally uploaded by MamaBeaker.

Ra-Roo Plan

So call us crazy - we're going to start the weaning process from the Ra-Roo (pacifier). Oh dear baby Jesus, puh-lease give us the strength to get through this. We are starting Friday.

Weekly Words

Wawer (water). Pool.

Mets, Braves Game

Had a great time with Uncle Peezy and Miss. Gretchen at the Mets, Braves game. Too bad the Mets didn't win :(

Throwing The Ball

Started swim lessons today! We are to focus on teaching our little ones how to use their arms, how to float and how to climb out of the pool. I think Charlotte had the most fun throwing the ball during our five minute 'free' swim.

Throwing The Ball, originally uploaded by MamaBeaker.

A New Baby

A couple weeks ago Charlotte got sick on Baby. Real sick. We called Babyland General Hospital for advice on what to do and they recommended (not guaranteed) to wash baby in the washing machine in a pillow case and then place her (still in the pillow case) in the dryer. We thought it worked but Baby has suddenly developed a couple of black spots of which we assume to be mold and can't think of where else she would have acquired said black spots. Since we're not sure, Baby is hiding out in Daddy's underwear drawer for a little bit.

In the meantime, however, we took a trip to the toy store and picked up a new baby - Baby Tidoo. Tidoo is 100% washable AND can be placed in the bath tub for tub time fun. Charlotte seems to like Baby Tidoo just fine so far, though she is clueless in regard to the tub time fun part. We'd like to keep it that way 'cause lord knows what would end up in the tub!

Tip: Pick a baby that is 100% washable so you don't have to be worried if black spots show up!

Weekly Words

Another word explosion this past week!

Adding cook, poo poo, Emma (the pup we dog sat this past week), water, hand, stuck (also 'uck', not to be confused with 'uck' for truck), down and all gone / all done (while sigining) to the list.

She likes to "cook" in her new kitchen. And she asks for your "hand" and likes to walk you around the living room, in circles.

AND, she has been using some two-word combos and phrases..."Hi, Daddy!", "Bye, Daddy!", "Here we go!", and "Where are you?" / "How are you?".

Happy Anniversary

Today is our 7-year anniversary. It's hard to believe 7 years has really gone by - we've done so much and have had so much fun. We've graduated, we've moved, acquired two furry 'kids', bought a car, a house and, best yet, we welcomed Charlotte.

Love you Steve-O. Here's to the next seven (raising my faux mojito glass because I'm at work)!

The photo above is from our honeymoon in Jamaica (Dunns River Falls).

Swim Class

Charlotte (actually, we ALL do since Mommy and/or Daddy needs to be in the pool with her) starts swim class this coming Saturday. Direct result of 'fearless' behavior this past Saturday while at Uncle Matt and Aunt Carly's pool. She freaked me out.

Check out Sarah's School Of Fish. Maybe they would like me to redesign their web site? Hmmm.

Mr. Brown Can Moo. Can You?

Stevens was gone all weekend and he brought a cow rain jacket back for Charlotte. How fitting - it poured last night AND this morning so she got to wear it right away! Ok. So, she doesn't exactly look too happy in this photo but, I assure you she was just fine right after and was walking around munching on a cracker. She didn't want to take it off when we got to Vesa's.

BTW - 'Mr. Brown Can Moo. Can You?' is one of Charlotte's most favorite (Dr. Seuss) books.

New Kitchen

A brand spankin' new kitchen was waiting for Charlotte when we got home Tuesday (we put it together Monday night). A gift from Gammy (Mimi) + GrandDad (Gra-d). Thanks guys. She absolutely loves it. And, even likes to wear her apron. See more pics and a video too!

Change(s)

In case ya'll haven't noticed, there have been some changes to the 'look' of BabyBeaker. Hope you enjoy!

Mockery

We've caught Charlotte mocking us lately - especially Daddy. See below. The pic is a bit blurry (taken on an iPhone). Priceless.

Weekly Words

New words this week (added to the growing list on the right, of course) include...Mario and ee-go (friends at daycare, the latter is Rodrigo), 'B' for Brynne, Ado for Uncle Adrian and 'Stoo' for stool.

Bathroom Stool

This weekend we bought Charlotte a stool for her bathroom sink. Now she can see to brush her hair and teeth. She loves it. If we're upstairs and its suddenly quiet it's a pretty sure bet that she's in her bathroom, on the stool looking at herself. Here she is this morning...

'D' Is For Daddy

Here's a little peek at what Charlotte gave to Stevens for Father's Day. An Ikea frame with custom mat we'll update every year with new artwork.


I sent him on a golf outing, made dinner, washed and folded all laundry and even went to the grocery store. Think he had a pretty good day ;)

Potato Soup

Here's Charlotte showing her spoon skills with potato soup. She tries really hard but it is much more fun to make a mess.

Potato Soup, originally uploaded by MamaBeaker.

Cracker Obsession

I think it is safe to say that Charlotte is obsessed with crackers. Not only can't we say the word anymore but, we can't even let her see the box. She goes crazy and does this little dance because she wants one so bad. It's funny. They're just saltines people.

Charlotte's Words

I added a new sidebar over to the right --> see it? It's called 'Charlotte's Words'. Her 'speech' has really been picking up as of late and I wanted to document all the words she uses on a daily basis. The list does not include all the words she has just started repeating (since they aren't used every day...yet) - it's crazy. Like Pete and Repeat in the Young household the past couple days!

How To Wear A Bra

Bras from a Victoria's Secret Sample Showroom a friend gave to me to try. I think Charlotte had a much better time trying them on that I did!

Our Last Evening + Morning

We stayed at the beach pretty late, not wanting the day to end. Slowly, but surely, we headed back to the condo, showered up and headed over to Kurama for hibachi. Here we are just before our return to Georgia...


Thanks Mom + Dad and Adrian + Ciara for such a wonderful week! We miss ya'll like crazy! You can click on the slideshow to the right to see the rest of our pics!

Girl's Night

The guys were off on a late afternoon golf outing so that meant a girls night for the rest of us! We started at Legacy Photo for a photo shoot review from last evening and then headed over to the Shelter Cove Marina for dinner and window shopping...

We ate at Bistro 17, a charming restaurant right along the water with a traditional French bistro menu. Delish. We finished just in time to go down to the amphitheater and listen to Shannon Tanner, children's music entertainer extraordinaire. Besides taking a tumble down the steps, Charlotte really enjoyed the music and company of the other kids...

Family Photos + Fuddrucker's

Headed to Fuddrucker's for dinner and then down to the beach for family photos. Everyone, I repeat EVERYONE was dressed in white and khaki. It was pretty funny. Sue, from Legacy Photo, was wonderful and gifted Charlotte quite a fancy shell. She even did quite a great job at NOT capturing Charlotte's swollen eye. Woot.

Chicken Casserole + The Hangover

Stayed in for dinner this evening and had Mimi's famous chicken casserole. Mmm good. We had planned on going to see the fireworks but the little lady just had enough - too much time spent in doctor's offices makes for a sleepy babe. Charlotte stayed with Mimi + GrandDad while the other adults went to see The Hangover. Laughed. So. Hard. Wow. Highly recommended, folks. Might even buy this one when it comes out on DVD.

Bug Bite

Charlotte woke with her left eye practically swollen shut. Two emergency clinic visits and one trip to the opthomologist later we learned that she was most likely bit by a bug of some sort near her eye. She's on an oral antibiotic and should be back to normal within 72 hours. Think Mike Tyson without the black + blue. Poor thing.

Schooner Welcome

Sailed upon the Schooner Welcome. A three-hour tour. Absolutely amazing. Sailed through a large breeding ground for dolphins and were entertained by a number of mother's, babies and mid-wives (did you know dolphins have midwives?). BTW - Jeremy and Marissa (owners) are the most nicest people ever. Here are some of our favorite pics...

CQ's + Harbour Town Marina

Had a blast at the beach this afternoon! Charlotte is still a little hesitant with the big ole' body of water. We imagine she'll be just fine come the end of the week though!

Went to CQ's in Sea Pines - without a doubt, the BEST food ever. Had a wedge salad, grilled white salmon with succotash and lots of bites of everyone else's. Simply amazing. We were right across the street from Harbour Town Marina so we waddled on over there to work off dinner afterwards...

Steamer's Seafood

Had a great evening at Steamer's Seafood - yummy food, neat boutiques and great company. Our waiter was a ding-a-ling space cadet but we still managed just fine...

3309 We Have Arrived!

Arrived about 2 o'clock. Trip was pretty uneventful. Charlotte managed quite well until the end when hunger got the best of her (despite stopping to eat); I think she was just ready to be out of the car - as were we! We met up with Gammy (now Mimi), GrandDad, Uncle Ado + Aunt CC at the Palmetto Dunes general store to get our weekly pass and then followed them the rest of way to Windsor Court South. Here are some pics from our balcony...

Headed To The Beach

We're headed to Hilton Head for the week! Will post upon return!

Skip Hop Studio Tote

For Mother's Day I received the most wonderful *NEW* diaper bag. Would have posted before but, I just received it (shipping fiasco) - the Skip Hop Studio Tote. It's truly amazing. Very chic and classic. Looks more like a handbag than diaper bag. TONS, and I mean TONS, of storage compartments and super roomy. I have an exclusive 'Mommy' compartment, a snack compartment, one slot that houses the diapers, another the wipes, another slot just for disposable placemats and scented diaper bags and the list goes on. There are even some compartments that I haven't put anything in yet! What can I say, I'm a sucker for organization. I like everything to have it's own place. It still has stroller straps and even a unique zip pocket protected by Agion that will be wonderful for all our ra-roos. And, I can't forget to mention the lovely little nickle feet on the bottom PLUS a huge interior (between all those pockets and slots) for a change or two of clothes. I could go on and on 'bout this bag. It's great.

Looking back, I really truly loved my Bumble Bag but, after more than a year of daily, rough + tumble usage, I'm sure you understand that it has seen better days.

What a wonderful upgrade! Thanks Daddy-O! Thanks Charli!

Puts On Shoes

Charlotte enjoys taking her Crocs off AND putting them back on! It's quite a challenge to get them back on but she does it. She'll sit for fifteen minutes until she gets it right!

No!

Caught on video! Charlotte when she doesn't want something. She waves her right hand and says, "Noooo!"

No!, originally uploaded by MamaBeaker.

Polly Want A Cracker?

No, but Charlotte does. Here she is asking for one...

Cracker, originally uploaded by MamaBeaker.
We were having soup and sandwich for dinner, had some crackers and offered one to Charlotte. She looked at me, then at Stevens and just said it, plain as day - "Cracker". Amazing and funny, it absolutely rendered us both speechless.

Roseola UPDATE

Just wanted to let ya'll know that Charlotte is definitely on the mend! She woke up Saturday morning with a smattering of rosy dots that quickly spread into a full body rash by Sunday. It is mostly gone now. Strange virus.

Peach!

There is a new roadside fresh-fruit and -veggie stand on our way home from work - FINALLY! Stands like this are few and far between in Atlanta and is one of the things we miss most about PA. We've stopped twice so far and everything has been delicious. Here's Charlotte with her favorite...

Peach!, originally uploaded by MamaBeaker.

Roseola

We have been home the past two days, diagnosed with roseola. Not so fun. A 3-5 day, low-grade fever during the day spikes at night to 103 which will be followed by an all-over body rash as the virus heads on out. Poor thing.

We stayed in our jammies all day long. Had some Chic-Fil-A for lunch. And, as the afternoon went on, Charlotte became a bit stir-crazy so we headed outside for a little...some sidewalk chalk, and manning the leashes while the doggies did their business was enough to tire her out for a late afternoon nap...

We won't be participating in our planned festivities for the weekend since she is contagious but that's ok so long as she gets better! Hang in there Charli-Bear!

Growth Chart

We've started to document Charlotte's growth on the door way to the office. She's growing so fast!

Headed To Boston

Headed to Boston today for a bridal shower. Should be a great time and I am looking forward to the festivities however, it's the first time I will have EVER been away from Charlotte. Was hard (for me) to say good-bye this morning - she, of course, has no understanding just yet.

I have loaded the first season of The Tudors onto my new iPod (thanks, babe) and have lots of magazines to peruse, plus a new book to start. Lots of little things to keep me busy to and from.

Sunday - you can't come fast enough!

First Cheeseburger

Charlotte has had cheeseburgers before - all cut up, of course. This was her first 'real' cheeseburger eaten in true form. She ate the whole thing (and some pasta AND some corn). And she kept giving kisses in between bites.

First Cheeseburger, originally uploaded by MamaBeaker.

The Last Bottle

Bye-bye bottles.

Everyone (at least those who frequent BabyBeaker) knows of our trials and tribulations with the bottle to sippy transition. Well, we made it. Charlotte is now on all sippy cups. No bottles. Anymore. No trace of strawberry milk either. I give to you...The. Very. Last. One.


We're going to miss the bottle bonding but I'm sure we'll find some other ways to get the very-much-needed-snuggles in some where!