BabyBeaker

Christmas Lights

2011-12-11T09:25:00.000-05:00

Some snippets from our evening viewing of the Atlanta Botanical Garden holiday nights light display. Sure was chilly, but we had a lovely time...
Oh the faces she makes...

22 Weeks, 3 Days

2011-12-09T10:00:00.000-05:00

A little funnin' around with baby number two's first Santa photo...

Been feeling pretty great though I still can't seem to shake all the tiredness. Love the feeling of number two moving around all the time - especially when I take a moment to sit and chill.

We've chosen a name! But, hold tight, I'm gonna look around for some crafty way to formally announce on the internets :)

Surprised? Even Charlotte got a little more Santa time in!

Richard + Chopper

2011-12-09T09:56:00.001-05:00

Not really sure where to start with this one. Perhaps with an introduction? Readers, meet Richard (click on the link). Richard, meet readers.

Richard, affectionately named by Stevens, is my pregnancy pillow. Pregnancy pillow you ask? Oh yes! It's really one of those items that I always rolled my eyes at when other preggo ladies made mention. But with pregnancy number two it's been impossible for me to get comfortable and I was up for trying anything. Richard is a marshmallow dream. Just ask Chopper...

(note: the video is a little dark at first, but then Stevens turns on a light)

A Few Of Our Favorite Things

2011-12-07T16:38:00.000-05:00

• Loves to make up her own songs
• Writes her first name all by herself (and the word MOMMY too!)
• Thinks my name is Mommy Karly Young
• I'm not allowed to have Alexandra as a middle name because it is hers
• Sets the dinner table
• Knows when you miss (or skip) a page in a book
• She's so affectionate and tells us several times a day that she loves us
• Puts together a 60 piece puzzle in no time
• Collects rocks and puts them in her "Rock Collection Bag"
• Calls Chopper her buddy

HoHoHo

2011-12-04T16:25:00.000-05:00

Oh the faces she makes...

This year marks the fourth year that we have trekked to B. Braithwaite for Alice Park to take our photos! Thanks again, Alice! Such a lovely job!

2010 2009 2008

We're Having Another Girl!

2011-11-29T16:17:00.000-05:00

Results are in! We're having another little lady and we couldn't be more excited! Below is a video, by Stevens, that captures it all...

Before we walked in, Charlotte told the technician that she wanted a baby brudder (that's how she pronounces it). She was very hopeful that there would be a boy in my tummy for Chopper - notice she said, "...but we already have Daisy-dog..."? So sweet!

Two white lines mean a girl (see the arrow?)...
We're still measuring right on time with a due date of April 10th and our little lady is weighing in at just about 13 ounces.

20 Weeks, 5 Days

2011-11-27T15:56:00.001-05:00

Hello! Hello! Hello! We have reached the halfway point! Yay! The anticipation continues to build as Tuesday's gender check appointment approaches oh so slowly!

I still say girl and Stevens still says boy - Charlotte decided to change her mind at about 18 weeks and now believes we're having a boy. No idea what provoked that! Looking at the tally over on the right everyone, along with the newly converted Charlie, believes it'll be a boy too.

Tuesday?! You can't come soon enough!

For comparison's sake, here we are at 21 weeks with Charlotte :)

Getting Ready For Christmas

2011-11-25T15:50:00.000-05:00

Very excited to be finally getting ready for Christmas! We have all been under the weather the past couple of days. Hoping to post more photos of the glitz and glam soon!

Bump, Bump

2011-11-15T09:47:00.000-05:00

Stevens felt our little grasshopper move for the first time tonight! The look on his face made me melt - it was kinda like falling in love all over again.

17 Weeks, 5 Days

2011-11-06T16:24:00.000-05:00

And just for comparison's sake - here I am at 17 weeks with Charlotte :)

A Few Of Our Favorite Things

2011-11-04T13:14:00.001-04:00

• When Charlotte "whispers" to the baby (we have no idea what she is saying)
• Her whispers really aren't whispers - they're really loud, unless she is talking to the baby
• She can buckle herself into her big girl car seat without any help
• Charlotte asks at least every other day if it is time to decorate for Christmas. She has been asking since we undecorated last season.
• She has been "working" for chore money. One chore = one penny.
• Gets excited when it rains because it means she can wear her monkey boots and monkey slicker
• Loves to "help" Daddy make dinner every night

Our Purple Princess

2011-10-31T16:18:00.000-04:00

Charlotte wanted more than anything to be a "purple princess" for Halloween. Maybe she was channeling Rapunzel?

Getting Ready For Halloween

2011-10-30T16:16:00.000-04:00

Boy Or Girl?

2011-10-28T11:57:00.000-04:00

All righty, folks. It's official - we will be finding out the gender of baby two on November 29th! That gives everyone just a little less than one month to vote (over on the right side of this page) :)

I've pretty much been feeling awful since six weeks (Zofran was my bestie for quite some time), but have been fortunate enough the past couple of days to actually feel somewhat human again. Have I reached the light at the end of the tunnel??? Based mostly on the all day nausea and vomiting, I voted "girl".

Stevens, however, is a firm believer that we'll be having a boy, despite seeing firsthand just how yuck I've truly been feeling.

Charlotte? Well, Charlotte is oh so certain that number two is a "sissy." Hands down. No questions asked. Stevens tries to fool her and will say, "When your little brother gets here...," and she'll respond - "Daddy! It's a little girl in there!" She doesn't miss a beat.

And then enters our little friend, the grasshopper (I'm sure you've been wondering about that photo up there). Well...

Just so happens I work on the 11th floor of a high rise. Not sure what made me turn around the other day, but when I did there was a grasshopper on my window! Did I mention I work on the 11th floor?

It kinda got me to thinking - how is it even possible for a grasshopper to be up so high? But, more importantly - why? And then I got to thinking about symbolism. Aren't grasshoppers supposed to bring you luck? A little trip to the Google fixed that...

"As a Chinese symbol, the grasshopper offers attributes of longevity, happiness, good health, good luck, wealth, abundance, fertility and virtue. In fact, grasshoppers were thought to be fertility symbols; specifically omens of the birth of a son (hence, another reason for its good luck symbol status as sons are considered prized gems within the setting of the family)."

Did you get goosebumps too after reading that?

So, what are you waiting for? Cast your vote! We would love to know what everyone thinks! You think maybe some belly pics would help?

source

Burt's Farm

2011-10-08T13:20:00.000-04:00

Continuing our new family tradition, we headed to Burt's Farm again, but this year Mimi and GrandDad were in tow! I'm pretty sure we ended up with somewhere around 25 pumpkins, all of varying sizes and colors (and no, I'm really not joking)...

The Good, The Bad + The Fantastic

2011-09-23T11:29:00.000-04:00

There has been lots going on "behind the scenes" that I haven't really been ready to post about, until now. SO, here goes...

(The Good)
I have a new job and I start on Monday, September 26th!

(The Bad)
Just a few days before we left for our week in Hilton Head, I was laid off (August 5th to be exact). Shocking, yes. Did I see it coming? Well, probably...

Back in July, it was announced that the company I worked for was going to be sold. We all thought there wasn't much to worry about until a sale was final. Clearly, we thought wrong because my entire marketing team was let go. All on the same day. It was truly awful.

I honestly felt that I had finally found "the" place. The place that I would remain long term. And, my team. Boy oh boy. My team was fantastic. It was so hard to let go because of them.

I guess you can say vacation couldn't have come at a better time. And, while on vacation...

(The Fantastic)

We found out we are expecting our second child! Charlotte is going to be a big sister! A positive test on August 10th, confirmed by doctor on September 2nd. This is our first "official" announcement and I have such goosebumps while writing this :)

We're due April 10th and are currently 11.5 weeks. We just couldn't contain ourselves any longer. Charlotte already knows and is super excited (more on that later!)! Our first ultrasound is below...

...and here is an early glimpse at my already growing belly (10 weeks and 5 days)...

The look of the blog has been updated too! Lots of (good!) changes going on all over the place! Be sure to check out all of the NEW links under "Find Your Way Around" (on the right)!

Singing In The Rain

2011-09-22T11:45:00.000-04:00

Weekend With Uncle Ado

2011-09-19T14:32:00.000-04:00

Uncle Ado came into town for the Eagles/Falcons game. Charlotte couldn't have been happier...

Dress Like Daddy Day

2011-08-30T14:29:00.000-04:00

Hilton Head

2011-08-15T14:41:00.000-04:00

Had a fantastic time (again) this year while vacationing in Hilton Head. Below are some of our most favorite moments...

• Beach time
• The pool
• Storytime with GrandDad

• A crab carcass

• Ice cream from the General Store

• Faces with cookie crumbs

• Tide pools

• The speed boat

• Swimming in the bay

• "Jumping" off the speed boat

• The Shannon Tanner Show

• Sand crabs

• Feeding the turtles

• Jumping on the bed

A Few Of Our Favorite Things

2011-08-02T14:53:00.009-04:00

• Charlotte loves to hug her friends at preschool
• Princesses are #1
• We read the same book most every night
• Charlotte doesn't like her purple Crocs. She says, "They don't let my legs run fast."
• Calls her flip flops, "flippies"
• Always wants to go to the nail salon to have her fingers and toes painted
• Requests to wear a dress everyday
• When upset, she hangs her head to her chest and pouts her lip
• When she wants to dance she says, "Dance me, Mommy (or Daddy)!"
• Loves to have her hair braided

A Trip To PA

2011-07-31T11:09:00.000-04:00

With child, the two pups and a Passat Wagon filled to the gills we made our way to PA this past weekend. Why the sudden road trip? We traded in the waggie for a brand new Kia Sorento 2012. It rocks. I've secretly named it Kate Middleton. Let's see how long it takes for Stevens to read this post and say something. Hehe.

Besides the car haggling (just joking, not really) and signing a ton of paper work (seriously it was like signing our lives away), we got to spend lots of time with some of our favorites...

...and we're headed out of town again this coming weekend for a whole week in Hilton Head!

Making Faces

2011-07-25T14:40:00.000-04:00

More Ice Cream

2011-07-22T14:26:00.005-04:00

We turned right around and had more ice cream tonight! What was so special this time around?

• While at Sweet Treats, Charlotte met another little girl named Charlotte. The new Charlotte was also three. They ran around and played on the train calling each other "friend" because they couldn't remember each other's name.

• Our Charlotte had her first ice cream CONE :) It was a melty success.

Dinner With Mimi + GrandDad, Ice Cream & Playing On The Train

2011-07-21T11:50:00.000-04:00

While Mimi and GrandDad were in town, we enjoyed a tasty dinner with friends at Shillings on the Square (our first time eating there even though it's a stones throw) followed by ice cream at Sweet Treats (a favorite) and little fun on the train.

Nine Years

2011-07-13T11:37:00.004-04:00

We had a low-key (cards only) nine-year anniversary celebration this year. It was simply lovely. Our trip to Sapporo Japanese Steak & Sushi was a hit, as always. Charlotte LOVES the miso soup and is always continuously amazed when they light up the grille (see last photo).

Happy anniversary darlin. Here here to another 9 and many, many more. How about next year we hire the sitter?

Shared Workspace

2011-07-08T11:20:00.006-04:00

Charlotte woke with a fever today and lucky for me Thursdays are my work-from-home day so I kept her with me. We set up at the kitchen table - Charlotte on one side with the iPad, me on the other with my laptop. Looking over my laptop, these are the faces I saw...

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

...as she was watching The Wonder Pets on NetFlix.

Happy Fourth!

2011-07-04T09:00:00.002-04:00

Sure was a good thing we opted to make our paper sparklers - we were rained out this year! we use this tutorial from Liz Stanley and substituted construction paper for the vellum :) And, just in case you were wondering, our straws are from Garnish.

A New Desk

2011-07-02T14:29:00.001-04:00

Charlotte has a new-ish desk! I say "new-ish" because it's really quite old - it was my father's as a boy and then mine as a girl and has sat in our laundry rec area since we bought our house (four years ago). It just randomly occurred to me the other day to clean it up and hand over the ownership! It does still need a little tlc - Daddy is working on repairing the bottom drawer and we're keeping an eye out for a replacement chair (it's missing a part and a tad to wobbly). Charlotte absolutely loves it as-is though; she says it's for her "business works" and retires there nightly!

Do I spy a SweetBeaker pencil cup? Yeah, yeah. I know. But, hey! A little self advertisement never hurts!

Red, White + Blue Parade

2011-06-30T14:47:00.003-04:00

I had the pleasure of attending Charlotte's Red, White + Blue parade this AM. She had such a good time and was so excited I was there; I even stayed through snack time! Sure would be great to make like a fly, hang out on the wall and see what her day is really like! Head over here for a video.

A Dad's Day

2011-06-19T16:39:00.003-04:00

Since we gave Stevens his Father's Day present (an iPad) three weeks ago (we just couldn't wait), I still wanted to do something to make his day seriously special. Some paper, ink and a whole lotta slicing later we presented him with a quick art installation entitled, "100 Reasons Why We Love You." As he walked up the steps from an early morning golf outing, this is what he saw...

And, of course, Father's Day would not be complete without some handmade preschool goodness...

Happy Father's Day, darlin. You're the best daddy a little girl could ever hope for. Thank you for all that you are and all that you do - we love you!

Milestone :: First Swim Lesson

2011-06-18T11:24:00.004-04:00

It's that time of year and Charlotte is now signed up for swim lessons! We decided on private lessons for now and once she is bumped up a level we'll move her to a small class. She had a great time with her instructor, Miss. Holly, floating on her back, pulling herself out of the pool and judging distance for under water objects.

Loves To Paint

2011-06-11T16:31:00.005-04:00

The "Princess" Cut

2011-06-06T16:23:00.003-04:00

Believe it or not, Charlotte hasn't had a hair cut until now! Three and a half years and it's down to her waist when wet! Yes, I've been holding out. And, yes, I have come to terms. One or two tears may have been shed. And, really, it was only an inch or two. She wasn't too gung-ho about the whole idea until we told her it was a "princess" cut. That pretty much sealed the deal.

The Kitchen Windowsill

2011-06-05T16:19:00.001-04:00

All freshly picked and/or planted and grown by Charlotte. Sure does bring a smile to my face come dish time.

Princess Dance Class

2011-06-05T16:12:00.002-04:00

Remember I mentioned how much Charlotte loves princesses (see here, here and here)? Well, summer session preschool offers a princess dance class that covers tap and ballet. The theme? Every princess minds her manners. The end result? A princess ball and recital. Oh boy, are we in for a treat.

My Favorites

2011-06-04T16:09:00.000-04:00

Memorialooza

2011-06-04T16:05:00.002-04:00

I'm pretty sure this is the sixth year in a row that we have attended (since the very beginning). Thanks for such a good time, Peezy! Charlotte is now an official "Joe's Band" groupie...

And just when she realized Mommy was getting all this dancing on camera...

Milestone :: Preschool 2

2011-05-31T14:59:00.001-04:00

Charlotte has now "graduated" from Preschool 1 to Preschool 2. Next stop, Pre-K!

She Still Won't Look Directly At The Camera...

2011-05-30T16:02:00.003-04:00

...unless I get lucky...

...this is what I usually get...

Two Peas In A Pod

2011-05-30T15:58:00.002-04:00

I Love That Face

2011-05-28T15:56:00.001-04:00

The Return Of The Orange Pool

2011-05-28T15:51:00.002-04:00

We can all breath a sigh of relief - the orange pool survived winter in the shed! Not a hole to be found! Let pool season in the driveway begin!

A Weekend With Nana + PapPaw

2011-05-15T15:44:00.003-04:00

We ate, we shopped and even had a little nail salon time! Another weekend well spent with family! Sure does make us miss living so close!

Thank You For A Happy Mother's Day

2011-05-08T15:28:00.005-04:00

I like to think that I am the luckiest Mommy in the whole world. Thank you, Charlotte, for being the loveliest little lady; I'm so proud to be your Mommy.

To My Mom
Thank you for giving me all the love and support I could have ever hoped for.

To My Mother-In-Law, Tina
Thank you for raising the most amazing son a girl could have ever wished for to look her way.

To All
Please pardon the "I just woke up and totally look like it," unwashed and harried appearance you are about to experience. I know both mom's have already looked past it; they're good like that.

Football Season

2011-05-01T15:19:00.003-04:00

Lucky for Charlotte, flag football season is upon us and that means she gets to be outside and hang out on the jungle gym while Daddy is on the field...

Easter Weekend

2011-04-23T15:10:00.001-04:00

Local Festival

2011-04-22T14:58:00.003-04:00

We ended the week on a high note and headed to a local Shriner's festival right around the corner from our house. Just so you know, it's not often we get to say, "...right around the corner..." living in Atlanta. It was a first for Charlotte and I think it's safe to say she might like to go back again some day...

Faux Napping

2011-04-17T14:55:00.000-04:00

Caught Red Handed

2011-04-16T14:53:00.001-04:00

Pick A Winner

2011-04-15T14:52:00.000-04:00

Kids + Chicken Costumes

2011-04-15T14:44:00.002-04:00

What's the best thing about Easter? Kids and handmade chicken costumes parading through a parking lot saying, "Flap, flap. Flap, flap." Charlotte was so happy to have Mimi and myself in attendance for The annual Primrose Easter Parade. An Easter egg hunt followed and I'll be honest - Charlotte cleaned house. Click here for a video.

A Footlong Hot Dog

2011-04-13T14:38:00.005-04:00

GrandDad has been in town since Sunday and after picking Mimi up from the airport we headed to a Brave's game. Charlotte consumed an entire footlong hot dog all by herself. Seriously.

She Swings

2011-04-03T14:34:00.002-04:00

It's April in the South, folks, and that means it's time to break out the shorts and put the coats away! And, just so you know, Charlotte can swing all by herself now. She learned at preschool. A little help up and off she goes!

Spring Sing

2011-03-28T14:27:00.002-04:00

Charlotte's Spring Sing recital was this AM. Can I tell you how ridiculously cute it was? We grinned from ear to ear and beamed with delight. The set list you ask? None other than a little Zippity Doo Dah, Chocolate (in Spanish, mind you), Chicken Pie and I Can Sing A Rainbow. We encountered a little stage fright, but nothing so great that performance was effected. Live action videos can be found over here.

A Visit From PapPap + PopPop

2011-03-27T13:48:00.000-04:00

With lots of lounging, a little shopping and tons of food, we had a seriously fantastic and relaxing time with PapPap and PopPop. So glad y'all came down for a visit!

Milestone :: The Big Potty

2011-03-05T14:49:00.004-05:00

Charlotte no longer needs the training potty. She pulls a stool over and hops right onto the big potty now. We told her that because she was doing so good, the potty fairies came in the night and removed her potty. You should have seen the look of amazement.

No More Changing Pad

2011-02-27T14:48:00.001-05:00

Call us crazy, but in an effort to move farther down the potty training time line, we removed the changing pad from Charlotte's room. Sure was bittersweet.

Milestone :: Swinging

2011-02-26T14:45:00.004-05:00

Charlotte can now swing by herself. With a little help up onto the swing and a small push, off she goes pumping and kicking those little legs.

We Just Can't Get Enough

2011-02-20T13:46:00.001-05:00

Trip To The Park

2011-02-13T13:43:00.002-05:00

Sure felt great to finally get out and spend some of that winter energy!

Farewell For Now, Brynne

2011-01-22T13:36:00.000-05:00

We are slowly getting back into the swing of things. Fevers are gone, the house has been disinfected and Charlotte was super eager to get out of the house to celebrate Brynne's third birthday! It's quite bittersweet actually. Not did we celebrate, but we said farewell too - Brynne and her family are moving to Australia (they leave tomorrow)!

Brynne was Charlotte's first little friend and they even went to Vesa's together for quite some time! Good luck and have fun! Can't wait to see y'all again!

Preschool Update

2011-01-18T13:31:00.002-05:00

Week One
Fantastic! Charlotte is eager to join in each morning with her friends. She has even taken a few naps during quiet time! Yay!

Week Two
Snow. Home all week. Work closed. School closed. City closed.

Week Three
Despite vaccines, the flu has come upon us. Home all week.

Here's to hoping the charm of preschool still exists after all this time off (I'm raising my faux glass of bubbly)!

Snow!

2011-01-10T13:24:00.001-05:00

You read right! Snow (and ice)! Pretty much has the whole city shut down (literally), but we sure are enjoying it! Pretty sure we'll be home the rest of the week (seriously, I'm really not joking)!

Preschool

2011-01-03T12:14:00.005-05:00

I can't believe this day is really here!

Stevens and I both took Charlotte in for drop-off this morning; we were invited and welcome to stay as long as we wanted. I fully intended on spending the whole morning, but Charlotte took to it and jumped right in. After it was clear she was going to be just fine, Stevens made the "it's time to go eyes" at me - I tried not to lose it, took a deep breath, gave Charlotte a quick hug and ushered myself quickly out the door only to be greeted by a flood of tears.

It sure was tough, but I know she is in good hands. Good luck little friend! This is just the beginning!

The Princess And Her Pups

2011-01-01T12:00:00.003-05:00

Noticing a trend? Charlotte is VERY much into "her princesses" and that means we all are now too (psst - Daddy is the most excited of all).

Snow White

2010-12-29T11:54:00.000-05:00

Merry Christmas

2010-12-25T11:47:00.001-05:00

I believe a happy little lady Santa did make! Can't wait to see Mimi and GrandDad tomorrow!

Last Day

2010-12-22T11:44:00.001-05:00

The day ended with lots of tears, hugs and good luck wishes. We are forever grateful, Vesa!

Moving On

2010-12-21T11:34:00.000-05:00

It's time for preschool (she starts January 3rd!) and tomorrow is Charlotte's last day with Vesa (Besa). We can't even begin to thank her enough for the past two years; she's been such a BIG part of Charlotte's and our lives and we'll miss seeing her everyday. It's a good thing we don't live to far apart so a trip to visit here and there is definitely within reason!

To say thank you, Charlotte went to work on her own version of a thank you "note," complete with pom poms. She also decorated a gingerbread lady...

Three!

2010-12-20T16:20:00.002-05:00

Dear Charlotte,

The day we met was simply the best. It's been amazing getting to know you and the little person that you have become, watching you grow and seeing you experience so much for the first time ever. Quite honestly, I can't remember what it was like before we welcomed you into our world.

The upcoming year is sure to be a blast (holy cow - preschool!). May you always embrace what is to come with the fresh perspective, love and passion I see within you every day!

Happy THIRD Birthday, Butter Bean!

XO.
Mommy

Santa

2010-12-11T16:04:00.003-05:00

Looking back I was definitely one of those mom's looking for nothing more than the 'perfect' Santa photo - a grin from ear-to-ear, eyes right on the camera. The first year we were right on par; the second year not so much. And, now? I absolutely love it that we never know what we're going to get...

Jackpot!

All Santa photos are taken by the lovely Alice of Alice Park Photography :) This was our third year with Alice and Santa!

Trip To PA, Part III

2010-11-21T15:57:00.000-05:00

For our final day in PA we attended church and then Vivienne's baptism...

Nothing like a satin dress and good ole' pair of red boots...

Thank you everyone for such a wonderful time! We already miss you!

Trip To PA, Part II

2010-11-20T15:43:00.000-05:00

A little brunch with PapPap, PopPop and the GG's! Charlotte, as always, had a grand ole' time chasing Max...

No nap and just a little while later, we headed over to Aunt Ciara's parents house for an early Thanksgiving celebration...

Trip To PA, Part I

2010-11-19T11:14:00.005-05:00

We flew up to Pennsylvania today for a little pre-Thanksgiving celebration, a christening and long-overdue time spent with family. Charlotte loved watching the planes land and take off while waiting for our flight. She was (surprisingly) very well behaved en route thanks to a tip from one of our friends - take the car seat onto the plane and buckle her in; it simulates a car ride and keeps her from wandering all around.

Daddy fell asleep before take-off (how does he do it?) and I pulled out a little surprise...

Charlotte was seriously occupied with dressing, removing the outfits and redressing Ariel. Such a great in-flight toy - small enough and no noise!

After our arrival we headed over to Nana and Papaw's house for yummy hogmaw (my most favorite dinner in the world), homemade apple crisp and mini cupcakes...

Tuckered Out

2010-11-14T21:18:00.000-05:00

Happy Halloween!

2010-10-31T21:11:00.002-04:00

I headed out with Charlotte for trick-or-treat while Daddy stayed behind and manned the candy station this year (next year it'll be Daddy's turn!). She chitter chattered the. Entire. Way. It was quite funny. I was sure to keep asking her, "Do you still want to keep going?" To which she would respond, "Yes, of course Mommy!" I mean, all gussied up and lugging around a pumpkin full of candy, she had to be tired - right?

We got down to the bottom of the third street and guess who I had to carry all the way back home red boots and all?

The Jackie O Lantern

2010-10-29T21:08:00.000-04:00

The Morning Fairy

2010-10-17T21:05:00.000-04:00

No sooner did we wake up this morning, Charlotte walked into the kitchen like this...

It was 7AM.

A New Family Tradition

2010-10-16T20:47:00.005-04:00

Since Charlotte was born we have made a point of heading over to a small, local pumpkin patch to pick up seasonal items and to capture the yearly photo. This year though, since Charlotte is SO into it, we decided to try something new...Burt's Farm.

We were a little hesitant...an hour and a half drive, thoughts of a million people and another recent trip to the ER for my tummy, but we persevered and Burt's certainly didn't disappoint...

Oreo Mess

2010-10-10T20:45:00.001-04:00

A post-park treat...

Love that little mug :)

Another New Park

2010-10-10T20:42:00.001-04:00

Boo!

2010-10-03T20:34:00.003-04:00

We're ready for Halloween - how about you?

Fall Festival

2010-10-02T20:15:00.002-04:00

We headed over to Grady's (our Godson) daycare for a fall festival this afternoon and boy, we had a great time! There was a petting zoo, inflatables and even a pony ride :)

Little Person

2010-10-02T20:12:00.002-04:00

Charlotte's first 'person'. We're so proud...

A Few Of Our Favorite Things

2010-10-01T09:35:00.006-04:00

#1 - Privacy
Charlotte asks for privacy now every time she uses the potty. She likes you to stand in the bathroom with her but, you have to turn away and NOT look at her.

#2 - Puzzles
She loves putting puzzles together; Melissa & Doug make some of her favorites.

#3 - Decorating For Halloween
I bought some bat silhouette static clings to decorate for Halloween. She calls the bats, "belkins," and we have no idea why. The google didn't even help to shed some light on that one.

Drying Paws

2010-09-30T14:42:00.004-04:00

Way to think quickly, Daddy-o!

Stevens caught Charlotte (with the phone on his camera) drying Chopper's paws this morning. He had been out with both pups; let Chopper in and, while he was waiting for Daisy, Charlotte took to drying his paws like a pro. Just fyi, he either runs from her or submits completely.

Sunday Morning Breakfast

2010-09-26T09:30:00.002-04:00

Making banana pancakes; Charlotte's favorite (and, yes, those are giant Dora heads on her underpants)...

My Little (And Big Zoolander-esque) Dali

2010-09-25T08:58:00.000-04:00

We took full advantage of the Smithsonian's 'free museum weekend' and went to the Dali exhibit at The High...

Be sure to hop on over here to view more photos from our day!

A Few Of Our Favorite Things

2010-09-24T15:45:00.007-04:00

#01 - The Farmer In The Dell
Charlotte loves to sing. Everything. And this past week she has sung absolutely everything she can think of to the tune of The Farmer In The Dell. If you're not familiar, the lyrics are here.

#02 - Magic Wand
At the end of every day, Charlotte gets a 'report card' from Vesa; it tells us what she has done throughout her entire day. Most every day she 'reads' it to me and has recently started to turn it into a magic wand / flute.

#03 - Tinkerbell
Tinkerbell is the movie of the week; she can't get enough. Could Tinkerbell be replacing her 'best friend' (that's what Charlotte calls her), Jessie? Eek!

#04 - "Sure, of course..."
...is one of our favorite responses. She says it with a lisp.

The photo above was taken on our girls day out. We stopped by North Point Mall and rode the carousel and the choo choo train. A little video can be seen here (sorry it's lopsided!).

Horse, Marietta Square

2010-09-18T16:07:00.002-04:00

After dinner tonight we headed down to the Marietta Square for some Sweet Treats, splashing in the water fountain, romping around on the playground and Charlotte finally got to 'pet' the horse.

Not the best photo, I know; it was taken with my camera phone!

A Few Of Our Favorite Things

2010-09-17T15:42:00.013-04:00

I'd like to introduce to you a *new* weekly 'series' entitled, "Friday Favorites." It's our attempt to catalog all the little, completely random 'things' that happen. So y'all can keep up, I've added a 'quick link' over on the right hand side under 'Posts of Interest'!

Now on to the first edition...

#01 - That Be Cool
"That be cool," is how Charlotte replies when she's ok with something we've suggested. It's always said very matter of factly and with a slight rise of the brow.

#02 - Matching
Charlotte is very 'in' to things that match and she's been obsessed with her box of 'matching' (seen above) this past week. She can now match the entire box all by herself (one of the best gifts ever; thanks, Nana.). You can get your own set here.

#03 - White
We were on our way home from Vesa's (Wednesday) and Charlotte pointed out that there was car in front of us. I asked, "What color is that car?" Charlotte replied, "It's white, just like our doggies, Mommy." I gasped; completely surprised by such an amazing observation - it was music to my ears; we were starting to think she might be color blind. Ok, it was really just me that thought she was color blind. She's been so advanced with most everything else except color recognition. I guess everything happens in due time!

#04 - The Soccer Game
Charlotte loves to kick the (soccer) ball around with Daddy and likes to ask, "Can we go play the soccer game?"

Can we, can we?! Huh?! Can we?!

2010-09-12T13:28:00.006-04:00

As of late, when Charlotte wants to do something and she's real excited about it, her go-to phrase is, "Can we, can we?! Huh?! Can we?!"

This afternoon she wanted to (in her words) "go play the soccer game"; we have some pretty great fields nearby, so off we went. And, believe it or not, she's actually pretty darn good at dribbling the ball for her age :) Be sure to check out her new sneaks too!

Sunday Morning Breakfast

2010-09-11T13:23:00.001-04:00

Making french toast is always an adventure in our house (especially since the little lady was promoted to sioux chef)! Believe it or not, Charlotte was saying, "Cheese," while I snapped this shot. We're pretty sure she's the only child that can say, "Cheese," and NOT smile at the same time; she always looks a little more 'surprised' instead.

A Picture Is Worth A Thousand Words...

2010-09-02T15:28:00.002-04:00

...just sayin'...

Art Department - In Training

2010-08-29T13:21:00.001-04:00

Memorialooza

2010-08-28T13:08:00.000-04:00

Got rained out this year but still had a ton of fun :)

A Lazy Day...

2010-08-22T13:05:00.003-04:00

with sticker 'tattoos' and matching toenail polish...

Potty Training

2010-08-04T15:19:00.002-04:00

We decided that once we returned from vacation, we'd start potty training (for the third, fourth, fifth....time). And you know what? We sent Charlotte to Vesa's with big girl underpants on today; can't wait to hear how she does! Her lemon backpack has extras (clothes, underpants...).

Grady Turns One

2010-08-01T15:12:00.000-04:00

Upon our return from Hilton Head we had the pleasure of attending our god son's first birthday party :) Happy Birthday little man; we LOVE you!