Sweet, Sweet Charlotte Got a Toof

Don't let this title, or the photo deceive you.  You may be excited because you got your first tooth, but this has lead to little excitement lately.  First question I have....what the heck has happened to the sleep!?!? I mean, I've got teeth, I love to sleep.  Mom has buck teeth, she really enjoys her sleep.  Dad has teeth, one fake one, but he still has teeth, and he sleeps like a bear (don't worry, he hasn't lost much sleep over this teething situation).  But you...you get ONE and it's like game over on a full nights rest.  Good thing you're cute.

So, here we are, sweet sweet Charlotte.  You cut your first tooth.  It's kinda exciting.  Or so we thought.  You seem to just want mom lately.  At all times of the night.  Dad used to cut it, but not any more!  So, that makes for one tired mommy.  Maybe I should write a whole post on how awesome she is.  For another day maybe.  So, about every TWO, yes 2, hours she gets up and comes to your room.  And I'm pretty sure you know we watch you to see if we can wait it out in the off chance you actually put yourself back to sleep.  But if we even consider CIO (that's what we in the biz call cry-it-out) you mean-mug us into coming to get you.  

Because of this tooth, everything in sight goes in your mouth.  Even me. 

So far you've enjoyed pears, sweet potatoes, and avocados.  You also prefer to feed yourself, and you swat at mom if she tries to do it.  Hasn't anyone ever told you don't bite the hand that feeds you.  Literally.  It's rude.  

Mom even had the bright idea to let you gnaw on a bag of frozen peas.  Notice the bag is empty and the floor is not.  May I just remind you that she is tired.  

  Aunt Jodi even came over to check out your tooth. We played and you ate your hand.  

Maybe I'm a little too harsh about your fussy tude, we are just so used to such a happy-go-lucky baby.  I know it must be hard having a knife-life object break through your baby gums.  One.  At.  A.  Time.  So, we try and do whatever we can to make you happy.  I will tell you, it has involved a LOT of dancing to records.  Nanny Lisa likes a little Buffet.  Mom and Grandpaw enjoy Grease soundtrack.  Dad prefers youtube on the big screen to "Everything is Awesome" from the lego movie.  He's definitely the hip one of the group.

So, one down, twenty-something more to go.  Now wonder everyone says 4 years is their favorite kid age.  Oh well, we love you to pieces anyway.

Love,

Nelson

PS- Mom, please note that Charlotte actually got her tooth about 2 weeks prior to this post.  I just want you to have it on record for when you go back to look at the exact age one day.  I've been too tired to get it together.  

  

7 Months

Well aren't we getting better at picture taking!!  Happy 7 months Charlotte.  You sure are growing at a rapid pace, me, I'm keeping my same slim physique.  

Things you love:

• High chair races with dad
• Anything that isn't yours
• Your sonar language that you use with only me
• Being carried around
• Going to new places
• Grabbing at me
• Eating paper (tissue, wrapping, towels....)

Things you hate:

• Getting dressed
• Playing alone for very long
• Eating solids
• Going poop regularly
• Seeing dad and I rough house

So we made it through our first big holiday season and we all survived!  But that hasn't stopped us from keeping you busy!  You took a day trip to Lawrence with Grandpa and Grandma Frazier.  We don't promote that town, but the food was good.  You guys went to a diner that looked like it was from the 1950s, and you loved it!  But I think the workers loved you even more.  You had every one of them coming over and smiling at you.  

Here you are working your magic.  

Over the holidays mom said she was going to throw out the rock and play and get you in your crib for good.  Interesting how things sound so much better in her head.  Sleep wins every time.   

You also started eating solids.  "Eating" is a very strong word for you are actually doing.  So far you've tried peas, pears, and sweet potatoes.  Of those, you seem to start to somewhat like sweet potato.  Sad though, because it's the foods that start with "p" that really help you poop.  Mom found out that one reason you dislike eating is because you want to do it yourself.  Which you aren't bad at! 

Then you and I got to go on a outting together, and we even picked up Gigi Frazier.  I sure was excited to see her so I road shot gun on her.  You guys went to lunch and I got a front row seat of watching... from the car.  Gigi seemed to love the bread company.  I couldn't quite tell from the car but something about white chocolate cherry bread??  I also saw she tried to feed you butter...mom sure loved that:) 

Then, once again you left me at home and you went to Adrian.  This time to see Papaw.  He actually just got out of the hospital from a stroke only to have Mamaw go to the hospital from breaking her hip.  Those two!  Mom said you loved sitting on Papaw's lap.  He kept telling you mom was crazy.  My homie, Jake, was there and you talked to him like you talked to me.  You actually have developed your own language for us.  That makes you even more awesome.  

You and I still get our chores done, here we were helping mom with the laundry.  

Finally this month, the unspeakable happened.  I never thought I would see the day.  Dad held you...WHILE HE ATE.  He's always said that he will just hold you and eat later because he would rather enjoy his meal.  Well, desperate times call for desperate measures and here you are sitting on his lap...while he eats.  Clearly he loves it.  I hope this is just one of many things you getting him to do things he says he never will.  

You seem to want to try and do more things too.  You've been working hard at standing.  You lean forward to try and move, but seem a little unsteady.  Luckily the two times you've risked and dove forward you were on the bed.  Mom can't afford to have you fall over one more time on her watch.  

Maybe next month I'll have more to report on your physical abilities.  You still love smiling, laughing, being scared, playing peek-a-boo, and finding me roaming around.  Oh and you may have a toof coming in, but then again I've said that since you were 16 weeks old.  So I could be wrong.  

Here's to another wonderful month baby sister.  Thanks for brightening my day. 

Love,

Nelson  

6 Months Part 2- Better Late Than Never

So we had yet another photo session with Whitney, luckily this time it was centered mostly on you.  Partly because you were turning 6 months (not sure the idea behind the nonsense of all this photo documentation), and partly because you and I could not get it together in a picture.