happy birthday

Charlie

Happy Birthday!  

(November 24th)

Okay, the posting of this is late. Last March when your Dada and I had some time to kill on planes, we talked about your birthday and what we wanted to do. We knew it was going to be on a Saturday this year. We knew it would be at the end of the craziness of Thanksgiving. We knew we wanted your first birthday with us to be special.

So we decided we would spend the day together, just the three of us. (We didn't count Joey in on this day.) We decided we would go up to Ethiopian Diamond and not only celebrate you, but your culture. We had movies picked out for you and Dada to watch in the back while Mama drove.

{playing your new keyboard with Dada. one of the few times you weren't crying.)

 

Apparently you didn't like our plans. The previous three days had been too much. Wednesday you had your two-year check-up and a chest X-Ray (it was clear), Thanksgiving, and on Friday we built gingerbread houses. You woke up fussy and the screaming started as we were leaving the house and went up a level as we tried to get into the car. Your Dada and I looked at each other and decided we would spend the day at home.

So we did what you needed. We stayed home. We snuggled. We rocked.We got back to normal.

We love you Charlie! Happy, belated, birthday hon.

Love
Mama

It's a paaarrrrrrty!

Charlie

Following your baptism last Sunday we had your birthday paaarrrrty! It was "Jake and the Never Land Pirates" themed and held at one of the local pizza places. I like to think you enjoyed it. I know your friends enjoyed it and the "gold doubloons."

Love
Mama

Before your party, sitting on the bench outside of the ice cream parlor/Children's Museum

 Your treasure chest of doubloons buried in sand.

Elmo!

 Bucky Tent!!!

 "It's a trap!" Admiral Ackbar

the new drum with your name on it

Charlie

Yesterday you were baptized. Before the congregation we belong to and in front of members of your extended family we professed:

Will you nurture Charlie
in Christ's holy Church,
that by your teaching and example they may be guided
to accept God's grace for themselves,
to profess their faith openly,
and to lead a Christian life?

(From the United Methodist Baptism Liturgy)

 

 

We will do our best to do this. There was more to it, but this is where you come in Charlie, our promise to help guide you to God's grace and accept it for yourself. After your Dada and I said, "We will," Rev John asked you if you trusted him enough to hold you while he placed the water on your head. You replied, "No." Rev John laughed and your Dada held you while he did this.

Following this, the congregation sang "Child of Blessing, Child of Promise" as you were presented to the them.

Child of blessing, child of promise, 
love's creation, love indeed! 
Fresh from God, refresh our spirits, 
into joy and laughter lead. 

Child of joy, our dearest treasure, 
God's you are, from God you came. 
Back to God we humbly give you, 
blessing you in Jesus' name.

Child of God, your loving Parent, 
learn to know whose child you are. 
Grow to laugh and sing and worship, 
trust and love God more than all.

 You are our dearest treasure.

Love,
Mama

catching up with life

Charlie

So it has been a bit. Almost a month. Once you are reading, I really hope you are thinking, "Mama, I know I was doing awesome things in that month. What happened?" I know. I like to still think you will be calling me "Mama" for a long time, but let us be honest. You are already starting to use the names Mom and Mommy. You are growing up. So, let us catch up on what has happened. . .

It got cold. Mama went through your closet and found the puffy vest. You liked the vest, you didn't like the "boy band" music we sang while you were wearing it. You have good taste in music. 

We decorated a pumpkin.

You went trick-or-treating as Jake from Jake and the Never Land Pirates. We went over to aunt Marcia's neighborhood and had dinner before going out with your friends Strawberry Shortcake, Rapunzel, Iron Man, and some Bees. You didn't go up to a lot of houses, you  just liked walking outside carrying your sword and saying, "Arrrrrr." In addition to getting some treasure on the 31st, you met this guy. . .

 

You highly enjoy playing in leaves.

I might have made you try on different outfits for your photo session. . . During which, you might have rocked out to The Mighty Mighty Bosstones. . . You might have danced. . . Charlie, have we told you about how cute you are? You are pretty cute. I have proof. (Remind me to show you the formal picture we had taken in this outfit when you are older. It is part of Grammie and Papa's Christmas gift, so I don't want to ruin the fun.) It also doesn't help how you now say, "I awesome."

Following the pictures, you watched some football with Papa.

You fed yourself, with a spoon (new independent skill) some potatoes. You can't see it, but your shirt is caked in potatoes. It was everywhere. . .

Following pictures with your cousin L, the next day you had pics with your 4 cousins on Dada's side. More on those later. Right after pictures we drove north to meet up with an old friend who was in state from Florida. So you got to have dinner with Matt and his daughter A. She is only 4 days older than you, but you are over a head taller.  

We got new pictures of you from your time at Hannah's Hope. We love them. The first one is from November of last year, followed by one from December. The change in about a month's time is amazing!!

 

This brings us to today. We had an appointment at Comer Children's Hospital with Dr. Gray. He and Nurse Linda didn't recognize you due to the amount of growth and progress you have made since you last saw them. It was a great appointment. 

From Comer we left to go visit the fishies. We didn't last long at the Shedd, but when you would look at the tanks, you seemed to like it.

Love,

Mama

 

man on a mission

Air Charlie

Charlie

So today you had your first PT session with Miss Stephanie. Your Dada says you rocked it. I guess once you were in the gym, you owned it. You walked up and down the steps. Climbed the ramp, used it as a slide. Most importantly, you were dunking. Yep. We have an Air Charlie.

Yep, for some reason they already want to re-evaluate you and possibly decrease services. . .

So when we did your PT evaluation in August, you were not walking. (Steps, but no more than 6 at a time.) Miss Stephanie said it looks like you have been walking for two months. She feels the biggest thing we need to work on is strengthening your core. Time for baby situps.


You also had DT today with Miss Kathy. She started working on your 6 month re-evaluation. She was super impressed with how far you have come in 6 months. When she first met you, you couldn't hold your bottle. Now, you use a sippy cup, a thermos cup, and today you drank out of an open cup for the first time. You feed yourself table food, whereas 6 months ago you were still doing baby food. You would only play with your ball or drums 6 months ago, now there is a small toy store worth of stuff you enjoy.

Charlie, it seems like you are doing something new every day. I love this!!! These past three weeks we have seen so much growth and development on your part. At the same time, you still like to snuggle. Please keep snuggling.

Love
Mama

"I awesome" and "hurry up"

Charlie

You know your Mama likes order in her life. So we will take the events in order. . .

Wednesday, Sept 26- We celebrated your referraliversary, but I think I forgot to tell you, you had soup at lunch with Grandma Kathy. (This was also your first time eating soup.)

Saturday, Sept 29- While in church, you picked up a Kix for the first time, using your finger tips!!! I know this doesn't sound big, but trust me it was BIG. Not only did you take them out of my hand, but also the snack trap cup, and you got it into your mouth. Your Dada and I were rejoicing in the back pew and I think we had the two ushers laughing. . .


Sunday, Sept 30- Grammie and Papa came down to watch you while your Dada and I went had lunch by ourselves. It was nice. Sorry, cutie, but we enjoyed lunch without you.

Monday, Oct 1- You finally had your first OT session!!!! Miss Veronica was highly impressed with your progress since she last saw you during your evaluation in August. You even played with a small peg Melissa and Doug puzzle. Super proud of you.

Tuesday, Oct 2- This is one of the days every Mom can't wait to have happen. It was a proud day. (Really, I was proud of you.) When Dada got home from work, both you and Joey greeted him at the gate into the kitchen. You decided Joey was taking up a little too much room so you told him off. I am not sure what all you were saying, it was a lot, but there were some "no's" in there along with trying to push Joey away from the doorway.

Okay, that isn't why I was proud. This is why. . . It was Dada's night to rock you and I got to read to you. (BTW- The Five Little Pumpkins is not the great piece of literature you think it is. Reading it every night, multiple times, until Halloween is getting old. But I do love how you smile when you see the book and how you actually go and get it.) Your Dada asked what was on my shirt and I said it must be a Charlie boogie. You proceed to point to your nose. Once your hand was down, we asked where are your boogies, again you point to your nose and then proceed to pick it. Yep. This was the first time you picked your nose. I am proud. Why? It is actually a fine motor skill. A fine motor skill you couldn't do just a couple of days ago. LOVE. IT. 

Wednesday, Oct 3- You visit Great Grandma Willie in the hospital. Following the hospital, we went to our favorite local pizza place for the first time with you. You continued on your Kix mission, but also fed yourself two slices of pizza. I really hope when you read this in the future you are not asking, "Why is there green shag carpet on the walls of a restaurant?" (See picture above.) The green shag has been there forever. This particular green shag is actually fairly new. It has been replaced since your Dada and I graduated from college. I try not to think about how long the green shag had been on the walls when we ate there during college.

You also say the phrase, "I awesome" for the first time. 

Thursday, Oct 4- I got nothing.

Friday, Oct 5- When we got home from Gina's house, you asked for a snack. This is the first time you have verbalized wanting food!!!!!! You also wore this cute Kermit the Frog hoodie.

Saturday, Oct 6- We played at aunt Marcia's house and had dinner there. While there, you played with your friends J and L with your back to Mama! This was a first.

Sunday, Oct 7- Previously we have been doing church on Saturday night. It has fewer people. It is at a good time for your schedule. Today we changed it up. We did the contemporary service. You loved the guitars and drums. We might have a winner.

Monday, Oct 8- Yes. I am that mom. I am the mom who sends her child to the sitter's when she doesn't have school. Yep. At the same time, I got A LOT done today. I went to the grocery store, cleaned, did laundry, returned some stuff, looked for a winter coat for you, and went to the doctor's. However, if I hadn't taken you to Gina's today, you wouldn't have said, "Hurry up" as I got you out of the car seat. Hurry up? What? The little boy who screamed when I dropped him off for the first two weeks, then cried for several weeks, then smiled as we walked up the drive (yes, walked), is now saying, "Hurry up?" To quote you little man, "Okay, okay, okay."

OH!! You were also kicking a ball when I picked you up. Yep. Kicking. A. Ball. You only started walking, walking the week of Sept 17 is now kicking a ball. I love your progress.

Love
Mama