Crawling. Climbing. Walking.

I know.  I know. I know.  All babies develop at their own pace.  All in good time.  When they're ready.

Believe me, I know.  And I've done my best to be patient.  I've tried not to worry.  After a developmental evaluation in June, I felt somewhat reassured. 

It's just really hard not to focus on milestones.  Especially when every other baby - even much younger - around you is hitting them.  And you have a firstborn who reached milestones like she wrote the darn textbook herself!

I have just found it kind of hard to deal with ... there are some complicated emotions (and head games) wrapped up in how your baby develops!

And so this is really just for me to look back on and think, "See, it did happen ... why were you so worried?"

Just after her first birthday, CJV started a very cute army crawl.

At 15 months, CJV graduated from inch-worming to knee crawling.

At just shy of 19 months, we finally experienced another breakthrough, and CJV starting cruising and taking a few steps.  However those steps have been few and very wobbly ...

 

 At the zoo trying to keep herself from falling backward. 

Oh, how I love that look on her face!

And here she is later that same day at an outdoor concert.

The music and dancing with her big sister was a great motivator.

She took a lot of single steps and a fair share of spills.

But each time she got back up with a look of determination on her face!

 

In the past month, we've also seen her climb just about anything in her path ... she would spend all day going up and down the stairs, scaling the bookshelves, and getting onto the couch.

She also enjoys building her upper body strength with pull ups ...

 I love the discarded kitchen towel on the floor!

Most recently, Daddy allowed her to climb onto the bench and then the top of a picnic table at the pool.  And I just had to capture her holding onto that umbrella pole - not to worry daddy was right there to catch her!

Drum Roll, please ...

Almost six weeks later at the age of 20 months, I think today we can officially say that CJV is walking!  Apparently, she read my email last night because I was commiserating with another mom whose 20-month old is using a walker.  I was feeling very discouraged and wondering if Charlotte needs more support/therapy to get her walking.  And so, what does my little peanut do?  Of course, she starts walking.  I swear, it's like she knew!

And tomorrow I am determined to capture that delightfulness on camera!

signs and chatter

Within a week of CJV's developmental evaluation, in which it was determined that she is delayed in both receptive and expressive language skills, she has gained a bunch of new signs and has been vocalizing like crazy!

Why is that always the case?  Not that I am complaining.  But, seriously, how do you explain that?


She is answering yes and no questions with nods and shakes.  She signs swing as soon as we get to the park.  I taught her the sign for cheese at lunch today.  She also signs please and thank you, does a one-handed sign for play, and rubs her belly at bath time!  Bird continues to be her favorite sign, and she uses it all the time ... even when there's no bird in sight.  I love seeing her little index finger and thumb press together and her chin lifts up toward the tree or sky ... so precious!

Just sharing a little victory on the language front!

what a month!

I realize I haven't posted much about Charlotte lately.

And, well, that's probably because I am too busy entertaining her, keeping her out of trouble, building up a tolerance for her incessant fussing, and trying to figure out how to get this child to sleep.

While she certainly has her moments ... 

adorable, happy, sweet moments ... like these ...

when she's crawling up the stairs, playing in the kitchen, throwing rice out of the bin, "riding" her new car, tearing up tissue paper, trying to eat cat food, emptying out the shoe bin, bouncing on the bed with daddy and Natalie, and just waking up from a nap, ...  

 

this past month has been tough, a struggle, a challenge, 

a test of my abilities and patience.

I'll blame it on teething.  Since the beginning of April, Charlotte has gotten four front teeth on top and four molars.  She has drooled and cried and fussed and whined.  There has been a fair amount of infant ibuprofen and almost constant binky sucking.  Her appetite was even curbed for a day or two.  And most recently, she's added teeth grinding to the mix, which is a sound I can just barely tolerate.

I'll blame it on frustration.  She is still only crawling and pulling up, but there is clearly a desire to get down and move around.  This phase - not-yet-walking - is so hard!  Add to the mix the fact that she definitely knows what she wants, when she wants it, but is still not saying or signing much, and you've got a recipe for exasperation on both of our parts.  She "screams" at me all day long, and many times I am feeling just as frustrated as she is ... plus I cannot even hear myself think because of the constant fussing (aka screaming).


I'll blame it on lack of sleep.  Charlotte takes between 2 and 3 hours to fall asleep at night.  She gets her bath (which is her favorite time of day), reads a story, rubs her eyes, has a yawn or two, tolerates my singing, goes in her crib, and then the party begins.  For a while, I assumed this was just her time to practice new skills like crawling and pulling up - but she's been doing those things forever and gets plenty of practice during the day.  She is not unhappy in her crib in her dark room.  Most of the time she's quiet and will sometimes chat and then cry out when she loses her binky or bunny.  But it takes hours for her to fall asleep.  And I feel frustrated and guilty ... because I cannot figure out how to help her put herself to sleep.  Ultimately, her good night's sleep is getting grossly short-changed.  She wakes up tired and grumpy instead of rested and delightful.  As a result her nap schedule has been a complicated as a Rubic Cube, which makes planning the day nearly impossible. 

Ah, my sweet Charlotte Jane, this has been a tough month, but I know we'll get through it, and you'll come out the other side a happy, walking, talking, sleeping toddler ... and perhaps I will have a few shreds of sanity left!

first recital

Ah, yet another milestone!  Tonight NHV performed in her first dance recital!  And by performed, I mean, stood on stage and looked adorable and only spaced out for about 30 seconds.

Back stage looking just a bit shy and nervous.

Her class danced to Beauty and the Beast.  

There's something about seeing 10 girls all dressed in pink tutus that just makes my heart melt!

Game face on and ready to dance!

Really not sure what this look/stance is all about ... but I like it :)

 This is Natalie running off stage toward me (and the camera).  

She was so proud of herself!

And then ... the tears started.

Natalie noticed that the next class on stage had a different costume than hers.  Every class had a different costume, so I am not sure why she just figured that out.  Well, she wanted to wear the yellow tutus.  Keep in mind that she has been wearing her own costume morning-noon-and-night for the past week.  She loves her black leotard and pink tutu.  But, for some reason, the other costume caused a meltdown.  Which led to a tearful revelation that Natalie wanted to dance on stage again.  Apparently her time in the spotlight was too short.

We weren't able to stay for any of the other performances.  Natalie could not be calmed down or reasoned with ... but a cupcake bribe did the trick!

I saw her standin' there ...

Well, she was just 15 (months),
You know what I mean,
And the way she looked was CUTE beyond compare.
So grabbed my camera and took these (ooh)
When I saw her standin' there.

baby step toward binky freedom

I cannot believe NHV still has her blasted binky!  Apparently I was all talk when I said she would be potty trained, rid of her binky, and sleeping in her big girl bed before Charlotte was born ... 15+ months ago!  I am fairly certain I was 1 for 3 on that proclamation.  The big girl bed transition was smooth; I barely remember it, to be honest.  I remember decorating her room, but the details of her actually sleeping in her big girl bed ... well, that just seemed to go well.  And, at the time, potty training seemed like such a big deal, but it wasn't.  It happened, there were a few accidents, and a lot of reading books while she sat ... but it happened and we survived and it seems like a distant memory at this point.

So, why, oh, why can't I get rid of that damn binky?  Why is that piece of plastic (rubber?) still around?   Why am I dragging my feet and coming up with excuse after excuse?  Charlotte wasn't sleeping through the night, and I was exhausted - that excuse got me through most of the past year. We're traveling in three weeks - that seems like a good enough reason to postpone.  Of course, that's an excuse I've used before.  She was sick last week, and I simply could not bear the thought of taking away that little piece of comfort when she felt so miserable.

But I want - desperately - to be done with it.  We've talked about it ... forever.  Binkies are for babies.  You're a big girl.  The binky isn't good for your teeth.  Perhaps the Binky Fairy will come and take your binky and leave you a special present.  I'd plant that damn thing in the ground if not for the fact that we've had so much rain, I fear erosion may uncover it, and she'd pick it up and start sucking it again ... regardless of the mud!

Since the age of two, Natalie has only been allowed to have her binky in her bed, which meant nap time and nighttime.  My girl is a good sleeper, so that was a large fraction of her day.  But at least she wasn't walking around all day with it in her mouth ... somehow that makes me feel better, but it really shouldn't.  In January she gave up her afternoon nap and replaced it with "rest" time.  However, she continued to suck that binky while in her room "resting" - usually reading books and listening to music.  Lately, she's been asking for the binky all afternoon - long after rest time is over.  Partly because she's tired.  Partly out of boredom - this has been an awful winter, and we have been stuck in the house and not seeing much of our friends. 

I don't want her to have it.  She wants it.  We are both frustrated, annoyed, and grumpy.  Not a good scenario.

So this morning, we had a conversation about the binky only being for bedtime.  Natalie agreed to try going without her binky during rest time.  It was a tough decision for her, but she was so brave and said, "I will try, mommy."   I gave her a big hug, put her binky up high in a cabinet, and mentally prepared for a terrible afternoon.

Surprise.  Surprise.  She did it!  Just as I was putting CJV down for her nap, Natalie asked for her binky.  I pulled her close and whispered, "Remember, you decided to try not having your binky until bedtime.  I know you can do it."

We went about the rest of our day.  We played wooden blocks and baby dolls.  She watched a show while I made a few business calls.  We baked cupcakes.  She played while I prepped dinner.  We played with Charlotte and waited for daddy to get home.  She didn't ask for it again until 7:00.  Natalie said, "Mommy, I'm ready for bed now.  I'm ready for my binky now."  There was such relief in that statement.

Natalie got lots of praise and hugs.  Here's hoping tomorrow will be another baby step toward binky freedom ...

CJV - 15 months

Weight: 14 pounds 12 ounces

Length: 27 inches
Head Circumference: 17.3 inches (on the charts!)
Teeth: 2 on bottom, 2 (big ones!) on top

Clothing Size: mainly 9 month, 6-12 month

Diaper Size: 2 (which is crazy!)

Shoe Size: 0-6 month Robeez

What I love about you, Charlotte Jane ...

1. Your crawl is the cutest!  You're so quick and determined.  And that little butt in the air just makes me smile :)   In the past few days, you've started pulling up to your knees and then getting one foot down ... like you're 'taking a knee."  You've even gotten to your feet once or twice. Seems to me that taking steps is in your near future!
2. You are officially sleeping through the night now - and have been for a while.   However, you have the hardest time falling asleep at night.  It can take you two hours of chatting, playing, pulling up and getting stuck, ... crying out so mommy will come give you pats. 
3. You love putting your index finger into tiny openings ... like the spout on the GoGoSqueez or Penne pasta or the tiny hole in the plastic on the shopping cart or up your nose.
4. You adore your big sister and give her the best giggles!
5. You have a love affair with Louie.  As soon as we come down the stairs in the morning, your eyes are searching for the cat, and you say the "T" sound for "caT" ...
6. Of course, you also really like Louie's food and water bowls.  When mommy says, "No.  No.  That's yucky," you give me this sweet innocent look and then crawl right back to me for a hug.
7. You say, "Uh-oh" at least twenty times a day ... every time something drops you chime in with "Uh-Oh!"  It's so cute, I drop things just to hear you say it!
8. I am fairly certain (and worried) that you love your binky almost as much as your big sister loves hers.  Just tonight, you crawled into your room, found three binkies, put one in your mouth and carried one in each hand ... and continued crawling around and playing. Big sister thinks it is so funny when you put your binkies into the Little People school bus!
9. When you find a cuddly baby doll, you pull her to your chest, pat her back, and say, "Ba-bee!"
10. You love music, and I give a lot of credit to our KinderMusik class for that.  Whenever you hear music, you start to bounce and rock - with the biggest grin on your face.  If it's a song you really like - or mommy starts dancing like a goof - you clap your hands and tap your feet against the floor.

However, I am not all that crazy about ...

1. You really want nothing to do with books.  I try and try to get you to sit on my lap and read, but you simply won't have it.  I am lucky to get through one small board book before bedtime.
2. We are experiencing some major separation anxiety.  You only want your mama, and there have been a lot of tears lately.  When Grammy was here she barely got to hold you, and our two recent doctor's appointments have not been pleasant.  But I am proud of you for stay at Adventure Kids for an hour today without me!
3. You poop all day ... every other day.  I cannot understand why it takes 5 or 6 dirty diapers to get the job done.  Why can't you just get it all out at once?  While we're on the subject, you are one stinky little girl! 
4. Just before you turned 15 months old, you were sick with a high fever for about five days.  It was heartbreaking to see you so miserable.  Turns out you had an infection and had to take antibiotics for the first time.
5. You throw food off your high chair tray with reckless abandon.  You pick through a pile of food and select pieces for your mouth while others get tossed to the floor as if they just didn't pass inspection.  Again, mommy and daddy get the sweet innocent look when we correct you ... or you blink your eyes and scrunch up your face, which makes us laugh and forget about your mischief!

Knee Crawling

Woot!  Woot!  My little inchworm has graduated to a much more sophisticated and efficient ... full-on KNEE CRAWL!  And it just happened like - BAM - overnight!  The baby gate was re-installed at the top of the stairs on Sunday, and Monday morning Charlotte took off crawling ... on her knees!  We're guessing that our baby girl has high standards when it comes to safety.

Here's a quick glimpse - the lighting is awful and Chad is rambling about something in the background (I think he thought I was listening but clearly I wasn't).  Regardless, the cuteness and pride still come through :)

Dental History

 Guess where NHV went today?

Yep, to the dentist to have her pearly whites x-rayed, cleaned, dosed with vitamins by the hygienist and then "counted" and checked by the doctor.

And this is pretty much where the smiles ... stopped ...

before any of the aforementioned interactions even started.

This was not NHV's first trip to the dentist.  In fact, it was her third.  She was seen by my dentist right when she turned two years old.  And that visit went something like this ... Natalie sat in my lap.  The dentist approached with a large, white medical mask covering the bottom two-thirds of his face.  Natalie squirmed to get away.  I calmed her.  The dentist - with his voice muffled behind that ridiculous mask - said, "Okay, little girl, open your mouth so I can see your teeth."  Natalie adamantly shook her head and refused to even look at the guy again.

For our second visit - six months ago - I sought out the recommendations of fellow mamas and found a great pediatric dentistry.  That experience was fantastic!  The hygienist was amazing with Natalie.  She played games with all the tools.  She sang Disney songs ... Natalie didn't know any of them, but she was enthralled by the woman's sweet, calming voice.  All the necessary tasks were complete without any anxiety or fussing on Natalie's part.

And so, about a week ago, I started prepping NHV for a return to the dentist.  It had been six months; time for a cleaning.  She seemed totally fine with that idea.  Before falling asleep last night, I could tell there was something on her three-year-old mind.  We snuggled and chatted ... about, you guessed it, the trip to the dentist.  Natalie explained to me that she wanted chocolate flavored toothpaste - not vanilla - "when the dentist uses dat tick-lee toofbush on my teef."  She also was hoping for a red toothbrush and bubblegum toothpaste to take home with her.  Just as I was giving her a final kiss good night, she said, "Mommy, dat chair at da den-test office.  It goes up and down."  Clearly she had a memory of her previous visit!  I tell you, that girl remembers everything!

In fact, as I was unbuckling her car seat this morning, she told me, "We ride in dee elevator today or we take dee 'tairs?"  Despite that the building is only two floors, I let her decide ... and we ended up in the elevator!  Which was pretty much the highlight of the visit!

The hygeniest who greeted us today was not the same calm, sweet woman from last time.  Instead she was rather loud and a little too enthusiastic.  She spent the first few minutes running around trying to locate the perfect toothbrush.  It was almost like a bribe.  Like, "hey, I don't know how to make you feel comfortable, but I'll give you the exact toothbrush you want and then you'll be good for me while I clean your teeth.  Deal?"  Let's just say, "No deal."  

The x-rays were awful!  The way she was explaining the process to my three-year-old, well, even I was confused.  I was like what does she want her to do?  How about a few concise directions for my preschooler?!  The hygienist from our last visit came in and literally saved the day on that one.  Got both the top and the bottom done in record time and with no fussing from Natalie.  But she had her own patient to deal with, so Natalie was passed back to Ms. K.  In order to clean her teeth, I had to sit her in my lap and hold down her hands.  She cried and squirmed the entire time.  All the while Ms. K assured me that she does it "this way" all the time.  Apparently other moms have to restrain their children in order for Ms. K to work her magic.  Ugh! In retrospect, I should've just declined the damn cleaning!  I will not make that mistake again! Rather than put Natalie through another trauma, I brushed the vitamin gel on her teeth myself.

Her time with the dentist was fine.  However, she would not sit in the chair, and I couldn't blame her.  We got a great report on her teeth.  Two-year molars are still working their way through the gum ... ouch!  The dentist also gave me the all-clear to continue the binky, which surprised me a little.  But I am going with her professional opinion, mainly because I am terrified of getting rid of that thing!

I just hope that six months is enough time for Natalie to forget her awful experience.  Fat chance of that happening.  Our fourth visit to the dentist should be interesting ...

ESP: Lucky Number 7

Another month older ... and wiser.

Another pound bigger ... it's about time!

WEIGHT: about 12 pounds (officially 11 pounds 14 ounces at her doctor's office weigh-in, but at some point this weekend my scale indicated 12 pounds)


CLOTHING SIZE: Still wearing 3 month clothes, but I've started pulling out the 6-month stuff!


EAT

We have not had much luck with solids.  The rice cereal caused constipation and gas.  Waited a week. Tried bananas, at the pediatricians urging, but those caused vomiting.  Honest-to-goodness puking ... for like three hours.  Waited another week.  Gave oatmeal a try because a few moms suggested that oatmeal is easier on the tummy.  Well, it never actually made it to CJV's stomach because she absolutely refused to open her mouth.  And, so my hopes of a decent growth spurt - caused by the introduction of solids - didn't happen.

SLEEP

Someone set Charlotte's internal alarm block to 6:30 am - sharp!  Every single morning, she wakes up at 6:30 ... no matter what time she goes to bed, how dark her room is, how quiet the house is, ... she's awake.  But not for long.  I usually snuggle her in bed with me, nurse her a little, and get another hour of slumber.  Then she hangs out while NHV and I have breakfast before going back to bed for an hour or so. She also takes a great afternoon nap; usually 3 hours or more.  And then she would like to go back down for 45 minutes in the evening, but that pushes bedtime back.  But if I keep her awake, she goes down at bedtime, wakes up 45 minutes later, and won't go back to sleep for an hour.  This is a habit I would very much like to break.

PERSONALITY | PLAY

Charlotte loves bathtime! Just the mention of the word "bath" gets her kicking and smiling!  Her tub is up on our double vanity, which may have to change soon because she splashes so much!  The entire counter and mirror ... and bath-giver ... get completely soaked.  She splashes with such a determined look on her face that I can't help but laugh.

Charlotte is also enjoying her toes!  Her right foot is in her mouth (or close to it) about 75% of the time!  This is my favorite "baby" milestone.  There's just something so fascinating about this discovery ... those appendages have been there all along, but she just now figured that out.

Her favorite toy appears to be Jangles, a Discovery Toys Giraffe.  He hangs from her car seat handle, and she adores him!  The Rainforest Bouncer and Jumperoo also get a lot of smiles and squeals!

Charlotte continues to be quick to smile.  People comment on this all the time, "Oh, she's such a smiley baby."  "She smiles with her whole face."   If you smile at her, she's more than likely going to smile right back at you!

MILESTONES

She is still not sitting up but can hold herself pretty well in the Bumbo and tripods with some encouragement from me.  She pulls herself to a sitting position whenever I put her on my lap ... no more laying back when there's a whole world to see!  She can roll from her tummy to her back but doesn't always bother ... sometimes she just lays her head down and fusses instead.  She is so close to being able to roll from her back to her tummy; Natalie was about this age when she mastered that skill and dislocated her elbow.  Charlotte laughs a lot and verbalizes when the mood strikes.

Toe Boogers & Foot Munching

Oh, nap time was quite a fiasco today. 
I think my Facebook post sums it up:

Apparently my girls didn't get the memo about this being nap time ... NHV is complaining of "boogers" on her toes and CJV is practicing her new skill ... foot munching! Seriously, girls, give your feet a rest already!

I had just made it back downstairs after going through the whole nap time ritual-rig-a-ma-roll, when heard NHV calling through the monitor - in an almost panicked voice, "Dare's a b..... mmmm ... toe." All I could think was somehow a BUG got in her bed and bit her on the toe. I raced upstairs - imagining some huge spider taking a chunk out of her foot - to find Natalie standing on her bed. She had (that bane of my existence) binky in her mouth making it difficult to understand what she was saying. But she was adamantly saying, "Mommy, dere's a booger on my toe."  Here's the really funny part.  Natalie was not referring to a green, slimy bit from her nose.  For some reason, her word for a hang nail is "booger."  In deed she did have a funky bit of nail on her big toe.  Grabbed the clippers, banished the booger, and told her to go to sleep!  Thankfully, once the booger was taken care of, my daughter, the power napper, slept for 3 hours!

In the room across the hall, CJV was chattering away.  I peeked in and just had to laugh.  My tiny 6.5 month old was folded in half.  Holding her right foot with her right hand.  Bringing those cute tootsies right up to her mouth and having a taste!  She was so amused by the whole thing!  When she noticed me watching her, she got the biggest smile on her face ... and so did I.  But a nap was much needed, so I scooped her up, gave her my signature sway-and-pat, told her to put her toes away it was time to nap, and headed back downstairs to start on my To Do list.  Yeah, right, 40 minutes later and several more trips upstairs, - each time finding her with foot in hand - and CJV just would not take a nap.  Finally, I grabbed my camera and went to get her.  She rewarded me with the genuine look of happiness to see me ... even more endearing is the fact that she released the hold she had on her foot in order to wave her hands excitedly.

Just about the time Natalie was waking up, Charlotte was ready to go back down for an actual nap.  Her timing is impeccable!  Sometimes the naps just do not align .... sigh.

Look who ...

Look who discovered her feet ... just this week!

Look who is eating a tootsie snack - yummy!

Look who is getting just the tiniest bit chubby - 

look closely at the wrists and legs -

but still weighs less than 12 lbs.

Look who is wearing a very cute 3-6 month dress; 

a gift from her Aunt Missy.

Look whose mommy waited one day too long 

before trimming her nails and now has 

an awful gash on her forehead ... ouch!

Rice Cereal 101

There's really nothing to it!  

Insert baby in high chair - newly bestowed upon her by big sister.

Struggle with the "easy pour spout" opening on the cereal box.

Pour small amount of precious (liquid gold) breastmilk into bowl.

Add in some rice flakes and stir (don't shake).

Grab a really big bib and a tiny little spoon. 

Move goop-filled spoon toward baby's mouth.

When she opens wide, shovel it in!

Capture those initial expressions of ...

what the heck is this?

Beware of grasping hands,

"returned" mouthfuls for gooey-ness,

and a baby who just can't get enough!

-------------------------------------

You can see more great photos and Word-less-ful Wednesday
posts here and here.

Milestone: Rolling

Our morning routine is like a well-choreographed dance ... or my own personal version of Groundhog's Day ...

Change CJV's diaper.
Put NHV on the potty.
Put CJV on her playing mat for tummy time.
Get NHV a snack and milk and her cartoon-of-choice.
Grab a quick breakfast for myself.
And then it's time to feed CJV.

Well, this morning, amidst all the usual happenings, Charlotte Jane made it known that this baby can roll ... while it's not technically the first time she's rolled over, this is by far the furthest she's ever gotten. 

I'll take this as a little reminder that just when you think you've got your little routine all figured out, things change!  How exciting!

ESP: 15 weeks

Oh, how I love my Charlotte Jane.  She is such a wonderful baby!  And it feels like we've kind of hit our stride these past few weeks. No major issues.  I guess the only issue is that I keep wondering if there is something wrong that both the doctor and I are missing.  After worrying about her for so many weeks - and through so many ultrasounds and non-stress tests - and having her induced early and born so tiny, I just can't shake this constant worry.  Not that she gives me reason to worry; she's really that good of a baby. ... I have absolutely no rational reason for this concern, but it's there swirling around the back of my mind.  During a recent visit, our doctor assured me that CJV is perfectly, wonderfully healthy, but she also helped me to understand this excessive worry is fairly common amongst moms of preemies.  Hoping that soon I can relax and leave this constant concern behind.

Weight: 9 pounds 5 ounces

Still riding the 3rd percentile trajectory, which is a good thing ... but she's such a little peanut!  Her hands and feet are so tiny compared to even younger babies we encounter.  Based on ootprints from the hospital, CJV's feet - at 3 months - are still smaller than NHV's at birth.

Eating:  Yep, she's still eating ... nothing but breastmilk ... about 6 or 7 times a day.  We've struggled some with a gassy tummy these past few weeks, but a little Mylicon seems to do the trick.  I've been trying to avoid trigger foods, but I am just not sure of the culprit.  She nurses best in the later in the day and during the night.  It seems like in the morning she just wants to smile and chat and play; she's too busy to eat a good meal until around 1:00.  Yesterday her feedings looked like this ... 10:00 pm, 4:00 am, 8:30 am, 11:00 am, 2:00 pm, 6:00 pm, 8:00 pm.

Sleeping:  I think I've got another good sleeper on my hands.  It seems CJV is following in her big sister's footsteps when it comes to liking her sleep!  In fact, several times she's slept until 6:00 am after going to bed at 10:00 - 8 long hours.  Of course, I was up every hour after 3:00 to check on her.  It's pretty typical now for her to go an average of 6 hours at night.  (If I could get off this darn computer and go to sleep at a decent hour, I could potentially be quite rested!)  Thankfully she also naps well and at about the same time as NHV, so I join her for naptime a few times each week. 

CJV gives clear signs when she is tired ... yawns, turns her head away, brings her hands together across her chest, and grunt-fusses if you don't get the message.  However, CJV does not fall asleep very easily.  She doesn't doze in her swing and fights sleep when in her car seat. Even when I hold her, she makes eye contact.  And I limit my singing because she just watches me and won't close her eyes.  Really, the best way to get her to fall asleep is to cover her eyes with a blanket and be quiet and still.  It's like she's afraid of missing something important, so I trick her into thinking there's nothing going on.

She doesn't need to be swaddled, but she does like to suck her binky as she's falling asleep.

My next big mission is to transition her from the bassinet in our bedroom to her own crib in the nursery.  I am sure she's ready for this change but I am not. I love having her near me.  Moving her out of my room means shes doesn't need me as much ... I have such mixed emotions about that :(

Personality: Charlotte is a happy, happy baby.  She is so smiley, and I've even gotten a few giggles out of her!  She is also very patient and rarely gets upset even when her feeding is delayed a few minutes.  Bathtime is a favorite time for us; she is so calm and relaxed ... and I just love seeing her naked ;)  She is  very vocal and has a range of adorable noises ... coos, aaaahs, ooohs, ... high and low pitches.  Sometimes it's hard to read a book to both girls because Charlotte "talks" loudly through the whole thing!    Her new favorite "game" is watching a helium balloon - that I tie to her ankle - bounce around.

Milestones of Note:

• Finally got the cradle cap under control ... it was bad!
• Handles tummy time for longer periods of time
• Bats at the toys dangling from her activity mat
• Tracks moving objects
• Recognizes faces and voices ... mommy, daddy, and big sister always get a smile when we move into her field of view.

Happy 22 Months!

Okay, I am starting to accept it. My baby girl IS almost TWO years old! Crazy! Insane! Oh-so-bittersweet! Here's a little update on this, the day she is officially 22-months old.

Our beautiful daughter ...

1. sleeps 12 hours at night (from 8 to 8) and takes a 3 hour nap (from 1 to 4) - I actually start to miss her during that long afternoon nap, but I also love that it affords me the time to get housework done, blog, or take a nap myself :)


2. still loves that darn binky, but she's only allowed to have it when she's in her crib. If she asks for it before nap or bedtime, I say, "Natalie, when do you get your binky?" And she replies, "Nap. Nigh-Nigh."


3. continues to call out (about once each night / early morning) because the binky has fallen through the crib rails onto the floor ... and I continue to be the sucker who goes and gets it for her.


4. snores, big time, like her Grampy (and Grammy) ... sometimes, I'll say to Chad, "Darth Vader is hanging out in Natalie's room again."


5. drinks about 16-20 ounces of whole milk, much prefers (diluted) apple juice to orange juice (but I love the way she says, "owge"), would rather snack than eat a meal, and has food texture issues, just like her mama


6. has less interest now in the potty than she did three months ago; I hope I didn't miss my potty training window! She still requires privacy to make her poopies, and she definitely knows when she's going pee-pee in her diaper.


7. sings "Happy Birthday to yoooouuuuu!" whenever she sees a greeting card, of any kind.


8. said very clearly on our way to the park today, "Sunshine! Sunshine! Sunshine!" Yes, baby girl, we don't see it often enough; celebrate when we do!


9. has an obsession with animals, especially those at the local zoo - we have a family membership. There are birds that play peek-a-boo, two beautiful tigers, and a cougar ... at least that's all her list includes. Also, we've created a little confusion because Natalie was introduced to Santa at the zoo during their Reindeer Festival. So she's pretty much convinced that Santa lives at the zoo. She asks to see him everytime we're there.


10. counts to 10 ... sometimes just because, sometimes to tell me how many ducks are in a picture or kids are at the park or pieces of cereal she dropped on the floor.


11. says "Messshy" about everything ... raindrops on the windshield, mulch on the sidewalk, food on her hands, cereal she dropped on the floor, ...


12. loves to play with her foam letters and ABC puzzle; she knows them all and loves to line them up ... just a matter of time before she's spelling :)


13. wants to "deeeep" her food in whatever sauce, dressing, or condiment is available.


14. is all about taking care of her babies and Baby Elmo! She rocks them, feeds them, puts them "nigh-nigh," changes diapers, and shushes them when they cry - she does a ver convincing "wah, wah" followed by "shhh, shhh, shhh."


15. sits and "reads" books for 15 minute stretches ... all by herself ... she points at pictures and says what she sees ... animals, colors, Sesame Street characters, letters, ... the babbling goes on and on


16. also loves to be read to; it is so sweet when she carries a big book to me and says, "Read." Before I even have time to respond, she turns herself around and backs up to plop down in my lap. She has a few favorite books ... Little Critter collection, Curious George, a book about Zoe and Elmo called Just the Way You Are, Deep Down in the Woods at Sleepytime, Goodnight Moon, Feet Are Not for Kicking, The Teeth Book, ... but will read anything including the newspaper or any magazine.


17. cannot get enough of "Wheels on the Bus" except our version usually doesn't include the wheels or horn or doors. Natalie prefers to sing about the people/characters/animals in her life. So we sing, "When Uncle Ty's on the bus, he says, Yo, Yo, Yo," and "When Elmo's on the bus, he says, Hee, Hee, Ha, Ha," and "When the hippo's on the bus, he says, "Pardon me, Pardon me."


18. calls out "Bus" everytime a bus or large truck passes by. She has a good eye; sometimes she'll spot the "bus" before I do :)


19. only really gets in trouble when she runs away from me and doesn't stop when I say, "Stop." She loves the freedom of running down the sidewalk or across the park, and it really terrifies me. I fall asleep at time with visions of her getting hit by a car. I don't know how to make her stop. She just giggles and keeps on running.


20. is heading toward her first haircut ... soon ... I know I've been saying that forever, but I think I am almost ready, and her hair is getting so long. It's still an obvious mullet, but she does have some bangs now ... love my whiskey tango baby girl :)


21. is still working on her teeth. On top, she has her front four and a few "molars" further back. One eye tooth has just broken through the gum. On bottom, she only has three teeth in the front - where the heck is that fourth? - and a few "molars" in the back.


22. remembers everything! A promise to go to the park. A face in a photograph. The way to certain destinations. That Tuesday (the day after hanging out with daddy while mommy works) is her day to go to her buddy "See-See's" house.

I just hope I can remember a fraction of this beautiful time we are spending together right now!

Almost 2!?

Went to BabiesRUs today ... picked up a new umbrella stroller and a few new bibs, joined their rewards program ... all-in-all a successful trip and an excuse to get out of the house, despite snow this morning and then lots of rain.

Checking out, Natalie did her usual, "Hi ... Na-ta-yee," introduction for the cashier. The lady replied, "Oh, she's so cute. How old is she?" (If I had a dollar for every time someone asked me that ... or I asked someone else, for that matter ... I'd buy a big ol' Starbucks card.) Anyway ...

I pondered for just a second, trying to remember today's date, and replied, "Oh, it's the 15th; Natalie is 20 months old today." To which the nice lady said, "So almost 2, then," with this sweet smile on her face. I am sure my expression didn't look quite as sweet in return ... as these thoughts were running through my mommybrain ...

Internal dialogue: I was like, what? I said 20-months, didn't I? I didn't say almost 2! How dare you age my sweet baby girl! As if she isn't already growing up so much faster than I would really like. As if the past 8 months since her first birthday haven't flown by in such a blur it makes me a little woosie just to think about it! Wait, two years is 24 months, and she's 20 months old today. (Yes, I did this little word problem in my head!) So ... Oh-my-gosh ... she really is almost 2!

Milestone: First Tooth

Just want to make it known officially; I hinted at this in an earlier post. Natalie, just shy of turning 11 months old, got her first tooth! It's the bottom, front, left ... does that make sense? It isn't much to see just yet, but I can definitely feel it. Thankfully, she hasn't bitten me 'cause that little thing is sharp!

The process actually started last week while we were in Colorado visiting my friend Missy and her son Emmett. Big E, as I like to call him, just turned 5 months old, weighs almost as much as Natalie, and is just the sweetest little guy! The fact that Emmett started teething at the exact same time, leads me to believe that perhaps teething is contagious! I would liken it to the synchronizing of womanly cycles ... I swear there were times when me and all three of my college roommates would get our visits from Aunt Flo at the same time. Now, I am thinking the Tooth Fairy works the same way :)

Okay, that was a tangent, but what do you expect from me? Anyhoo, Natalie got her first tooth, and it wasn't too bad. After round one of "shard of bone forcing its way through your gums," I swear by the Highland Teething tablets.

One down (or up in this case) and like 30 more to go!?

Roll With It, Baby!

Natalie has been rolling over - from her back to her tummy - since the beginning of January. However, the essential skill of getting off her tummy (aka reversing the roll) has eluded her ... for six long weeks! Of course, the "tootsie sabbatical" she's been on lately has caused her rolling studies to suffer considerably. Just this weekend she finally stopped sucking her toes long enough to give this rolling thing another try.

After much practice and coaching and cheering (what is this little league?) and much to my delight, Natalie is now rolling from her tummy to her back. Not consistently, and not with much proficiency, but she's doing it! It's such a wonderfully choreographed movement ... straighten the arm, bend the opposite knee, and tilt the head back - ever so slowly. It's really the weight of that cute noggin that makes it all possible - at least in Natalie's version of the tummy-to-back waltz.

Oh, by the way, her roll only works in one direction - counterclockwise. She's bound to get dizzy before she gets too far, right?

Here's a video of her back-to-tummy roll ... and I'll try to capture her latest move in the next few days.