Adventures in Parenthood

Oh Charlie,

Most days I love you more than chocolate chip cookies. Most days I appreciate the little everyday challenges you present. Most days I want you with me all day because everything's WAY more fun with your adventuresome spirit and fresh look at the world. Most days you're sweet.

Today wasn't most days. Today wasn't most days. Today wasn't most days.

Today you were the screaming kid in Home Depot, the screaming kid in the restaurant, the screaming kid in the front yard, backyard and everywhere in between. Today you climbed on absolutely everything and anything you weren't suppose to looking at your dad and me defiantly as you went. Today you hated diaper changes, putting on (and taking off) your clothes, baths, getting in the car, and most of the food I dared put close to your face. Today you were a total butt.

So tonight I grabbed my wallet and keys and headed to Marble Slab. Tonight I happily spent $14 on ice cream - your dad needed some too, okay?! Tonight someone somewhere knew I needed some good music vibes because The Cure, Pearl Jam, Pavarotti, Xavier Rudd and Dr. Dre (will you ever appreciate that I know every word of Forgot About Dre???) came through my shuffled iTunes. Tonight I rolled my windows down, turned my radio up and sang obnoxiously loud to my ridiculously random stream of music.

Parenthood kicked our asses today. It's not the first time. I'm certain it won't be the last. Two pints of ice cream later...we're ready for tomorrow.

Charlito

Oh tiny friend. Your dad's working late tonight and has to go out of town next week, so the two of us are truly spending our all-day-every-days together. And as much as I've been dreading these weeks (I really like to see your dad), you've made day one quite the adventure. You're spunkier than ever, and while your new favorite thing is to say "no!" in your little foreigner accent to everything (it's not my favorite thing), you still crack up oh-so easily. And these giggles are my favorite. They make the days fly by. Sneezing gets you absolutely every time, so lets just say I fake sneeze a lot. Love your spunk, love your giggles, and really love your mud mohawk. You're crazy. I wouldn't have it any other way. 

15 Months!

Tu-tle. Who ever knew it'd become my very favorite word? You've added it to your growing list in the last week, and I look for turtles everywhere we go just to hear you say it. You have the softest, sweetest little voice when it comes out, and the 't's are always hyper-stressed. You also love to say "ow." lately. A plant could brush your leg, and "ow. ow. ow. ow." until one of us says "oh gosh, are you okay?" You always are, but I guess you just like us to check in on you. You've added a lot of words this month, and while I'm still mostly the only one that understands your distinctions - poop, balloon, oops, plane...all the same word, you're getting clearer and really working to communicate.

This month has been hot, hot, hot (I'm trying to keep some perspective since we've had rain and cooler temps for the majority of the summer), but oof. We've been in the pool literally every single day, and you love the water. Whether we're in your baby pool in the backyard, at the splash pads or the city pools, the water is a constant. You don't seem to mind when you go underwater, which happens pretty frequently because you insist on walking or running through the water on your own. As soon as you fall you either pop right back up or we grab you, and you're off again. You're so brave and confident. Your confidence and adventuresome spirit should probably make me nervous, but I love to watch you growing, learning, and taking the world in. You've got a wanderer's soul, tiny friend.

Truly, it's my ultimate goal every day to wear your butt out. You have an unbelievable amount of physical energy. You will sit while we read and while you eat, but other than that, you're up and on the move. I'm tempted to put one of the monitors on you just to see how many steps you actually take in a day. Marathons, sweet boy, you're running marathons. In addition to the water, you love the park, pushing your lawnmower around the driveway, getting off and on the train at GaGa & PaPa's house, trucks, motorcycles, face-timing with Pops & GiGi, airplanes, buses, bulldozers, motoring around the deck on your scooter Poppy & Marge got you, turtles, dogs, and books. Your favorite book lately is about 10 little ladybugs, but all the truck books are cycled through quite frequently. We read books mostly right before you go to bed and right when you wake up, but I love when you walk in your room and grab a book at an odd moment in the day and shove it towards me, "more!"

Sleep is still good. You're down to one great afternoon nap and are going down a little later at night but waking up later too, so that's great. You go down around 7:30 now and sleep for a solid 12 hours. This past week's been a doozie because you're cutting teeth, but the last three nights have been back to good, thankfully. You're also really interested in poop this month. Your poop, Stanley's poop, and pretty much anyone who might venture in the way of the bathroom. You always yell out "poop!" as soon as someone heads that way. You've started wanting to sit on the toilet a few times a day, mostly at home, but sometimes when we're out too, and probably at least once a day, you're totally going to the bathroom in the toilet. And today was a total score when, at your cousin Vivi's party, you shouted poop, ran to the bathroom with your dad and went. Way to go, dude! You love to wave goodbye to your movements as we flush them and talk all about it. Potty training is certainly not on our agenda yet, but I figure we'll just roll with it for now while you're interested.

Quick truth bomb, sweet boy. You yell now. And it legitimately hurts my ears which I don't hesitate to tell you and to which you always reply "hut" while grabbing your own ears. You came back from vacation with this yell, and I'm so ready for it to be gone. We've tempered it in the last month, but it and your new whine are my least favorite thing. I told you this week that instead of whining you could just say "Mama", and I'll help you with whatever you need, so now you stand by me while I'm putting on makeup or making you something to eat or getting dressed saying, "Maaaaaaaaama, maaaaaama, maaaaaaaaama." I'm mildly regretting my instructions. How about we just use all those words you know? You're too smart to yell and whine, Chuck. Lets just stop. Deal? Deal.

Words, water, sweet friends and more energy than anyone could possibly know what to do with has colored our month, and just when it doesn't seem possible for my heart to swell any larger, I wake up loving you even more the next day. You're cooler than the other side of the pillow, Chuckster.

Defiance

Skeptical of the clown

Cruising chicks

The five seconds you actually sat at storytime

This Guy

Thirteen and a half years ago I met this kid. And oh what kids we were.

While I clearly knew where I was headed, John was still very much carving out his path, so I became his biggest cheerleader, his motivator and his main-line of support. When we first started dating John joked that he'd never heard the word proud thrown around as much as it is in my family, and it's probably true. But I've been sincerely proud of him since he was first just figuring out what he wanted to do. Even when he wasn't quite so sure he could be great, I believed it enough for the two of us. And somewhere along the way he started believing too. He's provided for our family, been a constant reassurance that we are making the right decisions, and continues to put himself in positions to carve out an amazing future for us. What a crazy summer we've had. Wouldn't want to do any of it with anyone but you.

So lucky to be your wife. So proud of all you do for us.

14 Months!

"AY PAPI! You're GOR-GEOUS!" was literally shouted across the grocery store last week in your direction. And I have to say it's my favorite compliment you've ever received. The sheer enthusiasm with which it was delivered made your face light up, and as she made her way over through the produce section to get a closer look at you, you were following her every move. Love at first sight, I guess. I can't say I blame her. You're cuter than ever this month.

And shoot are you a smarty too! Your words continue to grow, and your level of understanding is outrageous."Wow" is still a crowd-pleaser, but you seem to rather enjoy declaring "AHHHHHHHHHHH dun" (the first part is always at your highest volume and stretched to maximum capacity) when you're finished eating or done with a book or I hang up the phone. Your dad and I crack up every time. Saying hiiiiiii to people (not just animals) is new this month too, and while you're normally anywhere from 30 seconds to 15 minutes to late for people to actually hear you, it's the sweetest greeting. You still have a lot of words that sound the same - up, help, and drop and book, balloon, ball and truck, yuck. There's more, but you get the idea. Soon you'll add those soft consonant distinctions and be so proud, but I think your dad and I will miss being the ones that get to decode your language. The ones that always (almost) understand. The book Moo, Baa, La, La, La has moved into the front-runner position this month. You love to shake your head and say "no" when the dancing pigs say "la, la, la." Melts my heart. Your mobility is at a whole other level too. Your balance is growing every day, and your adventurous spirit seems to be helping. The rougher the terrain the more you want to conquer it. We took Stanley to Redbud Isle early this week, and I was in pure amazement at your sense of adventure and brave heart. You fall and fall and fall some more but nothing seems to stop you from trying. You were jetting down all sorts of paths with Stanley in the lead and loving every minute of it. You're working really hard on jumping lately, but you just can't quite get those tree-trunk legs off the ground. I'm not sure that stops you from knowing the difference though. You still booty bounce all over the house, and when someone asks, are you jumping? You grin the widest, proudest smile I've seen.

Since it's hot as blazes now, we've been spending a lot of time in the water - not going outside doesn't seem to be an option with you, and it doesn't matter if we're at the pool, the springs, or playing in the backyard you love, love, love every second of it.

This month you're obsessed with big trucks, buses, bikes, motorcycles, mowers and perhaps all things with wheels and/or a motor. You have a favorite song - "Ho Hey" by The Lumineers. If it comes on you smile wildly and repeat OH! over and over and over. And when it's done you say more! until I find it on my playlist. You love golf, are getting really good at throwing (can we stop throwing rocks though?), and are in heaven when Stanley comes near. He's still pretty hot and cold with you. I know he loves you, even though he certainly doesn't show you all the time, but when we got back from Minnesota he'd obviously missed you. He let you watch almost your entire video just like this...

You're a mover and shaker, my smallest friend. And you continue to grow into the sweetest, coolest, smartest, bravest kid I know. Please don't ever stop.

Kavanaughs - 2013

We were back north for another week of adventure, relaxation and much needed family time. Our little family cherishes this week together - a week free of distractions, a week free of work, and a week spent all day, every day together (the thing we love the most). Charlie was as obsessed with Kavanaugh's as John and me immediately upon arrival. He made a bee-line for the chilly lake water and would have stayed in there (and his mud pit) all weekend if it wasn't for those pesky things called eating and sleeping.

He had an immediate new bud in John's cousin's 11 month old, Dylan (what does that make Charlie and Dylan???), and with the new friendship we discovered Charlie is a closet wrestler. I've never seen him do it. And he's around other kids lots of times during the week, but for some reason with Dylan he loved to back right up into him, sit down, and roll around over his legs, arms, etc. Luckily, Dylan seemed to love it just as much as Chuck. Fast friends those two little chubby bunnies were. And oh my, to have GaGa and PaPa and all the aunts, uncles and cousins around all week was more than Chuck could have ever dreamed of. Pure magic.

Thanks for the laughs, ALL the love, and a million memories. The pact is in full effect. Every year.

Tried to recreate it...not a chance. Next year?

Happy Father's Day!

Feeling lucky today (and always) that Chuck has the most amazing dad that shows him everyday what a good husband, father and man looks like.

And Dad, well, you already know. I'm forever grateful you're mine and so proud to be yours. 

Happy Father's Day to all the proud Papa's out there. Hope you're surrounded by love, fits of laughter and a whole lotta sports - the Open and game five?! Somebody really wanted John to have the very best day.