One Year!

For about two weeks now, I've been in the land of "this time a year ago". It's a sickness. And I can't stop. Every year-ago thought blows my mind, and I'm fairly certain that this is how motherhood will remain for me. Time has flown. A year ago Charlie was just getting himself ready to meet us, and we were blissfully ignorant of what the night had in store. Today Charlie is a total kid, and we are settled in to the best routine. John and I are happier than we ever thought we could be - we have a little family and are totally excited about the day that we'll get to have more (not anytime soon!). This sweet kid has lightened our life.

Oh sweet Charlie boy. Where do I even begin. He's sweet, smart, kind and oh-so funny. He's beautiful, inquisitive and repetitious. He's feisty, spirited and confident. Every day he makes me proud, and it's my very favorite thing to tell him. Because I am. I'm so proud to be this little person's mom. I'm grateful every day that I get to teach him what this world around him has to offer, and his brain is such a sponge.

Charlie's talking more and more and more everyday. He says mama, dada, dan (Stan, duh), whatstha (what's that?), momomo (more), woo woo (woof, woof), uh-oh, up, down, dog, bye-bye (it weirdly sounds a lot like dead dog, if you can imagine it), and the list grows constantly. His frustration level has grown this month - tantrum-style...oof, but the acquisition of words has helped calm him a bit. I mean how frustrating not to be able to properly communicate, but he's learning and growing and verbalizing, and I love love love to hear his sweet little voice.

He's moving around at rapid speeds this past month. The crawl has been turbo-ed, and his walking is on the brink, but I think we've been on the brink for a couple weeks now. Two weeks into the month he was walking from the front door to me in the middle of the living room - a good 15 steps or so - so I called John inside, and we watched him walk and walk and walk. And since then, we've had a few spurts of walking on his own, but almost exclusively, he wants to walk - completely steady - holding your hand. And if you try to take your hand away, he melts down to the ground cry-ing. Oh life is so hard. Last week he walked all around Jiffy Lube, and today he had another solid spurt of walking around the house and the yard, but I'm not sure that classifies him as a "walker". When do I officially pen the date in the baby book?! I think he just wants to make sure he can run before he's ready to go out on his own.

Eating has undoubtedly always been one of Charlie's strong suits, and he hasn't slowed down. He loves raspberries, eggs, any kind of meat, tuna, oranges, yogurt, cheese, blackberries, strawberries, blueberries (seeing a trend?), applesauce, and any kind of bread product. He is totally weird about veggies. If they're in a baby food jar, he loves them. If I cook them and therefore he's forced to chew them, he spits them directly out of his mouth...well, that's if he'll even open is mouth in the first place. Not really sure what that's about, but we'll just keep trying and hopefully he'll catch on. I've officially started weaning in the last week. It started about half-way through the month because Charlie got so sick, and since my supply was low and Chuck wasn't eating much, his doctor said to try milk so we could get some calories into him and make sure he was hydrated. He took right to it, and I stopped nursing during the day. And since he was at my mom's this past week, she went with the milk routine too. We've kept on it with him back home, and for all intensive purposes, it seems to moving along seamlessly. He doesn't seem to mind the switch, and I'm proud we made it to a year.

Charlie's still at two naps a day - 9:00 and 1:00. I think our days might be numbered on these, but I tried to stretch him through his first nap one day last week, and he just couldn't do it, so I'm enjoying his daytime slumbers for now and letting him make the move when he's ready. He still goes down around 7:00 and wakes up around 7:00. He lays down without protest at home. We sit and rock, and then he just goes into his bed. Sometimes I hear him messing around in there for a bit, but he always drifts off to sleep and lets me know he's awake by banging on his crib or saying "uh-oh".

We partied this weekend and celebrated the heck out of this kiddo. I'm grateful that just like the day he was born he was once again surrounded by all the love that so fiercely embraces him. This kid. This life. It just keeps getting better. Happy birthday, Chuckster.

 

Get Out! (Week 7)

We got out last weekend, but in a totally different way. Our little family headed up to Dallas on Saturday morning to spend some MUCH needed time with my family and celebrate our beautiful bride-to-be of a friend. My mom and I joked before we even got up there that we should just leave Charlie with her. She was certain that one night would never be enough. I packed a few extra outfits and diapers, and sure enough GiGi decided that one night was not even close to enough time with Chuck, and John and I decided we'd like to try a couple nights away. We made plans to meet in Waco on Tuesday or Wednesday, and after Charlie laid down for his afternoon nap, we made the trek down south. We knew we'd miss him, and that it'd be weird to be home without him, but there was almost instantly something very carefree about being just the two of us again. We ate out wherever and at whatever time we wanted to and went for a run after John got home from work. I laid around in bed after I woke up in the mornings, and ran about a million errands back to back to back. Our time alone helped us take care of the small and the big in our lives.

What my mom and Wallace gave us for those 72 hrs is truly irreplaceable. Charlie is our very favorite human being, but those few days to ourselves made an impact. We got to recharge our marriage. Recharge ourselves. There is not a lot of time in our everyday life to truly focus on each other, and there were too many conversations during our time alone that started with, "What? I thought I told you that..." We were able to listen, engage and be 100% present in each others worlds. I read an article today about marriage - bits of humor, bits of reality - and one of the last paragraphs of the piece really resonated with me. I'm going to get the quote wrong and the person wrong, but the gist of it was that the best piece of advice he could give to parents is that if you want to be a good mother/father truly love your partner. John and I got a chance to get out and fully remember that love this week, and while I know it's not feasible in every situation, I truly wish every couple had the chance to do the same.

I toasted my best friend at her wedding with this quote, and the longer I'm married/the more John and I go through, I continually discover deeper levels of truth in it. "...to be happy [in marriage] you have to find variety in repetition and to go forward you have to come back to where you begin." - Middlesex

John and I got a chance to revisit our beginnings, and now Charlie's back, and we're all putting a better foot forward.

Get Out! (Week 6)

Blog neglect is in full effect. Week six's get outdoors was tainted by a miserable weekend of sickness on my part. I was pukey and pathetic, and in no way shape or form in the mood to be outdoors. Weird that Charlie didn't seem to understand or respect any of my wishes to sleep all day tucked warmly under the covers. Selfish.

Needless to say, we got out a little late, on Monday, but it was Earth Day, so it seemed like the perfect day to reenter the world of the outdoors and make the most of the beautiful weather. We headed to Redbud park with Stan gleefully in tow. And as I pulled in to the parking lot, I realized that just one year ago we were at the exact same park, but I was in a very different state. Whoa. Lump immediately in my throat (there's been a lot, okay A LOT, of that in the last two weeks) and tears flooded. I quickly recovered. No time for weepiness with my motor-scooter around. He was ready to walk (with my finger firmly latched into his fist) and Stanley was already in the woods exploring. It was the perfect afternoon, and just short of picking up trash or helping clean up a park, I think we did exactly what you should on Earth Day. Be outside! I hope you took the time to enjoy the day, the Earth and all that surrounds you great and small.

Get Out! (Week 5)

It's impossible to live up to last weekend. Impossible to get out in that way two weekends in a row. Plus, I'm kinda in a love affair with my bed right now - nothing like the rock-hard ground to make you appreciate your pillow-top mattress. This weekend we concentrated on getting out a little closer to home, and since Chuck had a wicked fever on Saturday afternoon and night, we focused on the yard, made a quick trip to the Natural Gardener, and stuck around the homestead. 

Our landscaping was way neglected last spring...I guess I was pretty busy growing a baby or something...so we decided to focus our efforts and get everything back on track. First stop? The Natural Gardener. If you've never been, The Natural Gardener is this gardening/landscaping utopia just southwest of downtown. Truly, it's magic. They have all sorts of varieties of plants, veggies, trees, the most helpful and knowledgeable staff ever, a chicken coop and goats - Charlie's favorite this time. By the time we left, Charlie had his animal fix for the day and we had a car full of plants and veggies for the garden. We eagerly headed home to dig, plant, repeat. We replanted our back flowerbed, tore out trees (and delivered them to friends), planted our lemon tree, laid sod, started our spring/summer garden, put the finishing touches on our front flowerbeds, mowed, edged, and ripped up the rotting wood lining our flowerbeds and replaced it with brick we found hiding under our deck. Ooof! What a day.

We got out this weekend, checked some much needed home improvements off our list, and enjoyed this beautiful sunshine. Austinites, I'm thinking our heat-advisory free weekends are numbered. We're going to have to start mixing in some large bodies of water to our routine! Here's hoping you got out this weekend too - soaked up the outdoors and improved your corner of world. 

Dancing goats.

Goat callin'. 

Get Out! (Week 4)

We got out in a big way this weekend. We packed up Thursday night to head to Cedar Breaks park in Georgetown, TX. With some killer coordination, the mamas and babies loaded up Friday after naps to set up camp and get dinner started before the dads got off work. Somehow the execution was seamless. Tents were up, dinner was on the stove, and babies were happily exploring as the dads arrived...miracles do happen.

If you haven't been to Cedar Breaks it's a small, beautiful park with mostly wooded and secluded campsites. There's water and electricity at every site and bathrooms with warm showers just yards away. So we weren't totally roughing it, but I think this just might be my kind of camping. Honestly, it's the first time I've camped and made it through the night in a tent. Charlie didn't sleep very well, so we walked laps in the stroller at naptimes and co-slept as best as we could at night. I wouldn't say we were rested when we left, but the weekend was still perfection. The weather was beautiful! And well, there's nothing quite like getting to wake up and hang with great friends all day. We took long walks, watched the kids play in the tents, let the dogs dip their paws in the lake, ate ridiculously delicious meals (no soggy sandwiches here!), and roasted marshmallows for s'mores. And Saturday night, as all the sweet kiddos rested peacefully in their tents, we laughed and pondered the important issues facing our world - top 10 greatest 80's movies, what the weekend would have looked like if we did this four years ago, the price of RV's (selling the house and touring the US is looking like a really sweet idea), A/C units and the price of copper, RV's with motorcycle storage, and well, you get the point. We settled a load of world problems. We packed up camp early Sunday morning to get home for Charlie's morning nap, and what a day of rest Sunday was. Charlie slept for almost seven hours between his morning and afternoon naps...whoa!

We got out this weekend, enjoyed this beautiful weather, spent time with awesome friends, and made some great family memories. I hope you did too!

Clearly, I should have taken way more pictures...next time!

11 Months!

Charlie, Charlie, Charlie. What a tiny pistol he's turned into this month. He is truly on the move from the moment he wakes up until he drifts off to sleep. Honestly, today would have slipped right by me if his GiGi hadn't texted remarking how unbelievable it is that we are officially one month away from the big O-N-E! We are so busy bouncing from here to there now because of Chuck's increasing mobility that I'm never quite sure where the day goes. But 11 months...holy cow.

Moving. For real, we're up and greeting the day often before I've really clocked in. Why, again, don't I drink coffee?! Charlie isn't walking yet, but he wants to so badly that he can hardly function lately. He finger walks constantly, and if you try to take a break because your back is certain it might break in two, he just cries and cries and cries. Thankfully, GiGi and Pops sent him an April Fool's/early birthday present - a Radio Flyer wagon/walker - and it couldn't be more fantastic and practical. We've walked 9,000 laps around the house in the last week, and he's so freaking proud of himself at every turn. He's starting to get braver with his steps. He's walks while holding on to just one of our hands and has taken a handful of steps at a time by himself, but as soon as he realizes he's on his own, he drops to his butt. Soon, Charlie boy, so soon. And then I'm certain moving will have an entirely different meaning.

Smarts. Charlie boy's got 'em. John and I are still perplexed by where he got these brains, but we're gonna roll with it for now. He's chattering all day, and while he's had Ma and Da down for the last month, the 'b' sound has been mixed into his repertoire this month and he uses it exclusively for ball and book. He's not saying the entire words, okay, but try to tell him differently. And oh books! My English teacher heart is so full because this month he's been crawling down from my lap, pulling a book out of his basket, holding it up to me saying "bah" until I take it and then crawling back to my lap saying "uh" (up!, duh) and then settling in to read. For real...melt my heart. There is one book "Where's My Mommy?" that my friend Dawn gave me after he was born, and he's obsessed. I'm not quite sure what he loves about it so much - it's way above an 11 month old's reading level - but every time I turn the first page, he starts flapping his arms and "oh, oh, oh, oh"-ing. It's just beyond awesome.

Growing. Man, is this kid a weed. We don't get his official measurements until next month at the big one year appointment, but he weighed in at 25 lbs last week at his doctor's appointment (darn fever). But what I'm dying to measure...maybe I'll just lay him out or stand him up against a door frame, duh...is his height. He is looking crazy tall these days. And if his high-water pants are any indication, I'd say he's grown a few inches from last month.

Sleeping. Oh blackout curtains, how glorious you've made our life. Great naps, great bedtimes, great sleeps.

Appetite. Charlie's eating his little booty off (or on, really). He loves pretty much any fruit (raspberries are the running favorite) and all bread products and meats. Not so into cheese or a wide variety of veggies, but he loves kale, sweet potatoes, carrots, peas and butternut squash. His favorite meal is eggs, turkey sausage, raspberries and OJ (it's totally mine too!). I'm grateful for that easy appetite and willingness to eat.

This month we've spent even more time than usual with family - yay for trips to Austin! - and loads of time outside and with friends. He's still pretty content doing anything outside, but he's not content just sitting and playing in his sandbox or on the deck or out in the flowers with me. He's got to be in the mix or exploring at all times. Although, at playgroup today he was pretty content to play with his friends toy kitchen almost the entire time...hoping he got some of his Uncle Kevin's cooking genes. His Gaga and Papa's house is still one of his favorite places to be - the clock, the window, the stairs and the wooden toy luggage that fits perfectly between the slats of the end table...it's dreamy. The library went on spring break I think almost the entire month of March, but we were back last week, and Charlie was cruising around all over again invading people's personal space at every turn. And the bike cart. It must be mentioned because it's our new favorite thing this month. Chuck's first tool around town was a little scary, but since then, he's loved it every time. What an easy way to get to the library or the park or the grocery store. We're in love!

This month was loads of fun - spring breaking, sxsw-ing, and celebrating birthdays and Easter, and next month we'll be celebrating one year since our sweet Charlie boy debuted into this world. Can't believe we're here already but can't imagine being anywhere else.

 

 

Thanks, Mama Case for the awesome pic!

 

 

 

Get Out! (Week 3)

Are you seeing the trend? One of John and my goals for our family is to get out of our house and take advantage of this great place we live in, so we're trying to truly tour around Austin visiting all our old haunts while trying some new fun too with sweet Charlie and Stan in tow. I hope you'll join us - get out and explore your city!

This weekend was a little different - Charlie was feverish and sad and sleepy. We rested most of the day on Saturday but ventured out for a couple hours in the afternoon to visit one of my favorite parks in Austin - St. Edwards Park off old Spicewood Rd. Once we moved from our 360 apartment, Stan and I discovered this park not too far away from our new place. It has great little swimming holes, a steady stream in the creek and some awesome hills on the south side. We've had some downs at this park too though, so beware if you plan to visit - John's had his wallet stolen out of his locked car twice, the parking lot (small) is really close to the two-lane busy street, so leash pets before getting back to the car, and I didn't see it, but Stan came bolting out of the brush one day running for his life, and as I tried to figure out what the hell had spooked him, I suddenly realized the rattling was more than likely a snake he'd stumbled onto. But with all that said, this park keeps me coming back for the secluded trails, mix of terrain, and beautiful water features. And during the spring there is a bend right behind a grouping of trees, where you turn the corner and literally fall into a gigantic field of bluebonnets. And if you catch it at the right time, I just swear this is what my version of heaven looks like.

Another great trip, a perfect way to spend the afternoon. Get out(side)!