Charlie- 19 weeks

I guess we've been too busy to blog, which I always take as a good sign- I'd rather spend more time living my life than documenting it! (It's kind of a marathon post, no wonder I didn't have time to blog last week!)





*Aunt Chelsea loaned us a Bumbo seat to try out- Charlie's little fat thighs barely fit in the legs holes. He can really sit well in it and he seems surprised to be in that position. I also bought Charlie a few new teething toys, including Sophie the Giraffe . He loves chewing on her nose, ears, antlers and feet and I love that she squeaks when he grabs her!



*Charlie spent some time practicing the piano with Daddy. I love that music is such a big part of our family and I hope Charlie loves it as much as we do when he grows up. Lately John has been transposing the lullabies I sing to Charlie as theory practice. I've also noticed that putting music on in the car will help calm Charlie and keep him from crying, a trick I am grateful to have discovered since Charlie still really hates being in the carseat.




*We've been working on establishing a bedtime routine with Charlie and part of it is reading books in his rocking chair. He's begun to be really interested in books- some favorites currently in rotation are Goodnight Moon, Five Little Ladybugs, Daddy Kisses, Mommy Hugs, and Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?



*I spent a morning testing how it feels to be a mother of five while tending for my former charges, Kate, Emma, Thomas and Sophie, in addition having Charlie, of course. It was INSANITY. I was only there for 4 hours and by hour 3 I was resorting to bribery (for the big kids) and grandparents (for Charlie). The kids were very good and loved being with Charlie but it was still too much.

Charlie with Emma (age 8) and Sophie (age 2).

*We have a little swing in the backyard that my dad installed when Sam was a baby that both Sam and Lily LOVE. We tried Charlie in it (backwards, leaning forward and only slightly swinging) and it was a hit again! He loved it! He kicked his little legs and smiled and made the funniest faces! I tried to capture some of them but these photos don't do his expressions justice.





*We've loved having my parents here- it's been so fun for Charlie to get to know his Grandpa Mark.



*Grandma Bev is one of Charlie's favorite people (we are really sad that she's leaving for the UAE soon). He always lights up when she comes into the room. He knows her so well because she has lived here his whole life. She sat with Charlie in the backyard this week and helped him practice his sitting up. He even did it on his own for a few moments- does that count as sitting up? He's only 4 months old!




*We went to Timpine for an evening, where Charlie helped Grandpa T in a fierce checkers game against Forest (his second cousin).


*We visited Hollywood Connection with Sam, Lily, Steve, Kerry, Aunt Barb, Grandma, and Grandpa. The kids rode the rides but everyone participated in a game of mini-golf, even Charlie (he and John were on a team.) Both Steve and John got holes-in-one but John got his on the last hole of the course, so he won himself a free Coke!