Eighteen Months

Somehow my little girl has been here eighteen months already.  It boggles my mind to look at the toddler that my baby has become. 

To celebrate this big day, Charlie has been marching around on her tip toes and singing.

As she gets older, her personality is coming out in spades.  She has her own opinions, and will share them with you (loudly).  Her current favorite things include: cell phones, or anything that can be used as a cell phone, remote controls, dancing, kissing, baby dolls, shape sorting toys, putting on all manners of clothes and accessories (my hair ties are great bracelets.), taking things out of, and putting them back in various boxes, and "helping" me do laundry.  If anything is missing, the first place to look is the washing machine.  She's enjoying milk, yogurt, chocolate, nachos, pumpkin and banana puree, pizza, and veggie straws, as well as anything she can sneak off my plate. 

Whenever she sees the camera, or my phone pointed at her, she makes this face:

She's decided walking is old news, and taken to sprinting or dancing everywhere.



 She is going to be a theme park fan.  She is rarely happier than when someone is flipping her, spinning her, tossing her up, wrestling with her, or running around with her at top speeds.

She's super friendly to strangers, talking to them excitedly - unless they get too close.

She's got a handful of signs that she uses to tell us what she wants: milk, eat, please, thank you, more, and all done.  We're really working on getting her to say Please as opposed to whining when she wants something.

As far as talking goes, she's got the basics (with comprehension)- Hi, Bye, Mommy, Daddy, Papa, Nana (pronounced Nanoo), Wow, Oh no, Uh oh, Ow, Baby, Puppy, and lately, No and Mine have entered the mix.  Whenever she eats something new she says "Mmmmm!"  She'll imitate most anything you say, but doesn't connect what it is most of the time.

She's very snuggly and sweet, and growing into a little spunky person.  I still can't get enough of her, and I'm so blessed to be able to spend all my days with this amazing girl.

The Snow Beast

"Snowpocalypse 2012" is upon us, resulting in something like 6 inches of snow piling up around our home.  It'd been probably about 6 years since I'd really played in the snow, so while Charlie was napping I indulged my inner elementary schooler and made a snow man just her size.

 After she woke up, had some snuggles and a diaper change, I took her out back to meet her new friend.

 It went well.  (Sarcasm, p.s.)  She freaked if I put her down, so these are my attempts at pictures.

 From above, while she clings for dear life to my leg.

 The horror. 

Sigh...maybe next year.  For now we'll hunker down inside, eating mashed potatos and listening to Wicked...not a bad alternative, really :)

Snow

 Admiring the first snow of the season before church

After church, lunch, and a nap, we bundled up and headed out.  Charlie immedietly face planted, but bounced back with minimal whining.

Grandpa came out to join in the fun.

Charlie started to enjoy herself, even if she didn't quite understand what was happening.  PS - look at her mittens.  So cute.

 Snuggles

10 on 10

Cozy feet...

 Christmas candy...

 Monsters...

 Light reading...

 

 Lunchtime...

 Snuggles...



Christmastime

Charlie is thoroughly enjoying Christmas and all the new things to get into.

Like...untying ribbons on presents

Posing for Christmas card pictures

Playing with lights

Waiting for Santa

Playing peek a boo 

And eating lots of sugar

She's also a walking machine, even walking (and keeping up with me) in the mall, holding my hand, of course. 

Finally getting past this mommy only stage, now excited to see all sorts of people, and freely going to them.  She even cried when I took her from her daddy earlier this week - in the past it's been the other way around.

Running to the door whenever someone comes over or gets home, greeting them with squeals and grunts, and clinging to legs until she's picked up.

Getting slightly more interested in food.

Kissing everyone and everything with a sweet and precise peck.

Shaking her head no whenever she's asked a question.  "Want a cookie?"  Shakes head no, opens mouth and says "Aaaaahhh" to indicate she wants it.

Sleeping in her crib all night every third night...we're working on trimming this gap.

Wiping every surface can reach with kleenex - future neat freak?

Climbing on to furniture with no assistance.

Sporting a brand new molar.

Rocking a respectable rat tail. 

If I don't post again in the next few days (which, lets face it, is likely),

Merry Christmas!  And God bless us, every one

10 on 10

A little greeting in Charlie's room...along with a cluster of Christmas trees

We started the day with coffee (for me), milk (for her), and a little Frosty

Reindeer kisses

Her favorite Charlie Brown Christmas musical book and a little ornament collection inherited from my grandma

Santa...not such a big hit with Charlie...along with a family shot with the big guy from when I was about two, and some colorful blocks

Big cheesy grins...too big to keep your eyes open for

Reading up on the flu vaccine she had no idea she was about to get

My beautiful nativity

Another of Grandma's Christmas ornaments...probably at least 50 years old

A goodnight kiss for her penguin ornament

Happy Holidays

Tomorrow...

...tomorrow is the day we'd expected to meet our little boy.  The Lord had a different plan than we did, and after just 19 weeks of carrying this little life within me, he was taken to a Perfect Life for eternity.

How do you spend the day you thought you'd be meeting your child?  Tim and I decided that it would be  a day together...himself, Charlie and me.  We're going to hunt for our Christmas tree, decorate it while sipping hot chocolate and listening to Christmas music and enjoy our family, even though our little boy isn't joining us.

It will be bitter sweet, enjoying family time, while missing Isaiah on his expected birthday. 

We are so thankful for the little ball of energy we call Charlie,  who will keep us laughing, and, probably on our toes, as she seeks to destroy the baby proof ornaments I stocked up on.

We miss our little boy every day, and are thankful for God's grace and the knowledge that we will meet one day.

^{Psalm 139:13} For you created my inmost being;
you knit me together in my mother’s womb.
¹⁴ I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
your works are wonderful,
I know that full well.
¹⁵ My frame was not hidden from you
when I was made in the secret place,
when I was woven together in the depths of the earth.
¹⁶ Your eyes saw my unformed body;
all the days ordained for me were written in your book
before one of them came to be.

We look forward to meeting you, sweet Isaiah.

10 on 10

 The start of every morning...after changing a diaper of course

These people are on top of things...

Despite this little girl being in the best mood I've ever seen her in, this is the face she made when I pulled out the camera

Tea party

 Going for the camera

 Pacifier positioning of choice

Reading together

Smiling sweetly

Baldies

Elmo and Ricky Gervais for Charlie while I made dinner