Month 27 - Recap

Your pronunciation of certain words still leaves us in stitches. Currently, the way you say 'bunny rabbit' [buddy wabbip] and 'ketchup' [keppup] are our favorites. And as I was with Natalie, I'm impressed with how much you pick up without being taught. We were in some store the other day and you saw a globe. You flipped out and started hollering "Pan-tet uhf!!!" It took me a minute to figure out that you were saying 'planet earth', but once I did, you look so relieved and said "Momma, talk 'BOUT". So I said "That's what you were talking about?" And you squealed "YEP!" Conversations with two-year-olds often crack me up.

Every time we change you out of your jammies, you always want us to stop just after we pull your shirt over your head (but before your shirt is completely off) so you can run around the house and wear your shirt on your head like Shirt Hair. You get so excited to show Natalie how silly 'Na-ded Chaw-dee' [Naked Charlie] looks. And you being shirtless gives us an excellent opportunity to blubber and tickle your plump little belly.

And after you're in your jammies and ready for bed, you take a running leap into your rocking chair in your room and yell "MY CHAIR!" This, clearly, is Daddy's and my invitation to (gently, of course) sit on you and wonder where on earth (uhf) Charlie is. You squeal and start sounding mad, but when we get up, you whine for us to sit on you again. Because don't sit on me, but please sit on me. Makes perfect sense.

You're slowly starting to want to play games, namely matching games. You love watching Natalie play her games, and you're the perfect cheering section for when she finds a match. For you, though, I take it down a few notches and put just three cards in front of you and give you one card at a time to see if you can find the match among the three cards. A month or so ago, you didn't get what 'match' and 'the same' was. You just thought it was fun to throw the cards around the playroom (and I have to admit, I joined you and it was pretty fun). But just last week, it was like a switch flipped and you were a matching machine. When you made a match, I could see it in your eyes - you GOT it. You figured out what it meant. And you were so tickled with yourself.

You took your first non-hysterical bath this month. You still cried, but you didn't act like you were being bathed in molten lava. IT WAS SO AWESOME. It might have been a coincidence that you just happened to be in the bath with Natalie (you two have only bathed together three or four times - you hate baths so much that you're not much fun to be in a tub with), but Natalie looked so proud that she helped you be brave for your bath. I don't care if it was a coincidence or not, having someone you love feel proud over an accomplishment is a joyous thing. And not having your ears bleed because a certain be-dimpled munchkin insists on throwing fits in the ONE room where acoustics are so good (or bad?) is equally as joyous.

Hugs and smooches,
Mommy & Daddy

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Headlines for February 9, 2014:

• Georgia Prepares Heavily as South Expects Another Wintry Blow
• Clint Eastwood jumps into action, saves choking man
• G-olden Olympians: 40-somethings steal show
• US Suspect Possibly Targeted for Drone Attack
• Michelle Obama Gets All Motherly About Justin Bieber

January 2014 - Recap

Well, you first month as a five-year-old has gone and we've all survived. Which is impressive seeing as how you had the flu and pink eye between Christmas and your birthday. You were still pretty puny on your birthday, which was actually helpful, since I was fighting an upper respiratory infection at the same time and wasn't feeling all party plan-y.

I did, however, try the same spiel I did when you turned four: that five-(or four-)year-olds weren't allowed to whine. That it was illegal. You bought that nonsense for about two weeks when you were four. It lasted just as long (short) when you turned five. Those were a pretty sweet two weeks though.

You are Charlie are fully in 'Look at Me! Nooooo! Look at MEEEEEEE!' mode. If Daddy or I are talking to one of you, the other one acts a fool and tries to get our attention in any way possible. 'Any way possible' usually involves some combination of singing, dancing, jumping up and down, putting your face right in front of ours, yelling, whining, or crying. It's oh-so charming.

You had your kindergarten shots a few days ago. Back in August, when I was getting together all of your paperwork needed for you to go to VPK, I casually mentioned that you had to get shots in February. You immediatly started worrying, almost to the point of tears, that in FIVE MONTHS, you'd have to get a shot. I distinctly remember saying "Oh gosh, that's five whole months away. It's nothing to worry about now!" Well, it seems like those five months went by in the blink of an eye, because before I knew it, it was time. I hate to admit it, but I was wellllllll into my 20s before the thought of a needle didn't bring on an onslaught of tears. My TWENTIES. I cried at the dentist in my TWENTIES. So I totally get why you were worried. I tried to sweeten the deal by promising we would go anywhere you wanted afterward for a post-shot treat. That seemed to cheer you up, and you were fairly upbeat during the entire appointment. I have to say, I was FLOORED by how well you handled everything. You didn't cry a bit when the nurse pricked your finger to check your blood, and you only cried about four tears when you got your shots. And when the nurse gave you a Doc McStuffins 'Checkup Checklist', complete with stethoscope stickers, you were the happiest kid ever. And I made good on my promise - because you got two shots, you got two doughnuts (excellent choice of a treat, by the way) from the amazing doughnut/frozen yogurt place in town. Charlie and I also rewarded ourselves with two doughnuts, too, in case you were wondering. We suffer together; we rejoice together. And that was some mighty tasty rejoicing.

You continue to write sweet notes and color sweet picture (you call the combination of the two 'notey pictures'). Your latest notey picture says the following:

Dear God Thank
You For Giving
You One And Only
Son Jesus And
Thank You For
Diying on The
Cross

I cannot beGIN to tell you how precious this is. I love that you know about God, and how God sent His Son to die for us. Your enviable innocence and childlike faith is a treasure, and I promise you I'll do my best to always point you (and myself, for that matter) to Him. [And I love, love, love that you put 'diying'. Do It Yourself-ers for the win!]

Hugs and smooches,
Mommy & Daddy

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Headlines for February 1, 2014:

• Christie going on offensive about Bridgegate accusation  
• School Lunch Lady Had Hit List, Police Say
• Daily Double Hunter: Contestant's 'Jeopardy!' strategy riles viewers
• How the World Has Changed in the 10 Years Since Facebook
• Common Core's high costs have states rethinking federal program