One Year

I need to get this all down before I forget it!
Stats: I actually had school off on your birthday, so we had your 1-year appointment.  You weighed 20lbs 5 oz- roughly 70% percentile.  I lost the info sheet already but I remember you being the 90% percentile for head circ and around 70% for height.  You started walking a week before your birthday- I freaked out and you gave me a "Oh, this is a thing?  I can totally do that" look and didn't stop practicing for the rest of the night.  By your birthday you preferred walking to crawling but still needed a "destination".  Another week later and you figured out how to stand in the middle of the room, rarely crawling anymore now.

Our birthday gift to you was 1-year-old pictures.  I didn't do this with Sam and I regret it.  Hopefully you'll appreciate them when you're grown.  We were able to capture your two distinct "isms"- the grin and bear-crawl.  When you finally warmed up to the camera the photographer couldn't believe it.  The two people working there kept asking, "Really?  She's grins like that all the time?"
Yep.  Such a goob!
You're still a great sleeper and THRIVE on a schedule.  You've been off the past few weeks with Grandma visiting and your first day back with Grandma Dean (one of our sitters) you napped for six hours.  That's right. SIX.  And then went to bed for the night four hour later.
You l.o.v.e. your giraffe blanket and binky.  We joke that it's laced with a sedative.  Whenever you're throwing a fit about a diaper change, we just pop it and your whole body relaxes and you stop moving.
Recently we realized that the reason you were a "picky" eater is because what we were feeding you was too bland.  Stuff that Sam claims is too spicy you inhale.  It must have been all of the spicy salsa I drank ate while pregnant and nursing you.
I watched a video of Samantha signing at 11 months and thought that you'd never get to that point.  But boy was I wrong.  Just in one month you've added quite a list to your vocabulary and are in love with the baby-signing books that were once Amanda's.  Currently you sign (appropriately and consistently):

All done

Drink/Eat/Give me that (pointing to her tongue)

More

Please

Thank you

Down

Swing

Book

No

Bye/Hi

Dad

Milk

Apple

You SAY:

Bye/Hi

Tss (Tess)

Nigh-Nigh

Was-ah? (What's that?)

No

Uh-oh

A few precious things that I want to remember about you:

1) Whenever the front door opens-whether we are taking out the garbage or coming home or just looking outside- it doesn't matter where you are, you wave and shout towards the door "Aye!"  It sounds both like "Hi" and "Bye" and it works for both.

2) Whenever you do something naughty all we have to do is quietly say "No, Charlotte."  You then do it one more time and immediately shake your head and say, "No."

3) You are OBSESSED with markers.  You carry them everywhere and have even learned to get dressed while holding one or two.  We have markers in the carseat, in your bedroom, the bathroom, the couch, every box in the house...until yesterday we let you have your way with them.  Yesterday, however, you figured out that they open.  Now they are out of sight.

4) You love your mommy, but you also love the other women who get to watch you during the day.  It is really quite the relief for me that you reeeeach for Grandma Dean, my mom and Miss Katie and instantly lay your head down on them to cuddle.  You make them all laugh with such pure joy.  They really do love you and can't get enough.

We love you Charlotte!  Samantha still loves making you laugh.  As do all of us!

Birthday Girl

The Grin
Just can't get enough!

Even though he couldn't be there, my Dad made her cake!

Charlotte's gift-opening-helpers

Aw!

I'd like to say she was all excited, but she was exhausted by the time the party started and the only frosting she got on herself what when she whacked my hand away as I tried to feed her a bite.

Dady even tried.

Jeremy's mom even made it!

With the Godmother

The two brown-eyed girls

Her hug.  Melted my Grandma!

The Hnosko's youngest has got some serious cheeks.  My mom kept cracking up, which would make him smile and then she'd crack up and he'd smile and then...repeat :)

Watch me mom!

No hands!

Love these two

Charlotte was all in Samantha's business and Sam was so good with her.

She even helped her get the cap back on a few times.

This was when she learned how to remove the cap.  I took a million pictures of her trying to get the cap back on.  Then the markers were put away.

Crap, I just realized I still don't have her birth story up or finished.  I should probably get on that...

The Evolution of the Grin

My baby is one today.  

That is all for now.

Cousins

13.5 and 11 months

11 months

I know, I know, I missed 10 months.  We were returning from Arkansas and I was exhausted and by the time I got around to it, it was mid August and I thought, "Meh, I'll just catch up at 11 months."  Because, to be honest- I didn't write it down and now I don't remember what she was doing at 10 months :(

So here we go!  Charlotte is really slimming out. She's still in a size 9-12 month with disposables and 18mo with the cloth. Although she won't stand independently (but can- she did it once a week ago) she will instantly pull to stand up when set down.  All she needs is something to steady herself.  And boy is she fast-especially up the stairs.  I went from saying, "Nah, it's ok she doesn't know how to go up yet" to "SHUT THE GATE! QUICK! HERE SHE COMES!" within 24 hours.

Someone forgot to close the bathroom door...

She's also figured out signing.  She still won't do it to unless it pertains to the situation (ie to show off) but she accurately and consistantly signs more, eat, drink, milk, down, bath-time and bye-bye.  She also has a very distinct belly-yell that means, "I WANT THAT BUT I CAN'T REACH IT" which also includes when Samantha has taken something away from her to play with (because wow that book/calculator/ball is suddenly interesting now that the baby is looking at it).  It's so distinct that I can yell at Sam to "give it back!" without even needing to see what's going on. 

Speaking of which, Jeremy and I refer to Sam as Charlotte's favorite and least favorite person.  They can't get enough of each other (Charlotte reeeeaches for Sam the instant they are in the car together and Charlotte won't nurse if Sam is in the room unless Samantha is cuddling with us as she nurses).
But Charlotte is also constantly fighting for her life when Samantha is around.  Or more accurately- for her head to stay on and working properly.  Because that is the one thing Sam just can't stop touching/covering/poking/petting/pushing/rubbing. 


My new background picture.

She loves water as much as Samantha.  You know bath-time has ended when you hear the insane protest crying from the bathroom upstairs as she is taken from the bath-tub.  She also looooooves music.  She hasn't mastered the sign yet, but she recognizes it and will start to "dance" before I even get the music going. 

Charlotte is such a dream baby when it comes to sleep now (haha, get it?).  She goes to bed at 7pm sharp and wakes up around 7am.  Although the babysitter only napped her once today, she will nap for a solid two hours in the morning and 30-90 minutes in the afternoon.  And all you have to do is give her her giraffe blanket/binky, give her some snuggles and lay her down.  Awake.  And when she wake up she wakes up HAPPY.  Happy as in "Oh-my-gosh-I've-missed-you-and-I-can't-hold-still-I've-got-to-kick-and squeal-life-is-so-good!"  SUCH a welcomed change from Samantha's sweaty screams and hours of grump post-nap.


Baby with Binky and Sister's booty.

I took it out to get a GRIN and she popped it back in before I could get the camera pointed at her.

But food.  Oh good golly this girl is picky.  Unless it's a GOOD piece of fruit (or freeze-dried bananas-not fresh or dehydrated), this girl wants only perfectly cooked meat, grapes and some sort of bread/pasta/rice.  Nothing green or even remotely colorful. Now, she'll TRY everything, but if that first bite isn't perfect-forget it.  I've tried avocado so many different ways that she recognizes it and won't even try it anymore. I'm glad she still nurses so well, but MAN it's frustrating to clean up after her with all the rejected food on the floor.

Oh, and seven teeth.  Not 2, 4, 6 or 8.  But 7.  For about 2 months now.  #8 is finally deciding to show up but it could be a while yet.

Randomly she'll bust out a very distinct and emphatic "NO!" in the highest and cutest voice. I can't help but hope for and laugh at her every time she does it. Otherwise she "talks" to herself- and it is the CUTEST thing in the world. I wish I could get it on camera but it's so quiet that the camera has to be real close and then she sees it and...well, see the below pictures to understand why I can't capture it...



What is THAT?
 

GRIN.

Why do you keep pointing that?  And what is that red light?

Cheeeeese!

Hey.

CHEEEEEESE!

Ok, now let me see what you're looking at...

"more"

Oh, hey there.

Let me SEE!!!

She kept blinking, it was hilarious!

She was enthralled by the camera. 

I kept trying to get her to GRIN and Sam obliged.  Charlotte then inspected.



There we go!

Now let me SEE mom!


 

Finally, our favorite things about her right now:
Kim- the GRINNNNNN
Jeremy-the fact that daddy is just as good as mommy. Or as he says, "That mommy is not the preferential option."
Samantha- her hugs

The end. Next month- A YEAR!!

Note to Post Pregnancy Future Self

11 months.  Just give yourself 11 months.  And don't worry about anything until summer, when you aren't in survival mode.  You've done it twice, you can do it again.  And you'll feel great.  Just remember, portion control, water intake, and don't keep the junk in the house!

May

September

 PS  Jeremy really doesn't notice unless you show him before and after pictures.  Then he'll say, "Wow, I didn't even realize you had the weight to lose!"