Growing!

So far, this pregnancy has been "easier" than the rest.  We feel like pro's at the first trimester (this is our FIFTH...so weird saying that!) so we know the drill.  Lots of high protein snacks every 45 min-2 hrs.  Be prepared for constant hunger for nothing we have in the house.  Do NOT buy anything in bulk, no matter how much I loved it one day.  For a week, all I could stomach was Chipotle.  Then one day I gagged when Jer said the word "tacos" and that was the end of that run.  

But the exhaustion.  I'm generally a person who could sleep all day. Jeremy says it's because I never stop when I'm awake.  So during 1st trimesters I'm a zombie.  I could sleep all day and still pass out on the couch an hour after waking up.  So it's hard on the girls and Jeremy.  My classrooms go a little out of control, as I'm just not on top of things.  When I come home, I can't be around food prep, so I hold the girls off with snacks and tv while I pass out on the couch and wait for my night in shining armor to come home.

Jeremy is oh-so-patient and reminds me that yes, I will get back to my ol' over achieving self soon.  And yes, the exhaustion does end.  

Then ...one day, I wake up!

And I do all the cleaning that I havn't done for 2 months!

This time I looked down and said, "Oh!  Hi there!  When did you pop?"

12 weeks- that's a bump, yo!

13 weeks
It's so much easier to see in real life.  I didn't show this much with the other 2 until 16+ weeks.

Also, ORANGES.  Can't get enough of them.

Weaned

I looked up from helping Jer with dinner and I saw this...

Later, as I sat grading, I look over to see this...

How big you are, and yet so small!  I had to wean your sister at 15 months due to struggles with mastitis and my waitressing job.  I thought she was "old enough".  You are 10 months older and I was still thinking you were too young.  You were a champ when we told you your binky was "all gone" but you continue to whimper in the morning when I tell you my milk is still "all gone".  Oh, how it breaks my heart.  There was just nothing left- and it hurt!  I suffered through it in March with the miscarriage, but this time my milk really has dried up.  I'm sorry, baby.  I promise to let you cuddle in the mornings in bed with me for as long as you want!

Halloween

 A little late, but we had a great Halloween!

Papa stopped by and Amanda joined us for the early round of trick-or-treating dressed as a cactus!

GG joined us in costume for the second round (driving around to friends') as well...

I dressed up the day before at school...I still had to explain it to some students!

All Saint's Day

 There is a Saint's Parade for the first graders.  They dress up as a saint, memorize a 3-4 sentence summary and then say it at the podium in the church in front of a FULL CROWD.    She was Our Lady of Guadalupe again, but the costume was a little more detailed (ie no pj's tied around her head this year)

Charlotte is her little mimicking shadow

He class- she convinced the teacher to let her "prop" be a doll I made of Our Lady of Guadalupe

Last year!

Healing...

...will come in May!

Broken Heart

*exasperated sigh* "Mommy, is there another baby in your tummy yet?"

Oh how that question yanked at my heart.

TWO

Oh, my baby, you turned TWO today!
 We all still call you our baby, but you are anything but.  You speak in 7 word sentences, clear as a bell.  As we go out and about the comments as to how well you talk are never-ending.  The pediatrician asked for an estimate of how many words you could say.  I just looked at her blankly.  I finally settled on  "1000" when she suggested, "20? 50? 100?".  I finally answered, "Really, she says anything we say."  "Oh, so she can parrot?" I just agreed, figuring it was easier than trying to explain.  You really are vocal.  You ask, "What time is is?" quite often, and no matter what we answer you insist that it is "45".  I'll never forget the first time you asked in the car, "Where going mommy?"  Seriously, what 20 month old asks that?  Now it's every time we're in the car.  You usually try to argue with me as to where you'll be going for the day.  No matter where we are going you want to disagree.  We're going to Grandma Dean's- you want to go to Mimi's.  We're going to Mimi's?  You want to go to Grandma Dean's.  We're going to Katie's?  You want to go to Dr. Justin's (our Chiropractor). You just love to disagree.

Oh, how you like to disagree.  With a grin you sit in time-out.  You like to "scream" and them put yourself into time-out.  Once you even made yourself go to your room.  You are such a stinker.

You have very much discovered what it is to push everyone's buttons.  You ALWAYS want to be by your sister, but just.can't.help.it and have to make her scream within 2 minutes.

You are our Lefty.

Our Puzzle queen.

Our Choco-holic.

Your birthday included chocolate-banana muffins, double chocolate cookies, chocolate-chocolate chip ice cream, chocolate covered strawberries and chocolate cake.  The Jordan's came by last minute and their eyes got as big as their heads!

Our Baby Lover.




My 2-year-old morning nurser (you ain't letting that last feeding drop for NOTHing).

Our Goober.

After every gift you stood up and yelled "WOOKWOOKWOOKWOOK!"  to everyone in the room.  Then she'd yell thank you to a random person.

Our Binky baby.

Oh that binky.  It's strictly limited to sleep-time and at Mass, but sometimes mommy is just too tired in the morning to hear you scream for your "B" and I toss it at you on the way to daycare.  I'm not sure how to break you of it.  Or if I even want to.  It truely is your security blanket.  And with all the transitions you make between your FOUR possible care-takers, I really don't want to make you go without.  But you're starting to get a rash on your chin from it and your teeth are ever so slowly tipping forward.

You are 75% for height and 50-75% for weight (26 lbs).  We're not sure how you are staying so chunky, considering you are our picky eater.  You prefer things made with sugar.  Our new diet did a number on your temper, but now a stash of chocolate to bribe you with helps.  But if allowed, you'd live off of yogurt, kefir and chocolate.  And goldfish.  Although we don't have them, you still somehow still con your way into getting them at Miss Katie's.

We love you Charlotte!  We really can't remember life before you and couldn't imagine life without you.