2/16/16

 This past month has absolutely flown by, but in terms of our little girl, has also been one of the best. She’s really coming into her own and developing this contagious, happy, silly and fun personality.

Every day (literally), either Mark or I (or both) will come into the room just to tell the other how amazing our little girl is. She’s constantly laughing or exploring with her little perma-smile. Now, don’t get me wrong… she’s still got her sour sass, but her sweet is just so incredibly sweet.

She plays this game where all of a sudden she’ll “target” me and start running towards me for a tackle hug. <MELT> And she gives the best hugs and the best kisses. She just loves.

She’s a total talker now. Even when she doesn’t have the words, she’s babbling non-stop.

Her obsession over babies (real or dolls) has hit an all-time high that has me so deeply excited for our little guy to arrive. She’s even stopped throwing baby as much (baby steps, right?). She sits quietly for long stretches just feeding her baby and rocking her and reading to her. She does the same with her teddy bear. It’s absolutely heart warming to watch. 

   
Our car rides have become pretty silly. We have a lot of dance parties. A lot. Charlotte loves music. She loves a good acoustic song, but you should see her head pop up and her body and arms bounce when a rap song comes on. Oy. Maybe they have Kidz Bop – Rap Edition.

New Words: Honestly, I feel like she surprises me every day and I constantly forget words I’ve heard until she says them…

• Nana – any time the dog barks, she whips her head to look at the door and says, “Nana?”
• She’s currently working on Toby. I can’t even remember what she says… maybe Bobo or something like that. She’s been working on that one for a couple days now.
• Bir – Bird (she loves to point out the birds)
• Neiggghhh (Yes, what the horse says. It’s kind of a word… might even count as a foreign language)
• Moooo (cow’s language)
• Baaaa (sheep)
• Boo – I’m not 100%, but I feel like she’s saying blue.
• She can point out hearts! She can’t say heart, but she knows the shape!
• Shhh – lotion
• Liii – Lights
• I’m sure there are more new ones, but I’m blanking.

New Tricks:

• She “counts” items in books… she uses her little pointer finger to “count out” the items
• She counts with her fingers and noises that sound like 1 -2 – 3
• She can do the hand motions and dances for SO many nursery rhymes
• She can climb up and down steps (assisted)    
• She loves to talk on the phone
• She peels her own banana and orange  
• She literally LOVES to carry items that are entirely too big for her to carry (little person chairs, push toys, her baby stroller, etc)      
• She loves to twirl and dance  
• She can climb onto the couch by herself
• She recognizes songs even if they are new versions – this sounds like a weird one, but my point is that she actually listens to the lyrics of songs. In fact, even if it’s a new song she’s never heard, she will pick out words and do a corresponding hand motion or action. IE: Stomp your feet, clap your hands, face (she will point to her face), up and down (she will lift and lower her arms), etc.
• SHE STOPPED USING HER PACI!!
• She still totally loves to clean up. In fact, she helps put her toys away without throwing a tantrum. She seems to enjoy being helpful (YESS!!!!).
• She’s become very responsive to us disciplining through choice, “Would you rather leave that toy on the bench or on the chair? If you don’t decide, momma will choose for you.” – We used to have to take the toy to put it down, but she’s become very responsive and will just put it down herself.

Favorites

Book: Where the Wild Things Are (this makes me so happy because I just love this book)

Toy: Teddy & Baby… and probably her stroller.

Food: Fruit. Lately, bananas. But she loves fruit. And we’ve had a lot of luck with Almond butter and no-sugar, fresh jam.

Size

Clothes: Still 18 months, although the pants are decently short in many brands

Diapers: 4 (I think she’s on her way out of size 4. She keeps leaking through her night diaper.)

Shoes: Oy. I don’t know. She’s wearing a 4.5, but hubs measured her with a print out from Stride Rite last night that said she’s a 6. That just makes no sense to me because she clomps around like she’s in clown shoes in a size 5.

Daily Schedule:

• 7/8:30: Depending on when she goes to sleep and what her plans for the day are, she wakes up between 7 and 8:30
• 8/830: Breakfast
• 10: On non-school days, Charlotte takes a morning rest; although, she has not been napping lately. We are debating getting rid of this.
• 12: Lunch
• 1/2: Depending on her mood, Charlotte’s afternoon nap falls somewhere between 1 and 2/230. She will typically sleep anywhere between 2-3.5 hours. Usually it’s around 2.5..
• 6: Dinner, Bath (on bath days – she bathes every other day and on swim days)
• 7/8: Charlotte goes to bed most often around 7:30/7:45ish

School Schedule: Charlotte goes to school from 9-12:30 on Thursdays and Fridays (on these days, she eats a snack and lunch at school and does not nap)