I haven’t done an update for poor Charlie in AGES! Not to mention, I literally had to count months to remember just how many months she actually is now. Oy. Where is my brain? Where has the time gone?

Anyway, over the past couple months, Charlie has really grown up. And not just compared to Henry… she’s losing so much of her baby and becoming this talking, opinionated little lady.

Size: I can’t remember how tall C was at her 2 year check up, but she’s literally so tall that she can wash her hands in the kitchen sink by herself by standing on the little stool. (YES! No more awkward lifting!) As for weight, at 2 years, she was 27 lbs.

Clothing/Shoes/Diapers: Charlotte is wearing 24 month / 2T clothes. I still don’t totally know the difference, but she’s solidly in those sizes. She does still wear some 18 month pants and PJs, but probably more so because I haven’t cleared them out of her drawer. Also, she has one button-down, sleeveless denim tank that’s 12-months that she still wears. I refuse to let it go. It just looks SO perfect underneath a sweater… or a shirt… or anything.

As for shoes, she’s wearing a 6 now. She still has some 5.5 or big 5’s that work. But 6 is definitely her size. Also, it’s official that she cannot wear the brand, Umi. Girlfriend has wide/chubby feet.

Charlotte is in Size 5 diapers. Yes, she’s still in diapers. To be honest, I really haven’t tried to potty train her even a little.

Potty Training: We talk about the potty, read books, let her sit (and read excessive amounts of magazines) on it, etc… but haven’t actually started training. With the arrival of Henry, it just seemed like too much to tackle until recently. We have a meeting set up with C’s teachers at school to talk and strategize. I think we’ll start soon. But diapers are so easy.

Honestly though, I think she’s ready. Or at least getting there. She tells me before she poops and sometimes lately even when she’s peeing (or about to).

I should probably get all up to date on laundry in preparation for the daily sheet washing that’s in my future.

Teeth: Charlotte has never really been affected by teething. I don’t know when she got her 2-year molars, but I know they’re there, as I saw them while she was laughing a few months ago.

Sleep: Like her daddy, Charlotte is an amazing sleeper. She started regularly sleeping through the night at 5 months and never turned back. She sleeps from around 6:30-8pm (depending on how much playing she does in bed) until around 7-830am.

When C wakes up, she will stay in bed playing or laying or chatting or singing until we come in to get her. She’s very obedient like that. Sometimes, (just like her daddy) she’ll get bored of playing in bed and will just go back to sleep.

As for naps, C naps for about 2-3 hours every day.What can I say? The girl loves her sleep.

It should also be noted, that she often will say to us, “I’m sleepy” or “I’m tired” and will request an early nap or early bedtime.

Bedtime Routine: We begin bedtime routine at 6:30pm. We change her into her night diaper and jammies, then heat up a bottle of milk (it has a sippy top). Charlie insists on putting the “top on ma milk.” Then, we take the milk to C’s room for stories. C will drink her milk on the way to her room, hand us the bottle as she climbs in, remove her bunny/blanket/teddy/pillow from the bed – for some reason, they’re not invited to story time, and then take her milk back.

Typically Henry is asleep at this point, so Mark and I both get to read with her. If Henry is still in the process of his nighttime routine, Mark does this part alone.

We read two stories and then it’s time to brush teeth.

Brushing teeth is a pain in the ass, but we give C her toothbrush and we have one that we use to brush her teeth (this preserves the bristles… she chomps on “her toothbrush”). Mommy or Daddy brushes her teeth first through a series of “Ahhhhh’s” and “Eeeeeee’s” and then C gets to brush aka chew on her toothbrush. When she’s done, she rinses and sucks the water off the brushes.

If it’s a bathnight, we blowdry her hair, as her skin is so sensitive that the dampness makes her break out on her neck. She always needs to take a turn drying her hair.

Then it’s the best time of night. C looks at Mark and I and says, “Wanna snuckle?” AKA “Wanna snuggle?”

9/10 nights, Mark and I are both with Charlie for snuggle time. I climb on the right side, Mark on the left, and Charlie alternates climbing/sitting on each of us and sometimes lying down in the middle.

We play games: I interlock my hands/fingers and Charlie tries to get my hands open. She interlocks her hands/fingers and Teddy tries to get her hands open… etc.

We talk about our day – what she did with Nana, what she did at school. We talk about what’s coming up tomorrow. We laugh. It’s perfect.

Then, the best part, is the singing. Charlie loves to sing songs with Mommy & Daddy. We sing Twinkle, Twinkle; If You’re Happy & You Know it; the ABC’s (she’s actually pretty good!); and recently The Wheels on the Bus. Her little voice… it’s just adorable.

Then, we count! Charlie can legit count from 1-14ish. We’ve been working on 15-20.

After singing and counting, it’s time for Charlie to lay down so we can tuck her in. She politely says, “‘scuse me, Daddy,” which has been adjusted from, “Daddy, move.” So Mark and I get off the bed, I crank her music box and do 1-2-3 with her blanket. I swing the blanket once over Charlie & Daddy’s head, then twice, and on “3,” I nicely tuck Charlie and Teddy under the blanket. We get our last hugs and kisses and say goodnight to our girly.

It’s the best.

Language: I couldn’t even count how many words Charlotte has. Every day I’m surprised at the new words in her vocabulary and the ways in which she uses them. She absolutely amazes me.

My moments of, “I’m so sorry, but I don’t know what you’re saying” are becoming less and less.

She also seems to be entering a “why” phase. Ohhh the why phase. So far, she seems to cap out at 2 “why’s” per topic, which isn’t bad.

We’ve also been working on asking nicely for things (saying please) and asking using a full sentence.

Next step: always respond when an adult (you know) asks you a question.

Personality: Charlotte is all personality. She’s this unique blend of timid and observant with a big side of adventure, humor, and leadership. The first 5-10 minutes of soccer, which she does every week, are spent clinging to mommy/daddy and being so quiet. Once she feels comfortable, she’s a crazy person running all over the place, being goofy, and hopping around.

She seems to be a leader with her school friends and is no bullshit. If she doesn’t like what you’re doing, she’ll tell you. She’s for sure going to boss poor Henry around. No doubt about it.

I like to describe her as a sour patch kid. She’ll do something crazy and then a minute later, comes at you with open arms, apologizing.

All in all, she’s pretty fricken’ amazing.

Activities: Charlie is currently in swim class on Wednesday’s at the YMCA, Gymnastics on Saturday mornings and Soccer on Sunday mornings. She seems to absolutely love them.

Favorite Foods: I have literally heard Charlotte say, “I want apple sauce” over the monitor, randomly at 2 am. Then, she’ll go back to sleep. The girl LOVES the stuff. Just plain, organic, no-sugar added applesauce.

Cinnamon. She eats SO MUCH and doesn’t mix it in. It’s enough that I would guess probably tastes spicy.

Expensive fruit. Berries, mango, etc.

Ketchup. She dips everything in ketchup (eggs, chicken/any meat, etc).

Yogurt/Cottage cheese

Favorite Toys: Charlotte’s “inner circle” consists of her teddy, bunny and blanket. Besides her “crew,” she loves her baby and stroller. Her play kitchen/food. Her picnic set. Coloring and play dough.

She’s decently easy to please on the toy front.

Favorite Things: Charlotte LOVES helping. Helping to clean or cook, take the garbage out, pick up dog poop, etc. And she LOVES helping with Henry.

She loves Henry, too. She calls him, “my Henry” and literally just loves the shit out of him. Obviously, sometimes she wants us to put him down and ignore him, but I think she really just deeply loves the little guy.

Charlotte loves to play outside. Whether it’s a ride in the wagon or her Cozy Coupe or a nature walk with Nana, she loves being outside.

Trucks. C loves seeing trucks while we’re driving. However, she happens to be terrified of the garbage truck that picks up the trash at her school. Imagine that!