Tender Moments

HERE ARE JUST A FEW PICS OF SWEET MOMENTS WITH OUR LITTLE LADY.

WATCHING DADDY CATCH UP ON SOME REST AFTER A BUSY NIGHT OF CALL. IT IS DARLING TO WATCH HER DISCOVER JEFF AT REST. AT FIRST, SHE GIGGLES AND THEN CREEPS UP VERY QUIETLY AND REACHES OUT TO STROKE HIS FACE. PRICELESS.

DISCOVERING MOM'S BATHROBE IS JUST AS SOFT AS HER BLANKIES.
ENJOYING HER FIRST SUGAR COOKIE, WHILE MOM INDULGES IN A DONUT CRAVING. THIS CRAVING TOOK PLACE AROUND 2:00 IN THE AFTERNOON, AND JEFF WITHOUT BLINKING TOOK US TO ONE OF OUR FAVORITE SHOPS. BLESS HIS HEART... (I TRY NOT TO GIVE IN TO SUCH CRAVINGS TOO QUICKLY, BUT AFTER A WEEK OF THINKING ABOUT THEM AND EVEN DREAMING ABOUT A DUNKIN DONUTS, I THOUGHT IT WAS TIME.) :)

Nature Girl

CHARLOTTE AND I WERE ANXIOUS TO SHOW DADDY ONE OF OUR FAVORITE PARKS IN MADISON, SO WE TOOK ADVANTAGE OF THE BEAUTIFUL WEATHER LAST WEEKEND AND VENTURED OUT. WE MEET HERE WEEKLY FOR PLAYGROUP, AND LAST WEEK SHE SURPRISED ME BY CLIMBING UP THE EQUIPMENT AND SLIDING DOWN THE SPIRAL SLIDE BY HERSELF! THIS COMES AS A MIXED BLESSING. WHILE I APPRECIATE THAT I NO LONGER HAVE TO SLIDE DOWN THE SLIDE WITH HER AND MY EVER-GROWING BELLY (WATCH OUT!), IT IS SOMEWHAT UNNERVING TO WATCH YOUR LITTLE GIRL TOUGH IT OUT AGAINST THE BIG KIDS AT THE PARK FOR HER TURN DOWN THE SLIDE. CHARLOTTE'S SELF-AWARENESS OF HER SIZE AND AGE CONTINUE TO ELUDE HER. SHE CONTINUES TO BE MY "LITTLE MISS INDEPENDENT." I FOUND IT QUITE IRONIC THAT CHARLOTTE DECIDED SHE WAS LESS INTERESTED IN THE SLIDE AND PLAYGROUND EQUIPMENT WITH DADDY THERE (I WAS LOOKING FORWARD TO THE EXTRA HELP!). RATHER, SHE ENJOYED TAKING US ON A NICE LEISURELY STROLL BY THE LAKE (THAT I COULD OF MANAGED ON MY OWN.) IT WAS A LOVELY AFTERNOON, AND WE ALWAYS APPRECIATE AND ENJOY THE WEEKENDS WHEN DADDY IS NOT WORKING. (HE MAKES EVERYTHING JUST A LITTLE BIT SWEETER.)

A RECENT FAMILY PIC, THANKS TO ANOTHER PARK MOM.

DADDY AND HIS CHARLIE

CHARLOTTE -LESS INTERESTED IN TAKING A PICTURE WITH HER MAMA. WE'LL JUST SAY THAT OUR SON IS SMILING IN UTERO.

CHARLOTTE CREEPS CLOSER TO THE POND. (YES, SHE DID MAKE IT TO THE EDGE AND CONSIDERED JUMPING IN.)

CHASING ONE OF MOM'S LEAST FAVORITE CREATURES.

ON THE MOVE...
"I ALMOST HAVE THEM IN MY REACH!"

STOPPING TO SMELL THE...WEEDS?

EXPLORING PAPA'S GARDEN IN MILWAUKEE!

HOW FUN IT IS TO EXPLORE THE WORLD WITH OUR LITTLE LADY!

Charlie and Kenny

CHARLIE AND KENNY IN ACTION AT NANY AND PAPA'S HOUSE.

CHAR, THE OLDER PROTECTIVE COUSIN, IS VERY INTERESTED IN KENDALL'S DISCOVERY. WOULD WE CALL THIS HOVERING?

BATH TIME...IT IS ONLY MOMENTS UNTIL THE GIRLS START STANDING UP, CAUSING ALL KINDS OF TROUBLE! (WHAT THIS PICTURE DOESN'T CAPTURE IS THE AMOUNT OF PEOPLE WATCHING THESE LITTLE LADIES BATHE...TWO MOMS, ONE NANY, SEVERAL COUSINS...TALK ABOUT LACK OF PRIVACY!)
AFTER CHAR SHOWED OFF A SIMILAR STYLE HAIRDO, WE GAVE KENNY THE SAME LOOK. CHARLOTTE WAS STUNNED BY THE LOOKS OF THINGS.
THESE GIRLS CONTINUE TO GET CUTER BY THE MINUTE.

Julia Child?

I WAS PLEASANTLY SURPRISED TO FIND OUR DAUGHTER ENJOYING SOME ALONE TIME AMONG OUR POTS AND PANS!

Good Times?!?

PERHAPS WE AS PARENTS ARE HAVING MORE FUN DURING THIS POST-CHURCH ACTIVITY...WE LIKE TO THINK CHARLOTTE WAS HAVING A GOOD TIME, TOO!

Fruit Smoothies and Back Massages

AT PLAYGROUP THIS WEEK, CHARLOTTE AND I WORKED UP QUITE A THIRST. SO, UPON LEAVING THE MALL WE MADE A QUICK STOP AT THE ORANGE JULIUS. (YOU MAY ASK WHAT KIND OF PLAYGROUP MEETS AT A MALL...MOTHERS WITH A SHOPPING ADDICTION? WE USE THE INDOOR PLAYGROUND AS A BACK UP WHEN RAIN FOILS OUR PLANS!) WHILE I ENJOYED THE MAJORITY OF THE SMOOTHIE ON THE RIDE HOME, CHAR WAS VERY EXCITED TO GET HER HANDS ON IT ONCE WE WERE HOME. IN FACT, HER DEATH GRIP ON THE CUP ASSURED ME SHE WAS ENJOYING THE TASTY BEVERAGE. I THINK THE DELIGHT IN HER EYES SAYS IT ALL!

"THIS TROPICAL TREAT TICKLES MY TASTE BUDS!"

"YOU WERE DONE WITH YOUR TURN RIGHT, MAMA?!"

DURING PREGNANCY, I'M A HUGE FAN OF BACK MASSAGES. TO BE HONEST, I ENJOY THEM PREGNANT OR NOT. I DECIDED TO GIVE MY HUBBY'S HANDS A REST AND INVEST IN A MASSAGER AND I'M AFRAID I HAVE TURNED MY LITTLE LADY ONTO ONE OF LIFE'S GREATEST INDULGENCES. EACH DAY, WE BOND OVER A FEW MINUTES OF MASSAGE. I LOVE TO HEAR HER LITTLE "OOHS" WHEN I BEGIN HER TURN.

"MY TURN ISN'T OVER YET IS IT?"

"AHHHH, FULLY RELAXED AND READY FOR BED."

A Day in the Life

THIS IS A SAMPLING OF WHAT A TYPICAL DAY IN THE LIFE OF OUR LITTLE LADY LOOKS LIKE. SHE IS A VERY BUSY GAL, AND LOVES TO EXPRESS HERSELF ALL DAY LONG. AS WE LOOK AT HER EACH DAY, IT IS HARD TO BELIEVE HOW OLD SHE IS LOOKING AND ACTING. WATCHING HER, WE FEEL VERY BLESSED AS PARENTS. WE CANNOT WAIT TO MEET OUR LITTLE MAN AND SEE THE TWO OF THEM TOGETHER.

Hiding Place?

ALLOW ME TO REVEAL TO YOU CHARLOTTE'S FAVORITE "HIDING SPOT." IF EVER THERE IS A NEED TO AVOID DIAPER CHANGES, FLEE WITH AN OBJECT (THAT IS NOT TODDLER FRIENDLY), OR IF THE LITTLE LADY WANTS SOME ALONE TIME THIS IS THE SPOT FOR HER. AND, WHILE IT APPEARS TO BE HER CHOICE FOR "MOST CLEVER LOCATION FOR AVOIDING PARENT CONTACT" IT REALLY MAKES IT QUITE EASY TO CATCH HER, WHICH IS A TREAT FOR ME AND MY GROWING BELLY! THIS WEEK I COULD NOT PASS UP THE OPPORTUNITY TO CAPTURE MY SWEET GIRL IN ACTION.

"WHAT MOM?"

"WHY DO YOU FIND THIS SO FUNNY, MAMA?"

"YOU CAN STILL SEE ME, MOM?"

"I'M THINKING OF COMING OUT..."

"UM...MAYBE NOT!"

PRETTY CUTE.

Lunch for Two

CHARLOTTE AND I ALWAYS LOVE OUR TRIPS TO MILWAUKEE TO SPEND TIME WITH FAMILY. CHARLOTTE ESPECIALLY LOVES SEEING ALL OF HER COUSINS; SHE LOVES TO INTERACT WITH EACH OF THEM DIFFERENTLY. IT IS SUCH A JOY FOR ME TO SEE MY OWN DAUGHTER PLAYING WITH MY BELOVED NIECES AND NEPHEWS! I CAN'T WAIT UNTIL SHE CAN SAY ALL OF THEIR NAMES. HERE SHE IS WITH COUSIN KENDALL, WHO IS THE CLOSEST IN AGE. THESE TWO GIRLS LOVE TO EAT, AND WE LOVE WATCHING THEM!

SWEET GRINS FOR THE CAMERA!
"DON'T MIND IF I STUFF MY FACE, WHILE YOU SNAP PICS, MOM!"