A Day in the Life of Charlotte Marie

OUR SWEET LADY IS A SOURCE OF EXTREME JOY IN OUR HOME. SHE CONTINUES TO BE A SOCIAL BUTTERFLY AND ENJOYS MAKING NEW FRIENDS AT THE PARK. IT IS HUMOROUS TO WATCH HER BEFRIEND CHILDREN MUCH OLDER THAN HER. THIS PAST WEEK, SHE DECIDED IT WOULD BE COOL TO HANG OUT WITH A LITTLE BOY, WHO I GUESSED TO BE SEVEN, AT THE PARK. I WATCHED HER FOLLOW HIM, TAKE TURNS DOWN THE SLIDES, AND ATTEMPT TO TALK HIS EAR OFF. HER FATHER WAS NOT EXACTLY THRILLED WHEN I SHARED THE NEWS OF THE BUDDING FRIENDSHIP; I BELIEVE HE IS HAVING VISIONS OF THINGS TO COME.

HER HUMOR CONTINUES TO DEVELOP AND WE FIND OURSELVES LAUGHING AT HER ANTICS MOST OF THE DAY. SOME DAYS SHE TEETERS ON THE EDGE OF JOY AND SORROW, AND WE FIND OURSELVES WATCHING MOMENTS OF HYSTERICS AND HYSTERICAL LAUGHTER COMING FROM OUR LITTLE LADY. WHEN SHE WAS A WEE ONE, WE WOULD STARE AT HER FOR 45 MINUTES STRAIGHT WONDERING WHAT NEW THING SHE WOULD DO, AND AT AGE TWO WE FIND OURSELVES DOING THE SAME THING. SHE IS HIGHLY ENTERTAINING, BETTER THAN ANY REALITY SHOW I HAVE COME ACROSS ON TV.

RECENTLY, SHE HAS STARTED TO HELP ME COOK DINNER EACH NIGHT. SHE LOVES TO STAND ON A STEPPING STOOL, WHILE I ARRANGE INGREDIENTS BEFORE HER AND PRESENT HER WITH A SPOON. IF YOU WERE A FLY ON THE WALL YOU WOULD HEAR HER SAY OVER AND OVER AGAIN, "I COOK. CHARLT'S (HER PRONUNCIATION OF HER NAME) TURN. MOMMY'S TURN. CHARLT'S TURN. I COOK." AS MY LOVE OF COOKING CONTINUES TO GROW, I'M THRILLED TO HAVE MY LITTLE LADY JOIN ME IN THE KITCHEN. IT HAS BECOME ONE OF MY FAVORITE HOURS OF THE DAY. IT WILL BE GREAT FUN WHEN ALL FOUR OF US OUR SITTING AROUND THE TABLE. I KNOW SWEET JOE WILL HAVE A HEARTY APPETITE, AND IT WILL PLEASE ME GREATLY TO FEED MY LARSON MEN.

AND NOW, MAY I PRESENT CHARLT'S DAILY CHECK LIST...

1. MAKE SURE JOEY IS CARED FOR.

(SHE TAKES GREAT PRIDE IN WATCHING OVER HER LITTLE BROTHER. THIS PAST WEEK SHE HAS STARTED TAKING TURNS HOLDING HIS MORNING BOTTLE. BOY! WAS SHE THRILLED.)

2. MAKE SURE JOEY IS LOVED AND DOTED UPON.

(AT TIMES HER LOVE IS SO GREAT, WE FIND HER LAYING COMPETELY ON TOP OF HIM. HE USED TO GRUNT TO ALERT US, NOW HE JUST ACCEPTS THIS GIGANTIC GIFT OF LOVE EACH DAY. IN MOMENTS LIKE THESE, I'M VERY THANKFUL FOR HIS SIZE.)

3. PROVIDE JOEY WITH ENTERTAINMENT.
(HE GETS A KICK OUT OF HER, AND WHY WOULDN'T HE?! SHE HAS CREATED A WORD ALL HER OWN FOR HIS HEARING PLEASURE. "BOOM-BA" THIS SPECIAL GREETING ALWAYS BRINGS A SMILE TO HIS FACE. I LOVE TO HEAR HER LEAN IN, LOWER HER VOICE AND LET OUT A "BOOM-BA, JOEY!")



4. MAKE SURE MOM STAYS ON HER TOES.
(IN THIS PICTURE SHE IS ON THE VERGE OF EXPLAINING SOMETHING VERY IMPORTANT TO ME. IF ONLY I COULD UNDERSTAND IT ALL.)

4. MAKE MOM AND DAD SMILE.

5. MAKE MOM AND DAD CRACK UP.

6. MAKE SURE MOM HAS ENOUGH MEMORABLE PHOTOS TO DOCUMENT MY SWEET LIFE.

7. MAKE TIME FOR DORA THE EXPLORER.

(THE OBSESSION CONTINUES.)

8. MAKE A JOYFUL NOISE UNTO THE LORD.

9. MAKE TIME FOR THE OUTDOORS.

(THIS LITTLE LADY LOVES TO BE OUTSIDE. PARKS HAVE BECOME HER NEW FAVORITE ACTIVITY. SHE LOVES MEETING HER FRIENDS THERE AND HAVING THE FREEDOM TO EXPLORE.)

10. TAKE TIME FOR ANOTHER PHOTO OPPORTUNITY TO DOCUMENT JUST HOW OLD I'M LOOKING THESE DAYS.

11. MAKE TIME TO THINK THROUGH NEW POSSIBILITIES AND PROBLEM SOLVE.

12. TAKE ON NEW CHALLENGES.

"MAN, SCOOPING WATER IS NOT AS EASY AS IT LOOKS."

13. HAVE A MINOR MELT-DOWN. NO DAY WOULD BE COMPLETE WITHOUT ONE. :)

CHARLOTTE ALWAYS ENDS HER DAYS WITH BATH TIME WITH DADDY, MILK ON THE COUCH, SMOOCHES, BOOKS, PRAYERS AND SONGS. JEFF HAS REALLY TAKEN OVER HER BEDTIME ROUTINE, AND I LOVE TO HEAR THEM TOGETHER UPSTAIRS. ONE OF OUR FAVORITE THINGS ABOUT CHARLOTTE IS HOW SHE CONTINUES TO REQUEST THREE SONGS BEFORE BED. WE ARE SLIGHTLY EMBARRASSED TO SAY THEY ARE:

1. "POT POD" - BON JOVI'S "IT'S MY LIFE"

2. "TRY" - "DEFYING GRAVITY"

3. "DA, DA, DA" - JOURNEY'S "DON'T STOP BELIEVING"

(ALL OF THESE SONGS WERE PERFORMED ON THE HIT SHOW GLEE, AND THEY CONTINUE TO BE AMONG HER FAVORITE. SHE SELF TITLED THEM ALL. THEY ARE A TRUE SOURCE OF COMFORT TO HER. SHE CAN BE CRYING IN HER CRIB AND IF YOU WALK IN SHE IMMEDIATELY WHIMPERS, "POT POD" AND, ALL IS BETTER. YOU SHOULD KNOW THEIR ORIGINAL MELODIES AND TEMPOS HAVE ALL BEEN MODIFIED TO SLOW AND SOOTHING BEDTIME LULLABIES. NOW, DON'T YOU WANT TO BE A FLY ON HER BEDROOM WALL TO HEAR JEFF SING SUCH TUNES?!)