Christmas Time's A Coming!

Today you patiently sat in your swing and watched Christmas move in to our home. We sang Emmy Lou Harris' Christmas Time's A Coming about 20 times. Christmas is my favorite time of year and my grandaddy Bland (your great grandaddy) always showed me detailed ways to make your home scream Christmas.

You will learn very quickly that holidays are a big--make that a HUGE--deal to me. When I first met your daddy he was not into holidays and I called him Scrooge for the first two years. Then I convinced him to give all the joy and spirit and chance...and I think it worked because today he spent two hours putting lights on our back porch.

Each day of the Christmas season is so wonderful and I want you to enjoy every moment. The lights, the sounds, the magic, the warmth, the smells, Santa, the joy...all of it.

'Tis the season!!

Thank you Aunt Vicki for the baby legs! They are awesome!

Thursday's Thanks: Gobble Gobble Edition

I am sure you are expecting me to go on and on about how thankful I am to be a mom, etc and so forth. That would be like me saying, "This year I am thankful for my family and friends." Cliche and general with no substance. Instead I am going to ramble on about all of the little itty bitty things I want to thank you for.

I want to thank you for:
showing me how to let my guard down and open my heart completely.

nuzzling my neck when you get sleepy.
being ticklish.
opening my eyes to a new world.
sleeping good.
being healthy.
letting me experience your new life with you.
having pieces of me and your daddy, but mostly being yourself.

giving me motherhood.
smiling at me when you see me.
hanging onto my shirt when I hold you.
not being afraid to cry. ;)
making the best cackles and coos.
remembering me day after day.
teaching me how to let things go.
putting up with all of the crazy outfits I put you in.
being my daughter.

Even though you are only 91/2 weeks old there are a few things you are thankful for too, and since your communication skills are through eye contact I will write them down for you.

You are thankful for:
your daddy and his unyielding desire to make you laugh.
milk...lots and lots of milk.
Sully and his kisses on your head when you are trying to sleep.
a warm home.
your fleece sleep sack (your favorite)
the itsy bitsy spider.
God.
being outside in the grass.
the T.V. and all the bright lights it offers.
clean diapers (you refuse to have any sort of dirty diaper for longer than 5 minutes)
Alison Krauss and James Taylor (you fall asleep to them every night)
the Tarheels (you just don't know it yet, and daddy is not going to like this, soooo...).

the Pirates...arghh
your lamb binkie.

bath time.

Now, after all of that!!! Here is a recap of our festivities today. I did not get as many pictures as I wanted but you will get the jest of things!

We started the morning at Uncle Kevin's and Aunt Anne's house. You got to meet your Great Grandmommy Maw Maw Dot, your Great aunt Vicki and Great Uncle Bryan. Your cousins Ben, Matthew and Patrick and Aunt Anne's Mom Pat and her boyfriend Ted. You also got to see your GG again and spend some quality time with the fam. You were loved on and held by everyone. GG got your tummy to calm down by laying you on your tummy across her legs which is a new favorite position of yours! Here is a picture from the visit.

Great Grandmommy Dot, Daddy, GG, You and Me.

Afterwards, we went to your Great Aunt Jill's house for the afternoon. There were to many people to list. While daddy and I ate you were passed around, but that passing around stopped when you got the Great Grandmommy Charlotte. You decided to have a conversation with her and of course Aunt Suzy, Great Grandmommy Ada and I had to watch.

Here is a quick shot of our little family in the kitchen!

After several hours of social life, you were ready to come home and get out of your frilly Turkey dress and into your bed. Here you are as we got home.

Happy Turkey Day Sweet Thing!

2 months old

Your two month check-up has been on my mind for a while. All I knew was needles were involved and I don't do needles. Everyone told me it would be harder on me than on you, but everyone did not see the alligator tears pour out of your eyes. WOW. I hope I have not given you my phobia of needles. You cried so hard you lost your breath. I am sorry little one. Then they told me you have to have more in two months....jeez. Thank goodness your daddy was there to assist me after my eyes watered up, and I couldn't make a sentence for the appointment people.

Other than the shots, we did have fun hearing all about your stats...

Height- about 23.5 inches long--93rd percentile
Head- I can't remember but you were in the 95th percentile (so big)
Weight- 14 pounds--99th percentile. Yes, that is correct 14 whole pounds.

You are a VERY healthy baby and the doctor clarified that to me when I asked her if I should still be making sure you eat in the middle of the night (even if I have to wake you a little). She looked at your daddy and said,"Don't ever let her do that again!" The she turned to me and said "Charlotte will be just fine to miss a meal." ha I think she was trying to tell me something. What do you think sweet thing?

Afterwards we went home because you needed to snuggle all afternoon...or maybe that was me. Either way, you were not the happiest baby on the block and you were obviously sore and achy from the 3 foot needles they stuck in your thighs.

Puppy dog eyes.

What just happened to me?

Had a little Tylenol and I am all better!

P.S. I took the doc's advice and did not wake you up last night and you slept all the way to 6:45 this morning. I am sure that will not happen again for a while but thank you anyways!

Big Girls Don't Cry.

However, your big girl momma does. See picture above... You got it...your crib.

Last night was your first night in your big girl bed...THE CRIB. You have been sleeping in a bassinet next to our bed since you were born. And several nights you ended up in our bed snuggled up cheek to cheek with me because I wanted to make sure you never felt alone and that you were always breathing.

After several weeks of coaxing from your good ole dad, and Grammy. I finally took a deep breath and zipped you into your sleep sack and rocked you to sleep. Then I gingerly laid you in your polka-dot-sheeted-crib. And then...I cried. Because I am that pathetic. ;) And after I wiped my mascara streaks...I did what any other crazy mother does and I took 100 pictures.

And of course...you have no problem sleeping all by yourself.

Oh and P.S. I can also see your crib from my bed. Pathetic squared.

A little spark in our day.

We live very close to a little pink old gas station turned boutique. It is one of the best places in town to shop and is one of mommies favorites!

We also take daily walks in the neighborhood. These walks typically involve--well--walking and us having regular ole girl talk. You usually fall asleep and I am usually out of breath and sweating by the time we get home. Your mommy is very out of shape!

Your probably wondering what these two things have to do with each other.

Let's just say that today our little walk took a side trip to that little pink gas station. And in that little pink gas station we did a little--no, that is a lie--A LOT of shopping.

And by the time we got home this is how tired you were. You could not even lift your arms.

Now, my sweet thing, we are going to have to work on that shopping stamina because there is a lot of it in your future.

Especially considering your daddy just notified me that we would be taking your shopping sprees in New York.

I have two words.

(no not spoiled rotten)

LUCKY GIRL.

Amen.

Our version of your Sunday Best.

Oh my Cuteness, Oh my Cuteness!

I will raise you to be a selfless young lady. To have compassion for people, to love whole heartedly and be appreciative for what you have. To put others first. To follow the golden rule and God. To NEVER be cocky or selfish, and never, ever, ever, ever brag or be boastful. Ever.

Although some may call havng a blog a little "bragy", never mind that.

YES, but, well, you see it is Friday. And crazy things happen on Friday. And some rules are meant to be broken. That whole do as I say, not as I do. Trust me, you will figure it out and use it when you are about 13.

Yes it is Friday. I am taking my mommy authority and I am going to break a rule and brag. Because I want you to know that you are an absolute Doll. A wide eyed, gummy smiling, chubby cheeked, Mariah Carey cooing, DOLL.

I love you, I love you, I love you.

Absolutely

Adorable

Thank you Auntie Kelsey for making the hat!

Thursdays Thanks

Thank you for spending the past few days stuck inside with me snuggled up.

It's Tuesday, it's Cold and Rainy,

and this is what you had to say about that!

You have my hands.

Today you found your hands. All ten chubby fingers held so close to your eyes. Pure fascination.

At night I hold your hands while you fall fast asleep in your bassinet. They are so soft and sweet.

One day they will splash in the cool salt water of the ocean. Dig deep in the sand. They will delve in the lake and try to catch fish. They will turn Green with grass stains from doing cartwheels on Summer afternoons. They will get scratched up from falling off your bike. Then one day your fingertips will be dolloped with bright pink. You will pick flowers and hold dandelions while you make a wish. You will feel the wind push through your fingers and the rain tickle your palms.

These little hands will give you so much life.

One day you will be told, "You have your mother's hands." Just like I was told about my own. It is a good thing. You can read a person's life in their hands. So, one day I hope you have beautiful wrinkles all over them.

I pray that you pray with them.

I wish I could hold your hand for forever. Walk everywhere with you through life. Experience all of the hard things for you. But today you found your own hands. One more step to creating the little character you have inside of you.

I am in love with that idea.

I said Hey Hey, EC You look so.....UGH

There were more Ugh's than Arghh's last night. Sometimes it is hard to be a Pirate Fan.

So while daddy went to Josh's to watch the rest of the misery...oops I mean game. You took a bath and got ready for bed.

Thursdays Thanks

Thank you for teaching me to relish in the moment.

Your daddy...

...is a guy's guy, the all American, a jock. He is confident, outgoing, brave, tough. He is a bull in a china shop, a 27-year-old with skinned knees from playing softball with his friends. He comes home with grass stains, rips in his pockets, and stains on his shirt. Your daddy is stubborn as a mule. He has an opinion and he sticks to it, and he is not afraid to share what he thinks. He has jumped out of airplanes and traveled the world. He can talk to a stranger and make them his friend. He drinks heavy beers and opens his bottles with a lighter. He lives at the Golf Course. He likes to hunt...and sometimes fall asleep in the deer stand. You have a daddy that is still an invincible little boy at heart. I have never seen him scared (except for when we had bats in the house), nervous, anxious or intimidated.

And then he met you.
Yes you, Charley girl, got Eddy Forrest's heart to melt and turn into a fluttering mess. You pulled his heart strings and wrapped them around each of your teensy fingers. His eyes light up when you smile, he gets worried and a little nervous when you cry, he is already anxious about the idea of you being 16. You have shown him how to be goofy and silly again. You have made him leave work at work. Last weekend when we picked you up from an overnight at Grammy's he raced me to the door, because he wanted to hold you first. He started wearing pastels with pride instead of--Emily made me do it. He takes pride in his diaper changing skills. He is already pricing pink golf clubs and a pink shot gun (seriously). He is planning our trips to Greenville for next season's Pirate Football. He has this new found peaceful grin at his girls, his little family.

Watching him watch you is falling in love all over again. Daddy's and daughters have a bond like no other. It is irreplaceable. You will--unknowingly--compare every boy you ever date to your good ole dad. I know I did. There you have it sweet thing, that is your daddy.

What is so great about Tuesdays?

This.

And this.
Oh, and this too.


Yeah, Tuesdays at my house are fantastic.

For the love of a child...

...I let myself get this BIG!

Yesterday I had a moment of "Gosh, I kinda miss being pregnant." Then I took a sip of my yummy red wine, looked over at sweet thing and there you were staring up at me and I had a moment of "Gosh, this baby really fit inside of me." So, I decided to get a little creative.

Reason Being:

I always wanted to see pictures of my momma pregnant. To see how she carried, if she had swollen toes, to see the sparkle of excitement in her eyes. Anyone that knows my momma knows she has a sparkle. Unfortunately, there was only one for me to see, and in it she had a huge flannel shirt on and it was blurry. This was probably on purpose.


Well:

I am being very brave, but here is my belly. Bare and Exposed. Yes, turn your eyes if you have a weak stomach. This was your first home my daughter. Warm, protected, and very cramped. I miss feeling your kicks, flutters, and punches. I miss waking up and feeling my belly, knowing what was inside. Daddy misses rubbing my belly and talking to you from the outside world. Speaking of, I miss being able to protect you from everything. We both miss watching my belly contort into crazy shapes. I even miss the excitement of contractions. Well sometimes...


Needless to say:

I also like my wine, wearing bikinis, painting my toes, fitting through doorways, and wearing really high heels...


...and holding your little fingers, and watching you sleep, and kissing your nose, and daydreaming about hearing your little voice, and putting big bows in your hair...Gosh, I am really glad you came on out!

Stuck in the Middle with...

As if it wasn't enough to be married to a snoring man, I have given birth to a snoring daughter! Last night I lay in the middle of a loud snore and a soft snore as I watch the clock tick to your next feeding. I even tried to delicatly turn you onto your side, after I kneed your dad.

I must admit, it is a cute little snore, but let's hope this is just a congested stage!

6 weeks old/ Halloween

Your first Halloween was fun-filled. At six weeks you are already becoming a party girl! You were invited to a neighborhood Pre-Trick or Treat Party and then you went to a grown-up party afterwards. Adorned in your bright orange tutu and pumpkin hat, you were a gem. We kept you out late and you had a blast. Lots of friends got to hold you and a few put you to sleep in their arms. Here are a few pictures of you dressed up...




I can't get enough of baby feet and tutus!



Daddy's Girl

It's like Lifting 1 1/2 Milk Jugs

You have been in the 99th percentile for weight since birth. Looks like you may stay there. At five weeks your stats are 12 pounds and 23 inches.

Your daddy uses his work to compare lots of life tidbits too. Today he explained that lifting you in weight is the same as one full milk jug and half of another. Mommy may finally have some arm muscles in time for summer next year! Thanks sweet thing!

One Month

One Month Old in mommies Christening Gown from her baby days.

Showing my newfound smiles.

I will admit it...I cried. You are growing so fast and I really wish the days would slow down. Every morning I wake up and swear you have changed over night. Your face is maturing, changing shape, we are starting to get glimpses of what you are going to look like.

First's

Your first trip to our Mountain House. Up early Hunting with daddy. Maybe on this first, daddy could also get his first deer in Virginia...teheheh ;)

Bath Time has prove to be a most joyous occasion. You laugh and smile, and open your mouth every time we pour the water on you. I have even used bath time to calm you down on fussy days. This is from your first bath. I can't wait to take you to the ocean.

We gave in and gave you your first passy...from the looks of it, it won't be your last. You love it!

Capturing your first experiences is something I look forward to each day. Documenting each of them is impossible as you are changing and meeting milestones rapidly.

Many more to come...

Size Newborn Failed Us!

Maybe these pants will just have to be Capri's!
A little snug, but it doesn't stop you from sleeping!

Can't quite stretch out in this one!

Paint it Purple...Go Pirates!

I had a feeling you were going to be a big baby, but I was not prepared for you to be quite as big as you were. Therefore, you never got to wear your big box of newborn diapers, or almost all of your newborn clothes. So I took pictures of the few little teeny outfit you could wear for memories...and because I love playing dress up with you ;)

Home from the Hospital

Sleeping in your Snuggle Rest in between mommy and daddy for the first few nights. We did not want to be to far from you just yet.

Sweet face before bedtime.

Scrunched up on the couch.

Meeting the dogs through the window first!

Bringing you through the front door was so neat. Instantly our home was even warmer and more complete than before. Introducing you to the things you will come to know as "home" has been amazing. This is where you can always come back to for comfort, familiarity and a good home cooked meal when you are all grown up.

48 hours later...

In the carseat and ready to go.

Finally getting rolled out!

The delivery Nurse a.k.a an angel came to see you before we left because she thought you were so sweet!

Your Last night before we head home.

The Beginning

Daddy and Freshly born Charley Girl, you have him wrapped around your finger already!

A very happy and proud Grandaddy Bland

Great Grandmommy Charlotte, your namesake.

In Poppy's arms.



There were so many visitors to see you in the hospital, here are a few family pics.

You are one loved little girl, always know that.