July 31, 2008

There's a Peanut in the Pool!

I have been holding off on taking Charlie to the pool for a number of paranoid, first-time mom reasons, but I finally broke down and went last night. He loves his bath, so I was curious to see if he would enjoy the pool just as much. He was a little pouty at first but settled into the water quite well. Actually, he was happy watching the bigger kids as they splashed and played in front of him. Our trip was quick, but it was another fun first for our family!

Let me test the water with my toes first

Hold on tight, Mommy!

Look at that POUT!!!

July 28, 2008

No Sleep 'til Brooklyn

Yes, the Beastie Boys may have written the song, but my son lives it. A few posts ago I mentioned that Charlie was on a sleep strike. Well, things have only gotten worse. Often, Nick will ask me how many times he got up during the night. Because the wakings have become so frequent, I rarely even bother to look at the clock any more. Add that to total sleep deprivation, and it is hard to keep track of the number of times that Charlie and I get up together over the course of any given night. Last night I decided to keep track. I went to bed with a pen and paper next to me. Throughout the night I would reach over and scribble the time down blindly on the piece of paper. Here is what our night looked like:

Asleep at 7:45
Up at 8:35
Up at 10:25
Up at 11:50
Up at 2:40
Up at 4:00 until 5:00
Up at 7:30
Awake for the day at 9:00
As I looked over these times this morning, I realized something; a mother's love is truly unconditional. I am a person who loves/needs/looks forward to sleep. Charlie is the ONLY person who could do this to me night after night and still have my heart totally and
completely :-)

July 22, 2008

Charlie's on a Roll

Literally, our little man rolled over for the first time this morning. He did it three times in a row, but as soon as the camera came out the show was over for mommy. Rolling over isn't all Charlie has been up to. The last three days have been big ones. Charlie had his first taste of solid food on Sunday over at Grandma and Grandpa's house. It was a big hit at first. After a while Charlie got frustrated with the fact that the spoon kept being taken in and out of his mouth. Day two of rice cereal was a huge success! The boy polished off an entire bowl in no time. I am going to try my hand at making Charlie's baby food. The mommies from one of our play groups just got together on Sunday night to make organic sweet potatoes and squash. I can't wait to see how Charlie likes his homemade food. Charlie let us know that he is really ready for solid food yesterday because he cut his first tooth. Grandma noticed something sharp in Charlie's mouth when his was gnawing on her hand. Further investigation by mommy revealed that a bottom tooth had indeed made its way to the surface. The one right next to it is visible just below the gum and should be popping though any day now. This was a great relief because it explains the sudden change in sleep that we have been experiencing.

FEED ME!!!

I can roll over

Food makes my toes curl!
I want to help, Mommy!

July 10, 2008

Summer Fun

I can't believe how long it has been since we last posted. This has been a busy month for our little family, so get ready to hear all about our adventures! There are tons of new pictures in the June Album. Make sure to check them out!

Nick celebrated his first Father's Day on the 15th. We had a relaxing day spending time with both sides of the family. Charlie decided to spit up all over his dad to show him just how much he loves the big guy. He knows how lucky he is to have such a great daddy, and I couldn't have chosen a better father for my baby boy. I am so proud of what a loving parent Nick is, and I can't wait to watch the father-and-son bond grow with the years to come.

Auntie Pooh and Alex came to town to visit before they move to LA. Alex is exactly a year older than Charlie, so it is really neat seeing what he will be doing in a year. It is so hard for me to believe how fast Al has grown. She is walking, talking, and FULL of energy. It was so sweet to see our two kiddos interacting. Alex would point to Charlie, give kisses, and sing to him. Hard to believe she was a little mush ball like Charlie just a year ago! We were sad to say goodbye to Auntie Pooh and Alex, but they will be back for Thanksgiving for more play time.

We took our 2nd annual Shaw Family beach trip to Panama City, FL at the end of June. It was an interesting experience taking a road trip with a baby who hates the car. Actually, Charlie was very good. I sat in the back seat with him and entertained him the best that I could. Charlie is still too little to really enjoy playing in the sand, but he did like dipping his feet in the ocean. He was too cute in his bathing suits and hats. Nick and I enjoyed watching the family spend time with Charlie. We feel fortunate to have so much love surrounding our son. Next year's trip will be even more exciting because we will be going to the beach for Auntie Vicki and Uncle Justin's wedding. Charlie really hopes that he can walk so that he can be the ring bearer!

Our little man turned 4 months old on Monday. I can't tell you how fast the time is flying by and how much he has changed since he was born. Charlie has had a lot of firsts this month. He discovered his feet, which he LOVES to play with. We heard his laugh for the first time as well....what a great sound! He is also supporting his own weight and loves to stand all the time. If an object is held in front of him, Charlie will grab it and pull it towards his mouth. Lately, he is stuffing anything and everything in there. He is also drooling up a storm. It looks like teething has already begun. At his 4 month check up Charlie weighed 14lbs, 2oz...twice as big as he was at birth!!! Another great first is the fact that he seems to remember a lot more and recognize certain things. He has toys and songs that he prefers over others, and recognizes mommy and daddy. One change that I am not so pleased to report is the fact that Charlie is now on a sleep strike. My great sleeper has done a 180. We now fight sleep, refuse naps, and wake multiple times a night. We are both struggling through this rough time, and I can only hope that it is "just a phase".

As you can see, we have had another busy month. We are so blessed to have Charlie in our lives, and every day is a new and wonderful adventure watching him grow and change. Please take a moment to look at the June Album so that you can see just how much our Peanut has grown.