Playdate at Tate's

Charlie and I had a fun playdate at the Lamb's house the other day. Tate and his mommy, Amber, invited a bunch of former Big Creek teachers and their babies as well as some other new mommies over to play. All of the babies are right around the same age, and they were too cute together. Charlie even managed to put the moves on one of the little girls. He spent a lot of time cooing and sucking on Miss Mackenzie. His daddy was so proud!

Circle of Friends

Mackenzie, you are so tasty!

Yippee-Yay, I'm Three Months Old Today!

Our big boy is three months old today, and it never ceases to amaze us just how fast the time is flying by. Charlie is such a little man these days. He LOVES to smile at everyone, and it is like he knows that the camera is on him every time I take a picture. This has been another busy month for the Shaw Family. Nick, Charlie, and I have been spending lots of time with friends and family, but we have really tried to take the time to enjoy every moment we have when it it just the three of us. This really has been the happiest time for our little family.

Charlie is learning new tricks and hitting milestones every day. He can reach for objects that are held in front of him and even pull them towards his mouth. He has gone from sucking on his whole fist to sucking each individual finger and on occasion, will try to get all five in at one time. This usually results in a very sour face, gagging, and a lot of spit-up for me to clean. Nonetheless, it is great watching him explore the world and discover new things each day. Charlie is getting very strong and can now hold his head very steady without support. It is good to see that he is growing out of the Bobble Head stage. He enjoys sitting in his Bumbo seat and looking around at all of his toys. The babbling has picked up quite a bit. Charlie loves to tell us stories, and he is beginning to imitate the sounds that we make. One of our favorite things to do is lay on a blanket together and chat. I would love to know what he is trying to say! At the doctor last week Charlie weighed in at a hefty 12 lbs, 11 oz. All of his clothes are starting to get tight, and it is probably time to get the 3-6 month clothing ready. Last but not least, Charlie has started sleeping in his crib recently. We started with just naps, but yesterday he spent his first night in the crib. He slept for five hours and then spent the rest of the night in our room. I missed having him right next to me, and I have a feeling this transition is going to be harder for me than it will be for Charlie.

Here are some of out favorite shots from this month. Check out the May albums to see more pictures of the little guy!

Thumbs up, Mom!

Angel Baby!!!!!!!!!!!!

Three Months Old Today

Special Visitors and a Family Hike

We had some special visitors last week. Charlie's Great-uncle Keith came from Virginia to meet him for the first time. Nick's mom's side of the family came over for lunch on Saturday, and we all had a chance to catch up. The next day we met at Great-uncle Chris' house for a barbecue. It was great sharing Charlie with all of his family.

Last year, Nick started hiking with friends. He really enjoyed this new hobby, and was excited to share it with Charlie on Memorial Day weekend. The whole family took a trip Vickery Creek Nature Preserve to take a two mile hike. It was perfect for Charlie because most of the hike was shaded. He really enjoyed riding in his carrier with Daddy. It was a beautiful day and a fun family outing.

Uncle Chris and Peanut sitting in the shade.

I LOVE Auntie Vicki!!!

Look at those baby blues.

The Boys

Samson decided to cool off by the waterfall.

Busy, Busy Boy

Charlie has been one busy kiddo this past week. We have been movin' and shakin' all over town. Here are some pictures of Charlie's latest adventures. Check out the May photo album to see even more pics!

Charlie had a play date with his buddy, Collin, last Thursday. The boys are too cute together, and it is a great time for the mommies to chat about our growing boys! Charlie and Collin are going to meet some other babies at a new playgroup today. Hopefully they will make some new friends.

I celebrated my very first Mother's Day on Sunday. It couldn't have been a more perfect day. Nick and Charlie treated me to a manicure and pedicure, and we had a delicious brunch at my parents' house. To say that I feel blessed is an understatement. My life feels so complete now that I am Charlie's mommy.

On Tuesday we went to Zoo Atlanta with our friends, the McCormicks. Charlie and Cooper slept through a lot of the excitement, but Marlee really enjoyed seeing all of the animals. Here is a picture of the little diva rocking a pair of shades!

We had some very special visitors after our zoo trip. The Norris girls stopped by to meet Charlie for the first time. Sue is a good friend from Big Creek, and Kelly is one of the sweetest students I have ever taught. Charlie loved staring at Kelly...I think he has found a new girlfriend!

The Cullinan Crew stopped by to visit with us on Wednesday. Staci, Owen, Gavin, and Kara loved on Charlie for a long time. Gavin and Owen were such big boys as they each held Charlie, and Kara gave him dozens of hugs...ADORABLE! It is so crazy to think that I held the boys and Kara when they were Charlie's size, and now look at how big they are! It makes you realize how fast time goes by and that you need to enjoy every moment.

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As you can see, we are keeping very busy! I am in love with being a mom, and I feel so fortunate that I am able to stay at home with our little man and enjoy these special moments with friends and family. The past two months have just flown by, and Charlie is getting so big so fast. In fact, he had his 2 month check up last week as well. He is 11 lbs, 3 oz and 23 inches long. He is healthy, happy, and very loved!!!!!

Two WHOLE Months

Today is Charlie's 2 month birthday! The time has flown by since we brought him home, and he has grown and changed so much. His personality is really starting to come through, and he has become very playful and attentive. He loves to smile and talk. His babbling has picked up, and it is so funny watching him talk to his toys or his reflection in the mirror. He has discovered his hands recently and is starting to bat at his toys and our faces when we talk to him. He loves to suck on his right fist and has learned to self-sooth quite well. Charlie's neck has gotten so strong. He will be holding his head up on his own any day now. His hair is falling out more and more each day. Bald spots cover his head, and he now shares a receding hairline with his daddy. Nick and I are so fortunate that Charlie is such a good sleeper. He is awake a lot during the day, taking a few cat naps here and there. But at night, he sleeps like a champ. He averages 6-7 hours during the night, which is wonderful for everyone!

Charlie and I are slowly getting into a routine during the day. He eats every three hours on the dot, which makes it a lot easier to go out and get things done. Charlie isn't a big fan of his car seat, so we are still keeping our outings brief. We have joined a Mom and Me group that meets on Fridays as well as another playgroup for mommies and kiddos in our area. We have been taking advantage of the beautiful spring weather and are heading to the park for walks as much as we can. It is interesting walking Samson and the baby at the same time. As you can see, we keep pretty busy during the week. In a few weeks, I hope to start a music class with Charlie as well.

Here are some recent pictures of the little guy. Check out our April 2008 Album to see what Charlie did last month.

I am 2 months old!

Suck, suck, suck...

This bug is a riot!

Look at me holding my head up like a big boy.

Just hanging out in my bouncy seat

A Picnic in the Park

Charlie had his first picnic today with his friend, Asher. We went to Wills Park and found a nice spot in the shade where the boys could lounge together. We met Asher and his mom, Lisa, at our Mom-and-Me Connection group on Fridays. Asher is a week and a half older than Charlie. He is already holding his head up and just got done rolling over in this picture. Charlie was taking lessons from his new buddy!

Asher, you are sooo funny!

Chillin' in the shade

A New Addition to the Family

Charlie's Auntie Vicki just got engaged! Her fiance, Justin, proposed on their trip to Florida last week. This means that we will be welcoming a new member to the family in about a year. Charlie loves his Uncle Justin and Auntie Vicki, and he can't wait for them to give him some cousins to play with! Nick and I are thrilled for the happy couple. We wish them all the best for a wonderful future together!!!

Auntie Dani organized a surprise brunch to welcome Vicki and Justin home on Sunday. Here are some pictures from the brunch.

The future Mr. and Mrs. Greenfield

Look at that rock!!!

Grandpa and Charlie are so excited!!!

Happy Family

Play Pals

Charlie had his first play date on Friday. Actually, it was more of a play date for the moms. His friends, Cooper and Collin, came over with their mommies. Kelly and Brooke are former co-workers from Big Creek. Collin, Brooke's son, was born on March 3rd and Cooper, Kelly's son, on March 21st. How crazy is it that all of these boys were born in the same month?!?

There was a lot of napping, eating, and pooping that took place at this first play date. Things should liven up a bit in a few months when everyone becomes more playful. It was nice for the us moms to get some time to talk about the adventures of our little men. Hopefully there will be many more of these play dates in the future.

I wish I had pictures to share, but we all had our hands pretty full. Maybe next time I will be more on top of things.

Happy One Month Birthday!!!

It is hard to believe that one month has already passed! It has been so wonderful getting to know our little man this month. His personality is really starting to come out. We have already discovered that his has a quick temper. There really isn't any whimpering with Charlie. He usually goes into full screaming if he isn't happy. Nick and I have found some creative ways to calm him over the past few weeks. White noise is our new trick. You name it, and we have tried it...the fan, the vacuum, the dryer, the hair dryer! This kid also likes to be on the move. We bounce, sway, rock, and dance him into happiness. Last but not least, we have discovered that he prefers our finger over a pacifier any day! Fussy spells aside, Charlie really is a great baby! He is a fantastic sleeper at night. We average about 4-5 hour stretches. He is also a good eater. I am such a proud momma!

The best part of the last month has been watching him become more and more alert and aware of his surroundings. He will just look into my eyes forever if I am holding him. He tracks his toys if i move them in front of him, and he loves to listen to music. Last week he started discovering his voice. There is a lot of cooing, oohing, and ahhing these days. We also had our first smile last Tuesday. My next mission is to capture it on camera.

Here are some of the most recent pictures of Charlie. It is crazy how big he is getting. His little face, belly, and legs are starting to get pudgy. I love it! His newborn clothes are all too small now, and he is wearing outfits that I thought he would never grow into. I can't wait to see how much he has grown at our two month doctor's visit in May.

I love bath time!

Have you ever seen a cuter duck?

Hey! I am one month old today!!!

I love my puppy, Samson.

Glamour Shots

Charlie had his first professional photo shoot a couple of weeks ago. The pictures are on-line for everyone to view until April 15th. There are over 400 pictures to look at, which is overwhelming even for us. The photographer picked about a dozen of her favorites for you to look at. Take a moment to check out our handsome boy!

www.amyjacksonphoto.com/order

Here is my account information. If you want to order pictures, you will need to create your own account.

e-mail address: lindsayuga2@aol.com
password: lindsay
access code: 930f3d8a