Big Ball and a Little Boy

I blew up this enormous beach ball/sprinkler for Charlie a couple of weeks ago, and then the boys got sick (yes, I said sick. Germs invaded yet again, and I am beginning to believe that this is what life is going to be like with two kids.), so we never brought the darn thing outside. Instead, it has been sitting in the family room and has proven to be a fantastic source of entertainment for both boys. Jack's eyes just about pop out of his head every time he sees it, and he loves patting it and trying to take a bite out of the side.

He is looking like such a big boy these days, that I enjoyed seeing how tiny he looked in comparison to the mammoth beach ball. The last picture is just a random close up because I can't get enough of his face. I mean, really, look at those cheeks! I think I must kiss them at least a thousand times a day.

Like a Big Boy

It is amazing to me how as a mom you can feel proud and sad at the same time - proud that your child has accomplished something wonderful and sad that they are old enough to accomplish it. Every time I turn around, Jack and Charlie are reaching new milestones. It fills me with such joy, but I have to admit it does hurt a little because it means they are growing so fast and becoming such big boys.

Last night, Jack's big accomplishment was sitting in the tub for his bath. Usually both boys take a bath together, so I have been waiting to take Jack out of his little bath seat. Bath time with Charlie can get a little wild and crazy, and I knew he would have a hard time not falling over with his wild child brother thrashing around. Charlie took a shower with Nick last night, so Jack had the rare opportunity for a relaxing solo bath. He was thrilled to sit up and play with his toys and thoroughly enjoyed the new vantage point. He was all smiles and looked so grown up sitting in the water splashing and playing.

Freddy the Frog

We found a tree frog outside the windowpane that frames our front door. Charlie was excited to see a frog, and we named him Freddy. The little frog hung out around the front door all day. By the afternoon, I decided to catch Mr. Freddy for Charlie to see up close. I am not a big animal person, so I had no intention of actually touching Freddy. Instead, I scooped him up in a plastic cup and walked him out to our deck. Charlie was thrilled to see Freddy jump out of the cup and all around our deck. He was so cute talking to Freddy and trying to feed him leaves. I kept telling him that Freddy eats bugs, but Charlie insisted that he was just pretending. After Nick got home from work, he and Charlie walked Freddy down into the wooded area behind our house so that Freddy would be more comfortable.

Puppy

One of Charlie's nicknames is puppy. I have been calling him that since he was an infant. While riding in the car the other day, the following conversation took place:

Me - "Puppy, look at the man mowing the lawn."

C - "Where's a puppy?"

Me - "There's no puppy. You are my puppy."

C - "Nooo, Mommy! I not a puppy. Samson a puppy, and Blackie Dog a puppy. Carlie not a puppy."

Silly me! I think I might need to find a new nickname for the little guy so that he does not think his momma is crazy.

***Carlie was not a typo BTW. Little man does not pronounce the "Ch" sound very well, so it come out more like Carlie. He also refers to himself in the third person very often.***

Party at the Splash Pad

Charlie and I went to our friend Brock's 4th birthday party this weekend. The festivities were held at Riverside Park's Splash Pad. Charlie was slow to warm up, but he eventually got in on all of the water fun. He enjoyed himself so much towards the end that I could not get him to leave. I had to start walking away from him in order to get him to follow me.

The rest of the party was great, too. Jenny, Brock's mom, is pretty much my party-planning idol. She always goes all out for her kiddos' birthdays, and this party was no exception. The fish theme was evident everywhere you turned from the table clothes, centerpieces, and the handmade soaps and cookies given out as favors. The cake was Charlie's absolute favorite. Not only was it beautiful, it was also very yummy.

Jack is 7 Months Old

Our baby boy is 7 months today. Yeah, yeah, yeah, I know I just posted his 6 month update a week ago, but I only posted about his accomplishments up to that point. So sit back, relax, and get ready to hear all about how much this little man has done this month.

We have added a new nickname to the list for Jack - wiggleworm. He has become so mobile and is slowly making headway towards becoming a crawler. He can turn around in circles on his belly, and will roll over and over to get somewhere. When on his belly, he also lifts his little bottom in the air and propels forward using his legs. He does not go far and gets terribly frustrated, but I know that he will be moving and shaking soon enough. Oh my, what will life be like with two bambinos on the move?!?! Not only is he making progress towards crawling, he is also just getting so strong. He bucks and squirms so much that it is hard to keep a hold on him at times.

Jack continues to be a loud mouth and is beginning to form definite syllable patterns when he is babbling. Today I heard da-da-da many times. Dada was Charlie's first word, so I will be interested to see if Jack will honor his Daddy in the same way. Nothing against Nick, but I would not mind hearing some ma-ma-ma's soon.

This month we started solid foods and are building up to three meals a day. Jack loves his solids as did his brother. I would imagine that after 6 months of the same meal, anything different would be a welcome change. He prefers vegetables over fruits, and his two favorites are squash and carrots.

The introduction of solid foods has helped greatly with sleep. Now that his tummy is full, Jack is sleeping much better at night and during the day. He still gets up once a night to nurse, but that is fine by me. Actually, I enjoy our nightly cuddle sessions. Now that he is older, nursing during the day is like trying to hog tie a pig. He is just so easily distracted, that it is rarely relaxing like it was when he was a little baby. Our time at night is really the only opportunity I get to really snuggle with Jack anymore. I truly cherish my 5 am wake up calls for that very reason.

Happy Birthday, Cayla Belle!

Our friend Caitlin's daughter celebrated her first birthday last weekend. Cayla Belle is one of the most beautiful baby girls I have ever seen, and she has the sweetest disposition. We were happy to be with her on her special day. We also enjoyed spending time with our close friends.

Wiggle It

Mimi and I took Charlie to see The Wiggles in concert last weekend. Charlie loves them and was so excited about going. In fact, we did not mention that we were going until the car ride over to Gwinnett Center. We knew that it was all we would hear about. He was so curious about where The Wiggles were and when we would see them.

Once the concert started, all of the excitement dissipated. I think it was just too loud for Charlie. He just sat back expressionless and would not leave Mimi's lap. As I scanned the crowd, there were children dancing in the aisles and crying in their parents' arms. Charlie's reaction was definitely something in between. I have not written off concerts all together, but I think we will probably wait another year before we try again.

My mom and I enjoyed the concert. The music was great, and the stunts where really impressive. The absolute best part of the concert was watching a little boy in the front row. He must be their number one fan. He knew the moves to all of the dances, had signs and gifts for the characters, and was dressed up as a mini-Wiggle. He was so into the concert that his enthusiasm was contagious. When he walked into the ladies' room with his mom after the concert, I almost felt like I should ask for his autograph.

Matchy Matchy

If I had a girl, she would be in dresses every day, donning bows the size of her head, and have monogrammed everything. Since I don't have a little girl the dress up, I get my kicks dressing my two handsome boys in matching pajamas.

I am a person who loves pajamas. When I was working, the best part of coming home was getting into my comfy pajamas. On the weekends, I have no problem staying in my pajamas all day if I don't plan on going out. This past winter, while preggers, Charlie spent many days in his pajamas, and after Jack was born he spent even more time in his pjs.

We may not spend as much time in our pajamas these days, but I am loving the fact that Jack is old enough tho wear the same type of pajamas as Charlie. I bought this pair of pajamas on a whim and spent entirely too much money, but my goodness! It just does NOT get any cuter!

Brotherly Love and a Ball Popper

I am not going to lie, life with two children has rocked my world. It has been an adjustment to say the least, and the boys and I are learning as we go. Despite our struggles, there are moments like the other day that make it all worthwhile.

As I washed my hands in the kitchen, I looked over to see Charlie bringing our ball popper over the where Jack was sitting. My first instinct was to call out to Charlie and tell him to be careful, but I had a feeling he wanted to play with Jack. Sure enough, he started showing Jack the popper and talking to him in the sweetest manner. Jack was thrilled to have Charlie's attention, and I could tell that Charlie liked showing Jack ho to do something and playing the role of big bro. Of course, I grabbed the camera quickly to document this amazing moment.

Their play did not last longer than five minutes, but it was a beautiful thing. I have day dreamed about moments like this, and I know that it is only the beginning. My hope is that these boys will be the best play pals some day soon.