Even my bootie is covered in Halloween!
Seriously CUTEST kid in Universe
Check me out Papa, I've got your sideways smile!
Sweet Sisters!
Mommy & her Munchkins
Big hugs from the baby bug!
And so it goes. Life as a 5 month old is truly all about the simple pleasures in life. Eat, laugh, smile, play, poop, give kisses, snuggles and watch the world go by. I can't believe my Charley is 5 months old already. Where does the time really go? Babies are so amazing, truly the greatest gift is when we are given the privilege of witnessing a person in the making. It never ceases to melt my heart when she laughs, grins, and gives me a big, sloppy open mouthed kiss. I'm constantly amazed when she does something new or just masters a skill she's been trying for weeks. This morning she was clearly irritated about something, so I went in to give her a binkie & she'd rolled herself onto her belly & gotten kind of stuck there. It was too cute when I rolled her over & she just popped that binkie back in her mouth, stuck her hand by her ear & drifted back off to dreamland.
And... So a report on the Chronicles of Charley:
Rolling, rolling, rolling, keep that baby rolling!
Give me big sloppy kisses, I'm just that cute!
I can take my binkie out, I can put it back in, take it out, back in. AHA!
Cereal? Mmm Hmm. Love the stuff.
Fat rolls? Chunky Monkey, You want em, you got em!
Spinning the exersaucer while smacking every available toy? LOVE IT!
Eating my feet & removing my socks at every opportunity? YUPPERS.
Sitting? Not on your life. Still a gumby completely folded in half.
Holding my bottle? Are you kidding? That's what Mom is for.
Grabby Graberton. Can't keep my hands off anything that hangs, dangles or swings.
Mirror gazer. I am TRULY the cutest kid out there & I LOVE to look at myself & laugh, laugh, laugh.
Tickles? Holy Moses, I am super-dee-duper ticklish & I LOVE TO LAUGH!
Baby Babbles? Are you kidding? I think I have something important to say, so I just talk away!
How big am I? I weigh 13 lbs & I'm 25 1/4 inches long!
Cutest kid ever? YOU BET!!
Now for an Eva Update!
Oh, my sweet child. Well, let me clarify that. The last few days have been Mommy heaven with that girl. So cooperative, helpful & easy going I feel like I've won the lottery. I'm just waiting for the evil 4 year old to reappear & take away my lottery winnings. Seriously, I really thought I'd lost my sweet baby to the Freakin' Fours, when all of a sudden, she reappeared! I tell ya, Kristina always said it wasn't the Terrible twos or threes, but the F-ckin' Fours that did her in. I totally understand what she means! For a few days we'll roll along, happy as can be, minimal temper, happy cooperation & good listening. Then all of a sudden, the wind blows or something & it's temper tantrum city, deaf ears & "but Mom," all day! Oyivay, a window on the teen years. Okay, enough complaining. My little evie grace really is such a punkin, but she does have an occasional moment. Just like her daddy. Really, he REALLY does!!!! Don't you people out there call me a liar. I live with the man. Oh, all right all ready. I give up.
So. School for Eva. I was so excited for Evie to start back this year, as last year was a great year for her! She really blossomed socially & enjoyed each & every day of school. I was always happy with her work, with her activities & especially with her awesome teacher! I was really looking forward to another great year, especially since I felt like this year, she might be ready to come away from the experience with great pre-reading skills, as well as refine her fine motor & begin some writing, since she is totally ready! (okay, she is obsessed with letters, "writing," tracing, pretending to read & identifying familiar words.) Well, suffice it to say that I am looking for a new school. I have agonized over this for weeks. I'm so sad to take her away from her friends & the school she loves, but I truly feel that this year they are not holding up to their end of the bargain. There are 16 kids this year, vice 12 last year. Unfortunately, this is too many kids for just the teacher & 1 aid and alot of work is falling by the wayside in the name of crowd control and classroom management. I know that her "education" at this level is not going to make or break her in the years to come, but I do feel that she is ready to move forward in some areas & it's not possible for her to do due to the class environment. There is also a huge disparity between the 2 classrooms for 3 year olds. The other class accomplishes twice as much & has a much calmer atmosphere for the kids to work & play in. UGH. What do I do?
Okay, so the good stuff!
Evie is becoming more "little girl" every day. She has discovered her independence in a way I've not seen before. She TOTALLY broke my heart last week when she asked me to drop her off at Maggie's for her playdate instead of staying. I was DEVASTATED, yet amazed. When did she realize that she thinks it's cooler to play without Mommy around? Yet, sometimes she is so much more interested in actually playing with me! She loves to play games, play dolls, dance & sing with me more now than ever before. What an oxymoron. But, one that I love. I love that she is so secure in herself that she can totally function on her own. I also love that she thinks I'm fun & wants to hang out with me to play. I love that the other day she told me I was her best friend.
Her 4th birthday is impending & for the first time, she is really vocal about what she wants to do for a party. It's really fun to hear her ideas & try to find ways to make a cool party with them. She is set on a My Little Pony theme. YEAH!! She didn't once ask for a Barbie or Princess party, so I guess my redirection has worked a bit. I ROCK. Okay, no more potshots at those 2 for a while. She has stated that she would like to make hats, have a pinata & go swimming. I'm working on it. We might end up with a tea party fiesta swim adventure. I'll keep you all posted!
OH, the coolest thing the other day. In my car she found a little brochure with a map of the US in it. So she opens it up, asks me if it's a map of America & then starts pointing at states & asking me what state it is & then telling me or asking me who we know that lives there. What a nerd. I love it. I'm ordering the Land of Nod map of the US the second I am done with this post. OOHH, maybe we can learn all the capitals & state birds. HOLY CRAP, what has happened to me? Pretty soon I'll be wearing prairie dresses & not shaving my armpits.
Did I forget to mention I'm investigating some principles of simple living? STOP LAUGHING. I swear. It's a really cool movement to simplify our incredibly insane lives & I think they are really onto something. Who says we have spend today catching up to tomorrow? (thanks angie!) I'd rather live in the Now & enjoy it than spend today running & miss all the good stuff that happens when we slow down. I currently find myself a bit overscheduled & am about to bring it all to a screeching halt. When it takes me 5 days to return a phone call (sorry Cassie, sorry Markie!), I know too much crap is clogging the arteries of my life! Scale it back I say. Why do our kids need 3 or 4 extracurriculars? Do we do it because everyone else does? 1, maybe 2 is certainly enough in my book. My extracurriculars are getting the best of me right now, but I am working on getting a bit more organized (can you say TYPE A) so I can have more free time with my hubby, my girls and my pals! It's my last year here in 1950's America & I am damn skippy going to enjoy it.
SO, if you don't hear from me at least once a week by blog, send me an email, leave a comment or shoot me in the butt, but make me remember to slow down, live for now & keep this blog updated so I remember what is really important.
Life, Love, my Girls, Friends, Family.
luv to all,
I remain, respectfully...half a bubble off.
tiffers
