Merry Christmas!

Happy 7 months Charlie from your Mommy

Charlie,

Mommy hasn't been great about updating the blog but Mommy is backing up a little to write this blog as if it was your 7 month birthday.  Mommy and Daddy managed to take the pictures but in all actuality, your letter is exactly 2 weeks behind.

This month has been a fun month with more firsts.  You got to celebrate your first Thanksgiving and what a wonderful fun-filled weekend with family, good eats, and much smiles and giggles.  Your Aunt Meredith came to see you and you also got to spend thanksgiving day in Virginia Beach with at your cousins, Katie and Sam, Uncle Walter and Aunt Lisa's house.  You enjoyed all the family time and did great with your trip.

It's a shame that you don't get to see Katie and Sam more often.  I think you found that Katie would be a great babysitter and Sam could teach and show you all kinds of fun toys. 

 

Your Mommy and Daddy enjoyed Sam's toys too.

 

This month was a hard month for you.  You have battled conjuctivitis which meant that the week before Thanksgiving, you stayed at home from daycare with your Grammie.  You didn't mind at all getting a bunch of love from Grammie.  Mommy and Daddy are thankful that Grammie was able and willing to take care of our rather puny boy.  Luckily you recovered quickly.  However it didn't last long as a week later, you got an ear infection, virus with hives and respiratory infection.  It seemed this one took you a little longer to recover.  While I would much rather have a heatlhy little boy more, you were especially cuddly during these times.  Of course, it's not kind to have extra congestion for you and I'm sure the extra medication and antibiotics didn't help your reflux either.  You definitely seemed to have a worse month with your reflux, throwing up about every other day.  Daddy and I are hopeful that once again, with your doctor's help, we may have found a plan to help your little stomach.  I guess we'll have to wait and see.

As for your sleep, you tend to wake up once a night.  Sometimes more often and sometimes you make it through the night.  You have trained your Mommy and Daddy to stick to the 7:30 bedtime rule after a couple of nights where we pushed the clock and you were up 4 times.  We have learned that there are not many things that are worth messing up your sleep!

You have had many new foods and seem to be doing pretty well overall.  You have tried avacodos, sweet potatoes, green beans, peas, bananas, carrots, and squash.  You like your food and I can't say that I've identified any clear dislikes. 

Your clear fascination seems to be with crawling.  Every day, I think you may be well on your way.  Mommy isn't in too big of a hurry and knows it will happen soon enough.  You manage to get where you want to go by scooting and rolling.

Other than that, you LOVE remote controls and cell phones.  Anytime, you can get to those items, you are happy! 

You sit unassisted better and better each day.  Although, we know not to leave you because when you decide enough is enough, you fly backwards as hard and fast as you can, not concerning yourself with that precious noggin.  You are such a big helper in the kitchen by playing while we cook.  It seems to be one of your favorite rooms in the house.  You love the shiny dishwasher and fridge.

Charlie, I don't know how it's possible for you to get cuter every month but you somehow manage to do it.  I miss you terribly during the workdays and love on you all weekend.  It's sure not a bad life! How did Daddy and I manage without you?

We love you!

Happy 6 months Charlie from your Mommy

 

Charlie,

I can't believe you have been 6 months for over a week now.  It's taken me a little while to get the blog written, pictures taken, and your pediatrician visit was scheduled for a week after.  You spent your 6 month birthday accomplishing another first.  You had your first visit to Grundy and did amazingly well in the car.  I think one of the highlights for you during the trip was to get to see Wally in the back of the car.  You love smiling at Wally.

As for your 6 month stats, you have slowed down a bit.  You weigh 18 pounds 12 ounces (75th percentile) and your length is 27 and 3/4 inches (90th percentile).  You are still a big boy.  You are wearing mostly 9 month clothes.  If the outfit is a separate, 9 months fits you perfectly.  However, because of your length, you need 12 months in one piece outfits.  I'm noticing that it may not be long before you are out of your 9 month pajamas though.  The buttons keeping unsnapping.  I sure hope Santa brings you some 12 month pajamas because you are starting to be out of season from your friends so the hand me downs are getting less and less.

Anyways, back to this past month.  We are starting to see your personality shine through.  You smile, laugh, and babble a lot more these days.  You are much more socially aware of the things around you and love to look around.  You draw in on noise and you may have your Daddy and I fooled but we think you respond to your name.  Some of your favorite things are for us to blow raspberries on your stomach.  You love to listen to the music from your electric nasal aspirator.  You love to grab at Wally, particularly his face but you are pretty equal opportunity and will get at another part of his body if you can reach and if he doesn't move.   You love to hold on to anything.  You like to have something in your hands (even Mommy's cell phone). 
You went to your first Fall festival at daycare. 

You didn't win the costume contest but that was not because you were not the cutest baby there. 

Your mommy definitely did not agree with the judging.  I don't know that putting the costume on was the highlight of your day but you participated and even took a cute picture with your daycare teachers. 

You are doing great with daycare and made it a whole month without catching daycare crud!  We are very happy with your teachers and they love you.
You were very busy this month.  You enjoyed a visit from your Mim. 

 

You also got a wonderful visit with your Great Aunts and your Great Grandma who traveled all the way from Maine to see you.

Your mommy could not have been more proud that you decided to show off that weekend for them.  You were the happiest baby all weekend even though you missed naps and stayed up past your bedtime.   We had such a wonderful visit that just wasn't long enough.

As for other facts, your reflux still gives you troubles.  You tend to be fussing less with stomach pains but you still throw up. You aren't the best burper. You sometimes get annoyed when we try so hard to get you to burp but you manage to not let it get in your way.

It seems that some weeks are worse than others.  You are still working on being able to sit up unassisted.  You can do it but only for a short while and I do not trust you to not fly back and hit your head.  You practice in your pack and play and smile when you go backwards. 

Your biggest news was eating food.  You loved being in your high chair and socializing with us at the table.  Here you are with your Aunt Courtney.

You have had rice cereal and oatmeal.  You have also tried avocados and sweet potatoes which you loved. 

You also love your water in your sippy cup. 

Your daddy and I love you so much and we just can't seem to find enough time to be with you. 

You are the best snuggle buddy. 

You are also very flexible. 

You love it when Daddy holds you up in the air.

We love to watch you play and the smiles that you return to me will never get old.  We love our little red sox fan!

.