What We're Into Lately

Here's a sampling of what we've been into lately:

The National Zoo :: I've never been a zoo person--the whole animals taken out of their natural habitat and put behind gates drives me batty, I literally cannot set foot in a pet store with puppies--but we had a great time a few weekends ago.  The girls loved visiting and the animals all looked happy.

Cate's favorite was, surprisingly, the monkey house.  You can't imagine the smell--it was so bad she barely walked in--but the gorillas were chasing each other right in front of where Cate was sitting and she was captivated.

Loving the zoo!

This guy was out and about when we visited.

Weekend Fairs :: Our little town had a fair recently and Cate pretty much thought she had died and gone to heaven.  She ate french fries, cotton candy, and ice cream for dinner two nights in a row.  Parents of the year, right here!  Plus, Cate rode a carousel and played a fishing game where spearing two fish earned her a pink stuffed bear.

The fishing game champ and her spoils.

Poor Charlotte watching her sister on the carousel--don't worry, I did take her on it right after this.

The girls wearing sweet little dresses we picked up at the fair.

Family Time :: We've had a blast hitting the nearby playgrounds and splash fountains lately.

Me Being Semi-Crafty :: I made the girls matching dresses--they are very basic and far from perfect--and I could not be more thrilled with myself.

Playing Alphabet Bingo :: Now that school is out it is on me to be the teacher.  To get Cate's mind working, she and I have enjoyed playing alphabet bingo at home.  I pick out a letter and she tells me the sound it makes, a word that starts with the letter, and then she finds it on her sheet.  For the most part, she is an all-star.  I can tell she gets tired though--e.g. when I read out a letter and she gives me a word like "poom."  That is when I start to wrap things up--haha.

Hmmm...where is that letter?

Found it!

Letters pulled--M was for monkey, X was for xylophone, S was for star, B was for book, and C was for--shocker--Cate. 

Gentlemen, we have winner.

Birdie's House :: My mom's house was a nice little vacation spot recently.  Cate enjoyed planting some zinnias while Charlotte explored the patio and gardens.  We also got to go to the pool where Charlotte made a real run at swimming on her own.  She kept asking to get in and once we were holding her in the shallow end she would try to push our hands off.  Cate meanwhile barely likes getting her face in ;) I know they'll both be independent swimmers soon enough.

 We love summer!

Agreed

Sorry Dear, but I agree!

A Good Reminder

-Epicurous

Miss Independent

Well, the sweetest baby ever has started exhibiting signs of (gasp!) toddler defiance.  Charlotte has been playful about shaking her head "no" for months but now saying "no" is her way of becoming little Miss Independent.  We hear "No!" a lot and all of a sudden here I am, back with another Defiant Toddler, party of one.

Cate and I caught Charlotte today in her latest act of defiance.  We had been trying to teach her colors by putting out a bunch of colored balls on the floor and asking her to pick them up by color.  Charlotte was doing really well--she could easily identify red, green, blue, and her favorite, purple.  But then she was over it and refused to continue with us:

Oh well, I think she is still pretty sweet even when she is saying "no."

Good Point

via

18 Months

Charlotte is 18 months!  Here are some shots of her eating snacks on the deck today.

Sweetest child in existence (ok, arguably).

Oranges--a favorite. 

Nom nom nom...

We followed up oranges with a trip to every kid's favorite--the doctor.  Poor girl!  She lucked out today though--no shots.  Charlotte's visit was pretty predictable, although they had to put her on a nebulizer because of some serious wheezing.  And now we've got to get a prescription inhaler :(

Anyway, enough of that, here are her stats:

26.2 pounds :: 77th percentile
33 inches tall :: 86th percentile
19.25 inches around her head :: 96th percentile

And here is a snapshot of Charlotte at 18 months:

Nicknames: Charlotte Angel, Angel Bug, Angel Baby, Tupelo Honey, Swiper, Little Bulldozer

Likes: Minnie Mouse, Hello Kitty, her princess cup, chugging milk in her princess cup, water cups--a water game we play outside, this pink glittery sequined skirt from our dress up bin, Minnie Mouse socks, Minnie Mouse flip flops (noticing a pattern?), dancing--she drops it like it's hot--seriously, anything Cate likes

Dislikes: Major, sitting in shopping carts, when we have to drop off Cate at school, getting her nails clipped, her sneakers--how dare I make her wear them at the playground??!?

Favorite Food: Chips

Favorite Drink: Milk

Fun Facts: Charlotte is a happy, sweet girl and she loves her family.  She says new words every day (yesterday it was "nut").  Charlotte wants to do whatever Cate is doing and hold whatever she can grab of Cate's--that is why we call her Swiper.  In the mornings, when we're all getting dressed, Rhett and I can hear the girls in Cate's room playing.  Most days we hear a shriek (Cate) followed immediately by Charlotte, who is beaming ear to ear, hightailing to her own room with one of Cate's treasures hugged tight to her chest.  We totally let it happen just for the comedy of it all.  Sorry Cate!

Thought of the Day