Charlie Update

I haven't done an update on Charlie in awhile and he has just been learning so much and I absolutely love the little boy he is becoming.

He is learning at an incredible rate. He definitely took his time to start speaking and he still doesn't string too many words together when communicating but he does communicate. His vocabulary grows everyday. He seems to learn words quick too. I can't always understand him but he finds other ways of communicating with me until I catch on. Some of my favorite things he says are "so funny" after he's been laughing really hard. or the serious face he gets when he nods his head and says "yeah" This is his typical answer to us asking anything from if he wants fruit snacks or a baby brother or sister. I love the way he says "animal" and makes monkey noises. I love when he says "oh man" "oh my" or "whoa!" with as much expression as he can muster. I love that he always sings the clean up song that he learned at church when we are picking up his toys. I love that when he whines he knows my glare means he needs to change his attitude and say please. And he will immediately stop whining to kindly ask for what he wants.

I love when he takes my hand to show me something or when he requests that I sit next to him whether he's sitting on the bottom step or on the floor with his toys. Today while making the long trek to the mailbox he held my hand and walked with me the whole time. I loved it. In the past he usually ran ahead or ran off in another direction.

Charlie has become a better listener and will follow my directions much better. He's not perfect nor would I ever expect him to be but he seems to listen when I ask him to help clean up his toys, follow me, stop running etc. This more than anything has brought me so much joy in the last couple of months...seeing that he understands and naturally wants to be obedient really makes being a mom much more enjoyable.

I'm realizing that Charlie is at a very teachable age. This is so fun for me but also reminds me of my great responsibilities as his mother. We discuss the pictures in books we read, we make up new games, we explore different objects in nature, I give him opportunities to be my helper. I also like to step back and watch him, he is a very creative boy on his own so it is also fun to see his ideas come out.

Charlie is a happy child. That dimple of his can melt my heart. He wakes up happy and falls asleep happy. He gets over things quickly because I think he realizes that tantrums get in the way of playing.

He has already started the "mine" stage a little bit. I don't think this will be my favorite but so far even if he says "mine" about something...he really isn't that adamant about it.

Some updates include that Charlie has officially moved into a toddler bed. I was not even going to consider this transition until Charlie turned two but one morning just over a week ago I went into his room and before I picked him up out of his pack 'n play I put his clean laundry in his drawers. When I turned to go pick him up, he was straddling one of the edges of the bed. It could have easily tipped. He has been in a pack 'n play ever since he was about  2 months old and he was definitely growing out of it, it was also getting worn out from all his jumping and playing. The transition to a toddler bed could not have been better. He loves his bed, I think he likes all the space. The bed has railings that he can climb over but I think when it's dark he rather just stay in his bed because it's the newest and most exciting thing in his room. That's not to say that he has never climbed out at night...he definitely has, but for the most part he stays in bed. One night he fell out of his bed, I'm not really sure how it happened unless he was climbing out in his sleep because I'm pretty sure you can't roll out of that bed with the railings. Anyway, we are just pleased that the transition was much easier than we hoped and Charlie seems to be pleased. He's just becoming such a big boy.

Charlie is a very solid little guy. He was standing on his toes the other day and I could see his rippling calves...there isn't much baby chub left on him. He is a strong boy. He can now jump high with both feet of the ground and he also has some pretty great dance moves.

I don't know what else to say about him, he is my favorite little boy! I can't believe he is almost two...and a big brother!

And here are some phone pictures capturing my little explorer

Playing in his box!

He likes to move all his toys and sit in this little cubby.

OMSI..we just renewed our membership and will soon be able to bring guests! Who wants to come with us?

He turned his box into a slide all by himself and had a blast!

Box fun with his friend Madeleine

Checking out the fire truck!

He always likes to try and do what daddy does! Working on the plumbing here!

Waking up happy.

Puddle Stomping

Playing in his new bed

Exercising with Mommy

This was him trying to do a push-up

Playing doctor. 

Practicing on his potty...no successes yet...I think it will still be quite awhile!