Charly lately

It's been awhile since I have given an update solely on "Charlotte's life in this big world."  There are so many moments and manners of hers I want to just capture in my mind and hold onto forever!  It seems every day brings something new in her world...I just feel so blessed to be home with her and witness these changes!  However, I must admit, it can be so very easy to miss them in the day to day grind.  And time is slipping away ever so quickly....

Charlotte loves her baby dolls.  She carries them with her everywhere, shushing them, patting their backs, checking their diapers, kissing them, etc.  And she doesn't just do this with dolls!  She also likes to love on other babies.  For example, Charlotte is pretty much the oldest kid in her nursery class at church.  The other children are quite a bit younger than her and some of them get a little fussy.  Well, according to those nursery teachers, Charlotte helps take care of the babies.  She brings them their pacifiers, bottles, blankets, etc.  And this weekend when we visited our friends, she was following LB (2 years old) around with his water cup making sure he stayed hydrated.  She would look back at me and give me her enormous cheese grin, like, "yeah, mom, I know I'm cute!"  Just today she was wiping up a little spit from a friend's 3.5 month old baby girl I was holding!  I am thinking I will have quite the little helper on my hands when Cale arrives!  She is just going to be an amazing big sister!

Charlotte has also started climbing more than she used to.  And when she does, she just laughs with glee until someone comes to see what it is she has crested.

And as the weather is warming, Charlotte has begun to find all water enticing. Yet another thing that brings her much giddy laughter!  And warmth to my heart...

The girl LOVES shoes.  And I am so not exaggerating!  She is very opinionated with her shoe wearing too.  Check out her boots with the following outfit.  She would not wear sandals.  Just the boots.  And she was quite proud of herself for putting this ensemble together.  I am positive she would wear my heels out of the house if she could.  She loves to clack around from room to room in my heels and other shoes.  I often find my shoes in odd places...but that's okay.  Is she a fashionista?  Could be...one thing's for sure...she is definitely a girly girl!

I also tried out the pigtails with miss Charlotte one day.  (See, she is wearing yet a different pair of shoes.  Her choice!)  I expected those pigs to be yanked right out.  But nope!  She kept them in ALL DAY LONG!  The only time she pulled them out was when one was coming lose.  She then brought the ponytail holders over to me and said, "Mama, mama" while trying to put them in her hair.  So I fixed them up again and she was happy as a clam.  Guess I shall start making flower ponytail holders....

I mentioned Charlotte's climbing earlier.  Her favorite spot to climb is on Mommy and Daddy's bed.  Most recently she has taken to cuddling down under the covers, saying, "nigh-niiigh...."  Yup.  Pretty cute!  May cause a delay in making the bed every morning, but I can take that delay.

And her imagination.  It's running wild!  She entertains herself for so long these days.  With a box, books (especially books!  She LOVES to pretend to read.  Although in her mind she is of course really reading!), and anything else that catches her interest.

She's talking more and more.  Repeating most everything I say and maintaining eye contact as we talk.  Definitely time to be careful about what comes out of my mouth and anyone else's in her presence for that matter!

And she is starting to think about the potty.  In the past week she has pulled her diaper down a couple of times and tried to climb on the pot.  Fortunately we have some friends who have successfully potty trained two of their kids using a 3-day curriculum....which she gave me to use!  So I am reading that over and preparing for our 3-day potty training with Miss Charlotte.  We have some prep work to do over the next couple of months, but I think she will be ready right about the time Cale is due to arrive.  Ha, now how's that for timing?  It has positives and negatives....as I am sure (very sure!) that will be a crazy time for all of us.  So we will see.  Maybe we can get her totally ready by mid-July?  We shall see...

Oh Charlotte...I love you so much.  My heart could seriously burst with the love I have for you!  I love that you are my daughter and I wouldn't change a thing about you!  You are beautiful, inside and out.