Charlotte's Website
Hi, I'm Charlotte Lucy Own! My momma and daddy are Lindsey and Chris. I was born on 26 April, 2007 (Thursday) at 16:24. I weighed 2.5kg, was 44.5cm in length, and my head was 32cm around. I'm small but I'm really strong, and I'm growing like a little weed!
Click on the images to see cute pictures of little ol' me.
You can also visit my 
account to see videos! Create an account and subscribe to my channel
to get automatic updates whenever new Charlotte videos are added.
April 26, 2008 - My First Birthday! | 2008.04.28
1
Year
Saturday, April 26, was my very first ever birthday! YehYeh and NaiNai, daddy's parents, came to visit and help us celebrate! Lots of my friends came over, and we had a big barbeque. And I got to eat CAKE!!!! (Everyone has been conspiring to keep this "cake" device a secret from me... It's so delicious!)
You can see lots of pictures of my big day, including daddy doing my hair before the party, me eating ice cream pops and cake for the first time, momma and NaiNai helping me blow out my candles, and my buddies all hangin' out on the beautiful sunny day! There are also new videos on YouTube!
For my birthday, all my buddies worked together to make a special set of Alphabet wall cards for me. For example, my buddy Roy made "S" for "snow," my Pappy made "Pappy Plays Poker" for P, and my buddy Nicolle made "N is for Neuron"! When they're all done, momma will post a picture of my wall with all my great cards displayed!
Oh, by the way, Thursday April 24, my buddy Anton Kiran Colleton was born! That's Darcy and Lee's baby. I got to meet him Friday night, and I was so curious about him... I can't wait to play with him some more! Congratulations to my Darcy and Lee for doing such a great job bringing Anton out to play.
March 24 - April 19 - Fun times at home | 2008.03.24-04.19
11.5
months
The past few weeks have been quite relaxing... no big trips, but also no special visitors. Alas! But I have sure been growing and growing. Nothing too new... improving my dexterity with my baby fingers, crawling faster, and eating everything under the sun. My receptive language skills are getting better and better. I can identify lots of my toys, my kitty Hannah, several foods, and lots of my friends and family. When momma sings "If You're Happy And You Know It," I love to clap my hands along! I definitely know my momma and daddy, and get really excited whenever I see them! I've been a super giggle-monster lately, and have been playing lots of fun games with momma and daddy... most of the games include tickles!
I got to be a super-model again, this time for a great store called Twig. The pictures aren't up on their website yet, but a few of them are in this section of Charlotte pics.
I'm about to have a bunch more new friends in just a few days! I'm going to have a new second-cousin, plus a new neighbor across the street, plus my new Darlee (that's Darcy's baby's pre-name). And my very own first birthday is next weekend! It's exciting times!
March 05 - March 23 - Fun at home, plus Easter weekend on Orcas
Island with Justin and Kat | 2008.03.05-23
11 months
This was an exciting few weeks! Momma and I participated in a cognitive development study, where I got to play lots of cool games, including finding a hidden sparkly bracelet under a towel and reaching for a ducky that was hidden under a clear plastic box. I also got to be a supermodel, and you can find cute pictures of me at Kate Quinn Organics. There are three pictures of me! I also got to spend a whoooooooole special day with daddy while momma went skiing.
Over Easter weekend, momma, daddy, our friends Kat and Justin, and I all went to Orcas Island for a relaxing time. I had my first easter egg hunt, which was really fun! I found a few eggs, and even got to taste some of the yummy chocolate and Jelly Beans inside!
I've got four top teeth all coming in at the same time, which really hurts a bunch. But soon I'll be able to eat stuff all by myself more easily! I also started making a funny "blurbble blurbble" sound, and momma put a video of it up on YouTube. My crawling is getting really fast, and I can push my walking wagon really well!
Feb 20 - March 03 - Grammy and Pappy
visit, then Liz visits |
2008.02.20-03.03
10 months
Grammy and Pappy came to visit! We had a great time, and I got to play with them a whole lot! The weather was beautiful, so we got to have a nice picnic out in the sun. Most importantly though, I just got to have lots and lots of snuggle-time with them. I'm a really snuggle-bug lately, and I love tickles! My momma has been tickling me a LOT! I was really curious about Pappy's furry arms... arm hair is fascinating to pinch with my tiny fingers.
The next weekend, my buddy Liz came to visit. We had fun playing... I showed her how I can push my wagon all around the house, and I sat in my wagon to go for rides! I also spent some time helping Liz highlight her class notes... I'm sure my help was very useful!
February 16 through 21 - Portland! | 2008.02.16-2008.02.21
9 and a half months
For Presidents' Day weekent, momma and daddy and I drove down to Portland. We meet up with lots of our friends, and I had a great time, even though I was still a little sick. I got to see my buddy Alex again... I haven't seen him since we were tiny babies, back in August! I also got to meet some new friends, including my buddies Verl and Sophia. It's neat that momma and daddy have so many friends who have kiddos my age!
While we were out of town, I developed like crazy. I'm crawling for real, up on my hands and knees. I can also roll up so that I can sit up after crawling around for a while. I also point specifically at things I want, like my ugly doll Moxy and my water cup. I had a great time in Portland, and I even slept well in the strange crib in the hotel!
February 04 through 15 | 2008.02.04-2008.02.15
9 and a half months
Sorry me and momma have been bad about putting up new pictures... It's been busy around here, and I'm wearin' momma out! I had a fun Friday with our mommy/baby group, and a bunch of my buddies came over to play. (There are some really cute pictures of my friends Edie, Dylan, Brahm, and Zoe!) Also, momma, daddy, and I went to the democratic caucuses... it was so exciting! While there, I got to hang out with my buddy BeeGee. She's going to have a baby soon, so I'll have a friend on our street to play with!
I've been having lots of fun playing with my blocks, pointing at everything, and reading my Valentine's cards. Daddy made origami Valentine's for all my friends at school. Then, right at the end of the week, before we were all set to go on vacation, I got really sick... I had to breathe in some medicine through a scary machine, but at least I got all better... Pictures from our vacation in Portland coming up next!
Week of January 28 | 2008.01.28-2008.02.03
9 months, 1 week
Several very exciting new skills this week... I pulled myself to standing! First when I was sitting next to the dryer while momma did laundry. I pulled myself up using the dryer door. Then I pulled myself up while lying on my tummy, using the bench upstairs! Video will be available on YouTube shortly... I've also started waving bye-bye to my friends when I'm leaving, and also wave bye-bye to my grandparents when we talk on the webcam. I also wave hello sometimes, even to the girl in the mirror! I also love giving people my toys... I tried to give the girl in the mirror my toothbrush, but she just tried to give me her toothbrush! (I haven't quite figured her out yet...)
I got a really cool walker-wagon... it's hard for me to walk with it, but I sure love riding in it while daddy pushes me around! I also still love riding my rocking horse. I've been having fun banging on my hammer-and-peg set, and I had one last "hurrah" on my old bouncy seat before we lent it to my buddies Darcy and Lee... Their baby is going to love it!
I'm eating great big meals... Momma and daddy are trying to feed me the same stuff they have for dinner as often as possible. I had some delicious stew the other night that I loved! I've also been eating more chunky stuff that I can pick up with my fingers. My tummy is getting so big!
January 07 through January 27 | 2008.01.07-2008.01.27
9 months
Well, we got back from Houston just fine, but it's been crazy around here! Daddy went out of town for several days, and lots of our friends kept momma and me company while he was gone. But right when daddy was supposed to come home, I got really sick. I had a fever, plus lots of coughing and a very runny nose. Poor daddy got home at 2am to find me crying and unhappy. I was still a pretty happy cake for most of my sickness, except for at night and except for Wednesday... Wednesday was a tough day for everybody.
I'm mostly better now, although still a little coughy. It doesn't help that I'm also cutting another tooth... This one is bothering me more than the first two did.
By the way, you've gotta see my hair! It's pretty out of control! Momma and daddy really need to figure out how to brush it better, because it's starting to get knots. Personally, I think we need to upgrade to a big-kid hairbrush.
I've had lots of exciting developments, most of which you can see pictures of! I'm still scooting all over the place on my belly, and using my knees more and more. My favorite is still walking while holding on to someone's fingers. I figured out how to pull open the gate in my room so that I can crawl out! I also really like to put blocks into cups and buckets and take the blocks back out again... that's a super-fun game. Another game I love is riding on my rocking horse! I can even rock back and forth by myself.
On the grubbles front, I finally figured out how to drink from my sippy cup. I love to drink water. I'm eating three meals every day, and I love to pick food up to feed myself. Cheerios are my favorite, and I also eat things like chunks of mango or pieces of boiled carrot. When I'm eating, momma and I play a funny game called "Rock and Roll Baby!" where we toss our heads waaaay back and sing like rockstars.
Week of December 31 | 2007.12.31-2008.01.06
8 months, 1 week
The week of New Year's, I visited Houston. I got to see my Grammy, Pappy, Uncle Richard, Aunt Heather, cousin Shane, Great-granddaddy, Great-Grandmother, and Great Great Uncle Clyde! *Phew* Did I miss anybody? We went to the museum to see huuuuuge dinosaur bones, and I practiced crawling a bunch... Pappy tempted me with a Benjamin... I was a lot more excited to crawl towards the Benjamin than towards the Jackson. I'm a girl of sophisticated taste, of course. Have fun looking at our pictures, especially the funny ones of me and momma trying to get some sleep on the planes...
Week of December 24 | 2007.12.24-12.30
8 months
The week of Christmas, I visited my NaiNai, YehYeh, and Uncle Larry in Virginia. This was my first time visiting their house! I got to play with Uncle Larry's cats, and I got to meet lots of NaiNai and YehYeh's friends. We went on the most heavily-photographed walk-around-the-neighborhood EVER, and momma and daddy got lots of rest since they could sleep in while I played with NaiNai and YehYeh. Have fun looking at our pictures!
Week of December 10 | 2007.12.10-12.16
7 months, 3 weeks
This was a rough week, but everything in the world was eclipsed by TEETH! Momma noticed my teeth Tuesday morning when she was giving me a snack at day care. We didn't even know they were coming! Now I'm a terribly cute little snaggle-tooth.
Other news of interest: I've actually been a bit icky sicky this week. Remember how I threw up last Saturday? Well, I threw up again almost every day this week... Just once in the evening, but enough to make a big mess. I still acted pretty normal and wasn't too upset by the barfing, but then when I woke up icky on Friday morning, momma decided we needed to stay home from school and go visit the doctor. Not only was I throwing up, but I also had all this crazy yellow eye goop. (Sorry, is that too much information?) I was sad to miss my friends before vacation, but Dr. Mar said I probably have a stomach virus, and am very contagious, so I'm glad we stayed home! By the end of the weekend, I felt just fine. I'm glad I'm all better before we go visit all my grandparents...
My grasping is getting better and better, and I can even clap my hands now! Yay!!! I'm having so much fun walking while holding on to people's fingers, and I love splashing in the bath.
Week of December 10 | 2007.12.10-12.16
7 months, 2 weeks
So I have a funny story to tell... Momma and daddy work out at this studio where our friend Jennifer also works out. When momma and daddy went to exercise while I stayed with my buddy James, their teacher Abby asked whether I usually mind when other people hold me. Our friend Jennifer just laughed and laughed! This week is no exception... I got to hang out with lots of my good buddies, and I was "passed around like a bottle of cheap wine," as my pappy says. :-)
There was a most exciting development this week... I developed my pincer grasp! That means I can now pick up cheerios with my tiny thumb and forefinger. Momma and so surprised and happy that she actually cried!
Saturday night, I had a little barf session, but I'm really feeling okay... we're not really sure what caused it, but I've still been a happy girl and don't really seem sick. Sunday night, we went to a nice holiday party where I got to see so many of my friends. I sure love bein' a baby!
Week of December 03 | 2007.12.03-12.09
7 months, 1 week
I've been pretty quiet this week, observing the world. I've really enjoyed playing by myself with blocks and things... I can't wait till I can really start to crawl! I've been trying to reach toys by myself, but I haven't quite figured out how yet.
Some exciting milestones: I drank out of a sippy cup all by myself! I also sat on daddy's shoulders, which is a fun new way to travel around. I love to cruise holding on to either momma's or daddy's fingers, but I still can't get very far, or move very fast.
This weekend was very busy... momma's faculty party was Saturday night (I stayed home) and daddy's company party was Sunday afternoon. We went on a big boat ride around Elliot Bay! I was soooo tired Sunday night... daddy took a funny picture of me passed out on my futon.
Week of November 26 | 2007.11.26-12.02
7 months
I turned 7 months old this week, on Monday! I've had a lot of fun playing with my new baby piano, and banging my tupperware bowls together. I'm a percussion girl. I've been holding objects in my hands, rotating objects around with my wrist, and articulating my fingers... sometimes I can pick things up with my thumb and forefinger. I hear that's an exciting skill to have at my age. I also LOVE to roll over. Sometimes it's hard for momma or daddy to get me dressed, because I'm such a squirmer!
I've gained a lot of weight all of a sudden! I was only 12 lbs 11 ounces three weeks ago, and this week I'm over 14 lbs! I *LOVE* table food, so getting bigger is easy nowadays! I'm outgrowing lots of my clothes and with more storage in my body for food, I'm also sleeping better. A few nights this week, I slept the WHOLE night without waking up momma and daddy at all! That's a milestone they'll appreciate.
On Saturday, it snowed here in Seattle, and I went stocking in my special enviro-suit to stalk the front yard. I really liked looking at the snow from inside my warm, cozy room, but sitting outside in the snow itself was pretty strange. Daddy took some cute pictures... When we came back inside, we had waffles, which I think are yummy!
Week of November 19 | 2007.11.19-11.25
6 months, 4 weeks
Happy Thanksgiving! This week, momma and I only went to school two days... We had a big five-day weekend, and daddy got to spend four of those days with us! I had such fun playing with them, plus we got to have Thanksgiving dinner with a whole bunch of friends. (I even took a nap during dinner so momma and daddy got to enjoy the yummy food and great company!)
Over the weekend, I got to wear my super-cute snuggly bear outfit for the first time. Rawr! I also went on the swings at the park for the first time! I'm working on learning to brush my teeth, and I'm working on scooting... I can go backwards and I can turn around pretty well. I've also started reaching into my toy baskets to pull out my favorite toys. I can make quite a big mess! Oh, and I discovered even more foods that I love! Cottage cheese, where have you been all my life???
By the way, happy first birthday to my cousin Shane!
Week of November 12 | 2007.11.12-11.18
6 months, 3 weeks
I just added some new pictures to the past two weeks... go check 'em out.
This week was pretty chill... I enjoyed typing more on the keyboard, and started playing with my stacking blocks. They're fun to knock over! I'm also getting better at gripping with my little fingers. Momma and daddy also put me in some pretty crazy outfits this week, including for the fashion expo we went to! How embarassing! Don't they know you're not supposed to mix prints?
Oh, and not to worry! I've given up my solid-foods-strike and am eating like crazy. I love green beans mixed with yams and egg yolk especially, and am rather fond of carrots with apple sauce, too. I even munched on a stalk of asparagus and loved it! I hear there's a holiday coming up where I will get to try LOTS of different foods. How exciting!
Week of November 05 | 2007.11.05-11.11
6 months, 2 weeks
Sunday night I had such a bad fever... so Momma and I stayed home on Monday. Neither of slept very well Sunday night, so we slept for most of Monday morning. I ended up feeling just fine after that, and the rest of the week was a-o-k!
On Thursday, my Grammy and Pappy came to visit! I had so much fun playing with them... Grammy and momma made lots of baby carrots for our baby food exchange with the other mommas... we got lots of good stuff like green beans, yams, and apples. Unfortunately, I decided to go on a solid-foods-strike for the weekend, so I didn't get to taste any of the yummy new foods. I didn't even want yogurt and oatmeal, which is usually my favorite!
Friday evening, Grammy gave me a bath in the kitchen sink, which was very different! It was neat trying to grab the water while it came out of the spout!
Also, on Saturday, I got to play supermodel and get my picture taken wearing some cute HappyGreenBee clothes. I can't wait to see how the pictures turned out!
Grammy and Pappy had to go home on Sunday... it was really fun hanging out with them, and I can't wait to see them again in January!
Week of October 29 | 2007.10.29-11.04
6 months, 1 week
This week was Halloween! Momma stayed up really late Tuesday night making my star costume (like Maggie Simpson's winter coat!), and then I got to wear it in our school Halloween parade! It was lots of fun, and I got to snuggle with my 8th grade buddies... until I got tooooo tired, that is.
Other than that, it was a pretty low-key week. Daddy had to work a bunch this weekend, so momma and I either stayed home or went to work with daddy. My buddies Rachael and Johnny came over to have dinner with us Saturday night, and they stayed with me while momma and daddy went out for a date. I started feeling sick and sleepy on Sunday, and got a fever up to 103 degrees Sunday night! I'll tell you more about that next week...
Week of October 22 | 2007.10.22-10.28
6 months
I turned 6 months old this week! Can you believe I've been outside of momma's tummy for a whole 6 months? It's so exciting!
At the beginning of this week, daddy flew to Arizona for work, so it was just Momma and me for a few days. Momma and I both felt pretty sick on Tuesday... we had runny noses and just felt icky, so we stayed home from school. It was a nice, sunny day, so we went for a long walk, and that made us both feel much better.
I continued testing out more yummy solid foods this week, and had a lot of fun playing in my exersaucer. It's so easy for momma and daddy to take super-cute pictures of me while I play. I also enjoyed learning to type this week... I can bang on the keyboard and watch the screen just like momma and daddy do.
Week of October 14 | 2007.10.14-10.21
5 months, 3 weeks old
Halloween is coming! After YehYeh and NaiNai went home, I've been trying out some new foods like avocados and bananas. I learned to feed myself on my 4th try! Check me out: Champion Eater in the making! I really like standing up holding onto daddy's hands and sometimes I can stand by myself (for like 300 milliseconds).
I have a new zombie impression where I wave my hands around and wobble at the waist when I'm excited. That should go over well with the trick-or-treaters.
Momma and Daddy took me to Auntie Carol's house to carve pumpkins. We got to hang out with my pal Damien and other friends and I got to try out a special pumpkin cockpit. I'm not sure it'll be a permanent fixture... it's a sophisticated model, but I think I'll wait for the upgraded one with padded leather interior, power windows and locks, and other amenities.
Daddy's leaving for a few days to install a precession camera at ASU so I'm going to miss him. He has a webcam though, so we'll be able to keep in touch and Momma and I will have some time just the two of us.
Week of October 08 | 2007.10.08-10.16
5 months, 2 weeks old
This week was especially exciting because NaiNai and YehYeh came to visit! They got here late Friday night and left really early this Wednesday morning, so momma and I put up pictures for last week, plus their visit.
We had a lot of fun: went out for Dim Sum, played with my kitty Hannah, went for some nice walks, danced to funny Chinese baby songs... Momma and daddy also got to go out together while NaiNai and YehYeh stayed home with me, which was really nice for them!
I had baby oatmeal for the first time, and it was delicious! The first time on Saturday was a little confusing, and I kept blowing bubbles into my spoon... but by the third time on Tuesday, I was an old pro... I can't wait to taste other yummy foods!
Week of October 1 |
2007.10.01-10.07
5 months, 1 week old
Oh my goodness, this week started out horribly... Remember how I said last weekend was tough and I was pooping a bunch? Well, it all went bananas right after that... I just kept pooping and pooping until I got a terrible diaper rash! Momma and daddy both stayed home from work on Monday to take care of me, and also because they were both too sleepy to work. Tuesday was a bit better... I was super fussy at daycare, but at least able to go. But by Wednesday, I was mostly back to normal.
The end of the week was much better, and we had a very nice relaxing weekend. I've been getting lots of practice sitting, and am getting quite good at it! My buddy Laura came over Saturday night to take care of me again while momma and daddy went to see a movie with some of their other friends. Then Sunday we went to have brunch at one of momma and daddy's favorite restaurants. The waitresses recognized them and were excited to finally meet me!
Momma and daddy are also developing a great new weekend system where one of them gets up to play with me while the other sleeps in. Then they switch and whomever woke up gets to take a nap. That makes weekend afternoons a lot of fun, since everyone is all rested!
Week of September 24 |
2007.09.24-09.30
5 months old
I got back into babbling this week, and have been squealing and laughing like crazy! I've also been really actively reaching for things that are far away, like toys and momma and daddy's food! Momma also had a special little class about sign language for babies, so momma and daddy are starting to try to teach me how to say "milk" "more" and "change my diaper" with my hands! I also really noticed my kitty Hannah this week, and reached for her a bunch. She let me pet her a few times, and even rubbed my hands. She likes me!
It was my 5-month-birthday this week, which is so cool. Thursday was also school picture day, so I had my first school picture. Our class picture will be in the school year book with the big kids!
This weekend was a little stressful for momma and daddy... They're not sure whether I'm sick or teething, but I've been having crazy poopies about every hour. I've also been waking up 5 or 6 times at night and crying a bunch... I can't wait till my teeth finally pop out!
(By the way, momma sez: "Sorry I've been slow on the YouTube videos... the cakey noodle isn't giving us much down time!")
Week of September 17 |
2007.09.17-09.23
21 weeks old
Holy moly, what a bunch of firsts we had this week! I started splashin' around and having so much fun in the bath! Plus, I started standing up while momma and daddy just hold onto my arms instead of my whole torso. I even had some fun balancing a little bit all by myself. Perhaps most excitingly, I'm finally big enough to wear some of my big-girl clothes! (Those are my 3-month-old clothes... no more newborn gear for me!) I also graduated from my carseat support cushion, and now just in the carseat itself! Can you believe how big I'm getting?
I also had a lot of fun playing on my new playmat from NaiNai. Check it out! It's pretty cool! I'm still enjoying my exersaucer and bunches of other toys, too. There are just so many great things to do in the world!
I still wake up a bunch some nights, and only once on other nights. Daddy has been having fun putting me to sleep... I'm learning to fall asleep in my crib after he tucks me in. That's much nicer than crying myself to sleep!
Week of September 10 |
2007.09.10-09.16
20 weeks old
On Monday and Tuesday of this week, I got to stay home with Nai Nai while momma went to work. That was lots of fun, and on Monday I figured out how to eat my toes! Let me tell you... toes are delicious! On Tuesday night, Nai Nai left, and I can't wait till I get to see her again.
Later this week, I got much better at doing baby push-ups on my tummy. I can push straight up on my arms now! Momma and daddy had fun taking pictures of me doing pushups! I also got a new toy - an "exersaucer" - that lets me practice standing up. Even though it's appalling and plastic, I love it, and I love standing on my momma's and daddy's laps, too! Oh, and I've also decided that I'm really not interested in sleeping... I don't take naps at daycare, only sometimes take naps at home, and - get this - I wake up three or four times per night! I gave momma and daddy a nice break there for a while... only waking up once per night. But now it's growth spurt time again!
On Saturday, we went to a party on Whidbey Island with lots of momma's coworkers and their families, and I got to go to the beach again. I've heard that beaches are often sunny and warm, but between Indiana and Washington, I'm not convinced!!!
By the very end of this week, I weighed 11 pounds 7 ounces, officially! I'm about average length, but sure skinny!
Week of September 03 |
2007.09.03-09.09
19 weeks old
This week, I started day care! Wednesday was momma's first day teaching at her new school, and I went to the day care right by her classroom. I had fun playing with my new friends and my teachers, and momma came to visit me and feed me. Momma really enjoyed getting back to work, even though she missed me a whole whole bunch.
On Friday night, Nai Nai came to visit (that's my daddy's momma). We got to play all weekend, and she's still here hanging out with me until Tuesday night. This weekend was sooooo busy... we went to daddy's company picnic and went to a big baby-stuff swap-meet. We also went to the farmers' market and shopping for cool new toys. Nai Nai got me a really awesome rattle!
Momma and daddy are really impressed by how well I can grab stuff! I can even grab my feet, but I can't quite get 'em to my mouth yet. And I'm so alert! I just love looking at everything. I'm still having lots of trouble falling asleep and am crying a bunch, but once I'm asleep, I have a nice long full-night rest. Saturday night, I slept from 8pm until 6am without waking up at all!
Week of August 27 |
2007.08.27-09.02
18 weeks old
This was the week of the GRAB! I started grabbing everything I could get my baby hands on this week, and stuffing whatever it was into my mouth! It's so exciting to be able to hold on to things! I also re-started having a difficult time getting to sleep... the world just gets more and more exciting and I don't want to miss it. Several nights, I cried and cried while momma and daddy rocked me, then quieted down and fell asleep when they finally just put me in my crib. I love keepin' 'em on their toes like that.
Also, momma and daddy have finally been able to get me to drink some milk from a bottle. It's actually a special kind of sippy cup that I chew on instead of sucking to release the milk. And I only like the milk if it's really really cold, like a frozen milk slushie. Even then, I still let most of it just run out of my mouth, instead of swallowing. But, hey! At least I'm not screaming my baby head off! That's an improvement. *grin*
I've also been having tiny little tastes of some big-kid-food. Momma dabbed a bit of blueberry on my tongue, plus a bit of kiwi and some avocado. It's kinda wierd, but I'm getting on board with the idea. So far, avocado is my favorite. (By "favorite" I mean "the one I made the least oogie face for.")
Momma started work, going to lots of teacher meetings this week, and I got to spend a whole lot of extra time with daddy... he stayed home with me two mornings since I didn't get to go to daycare yet. On the other two meeting-days, I went with momma. It was rough since I wanted to play, but momma had to keep me quiet so I wouldn't interrupt the meetings. This coming week, momma starts teaching for real, and I'll be in daycare a couple hours each day. I think that will be a lot better, since I won't have to stay quiet and I'll be able to play!
By the way, I weigh 11 pounds 9 ounces this week. Yep, I'm HUUUUGE!
Week of August 18 - Home again, home
again... |
2007.08.18-08.26
17 weeks old
Well, we made it home from our big vacation! We've been sooooo busy, so I haven't had time to put up my pictures from last week until now! It's been nice to be home... I've been hanging out a lot in the Bumbo chair that my cousin Shane gave me, and daddy sure loves taking pictures of me in it!
I'm getting much better at grasping objects, and am chewing on lots of things, especially my special teething device. It looks kinda like a pacifier, but has a hard nub instead of a sucking part. My hair is also getting crazy-long and is starting to get into my eyes! I wish my momma and daddy could figure out some way to tame it...
You might have already seen it, but there's a great new video on my momma's YouTube account of her and me having a great conversation. You should check it out!
Week of August 13 - Chesterton, IN |
2007.08.13-08.17
16 weeks old
On Monday, August 13, Pappy came to pick us up from Chicago, and we drove out to Chesterton, Indiana. We stayed at a beach house with Grammy, Pappy, Uncle Richard, Aunt Heather, and my cousin Shane!
While we were there, I also got to meet Aunt Heather's parents and all her sisters and their families. We had a huge party on Wednesday and all the grown-ups and big kids got to eat LOTS of gumbo! I also got to go to the beach for the first time... sand is a fascinating substance.
Best of all, I got to hang out a bunch with my daddy, 'cause he didn't have to do any work at all the whole time!
I didn't have too many big developmental changes, and I had some trouble sleeping. I did get bigger... Daddy thinks I might even weigh 11.5 pounds! And I sure do like to smile a lot! I spent quite a bit of time laughing at my silly family!
Weekend of August 10 - Chicago, IL |
2007.08.10-08.13
15.5 weeks old
On Friday, August 10, we flew from Florida to Chicago! You won't believe the fun I had there... Momma and daddy used to live in Chicago, so they have lots of friends there that I got to meet for the first time. Sarah picked us up from the airport, and we got to hang out with her and Misha for a while. Then we went to stay with Hal and Monica, and their son Alex. Alex is only 9 weeks old, but he's still bigger than me!
On Saturday, we went to Evanston, where I met momma's old teaching buddies Vikki, Louise, and Leah. Then we had tea at momma and daddy's favorite tea shop, Dream About Tea; I met Hong and DaQuan, and we all met Nicole, their daughter, for the first time! On Sunday, we hung out with Sarah and Misha, and Hal, Monica, and Alex a bunch more. Then on Monday, Pappy came to pick us up to drive to Indiana to visit my cousin Shane!
All sorts of interesting developments continued in Chicago... I kept rolling over bunches, and I decided on Saturday night that I didn't like my swaddling blanket any more. Perhaps this "fourth trimester" stuff is almost over? I still kinda like my swaddling blanket sometimes, though... I have to keep momma guessing.
Week of August 5 - Ft. Lauderdale, FL |
2007.08.05-08.10
15 weeks old
This week, we flew to Ft. Lauderdale, Florida to spend some time with daddy while he was at a big conference. He gave a very important talk to some very important people, and I got to meet even more of momma and daddy's friends. We had dinner with different folks almost every night, and I did quite well except for one night when I was quite fussy. During the days, momma and I spent a lot of time in our hotel room because it was waaaay too hot to play outside.
On Wednesday, I rolled over for the first time! Naturally, there is video available on momma's YouTube account. We also discovered that my hair gets really really curly in hot, humid weather... I developed quite a little 'fro in Florida. It's so long now that - when my hair is straight - I look Romulan!
My next post will include pics from our trip to Chicago, then followed by our trip to northern Indiana... I can't wait to meet my cousin Shane!!!
Week of July 30 |
2007.07.30-08.04
14 weeks old
This week, I wore pigtails for the first time! It was mighty cute. I'm getting so much better at sitting up, and I can even sit up by myself for a little while with momma just holding on to my hands. There's a very cute video of it on momma's YouTube account. I was actually babbling less this week because I was really focusing on my physical skeelz.
We had our reunion with momm and daddy's labor and delivery class on Saturday. There were so many babies! I was the oldest one by about a month since I came so early.
Week of July 23 |
2007.07.23-07.29
13 weeks old
Another week of fun here in Seattle! Momma made a big discovery this week... I, Charlotte Lucy Own, can fly! It's amazing!
Us girls did a bunch of the usual this week... hanging out at home, hanging out with other mommas and babies, and visiting friends. Wednesday I went swimming with momma's friend Jennifer and my buddy Nash. On Wednesday night, momma and daddy's friend Laura came over to hang out with me so momma and daddy could go out on a date. On Friday, momma and I went to a "Mommy Day at the Movies," and I took a nap while momma watched Harry Potter. Then we had lunch with daddy, which is always a special treat. Friday night, we all went to watch some bike races, which was neato!
I'm still babbling like a little monkey, and rolling onto my side. I've started waking up and wriggling around by myself for a while before I wake up momma and daddy, which seems to startle momma just a bit. Oh! Also, on Saturday night I went to bed at about 8:30, woke up at 3 but fell back asleep all by myself before momma came in, then woke up at 5 for grubbles and a new diaper. I am a super-sleeper!
Week of July 16 |
2007.07.016-07.22
12 weeks old
It was sure nice to be home this week! I had a pretty chill week with several exciting new developments! I'm holding my head up better and better, and enjoying tummy time when I'm propped up a bit, such as on daddy's knees or on my Boppy pillow. I've also gone from sucking on one whole fist to sucking on BOTH fists to sucking on just a few fingers. I'm still not so interested in sucking on anything else, though, like teething rings, pacifiers, or bottles.
I've started figuring out how to scoot on my back... I can push my little legs. Momma still not quite sure whether it's just excitement, or whether I'm really trying to get somewhere specific. Either way, she's in big trouble since I'm getting a bit more mobile! I'm also coming closer and closer to rolling over. My legs and hips seem to have figured it out, but not my shoulders. Momma helps me roll all the way over sometimes.
This weekend was a bit crazy. Daddy had a nasty crash on his bike, and we spent a big chunk of Saturday in the Emergency Room at the hospital where I was born. He got some stitches, and is really sore, but doing mostly okay. When we left the hospital, we went to our friends' housewarming party, and it was really nice to visit with lots of my buddies again. On Sunday, momma and I went with daddy to work, and I practiced rolling over a whole bunch. It was fun, and daddy liked having us there so he could take breaks every once in a while to play with me. Maybe momma and I should visit daddy at work more often...
Week of July 09 |
2007.07.09-07.15
11 weeks old
(NEW! Video links below)
As predicted, this week was crazy! On Tuesday, daddy flew to Japan for a big conference and momma and I flew to Houston to visit lots of great people. We stayed with Grammy and Pappy until Saturday, then stayed with Great-Grandmother and Great-Granddaddy until Sunday, then flew home. I was a really good girl for momma on the plane... either slept or made funny faces at our neighbors the whole way. Daddy sure missed me a whole lot!
Some of the highlights of the week were, of course, meeting my Great-Grandmother and Great-Granddaddy for the first time, plus my Great Great Uncle Clyde (that's Great-Granddaddy's brother). I went swimming for the first time ever at Uncle Clyde's new apartment complex, and we took LOTS of pictures. I also went to the zoo and saw lots of animals. I think I'll like the zoo better when I'm older...
I'm so big now that I can actually wear normal baby clothes! I'm also developing quite a strong neck... Momma made a little video clip of me playing with Pappy, and a little video clip of me looking at a cool toy while holding my neck up. You can see them on YouTube.
Here's a little teaser:
Week of July 02 |
2007.07.02-07.08
10 weeks old
This was a big exciting week! I've started holding my head up quite well, and momma and daddy can now carry me sitting up in my slings. I'm not super-talented at it yet, but I'm getting pretty good! Also, on Wednesday, I said GOO! To say that momma was excited would be an understatement... She told everybody at our fourth-of-July BBQ that afternoon!
As of Tuesday, I weight 9 lbs 4 oz, so I'm still growin' and growin'. I'm also sleeping better and taking more consistent naps. In fact, lately I seem to actually prefer napping in my crib rather than on momma's chest. Pretty cool, huh?
This coming week is going to be crazy... I'm going with momma to visit Grammy and Pappy in Houston, and to meet lots of my other family, and daddy is going to Japan for work! He's sure going to miss me a lot...
Week of June 25 |
2007.06.25-07.01
9 weeks old
In the interest of full disclosure... my new smile and laugh are so cute, they've already made a few people cry! (Hi, Jae!) So take a look at these pictures at your own risk... Don't say I didn't warn you!
This week started out really rough. I got my vaccinations on Tuesday, and I didn't like that one bit... It hurt a lot! I cried and screamed, and finally calmed down a bit when momma and daddy gave me some infant tylenol. It was the middle of the night by then... I was so exhausted for a few days after that... and momma and daddy were too!
But by the end of the week, my sleep habits were improving a lot! I've started sleeping for 5-6 hour stretches at night, and we're all sleeping in momma and daddy's room now instead of the uncomfortable futon in my room. (I'm still trying to convince momma and daddy that they should go to bed at the same time I do... even though I'm sleeping for 5-6 hours, momma and especially daddy aren't taking very good advantage of that sleepy time.)
Week of June 18 |
2007.06.18-06.24
8 weeks old
This week was really fun, especially 'cause Thursday was daddy's birthday! We had dinners with lots of momma and daddy's friends over the whole week, and everyone agrees: I'm pretty darn cute! I'm getting bigger and bigger, and now - at 2 months old - my 0-3 month outfits are only slightly too large. It makes momma wonder when, if ever, I'll be able to wear my cute 6-month outfits! Maybe by the time I can walk!
This week, momma's student Penny started coming over to play with me and help momma do stuff around the house. I had a LOT of fun playing with Penny, and momma took a bunch of pictures of me laughing at her. She's a funny girl!
Also, over the weekend, I went with momma and daddy to the Pride Parade. I slept pretty much the whole time, but momma and daddy sure had fun!
Week of June 11 |
2007.06.11-06.17
7 weeks old
I had so much fun this week! I started really grinning and laughing a lot more, and I've been tracking my toys with my little peepers. I even turn my head all around to look at lots of different things, and I'm starting to hold my head up a little bit. I love checkin' out the world! The only problem is I like checkin' out the world so much that I'm having an awful lots of trouble falling asleep.
I scared mom and dad by not pooping for a few days. Then with much fanfare, it was all over... or so daddy thought. Half an hour later, I pooped twice as much and he had to clean it all up in a Mexican restaurant. That shook him up but I think he's getting over it now. They shouldn't worry so much because sometimes babies like me don't poop for up to a week. It shows that we're efficient at getting the good stuff out of mom's milk. I am just over 3.75kg nowadays (8.25lb).
This weekend sure was busy... we went to the Fremont Fair and to my buddy Damien's first birthday party. Then, Sunday night, I kept momma and daddy hoppin' from about 8pm until midnight. I'm having too much fun to sleep!
Week of June 04 |
2007.06.04-06.10
6 weeks old
This was a big week! I started grinning, and even laughed at momma and daddy making silly faces once! I'm still just grinning a little bit, but it sure is exciting. I'm a lot more alert these days, and I'm finally getting big enough to wear my cute newborn clothes. Daddy also started giving me a little milk in a bottle. I still definitely prefer momma, but I'm getting used to this bottle business.
Over the weekend, we went for a big long walk and took my stroller out for the first time. It was pretty nifty, and I had a nice long nap while momma and daddy strolled.
Week of May 28 |
2007.05.29-06.03
5 weeks old
Momma and I stayed home most of this week, and I discovered lots of new toys, including my cool Crazy Monkey rattle, and the neato Wiggle Worm play mat that Grammy and Pappy brought for me. I also got a different bouncey seat, because I wasn't such a huge fan of the first one. But this new one is great!!
The weekend was really nice, too. We had a barbeque Friday night, and had a great picnic on Sunday.
Memorial Day Weekend | 2007.05.26-28
On Saturday, after Grammy and Pappy got here, we all went to Victoria for the weekend! We took a big boat (the Victoria Clipper) to get there, and stayed together in a big hotel. It was quite an adventure for me. Momma and daddy carried me all around, taking turns with their slings. Victoria was very pretty and sunny, and there were baby ducks!
After we got back on Monday, Grammy and Pappy left on Tuesday. I can't wait to see them again soon!
Week of Monday, May 21 |
2007.05.21-25
4 weeks old
This week was both scary and exciting... On Monday, someone broke into our house and stole a bunch of stuff, including daddy's camera, so there were a few days with no pictures of me at all! Momma and I were really scared when we came home to find the back door broken, but we're okay now...
But Wednesday, Grammy and Pappy came! That's momma's mom and dad. We had a lot of fun playing together. I also got to take a bath with momma, and got a cool new bouncy seat!
Week of Monday, May 14 | 2007.05.14-20
This was another exciting week. During most of the week, momma and I stayed home and hung out, but we had an exciting day Thursday when daddy stayed home, and a very exciting weekend. Momma used her sling for the first time, and it worked really well once we figured it out. Then, this weekend, we went for a big walk, got a great new mobile for my crib, went to a Farmers' Market, had dinner with Carol and Matt, and took a bath in the big bathtub! The bath in the tub was definitely my favorite part... I like that much better than sponge baths or sink baths.
Week of Monday, May 07 | 2007.05.07-13
This week was pretty exciting. YehYeh and NaiNai were here, plus uncle Larry and his girlfriend Sonia. I had a lot of fun with momma and daddy... we even read some books together, and I met my favorite toy - my Whoozit! Sunday was Mother's Day, and daddy made momma a great breakfast in bed.
Sunday | 2007.05.06
Sunday was very relaxing. I got to stay home all day and snuggle with my family. Mommy gave me a sponge bath, and I had some tummy-time, which was really fun! I have very strong legs, although my head and shoulders aren't so strong yet. Oh, and my umbilical stump fell off! My little belly-button looks nice and healthy, and now I can take real baths if I want to.
Saturday | 2007.05.05
Saturday was a big day... I met lots of mom and daddy's friends at a big welcoming party for me. I slept for the whole time, but mom and daddy sure had lots of fun! (Even if mom was kinda loopy from her Percocet...) Also, my NaiNai and YehYeh arrived from Virginia! That's daddy's mom and dad.
Wednesday, Thursday, & Friday | 2007.05.02-05.04
These past few days have been pretty exciting. Mom and daddy had some friends come visit and bring yummy food, plus daddy gave me my first bath at home. I'm gaining lots of weight and plumping up quite cutely, if I do say so myself. We visited my doctor, and as of Friday I weighed 5lbs 6.5 oz... almost back to my birth weight! Mom's milk is really doing the trick.
We went for a little walk on Friday and daddy got to use his sling again. It works so well, and I'm so comfy in it!
Monday+Tuesday | 2007.04.30-05.01
At home there are all sorts of new fun things to look at. Daddy was so happy to see me after a delirious half-day at work. Mom is working on knitting her tummy back together and making sure I'm well fed. Paul came all the way from Chicago to come see me.
I met the kitties who have been really curious about me (those poor guys aren't allowed in my room). Maybe one day they will get some attention again.
I caught daddy off-guard with a projectile poop late at night. It hit the window and dribbled down the wall. That'll teach him. Mom's milk has changed again so we are getting toward normal baby poops.
Mom and daddy are now accomplished baby technicians so I am getting a full belly every time I eat. My special superpower (aside from being a pirate) is sleeping for up to three hours. I'm so good at it that Daddy got to try out his new sling. We walked around the neighborhood and impressed the ladies in the park. I stayed quiet as a mouse - I really like being carried around in the sling. Daddy thinks he looks silly in a sling but mom think he looks pretty hip.
Sunday Late PM | 2007.04.29
Hooray! We are home safe and sound. Nurse Arlana came to check us out of the hospital in the morning. I got into my cockpit for the first time and didn't like it one bit! It was much too roomy because I'm so tiny. The tests showed I could get enough oxygen while sitting in the seat and then we were able to go home! I'm happy as a clam snoozing in my crib.
Saturday PM | 2007.04.28
Last night was really rough because I added a new cry to my repertoire. After a few hours, I finally let out a huuuuge poop -- with a sound like they show in the movies -- at the stroke of midnight. I immediately turned into a pumpkin after that.
Saturday morning nurse Arlana came in and showed mom and daddy how to get me fuller so that they could squeeze some sleep in. She showed mom how to pump my arm to keep me awake and eat more. Plus I could use my arm to signal when I was totally full, or "milk drunk." That made everyone much happier. At about 11:15, I had my first transition poop. Nurse Jackie, who took care of me when I first came out, came back for the last shift to do my footprints, final screens, and weigh me. I am 2.3kg right now, so I'm about the lightest I have been.
Nurse Jackie told daddy that I scored 9 and 9 on my apgars and my poops came really fast, plus I'm great at keeping warm. So I think I've aced the tests and am ready to graduate. I think mom and dad have pretty much all the tools they need so it's time to go home soon.
Here are some pictures of us relaxing. Mom says daddy hasn't relaxed like this in years.
Friday Late PM | 2007.04.27
Now we are just hanging out at the hospital while mom is getting stronger. Daddy's been walking me around the ward and sometimes mom comes with. Daddy read some poems to me last night which got me really excited. Today I made my daddy cry by just looking at him funny. He is so screwed. Soon we'll go home, but not after mom and dad learn some more stuff first.
I was impressing the camera today with some eye-catching poses. I also took my first bath which I liked only so-so. Dr. Mar gave me a physical and I also got my hearing tested. Come take a look:
Thursday | 2007.04.26
I was born about three weeks early. I gave my parents a big scare because my heartbeat wasn't holding steady and I hadn't even told mom I wanted to get out yet. They talked with Heather, the nurse-midwife, and after some nail-biting, all decided that I should come out through mom's belly early. It was a good thing because after I was born they found my placenta had started to grow old prematurely. I'm happier being out here where I can get oxygen on my own.
*There are a few intense C-section photos in here, so don't click on every thumbnail if you might get squeamish!
