Mama's Onto Something

I like her gear for bathtime. Charlie had a great time splashing her while I mowed the back yard.

Here's what Champ has been up to since the last post:

• one l-o-n-g car trip to PA to play with cousins (waiting on permission to post pics/video)
• one short car trip to F-ville to play with Shug and Violet
• first time in an exersaucer
• soothing himself to sleep
• holding his bottle when I put it in his hands
• telling jokes and laughing at them, he's very vocal these days
• baby Pilates- he loves backbends, situps, and standing and stomping his foot
• more hair loss
• rolling back to tummy a few times
• more teething- they are so close to breaking through!

His "I'm so excited you're going to pick me up" face

He loves the Jump Up but has to get his Detroit Lean on...

3 months!

Charlie turned 3 months old this week. He's been very busy being a big boy. In addition to the teeth he's working on, he's been:

testing the "Charlie Jump Up." He keeps one toe on the floor at all times.

sitting in the BebePod and showing off his muscles. He likes to watch me in the kitchen.

going to open knit night. He modeled his new ribby wrap and a few others.

losing his hair.

and hanging out at Big Daddy's company picnic. All the kids were a hit at the picnic. Charlie was all smiles before the Z monster got him. Violet was practicing acrobatics, Max discovered the chocolate cookies, and Gatlin made a friend from Mexico.

Here are the blueberries I made before. Don't they look yummy? Shug (that's Kerry) brought over a ton of pears and we made some more food for the babies. The Magic Bullet was awesome. We even made figs that came out a wonderful texture for little ones. The freezer is now stocked with bluberries, peaches, pears, plums, cherries, and figs. Hopefully we can stash some veggies this week before we head north for the weekend. Ranier cherries are in season now, too. I don't know if I can make baby food with them, though, because I would probably eat them all while pitting them.

We got news this week that Uncle Duder is moving back to PA. We're really looking forward to having him in the same time zone. He's already promised to teach Charlie the things that he shouldn't learn from us.

Adventures in Making Things

Again, I don't have the photos uploaded yet, but I do have a minute to update.

I've been working on some new projects and surprisingly have found time to do them. I've made these adorable Warm Heart Woolies wraps using buttons from Mama's collection. Get the pattern for free at www.warmheartwoolies.com. I've been using Cascade 220 Superwash Wool for them.

Then, I decided to branch out in my knitting. So, I'm getting the hang of knitting in the round and have the waistband of the Hybrid Ribby Wrap from www.littleturtleknits.com completed. I'm also branching out with different fibers that are suitable for diaper covers.

I fell in love with Berrocco Comfort yarn. It's hypoallergenic, soft as silk, and machine washable. The nylon is waterproof and the acrylic has the same absorption/nonwicking qualities as wool, though it is one use per wash since it is not antimicrobial. Anyway, because it is such gorgeous yarn, I've started the Super Easy Diagonal Blanket from www.fabulousyarn.com. It calls for a bulky weight, but worsted is coming along just fine. The detail on the edges is just closer to the edge. Also, if you are going to make this blanket, here's my advice... don't bother counting stitches after the YO because you can just measure the edges until it is the size you want. You don't have to keep track of the diagonal length. This is a really easy and quick pattern for anyone wanting to try knitting.

And, the latest venture is in the kitchen. I tested out the new pressure cooker on some gorgeous local blueberries. The whipped up very easily. I couldn't believe how quickly the were done. I did add about an ounce of mommy-milk to thin the puree. Fear not, blueberries are not one of the berries to avoid in the first year. I can already vouch for how delicious this food is and can't wait to try them mixed with some banana.
I'm also looking forward to getting in the kitchen with Shug and her new Magic Bullet blender. We'll be whipping up batches of food for our babies in less time than it takes to drive to WalMart and stock up on the pre-packaged stuff. I found great information on making baby food at www.missvickie.com and www.wholesomebabyfood.com.

Photorama

Sometimes I just am beside myself with how cute this kid is!

Baptism (in a third generation handmade gown) Looks like he's been watching Zoolander. Check out his Blue Steel.

See? He does like bathtime now.
All tuckered out

Quick! While He's Sleeping...

The new medicine is working wonders. Charlie's reflux is now under control. So, he decided to start teething yesterday. He does not care for teething tablets until they kick in- then he loves them.

We had him baptised on Sunday and lots of wonderful people joined in the celebration. We are so blessed to have so many people shower us, especially Little Man, with so much love- family, friends, neighbors, and a congregation of 1500 families!

And speaking of baptism- a special congratulations to our California family is due! Cousin Jennifer was also baptised on Sunday in a small ceremony. The pictures are beautiful. We're so happy the kids have this special day to share.

Ted went to work this week. While we are sad he isn't here with us, we keep him nearby in many ways. I tried talking Charlie into not growing until Daddy returns, but I don't think he was listening. We're already looking forward to a trip to pick him up soon.

Finally, a blast from the past blew through town this week. The world famous Mr. Wagner (my neighbor in college) stopped by for a visit on his way to the beach. He updated me on all our old pals, entertained and enlightened with Chicago Public School stories, and gave Charlie his first lesson about whiskey- only drink the good stuff. It was a nice visit and we hope to see him again soon.

Now I must sleep. I have pictures to upload, however Auntie is doing her fancy tricks to make some of them even better (hopefully to post on her blog), so I need to do some playing.

2 Month Checkup

Yes, it has been too long since I updated. Babies have this amazing talent for calling you when you just settle in to the computer.

First, the latest news: Charlie had his 2 month checkup a week late yesterday. He's 12 pounds, 9 ounces and 22 inches long. I was really expecting him to be 13 pounds. He was mostly very content while there except for the actual exam part. He screamed at the doctor for checking his heart and lungs and he squealed a little when he got his shots. But then he fell asleep immediately. We are trying a new medicine for his reflux since it is still not really under control. It has to be custom compounded for him.

We all went to Big Daddy's family reunion last week. We were having so much fun that we decided to stay a day longer than we originally planned. Caitlin had fun playing with all the little cousins and with the kids her own age. Her favorite part was fishing with Uncle Bob.

Charlie went swimming for the first time. He did not like the kiddie pool because it was too cold, so we went to the big pool. He stayed in my arms and I swished him around to get him used to the water. He was asleep in less than 5 minutes. There are pictures of him in his adorable swim wear, but I don't have them on this computer yet. But I do have this one that Auntie took on the porch one morning.Just try and tell me that's not the cutest baby.

To see more of Lisa's fabulous work, check out her blog at http://figginsphotos.blogspot.com/

Road Trip and an Invitation

We took our first road trip last weekend to visit relatives in PA. Charlie did great on the way up. He also slept at our bedside each night instead of on our chests. We're very proud of him. Since coming home, he has slept in his co-sleeper all by himself each night and for naps! We're pretty sure he's the best baby ever.

He really enjoyed meeting his cousins and aunts and uncles. Highlights of the weekend include: taking a nap on Aunt Evy and Futurecousin, seeing his first MLB homerun with Uncle Gerry, meeting all of Dee's animal friends, playing with William and Kaleigh, meeting Duder, and having his path named. We'll have pictures of Charlie's Chase (his path at Gram and Popi's) soon. Oh, and he got his first hoagie from Peppino's.

The trip home was not quite as smooth because Charlie was breaking out with what I think was contact dermatitis. We did get to stop and have dinner with Dave, Christy, and Sam. He felt better after the break and slept the rest of the way home. He was also a hit at lunch at Costco. The Moby wrap got him lots of attention and one woman enjoyed seeing a napkin tucked in to protect his head from mustard drippings from my hot dog.

Charlie will be baptised on July 6 at our neighborhood church at the 11:30 mass. We will have a get together here at our house afterward. Please join us if you are in the area.