Funny e-mail from Meem & Pop

I received this funny e-mail from Meem & Pop (my maternal grandparents) about my sister and me when they brought Pop's dad out to Alabama to visit us for our first Christmas:

Hey, Niki,
That jumping video was the best yet!! Reminded us of you and Erin at 6 months in Birmingham. Your Great Grand Pop thought it was a shame only one could jump at a time, so he bought a second one and your Mom put them in two doorways that were close so you could watch each other and maybe even have a contest. That was a riot. So we know what a thrill you are getting watching Charlie Jo !!
Love, Pop & Meem

Can you believe she's a great grandmother?

Meem was born to be wild.



That's my cousin Lindsay's motorcycle that Meem is astride. You don't see many people with velcro shoes on a bike. The jacket is the crowning touch.

Somebody fed her jumping beans

She may not crawl yet, but boy can she jump!

Charlie emulates her hero

Charlie has seen several photos of Sophie (the daughter of my sister's buddies, Carol & Brian) in a very lovely tutu. Alicia and Faith Carol got Charlie a tutu of her own this summer, and so Charlotte requested that I film her dancing in her tutu to show Sophie. So far, it looks like she has her father's dancing talents. Lessons may need to be in Charlotte's future.

Daddy's birthday party

Tonight, Charlotte helped her daddy celebrate his birthday.



She showed him the cake she made him this afternoon. There's raspberry jam between the layers!



Then, she stuck her toy in the cake when Daddy let her get a little too close.



Before the Marshalls came over, Charlotte insisted on putting on her party outfit.



Charlotte might need a little more practice with the sippy cup.



You can't really see her, but Charlotte was helping her daddy blow out his candles.

Happy birthday, Daddy!

Piggle would like to take this opportunity to wish her daddy a very happy 33rd birthday! She bought him a wooden United States puzzle (each state is a puzzle piece) and some wooden blocks. They always say to buy someone something you want yourself, right? This weekend, she's also going to take Daddy shopping for new work clothes. Fun stuff!

I am making my first two-layer birthday cake in honor of the occasion. Wish me luck...

Margie memorialized on a onesie

This

Plus this

Equals this!


Auntie Ernie put her favorite photo of her cat, Margie, on a onesie for Charlotte! We just hope Pacey doesn't get jealous.

Stringers in black and white

Corey just developed some photos he took with his old school camera (you actually have to manually focus it!). Some were from when Charlie was still in my tummy, and a couple were from when she was still teeny tiny. Amazingly enough, Duke the dog's fear of cameras somehow goes away when he's outside, so there are some great shots of him.

Dukie is so shiny!



Charlie was still in my belly.



Connie has a large tongue.



Charlie was just a little bubba in these photos.



Eyes not quite focusing yet.



And a family photo from Labor Day weekend.



When I went to the drug store to turn in the 35mm film for processing, I didn't realize you don't fill out a little envelope anymore. Some to think of it, the last time I probably took 35mm film in for processing was right after our honeymoon -- five years ago!

And we have tooth #2!

Charlie and I were goofing around while we were waiting for the bathtub to fill for her bath, so we played our favorite game, "What's the Pretty Baby in the Mirror Doing?" The pretty baby in the mirror was of course smiling with a big cheeseball smile. I took the opportunity to check out her new tooth, and I saw a little bit of white peeking through her gums to the right of her existing tooth. Looks like her second tooth is ready to erupt!

The elusive tooth

Little Charlie Jo had just finished lunch (prune juice and apples mixed with oatmeal) and was playing in her highchair as happy as a clam. I figured out that I could see her tooth when she did her big grin, so I got the camera out. After many many many failures, I finally captured the tooth on film! Can you see it on the bottom right (her bottom left)? It's not even halfway in yet, but it's as sharp as a razor. If you click on the photograph, it will blow up to a larger size.


She's wearing her Arizona State dress today, and she received many compliments on it at the baby playgroup we just attended. This was Charlie's first playgroup since she learned to sit up on her own, and she seemed to really enjoy it. She kept trying to grab all of the other babies, and she managed to steal at least one toy from each baby there at one time or another. Share, Charlie, share!

Six months old and doing "awesome"!

Charlotte's six-month appointment with the pediatrician was today, and the doctor raved that Charlotte is doing "awesome". She is a whopping 26.5 inches long and weighs in at 17 pounds, 4 ounces. Both of these stats place her squarely in the 75th percentile. She got some shots and cried a little, but as usual she calmed right down when we cuddled her afterward.

The pretty baby in the mirror is a never-ending source of amusement.



Daddy put his coat on Charlie because it was so cold in there!



Dance, pretty baby, dance!



She kept bending forward carefully to gently "bonk" the pretty baby with her forehead. Then, she would straighten up and grin.



I love that cute little "skort" I got on sale at Target.

Prune mishap

It wasn't my fault that a spoonful of Charlie Jo's prune breakfast almost ended up in her eye. Not entirely my fault, anyway. Where, oh where is Auntie Ernie, the world's neatest baby-feeder, when you need her?