I said "Yes"

I am not a player.  I never have been and probably never will be.  I have a Masters degree in Early Childhood.  I know how to play.  I know all the wonderful things children learn through adult facilitated play.  But I don't like to do it.  I'm too structured.  I can handle games with rules, but I'm terrible at generic play time.  This week I was inspired by a blog to just say "Yes." 

- Can I play with ____ ?     YES
- Can I make a mess?   YES
but the hardest
- Mama, will you play with me?   ...yes

I was constantly tempted to do dishes, mop floors, wash laundry, etc instead of feeding teddy bear pretend ice cream...which in hindsight, sounds completely ridiculous.  But this week I didn't.  And I know Charlotte appreciated it.  And I did feel like a better mom. 



Supplies for a bird feeder: Peanut butter, birdseed, moldy bread

Holding her bird seed sandwich (and a mosquito repelling bracelet)

Tada!  The pine cone bird feeder does look a little
 better, but beggars can't be choosers

C: Mama, I wanna play with these [beads]!
D: No, we don't have string...YES, we have pipe cleaners!

After our late night (ie past 7:30) jammie walk.  Matt is much better at playing than
I am and does things like wears his PJs/slippers for a jammie walk (in broad daylight!)



This is what Charlotte's "snack table" looks like right now.  Cailin has probably
 consumed enough letters to spell out her entire name over the past few days.
 That orange bowl contains Teddy Bear's ice cream and the green bowl has her extra spoons. 
 

Cailin Hope- 9 months!

Baby Hope,

You are getting so big, so fast!  It's such a trite thing to say, but it's true.  While wandering through Dollar Tree :) yesterday, I saw "Happy 1st Birthday" party supplies, and realized we'd need to purchase those soon (tear!).  But let's not rush things.

-You are still such a happy girl.  You smile at everyone and giggle all day long...as long as you can see me.


Sweetness

-Stranger anxiety set in right on schedule.  You're not fond of new people.  We have not yet had a successful drop off at the church nursery.  Thankfully you tend to sleep through the service while you're with us and if not, it's nothing a few pretzel sticks can't cure.

-You are still a mama's girl.  Your second favorite person is Charlotte.  When we walk across the hall to open her bedroom door in the morning, you start to squirm and giggle with delight even before we can see your sister.  Not to leave Daddy out.  You scream "DADA!" in the evenings when Daddy gets home from work.  (Note- Matt's regularly home in the evenings.)

-You army crawl all over.  Your clothes are always filthy as a result.  I'm like a walking ad for oxy clean.  

Ab workout




-You have started to use some signs.  You wave Hi and sign milk, eat, more, water, and occasionally "all done".  "All done" is more commonly "signed" by throwing all remaining items off of your high chair tray.  You scooch yourself into the pantry and grunt until we come find you, at which point you sign "eat" while staring at the cheerios.  It's rather resourceful really.  Maybe this is why you can't yet manage to get your belly off the ground.   



Big sister lends a hand

-You say "mama" and "dada" but not yet with regular intenionality.  Tonight, while getting ready for bed, you were whining and we all were certain we heard you say "blankee" which would be such a sweet first word.  So say it again tomorrow. 

-You understand many words and get excited to hear us say Charlotte, Blankee, Mama, Dada, Milk, Eat, and Cheerios. 



You challenge Charlotte to a race

-As you may have gathered, you like to eat.  A lot.  You spit out any and all babyfood.  It's endearing.  Really.  Only not.  You have this desire to be included and if we don't share our meal with you, it's not pretty.  This means you now eat everything.  Including the spicy foods your sister refuses.  You are still sensitive to dairy but the allergy is improving.  You've tried yogurt and I think you like it but since it comes from a spoon, I really can't be sure.



-You are a fabulous sleeper.  Still.  Thank.  You.  You go to bed around 7 and sleep for about 12 hours at night.  After getting dressed and eating breakfast (assuming we're still home), you nap for an hour.  What I wouldn't do for this schedule.  Then in the afternoon you (and your sister) nap for 2.5-3 hours.  This probably contributes to all the smiling.  


Crawling around with blankee in tow

You are such a sweetheart and we love you more every day. Happy 9 months baby!

[In true, second child fashion, this was written and posted one week late.]








Run baby run!



CHEEEEEEESE!

The girls have spent hours in the stroller this summer while Matt and/or I run around Virginia Beach.  Last Sunday, Charlotte got to get out of her seat and run her own race.  Cailin remained comfortably in the stroller and there were a few points that I think Charlotte was jealous. 

The gun shot and Charlotte took off.  The starting line was seemingly booby trapped.  Tons of children (and adults) fell into the pavement.  As she ran, Charlotte chanted "I'm NOT falling down, I'm NOT falling down, ...".  She ran for about half a mile, and then stopped.  She told me "Mama, I tired from running" (which she may have heard from me...every Saturday).  She was too proud to get in the stroller, so Matt and I took shifts carrying her. 

She choose fashion over function so she was concerned her skirt may get wet at one of the splash stations.  At the finish line, she tossed the tutu in the stroller so she could fully embrace the slip and slide finish. 

She proudly sported her ridiculously oversized tshirt to church that morning and repeatedly asks when her next race will be. Maybe I'll send her out to run my race in a couple weeks. She's only got another 12.6 to go.  (Note: In Charlotte's honor, I will be wearing a tutu for my race as well.)



Charlotte and her competition



Cailin got ditched





Charlotte gets some energy pills from Bella 



Cailin wants to run too!



She's off! 



I'm NOT falling down!



Look, there are still people behind us!



And we're in last place.  By a mile.



Look Mama!  A light!  On the street!



Matt refuses to let Charlotte finish in last place



Prancing our way to the finish line



Longest mile ever.




Family fun!

Big girl date night

We live right next to a marina so naturally Charlotte has been asking to ride a boat all summer. Tuesday night, we left Cailin home and took Charlotte on a sunset dolphin cruise. Charlotte was not afraid of being on a boat (thank goodness!) and it was great to spend some time alone with just the big kid.

The first official haircut

A tough day for everyone

Charlotte has been asking for a haircut for weeks now.  She was excited when Matt and I each got ours cut recently.  After her gym class today, we went into the kids' hair salon.  There was a 15 minute wait.  My first thought was "This won't end well.  We should leave."  But there was a train table and other toys so we settled in. 

I overheard a stylist asking her little client where he was going to fly in his airplane chair.  Another stylist turned on the clippers and helped a scared boy realize it wasn't too loud and it would only tickle.  I realized we were in the right place. 

Charlotte's name was called (not by one of the previously mentioned sylists) and she asked to ride in the Taxi chair.  The stylist tossed the smock around Charlotte and Charlotte panicked.  The stylist tightened her grip and buttoned the smock around Charlotte's neck.  I asked Charlotte if she'd prefer to be on my lap, but the stylist insisted this would be faster.  Charlotte was offered a lollipop which she quickly ate and I then tried to distract her by talking about lunch.  I reminded her we had some pizza leftover.  The stylist then told me she'd ordered pizza last night and she told her husband she really didn't like pizza anymore, or maybe it's the type she was getting (the white sauce and spinach)..... Charlotte's screaming during this entire episode and the lady just kept blabbing at me.  She did pause her story to tell me "I'm not hurting her" and "Don't worry, it [the crying] doesn't bother me."  It bothered me!!  We went to a children's salon.  Show some compassion lady.  Charlotte has made clear she will not "go back to the haircut store anymore.  Mama will cut my hair now." 

I spent the rest of the day feeling guilty I hadn't just pulled her out of the chair as soon as she got upset.  It's not like she's getting her vaccinations.  There's no reason she absolutely had to have her hair cut today.  Thankfully, we all survived in the end.  We won't go back, but that's ok.  There are much better ways I can spend 20 bucks. 

Eating the lollipop.  Life isn't so so bad. 

Lollipop is done.  Get me outta here.  
(Note: This picture makes me tear up.  Over.  And over.  And over. )



First pony tail on my red splotchy babe. 

Back in action

I haven't blogged in almost 2 months.  Whoops.  My computer died somewhere along the way so all internet activity has been confined to my phone (#firstworldproblems).  But now, thanks to Costco.com, I am back.  I will attempt to document our summer...or I may just start with today and move foward.  That sounds a lot easier.