Seven Months

Dear Charlotte,
What a great month! March 17 you started crawling. You had been scooting and moving a while, but we were so excited when you actually went forward on purpose. It was only about four inches the first time, but you haven't stopped since. It is amazing how quickly you have gone from being stuck in one place to being constantly on the go. You are so strong (we think it is all the jumping); we are so proud of you.

You are also pulling yourself up on tables and in the crib.  One night you were crying, and when I came to you in your crib, you were standing in the mobile. You were half asleep and so confused! You got to sleep with us the rest of the night. The crib was lowered the next day.

While you and I were on a walk with Bebe, we came across a park. You love going on the swings and watching the older kids. You like the slide, but only if you are sitting on my lap as we go down it. I look forward to taking you to the park for years to come, darling girl.

Monna bought you a peek-a-boo bear which has entertained you for a while. Now you have started liking to play it yourself. Daddy or I will cover up our faces, then smile when we reveal ourselves to you. It makes you laugh so hard! You have tried to play but haven't quite gotten it-- you will cover up your mouth or hair, but not quite your whole face. You'll get it.

We have been taking you out to eat a lot more with us. You have (knock on wood) been so well-behaved and happy so far. You prefer to sit in my lap until the food comes but have gotten better about being by yourself now that you are using a high chair. Strangers give you so much attention-- they come by the table to say how pretty you are, and I'm thrilled to tell them you are just as sweet. You just smile at everyone!

One thing that Dad has been enjoying is how much you like your toys. You don't really have a favorite other than Sophie the Giraffe but you are interested in all of them. You also like to sit through longer books now too.


Daycare is still going really well. The teachers have told me you just are content all day and love to interact with the other babies. I pray that daycare is helping you feel confident around lots of people. You seem to like all the action.

You are so big and healthy! You are still drinking about six bottles a day and having three meals of cereal and homemade food. When I am around you are nursing, and you prefer to nurse to sleep. Sometimes you will literally just nurse for a minute before you are asleep. Since you fight sleep so hard (you don't like to miss anything(, I'm happy to feed and calm you when I can.

I am so proud of you and love you so, so much. I still think at least once a day how blessed I am and can't believe that I get to keep you forever. The feeling is mutual too, honey pie. You give me the best smiles and love to get and "give" kisses; you make my heart so full.
--Mama

Baby friends

Charlotte giving baby B one of her "kisses."

Two of our good friends, Billy and Leslie, are the proud parents of baby Billy, born in December. We were so excited for Charlotte to meet baby Billy.

Six Months

Dear Charlotte,
How are you half a year old already? You are growing so quickly.

You started daycare this month. I was so worried about it, but I think it has been great for you. Granted, you did have a runny nose the second day, but the adjustment was much easier than I expected. You spend a lot of time jumping in the same jumper we have; you love it so much that I think it made you feel at home. The daycare has a video camera, and you have lots of family members who peek at you during the day. You smile at all the workers and are very interested in the other babies. We were very excited to get your first art project-- a pink Valentine's Day heart with your little hand print on it.

Also, on Valentine's Day, your first tooth appeared! The second one quickly followed. You get a bit fussy with the new teeth but are okay as long as you have a toy to chew on and some Tylenol. Nursing is still a big comfort to you and have been wanting to have a snack during the night. It makes for some sleepy mornings, but I understand-- I miss you too during the day!

You are still nursing and getting formula too, which is still working well. You are also eating baby food. I started out just feeding you organic baby food but started making homemade food after reading the label. In order, you have had: rice cereal, oatmeal, peas, green beans, carrots, avocado, sweet potatoes, and bananas. You seem to like everything-- at first you make a face when you try a new food, but seem to start to like it quickly. I'm glad you are a good eater!

Monna and Pop-Pop came to see you this month. They got to see how well you are sitting up alone and how much you are starting to enjoy toys. You see Bebe and Granddaddy a lot too. They read to you, sing the ABCs (still your favorite), and make you laugh. You get really excited to see their dog Maggie; she sneaks to give you kisses, which makes you laugh.

I love to see your personality develop little-by-little. I know I am your mama, and thus biased, but you are just sweet. You get the happiest grin on your face whenever you get kisses or someone holds you high in the air. You love to be held, and feeling you cuddled up against me makes me happier than I can describe.

Happy Half Birthday, honey pie.
Love,

Mommy

Five months

Dear Charlotte,

Hi, honey pie. You are five months old, and this is such a fun age. This month I turned 31, and I got the best present from you. As I was changing your diaper and singing the very funny ABC song, you gave me a big belly laugh. It was slow, and you didn’t know what you were doing, but it was adorable.

You’ve started eating some food. We skyped with Monna and Pop Pop and Aunt Liz and Uncle Robin the first day you tried rice cereal—we probably made a mistake trying something new at night when you were tired. There was lots of screaming…but the next day you ate again and liked it. So far you have had rice cereal, oatmeal, peas and green beans. We hope you are always willing to try new foods (this especially is something your dad wants).

Not much has changed on the sleep front. You are still usually up at least once during the night. I know that you will be sleeping through the night before we know it, so I am not too worried about this. No matter how much you are yelling before we get you, you always smile when we pick you up. This makes our 3AM date much less unpleasant.

I love wondering what you will be like when you get older, though I am certainly not wishing the time away at all. You still love to jump in your jumper—will you be a volleyball player? (You have the height for it, no surprise.) You seem really focused as we read—will you like the words or pictures more? You get so excited to see Maggie—will you beg us for a dog one day?

This NYE was one of those times when Dad and I really felt like parents. We stayed home, just the three of us, all asleep by 11PM. It was the best New Years I could have imagined this year. I also went to see Wicked in Jacksonville this month; it was our longest time apart, and I think I missed you more than you missed me. You had a great day with Daddy. He took you to Home Depot, the baseball card shop, and out to lunch with Trent.

I also went back to work this month. I kept hearing of other working mommies feeling like their hearts were ripped out going back to work, but it hasn’t been as bad as I expected. I miss you during the day, but I am still just so thankful I got to spend five months with you at home. More than that, I am still just so thankful you are ours forever!

I love you so much, you smiley girl.

Mama

Christmastime

December is always one of my favorite times of the year, and Charlotte made it even more special. I loved reading her Christmas books and explaining the story. I loved showing her our tree and tell her about when we got each ornament. And, I loved dreaming about Christmases of the future. At the hospital, I told my dad that I couldn't believe I had a baby, and four months later, I still can't believe that Charlotte's our little girl forever. I can't imagine a better present.

After a month of shopping and wrapping and Christmas-cookie baking and an early Corder Christmas, we headed to Naples for the actual holiday. We had so much fun with Ryan's family. Hayden and Charlotte were definitely the stars of the show. Charlotte spent hours of the weekend jumping in the jumperoo, and Hayden is always on the go. We had several successful meals out, a great White Elephant party with the Carrs, and Ryan even got to fish while I got a pedicure with my sisters-in-law.

Of course, the big event was Christmas morning. Santa was very good to all of us this year.

We also went to the beach! Charlotte loved it so much. We didn't really know how she would react, but she seemed to like the sand, the water, and the sun. She's our Florida baby for sure!

Four Months

Dear Charlotte,
What a great and busy month! You were baptized, met both of your great-grandfathers, and had your first Christmas. Everyday you grow stronger and more alert. Your personality is really coming out-- you are just so sweet. It is easy to make you smile. A smile from someone else, jumping, "standing up," raspberries on your stomach, and wiggling your toes are just some of the ways we can make you grin, and we do it often. You really smile when I sing your favorite song: "The Alphabet" song. You aren't quite laughing yet but are really trying to-- the first chuckle I heard was when I was singing it; you chuckled when I sang V. You did the same thing when I was singing a Christmas carol and substituted the lyrics I couldn't remember with LaLaLa. I just know there is a big belly laugh we will be hearing soon!

You've started using your jumperoo this month, and you love it so. You will literally jump for hours, smiling at the animals and at your audience, even though you do get frustrated with a little bee that you want to put in your month. Your grandparents love seeing you in it so much that they bought you one for their house. It plays different songs and has differnet toys; I think you like the change.

I don't know if teeth are coming in yet, but you drool like crazy! We go through several bibs a day, and I change your outfit a lot too. Luckily you have tons and tons of clothes to wear. You are tall-- wonder where you got that? Your pajamas are size six months...they are just long enough but are very baggy.

You don't really cry too much-- it is more yelling. In the morning you will yell until I come into your room, but as soon as I peek over your crib, you are smiling at me. Those smiles wake me right up, no matter what the time.

Time is going so quickly. You were just this squishy newborn who couldn't hold her head and now are this strong, healthy baby who can lift up her head and follow us when we walk across the room. I'm so thankful for you, darling girl.

I love you more than I even thought possible, Charlotte.
Mommy

Naples weekend

Charlotte's first weekend to her dad's hometown was a whirlwind! Friday, Charlotte and I drove down with my parents, which was kind of funny because we ended up getting to Monna and Pop-Pop's only ten minutes before Ryan. Oh well! Beth, Nick, and Hayden arrived shortly after and we went to dinner at Bravo with Andy, Allison, and Great Pop-Pop. The babies were adorable and entertaining during dinner.

Saturday was party day! April and Tom hosted a party to celebrate Hayden's birthday and introduce Charlotte to all their family friends. Charlotte's personality is becoming more evident; she is pretty reserved in a crowd but all smiles one-on-one. It will be interesting to see if that changes as she grows. As April's events always are, every detail was perfect, and Ryan and I loved showing off Charlotte.

Sunday was a very special day: Charlotte's baptism. We had a family brunch before the baptism, then Ryan, Charlotte, Liz, Robin and Pop-Pop headed to the church. Charlotte was baptized in the Bringardner family baptismal gown, in which 62 Bringardners have now been baptized. Ryan's grandfather, who we asked to be Charlotte's godfather, was the second to wear the gown which was made by his grandmother. While Charlotte cried through the ceremony, she did not wreck the gown!

Such a special weekend, and we are so thrilled that all our family was there to celebrate Charlotte and Hayden. Thank you so much to Tom and April for putting it all together!