Charlotte finally had her 4 month check up today.  She was such a good little girl, and smiled at the pediatrician, and was just very quiet and curious as usual.  She is still out little chubster weighing in at 15 lbs 12 oz!!  This means she has gained 10 pounds since her birth 4 months ago!  Yikes.  Luckily, it is just adorable baby fat, and I personally think she is the cutest baby around—rolls and all!  She has grown in length too—she is now 24 inches.  At her 2 month appointment she weighed 12 lbs 2 oz and was 21 inches, so she is growing by the second.  This puts her in the 75th-90th percentile for weight, and the 25th percentile for height.  Hmmm….short and fat?  The doctor agrees with me though, and said she is absolutely perfect!  We will start her on rice cereal this week, which should be lots of fun so check back for updates!

A few pictures from the weekend:

Our chubby little cutie :)  Look at those legs!  The look like hockey player legs to me…I’m hoping by the time she is old enough to decide on a “sport” her legs will have transformed into ballerina legs.  I’m sure her Daddy would disagree though ;)

We spent lots of time with Andrew on his day off!  Charlotte is a total Daddy’s girl <3  And she is obsessed with her little snoopy dog from Granny.

Charlotte has a new favorite toy—Sophie the giraffe!!  She loves trying to eat her…poor Sophie.

Hope everyone had a great start to their week!!  Stay warm!

This weekend my best friend from high school, Leslie, came to visit Charlotte and I.  Leslie and I had a girls lunch, and then went back home to play for a bit.  Les met Charlotte when she was only 5 days old, and then saw her again over Thanksgiving.  I don’t think she was expecting her to be such a little person this time around!  I mentioned before that Charlotte has been a little wary of “new” people…but she absolutely LOVED Leslie!! It was so adorable, she kept smiling and cooing and checking her out the whole time she was here.  I guess CG and I have great taste when it comes to choosing friends.  They are instant besties!  And it’s a good thing too, considering Leslie is by far the best shopper I know and will definitely take Charlotte out for a girls shopping day when she is older :)  We only wish she would move back to Pittsburgh from Indianapolis—we miss her!

The two most adorable Steeler fans I know:

Charlotte Grace

And Stitch.

Stitch is my very good friend  Mary Grace’s doggie!  She sent me this picture yesterday and I about died.  What a little cutie pie.  Charlotte needs to meet Stitch, I think they would be very good friends.  Only a little over a week until the big game!



I have just enabled a new comment section..which means all previous comments that you have left have been deleted.  Commenting should be much easier now—just click the link at the bottom of each post (right now it says 0 comments and 0 reactions) and type your comment in the box where it says “type comment here” at the bottom.  If the link is not showing up, click on the title of the post and it will take you to the comment box.  All that is needed is an email address and your name!  Much easier. :)

Listening to Charlotte talk to herself in her crib before/after a nap

Going into Charlotte’s room to wake her up in the morning and being greeted with the hugest smile imaginable

Snuggles on my shoulder while sucking her little thumb

8 o’clock bedtime for baby

Kendall and Andrew dinners after said bedtime

“Let’s go look at her” moments

…it’s the little things <3

This past weekend was filled with family, football and good food.  Friday evening we went to Andrew’s parents for dinner and Charlotte was in a great mood and talked throughout most of the delicious dinner.  On Saturday we all took a trip up to Ligonier to visit my Gramps and Granny.  We just love visiting them, taking in the beautiful scenery and having a chance to relax and get out of town for a few days.  On the way home we stopped at Trader Joe’s.  Where have I been?!  This was my first time shopping there, and everything we purchased was amazing.  I am now addicted to their Mild Chunky Salsa and Mini Crabcake appetizer. Of course we were home in time last night to catch the big Steeler/Jets game…and as most of you know we are now on our way to the Superbowl in two weeks!  Hard to believe!

Before dinner Friday night—Mommy/daughter picture in pink!

Charlotte’s #1 fan: Gramps!  She was not too sure of him this weekend, getting nervous about “new” people.

Gramps playing with Charlotte

Sunday Church outfit—we went to Gramps and Granny’s church in Ligonier, and Charlotte slept on the pew the whole time!  Why didn’t we think of this before??  Next week she will try out the nursery at our church.

Mother/daughter after church

Go Steelers!

I realized we didn’t take any family pictures, or pictures with Andrew…but he was there this weekend too!  Usually it is the other way around, and I “forget” to get pictures of Charlotte with me.  Hope everyone had a great weekend, it’s going to be exciting gearing up for the big game next weekend :)

PITTSBURGH’S GOIN’ TO THE SUPERBOWL!!!!!

***Ps- that is not a bruise on Charlotte’s head (my mom was worried…) Just a shadow from her mobile!***

This past month has been the most fun and exciting yet.  Charlotte is really starting to develop a little personality, and it is so fun to watch her learn each and every day.  She is so curious recently, and really takes in all the sights and sounds around her during her wake time.  Her favorite toys by far are her little hands.  She just loves putting them in her mouth, and has started “petting” toys and different fabrics and textures.  She has just started to be able to reach and grab, but still has a tough time trying to put the whole thing together.

“Talking” is another big thing CG is into these days.  When she is in her swing she will coo, blow bubbles and make the cutest noises EVER.  She mostly does this when she thinks no one is paying attention.  The minute someone comes over and tries to talk back to her, she just stops and stares!  New people have also become something Charlotte is very aware of.  Even when her grandparents (who she sees often) are around, she gives them a very serious look and you can tell she is really trying to figure out who this new face is.  She still gives her biggest smiles to Mommy and Daddy!

Charlotte sure loves to SLEEP!  She is now consistently sleeping 12 hours through the night uninterrupted, with about 3-4 naps a day.  We are still using the Babywise

schedule of eat-play-sleep…and she LOVES this schedule!  She is generally the happiest baby ever.  Andrew even said yesterday, “I can’t remember the last time Charlotte cried.”  And that is the truth.  The most she will ever do is fuss for a few minutes, but this is really only in the evenings when she starts to get tired.  I swear—this is because of her schedule!!  I know a lot of people think I am a little too psycho about it, but she is happy because she is well rested and life is predicable.  Isn’t this true for all of us??

Bath time has now become a daily activity for Charlotte.  She loves her bath, and has even started “playing” with a few of her bath toys.  Now that she brings everything to her mouth, we have to be careful what we leave out.  Another thing we need to be careful of is where we put her as she is just beginning to try and roll over.  I think her rolls are making it kind of difficult, but she is determined to try!

Charlotte is still nursing, and this month we will be able to try rice cereal with her which is very exciting.  We love our sweet Charlotte Grace and can’t wait to see how she grows and changes in the next month!

Today Charlotte is 4 months old!  I can’t believe how fast the time is going.  She is such a big girl now, that I decided to go out and get her a special present for her 4 month birthday—a Bumbo Seat

 and matching Tray

to go with it. 

We have been noticing Charlotte wants to be in a sitting position more and more, and she will even try and do a mini sit-up when in her lounger and her swing.  She LOVES it.  It’s like a little desk for her!  She spent all afternoon trying it out, and I put a few toys on the tray when I was in the kitchen.  She looks so funny in the seat because of her rolls and her short little body.

Every month we take a picture in the same pink onesie and bow next to a stuffed dog my cousin Heather made for her.  It will be fun when she turns One to put all the pictures in a big frame to see how she has grown.  This is not the picture we will be using, but a great picture to show what she is doing these days: exploring!  Stay tuned for a 4 month post all about what Charlotte is up to!



Yesterday my Mom came over and we had a ladies lunch.  Charlotte was in a good mood (as usual) and was all smiles for her Mimi.  During lunch we were having a conversation, and Charlotte was cooing and “talking”.  She is quite the chatter box!  Sometimes when my Mom babysits CG puts on a pouty face…she is definitely becoming a Mama’s girl…but not yesterday!  I think the afternoon is when she is happiest.  Once it gets closer to bedtime, forget it.

The Steelers play the Jets on Sunday and will hopefully win the AFC Championship.  This little guy was my facebook profile picture the last time we won the Superbowl.  Hopefully he brings us good luck this year!

Charlotte and I accidentally match today.  I know that sounds weird, considering I pick out her clothes (haha) but originally I was wearing a pink shirt.  After dressing CG in a cute purple and white outfit, she decided she didn’t like her breakfast and gave it back to me…

So I pulled a random shirt out of drawer, and it just happened to be purple.  A little color to add to this gloomy day!

As you can probably tell…this is sans make-up.  I don’t even think it was 9am yet.  Charlotte was totally over the pictures at this point (I attempted about 7 before this).

Smiling for the camera does NOT happen anymore.  But still so cute. :)

I want to blog about a few baby products that have pretty much saved my life as a new Mom.  This is mainly for my own reference, or for any Mommies-to-be out there who need help!  When I was pregnant with Charlotte I saw a lot of posts like these on various blogs, and definitely referenced those when deciding on “must haves” for little Charlotte.  In no particular order:

• Burp Cloths, Burp Cloths, Burp Cloths

  

  -The #1 lifesaver (at least for me).  Charlotte has a little bit of reflux, and we go through about 4-5 on average of these a day.  The bigger the cloth the better.  I had purchased some Gerber cloths that were cute but SO SMALL (they are oval shaped), I now use them as washcloths because they just didn’t cut it.  I recommend the plain old Gerber white prefolds.  They also come in cute colors now too, but the square cloths are the only ones that actually fit over your shoulder…and sometimes you just need more cloth ;)

• Newborn Lounger by Boppy

  

  -When starting my registry one of the first things I added was the original “Boppy”..you know, the half circle “must have” for nursing and tummy time.  I used the boppy a lot, and still use it occasionally, but it never really worked for nursing—was too small to fit around the waist comfortably, so I really only used it for Charlotte to sit in.  A gift I received at one of my (3) showers was a similar product called the Newborn Lounger.  It is basically a pillow with contours to fit a newborn in perfectly.  We use this EVERYDAY.  Multiple times a day.  Charlotte absolutely loves it.  Something about the incline and the pillow just make her so happy.  For us, this was used more than the bouncer (which we did use a lot in the beginning).  Its easy to clean, and can be used in the crib, on the bed, or on the floor (we use it at mealtime, so she can “sit” with us).  A must have!

• BPA Free Newborn Soothies

  

  -These have to be the ugliest pacifiers in the universe…but they are amazing for newborns!  Charlotte is incredible, and basically weaned herself off of them after about a month and a half, but at first they were lifesavers.  The hospital gives them out, and when I saw it I thought “Ew…no way is my child using that, we have 5 other cuter kinds at home she will use”.  Nope!  Charlotte decided she didn’t care how cute the other ones were, this Soothie was the only one she liked.  Now she uses her thumb, and is an amazing self-soother, but I highly recommend these to any new Mom!

Fisher Price Little Lamb Seat

-Although we don’t use this seat as much now that she is more mobile, this was Charlotte’s bed for the first month of her life.  She hated her bassinet, hated her crib, and just wanted to be scrunched like she was when she was in Mommy’s belly.  It vibrates, and plays (terrible) music.  My only complaint is that it doesn’t have a bar to go across the top to hang things on, so as the baby gets older it is pretty boring.  But I am including it because of how much we used this thing at the beginning.  Another plus is it folds flat for traveling and is very light weight.

Cloud b Sleep Sheep On The Go - Travel Sound Machine with Four Soothing Sounds

-Who would have thought that a little sheep that makes “whale” and “womb” noises would have become such a staple in our lives?!  This sheep is awesome.  The sounds are so calming, when Charlotte was in our room for the first month it even helped us fall asleep!  We still use this sheep every night at bedtime.  We have the travel version, so it is easy to pack up for the Grandparents or Ligonier.  She knows the minute I turn it on that it is night-night time—finds her little thumb, and goes to sleep.  The best part about it is you can set it to play for 25 mins or 45 mins.  Her mobile only plays for about 4 minutes, so this is a lifesaver!

Fisher Price Little Lamb Cradle n’ Swing

- I cannot say enough good things about this swing.  This was a lifesaver for us when Charlotte was first born.  It starts out in a cradling position and swings side to side, or you can change positions to back and forth.  Then when the baby is able to hold her head up you can tilt the swing upwards to a sitting position. The mobile has a mirror underneath that Charlotte just loves.  The music….well  let’s just say it’s not the best, but you don’t have to have it on so I usually just play a Baby Einstein CD or other music.  Charlotte slept here many nights during the first few weeks when she had her days and nights mixed up!

These are just some of our “favorite things” for the first few months of life.  I’m sure as she gets older we will find some new lifesavers, and I will be sure to update then :)

Last night I watched the Golden Globes with my Mommy for the first time ever!  Wow, I didn’t know such pretty dresses existed.  I can’t wait until I can wear a beautiful gown like Olivia Wilde and Claire Danes.  Mommy, can you buy me one for my 1st Birthday party??  Pleaseee??  That Marchesa person does a great job at making dresses…they look a little fancier than the store you shop at for me called Gymboree.

  My favorite thing on the red carpet last night were the sparkles and bright colors.  Lots of deep blues and greens..I am just learning about colors, and the brighter the better!  Claire Danes was my favorite with her hot pink gown that fit perfectly, and my second choice was Catherine Zeta Jones.  Black and white will always be my favorites though, they are the first colors I could see.  Halle Berry and Eva Longoria looked beautiful in their black dresses.  Here are a few pictures of my top choices for best dressed: 

  (top to bottom: Eva Longoria in Zac Posen, Claire Danes in Calvin Klein, Catherine Zeta-Jones in Monique Lhuillier, Amber Riley in Oliver Tolentino, Mila Kunis in Vera Wang, Sandra Bullock in Jenny Packham, Amy Adams in Marchesa, Olivia Wilde in Marchesa)

Who were some of your faves?!

This weekend started out with a surprise from Andrew on Friday, who came home early!  We were so happy to see him—(even though Charlotte looks less than thrilled in the picture below, she was very excited!). 

Charlotte’s new favorite thing is the TV—and screens in general.  It is a great way to help her push up during tummy time.  She is not so into her toys on her play mat anymore.  She seems to get frustrated because she can’t figure out how to pull them to her mouth…poor baby!

Saturday night we watched the Steelers beat the Ravens!!!!  The game was very exciting, and Charlotte slept through the whole thing at my parents house.  On Sunday Andrew and I went to church while Pop-Pop (my dad) babysat for the first time!  Charlotte is recently not too sure of anyone but her Mommy and Daddy, but she was very well behaved and warmed up to him by the end.  We were able to check out the nursery at church, and are excited to have CG try it out next time we are there. It will probably be more traumatic for me than anyone else haha.  After church we had a lazy Sunday—with a little girl time watching the Golden Globes.

  Charlotte just loves cuddling with her Daddy!  I hope everyone had a great weekend…Go Steelers!



Since this is a brand new blog for me, I would love to know who is visiting and get some feedback from my readers!  At the bottom of each post is a link to “comment” on the posts.  Right under that there are three ”reactions” you can choose: Love, Like or Lame.  If everyone could at least click on one of the boxes to let me know what you think of the posts that would be awesome.  For those of you who have Facebook, this is similar to commenting on a picture or “liking” a status.  (Mom—I know you are the queen of this, so i expect to see lots of comments and reactions!)  The “reactions” are annonymous, so if you prefer to stay private, then click away!  Of course, I do love to see who is visiting each day.

This blog is a work in progress, so be sure to check back for pictures and posts each day :)

So happy because….Daddy comes home today!  After being in Cleveland for training all week for his new job, Andrew will be home later this afternoon.  Charlotte and I are very happy and excited to have him back.  Enjoy your weekend everyone!

This is Charlotte’s new friend, Freddy the Firefly.  She has no idea what to think of him yet, but has fun trying to figure him out!  She spent about 20 minutes this morning “petting” him and trying to eat him.  She is just starting to reach and grab, but is not very coordinated yet, and can’t quite figure out how to get the thing in her hand to her mouth.  At the rate things are going these days, I’m sure by next week she will have done it!

Today is our third day of snow this week….and it looks worse today than yesterday:

Last year at this time I would not have had to go in for my internship (I still get the closings and delays from the school on my phone).  And probably would have spent the day sleeping in, watching movies, and enjoying the peace and quiet!  But with this little nugget:

…There is never a dull moment, and definitely no sleeping in!  It looks like we will be staying in yet again on this cold day.  At least she is extra cuddly :).  As a self proclaimed “indoor girl”, I really shouldn’t be complaining…but a snowday is a lot more fun with someone to cuddle ME—(Andrew..come home!)  Enjoy the winter wonderland!