The Brag Post

O, the wonderful things Miss Charlotte can do. She can walk like a star, she can drive a car too!

OK, I started this post thinking it would be fun to make it like the Dr. Seuss book, “Mr. Brown Can Moo” but now I’ve realized that will take WAY too much brain power. And, not to sound like a broken record or anything, but I’m too tired. What I said last week about the sleeping thing going well. Yeah - shouldn’t have done it. Jinxed us I did. We’re back to screaming 2-3 times before midnight, waking up 2x and refusing to sleep unless held and now something new. Waking up for the day @ 5:00 am. Lord help us.

But back to the wonderful things Charlotte can do. Warning: this post will be a bit like one of those Christmas letters where people brag that their six year-old son/daughter has just be accepted to Harvard. But hell, this blog is about my kid(s), so what better place to tell you about all the cool stuff they can do. If you don’t like that kind of post, well, just click yourself away to another blog. ; )

I was feeling guilty last week because I have done NO work on Charlotte’s lifebook/babybook. Then I realized, hey, I’ve been writing a blog post every week or so, that’s gotta score some points in the good mommy books. And what better way to prove that I am keeping track than to post.

So here is a summary of her accomplishments since we were able to start recording them in May. I think when I’m done I’ll print it and put it in her lifebook!

Previously reported, but worth mentioning again:
- began sitting well and rolling over by the end of May
- started self-feeding (with hands) in June. Has graduated to using utensils as of October
- Claps hands (August)
- Gives kisses (August) I have to say that I’m really proud of this one…it is so nice to see her giving and receiving affection. The best ones are the unsolicited kisses!
- Walking/running like a maniac as of late Aug/ early September
- plays peek-a-boo (Sept.)
- Has 7 lovely teeth (4 on top, 3 on bottom. And I wish that 4th one on the bottom would come soon….she seems to be working awfully hard on it)

Recent accomplishments:

Physical
- Can get on and off her ride-on toy, and drive it around a little
- Can stand up from a sitting position
- Puts her hands down when she falls (sounds like a small thing, but for the longest time she would just go straight down on her face when she fell. Nasty)
- ‘dances’ to music
- attempts to jump when she sees other kids doing it
- waves hello and goodbye
- Blows kisses
- Blows her nose (no kidding! Tell her to blow her nose and she picks up a Kleenex and snarfs into it)
- Falls down at the required time during ‘Ring around the Rosey”
- Slides down a slide without flipping backwards
- Can empty the entire Tupperware drawer in less than 10 seconds flat

Language
- English comprehension seems to be 100%.
o Can follow simple instructions in a sentence . “That book is Allie’s. Please go take the book to Allie.”
o Also seems to be able to handle more complex instructions. “Go to your toy box and find the red ball.” or, "Go get the umbrella."
o Will help to put her toys away when we start to sing the “Toys away” song.

Charlotte is gathering words at rate that is astonishing.

Charlotte’s words that can be understood by others:
Up (gone for a while, but back with a vengeance!)
Yum, yum (meaning, I want food please)
Mama
Dada
Nana
no (which comes out as either na, na, na, na or nigh, nigh, nine)
Apple
Ball

Charlotte’s words that only we can figure out:
Mouth
Dog
Ba (spoon) I know, go figure
Pa (for Papa)
A (for AJ)
Turtle (no kidding – she has a stuffed turtle)
Dora (embarrassing, but true. Let me be clear that this is from AJ’s pajamas and not excessive TV watching)
Dog

She can also successfully use a couple signs: drink and more.
“More” (pictured here) is the one she uses most frequently, of course. You can really tell her personality and what’s important to her with her signs. We’ve been trying to teach her ‘finished’ since May, but she just doesn’t get it. She learned “more”, however, in one day. Clearly this is a kid who loves food and is never ‘finished’ eating. We’re currently working on ‘please’ and ‘help’.

Not bad, huh? She is right on track for a 15 month old. We take very little credit for this - clearly she is a bright kid, and one tough cookie!