Happy birthday, Charlie!

I can't believe it, but Charlie is one year old! It has gone by way too fast, even faster than it did with Jacob. It seems like yesterday I was in the hospital, watching Alex tape him and looking at those perfect little lips, toes and belly while he got his first bath. And yesterday, I was taking video of Charlie, sitting in his bath by himself, splashing and laughing and talking up a storm.

It's been a year of change for our family. Alex started his career as a full-time writer and caregiver, I changed jobs, Jake left toddlerhood behind and seems to want to skip being a preschooler altogether. Charlie changed most of all, of course. It's amazing how much babies change from the helpless little bundles they are born as, to the mobile, thinking, interactive creatures they become in just 12 months.

We are so blessed with Charlie. You could not ask for a sweeter, more easy going little boy. He entertains himself for long stretches, content to bring treasures over to share with you then toddle off to explore more. He's very curious and smart; I can't believe some of the things he figures out. He's very into sorting shapes and likes to play with balls and cups and blocks. He can even work the remote control car (something his brother didn't figure out until he was almost two).

That's one thing that has really surprised me, how different Charlie is from Jake. They say each child is different, and it's so true! They each have such different strengths and talents. Charlie is physically very confident--he started cruising at seven months and walking at nine months. He loves to climb and dance. His dancing is so funny! He likes to bend over a bit, then sway back and forth, or sort of shift his weight from foot to foot while shaking his head.

Charlie likes routine, like Jacob did. He's just now starting to think about shifting to one nap from two. He sleeps 11 or 12 hours a night, waking only once, if at all. After refusing to eat anything with texture for 11 months, he suddenly decide that he wants to eat "real" food and feed himself. Now, we're lucky if he lets us feed him at all! The shift was so sudden, I have jars and jars of baby food in the cupboard he'll probably never eat.

For a while, Charlie was very into talking. He has several words: "Hi!", "Ba" (ball), "Li" (light), "Tee" (tree), "MaMa", "Da" (that/there, give me! , or what? depending on the inflection). He doesn't use many now, preferring multisyllabic babbeling and his signs. He clearly understands what we say and can follow simple directions. He is the master of communicating through facial expressions. His face is so mobile and expressive, it's amazing how you can follow his entire thought process just watching his face change.

I can't tell you how lucky and blessed we feel to have such a sweet, adorable little boy. Happy birthday my lovey boy.


We have a flexible gate we use to create "Baby Land." Charlie decided he had had enough of being in Baby Land and made his big escape, so he could see what was going on over in the dining room that involved cake!



The birthday boy in his chair. Jake helped decorate, atlhough he was very disappointed that the blowers didn't have noisemakers in them.



Charlie with his "I'm One" hat and button. The hat lasted about 30 seconds before he pulled it off.


Cake! Charlie has eaten nothing but organic, healthy food since he was born. At least the cake was carrot, so it was somewhat healthy (and his Poppy's and brother's favorite). I picked out all of the raisins, but Charie just went to town!



Mmmm...I like this thing you call "cake."


Much as Charlie liked his cake, he still shared with his Poppy.


My boys celebrating. Jake and Charlie were both dancing and being silly.


Charlie laughing at his brother.


Charlie got a Pottery Barn Anywhere chair, just like his brother has. He loves Jake's so we thought he'd like his own. To date, he still likes Jake's best...


Matching chairs, matching smiles...

Charlie's First Christmas

Charlie just loved Christmas. Although really, he liked everything associated with the season, rather than the day--the tree, the lights, the music. He was completely fascinated by the tree and in fact, added that as a new word: "Tee!" He rarely tried to touch the ornaments, but he would stand just out of reach, sort of swaying and watching the lights. Every so often he'd reach out and say "Tee!"

We have a lot of ornaments that make sound or light up, and every morning he'd want Poppy to take him on an "ornament tour" of the tree. Alex would point out each ornament and make it do whatever it does. His favorite seemed to be the "Christmas Story" ornament that is the leg lamp in a crate, that quotes lines from the movie. Not sure why.

Charlie really, really loved the colored, sparkling lights. "Li" (light) is one of his favorite words and he'd often let me know he wanted the lights on by putting his hand out, turning it palm up, and declaring "Li!" The little hand twist is his way of letting me know that he understand you have to turn the knob to turn on the lights.

I bought the boys matching red long johns with their names for their Christmas pjs and they both looked so adorable! We have a Christmas Eve tradition of opening one present. Charlie really had no clue what was going on, but he was very excited by the paper and ribbons and how excited his brother was.





Christmas Day was so fun. As soon as we heard the boys, we went in to wish them Merry Christmas. Jake was slow to wake up as always, and Charlie was in his usual sunny mood. We got Charlie changed and Jake was very good about waiting until we could all go downstairs together.

Of course, Charlie had no idea why his brother was so excited, but the excitement was contagious. Santa had come and eaten cookies, the reindeer ate their carrots, and presents were left. Charlie got a really cool playhouse sort of thing from Santa. It was a good choice and he's gotten hours of fun from it.

Charlie even got a stocking, although it didn't have any candy. But for him, a new container of Puffs is just as good!


Charlie enjoying his new Puffs, with his "My First Christmas" bib.


After a certain point, Charlie had just about enough Christmas fun...we kept to his regular schedule of naps and eating, and that helped. But it was still a pretty busy day, even if we never got out of our pjs!


Charlie didn't quite understand opening presents, but Jake was good about helping. Mommy and Poppy bought him a Vtech tree house, with talking animals. He likes it mostly because it plays music (so he can dance) and for the shape sorter. He LOVES to sort shapes.


My two adorable boys, having fun and celebrating together.

Charlie Pics

Here are a few pictures from late 2008:


Here's Charlie at Christmas time with Mommy and Jake. We had just finished decorating the tree, but neither boy felt much like smiling for some reason. Maybe it was because I made them wear matching sweaters?



We took Charlie to visit his Gram in Tennessee before Thanksgiving. She hadn't really seen him since he was born (as our last trip was cut so short) so it was great for her to see him, especially when he was so mobile and talkative. That was the weekend he started saying "Mama"--although of course, he stopped soon after and rarely brings it out now! Gram and Charlie had a good time together.


Charlie won't ever know his Uncle (Charles) Stuart, one of the people he's named for. Gram told us stories of how sweet and wonderful Stuart was with Alex (who was 15 or so years younger than his big brother).


Charlie's grandfather died when Alex was in college, so he won't know him except through stories and pictures. We visited a memorial cross dedicated to Charlie's grandpa at the church Alex's family attends.


Bathtime for the boys! They don't usually take baths together, as Charlie goes to bed so much earlier than Jake, but when they do, they have lots of fun splashing and pouring water out of the bath toy cups.



Charlie loves to play with Jake's old LeapFrog Refrigerator Magnet Alphabet. It's so fun to pull the magnetic letters on and off the fridge, then put them on the player and hear the letter sound! He likes to push the button and make the alphabet song play, although he nevers lets it get past "H" before he starts it over.



Charlie and Jake love to play together. Of course, Jake doesn't know his own strength and Charlie has no fear, so it's a little nervewracking, but they do crack each other up.

Pics and More Pics

Here's Charlie when he first really learned to stand steadily on his feet. He started taking a couple of steps here and there, but mostly liked to cruise.

Charlie has lots of toys, as you can see! He has a basket in the living room and he likes to root around in there, pulling out toys. He has a whole box of nothing but balls...his favorite!

This is Charlie at Jake's 4th birthday party, waiting patiently for cake (which he didn't get). Charlie loves to eat, but anything with texture makes him gag.

Another one of Charlie standing up. He loves to play with his Leap Frog music table, just like his big brother did.

Here is Charlie in his first playground swing! We took the boys to a beautiful park nearby. Charlie liked being out and seeing other kids, and trying the swings.

Update

Oh my. I am a bad, bad mommy. It's been nearly two months since I've updated Charlie's blog. A lot has happened!

The biggest news is that Charlie is walking! He took his first step a few weeks ago -- October 17, I believe, at exactly 9 months. He was pretty unsure about this new walking thing, although he loves to cruise. He got progressively bolder...moving all around the coffee table, then all around the BabyLand wall (the expandable gate we put up to block off part of the living room for his play area), then pushing his little push car. Then he would grab onto one of my hands (never two) and walk around holding on for balance. He also likes pushing around in a circle in his activity center (it has a seat on the outside, that rotates around the table).

Then he started taking little sideways steps this past weekend, a couple at a time -- almost like he was in a chorus line (grapevine left, cha cha cha...and jazz hands!) But last night, he let go and walked all the way across the living room from the sofa over to where Alex was sitting on the floor by the tv, waving one of his beloved plastic balls the whole way. Yay, Charlie! He gets so excited when we clap for him, he starts clapping, too. Too cute.

He's also finally gotten some teeth. He has four coming in and his bottom left poked through. Teething hasn't been too bad for him (nothing like the agony it was for/with Jake!). He gets a little cranky and drooly, but a dose of Tylenol usually does the trick and our sunny baby is back.

And he is a happy little guy. He just loves people, and his family, and his toys...just about everything. Including his part-time caregiver, Miss C. He adores her and they have a wonderful time playing together twice a week, so Poppy can get some writing done!

Charlie is eating three solid meals a day, but he still doesn't like textures much. In fact, if he eats anything with chunks or pieces, he gags and sometimes throws it right back up. Lovely. But he can put away 2-3 jars in a sitting of the pureed stuff. Of course, he eats nothing but organic baby food and formula. They have some fairly fancy pureed meals: chicken mango risotto, sweet peas with turkey and wild rice, sweet potato with chicken (his face), pear apple oatmeal cobbler...surprisingly yummy. We also buy him organic frozen baby food that gets even more exotic, with black beans, and quinoa and who knows what else. There's nothing Charlie doesn't like, so far. (Of course, that could all change. I fed Jake completely organic, healthy food and for two years he ate everything and anything. Now, I'm lucky to get him to eat anything but cereal.)

Charlie's favorite toys so far are balls. He has a collection of plastic balls that we keep in a clear plastic shoe box. He loves to take them out of the box, put them back in, shake the box, mouth the balls, bang the balls together, roll them around and chase them...the possibilities are endless. Some balls are colored plastic, but others are clear with different fascinating items inside. Those are the best.

He also loves blocks, his stacking rings, and his stacking cups (which go together to make a set of balls!) Anything that makes music is also intriguing to Charlie...as is his big brother. Charlie loves it when Jake pays attention to him.

Charlie is a pretty self-sufficient baby. He's very happy to play in Baby Land for quite a while, checking in with you to see what's going on, bringing over balls to share with you, but mostly amusing himself for long periods.

But he also loves people. Miss C takes him for walks, weather permitting, and Poppy takes him out and about. Wherever he goes, he makes friends. He's very smiling and happy. One of his first words was, "hey!" for "hi" and he likes to wave at people.

Speaking of words, he says, "Hey!" for "hi", "Bah!" for "ball" (his first word), "Rrrr!" for "ring," and "Dah!" for the T-rex model we pass on the stairs several times a day (he does love that t-rex). No "mommy" and "poppy" yet...He gives kisses, though. If you ask for a kiss, he'll come at your face with his mouth wide open to give you a sloppy wet kiss, usually on your nose.

He's still not sleeping through the night, but that's okay. He gets up usually once, and takes a full bottle. He's still pretty little--only in the 10th percentile for height, 5th for weight, and 25th for head circumference -- so we don't mind feeding him if he feels he needs it. At his 9 month check up, he was 27 inches long and just under 17 pounds. He's completely healthy though, and obviously thriving.

He's a smart little cookie. Do something once and he will remember it. And he likes to initiate games. Tonight, I was sitting on the floor and he was standing behind me, holding onto my shirt. I would say "Where's Charlie?" and try to look over my shoulder, and he would move to the other side, laughing. Then I'd say it again and look at the other side, and he'd move. When he wanted me to "find" him, he'd tug on my shirt, then laugh hysterically when I said, "There he is!" He likes to play "peek a boo" and "hide and seek" around the coffee table (it's solid so you can see through it). I get down on all fours and we crawl around, peeking around corners and chasing each other. Too funny.

He is such a sweetie pie. I love when I come home and his whole face lights up, and he gets so excited his whole body wiggles up and down. I can't help but grab him and give him kisses. I can't believe he's already nearly 10 months old!

Charlie Likes & Dislikes

Here are a few things Charlie likes, not in any particular order:

* Moving as fast as he can, as much as he can
* Going for walks in his stroller
* Chewing on the air conditioning vents
* Banging his head while he drinks his bottle
* Taking the alphabet magnets off the refrigerator door, taking a taste, then tossing them on the ground (good thing there are 26 letters)
* Making funny noises like a tree frog and doing weird clicking, twisty things with his tongue
* Listening to the sound the letter "Z" makes. If you make a noise like a bee (buzz) or say the word zebra, he just cracks up
* Playing with balls; eating them, banging them together, chasing them
* Knocking down block towers
* Playing with his big brother
* Food!

And things he doesn't like:

* Cuddling or being still
* Getting his diaper changed
* Food with a chunky texture
* Not getting to play with his own spoon while being fed
* Having the remotes taken away from him
* Being told "No!" when chewing on the air conditioning vents

But basically, he's a pretty mellow, happy baby...

Last Hurrah

It's a sad time for Mommy -- Charlie is weaning himself.

He used to come into the office every day at lunch to nurse, but lately he's been more interested in looking around than eating. When my milk would let down, he'd pull off and stare, puzzled. I used to nurse him first thing in the morning, but he'd much rather get down on the floor and start playing or pulling up than cuddle or eat. And at night, our favorite time to nurse, he's too hungry and wants a bottle.

Sniff. I would have nursed him at least until he was 12 months old, but I guess he has other plans.

Latest Charlie News

At seven months (31 weeks), Charlie is growing like a weed! He is way ahead on his large-motor milestones and doing well on everything else. He continues to be an incredibly good-natured, happy baby.



Right now, one if his favorite things is his big brother. He is endlessly fascinated by Jake. Jake can make him laugh harder than anyone else, and he always wants to be where Jake is. He also loves to hear his big brother play guitar or drums! Jake is very sweet with him. (Ignore the fake smile Jake is putting on; he's suddenly started making this pained fake smile whenever he sees the camera.)




He likes his solids a lot. So far, the only thing he can't eat is squash...just like his big brother. He loves carrots and sweet potatoes, as you can see from the big "thumbs up" in this picture (well, that's what it looks like, anyway).

I can't believe how fast Charlie has gone from rolling over to crawling to pulling up to standing and cruising. The other day, he actually stood unassisted for a few seconds! I shudder to think how soon he'll be walking...I want him to slow down! Sniff, my baby is growing up too fast.


He's been able to push up to 90 degrees since he was just a few weeks old.


Sitting is not his favorite thing, he'd rather be in motion.


Although banging on things that make noise make sitting acceptable.


He started pulling up early on, and we could pull him to standing by 4 months.


Now, he stands all the time...when he's not crawling. He can even cruise around the coffee table. Yikes!

His favorite things all involve crawling, standing and cruising. He has an activity center that lets him "stand" in a seat, and go around the table in a circle, rather than a stationery one. He loves to move around, playing with the activities, or just racing around in a circle, practicing walking. He still likes toys he can put in his mouth.


When he heads for his toy box/area in the morning, he likes to dump out his plastic blocks. He thinks it's great fun when Mommy builds a tower and he gets to knock it down. He also likes his toys that make music. A lot of his brother Jake's toys were passed on to Kyle, and they are now coming back for Charlie. It's really cute and sweet to see Charlie playing with the exact same toy Jake had, and enjoying it just as much.

They are different kids, though. Charlie is much more laid back and more interested in moving around, whereas Jake was always more interested in making things "go" -- sort of large motor versus fine motor. Charlie is not as good a sleeper, but he is becoming a good eater. He still has a pretty small tummy and doesn't like more than 4-6 ounces of formula at a time, or much solid food at once. He also doesn't like chunkier textures or things like Puffs, which Jake loved at this age. He's not a very cuddly baby, mostly because he wants to be on the move, but he is very happy and smiling and interactive.

It is almost impossible not to compare them, although I don't really do it in a negative way. It's just so interesting to see where they are the same and how they are different. They are both completely adorable though (not that I'm prejudiced).

Charlie Pics

Too cool for school.


We went to vacation at MeMe & PapPap's house in NC. Had a great time! See Jake's blog for more details.



Jake and Charlie had a great Independence Day, even though it was really hot. Charlie missed the fireworks...he was fast asleep well before dark!


Charlie loves his MeMe. She even took the baby monitor one night and got up with him all night long. It was the first time I've slept 9 hours in a row in months (feels like years....)


Charlie loves PapPap, too. He liked hanging out in the big recliner as much as his brother Jake always did, although I don't think any tool or parts catalogs were perused during our visit.


Here's Charlie, loving his food!


Charlie's first plane ride! He handled like a seasoned traveller, and pretty much slept most of the trip. The passengers around us all commented on what a cute, good baby he is. Of course!


He's playin' those Baby Blues...


Charlie has excellent musical taste. Here he is listening to our friend Jen Cass's latest...

Six Months + Update

Charlie has proven to be a poor correspondent (too busy learning new things!) so he's turned the reins, (so to speak, and to mix a metaphor or two) over to Mommy.

Charlie is growing by leaps and bounds! He is crawling like a madman. He no sooner mastered that skill when he decided to start working on pulling up. He can already pull himself up on his shorter musical toys, etc. and tries to pull up on the coffee table -- and our legs. He can sit up pretty well and is learning to push to sitting by himself. He's not crazy about sitting though, as he'd much rather be on the move!

He loves making noises with his mouth, experimenting with different sounds. Completely bored with making spit bubbles, he's moved on to smacking and clacking noises, fake coughing, grunting, and lots of "gah!" with a "bah" and "meh" thrown in to mix things up.

He is an incredibly smiling, happy and good natured baby. If he's awake, he's usually smiling. He's very content to play with his toys, crawl around, and generally explore his world. He loves attention, but he's not a baby that requires constant interaction and attention. He has quite the attention span and capacity for self-amusement, for a six month old.

His favorite toys are anything that plays music (including his older brother), anything that lets him "stand" up (like his Jumperoo and activity center), his blocks, and his box of little toys he can stick in his mouth and practice his hand-holding skills on. He loves his set of crazy plastic balls, and will chase them all over the floor. He and I play "ball" and he does a pretty good job of rolling the ball back to me (even if usually it's by accident).

He's eating solids now and so far has liked everything -- except the infamous avocado, of course. Sweet potatoes and green beans are big favorites, and like his brother, he likes prunes.

He weighs just over 16 pounds, so he's still pretty small -- but wow, is he strong! If he's holding on to something, you're going to have to use some real muscle to pry it out of his grip.

Charlie is quite the charmer. He loves to flirt, and is the master of the slow smile and shy glance under the eyelashes. With his beautiful smile and big, dark eyes, he just melts the hearts of everyone he meets, especially women. They just goo and gush over him. Alex isn't complaining, of course, although he realizes that he is simply Charlie's transportation.

Hard to believe he's almost 7 months old!

THpppbt!

My latest accomplishment is blowing raspberries. It's so much fun! I particularly like it when I blow one, then Mommy does, then me, then Mommy...that's a game I can play for a long time. It's even more fun that twisting my tongue around, which used to be my favorite thing.

Picture Update

Just a few pics of Charlie Darlin'...

I'm Five Months Old!

Houston, we have....poopage!

I've been a little backed up lately, probably because Mommy changed my formula from the super-sweet, evil organic formula with corn sugar (thanks, Similac) to a different one. I haven't "gone" for a week but finally today, after a doctor's visit, prune juice, and the judicious use of a thermometer, I achieved relief. I am a MUCH happier baby. Mommy and Poppy think it's amazing that they have spent so much time and energy thinking about my poop.

In other news, I am really close to crawling. I can sort of inchworm my way forward to get a toy I want. (Mommy puts them just out of my reach and then keeps moving them.) I get frustrated, but I am so happy when I actually scoot forward and grab it! I'm getting good at sitting up and enjoy it more now. Mommy is going to try me in the high chair. Once I'm used to that, she has plans involving jarred carrots and rice cereal...

I'm basically a very happy baby. Everyone always comments on how cute and adorable I am. I love to flirt and will give complete strangers big, gummy, drooly smiles, charming them completely. I haven't met anyone I don't like.

This month should be pretty exciting -- my first plane ride, learning to crawl, sitting up, eating solids -- lots to do!

Excited, growing kisses...

Charlie

Field Journal: Week 20

I can't believe I'm 20 weeks old! (Actually, I can, but Mommy can't.)

I am now an accomplished roller-over-er. I can roll from my back to my front and back again. I mastered this skill over Memorial Day weekend and the very first thing I did was flip over so I could sleep on my stomach. Mommy wasn't happy, but she knows that once babies can turn over, you can't stop us from sleeping how we want to sleep. I love sleeping on my tummy, it's so cosy!

Speaking of sleep, I'm doing much better on my naps. I sleep for an hour and a half or more. Mommy explained to Poppy that he had to help me learn how to nap, and all about the magic of "shush-pat." So Poppy started doing "shush-pat" at the 45 minute mark, when I normally wake up, and has helped me learn to sleep longer. Sometimes I still need help but I'm getting much better. Mommy told Poppy that if he put the work in now, it would pay off in longer naps so he can get some writing done, and it has. Plus, I'm a happier baby now that I get longer naps, and more awake time in a good mood. It's still hard for me to go longer than 90 minutes awake, though, except in the evening. I take 2-3 longer naps a day plus one kitty nap if I need it. I usually go to bed anywhere from 5:30 - 7:30 pm, depending on how my day went, and sleep for about 12 hours. I still wake up a couple of times a night to eat, but I'm really good at going right back to sleep.

I'm usually in a pretty good mood. I like to smile and laugh. Poppy and I have lots of fun every day, being silly. Poppy reads the news to me, and plays with me. I like to roll around on my blanket on the floor, and bounce in my jumperoo, and gnaw on my toys.

I am an excellent gnawer; actually, more like a gummer, because I put my toys in my mouth and gum them to death. I drool them into submission. Mommy laughs because I like to talk to my toys while I gum them -- I will "talk" while I hold them, and then put them in my mouth, pull them out and talk some more, then drool on them...repeat as necessary. I'm very focused when I'm gumming my toys.

I'm becoming more aware of the people around me. I smile when I see people I love, like my brother. I also smile when strangers smile at me, which they do a lot because I am so cute. Everyone talks about my big dark eyes. I get very excited when my Mommy comes home from work (if only because she brings the milk wagon with her). And I love my Poppy, he can always soothe me and make me happy. I lift my arms up when Poppy comes to get me.

I went on a trip to Door County this past weekend. I had my first babysitter -- my big brother's grandma! She was very nice to me and we had fun. She does some funny stuff and made me laugh hysterically by pretending to be a bee and buzzing. Mommy and Poppy enjoyed having a couple of hours to themselves and I didn't miss them at all.

The rest of the trip was okay. I really did not like the car ride home. My routine was all out of whack and I just couldn't sleep in the car. I didn't like it, so I let Mommy and Poppy know. I cried for almost all of the trip. It was the first time in my life I cried and no one made me feel better. Mommy was pretty upset, but she knew that all we could do was just get home as fast as possible. She did say no more long car trips for a while!

That's the news from here...next on my list: sitting up and crawling! (I'm working on it and I'm getting close....)

Love and cherry kisses,

Charlie

First Taste of Food

I do not like avocado, thank you very much.

May Photos

Here are some recent pictures of handsome me (well, Mommy thinks I'm gorgeous):


My brother Jake plays music for me. I like it a lot.









Here are Mommy and me at the Farmer's Market. That's the state capitol in the background.









I help Poppy write every morning...









My big brother Jake is showing me how to chew my Taggies blankie. Yum!









Mommy, Jake and me on Mother' Day

Four Months Old

Hurray! I'm four months old.

I had my check up today. I'm right in the 10th percentile for height, weight and head circumference: 12 pounds, 9 ounces, and 23 and 1/4 inches long. The dr. says I am growing really well and look completely in proportion.

The dr. was also very impressed with my large motor skills. I have excellent head and trunk control. The dr. thinks I could be sitting up by myself by the time I'm six months old! I was also very social for this visit, and tried out my charm. I can flirt and smile and coo like nobody's business. Dr. E. said I am quite advanced and he thought I was so funny, trying to talk. I make noises that almost sound like real words. I can also make bubbles.

I showed off my fine motor skills by grabbing a rattle and then putting it into my mouth. I'm really good at that!

I do have a little tightness in my neck -- one side of my head is flatter than the other. Dr. E told Mommy and Poppy how to do special exercises to loosen up my neck, but it's not anything to worry about.

All in all, I am perfectly healthy, happy, and growing just like I should.

Preeclampsia Walk

Did you know that although more than 200,000 pregnant women get preeclampsia every year, no one knows what causes this sometimes deadly disease? Very little research is being done to find out causes, and possible cures, for this disease, which can cause premature births, developmental disabilities or delays, or even death and permanent damage for mother and baby. The Preeclampsia Foundation works to raise awareness about preeclampsia, HELLP, and related diseases, with the goal of getting more moms and babies the help they need, and ultimately, finding the cause and cure.

Alex, Jake, Charlie and I will be participating in the Madison Walk-A-Thon on Saturday, May 31. Your pledge will help enormously. Please email me if you'd like to support our walk for babies and moms. Thanks!

Field Journal: Weeks 14 & 15

I officially found something funny enough to laugh out loud for the first time on my 15-week birthday! Mommy was tickling me while changing my diaper and it made me laugh and giggle. I've gone back to my silent laughing, although now that Mommy and Poppy know I know how to laugh, I bet they will try harder to get me to do it.

I'm getting really good at grabbing things with my hands. I very slowly move my hand up and grab, then bring them to my mouth and gum them. I drool a lot now and have taken on my big brother's old secret superhero identity of Drool Man.

I'm sleeping pretty good at night, although my naps could use work. Poppy can't seem to break the 45-minute mark on naps. Hopefully I'll get better as I get older.

Mommy says it's amazing how much I look like my big brother. Can you tell which of these is me and which is Jake? I'll give you a hint: the first-born baby gets his mirror cleaned more often.


















I'm also learning to appreciate music, just like my big brother. Here I am with his guitar (shhh, don't tell).















In other news, it's finally spring here in Wisconsin. I didn't know there was this green stuff on the ground called "grass" -- I thought the ground was supposed to be cold, fluffy and white! But it's been warm enough to go outside. Here I am with Mommy on my first hike.

That's all the news from here.

Love and spring-y kisses,

Charlie

Field Journal: Weeks 11, 12 & 13

Lots of changes the last few weeks!

Mommy went back to work. She went back part-time for two weeks, and now she is full-time. I miss her, but Poppy takes great care of me. He gives me love, cuddles, and bottles of Mommy's milk, so it's almost like she's here. Poppy reads to me a lot, and we play on my mat. It's fun! But I know Mommy misses me, and I like when she comes home. We always get special bonding time when my big brother is getting ready for bed. And of course, in the middle of the night when I wake up.

I still wake up every three hours or so, although I sometimes will sleep longer. Mommy wants me to get all the food I need to grow, but she really needs her sleep now that she's working. We had a couple of bad nights where I wouldn't go to sleep until 11:00 and then got up every two hours. Not good. But I'm getting better and more into a routine.

I added some new tricks to my repertoire: I can roll half way over from my back to my side. I haven't figured out how to go all the way over. I get distracted by all the toys on my mat and stop halfway.

I've also discovered my hands! They are so cool. I like looking at them and fondling them. I can sit in my bouncy seat or on my play mat for a long time, feeling my hands. I also try to put them in my mouth and gnaw and drool on them. And did you know you can grab things with hands? I've figured out how to grab rings and things on the arches of my play mat. Very fun!

My play mat is endlessly fascinating. It has an ocean theme and I like to talk to the stuffed octopus and the big blue whale. It even has a wndow with another baby in it -- and a very handsome one, at that (although Mommy says it's a mirror).

Anyway, I am just growing and thriving. Mommy says I'm the cutest little spring sprout ever!

Love and drooly kisses,

Charlie

Field Journal: Weeks Nine & Ten

I'm officially getting big. I had my two-month check up and I weigh 10 pounds, up more than four pounds from my birth weight. That's the 10th percentile. I've grown nearly three inches, up to 21 3/4 inches from 19 inches at birth; that's the 15th percentile. My head is still in the 10th percentile, but it's definitely grown, too. So while I'm small, I'm tracking right along my own growth curve and the doctor thinks the Soft Food Source is doing a good job feeding me.

The doctor was really impressed with my strength. I'm small, but mighty! Dr. E. even pointed out my good head control to the student doctor and said how advanced it was. Otherwise, I'm right on target for my age. I can push myself up on my tummy to 45 degrees (90 if I work hard), roll over, smile in response to someone else's smile, and make cooing noises. I can track things 180 degrees with my eyes, too.

Otherwise, I'm healthy. My missing testicle is still missing, but it will hopefully show up soon. I have the opposite of a hernia in my belly button; I forget what it's called, but instead of a bulge, I have a hollow. It's no big deal, though, and doesn't effect my good looks.

I didn't like the shot part of the visit! Mommy and Poppy did a lot of research and decided on a conservative, alternate vaccination schedule. So I got the DTaP shot and the rotavirus oral vaccine. I didn't cry much when I got the shot because I was distracted by eating at the time.

I like eating a lot. In fact, I like it so much I don't care if it comes directly from the SFS or from a bottle. The Hairy Comfortable One feeds me a bottle. He's my primary caregiver now. We get to hang out all day, cool! He takes excellent care of me, although the Mommy tells him he shouldn't let me take all my naps on his chest. But I like it and hey -- I'm so cuddly, who can blame him? And he is comfortable...

One of my favorite things right now is watching my family dance. I really like disco music (particularly the Bee Gees and KC and the Sunshine Band). I move my feet and wave my hands. The Poppy was trying to amuse me one day and started dancing. I smiled and almost laughed! The other night, the Mommy, the Poppy, and my big brother all were dancing around. So fun! I had a great time watching, they're so silly.

My big challenge now is working on sleep at night. I tend to get fussy after 6 pm and sometimes won't fall asleep until 10 or 11. That's way too late for the Mommy, who has to go to work now in the mornings. Poppy is keeping me up more during the day so I'll be tired. I hope this is a stage (so do Mommy and Poppy). Mommy says my big brother had "unhappy hour" when he was little too but eventually grew out of it.

Love and cranky evening kisses,

Charlie

First Holidays

Happy St. Patrick's Day!


Happy Easter!

Field Journal: Week Eight

I have achieved a milestone in baby mobility: I rolled over from front to back!

It happened during the daily exercise session known as "Tummy Time" (silly name for something that's such hard work). The SFS put me on my tummy. I pushed my head and torso off the ground to look around a few times, then decided that I had had enough Tummy Time, thank you very much. So I pushed myself over onto my back and very happily started staring at the toys hanging from my arches of my play mat (something I greatly enjoy). The SFS clapped and made a big deal of it. I'm pretty proud, myself.

I've been a bit fussier at night lately. My tummy just gets upset and I have bad gas -- hey, you try coordinating an entire digestive system in just 8 weeks! I'm often up from 8 - 11 pm, which makes SFS very cranky. She's trying to keep me up more during the day, so I will be more tired at night but so far, it's not working.

In other news, it's getting warmer here in Madison. The Mommy and I went out for a stroll today and we weren't bundled up like Eskimos (whatever those are, but apparently they bundle up a lot). The world is changing from a vast sea of white and grey into other colors....like brown and tan. One day, I'll see green...

Field Journal: Weeks Six & Seven

I couldn't post last week because I went on My First Trip.

In my case, this involved a long car ride to visit my Gran (Poppy's mom) in Tennessee. I had to spend a lot of time in my car seat, which isn't my favorite. I coped by sleeping almost the entire time. Every few hours, I'd get hungry and the Soft Food Source would take me out of my seat, change me, and feed me -- not easy to do in a minivan!

We ran into snow on the way down and the way back, so both times I got to stay in a hotel for the first time. It wasn't that different for me, because I travel with my crib (a Pack 'N Play). So I had my comfy, familiar bed, sheets and wrap. My big brother thought it was cool because he got to sleep with Mommy and Poppy, watch cartoons at midnight, and eat breakfast in bed.

I also got to see my first grass! Apparently, most babies record when they see their first snow, but most babies weren't born in the middle of Wisconsin's snowiest winter ever (90+ inches and counting). I didn't realize that the world isn't white with shades of grey. And not freezing cold all of the time, either!

I also got to meet my other grandmother and her husband, Mr. A.C. Unfortunately, we didn't get to spend much time visiting because Gran got sick with the flu the second day we were there. Too bad, because I had a good time being cuddled and admired. The Soft Food Source and Hairy Comfy One were unhappy because we spent 22 hours in the car and only 28 hours in Tennessee. Everyone was tired and cranky when we got home, except me -- the Soft Food Source kept my routine going, so I wasn't very disturbed.

I'm continuing to gain control over my body. I am starting to reach for toys hanging over me on my play mat, and I can lift my head and shoulders off the ground. I can also hold my head steady when SFS pulls me up, and I like to spend some time every day sitting up in her arms, looking around.

I'm gaining weight and still eat every three hours. I wonder why the SFS seems so tired? I like this schedule, I'm not sure why she doesn't.

I'm also starting to coo a bit and I smile a lot more. I'm still fairly serious -- this growing business is no laughing matter -- but I'm typically in a good mood first thing in the morning and I like to throw the SFS a bone by smiling and cooing at her. She gets so excited and happy, it's sweet.

One weird thing: I'm losing my hair! I guess it's a preview of what I'll look like when I'm older (although Poppy has all his hair and so do Mommy's brothers). Apparently, babies lose their birth hair and then grow more. Seems a silly system to me, sort of like having baby teeth and adult teeth. What, do you need training hair before you get the real thing? Right now, my hair looks kind of wild because it's long in back and on the sides, and it tends to stick up. SFS says I look like the mayor of the Lollypop Guild...

Separated At Birth?

Everyone says I look just like my older brother...what do you think?

Field Journal: Week Five

Here I am, the proverbial stranger in a strange land.

I'm getting used to this new body that keeps getting bigger, literally every day. I'm gaining an ounce or more daily and have already outgrown my "newborn" clothes. This is a good thing, but it's hard to get coordinated when every day you weigh more.

I'm learning, though; I can hold my head up by myself and I can lift my head and shoulders up off the ground when I'm on my tummy. I can bring my hands to my mouth and suck on my fists or thumb (you might think slobbering all over your own body parts is gross, but it is surprisingly soothing, actually). It's good to get a little bit of control. Before, I had completely involuntary reactions to certain things which were a bit embarrassing -- like throwing out my arms and legs when I was moved suddenly, or trying to "walk" when my feet were touched, or grabbing anything that touched my palm. I'm glad I'm learning to do things I want to do!

I'm also learning to connect with the Soft Food Source and the Comfy Hairy One. They seem to like it when I move my facial muscles in a way called "smiling." They get all excited and coo and babble at me in high voices, and smile back. I find myself fascinated by their faces. I can't see very well, but somehow the contrast of dark and light on a human face is very interesting to me right now. The Soft Food Source in particular is interesting to look at, although not when I'm actually eating. That is serious business and I can't make eye contact then. I like to look at the Comfy Hairy One, too, but his chest is so comfy that I almost always fall asleep or go into a blissed-out zone when he's holding me.

So far I seem to be adjusting well. I have some episodes of fussiness because my body doesn't always want to digest very well, but mostly my state of my mind is calm and alert, when I'm not sleeping. I sleep a lot, but that's when I grow, so it's okay, I suppose.

I also enjoy interacting with the Little Hugger (my big brother). He loves to hold me and love on me. I like being around someone closer to my own size -- I can look at him close up and see more than just a giant head. He's pretty noisy, although I like it when he plays something called "music."

I'll report more next week...

Love and gummy smiles,

Charlie

I'm Four Weeks Old!

Hard to believe, but I'm nearly a month old. It's gone by in a blur, Mommy says -- mostly because she only gets to sleep in two-hour increments. Of course, I'm sleeping in two-hour increments, too, but that's all I'm used to, so it's okay.

I'm getting really big. As of this past Monday at the lactation consultant's, I weighed 7 pounds, 11 ounces. That's two whole pounds over my birth weight! And seven ounces over what I weighed on Friday at the doctor's (we went because my brother gave me pink eye and I had to get some antibiotic ointment). So I'm definitely gaining at least an ounce a day, which is what I should be. By the way, I'm all better now, no more pink eye and I didn't catch Jake's cold. I guess breast milk does help keep babies like me healthy.

Mommy and I went to visit the lactation consultant because Mommy had mastitis, a nasty breast infection. Didn't bother me any, but poor Mommy didn't feel very good. Turns out I'm not latching on very well because I'm "defending" myself against Mommy's floods of milk. I kept trying to tell Mommy that she was drowning me, but when you can't talk, it's a little hard to get your point across. Mommy makes so much milk that I have to pull away. Sometimes she even squirts me in the face! I really hate it when she gets me in my eye. You try latching on when you have one eye squeezed shut and no peripheral vision to speak of anyway...

The consultant weighed me before and after my usual five minute feed. I ate more than three ounces, which is plenty for a tiny tummy like mine. In fact, usually I eat so much my belly is actually bloated and you can hear the milk sloshing around in my tummy. No wonder I'm gaining. Mommy is very proud of me because I am such a good eater and nurser.

I'm also a good sleeper. I'm spending a bit more time awake, but I still go to sleep after most of my feeds. I eat about every three hours now during the day, and I go a bit longer at night, so Mommy only has to get up once (11 pm, 3 am, and 7 am).

I still don't cry very much. My digestion is bothering me a bit and I will fuss when I need to go in my diaper, and I cry when my diaper is actually changed, but otherwise I'm a very mellow baby. Why not? I get everything I need, exactly when I need it. It's all good.

I didn't even cry when I had my first real bath (unlike my big brother). I liked the warm water and getting clean. It was fun to splash in the tub and I felt sooo good afterward! Mommy even gave me a little massage while getting me dressed. That was nice.

It's my first Valentine's Day today. Apparently, this is a holiday where you tell people you love them. I got lots of hugs and kisses this morning. My big brother came in first thing to give me a hug and kiss. Poppy stayed home today so I got lots of hugs and kisses from him, plus my normal cuddles and love from Mommy. What a cool day!

Not cool? The silly bib Mommy made me wear. Not to brag, but I could wear a cardboard diaper and still look handsome but red is really not my color. It takes a confident baby to wear a giant terry cloth heart and still look good, you know.

Love and lots of heart-shaped kisses,

Charlie

I'm Three Weeks Old

Hi, everyone! Can you believe I've been earthside a whole three weeks already?

I got off to a great start, born on a snowy winter day -- the same day as my cousin Amy, so hopefully I'll be as smart and cute as she is. I came out yelling but calmed down and have been taking everything in ever since. I'm really a pretty calm little guy, Mommy says, and Poppy thinks I'm a very good baby (he's right!).

I cried when I was born, but not much since (mostly when Poppy or Mommy changes my diaper; that makes me cold!). I do get gas sometimes now, which makes me fuss, but I still don't scream or cry very often. (Mommy is on antibiotics because she has mastitis, and it upsets my tummy a little.)

I latched on and learned to breastfeed right away. The nurses were very impressed with how strong a suck I have for being such a small baby (I was only 5 pounds, 11 ounces). I fed for the first time about half an hour after I was born and have been going strong ever since. I typically feed every two to three hours, although I've been known to cluster feed for up to two hours (not very often, though, as that is hard on Mommy).

Mommy's milk is helping me grow. At my one week check up, I was back to my birth weight. At my two week check up, I had gained almost a full pound, so I was up to 6 pounds, 8 ounces. The doctor was very impressed. I'm in the third percentile for weight, 25th for height (19 inches), and 10th for head circumference. The doctor says I'm proportional, so he thinks I'm just fine. Mommy is a little worried about my head size, because my brother's head was always so large, but the doctor says that is strongly inherited so I should blame Mommy, as her head is pretty small. I'm not sure what I weigh now, but I've just about outgrown my newborn clothes (up to eight pounds) and moved from newborn to size one diapers. Woo hoo!

I'm still pretty much in the eating, sleeping, pooping phase of life. I have an extended alert period at least once a day, where I like to look around and see what's going on, but mostly I like to eat and then go back to sleep. Mommy thinks that's fine, since I grow when I sleep. I'm learning not to confuse my days and nights, which is a big deal -- Mommy has been pretty zombie-like the last few weeks. I usually sleep at least one four-hour period at night now, which is a big help to Mommy. Personally, I don't care because hey, it's always cold and snowy so we don't go anywhere or see the sun, but it's a big deal to her.

Let's see...I can open my fists now, I can track objects from side-to-side (not up and down yet), I like to look at faces, and I can sleep through anything, including my big brother Jake playing his guitars and drums. He's very noisy! But he loves me, and gives me lots of kisses, hugs, and cuddles. He likes to hold me.

My first visitor was MeMe, who came to spend a week with me after I was born. She was a big help to Mommy and Poppy, doing laundry and cooking and letting Mommy and me rest and sleep. She admired and held me a lot, and played with my big brother. I miss her!

My second visitors were my brother's daddy, stepmom and half-brother. They lent me a swing, which was nice. Kyle, Jake's half brother, is just over a year old. Hard to believe that in a year, I'll be walking and talking like him.

I've gotten so many presents! Lots of cute toys and clothes and things. It's so nice to be loved and feel welcomed. Thanks to everyone for thinking about me.

What's In a Name?

Many people have asked...what's up with the three names?

Charles: It means "Free Man" or "Manly." It was ranked #60 in popular baby boy names in 2006 in the United States. The name has a long, distinguished history, starting with Charlemagne, or "Charles the Great." It's a classic name, not trendy or too common, but mostly we chose it because it has meaning on both sides of our family: Both grandmothers have beloved brothers named Charles; Alex's brother's first name was Charles; my grandfather's brother was named Charles. Charles is a good name for a brother in our family. I think "Charlie" and "Jake" sound cute together, and like brothers. It's a compromise name, but a good one.

Spenser: To get the full effect, think of Avery Brooks booming "Spen-sah!" to Robert Ulrich in the television show of the same name. Yes, we named our child after a famous fictional detective character (literary more than broadcast). The name means "someone who dispenses or gives out goods" and it's an easy name to spell and pronounce, but not too popular or trendy. But more importantly, it's a name of a fictional detective, smart-mouthed but with a heart of gold. He's smart, well-read, fit and strong, and lives by a strong personal code of honor. Those are all things you could wish for a child, and it was important to Alex that the name represent qualities to live up to. I couldn't quite get behind Spenser as a first name because I had always liked it as a name for a girl (Spencer Charlotte) and couldn't shake the association. It seemed less trendy or unweildy than Dashiell (Dash B****** sounds like a b-movie actor name) or Marlowe, which reminds me of That Girl Thomas.

Finnegan: Blame Mom for this one. I love the name Finn, trendy as it probably will be in five to ten years. I fought hard for Finn as a first name. Finn McCool was a mythical leader of the Fiann, hunters and warriors of Celtic legend. There are many stories about Finn's wisdom and leadership. The name itself means "fair" or "bright." Alex couldn't get past the fishy connotations (the reason Gillis, another of my favorite names and a family name, was off limits), but I loved the connection with the mythical character and wanted something Celtic to honor our mutual heritage. We literally decided to include Finn as one of the names on the way to the hospital. When saying the names out loud, Finnegan was the version that flowed the best with all the names and our two-syllable last name.

So, Charles Spenser Finnegan B******. Admittedly, a lot of name for a little boy. But it gives him lots of options and makes for good stories and conversational icebreaker without being a burden in every day life. Having gone my whole life spelling and pronouncing my name, and agreeing that yes, Valette is an unusual name, I can appreciate the benefits of both having a "normal" name and a name people can talk about and remember.

Besides, doesn't he just look like a Charlie? (And remember, people: it could have been "Memphis.")

Welcome to the World, Charlie!

Charles Spenser Finnegan B***** was born at 8:43 am on January 17th, weighing 5 pounds, 11 ounces and 19 inches long.



He was born via scheduled csection -- actually, the csection had been scheduled and rescheduled--we had juggled schedules around quite a bit and my mom even had to change her flight after the 37week amnio came back with immature lungs, so we had to wait another week. I had PIH/PE and the balance was to get as big a baby as possible before my blood pressure got so bad that my head popped or something. At least my kidneys and liver weren't involved this time.




The csection was pretty easy this time around, compared with having an emergency one under general anesthesia. We got to the hospital at 6 am -- and yes, I drove (I'm not sure Alex slept at all the night before). We got settled into our room, although there was a little confusion at first because the wing was so crowded that we had to share our room with another mom getting prepped for a csection. I was pretty upset and probably overreacted -- I had visions of having to share the room the entire time, which would have truly sucked big time.



After getting changed, the IV, and swallowing the nasty anti-heartburn med they give you, we met with the anesthesiologist. Meriter is a teaching hospital, so we met with a resident who was supervised by the actual dr. They were both really nice and spent a lot of time talking about pain management options with me and my weird history and reaction to anesthesia and meds.



I got a spinal, which was probably the most annoying part of it all. It took forever for the dr. to get enough of the medication in, and forever for the the initial shot of lidocaine to work. I had to tell them that when I go to the dentist, it can take three or four shots of novocaine and up to an hour before I'm numb enough for a filling. But they give you the lidocaine so you don't feel the needle with the spinal medicine, or I guess feel the medicine go in, although I sure did -- it felt like being zapped with a cattle prod in your spine!


Meanwhile, you have to hold perfectly still so they don't paralyze you for life or cause a bleed that will give you a nasty four-day headache. I finally said, "Um, I can only stay in my happy place for so long here, guys" which got a big laugh but didn't make the process go any faster. "My" OR nurse (as opposed to the doctor's or Charlie's) held my hand and talked me through it.

It's a weird sensation to feel yourself go numb and to want to move your legs, but not be able to. They kept testing how numb I was by squirting cold water up and down my sides. If I could feel the cold, then I wasn't numb enough (the goal is to have the sensation numbed up to your mid-chest).


This was once we were down in the operating room. Alex had to wait outside the room while they did that part. Then he got to come in, all dressed in his scrub finery. He looked so cute, and was so excited and nervous, it was sweet.

The actual operation didn't take too long; we were scheduled for 8 am, but our doctor was running late because of the snow (it's been a record-breaking winter in WI). They wouldn't take me in the room until she showed up. I'm not sure what time we actually got started, but I think once she started cutting, it only took maybe 10 minutes until baby time.

I couldn't see anything because of the drape, and I wouldn't let Alex peek over either -- no one needs to see my intestines except the doctor. I know Alex was behind me, but I couldn't see him and I don't remember him talking to me, although I'm sure he must have.The feeling of the surgery was odd -- you don't feel pain, but you do feel pressure and tugging. The doctor told us what was going on, although it was kind of a surprise (to me anyway) when we heard the first cry. Charlie was here!

The doctor popped the baby over the drape so I could see. He looked small and slippery. Alex went with the baby to the pediatrician's table, where Charlie was weighed, measured, wiped down, etc. (We opted for the vitamin k shot, but not the Hep B vaccine or the eye ointment.) Alex got to trim Charlie's cord, which we didn't expect. Charlie scored 9 and 9 on his Apgar scores (tough crowd).

Then Alex brought Charlie over for me to see.
 He was completely swaddled so all I could see was a bit of a little face.
 Unfortunately, I really couldn't crane my neck around enough to get a good look and I was kind of distracted by the sensation of things being tugged around and sewn up. I was also feeling a bit weird, like I couldn't breathe well and was very light-headed and dizzy, not to mention nauseous. I was concentrating hard on not coughing (I had been sick with a bad cold) or throwing up. (I was also listening to the anesthesiologists talk about how high my blood pressure was and how they didn't think I would have made it much longer -- it's always nice to have a little valdiation).




Once everything was sewn up, the team moved me to the mobile bed. That was weird; I couldn't feel anything from the chest down and they were leaning me over and moving me around. I felt as if I was going to fall right off the OR table, although of course I wasn't. But I also couldn't move myself to compensate.




We went to the recovery room and the nurses helped get Charlie latched on right away. Charlie did great; he had (and has) a really strong suck and took to breast feeding like a champ. Alex and I really enjoyed looking at our beautiful baby boy and bonding a little with him. 




It was weird trying to move my toe and having my entire leg jump, but eventually the spinal wore off and they moved us up to our recovery room on 6 North (which we had to ourselves). Our adventures as parents to Charlie had begun. We both felt so lucky and blessed to have this healthy little boy to love.