What a day!

One year ago today we found out we were pregnant! I remember the joy and excitement that came with seeing that little pink line, even though it was very faint. I took two more tests over the next two days to make sure! I remember I was in a daze for several days because I just couldn't believe that after all of the dreaming and praying we were actually going to have a child! She is more precious than I could have ever imagined! Charlotte Ruth, Mommy and Daddy love you so much and are so thankful for you!

Celebrating Baby Gibbs

Last Sunday, I was so honored to host a baby shower in honor of Chris and Michelle's upcoming arrival! Michelle is due to have a baby boy in mid-August. We are so excited to meet him and had a great time celebrating with her.

Haylee, Andrea, Michelle, me, and Alli

The mantel and gifts

the table

The adorable cake that Haylee made. She is so talented!

Bible class

Miss Charlotte had another first - she went to the church nursery during Bible class. She actually started doing this three weeks ago. These pictures are from today during her third visit. Charlotte has gotten into a nice church routine of eating before church, taking a nap during service, and then eating again towards the end of service (just before Bible class). So, she is usually awake and in a good mood during Bible class.
Three weeks ago I decided I could either try to keep her quiet and entertain her in our class, or I could take her to the nursery. I was a little nervous, but I have heard great things about our nursery and most of the teachers are girls from our Bible class or other women of the church that we know, so I knew she was in good hands.
She was highly praised by the teachers after class. She did a great job! It's not a huge surprise because she loves to be sung to and that is what they do in her Bible class. So, we have gone back each week since and she really seems to enjoy it. Today I was told that she was smiling and giggling the whole time.
They put a blanket around her in her seat to help her sit up, since she can't do that on her own yet. I love that in the above picture she is looking at the prop to go with the song and doing her favorite thing - eating her hands! Thank you so much to all the nursery teachers for taking care of my baby girl and teaching her about Jesus! I could never ask for more for my sweet Charlotte!

P.S. Thank you SO much to Miranda for taking these pictures and to Alli for letting her use your phone to take them!

The sound I've been waiting to hear!

Tonight I was sitting on the ground beside Charlotte in her exersaucer. I was wrapping a gift in preparation for a baby shower. As I started curling the ribbon on the present, Charlotte let out a LAUGH!!!! A real belly laugh! Mark and I were both in the room to hear it and it was so precious. It took us a minute to realize she was laughing at the sound of the ribbon getting curled. After we realized that was what tickled her funny bone, I kept curling more and more ribbon. We got a video of it! Yea! Only my child would have her first laugh due to curling ribbon!

Supergirl

We continue to be amazed by how strong our little girl is! Last night, I was playing with her and realized she could stand fairly unsupported really well! She has liked to stand on our laps for about a month now, but we usually hold her under the arms. However, yesterday she was standing with me just holding her hands and giving her balance. Check it out!

Fowler Fun

The week after July 4th we spent each day at Mark's parents' house visiting with his brother Clay and family. We were so excited to introduce Charlotte to her Uncle Clay, Aunt Emily, and cousins Anna and Ben. We always have a wonderful time visiting with them, but it always go by much too quickly.

Anna couldn't wait to hold and play with her baby cousin. Anna is going into 4th grade this year. That is the grade I have always taught. I just can't believe how quickly she is growing up!

Charlotte loved playing with her Aunt Emily. Emily is a Kindermusik teacher and knows a song for everything and every situation! Charlotte was so happy to here all her songs all week long!

Anna and Ben were so good at playing with Charlotte. Every time she was on the floor or in her swing they were right there to entertain! It was a nice break for Mommy!

Here is Charlotte with her Uncle Clay.

The last night we were there Anna and Ben helped Grammy soothe a cranky Charlotte by blowing bubbles.

Finally, here is a video of Charlotte talking to her cousin Anna, while Anna helps name all her body parts. Too cute!

I think I am officially caught up on blogging. Hooray!

Family Reunion

Over the 4th of July weekend we attended a family reunion for my side of the family. Every three years we have a "Frashier Family Reunion" which is my dad's mom's side of the family. My grandmother has 2 brothers, and 1 sister, and so all of the family extending from those 4 siblings gets together. I don't know the exact count, but I think we have 40-50 in attendance this time, which was a great showing! We always have such a wonderful time catching up and hanging out. Games of cards and dominoes always occur and of course lots of snacking. It is the most fun to watch the children grow from reunion to reunion. The next time we all get together Charlotte will be 3! Here are lots of family pictures:

Mark, Charlotte, and me sporting our patriotic gear

Here is Charlotte with her great, great uncle L.D. They were the oldest and youngest in attendance at 93 and 3 months of age.

Charlotte received an award for being the youngest in attendance.

Helping Daddy play dominoes

Hanging with cousin Heather

My cousin Travis, his wife Hollie, their baby boy Cy, and little baby girl Lila (in mommy's tummy!)

Uncle John, Aunt Becky, Cousin Cassie and her husband T.J. and their daughter Ellie

My grandmother with her kids (plus my mother!)

The " Epperson" side of the family. Unfortunately we couldn't get everyone pictured all at once because we had some people who had to leave before others could arrive.

A rare occurence

My sweet baby girl does not like to snuggle with her head on anyone's chest or shoulder. She is far too curious and wants to be up and looking around. As a mom, this as made me kind of sad because I would love for her to just cuddle up with me. However, tonight she was finally tired enough to lay her head down. We have had a long week of very few or very short naps. I guess it finally caught up with her, because last night at bed time this is what happened:

Too cute not to share :)

Swim time

At a family reunion over the 4th of July weekend Charlotte finally got to have her first swimming experience! It didn't last long, but we got to use the adorable bathing suit that Mimi bought for her!

This is my cousin Cassie and her 1-year-old daughter Ellie

Week 2 without Daddy

Charlotte and I spent the last week of June in the Austin area. We didn't want to spend a week alone without Daddy, so we packed up and headed south. Charlotte, unfortunately, came down with a cold just before we left, so we didn't get to spend as much time with my sister's family as we had planned because we didn't want to get her kids sick. We headed down to my parents' house on Sunday afternoon. The drive went pretty well. We actually only had to stop once. Charlotte was very ready to get out of her car seat by the time we arrived. I think she was lonely in the backseat by herself! We spent Sunday night and Monday night with my parents. Then we packed up and headed to my sister's house on Tuesday. We spent Tuesday and Wednesday at my sister's and then we went back to my parents' for the remainder of the week. Sorry, Mom and Dad, that I didn't get any pictures of you.

Watching her cousins play a game

Cuddles the dog loves Charlotte, too!

These kids wear me out!

At a splash park on Wednesday morning.

The kids loved pouring water on Charlotte's legs!

We had a great week!

3 months old

Charlotte is 3 months old! She is growing so quickly already! Here are her current stats:

weight: 13 lb.s 1 oz.

height: ~ 25 inches

Here are some things I want to remember about Charlotte at 3 months:

- loves laying on her back and playing with toys hanging above her

- can roll onto her right side from her back, but can't go any further than that

- follows an object 180 degrees

- when laying on her back, she will turn her head backwards to look at something interesting

- loves to suck on her hands

- drools a lot!

- can hold her head up all by herself 95% of the time

- has starting "talking" making the "g" and "a" sounds

- still does not have a set time schedule for her routine; she always eats, plays, and then sleeps, but she doesn't always do these things at the same time each day

- usually grins really big at you when you go get her up from her nap

- has slept through the night, but only a few times

- doesn't like her car seat!

- is a social bee - she wants to be held very high on the shoulder or facing outward so she can see

- loves to be talked to or sung to

- whenever she is in her car seat or bouncer seat she is always pulling her head up and trying to sit up

Our week with Grammy and Poppy

We were so lucky to be able to spend time at Grammy and Poppy's house while Daddy was out of town for a week. We just did a lot of hanging out around the house.Charlotte slept really well while we were there. Unfortunately, after we got home she got sick and she hasn't slept very well since. I have this faint memory of 7 hours straight sleep 2 weeks ago and am looking forward to that possibility again sometime in the (hopefully) near future!

We spent a lot of time either laying on our back wiggling or swinging in Grammy's swing. Grammy sang many songs to Charlotte and she just loved it!

This is the life!

Thank you Grammy and Poppy! We loved our week with you!

Gone missing

In the blogging world, it is as though I have dropped off the face of the earth! We have had a crazy couple of weeks. Mark has been out of town in Tyler for two weeks for a training for work. Charlotte and I spend the first of the two weeks of that with his parents. Then, he came home for the weekend. Then, Charlotte and I drove to Austin and spent the second week with my parents and my sister's family. Then, on July 3 Mark flew to Austin to be with us at a family reunion that was July 2 - 4. We finally drove home yesterday. This week Mark's brother's family is in town so we will be spending each day over at his parents' visiting with them. On top of all of that, Charlotte has had a cold for a week and a half. We think she might have an ear infection so we are going to the doctor this afternoon. Hopefully sometime this week I will have the chance to catch up on some blogging.