What a difference a week can make!

A week ago, Charlotte would take a bottle, but just barely. She would fuss and it would take her about an hour to get 3-4 oz. down. Then, she spent the week at the babysitter's where she had no choice but to take a bottle. So, today after church I filled a bottle up and sat down to feed her. As soon as I held the bottle to her lips, she started eating! She sat in my lap and ate, with no fussing, and finished the bottle in about 20 minutes! Wow! What a difference a week can make! I am so happy she will easily take a bottle now. It makes me much more relaxed to know that she is okay at the babysitter's. It also gives Mark and me a little more freedom because we can leave her with other people to go on dates and know that she will eat, be happy, and be okay.
Then, last night we started rice cereal for the first time. Charlotte has always been a pretty easy-going gal and this experience proved that to be true once again. She sat in her chair and let us try to feed her with a lot of patience! Not much of it actually went down. We ended up wiping most of it all of her chin! However, she was quit tolerant and we know she will become better at it with practice.

Eating makes Mommy and baby happy girls!

Charlotte eating her rice cereal for the first time.

Our first week

My absence from the blogging world is because this week was my first week back to work. I was very sad to have to go back to work. I was getting very used to staying at home with my baby girl all day! However, life must go on and we actually had a really good week!

On Monday morning, Mark took Charlotte to her babysitter for the first time. The babysitter is the wife of a coworker of mine who keeps her in their home. She will be there with the babysitter's 3 year old and another little girl who is 10 months old.

Thankfully, about a week before we had to make this transition, I found a bottle that Charlotte likes! She really likes the Playtex bottles and will now easily take them. So, my only concern was her napping, but she has been taking good naps. Actually, she has been taking great naps! She naps better for the sitter than she ever has for me.

Letting Daddy know she is tired!

I am the one who gets to pick her up at the end of the day! It is always so wonderful to see her smiling face at the end of my work day. Because she was in a new place with all new people and a whole lot of activity going on, Charlotte was exhausted at the end of every day. On Monday night she was squealing at us in exhaustion! Poor baby! The upside is she has been sleeping better :) We are SO thankful to God for leading us to the right childcare provider. She is in a place where I know she is safe and happy. I couldn't ask for more!

Here is Charlotte hanging out in her bed one morning this week before getting up.

This morning Charlotte got to hang out on Mommy and Daddy's bed for a while. We like lazy Saturday mornings! Check out that drool!

Charlotte and Oreo having a stare down. Several times today when she has been in the same room as him she has watched him and smiled at him. So cute!

Our Saturday

On Monday I have to go back to work. There really aren't any words to express how I feel about this. I am so sad to be leaving my little girl and not being able to spend the majority of each day blessed by her precious smiles. I am also filled with anxiety over being a working Mommy. I'm not really sure how I am going to be able to juggle being a mom, wife, housekeeper, chef, and teacher. Most of the time I simply choose to not think about it, because thinking about it nearly sends me into a frenzy. So, this weekend is our last weekend before Mark and I return to work. Here is how we spent our Saturday:

We started the morning by attending Jake and Mallory's birthday party. I can't believe they are already two!

While there, Charlotte had a great time hanging out with the Williams.

She really liked chewing on Karson's hand!

Then we came home and played! Here is Charlotte on her mat . . .

and in the exersaucer.

Please keep us in your prayers as we make this huge transition in our lives.

4 months old!

Weight: 14 lbs. 10 oz. (73%)

Length: 24 1/4 inches (50%)

Head: 16 1/2 inches (76%)
Here are some things about Charlotte at 4 months:

- has let out a few belly laughs and giggles all the time

- loves to stand in your lap

- smiles very freely at all who smile at her

- likes her car seat better than before, even though it is still not her favorite place to be

- still loves to sleep in her swing

- rolls from her back to her stomach constantly, then gets upset when she finds herself on her stomach

- still doesn't like being on her stomach

- still gets swaddled to sleep

- usually naps 45 min. to an hour, 3-4 times a day; every once in a while she will throw in a 2 hour nap

- still wakes up about 2 times to feed in the middle of the night

- starts her last feeding around 8:00 and is usually in bed by 8:45

- has fingernails that grow like crazy! She is always scratching herself :(

- loves to stand in her exersaucer

- has started reaching for toys, but can't hold them for very long

- "talks" all the time; there are times when we can't hear each other talking over her very loud noises!

- has such a wonderful disposition and will usually go with the flow

- sits very well in her Bumbo seat

- has found her feet and grabs them all the time - in the car, on her blanket, while changing her diaper, etc.

- loves Sunday school in the church nursery

- has had her first sleepover with her Grammy and Poppy

9 years

Happy 9th Anniversary to my amazing husband! Thank you for the best 9 years of my life. I look forward to many, many more. I love you, Mark!

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.