Swimming, Cousin Lisa and ChickIN Patty Night!

Since swimming lessons were cancelled this week we decided to join Lisa and Abby and the kids at the pool! Charlotte thought the diving rings were a great teether!

Lisa loves playing with Charlotte because she doesn't talk back yet, and she is generally sweet. Joli always wants her Mommy to hold her when she has Charlotte!
She played for a while in the kiddie pool, and when we tried to bring her into the larger pool so us adults could swim, she had a fit. It wasn't as warm as the little pool so she decided she was happier on the side.
Charlotte also got to meet her second cousin Lisa today! Lisa was in San Diego the first three weeks in August as a camp counselor for kids with deployed parents. She extended her trip to spend some time with us!
Charlotte loved having someone else to play with her on the floor!
She even spit up on her a few times to let her know how much she loved her!
Tonight we had our very own West Coast ChickIN Patty night. We had it a day early this week so that Lisa could join us. Uncle Alex, Lisa and Joe and Joli joined in for the groundbreaking event. It was complete with Patty saluting....
Squash eating...

Singing... and Lisa decided the Chicken Dance was appropriate...
There was also patty stealing....
We had a blast! Everyone sang and deserved dessert. Charlotte thought Uncle Alex's Klondike bar would be yummy and kept trying to steal it!After Joli came out of the bathroom I hid to try and scare Lisa, but she never came out! We went in and found her taking an imaginary bath... So the girls thought it would be a great idea to all take a tub together! Chris was a good sport and put on his bathing suit and got in with them! Baylie desperately wanted to join in.
Charlotte wasn't sure what Joli was doing in her tub with her and enjoyed having a partner in crime!

Blueberries, Dogs and Friends!

While we had fun visiting at home, it is so nice to be back in our own home! This morning we went to the Farmer's Market and we got some yummy blueberries! Although I am all for Charlotte feeding herself pieces of real food, and not puree's, I got these mesh feeders and put some blueberries inside, since she can't eat blueberries whole yet. This way she gets the taste of them until she can chew them! She LOVED them!
Lisa and Joe came over for dessert and they brought Brody so he and Baylie could meet. For those of you who don't know, Baylie is a very sweet dog to humans... but she HATES small animals and other dogs! That is why we have Baylie. She was my dog growing up (along with Kobi) and then she had puppies. We kept their daughter Lucie, and after about a year Baylie and Lucie started to try to kill each other whenever they saw each other. When Chris and I moved in together we took Baylie so that baby gates all over the house weren't necessary. Since Brody is a boy I think they will be friends, but it is going to take some time! Baylie could care less that he is around if she has a ball, and all poor Brody wants to do is play with her! But Baylie did pretty good and we will try again later this week!
Charlotte got to see Lisa and Joli too! (They came from a birthday party). Joli was so nice and gave Charlotte a pretty bracelet to wear!
Charlotte is doing such a good job sitting up! She only started last week in about 5 second spurts, but is doing so well! She is getting SO big!

Daddy's Home!

Chris got home late Friday night... well very early Saturday morning! He had been at a school for 6 weeks in Indiana so he flew from Indiana to New York to meet up with us so we could bring Baylie home! Charlotte helped Mimi make him some cookies!

I went to get Chris while Charlotte slept (Mimi was home) and when Charlotte woke up in the morning she was very confused but happy to see her daddy! 

Chris couldn't believe how big she had gotten, and keeps telling me everytime she does something "new", to which I kindly tell him that she has been doing that for weeks... 

We went to Grandma and Grandpa's for breakfast before we left and Charlotte enjoyed some pancakes and melon! Chris couldn't believe how well she eats already!

We had to say goodbye to Grandma and Grandpa and Mimi, and got on a plane to San Diego with the baby, dog, 4 bags, a jogging stroller bag, a dog crate and a stroller. We were so "that" family. We got delayed for 3 hours in Baltimore and Charlotte refused to nap. She proceeded to scream as we were waiting to board until a little boy started making faces at her and then she went from screaming to laughing. Good thing she is a big flirt. We are home safe and sound and enjoying the nice weather!

Firsts

The past week has brought about a lot of "firsts" for Charlotte! It started off last ChickIN Patty Night when she had solid food for the first time! She really enjoys it now, and LOVES prunes. She has had Oatmeal, Banana, Prunes, Applesauce and a Cucumber. A lot of it ends up all over her, but she is a pretty good eater!

We went to brunch with my dad this weekend and Charlotte sat in a high chair for the first time! She was a bit small for it, but was happy once I gave her a piece of toast to play with!
Today we had lunch at Grandma's with both of Charlotte's Great Grandma Great's, and Grandpa Great. Charlotte impressed us all by sitting up all on her own! She lasted about 5 seconds then started to topple over. She did it a few times before she got bored and wanted to lay down!
It was the first time Great Grandma Great got to see Charlotte eat! She was very amused!
When I went to bring G. Grandma Great home, Grandma Great (way confusing Grandmas, you need to find new names!) watched Charlotte. She was sleeping for most of the time, but she woke up before I got back and Grandma gave her a bottle. I came home and she was happy to report that Charlotte held it all by herself! 
I can't believe how fast time goes by, and I can't wait for her daddy to see her this weekend!!!!

Funny Farm Afternoon!

This morning Charlotte looked so cute that I wanted to take pictures in Mimi's garden. I got a few but the mosquitos were out in full force and after I saw two trying to suck Charlotte's foot I decided we better come inside!

After a short nap, we went up to the Funny Farm to spend the afternoon. Charlotte went right in the pool with Molly. She is under that hat I promise!
Chris made Molly promise that she wouldn't toss Charlotte around in the pool like he tosses her around. She kept her promise and kept her nice and close!
Charlotte went down for a nap and when she woke up everyone was coming inside! She got to sit in Rosie's high chair and have some oatmeal. Rosie was very interested in what was going on!
I am already getting dirty looks when I take too many pictures, especially something like eating... clearly she is trying to tell me that I don't need to take pictures every time she eats!
Since she made such a mess, and was swimming earlier, we put her in the sink to have a little tubby!
After her tubby, Maggie and Rory wanted to sit with her and play. They were all so cute with just their bathing suit/diaper/underwear on!
Charlotte enjoyed sitting on the couch chewing on Freddy the Frog!
Charlotte loves Molly... I can't believe how big Molly is... that used to be my shirt she is wearing!
Maggie wanted to read the book Ish to Charlotte! Im surprised she didn't pick Madeline... she can recite the story to you word for word!
Charlotte was pooped and fell right asleep when we got home! We had such a fun day!

Cheesecake and Patties!

Today we had a very busy and eventful day! We started off by going with the Great Grandma Great's to the Cheesecake Factory for lunch. Apparently Charlotte is very funny. Grandma was trying to entertain her with Sophie, but I think the Grandma's were the one's who were entertained!

Grandma Great took Charlotte for a walk to see the cheesecakes. She reported back that Charlotte couldn't pick just one, she wanted them all!!! She did get to have a little bit of whipped cream and loved it!
I always get a kick out of the fact that Grandma Great doesn't know how to take pictures with my camera. Today she passed it off to Great Grandma Great, who clearly doesn't know how to take pictures either!
A giraffe and a hunk of bread.... all a girl really needs!
I got a new backpack to use as a diaper bag and Grandma was amused at how I held Sophie in!
We went home for a nap and then up to Amy and Jim's for ChickIN Patty Night!
Charlotte played with Jim on the floor for a bit. (The big red ball was later thrown smack dab into poor Charlottes face. Poor Maggie didn't quite realize that she A. wasn't looking, and B. doesn't have very good hand eye coordination yet to catch a ball! She didn't make a fuss until Maggie started crying, then they were a dynamic duo!)
Maggie loved seeing Charlotte and was squeezing her cheeks...
Amy and Jim's friends came over for dinner with their three kids. After we had dinner (and bananas for Charlotte!) we went out to the pool. I dipped Charlotte's feet in and she didn't protest, so we put a swim diaper on and sent her into the pool with Emily. 
She loved just lounging in the water!
And then Molly got her hands on her and the craziness began!
Molly was tossing her all around and Charlotte loved it!
Then she got a little nervous...
I was so happy Charlotte loved the water! She didn't even finch getting in the pool, and didn't seem to mind getting her head wet! I can't wait to go back to swimming lessons!