Spring Break

Dear Charlie,

This year we went to your Grammy's house to celebrate Spring Break.  While we were there for the week, we went to many fun places.

The first day, we went to the Wild Animal Park.  There was a butterfly room there that was filled with millions of butterflies.  You wanted to eat them.

The next day we went and visited your Nana Platt.  She hadn't seen you since Christmas, and she was so happy to get to hold you.  So was your Grammy.

The third day, we went and got your picture taken with the Easter bunny at the mall.

Then we went to the turtle pond to feed the ducks and turtles.

This is one of my all time favorite pictures of you with your cousin Alex.

The fourth day was just hanging out around the house.  You had so much fun playing with your cousins.  Lyla, who doesn't like many people, sure does love you.  Throughout the whole visit, she was always snuggling and kissing you.  You are pretty darn lovable.

You also spent a lot of time with Grammy, who also loves you quite a lot.

You and Grammy playing pat-a-cake

The last day in San Diego, we went to the beach.  You mostly hung out with Grammy on the beach chair because if we left you on a towel, you wanted to eat the sand.  You took a nice long nap.  The sound of the waves crashing must have relaxed you right to sleep.

Later that day we went to see my friends Tara and Trisha.  We hung out at the park and then went to McDonald's.

You were such a good boy the whole time we were there.  You loved having so many people to pay attention to you and give you kisses on those big squishy cheeks.  I love you, and I can't wait to take you back to San Diego when you are bigger and can run around and play with all of your cousins.  For now, you'll just get lots of attention from your Grammy and me who are always happy to hold you.

Love,
Mom

First Food

Dear Charlie,

You're such a big, healthy boy that I never expected you to be a picky eater.  I know that no babies like rice cereal the first time they try it, but you never liked rice cereal.  You had such distain for the rice cereal that you would dry heave each time I put a bite in your mouth.  These pictures say it all.

So happy and unaware of what is to come

You take your first bite with full trust in your dear mother

Oh no!  What is this crap she's feeding me?

Oh the humanity!

I think I'm gonna be sick

And that's how it went down every time I tried to feed you rice cereal.  However, I did later mix it with some pears and you liked that a lot.  I know I'm a bad mother for saying this, but I was laughing so hard at the faces you were making.  They were so dramatic.  It was pretty hillarious.

Love ya,
Mom

Caught Red-Handed

Dear Charlie,

You learned to roll around at a very young age.  (Probably because you're a genius.)  Additionally, we had been trying to get Ella to say, "Please," for a very long time.  One evening, we were sitting around in the living room as a family.  You were rolling around on the floor, and Ella was coloring with some crayons.  Dad and I were snacking on something on the couch, and Ella walked over to us and said, "Please."  We were so excited!  We kept practicing by giving her a bite of the snack and then asking her to say please in order to get more bites.  (This story is about you.  I promise.)  We were so distracted by Ella's achievement, that we failed to notice what you had been doing.  When we looked over at you, this is what we saw:

Despite the look on your face in this picture, you were quite pleased with yourself.  You look a little like the joker here.  If this is the only trouble you get into while I'm not looking, I'll consider myself lucky.  I love you son.

Love,
Mom

Happy Holidays!

Dear Charlie,

We love having you here for the holidays!  I think the best part of having babies during the holidays is that I can dress you up however I want, and you cannot do a thing about it.  I am also in a hurry to get caught up on your blog, so here is a highlight of all of the holidays and crazy outfits since you've been born.

Halloween

Halloween jammies from Grammy

Halloween jammies from Auntie Jani

My little Bam Bam
Your Grammy made your so cute costume.

Thanksgiving

Jammies courtesy of Nana

Christmas

Jammies from Nana again

Valentine's Day

St. Patrick's Day

This one is my favorite.

We'll be taking Easter pictures this week.  I will continue to add all of the adorable holiday outfits so that some day I can share these pictures with your future girlfriends. 

Love,

Mom





Your Blessing

Dear Charlie,

On October 9th, 2011, your father gave you a baby's blessing.  A few days before your blessing I sat down with your dad and asked him if we should discuss what we would like to have in the blessing.  He reminded me that, although he says the blessing, it actually comes from your Father in Heaven by way of the priesthood power and the Spirit.  Reluctantly, I agreed to let him say whatever the Spirit prompted him to say.  He fasted for 24 hours and prayed fervently to make sure that he was spiritually prepared. 

Since Gabriella's adoption was just finalized the week before we blessed you, we were able to bless you and your sister on the same day.  You were only a little over two weeks old on your blessing day, and I was still attempting to nurse you.  The nursing process had been mostly unsuccessful, but I wanted to make sure that your tummy was full so that you would behave for the blessing.  We arrived at church about 20 minutes early, and I took you into the mother's lounge to feed you.  I also waited to put your blessing outfit on because I didn't want you to poop or spit up on it.  I should have timed everything better because you take a long time to eat.  I really needed about an hour to feed you and change you, but I only had 20 minutes.  Your dad kept sending women into the mother's lounge to tell me to, "Hurry up."  I didn't get to fill you up, but you were satisfied enough.  I rushed you into the chapel just as they were getting ready to call us up to the stand.  We made it just in time!

Your father gave you a beautiful blessing that we have written down for you to read.  I cannot wait to see you fulfill all of the things your heavenly parents and your earthly parents wish for you.  I know you will be a good boy, and you will help to take care of me when I'm old and gray.  I'm so grateful to my Father in Heaven for giving you to me.  I love you son.

Love,
Mom

The Thinker

Dear Charlie,

When Ella was a baby, your dad used to say to her, "I just know she's thinking really smart thoughts."  Well, I am sure she was.  You have been dreaming of the secrets of the universe since the day you were born, and I have the pictures to prove it!

One week old
contemplating the meaning of life.

One month old
I think therefore I am.

A little over two months old
If a tree falls in the woods, does it make a sound?

Four and a half months old
Energy is equal to an object's mass times the speed of light squared.

I can't wait to see what you will dream up next.  To quote your dad, "I just know you're thinking smart thoughts."

Love,
Mom

Your First Few Weeks

Hey Charlie,

This is just a collection of pictures from your first few weeks of life.  Enjoy!

Your first bath.  You hated it, but all new babies do.

Grammy and Auntie Jani made you pose.  You better get used to it now, because it won't get any better as you get older.

The weekend after you were born, Auntie Jani and her family came to visit you along with Pa.  Everyone wanted to hold you and love you.

These pictures were taken after Ella's adoption finalization, which happened when you were only 10 days old!

Like father like son.  I just love this picture!

I want you to know that we did pay a professional photographer to come and take newborn pictures of you, but he did a horrible job.  We're all fortunate that you have such a talented Grammy and Auntie who can take great pictures. 

I love you my beautiful son.  From the day you were born, I just couldn't stop kissing your squishy cheeks, and I will never stop.

Love,

Mom