23 months with Charlie

Well - July is here!  Your birthday month that you will soon share with your sister and Papa and Uncle Mike as well!  I literally cannot believe July is here and keep thinking of all the excitement this month brought to me just 2 years ago and all the same feelings I'm having in anticipation of meeting your sister and you turning 2 (more in shock about that one!)

Height: I'm going to go with 34 inches
Weight: 29lbs

Clothing Size: 24 month and 2T

Shoe Size: Size 8

Number of Teeth: No clue - but you sure have a cute smile!

You are seriously the funniest little person and even on a bad day that you are driving your dad and I crazy (shocking i know), you never end the day that way and can always crack us up and make us smile.  You have turned into a giggle monster this month and the silliest things make us all laugh together.  When mom and/or dad start laughing (or really anyone else for that matter) at something you do, you do it over and over again and laugh with us.  I love it.  Best example?  When you drink out of my water bottle that is usually filled with lemon water, you take a sip, get this look on your face and then say "Yummm...Lemonade" and smile.  It's not really that funny, it's the way you say it and the look on your face (and the fact that it's not lemonade in fact....) that crack me up.  I start laughing...then you start laughing...then you do it over and over again. I love it.  

You have started making comments about everything.  You started it when we were watching Frozen on our trip up to Iowa at the beginning of the month for Memorial Day weekend.  You commented how Elsa was "beautiful".  And now every day when we pull into our neighborhood after school/work, you comment how the waterfalls are "beautiful" in the entrance.  You even said that the bride at the wedding we went to this past Saturday was "beautiful" in her dress.  It's just so sweet and the voice you say it in is just adorable!!  Speaking of the wedding - Jimmy's cousin got married and since your cousins were going to be there too...we decided that you were ready for your first wedding!  The ceremony was in the middle of nap time in Lawrence and since we figured you would be up late for the reception, we decided to send your dad and you and I stayed home and napped and hit up the grocery store.  But when we got to the reception - you were ready to party.  You were SOOOOO good during the speeches and dances and all the stuff at receptions you just have to sit there and listen. It was about 7:45 (just a tad past your bed time) when the last speech was ending and you had been sitting on my lap staring all all the wedding excitement the whole time (to my surprise you were in fact SITTING there) and you rested your tired head on my shoulder.  I thought that was it for the night and it was time to go home. And then the music came on and the dance floor started to fill up and you jumped up and ran to the dance floor and started dancing.  It helped that your older cousins had joined in the fun too.  You were a dancing machine!  Stomping around, twirling, twisting, doing your signature arm move...and then you saw Ben and Eli do the worm on the floor and that was all it took.  You seemed to include the worm (or your attempt at it - which was really just you laying on the ground kicking your legs) into every song.  You even turned over once and did the alligator.  Pretty much you were a hoot and all the adults were smiling and laughing at your silliness.  Luckily, it was still early that there were no spilled drinks on the floor - however, you did get stepped on a few times, but you were tough and bounced back up.  I guess that means all the music we listen to and all the dancing we do at home you really DO like.

Another new activity you love?  Mowing the lawn with your dad.  You literally follow him around with your lawn mower.  It's super cute - just wish our yard wasn't swarming with chiggers!!  Poor kid - you got introduced to those this past month and they just ATE you up.  You even got a few on your head that got infected and that was our doctor's visit quota for this past month.  You did also have a few other bumps and bruises from running into the door at school (HUGE goose egg) and getting bit by a fellow classmate a few too many times (even when you say "no bite" quite regularly!).  But you are sure a tough little kid.  You seem to bounce right back and make it through!

Your new thing?  You are quite demanding.  Obviously, you've always demanded our attention, but now that you talk and repeat every word that we say - you are quite liberal with your words and letting us know exactly what you want.  You're hungry in the middle of the night?  You let us know and scream for APPLESAUCE at the top of your lungs.  You see some food that you like?  (Like a powdered doughnut) Well - you constantly repeat that is what you want until we either say no 50 times and you end up crying or you get what you want.  You demand to get "down", for us to "play" with you, and to go "outside".  These demands are not always granted, but you sure know what you want!

And guess what else?  Just in time for your sister's soon arrival - you have now added yelling "daddy" into your wake ups from the crib.  You seem to like to wake up at least once in the middle of the night - unless you literally are so exhausted you can't - and were yelling "mommy" at the top of your lungs until I would come in there and either tell you to go back to sleep or hold you.  Not sure what started this - but now it's "daddy" every other night and I'm loving it.  Makes those mom heart strings not pull as tight when I hear you're yelling his name versus mine because then I feel like I'm allowed to stay in bed!  So thanks dude because pretty soon dad will be the one to get you as I take care of your sister at night!

And finally, I love the way you say "HI" lots and lots when you see us.  You have the sweetest little voice and I love when we are playing and you are "hiding" and then emerge and say "HI mommy" or you want to get your dad's attention and you POP around the corner and say "HI dadddy!".  It's so sweet.  And we love it!

So my little man, as we approach your SECOND birthday and the time for you to become a big brother, just know how lucky we feel to be your parents.  While I'm sure this month will be full of lots of changes and transitions for you and our family, know that eventually your sister will be the greatest gift we will ever give you.  It might not feel like it at first when you get less attention from us and less play time where we are only focused on you, but I know that you will be such a great big brother and cannot wait to see how your relationship with your sister evolves and emerges over the years to come.  She will be your partner in crime, your playmate, your confidante and hopefully someday your best friend.  We love you so much and the little man you are turning into!!

Love you!

Mom and Dad