My sweet, sweet Charlotte... if I had to use one word to describe you, it'd be silly. You make us laugh, you make yourself laugh, and you love to playplayplay. You'll crawl up to us super-quick, lay your head on our lap and squeeze a hug, then giggle and run away. You often get so tickled by the simplest thing... sometimes I'll just blow in your face, and you'll laugh like it's the funniest thing that ever happened. You're ticklish on your ribs, on your back, on your neck, under your chin, and most of all - right where your thigh meets your torso. You splash half the water out of the tub during your bath each night, love to put stuff on your head and as of this week - the sweet hairs on your head are finally long enough to touch the spot where your neck meets your back. But only when they're wet.
You aren't walking on your own yet, but you get braver each day. Today you took one step, completely by accident, then looked at me in amazement at what had just happened. With your walker, though, you're burning tracks into our carpet. Our toes will never be the same. You're starting to slim down, I think I notice a roll missing each week. I don't know how tall you are, but you're still rather petite. As of tonight, you're wearing mostly 6-9 month jammies - but there are still one or two pairs of 3-6 in your drawer that we can get on you, and zipped up.
You LOVE to have us read to you. We usually read 2-3 books before each nap, then 3-5 before bedtime. Right now, you're going through a separation anxiety phase where you need us to sit by your bed while you fall asleep at night, and we're okay with that. You love to sit in our laps while we read, and rock and rock and rock...
You've started giving us kisses. Open mouthed of course, lol. We'll take them! A month or so ago you were saying bye-bye, but you decided to stop doing that. You still say mama, dada, cat and once in a while - baby. You're an excellent pointer... you point at stuff you want, and stuff that's just interesting. You can point at a picture of your daddy and say Dada, and the same with a picture of your mama. You dance all the time and like to tap your foot. You squeal with delight when I chase you on the floor, and then always return the favor by chasing me back. I'll hide behind the couch and startle you, and you'll laugh so hard it makes me cry.
If Mama had to name one favorite little Charlotte-ism, though, it'd be the way you twirl your hair. It's a dead giveaway that you're sleepy, but it's just the sweetest thing I may have ever seen. I pray that the image of your little chin, long eyelashes, big sleepy grin and finger twirling your little strawberry blonde ringlet never, ever EVER leaves my heart or my minds eye.
It's overwhelming, sweet girl. I could never have imagined a love like this.
xoxo,
me
eta: I didn't take the photos in this post... the newborn shot was taken by my HS friend, Tobin, when his family came to visit us at the hospital - and the one year portraits were taken by a professional. :o) It would be QUITE the trick to get a portrait of us three, with smiles, and me not looking totally frazzled.
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