Catch Up...

I returned to work from maternity leave for the month of May, which was crazy! The kids were crazy, the schedule was crazy, trying to catch up from being gone was crazy. So, that is my excuse for not getting any posts up for quite some time.

Charlie has grown so much. I know I say that every post, but he is sleeping on the couch next to me and he looks huge. He is adorable, rolls and all! He is also changing. He has rubbed off great amounts of hair in a ring around his head. He has learned to roll over from back to belly, but he prefers to lay kind of twisted with his knee on the ground, but his head facing up. He honestly lays like that with one foot up in the air to put himself to sleep. Once he was really mad when I took to long to pick him up and he flipped over from belly to back. That has yet to be repeated. Charlie is also starting to chew on things. I can't feel any teeth under his gums, but Maddie did the same thing a little earlier than this. He talks and laughs, which cracks me up. He mostly laughs when I tickle his neck, but he also gets a kick out of looking at himself in his playmat mirror. He still has no interest in tummy time, so I'm sure I'll get a scolding from the doctor in a couple of weeks for the flat spot on the back of his head.

Maddie is hilarious. Jim sent us some very lovely pictures he took during their baby-sitting stint and Steve kept saying she looks so grown up. We are somewhat attempting the potty training thing, but it is pretty much not working. She thinks it is hilarious to pee in her big girl underwear and to take her underwear off and pee on the floor. I think that means we need to give it some more time, but I get the feeling her dad wants it actively pursued. She has three sayings right now that I find hysterical. First: No matter what you tell her she responds with 'What?' in this very sassy tone. Me: Time to eat. Her: What? Me: Pick up your toys. Her: What? Second: In a very sweet voice she'll say, "I like (enter anything). Do you like it?" Third: "I love you mommy/daddy/Charlie," said while giving the biggest, tightest hug. Sometimes she says it when she wants you to do something, but more often she just says it out of the blue which means she will get what she wants anyway!

I've been out of school for one week tomorrow. I planted a very small garden....only 4 tomato plants this year, so I doubt there will be any canning. For our summer plans Maddie will be attending Musikgarten, which is a music class for a children 0-5. I don't plan on taking Charlie, but I may have to if my babysitter is too busy. We will also be going to the swimming pool for a bit, weekly trips to the library, daily walks, and the usual summer activities. I really need to finish some painting projects that I started but can't get done.....why I thought I could do it with 2 kids under 2 I'll never know! Steve is so desperate to get it done I think he is even open to the possibility of hiring someone to do it. You know it has taken me too long if that is what he is thinking!

This was taken at Derek's graduation party. Maddie is kind of in a 'no taka my pick-cha' stage, so I was trying to make her laugh. As you can see, that didn't really work out.

Sweet boy

I love this picture of Maddie. It is so 'her'. She was totally glammed out in a beautiful dress and fashionista sandals, yet she still had the rough and tumble hair and attitude.

One night Steve took Maddie to bed and his phone fell out of his pocket. Steve didn't want to disturb her as it had already been a rough night, which explains why she is sleeping in her dress. He commented that he would go get his phone when we were sure she was out. About 5 minutes later we hear Lynyrd Skynyrd's 'Freebird' coming through the monitor. Maddie had found the phone and somehow figured out how to access his tunes. When Steve got to her room she was laying in a zombie state gazing into the iPhone.

Charlie's 3 month picture with his fox

I think this is his stud pose. Doesn't he look like a future heartbreaker?

This is a classic Maddie/Charlie picture. Maddie had just been smothering him with kisses and hugs and I love yous. Charlie was staring at her in total adoration.

Steve will make fun of this picture for my crazy elbows and crooked nose. Nevertheless, I was watching a beautiful slideshow Helen had made for Lucy's 3rd birthday. They had so many great pictures of their kids with their parents. It made me realize that Steve and I have none. I don't usually allow them to be taken of me because I end up picking out all the things I don't like about me, but my kids might like to have pictures with me in them someday. So, be on alert for scary pictures of me with a couple of cute kids!