4 Month Firsts

Height: 25" (49%) Weight: 12.15 lbs (10%) Head: 16.75" (54%)

This month has been full of firsts. My how they grow!

*First time Charlie got two shots at the same time from two different nurses (kind of reminded me of getting your ears pierced).

*First 15 hour road trip

*First time I played single mom for a week (helps me realize how much I love Sean)

*First poop and pee combo without the diaper (fun mess)

*First taste of watermelon

*First toe/foot grab (he now grabs at his feet while rolling over)

*First signs of crawling (when he's doing tummy time he gets up on his knees and rocks)

*First growth spurt that's affected his sleep at night

*First signs of teething (clenching his gums, chewing on anything, fussy nights)

and a few more firsts........

BOYS

Charlie is a lucky guy-- He was born into a family with great cousins (on both sides)! It just so happens that we've been able to see each cousin in the past month.

Ironically, on my side of the family, we produce boys. Finally after six grandsons, there will be a granddaughter this winter. We are excited for Micah and Eve, and are even more excited now that we can shop on the pink side of the store.

I love my nephews! Again, Charlie is lucky. He has one little guy his age, and then four older boys to look up to.

Bound to be best friends...Lincoln is 2 months old (2 1/2 months younger than Charlie)

Koby will teach Charlie that ice cream tastes better when you eat it with your hands. (2 1/2 yrs old)

Ryder will show Charlie how to play sports and Eli will teach him about swords, or is teaching him currently. (Ryder is almost 7 and Eli is 3--in a couple of days)

Ethan is sure to teach him about all the super heroes out there. (Almost 5)

Ryder is sooooo good with Charlie. I guess he's had practice. He plays peek-a-boo with him all of the time.

Charlie will just stare at Ryder-- not really understanding the peek-a-boo game completely

Words

Since becoming our own family, Sean and I have set lots of goals and talked a lot about the future. We are frequently discussing when we should plan for the next family member to join us (not really in that driver's seat), where we want to be in the next ten years: financially, physically, spiritually, and pretty much anything else that you can add a 'ly' to, what we want to have our house look like, how we are going to have to get a larger car, what we should be teaching our children, family vacations to take, and yada yada......

I enjoy the moments we can discuss what we want to teach our children. If our children are like me, they won't be easily teachable without learning on their own, but if they are like Sean (which I pray often for them to be) they will come down knowing what to do or not do.

This week we have come across two of our biggest pet peeves that we hope to have our children catch on to.

Lesson #1: Do not litter. Sean loves to go hiking-- the mountains are his jungle gym. Each time he comes home from a hike, he heads to the trash and empties out his pocket or backpack with the litter he has collected along the trail.

Lesson #2: Put your shopping cart in the cart holder and not against someone else's car. This one KILLS me! I had a job once that required me to collect carts and I was always so annoyed that there were carts left right next to the cart holder.

Enough of my irritating, self-righteous rant.

As family has been on my mind a TON lately, I have realized that I don't have nearly enough answers, as to how to raise them. I did find a quote that hit me with a punch and realized I would try my hardest to keep this from happening.

"If the family breaks down, everything breaks down"

To Dad, Love Charlie

Hey Dad,

I thought I would give you a nice blow-out for your birthday, but mom said I should put a little more thought into it. So instead, I thought I would finally let you in on the workings of my ever-growing mind.

It's pretty great to be your son, and here is why:

I'm pretty much just telling you that I think you are the coolest. Happy birthday!

Baby bachelor