lunch break

...blogiversary

...if my blog and I were married, I would be in the dog house because I missed our blogiversary back in October. I have been blogging for four years. 

My first post was heavily influenced by my friends from Fontwerks. Since then, I've posted 762 times (763 today), had 348,204 lifetime views, and 5,722 comments. My most popular posts usually have to do with our house. Or Charmer. Or our many celebrity spottings. And then there was the great pink prom dress debate, which is sure to go down in blogging history. There were lots of posts I thought would get more comments, like my tooth twin. COME ON PEOPLE I HAVE A TOOTH TWIN. And then there was my most commented-on post on that day in April when a little boy was born.

I was a reluctant blogger, not sure that anything I had to say was interesting. I'm pretty sure it still isn't. But this blog has become more than me writing about my dog, or my house, or now my son. It has reconnected me with old friends. It has introduced me to wonderful new friends. It is my memory-keeper.

So I want to say thank you. Leave a comment and on Friday I'll pick one person to receive an initial necklace from MamaBethBling on etsy. 

Have a great week! Charlie says, "stay cool" (I know you missed the sunglasses posts!)

...charlie's first dental exam

...courtsey of his girlfriend, Madeline:

 

 

 

...no cavities and Madeline reminded Charlie about the importance of flossing.

...every nurse needs a patient

...who sends flowers from their sick bed:

...the patient and his nurse

...being sick is no fun.

...retail therapy

...the flu has hit our house. I finally had my infant sleeping through the night and then my husband got the flu. Yes, the one with all the letters and numbers in its name. I miss Ken. Charlie misses Daddy.

So I think I'm going to do some shopping. It's hard for me to list my esty favorites because a lot of them are getting purchased as christmas presents. So I'll list some things I'm buying for the easiest person on my list: myself.

Dribble Bibs from Indigo Elephant. I have a baby who dribbles a lot. OK, barfs a lot. But we can call it dribble. Sounds so much sweeter.

A new return address stamp from Modern Art Rubber Stamps . I've decided address stamps are like purses. You can never have enough.

I am hoping to start a slow cooking habit and love these Letterpress Recipe Cards. Totally practical to someday be covered in food goo.

Any bag from ikabags. So pretty. And reasonable.

I need a ring like I need a hole in the head. Or maybe rings are like purses too and you can never have enough. Anyway, I love this beaded ring. Beautiful.

The end. I'm off to buy some chlorox stock.

...imitation is the sincerest form of flattery

...charlie, playing in his girlfriend madeline's exercauser the other day (before she gave him a complete dental exam with her hand):

Charlie, tonight, in our living room (yes there is a baby in the toy jungle):

Daddy had his first Christmas-Eve like experience with racing to get the toy put together before bedtime. And trying to find 4,872 batteries. I tried to get a picture of Charmer's ears all perked up at the various noises this strange machine made, but couldn't quite capture it. There's always tomorrow. :)

...put me in coach

...i know my ohio friends will love this one:

 

Really, the likeness is uncanny, don't you think?

...183 days

...today, my baby boy is a half a year old. One-hundred and eighty-three days old. At six months he:

• loves being on his feet. I'm pretty sure he's going to stand and walk before he gets on all fours and crawls.
• wakes up in the morning with a diaper that weighs approximately 8,000 pounds.
• has eaten all sorts of veggies and fruits and seemed to like pretty much everything, even though I thought I was going to toss my cookies when he ate bananas.
• still hasn't rolled from back to belly, but will get completely on his side and just hang out there.
• has lost his little baby mullet.
• barfs a lot. 
• has cold hands like his momma ("warm heart," I always say).
• smiles at complete strangers in line at Rite Aid, even when they don't smile at him first. He's just spreading the sunshine, folks.
• is pretty self-entertained. As long as he has something he can put in his mouth.
• loves music. Oh my this kid loves music. 
• is called "bubba," "boo," and "buddy" most of the time.
• has captured the hearts of everyone. everyone. we had no idea, charlie warlie. no idea.

...seeking your solicited advice

...(I get a lot of unsolicited advice. Most of which I appreciate).

So, this weekend is daylight savings, right? Fall back, right?

What's a mom of an almost-six-month-old-who-just-started-sleeping-through-the-night (praise Jesus, God, Allah, and the Three Wise Men) to do? Any tips for successfully transitioning? Because if it sucks, we might just stay on old time. We have clocks that we never change. They eventually go back to the right time. 

...a study in contrasts

My black heels underneath Charlie's swing last night

Every Monday and Tuesday, I take off the yoga pants and hoodies and put on real work clothes. I miss Charlie. All day. I think about the soft skin on the back of his neck. And his gut giggles. And I look at his pictures. And I come home and I love him even more than I did when I left that morning.

The black heels might be bad for my feet, but I believe getting dressed up these two days and going to the office is good for me. Something I've learned since having Charlie is the importance of keeping my sense of self. It's healthy for me, it's healthy for Ken, and it's healthy for Charlie. He thinks so too:

 

This face seriously melts me...

...i was a girl scout

...(ok, so maybe for only a few days). But I still believe the motto "Make new friends, but keep the old. One is silver and the other gold" is one of the best out there.

Yesterday, my dear old friends (I've decided I'm old enough to have "dear old friends") Cameron and Erin came for a visit with Charlie. We skated together for the better part of a decade, the better part of our childhoods. And friendships like that are irreplaceable. As was our fashion sense.

...dis and dat part II

-When Ken came home from work today, Charlie was in his swing (he loves the thing, I'm pretty sure he'll take it to college). I was in the hallway and Ken said, "Laura, he's spitting up blood." Insert my heart in my mouth. I come running in. It's not blood, dearest. It's PRUNES.

-It was so warm today, Charlie spent the afternoon in just a onesie. Oh how I missed his fat rolls these past few weeks of wearing pants.

-Christmas presents purchased: 13 (today was a busy day)

-I went to the bank today to deposit a check and I asked for some deposit slips. The clerk gave me approximately 4,786 slips. Six year-old me, whose favorite game was bank, celebrated.

-And lastly, about Charlie's hair. I get asked at least once a day if he's had a haircut. No. The boy literally came out of the womb with a part that has stuck. His hair is awesome and fluffy and fine. I hope I never forget the way it feels against my lips.

...dis and dat

-charmer stayed at camp camden and the cats this weekend while we were in o-h-i-o. She spends all her time there cat-a-huntin' and has subsequently spent the last two days asleep. All day.

-one of the best parts of my day is sitting downstairs and listening/watching charlie fall asleep on the monitor. He "ohhhs" himself to sleep and it is, I'm pretty sure, the best sound in the world.

-2peas has Martha.

-latest etsy favorite: Forest Family Pedigree Tree

-number of Christmas presents purchased: 8

-charlie has his first babysitter. Her name is Katherine. She calls him handsome.

-i'm not sure who told him it was ok to start looking like a little boy instead of a baby:

...alive and well

...we are recovering from Charlie's first long-distance road trip to o-h-i-o. And by recovered, I mean I have unpacked the 8,623 bags that apparently traveling with an infant involves.

Stay with me. In the meantime, Charlie says take a bite out of crime. Or apple. Whatevs.

 

...while mommy's away

...charmer will play:

 

Wasn't it nice of Becky to make this quilt just for Charmer? Yes, we put anything on the floor for Charlie and she just assumes it's for her. Because everything is Charmer's.

Ken was home from work today watching the babe and sent me photo/e-mail updates throughout the day, several about bodily functions (Charlie's, not his).

...a little housekeeping

...it might look a little different here today. Nothing earth-shattering. I've added a list to the left with Charlie's etsy collection and I plan to update my etsy faves list weekly

Here are some of master charles' latest art pieces, courtesy of his JoAnn:

 

 

...10 pounds

...pediatrician's appointment today for a heb colb (head cold), and I asked the nurse to weigh Charlie. He is one ounce from ten pounds over his birth weight, weighing in at a hefty 16 pounds, 4 ounces. Big, tough guy. A photo contrast (same GAP onesie - the first is size "up to seven pounds," the second is 6-12 months):

 

Charlie misses his tan.

..."mom, does this hat make my cheeks look fat?"

...seasonal allergies are no laughing matter, son

...until management can figure out a better way

...dinner is being served in our diapers:

Is there a problem with that, charlie asks?