Mommy receives a heart-melting welcome from Charlotte

Around 5 am, Daddy reported to Mommy that he heard Charlotte chatting in her crib. Around 6 am when Mommy went downstairs to make coffee, Mommy heard Charlotte giggling in her crib, but when Mommy came back upstairs about 30 minutes later, there was no sound coming from Charlotte’s room. So, it looks like Charlotte went back to sleep. Charlotte awoke with loud cries at 7:45 am. She was laying in her crib with her head in the corner, making sounds. It took some convincing to get Charlotte to stand up to get out of the crib. Mommy and Charlotte enjoyed a nice long hug standing in the middle of her room while Mommy chatted to Charlotte and swayed back and forth—-Mommy really enjoys moments like this. When Charlotte lifted her head and motioned to turn on the light, we were ready to start our day.

Charlotte enjoyed her morning bottle while laying on a blanket on the office floor, occasionally stopping to play with her stacking boxes. She was quite content to busy herself for some time. Today, Charlotte kneeled down, put her face on her blanket, and patted her own bum with her hands—-we’ve never see her do this before.

Charlotte enjoys sitting in her activity chair; however, she occasionally stands up on it, despite our constant requests to get down.

Daddy took Charlotte to her Music and Movement class so that Mommy could attend her work Christmas party. Daddy reported that Charlotte enjoyed her class and participated well until close to the end when she wandered off to look out the windows. Daddy put Charlotte down for her nap when they got home; about 30 minutes later, Charlotte was crying as she had thrown up in her bed. Daddy stripped the bed, changed Charlotte, and took her to our bed to watch a little program. After lunch, Charlotte went down for a nap, which lasted a little more than an hour.

When Mommy got home, she got a really warm and happy welcome from Charlotte—-she was so excited to see Mommy that she got down off the bed and did a little dance. Mommy and Charlotte enjoyed many hugs and kisses until Charlotte wanted to get down to play in Mommy’s office chair.

Daddy ordered Chinese food for dinner—-Charlotte wasn’t as good an eater as she usually is. On our way downstairs, Charlotte said something very close to “downstairs.”

After dinner, we played on Mommy’s bed until it was time for bed. Mommy heard Charlotte cough a number of times just shortly after she went down. Mommy hopes that Charlotte isn’t getting sick, as she has a lot of parties and activities to attend next week and we’re putting up the Christmas tree this weekend. Mommy is eager to see Charlotte’s reaction to the whole Christmas scene and decorations in the house.

Once Mommy was sure that Charlotte was sound asleep, she snuck out of the house to go to a couple of Midnight Madness sales. Mommy was a little nervous stepping out the front door at 10:45 pm to go shopping after watching a Criminal Minds episode where a man hid in bushes late at night and abducted women. I have to say that Mommy was a little more careful than usual and very aware of her surroundings tonight.

The stores were crazy busy. You wouldn’t believe the traffic on the roads so late at night—-you would think it was 8 pm instead of well after midnight. Mommy made it home safe and sound to find her family fast asleep all snuggled up in their blankets. No one stirred as Mommy hid the bags in the “gift room.” The brisk cold air of the evening wakened Mommy right up, so with a cup of hot chai tea in hand and some soft music playing, Mommy settled down at her desk to write lists and catch up on messages. Mommy headed off to bed close to 2 am, knowing that Charlotte would be up sometime around 8 am, she hopes.