Aunt Rachel Is Having a Baby!!!!

I have literally been about to burst at the seams for the last few weeks knowing that my best friend is going to be a Momma!  Rachel and Garner finally made the big announcement last night that Baby G is due March 12, 2012.  I have been beyond excited knowing that I am going to be an Aunt to that precious baby, and that Charley is going to have a new best friend.  AHHHH....the excitement gets me just thinking about it!!!

Charley and I went shopping for Baby G's first toy!!!  (It's as close to Charley's favorite toy as we could find...in gender neutral colors, of course!)

Rachel clearly has the touch...Charley obviously adores her!

I couldn't talk her into a "side-shot" or "belly-touch" picture...so I settled for the two of us with Baby G's new toy!

Dinner at Cheddars to tell Courtney the exciting news...I guess its safe to say, 2 down-1 to go???

My mind has been spinning since Rachel told me the news!!!  After all, I am the ultimate planner!  We have 29 more weeks to talk about all of the pregnancy symptoms, emotions and side effects, shop for the perfect nursery, plan the baby shower, and attempt to mentally prepare Rachel for how her world is about to completely change!  I have offered to her and Garner some hands-on, overnight practice with Charley...but Garner declined!  Can't say that I blame him, but he will have the real thing before no time!

5 Month Photo Session

Charley's favorite trick this month has been to roll over onto her belly!  She loves to play and sleep on her belly.  I was a little worried about her sleeping that way at first, but after a few nights of watching her on the monitor and running in her room a few times to check if she was breathing, I decided that she was fine....besides, she sleeps WAY better that way.  After her 4 month check-up, we started doing cereal and some baby food.  It has been so cute watching her learn to take a spoon and see how she liked the different foods that we gave her.  She's tried sweet peas, sweet potatoes, apples, green beans, carrots, and peaches.  The peaches were by far her least favorite, and the carrots are definitely her favorite! Since we didn't go to the doctor this month, I had to measure and weigh Charley myself.  I came up with 26 1/2 inches long and 16 pounds.  She was actually 15 1/2 pounds, because we sat her on the scale at Mailboxes Plus...a perfect little package, if I say so myself!

Happy Birthday Daddy!

We recently celebrated Craig's birthday in Kentucky at Texas Roadhouse, which is Craig's new favorite place to eat.  Charley was, of course, the center of attention!  Dad was up to his normal tricks, and he spent the entire lunch sneaking peanuts into Granny Martha's purse!  We all cracked up the whole time, because we knew what he was doing and she didn't.  She didn't figure it out until we got in the car...I won't repeat what she called him, but it was hilarious...blog inappropriate...but hilarious!  We came back home early to spend Craig's actual birthday, July 31, just the three of us.  We went to church and Cheddars and just laid around the house.  Craig said it was a perfect day with his favorite girls!

Its so funny how much things can change in a year.  It was last year on Craig's birthday that we made our big announcement that we were expecting!  I said, "Craig has another present that he is probably the most excited about, but it can't be delivered until the first of March!"  Such an exciting day for us!

(Thanks Court for capturing a picture of us that day!)

Momma and Daddy in Chicago and Charley in Kentucky

This past weekend was like a second honeymoon for me and Craig!  We spent a long weekend in Chicago, just the two of us, and had a great time.  We saw the Beauty and the Beast play, attended a Cub's game at Wrigley field, shopped, walked around Navy Pier, ate Garrett's popcorn, and slept until 11 every day!  I have always been a shopper, but I never knew how much joy I would have shopping for my baby.  Craig and I went straight to the baby section in all the stores.  I think we would have bought all of Chicago for her, but we ended up with a Mickey Mouse Clubhouse book, stuffed Mickey and Minnie, a Juicy Couture fall outfit, some "knock-about" outfits for now, and great bargains at Bloomingdales for next summer.  We even went into the American Girl store to get prepared for what's to come in our future!

Beauty and the Beast was AMAZING!  Of course, we kept saying how we will have to take Charley when she is bigger.

Watching the Chicago Cub's at Wrigley Field

Knowing that Charley was with her Gramma and Granddad made our trip so much better!  We didn't have to worry about her, because she was in great hands!  We were constantly checking our phones to see if they had sent any new pictures.  Here are a few that they sent!

Playing on her zoo mat looking like a big girl.

Well, Granddad said that every time he spit in his spit cup, Charley would look at him.  So he decided she needed her own spit cup...awesome...he said she played with that cup for 15 minutes and really liked it!

Obviously she had been with her Granddad...notice the Mike Frizzell scowl!

Being a big girl by holding her own bottle!

Bath time on her last day in Kentucky!

The Cutest Shopper at Market

She may not be Fifty, but she is definitely Fabulous.  Charley and I went with Gramma and Carole to the July Market in Atlanta to get new stuff for their Fifty and Fabulous booth in Benton.  I honestly thought my Market days were over for a while, but Carole noticed a tiny ad in the newest market book with a man carrying his baby in a Babybjorn.  Apparently the new rule allows babies under the age of 1, as long as they are in a Babybjorn...NO strollers.  We didn't know if we were brave or stupid for taking a 4 month old to such an exhausting occasion, but she was so good!  Charley was hands down the cutest shopper at Market!  She definitely attracted a crowd being one of four babies that we saw the whole day.

Charley even wore her own badge

She had to take a little cat nap.

One of the benefits of Market is finding the showroom or booth with the best snack or treat!  I just so happened to notice a table with cupcakes, which ended up being for an author doing a book signing for her newest children's book.  She loved being able to sign a book for Charley and take a picture with her.  

Momma and Charley with Joy Allen, author of Princess Palooza

Tervis Tumblers are a personal favorite in our house, which made it appropriate for us to visit the Tervis Tumbler showroom.  We all enjoyed their yummy snacks, a mini slushy, and a photo op with Mr. Tervis Tumbler himself!

How sweet...Charley and Mr. Tervis Tumbler holding hands!

Gramma and Carole with Mr. Tervis Tumbler

We pretty much closed Market down by leaving at 7:30.  Charley definitely shopped until she dropped!

Charley's Baby Cousins

Memorial Day is pretty memorable in our family this year because of the birth of Charley's newest cousins: Lily Grace and Parker Wyatt Edwards.  Born at 32 weeks, Lily was 4 pounds, 1 ounce and 16 3/4 inches long and Parker was 3 pounds, 7 ounces and 15 1/2 inches long.  We have seen first-hand God's blessings over the twins since their birth.  Both babies stayed in the NICU for a few weeks, Parker was in Paducah at Western Baptist and Lily was flown to Kosairs Children Hospital in Louisville.  Despite their rocky start in the world, they are both now home with their proud Momma and Daddy.  We actually got to visit them while we were home for the 4th of July.  When they get stronger, Charley will get to meet her new buddies!  (How fun is Christmas going to be with 3 babies so close in age????  Can't wait!)

We are so happy for you, Jason and Tracey, and so thankful for these precious babies!  We love you guys!

4 Month Photo Session

This last month has been full of new experiences with Charley!  For starters, she no longer has to sleep in the car seat..YEAH!!!  She spent a couple of days in Kentucky and on her first night there, Gramma text me saying she had rolled over for the first time.  I was so sad that I missed it, but she did it a few more times throughout the month from her back to belly...which her doc said was the hardest way.  She also found her feet...which is absolutely precious to see her sitting in her little chair holding her feet out.  She can identify voices and follows you when you are walking around her.  At the end of the month she started sticking her thumb in her mouth and sucking it.  And her biggest "trick" is motor-boating or blowing bubbles...a special thanks to her Granddaddy for that one!  She loves it.  She pretty much rotates between motor-boating and squealing.  She had a great 4 month exam.  She had shots and did so good with them.  She weighed 14 pounds, 3 ounces and was 25 inches long...between the 65-70 percentile for both.  We start cereal and a little baby food this month, so I am sure I will have plenty to blog about!