Bounce, Charlie, Bounce!

Charlie loves to bounce, especially with her cousin, Alex!  Here's proof:

PS:  Sorry about the annoying song.  It came about in our (failed) attempt to get Charlie to bounce in her Johnny Jump Up.

More first step pics

I'm such a proud mama; I can't get enough of these pics of Charlie's first steps!  In reviewing my 50+ screenshots that I took, I realised that I somehow failed to post any pictures of Charlie looking at me while taking her first steps.  That was one of the most amazing parts of the whole experience.  She could see me and I could see her.  It was SO AWESOME!

So, even though I totally didn't think we needed an iPad, I was able to see my daughter take her first steps because of it.  That makes it worth its weight in gold.  (Which, coincidentally, is about how much it costs . . . )  I was also able to get a good view of Charlotte crawling over Jason in the middle of our conversation.  It went something like this:

I love technology!

FIRST STEPS VIA SKYPE!!

Jason and I were skyping when Charlotte randomly started standing on her own over and over.  We were pretty amazed as she has only ever stood on her own very briefly before.  Eventually she stood up and got excited and started clapping.  I took a few screen shots (don't mind the overzealous parents in the background):

We were both so excited!  I said to Jason that if I were there, I bet we could get her to walk between us.  He immediately propped up the iPad and tried to get her to walk to him.  Amazingly, it worked!!!

I just watched my daughter take her first steps from another country.  That is still a bit mind blowing to me.

After she did it once, she did it a bunch more times:

Jason and I were both just laughing the entire time.  We could hardly believe what was happening!  This was our reaction afterwards:

So awesome!  We're so proud of our big girl!  And so thrilled that we were able to experience this together even though we're so far away!!  

Eating Skillz

Jason sent me this video of Charlie feeding herself yoghurt and I thought it was too cute not to share!

Can you believe that she had her first solid foods only six months ago?!

Walking Skillz

Obviously, this was recorded on Halloween! (You can't quite see it in the video, but she is actually pushing a big pumpkin around!)

Charlie pulls herself up on anything and everything and her most favourite thing to do is to push this cart around the living room.  She is going to be walking before her first birthday!

Teeth Growing Skillz

I was welcomed home by one handsome husband and a snuggly baby with three new teeth!  THREE!  

Can you see them?

Can you see them now?

PS:  Happy ten months Charlie!!  

Communication Skillz

She speaks! (Well, kind of.)



We've been working on some simple sign language signs for quite a while now and she seems to (finally!) be catching on!

(PS: I'm not sure why the sound is a bit off. I'll see what I can do about that.)

Moving on . . .

On this anniversary of 9/11, it is good to see that, despite the utter devestation that was this day ten years ago, life moves on.  Today Charlie crawled for the first time! 

Bathing Skillz

Miss Thang has graduated from her baby bath! 

Here is a pic of her in the bath when we first moved here five months ago.  It is hard to believe she was ever this little!

 And she is nearly unrecognisable in this pic from her very first bath EVER!

How time flies.

Walking Skillz

Charlotte can walk!  Well, okay, she isn't actually walking, but she is closer than ever before.  My mom started walking with her while she was in town, and Charlie is totally hooked.  It is her new favourite pastime and her newest skill.

Sitting Skillz!

Charlotte has been close to sitting up on her own for weeks now. She was sitting with Jason for long periods just the other day (while I was vomiting. Ugh.) and then she made it official yesterday.  Charlotte is really enjoying her new skill and Jason and I just can't get over what a big girl she is now! She'll be crawling before we know it!



In other news, all three of us have recovered from the stomach bug that overtook the family over the weekend. We had to skip out on our ex-pat 4th of July picnic on the common which we were super bummed about, but we're just grateful to be feeling better!

More Skillz

Charlie has discovered her tongue.

Skillz

Charlotte has developed a new skill over the past couple of days. She is extremely proud of herself.