Two Month Update

Hard to believe, but Charlie Boy turned two months old yesterday.  We had his two-month check-up yesterday and here are the updated stats:

Weight:  12 lbs., 2 oz. (a full 3 lbs. more than when he was born)
Height:  23 1/4 inches (3 1/4 inches longer than when he was born)

No surprise, but Charlie is currently 75th percentile for his weight and 50th percentle for his height.  They didn't give us the official measurement, but I'm pretty sure he's in the 100th percentile for cheek chubbiness/kissability.

We figured that he was growing, but it was nice to receive some official confirmation.  I was nervous about Charlie receiving shots, but he took it like a champ - only crying for a minute and then smiling at us.  The rotavirus vaccine was oral and let's just say that Charlie's love of eating was on full display!  The nurse asked me to hold him upright as "most babies really dislike the taste of the vaccine and it's hard to get them to swallow."  Well...not our Charlie Boy.  He sucked on the syringe like it was the best thing he ever ate, shocking the nurse.  Even she started laughing saying that in all of her years of being a nurse, she's never seen anything like that before.  Who knew that the rotavirus vaccine was so tasty! 

I was trying to get a few pictures of Charlie during tummy time.  I think the picture taken below was right before he started to have a meltdown.  He has yet to appreciate my need to give direction during our photo shoots.  And yes, he and BJ share the same hairline.

We've had a busy couple of days. We meet my sister and nieces in Des Moines for some shopping and hanging out over the weekend and my mom came to visit on Monday and left this morning. It was nice to have an additional set of hands around and Charlie especially enjoyed the extra lovin' from his Grandma Kathy.

BJ and I think that Charlie may be as tall as his Grandma Kathy by Christmas.

Like Mommy, Like Son

Charlie loves him some massage...a boy after my own heart!  He and I attended an Infant Massage Class last night that was sponsored through our local "Parents as Teachers" program.  Although the instructor was less than stellar (she threw out wise nuggets such as "do not use so much pressure as to hurt your baby" or "if your baby doesn't like the massage, stop"), the other moms had some great suggestions.

There were about 10 other moms in the class and one mom came in wearing pearls, red high heels and carrying her TWINS.  Dang!  I thought I was doing good.  The other moms and I exchanged wistful glances, secretly knowing that if this was a contest, she would have won the tiara for the day.  Charlie thoroughly enjoyed his 40 minute massage with lavender-scented lotion and it was a nice to meet a few other moms in the area.  Below is a picture of Charlie post-massage just smiling and hanging out.

In other big news, between a combination of swaddling, Charlie discovering that he can suck on his hand and praying to God (I promise I will stop watching episodes of  "Jersey Shore" and "Real Housewives of Orange County" if you help Charlie like his crib again...), Charlie has had some great nights in his crib.  There is a new episode of "Real Housewives of Orange County" on tonight but I stand by my deal with God.  I wonder if reading an online recap of the show counts...

Blood, Sweat, Tears & Pretzel Salt

Charlie's blood, my sweat and tears from both us...although a lot more from me than him.  It was quite a morning.

Charlie was peacefully sleeping so I decided that it was an ideal time to trim his nails.  As I went to cut the last nail, his cute little thumb nonetheless, he jumped and I accidently cut a little of his skin.  Immediately his lower lip popped out and he started to cry.  I began to cry and then sweat when I saw his finger start to bleed.  I lost all sense of logic and immediately began to think that I should call our pediatrician or at the very least call BJ and tell him to come home from work.  Although the thumb only bled for a minute or so, and Charlie cried for less than a minute, I was a wreck.  To me, the two blood-stained cotton balls looked like something out of "Saving Private Ryan."  When BJ came home for lunch an hour after the "incident", Charlie was smilng and kicking his legs and I looked like I had just left a family member's funeral.  I did not take a picture of the mommy-induced injury as I do not want to assist Child Protective Services with gathering any evidence.

Despite the traumatic morning, by late afternoon I hit my stride.  I decided to bake a few chicken breasts - some of which we were going to have for dinner last night and others to freeze for a later meal.  Before leaving Charlie with BJ to go to Target, I placed said perfectly baked chicken breasts on top of the oven to cool and off I went.  I even put on mascara for my big Target outing.  Well, I was just walking into Target when BJ called to say that all was well at home, but while BJ was in our bedroom with Charlie, Ginger managed to eat all of the chicken breasts.  I should have been mad, but all I could think was "well shoot, I bet she didn't even let Copper have a little bite." 

Knowing that dinner was now digesting in Ginger's stomach, I decided to swing through Target's little cafe and pick up a giant pretzel that was dripping with butter and sprinkled in salt.  Not the most nutritious option, but I had a rough morning (see previous paragraph about injuring my child).  I carefully ate the pretzel using the wax paper wrapper that was provided and multiple napkins so as to avoid touching the pretzel with my hands (there was just no way that I could use Purell between every bite and steering the cart, so this was the safest option).  I was pretty impressed with myself when I noticed that I kept getting these smiling/pity looks from other customers.  I assumed that they saw the box of size 1 Pampers in my cart and were giving me the "oh, you just had a baby and you're here at Target, bless you" look that I used to give people.  It was only after loading my purchases in the car and checking my reflection in my rearview mirror that I noticed that I had a streak of butter on my chin and at least 3 visible pieces of pretzel salt stuck to my lip.

Sadly, this is just the latest anecdote about me going out in public with food on my face.  I've been known to show up at work with a huge blob of peanut butter on my cheek or take the dogs for a walk with melted chocolate on my chin.  Apparently I mirror the eating habits of a toddler.  Needless to say, the butter/pretzel salt stained-face took all attention away from the fact that I was wearing mascara.  I'm such a rookie.

The Crib is Evil

...or so Charlie believes.  Don't get me wrong, we know that we are really lucky as Charlie continues to be a pretty happy little boy so long as his tummy is full and his diaper is clean.  However, during the day he has developed a deep-rooted hatred of his crib.  Who can blame him?  We only bought the best crib that we could find, decorated it with over-priced bedding from Pottery Barn for Kids and surrounded it with all sorts of goodies (i.e. a Sleep Sheep noise machine, some Hawkeye decorations, etc.) that scream that he is loved.

When it becomes obvious that Charlie Boy is tired, we hold him until his really drowsy and then put him in his crib to fall asleep.  Just like the books tell us to do.  The books indicate that "some babies may cry a little before falling into a deep, restful sleep."  Apparently I've purchased nothing but fiction books regarding baby how-tos.  BJ and I debated what "a little" crying may be, but we're fairly certain that Charlie's screams of bloody murder fall outside of the realm of "a little". 

I have to hand it to him - Charlie's performances truly tug at the heart strings.  As soon as we pick him up, he cozies in and falls asleep within one minute.  I then rock with him for a minimum of ten minutes before trying to lay him down again.  As soon as I begin the process of laying him in his crib, his little eyes pop open as if to say "I dare you - just try to put me down."  At one point yesterday I eyed the crib wondering if I could physically climb in with Charlie for a few minutes to trick him into thinking that I was still holding him.  Don't get me wrong - I love holding him as he is snuggled in with his little kissable cheek next to mine, but I fear that his little world may be put upside down when he starts day care in a few weeks.  Unless I can slip the day care workers an extra $20 every morning so that they agree to hold him the entire time that he naps.  Now that is a solution that makes sense.

Below is a picture of Charlie in his duckie robe after his bath the other night.  He didn't think that he looked nearly as cute as we did.  Given the fact that my hot pink fuzzy robe has made its appearance practically every day since my maternity leave began, I figured it was time for Charlie to try his on for size.  Unfortunatley for him, the pockets of his robe were not filled with Hershey Kisses or bubble gum like my pockets always are.

We hope that you had a great weekend! 

And the Golden Globe for Saddest Baby Goes To....

Charlie Stephen Supple - for his performance beginning at 5:50 PM on Saturday, January 16th and ending at 1:00 AM on Sunday, January 17th.  He would like to thank his parents for being the sole audience members of this memorable performance. 

For reasons unknown to us, Charlie decided to truly test his lung capactiy last night and we couldn't do a darn thing to stop him.  We fed him, burped him, changed his diaper, rocked with him, sang to him, gave him tummy time, gave him "alone" time in his crib, swayed with him, swaddled him, unswaddled him...all in that order and about 10 different times.  Finally, around 1:00 in the morning, he waved his little white flag to surrender and fell asleep.  At some point during the night I was transported back in time when I used to baby-sit and I was trying to think of what I did when I couldn't get the baby to calm down.  It dawned on me - I would call the parents and tell them to come home to calm their baby down.

This morning as we were getting him ready to run some errands and all in a much better mood, we had a little chat with Charlie Boy about last night.  Initially, Charlie declared it a victory for babies throughout the country by making the "V" sign with his arms.

But then, he realized that life is much better for everyone with less crying.  Upon this realization, he raised his little left hand and swore that he wouldn't cry as much tonight as he did last night.  So far, he's kept his promise.

Here's to hoping that you all had a great weekend and that you will have a lovely beginning to the week.

1st Road Trip

Whew - we made it.  Charlie had his first whirwind trip back to Cascade last weekend for his baptism and to meet the rest of his cousins and some family friends.  It was a big weekend for us - Charlie and I saw more people in a 72 hour period that we've seen since he was born.  And, it marked the first time that I haven't worn elastic-waisted pants or sported my fuzzy pink robe for one whole day.  Vogue - look out!

We could have been stranded in Iowa for two weeks and Charlie would have been set with clothes, diapers, toys and books (yes, books because at 3:00 on Friday morning I decided that I should pack 4 books for him - I guess in case he wanted to pick up reading during his down time in the car).  On the other hand, I realized on Sunday morning that I did not pack a "going home" outfit for myself.  My my, how times have changed.

Friday night my parents hosted what BJ and I jokily referred to as "Charlie's Coming Out Party", or a night for some of my aunts and uncles to stop by and meet Charlie.  Ironically, Charlie spent most of his "coming out party" by "staying inside" the back bedroom.  I'd like to think that he wanted to stay mysterious so he decided to "be shown" in 1-2 minute increments every 45 minutes, but I think he was just a little fussy.  Let's just say that it was his party and he cried (and did) if he wanted to!  Needless to say, I failed to capture any evidence of this evening on camera.

On Saturday morning our good friends Troy, Jen and their daughters Lauren and Reese came to Cascade to meet Charlie.  Laure and Reese are expecting a little brother or sister in a few months and both looked like pros holding Charlie.

Reese and Charlie

Lauren and Charlie (who was ready to eat again - what a shock)

Before baptism on Saturday night, we had Supple family pictures at Steve and Jan's house.  In the midst of that photo shoot, I failed to take any pictures of Charlie and his cousin Max, but they enjoyed some great quiet moments together at Grandpa Steve and Grandma Jan's house.  It will be very fun when Charlie gets older and can play (copy) Max. 

Charlie napping on BJ's chest between family pictures and baptism.

After family pictures, we switched to baptism mode and I dressed Charlie in his heirloom baptismal outfit...or an all-white outfit that I found at Dillard's.  The "options" when purchasing a baptismal outfit for an infant boy were horrendous.  I'm talking mini white tuxedos with top hats.  I sometimes dress my dogs in sweaters and even I think that the white tuxedos are ridiculous.  So although nothing says "make me a Catholic please" like a one-piece Ralph Lauren outfit, it was the best that I could do.

Charlie did pretty well during the baptism, but he did wake up and start to cry when the actual holy water was poured over his head.  My sister, Molly, and BJ's sister, Jenn, agreed to serve as Charlie's godparents and many little cousins witnessed the event as well.  It was pretty dark in church, so the quality of the photos isn't the greatest.

Something must have amused us.

The mini-papparazzi.

Charlie and his Great Grandma Kate with the blanket that she made for him.

Charlie with his godparents.

Charlie and his Uncle Marty.

Please excuse the red eyes.  The red eye reduction tool on my camera isn't working and I didn't even know that we were fighting.

Before we headed back to Kansas City on Sunday morning we stopped back at my parent's house and Charlie had a little more time to spend with some cousins.  All in all, it was a busy, but great weekend.  We hope that the next time we are back that we have more time to spend with everyone.

One Month Update

Yesterday Charlie turned one-month old and I cannot believe how fast the last four weeks have flown by!  He is changing and growing by the day and we love getting to see his little personality develop before our eyes. 

A couple of things that we want to remember about Charlie at this age - so far Charlie is a pretty content baby and only cries when he is hungry...which some days feels like that is every other hour :).  Between mother nature and Similac, we are working together to keep his belly full.  When he is hungry, his cry is so dramatic and sad that you would think we are starving him.  I can't blame him - I have been known to get pretty crabby myself if there is an unnecessary delay between my hunger pangs and actually eating.  He loves to have his diaper changed but is not a fan of lotion being rubbed on his tummy.  Maybe he fears that real men don't moisturize.

Charlie has slept in his crib since the day we came home from the hospital and usually manages to do at least 3 hour stretches and sometimes up to 4 or 5 hour stretches during the night.  His preferred place to sleep is on my or BJ's chest while we are on the couch - he cuddles right in and just konks out.  His naps are a little unpredictable - some times he will be out for 3 hours and other times it is just an hour.  Usually he chooses to take a shorter nap if I decide to run an errand or take a shower.  His timing can be impeccable! 

Another funny thing about Charlie at this age is that his toots are loud enough to wake the dead and sound as though they are coming from a 300 lb. man and not a little baby.  This "skill" (in BJ's opinion) has earned Charlie the nickname of "Tooty McTooterson", in addition to "Charlie Boy". 

Below are two other pictures that I took yesterday - one "close-up" while he was sitting on my knees and the other of him modeling a hat that I found at The Childrens Place.  BJ and I still don't know who he looks like, but he definitely has my toes, which is very unfortunate.  They are toes that only a mother could love and the only good thing I can say about them that if he or I ever lose the use of our hands, we'll be ok because our toes could suffice as fingers. 

Within the last week Charlie has seemed really aware of being talked to and has started to move his mouth like he wants to join the conversation.  His eyes get so wide that I have very high expectations for his contribution to the conversation (i.e. who killed Kennedy, the recipe for Bush's family baked beans, etc.).  Below is a picture of the type of wide-eyed/stunned look that he kept giving me as I was talking to him during a diaper change. 

Our only cause for concern is that Charlie loves when I sing to him, which means that he must be tone deaf.  He's happily listened to everything from the theme song to the Golden Girls to the Cougar and UNI fight songs.  Here's to hoping that he keeps his standards low for entertainment courtesy of mom and dad.