Charlie's First Christmas!

Charlie's First Christmas has come and gone and I believe this has by far been the best Christmas Josh and I have ever had. I know they will just get more fun as the years go by and as he begins to understand the spirit and the meaning of the Christmas season.

Our Christmas Eve was spent with the Wood Family at Bobbie and Billy's house. We had great food thanks to Bobbie and a wonderful time with family. We also opened some gifts, poor CP was taking a nap so I opened up his for him. I am pretty sure he knew something was up because his nap was short lived and he was ready to play. Mommy and Daddy even got a gift for a night, Josh and I will be taking advantage of a nice meal at the Melting Pot at some point in the next few months. After we left Bobbie and Billy's we came home and relaxed for a few minutes and then got ready for Church. Josh, Shug and Pops got to enjoy the Candlelight Service while me and CP played in the back of the Church, he didn't want to sit still so I let him sit and play in the Brides room. We got home from Church and I put CP down for bed Josh got to work on putting CP's gifts together.

Christmas morning we were up as usual at 6:00, I let Josh sleep a little while I made a Coffee Cake, which is tradition in my family. After everyone was up we opened presents. Charlie got more little toys that made noise and he also got an Anywhere Chair from us, a Rocking Horse from his Shug and Pops and a Car from PePa and RaRa, needless to say we are converting the second guest bedroom into a playroom this weekend to accommodate all CP's new toys. After opening gifts CP when down for a nap and we ate breakfast and got downstairs cleaned up. Charlie got up from his nap ready to play and play he did, after about 2 hours he was ready to sleep again so I laid down wit him for a short nap that turned into 2 hours. Based on how much Charlie slept on Christmas day I would say he had a lot of fun and his first Christmas was a success.

On Tuesday we will leave for the beach to celebrate Christmas, my Birthday and New Years with the McKenna family so look for more Christmas updates in the next week. I hope everyone had a very Merry Christmas. I know we did and we count our blessings everyday for all that was given to us this year.

Mommy and Charlie before Church

Granny, Bobbo and Charlie Playing with my new ball Kisses from MommyCharlies New Sippy Cup and Chair
Sitting in my Anywhere Chair

Charlies New Bath toys

Charlie's Rocking Horse

Charlie and Dixie with the new car

Zoo Light Safari!

On Tuesday night we took Charlie to the zoo for the first time, but we didn't go to see the animals we went to see the Christmas Lights. It was a perfect night there was a little bit of wind and the sky was clear. Charlie enjoyed being strolled around and looking at the lights and had fun seeing the animals in the petting zoo and having his picture taken. Charlie is at the age where anything bright and shiny is entertaining so he was content to sit in his stroller and watch all the lights. He was pretty tired when we got in the car, we weren't even out of the zoo parking lot before he was asleep, after all he was out way past his bedtime. I hope that as a family we can do this every year and make it a Christmas tradition.

Mommy, Daddy and Charlie by the iceberg

Daddy and Charlie being goofy

Mommy, Charlie and the ReindeerCharlie with Santa
Mommy and Charlie

7 Wonderful Months!

I am a couple of days late with the 7 month update but things have been super hectic around our house with me being sick and trying to ready for Christmas it hasn't left but time for updates.

Our little guy is getting so big he is now 7 months old and is sitting up so well and is getting more and more interactive with us and his toys daily. His smile and laugh are just so contagious and even when we are tired and don't feel well he can pull us out of our funk with one big grin. He still doesn't have any teeth and no real sign of them in the near future from what we can tell. This has not stopped him from gobbling down his food though, we have learned in the last week or so that Charlie isn't very patient when it comes to eating, the faster we shovel into his mouth the better. He gets mad when he finishes one bowl and has to wait for the next one, he gets mad if we have to let Dixie in while he is eating and it interrupts him and he gets mad when he is completely finished. I am sure if we let him he would eat 4 or 5 bowls at a time of either applesauce, peas, pears, sweat potatoes or squash. I am not really sure where he puts it all because he is still pretty little but man does our kid love to eat, here's to hoping that this continues as he gets older. In the last month he has also pushed up on all fours a couple time in an attempt to crawl, he has gone backwards a few times but hasn't quit figured out the forward motion, I secretly hope this is a little ways off though because the house isn't quit baby proofed yet, I guess only time will tell.

Those are all the fun goings on in the Wood house this month, but I feel it is only going to get more exciting especially with Christmas just around the corner. Stay tuned for pictures of the little guy playing with all his on Christmas morning.

How could this not make you smile?

CP also took a trip to visit his cousins in Atlanta for Christmas Pictures, RaRa was gracious enough to make them all matching outfits. Lets just say the pictures went as well as could be expected. We were suppose to get professional pictures taken but after realizing that we were going to have to wait almost 2 hours past our appointment time we (Molly and I) decided to take the reigns and be the photographer. After all there was no way we were going to be able to keep 2 infant and a 3 year old happy that long in a small confined space. We headed back to Greg and Molly's house set the camera's up and set the kids in front of the tree. We were able to get some good shots of the cousins together in there cute outfits and we saved a ton of money in the process. I think after the first of the year I am going to find someone in Birmingham to take CP's picture in a natural setting.

Charlie and Kakie Playing

Lane, Charlie and Kakie in their outfits
Having so much fun playing

Charlie Standing Up

Breakfast with Santa!

A week ago our Sunday School class did a "Breakfast with Santa" as a fundraiser and Charlie got to meet Santa for the first time. Overall the first meeting went great Charlie was very interested in pulling Santa's beard and had no problem going to see him. Things did get a little dicey when Charlie sat in his lap but that was due to the fact that we woke him up to try to get a picture. I just hope next year he will do just as good as this year only time will tell if he is like his mommy, scared to death or like his daddy and doesn't mind.

Charlie Meeting Santa

Charlie being woken up by Santa

The Time Has Come!

This morning Josh and I discovered that we can no longer set Charlie in his bounce set unbuckled while we get ready in the morning. As is the usual morning routine, Josh but Charlie in his bouncy seat to watch Sports Center and play with his book and rattle, while we were both getting ready for work. I was drying my hair and I heard screaming and crying coming from my usually very content little boy. I looked out of the bathroom into our room to see Charlie upside down in his bouncy about to fall out head first on to the floor trying to get his rattle. I assume he was trying to sit up to reach the rattle, that is his new thing sitting up whenever possible even if the situation isn't conducive, and then somehow not really sure how but he flipped upside down. I am pretty sure the screaming and crying wasn't over being upside down but because he couldn't reach his rattle. After I flipped him around and strapped him in and gave him his rattle back he was happy to play and watch Sports Center again.

Lesson learned, when you have an infant who wants to sit up more often then not either strap them in or let them play on the floor to ensure they won't fall out.

Merry Christmas

New Trick!

On Friday Charlie wasn't able to sit up so great for Dr. Joe, but I guess a lot can change in two days. He is now able to sit unassisted for a good 3 to 5 minutes and play with his toys. This has opened a whole new world for him and he is pretty proud of himself.

Fun Pictures and an Update!

It has been a while since I had a chance to last update, we have been very busy here in the Wood household. Last week Charlie celebrated his first Thanksgiving and I know he had a blast. He ate his weight in sweet potatoes and mashed potatoes and was quit mad when we didn't let him have anymore. We would have to say that this Thanksgiving we were truly blessed with this little life that was giving to us as well as our family's.

On Friday instead of going shopping at 4am we toke Charlie to see Dr. Joe for his 6 month appointment. Charlie got a good bill of health and Dr. Joe told us to keep doing exactly what we were doing because he looked perfectly healthy. We will have to go back once a month for the next few months to keep a close eye on his ears, since they still have a little bit of fluid in them. Charlie also got 4 shots 3 of which were immunizations and the fourth was the first round of his flu shot, he will get the second round when we go back in a month. Another first for Charlie was his first bruise, it was caused by one of his shots, the nurse said she might have hit a blood vessel when she gave him the shot but there wasn't anything to be worried about. As far as doctors appointments go I will have to say that this was by far the best one we had in the last month since Charlie wasn't sick. As far as his stats go he is doing great and growing and there is no longer an issue with his weight, he is still in the 5% for weight but he is moving up on the curve and as long as he does the doctor says that it is okay especially since he gained almost 3lbs in the last 2 months.

Length at Birth: 20 1/4"
Length at 2 months: 23"
Length at 4 months: 25 1/8"
Length at 6 months: 26"
Weight at Birth: 6.5lbs
Weight at 2 months: 10lbs
Weight at 4 months: 10lbs12oz (as you can see not a lot of weight gain)
Weight at 6 months: 13lbs5oz (still 5% but he is gaining)
Head circumference: 15"
Head circumference: 16"
Head circumference: 17"

Look at Me Sitting up

Playing with PePa and Brumbe
I Love PePa's hat

Playing in the Leaves

Look at that Boy Fly

6 Crazy Months!

We can't hardly believe it but little Charlie is now six months old and a big ball of energy. His little personality is showing through more and more every day and he continues to bring joy to our lives. We love to hear his belly laughs and can't get enough of his sweet smile, which we see more and more of everyday as he discovers something new in his surrounding. He especially loves to smile at Dixie whenever he sees her and he thinks it is hilarious when she shakes her head, the laugh gets louder the more she does it. There truly is nothing better then listening to your child laugh and be happy. Charlie is also starting to sit up by himself for a little bit at a time, I am sure in the next couple of weeks he will have it down and be able to sit up and play.

This weekend we took Charlie to Oak Mountain State Park to go on his first hike and enjoy the beautiful fall colors. We didn't make it very far on the trails because I didn't bring the Bjorn and it was a little to narrow and bumpy for the Jogger. Even though we didn't get a very long hike in we got some great pictures and enjoyed the cool fall day as a family, hope everyone enjoys the new pictures. I am sure everyone is glad this post was not about a sick baby and actually had some fund updates.

Sweet Boy hugging Mommy

Loving My Little Boy
The Wood Family

Charlie Sitting on a Rock

Daddy popped up from Behind

Sitting on the Trail

Playing with the Leaves

Look how cute I am

Hiking on the Trail

I just woke up

Not Again!

I know I said after the last post that the next one would not be about a sick baby, well I lied, our poor little guy has another ear infection. I got another call yesterday from School saying Charlie had spiked a fever of 103, which I couldn't believe because I took his temp before we left for school and it was perfect. Josh went to get him and he spent the day with Rachel, Isabella and Isaac and I wondered all day what it might be. The more I thought about and the more I talked to other about it the more it made sense that it was another ear infection. We came to this conclusion because the night before he had trouble sleeping, he could only fall asleep if he was up right and every time we laid him down he would just scream, which is very out of character for him. We knew he couldn't go back to school so it was RaRa to the rescue, my mom came in last night and took Charlie to see Dr. Joe this morning where the pesky little ear infection was confirmed. It was only in his right ear this time so at lease it wasn't both and hopefully once we get a few doses of antibiotics in him he will be on the mend again. I hope that the next time we go back is for his 6 month check up, that should have been today but due to the hives on Monday we decided to postpone it until the day after Thanksgiving.

Now for a little funny story that Charlie will most likely be embarrassed by when he is a teenager. Last night we decided to give Charlie a cool bath to try to break his fever, our little guy was just playing away and had been in there for a few minutes (note: even with a fever he is still happy as a clam). I was doing some stuff in our room and Josh has been watching him while he was playing, when Josh went to grab the towel he turned around to a very red faced little boy. No he wasn't having a tantrum or anything he was pooping in the tub. The next thing I hear is Josh screaming in the bathroom as well as laughing. I knew at that point what Charlie had done. Luckily Josh scooped him up while he was pooping so none of it got on him it all just ended up in the tub. We both looked at each other and just laughed, we knew it was bound to happen at some point and we were actually surprised it hadn't happened before he was 6 months old.

This time I promise the next post will not be about a sick baby and it will contain pictures.

HIVES!

That's right our poor little boy has hives, we don't know what caused them we are just hoping that the Zyrtec will help them go away. After he woke up this morning Josh put him in his bouncy seat to watch Sports Center (his usual morning routine) while we finished getting dressed. I went to get him to feed him after I was dressed and realized his head was all broken out so I immediately stripped him to see if he had a rash any where else on his little body. I noticed his legs had a few spots that looked like bug bites, none of this seemed to bother him so we went on our merry way and I took him to School. I was at work for about fifteen minutes when I got a call saying that his entire head was covered now and that we needed to come get him so off I sent Josh to go get him and keep an eye on him until our doctors appointment. After Dr. Joe got a good look at him, and I explained that the only thing different was the taste of the banana pudding last night, he came to the conclusion that it was a case of hives and we may never really know what caused them. Dr. Joe told us to give him Zyrtec and to keep a close eye on him for today to make sure that things didn't get worse, which he said they shouldn't but he also said he can't be 100% sure of that either. On a side not he also got weighted today and he is up to 13lbs 7oz, which means that for now his weight issues seem to have been corrected and he is moving in the right direction.

Poor Charlie looks so pitiful but he has been such a trooper through first, his ear infection and now the hives, neither of which seemed to bother him. Hopefully the next post will be some fun updates and not just to let everyone know that Charlie is sick again.

Fun Pictures!

I don't really have any new updates to share but I do have a few new pictures for everyone to enjoy!

Outside enjoying the Day

Oh So much Fun in my Pumpkin outfit

Before Bed on Halloween
Little Monkey

Little Monkey Tail

Sick Little Boy!

On Wednesday October 29 Josh called me to tell me that Charlie was running a fever of 102 and needed to be picked up from daycare. This being the first time that Charlie had really spiked a fever I was worried and a million things were running through my mind about what might be wrong. I first thought the cold he has had for almost three weeks had gotten worse and that was what was causing the fever. We called the doctor and spoke to the on call nurse, it would be our luck that our pediatrician closes early on Wednesday, much to our surprise she told us that his fever wasn't to bad but made an appointment for us with the on call clinic at Pediatrics East to get him checked out. By the time we got to the doctor Charlie was a ball of fire he was so hot from the fever and after waiting for what seemed to be forever we finally saw the doctor and found out our poor little boy had infections in both ears. I would have never guessed this because he never pulled at them or acted like they were bothering him, he acted like his normal happy little self. We got some antibiotics, Tylenol and Motrin for him as well as lots of hugs and kisses and he is on the mend. I am so grateful that Shug was able to come down and keep him on Thursday and Friday so I didn't have to miss any work and I know she took great care of him and he got a little spoiled, which I think every sick baby should be. Stay tuned for Halloween pictures!

Pumpkin Carving!

Today Charlie helped his daddy carve pumpkins, okay not so much help but he was a great supervisor. He only made it through the first one which was his before he had to go in and take a nap but he was nice enough to give us a smile with his smiley pumpkin.

Charlie with his Pumpkin

Cute boy with his cute pumpkin
Josh and I decided to put Charlies costume on him tonight. I am not sure he loved it but it could have been that he was tired when we but it on so maybe on Friday he will like it more. We decided on the monkey because we always call him our little monkey and I thought he would look so cute in it, which he does if I do say so myself.

Mommy's little monkey

And last but not least, this is what happens when you give a little boy carrots, he gets a very messy face and bib.

Back to Belly!

Charlie has been able to roll from belly to back now for about 2 months and today he finally went from back to belly, which from what I hear he should have done first but my little boy doesn't seem to do things the conventional way.

I think he was just waiting for me to turn away from him because I had been watching him for about 30 minutes and he kept teasing me as he has down for the last two weeks, by rolling to his side only to roll back to his back. I turned around for 2 seconds to say something to Josh and when I turned back around he was on his belly. I guess he just didn't feel the pressure anymore and decided it was time. Now he is a little pro at it and he can even get his little arm situated so that he can roll back without any help. I guess this means he is getting more mobile and we may need to start really baby proofing the house soon. I tried to get a good video but the little guy is fast so the one I have has him almost all the way from back to belly as soon as I can catch a better one I will and get it loaded for all to see. Sorry in advance for my annoying voice but I love to cheer him on so if you don't want to listen to me just turn the volume down. Enjoy.

Cereal is Great

As I mentioned last week Charlie wasn't a really big fan of the cereal at first. This all has seemed to change, with some advice from my mom I decided to mix some cereal with the the apple sauce he loved. Much to my surprise he loved the cereal and apple sauce combo so I decided to try the cereal solo and he gobbled it up. I am guessing he just had to get used to the new texture. Now that he is use to the new texture he can't get enough of it as you can see in the video he couldn't get it fast enough, my little boy loves to eat and hopefully this will get him gaining some more weight.

I Love My Feet!

For anyone that know me (Becky) well you know that I am not big on feet, quit frankly they have always freaked me out. As I have gotten older I have gotten a little less freaked out by them but still not a big fan. It is quite obvious that my little boy does not share this phobia with his mommy. He found he feet several weeks ago, but it wasn't until the last few days that he was able to get them in his mouth. His new obsession with getting his feet in his mouth has made diaper changing and clothes changing quit difficult because anytime he is on his back he is reaching for them and putting them in his mouth. This new obsession has also made Josh and I realize just how flexible little baby's are. Tonight I decided to get a few shots of him with said feet in his mouth and I now realized just how painfully uncomfortable this looks but he doesn't seem to mind. The funny thing is Josh and I were worried about him sucking his thumb but now we would rather that then his big toe.

Almost Naked Boy

I love my feet
Seriously this can't be comfy

Charlie and the Great Pumpkin Patch!

Today we took Charlie to "The Great Pumpkin Patch" in Hayden, AL, and we all had a great time. It was a perfect fall day with the temperature getting to about 65 degrees and sunny skies, we couldn't have asked for a better day. It's day like today that remind me why I love fall so much, don't get me wrong I love summer and the beach but I absolutely love when the weather gets a little cooler with a nice breeze and you have to pull out the jeans and sweaters.

We got to the pumpkin patch a little after 11:00 and much to my surprise the place was packed and we had a little trouble find a parking spot. After we finally found a spot and got inside we enjoyed a show from a local dance theater, I love watching itty bitties dancing, they always look so cute following along and doing the steps. After watching for a few minutes we decided it was time to go to the patch and pick our pumpkins. We took a hayride up to the patch, which was Charlies first hayride and I am pretty sure he enjoyed it. When we got to the patch we walked around for about 15 minutes looking for 2 perfect pumpkins. We wanted one big one and one littler one for Charlie. After scouring the patch we found our two pumpkins and headed back to the farm area. Josh and I enjoyed a funnel cake and listened to some little kids sing when we got back from the patch. Charlie is still fighting his cold and I think it is making him sleepy so while Josh and I were eating our funnel cake he fell asleep. We were going to do the petting zoo but decided not to because Charlie was sleeping and we didn't want to wake him up, so we decided to head back home, maybe next year he will get to check out all the animals.

We had a great day as a family and look forward to many more of these events in the years to come. I know Charlie won't remember this year but I hope this becomes a tradition and when he gets older and has his own kids he can take them and tell them how much he loved it as a kid.

The Wood's on the Hayride

Daddy and Charlie on the Hayride Charlie and the Great PumpkinCrabby boy in the Patch
Mommy and Charlie
Riding around at the Patch
Mommy and Charlie again
Charlie and Mommy in the Pumpkin Patch