5 months

Charlotte turned 5 months today. The time has gone so much faster than it did with Madeline and Grace. Charlotte is such a happy and sweet-natured person. She smiles at everyone, but understandably, is especially fond of her sisters. No one can make her belly-laugh like Grace! She is sleeping 6-8 hour stretches through the night now, which is wonderful for everyone. She likes to hear her own voice and so she babbles and squeals a lot. She has also added pears to her diet. I'm so happy she's part of our family!
She's also learning to sit by herself!

Bribery

Sam came home from work with a few boxes of Girl Scout cookies and the girls wanted to skip dinner altogether. When we told them they could only have cookies after they finished their roasted chicken I made, they attacked their food and ate like savages at a Renaissance festival. The sugar took affect before they even left the dinner table.
Winter static and chicken grease seemed to be a recipe for disaster with Madeline's hair.

Grace thought it was funny to get cookie in her teeth. She told me I could leave the bag right there by her...just to keep her eye on it.

Breakfast

I tried making letter pancakes this morning to so something a little different, hoping Madeline and Grace will eat a little more so they aren't ready for a snack by 9am. Not bad for my first attempt, and it worked...they both ate more than traditional pancakes.

FYI to all my mom friends...using a turkey baster works great, using a batter with whole flax seeds does not.

On a side note: when Grace woke up from her nap yesterday she said, "I slept so long that I was snoring and ZZZs came out of my mouth!" She cracks me up!

Recent drawings

Grace's imagination has blossomed overnight, and it is evident in her drawings. This is an example of the types of drawings she used to do, this is of me (left) and Sam. This past week she has been hard at work at her table, and I look forward to when she finishes each one and tells me about it.
A few members of our family...

This didn't look like much to me, but I was told it is a giant ostrich with earth and dirt on it covered in spider webs...

Daddy bowling, with rainbows and a mouse eating a finger...

Daddy and his work building...

A caterpillar and Daddy's work and rainbows...

People being chased by a big giant...

A giant abominable snow turtle with 5 worms coming out of it... A mouse-shaped space ship with a square vitamin and a bee trying to eat it...

Big girl beds

Madeline and Charlotte both moved up into bigger beds. Charlotte had grown WAY too big for her co-sleeper, and Madeline needed to give up her crib for a big girl bed. We turned the guest room into Charlotte's own room and gave Madeline the guest bed.

Both girls are very happy with the arrangement. Charlotte is getting good naps and sleeping better through the night. Madeline is THRILLED with her big girl bed and her own toys (she still occasionally goes into Charlotte's room to play with the baby toys). And, thanks to the added space, Sam and I are also happy to have reclaimed our living room.

Family bowling

The 5 of us went bowling this weekend and we had such a great time together. It was Madeline's first time to bowl, and she used the ramp for help. Her and Grace both had bumpers, so they wouldn't be discouraged with gutterballs. There was a lot of laughing, dancing, and many high fives. Charlotte woke up as our game ended, just in time for lunch.

A New Year

Charlotte began the new year trying solid food. Rice cereal, banana, and avocado all seem to be a big hit with her. As with everything, she eats with a smile!