Charlotte's 10-11 Month Update

Where to start? Our little Charlotte entered this world almost a year ago, last January. She came into the world 2.5 weeks early! And since she came, she stole our hearts in the best way possible. Miss Charlotte is a very happy baby! She always has something to squeal and smile about, and I love her happy-go-lucky nature. It wasn't always like that though and I would not say by any means that she is an easy baby. She was a boarder-line colicky baby, and so for the first three months we were beside ourselves trying to make her happy. While I do think there is a lot to parenting and "training" your children to behave appropriately in certain instances, I couldn't believe once she came along how each baby can be so completely different. For the first three months with Charlotte, there was nothing we could do to make her happy other than hold her. You guys, what you need to know about Charlotte is that this girl knows what she wants and she knows how to get it. And that's just been her nature since she has come along into this world! 

As I said before, Charlotte truly is a happy-go-lucky baby. Like Parker, I put her on a schedule starting at 8 weeks old, where she had a bedtime, she had 4 naps a day then moved to 3 then moved to 2 scheduled nap times a day, and that my friends is what keeps her so happy. When she sleeps and eats, she is happy! (But let's be honest though, that's also if you are giving her attention and she has a clean diaper.) And it really truly makes our lives easier when our baby is happy because she has something to rely on. 

Charlotte is the kind of baby that picked up on everything early. She is a determined little one!! And when I say little one, she has always been a little peanut. She currently weighs 16 pounds 10 ounces (we had a sick doctors visit yesterday) and if I'm calculating that correctly, that puts her on the charts in the 3rd percentile for weight for age in baby girls. She is PERFECTLY healthy and very well fed, but she is just little! I think this is a slight advantage as well relating to how she has picked up on things quickly. Rolling came a few months earlier than average, she was crawling on time on the earlier side around 8 months, as well as walking with a walker and climbing up slides (little monkey), and she took her first unassisted steps at 9.5 months! I'm not sure if you have seen any of my instagram videos of her climbing up the blowup bounce house slide, but seriously she is a little acrobat monkey baby. How does she do it?!? 

I am excited to share a little bit more about what Charlotte has been up to and loves to do. She just turned 11 months. She loves music! She loves to dance. It's quite funny, because there is such a difference between Parker and Charlotte when it comes to singing, dancing and music. When I sing to Charlotte she lights up and wiggles and claps and gives me the biggest grin! When I sing to Parker, sadly, he points at me and screams "NO!" on a pretty regular basis!! (Not that Parker doesn't like music, Charlotte just clearly really really loves it). It is so cute when we sing to Charlotte, "If you're happy and you know it, clap your hands," and she claps and smiles back to you. You could randomly do it and she will stop whatever she is doing and clap for you. Seriously, it makes my heart melt. She is also pretty good at her wiggle dance when we look at her and dance.

Additionally, she is such a foody. She reminds me a lot like myself. Charlotte likes little snacks throughout the day on top of her meals. She gets cranky quickly if she hasn't eaten. And food makes her sooo happy.. so, yes we can relate. She is at the age where she is not very particular on foods, which I love. Completely unflavored Broccoli anyone? That's a yes for Charlotte (at this age at least).  She really does like to feed herself though. (She picked up on this quickly as well with sipping on straws at 6 months and feeding herself pouches). It's also exciting that we are getting close to having her eat just what we are, on top of her milk, or what we have made for her (aside from her baby pouches). And when you are eating food, she could be across the room, but she will start moving and walking towards you like, "Give me some!" Please imagine this: it's as if she is thinking, "OMG YAAAS girl" mixed with a twist of a concerned look on her face that she might not get any, while she hurry's over.

A few last things I'd love to share about my baby girl. She loves loves loves bath time. Once you put her in the tub, do not be prepared to sit down and relax and watch. She is a crazy lady and crawls all over and stands up and splashes like mad woman. She loves the bath time and I love that she has a blast. What doesn't she like right now? Diaper changes. If you plan to do one, it's all about the art of distraction.. singing, dancing and toys help. But I'm convinced if someone else were to give her one both of my kids would be fine. They just like to give me a hard time. 

All in all, she is such a doll baby. We LOVE her personality. She is so determined, she is so happy, she loves your attention, she adores her older brother and she will capture your heart with her smiles. I can't believe she is walking, not all of the time (she still likes to crawl too), and I especially cannot believe that in one month she will be ONE YEAR OLD!!! Thank you for reading about my precious baby girl!!