One Month

We've spent one month getting to know our little Charlotte and remembering what work a newborn is!  After a few bumps and some problem solving, we're doing well (most of the time!)  Here's hoping for more sleep during month two (ha!).

 

New Year, New Baby

Charlotte Rose arrived just before Christmas, surprising most.  We're doing well so far!

Forrest Update

It's probably just me, but it seems that it's been awhile since we just had a nice Forrest post.  (Yeah, it's just me...)

Forrest continues to grow and learn in ways that make us smile daily.  He's been at the Montessori School since the end of August, and though he would still rather stay home, he's comfortable there.  I had the opportunity to observe him at work a few weeks ago, which was so nice.  I miss seeing him at school after being his toddler classroom assistant in Monticello.

Here he is working on matching sandpaper letters, his current passion.  After over two years of kitchen appliance love, he has moved on to letters and numbers.  He's consumed!

 

Besides becoming quite the scholar, Forrest's speech skills are finally beginning to clear up.  My goodness, he's kept me waiting such a long time!  Within the last two months I've had his hearing tested and his speech and language screened.  His hearing is normal, and besides a couple of remaining odd-ball speech errors, he's doing so well.  So, here's to being patient and trusting of the development he is doing. 

Five Weeks!

And here we are, December 1, with five weeks to go until Charlotte Rose arrives, or so we think.  Babies have minds of their own; I did learn that lesson well with Forrest.  Since moving into our new house at the end of September, we've been busily and happily settling in.  Things are starting to move into the comfortably "done" stage, I think.  There are projects I would like to do still, but nothing feels missing, really.  After six weeks of no furniture in the living room, our new couch, chair, and la-z-boy recliner arrived.  We are comfortable!  And just this morning, I finished things up in Charlotte's room.  Here are a few pictures.

Yes, a twin mattress on the floor in addition to the crib (Aunt Kathy's this time around) was a must.  Too many nights trying to doze in the chair in Forrest's room made that an easy decision.  Also, it was great being done with Forrest's crib at an early age.  Hopefully we can transition to the low bed early with Charlotte as well. Traveling is so much easier when we aren't dependent on cribs.

 Ah, the blue chair!  I love it!  Before I graduated college a hundred years ago, Mom and Grandma got two of these chairs and the ottoman at an auction for five dollars.  I reupholstered them in ivory, and we've enjoyed them since.  Well, eight years later, the ivory was looking rough, so something new was in order.  I must say, redoing the chair and ottoman (the other chair is still ivory and in Forrest's room), was a project, and not really my favorite, but I do love the result.

Thanks to cousin Abby, Charlotte's closet is full, and the little wooden hangers make me smile every time I see them!  Yes, I think we're as ready as we're going to be for this next chapter.  Hoping the next few weeks pass smoothly!

Happy Halloween!

This year marked Forrest's first trick-or-treating experience.  We've been preparing for a few weeks. After campaigning for a costume of "Cuisinart ice cream maker with cat and rabbit spinning around," we finally settled on yellow m&m.  I just wasn't sure my creative skill could handle an operational appliance costume.

Despite the few raindrops, we had a very nice 15 minutes of trick-or-treating.  Forrest was ready to go home and enjoy his candy.  Yes, he did choose the one full-size bar that he was given.  Very exciting!

While we were busy trick-or-treating, Dad was working on installing a new swing in our garage.  It's called a Super Spinner (sort of a cross between a regular swing and a tire swing); it's a hit.  I haven't managed a good action shot yet, but we love it!  I'm looking forward to using it through the winter, given it's place in the garage rather than outside.  

We're a happy little family these days.  

A New View!

I'm so excited to be typing from our new home!  We've been here for about two weeks now, and it's lovely.  We bought a nice split level in a neighborhood not far from Forrest's school, just what I had in mind.  You'll remember that the last time we lived in Peoria, we had a split level.  What can I say?  The layout just works for me - a nice ranch on top with a family room and large garage below.  This time around, the house is mostly updated with just a few things I want to change.  I'm sure I'll be writing about that as time goes on.  For now, I'm enjoying the view out the front window onto many fall trees in the neighborhood and in the distance.  I'm feeling so peaceful about our spot!

Back to School

Despite the temperatures in the nineties this week, it seems that the end of summer has arrived.  I hate to say goodbye, but I am ready to settle in.  Change is not my best thing (yes, I did know that already.), but it's felt like a rough couple of months.  Our move from Monticello was bittersweet.  It's been hard living in a temporary place that I dislike.  I'm ready to for the fall and for transition to be done.

Forrest started school two weeks ago, our first time separating.  He seems to be adjusting pretty well, no tears from either of us.  I'm still adjusting to not knowing what he's doing all morning, but I'm getting there.  

We finally found a house that looks like it will work.  The inspection was just this morning, and it went well.  Hopefully in three weeks we will be moving into something to call our own.  I'm so ready!  It's time to put the bins and boxes away and find spots for everything.  There's also the job of getting ready for our next little baby to join us in early January.  Yes, indeed, it's time to get settled.