Faces

The more I attempt photos of Charlotte the more funny they get.  Here are some cute and some not so cute ones.

I love the wrinkled forehead she always has during tummy time.  Totally cute!!

I found this santa hat this morning and tried to get some shots.  I didn't have the best of luck.



This one is so funny!!! This is real life . . . 

New Ornament

Grandma got this very sweet ornament for Addy. 

Homemade Pretzel Turtles

My friend Brandy told me about this super simple and really fun recipe!  These turtles are awesome and so easy - very kid friendly.

Don't they look good?

Just lay out some mini-pretzels on a cookie sheet, unwrap Rolo's candies and add one Rolo to the top of each pretzel.  Put them under the broiler for about one and a half minutes until just about ready to start collapsing and then remove from oven.  Add the topping of your choice, per Brandy we used M&M's and pecan halves.  Push the topping down so that it collapses the melty Rolo.  They are great right out of the oven or cooled and stored.

Addy had a great time making them with me.  ENJOY!!

concert

Addy also had her Winter Concert last week.  It was so fun to watch,  normally we don't get to see it because we are in Florida this time of year.

Addy was so happy that Grandma and Grandpa and the Pelton's came.  She kept waving at them from the stage.  It was really cute.

Charlotte was decked out in her Santa's Favorite outfit.  She was so cute hanging out with Grandma.

Here is Addy's class.  Addy is in the back on the left.

And here she is waving to her friends and family. 

 After the concert here is a shot of Addy, Gracie and Savannah.  They had a great time.

VIP

Last week was Addy's VIP week. 

She worked hard on making her VIP board.  We had a lot of fun putting it together.

A is for Addy and apples - Addy's favorite food.

Addy's favorite part was her picture with her sister!!

Addy's picture of her family.

2 months and more

Here is Charlotte's two month bear photo. Its a bit late so it is really more like 10 weeks, but better late then never right?  As you might be able to tell from the photo, Charlotte is progressing really well with holding her head up and can already sit in the bumbo chair.  She is about 12 and a half pounds and filling out her long frame.  She's almost too big for her bassinet insert - so we have to figure out what our next plan is for her at night.

Meanwhile, things don't slow down around here.  Charlie just goes with the flow and we keep on flowing. :)  We got that chance to visit with some dear friends this weekend when they were up from Portland.  Alex, Sarah and Kaitlin came by to hang out.  The girls enjoyed some dress up.

They made Trader Joe's Really Big GingerBread Men.

The guys had a jam session.  It was really fun to hear them play together again - its been too long.

Meanwhile we had a tea party the girls put on for us.

And Charlie took a nap.  Look at those cheeks . . . so sweet.

The finished cookies.  Very nice girls!!

We had an excellent visit, can't wait to see you guys again!!  Saturday night we got a visit from Super Baby.

Oops, super baby isn't having so much fun all of a sudden.  Too much flying I think.

Some rest and relaxation were called for, Super Baby has a big job and needs to rest to store up her energy again.

And we are back in business.  Addy thinks this is about one of the funnest games.  (Can you see how her blonde hair is starting to come in?)

Look.  Its a bird, its a plane, its Super Baby.  Addy is excited to spot super baby in the sky . . . and eat a snack.

Always trying new things with Charlie to keep her entertained.  Here she is hanging out with her sister.  Well, sort of any way.  As good as a 10 week old can hang out.

She was having a lot of fun.  She had some smiles and was checking things out.  I love it when she gets those big eyes when she is trying to take it all in!

Next its time to figure out this Chistmas thing, time to bake and finish up shopping. :)

Good Bye and Hello

This should be a celebratory post and in the weeks to come I am sure that it will be. Right now it just feels sad. I got a new job. It is very exciting – a promotion, more responsibility and a great new agency!!


But, I am really struggling to say good bye to what feels like my home and my family. I have worked at DOT for 13 years. I grew up there. Literally and figuratively. I won’t pretend that all my time there was rosy, it wasn’t. There were some very hard and frustrating times. There were also some beautiful times that I got to share with really wonderful people. Even the bad times I survived because of many good people I have had the privilege to work with.

That is the best word I can come up with, I feel privileged to have worked at this great organization. We aren’t perfect, but I believe in my heart that these people are dedicated and will sacrifice to meet our mission. I love that as I am leaving and reflect, I find fondness not just with my closest friends and co-workers, but even those that challenged me and sometimes made me say bad words.  A lot of bad words.

I am heartbroken that I won’t walk in and see my DOT family each morning. I am totally excited to get to walk in and see my new DOH family. I am going to work for the Washington State Department of Health. I can’t wait to get there. Well, that isn’t totally true. I am still going to take the rest of my maternity leave, so I can wait until late January – but not any longer.  What a great chance to meet new people, and grow in new ways.

Both agencies have been amazing in this transition. I am only making it through this transition by focusing on these thoughts, which I repeat often:

• Change is healthy (and just because it is painful, it doesn’t mean its not healthy).

• You need new challenges because you never want to get stale (and yes, it is possible Jess to get stale, you aren’t immune).

• Think of all the new people you can use your random movie quotes on . . . it will be at least a few months before people start rolling their eyes at you.

• Sometimes you have to leave in order to go home again.

• How blessed are you during these times to have: a job, a good salary, opportunities to grow?

I really can’t wait to get started. Charlotte and I are already having some great talks about my plans for the future. She is probably getting pretty bored with this topic, I tend to go off a little bit. 

One unanticipated consequence I did not plan on was Addy’s reaction. Without thinking one day I just blurted out to Addy about the fact I was not working at my office anymore. As she started to ask more and more questions I realized that over the last 5 years Addy has grown attached to my co-workers in many ways. I really messed this up. I had to make some really serious reassurances to her that this won’t mean the end of friendships and bonds she’s formed. And of course this only made me cry more.

I did a lot of research before accepting this new position. I am satisfied that DOH is a GREAT agency! I can’t wait to join this team. I am excited to get there and show they what I'm all about and earn this great opportunity they have given me.  Sometimes things happen and there is a plan, I can’t wait to watch this plan unfold.

Moving and Shaking

We have many creative ways to shake it up with Charlotte.  No one likes to get bored sitting in the same ole place right?

She's getting to be a champ at sitting up (propped of course).  So I attempt to get her to hold onto a toy to keep things more interesting.  Sometimes it finds her mouth and she has some fun times.



Gotta love this one.  Charlotte loves get out of her clothes and stretch and wiggle around.  I always have to take a few with the camera because the first couple times the flash goes off I get this look. 

Continually working on tummy time.  Not a favorite at this point, but we do it none the less.  Her doctor seemed happy with her progress so I guess its worth it. 

She is really long!  23 and a half inches . . . which is a good inch and a half longer then Addy was.  It was funny because she her weight and height are very out of wack right now.  She is just starting to fill in after a big height jump.  Not sure this picture really shows it well, but the girl is long.

This next series is priceless.  Anyone that has had a newborn can appreciate these faces.  Charlotte is doing great holding her head up.  We got out the bumbo seat to try it out.  Here is her first 5 minute session.  All three of us were gathered around the table staring at her and giggling!

Still not really sure how the hand gets to the mouth, but if it does that is cool.

I really don't know what to say about this one.  I just laugh.  A LOT.

 In her defense this was her first time and its hard work.

By the end she seemed to get it and never actually fussed. 

I was attempting to get a great shot of Charlie in her I heart Santa shirt . . . she wouldn't wake up and so I was going to take a sleeping one.  And then I got the one stink eye. 

This is actually from Thanksgiving weekend. Just a cute one that makes me smile.

In honor of Charlotte's recent advances we got out a tummy time mat to make things more interesting hopefully this will help her get into the mood more.

Reflections

As we head into December I am reminded again how wonderful this season is and how good it is to stop during the busy time and reflect on what we have.  A wonderful life . . . truly.  A new baby to celebrate with, our health and family and friends.

Addy is a delight balancing between still being a little one and transitioning to a big girl.  There are moments of soft cuddles, instinctive reflexes for protection from mommy and daddy, and simple joys at a silly face or her sisters smile.  Then there are the expanding vocabulary, the reading development and the attitude of a transitioning child into her own person.  These contradictions are there every day and every night.  It is amazing to watch and it keeps us in wonder all the time.  Sometimes I want to cry tears of joy, sometimes pull my hair out and sometimes I have to just pause and take it all in.  addy is taking swim lessons again and she is coming along so well.  She adores her new swim teacher and her progress has been tremendous in three short weeks.  Addy's writing and reading is growing in leaps and bounds.  She is curious about everything and is very concerned that she might have to have only one job.  Currently she wants to be a doctor, work at the circus and be a fashion designer.  Love it!  Addy has been moody lately and there are moments that my patience is tested, other times we have the most wonderful shared moments.  The last two weeks have been particularly rewarding for me.  During much of the end of my pregnancy and the first weeks of my c-section recovery I felt disconnected from Addy as I couldn't do a lot with her and Scott took on a more one on one role with her.  He is amazing and their bond is so tight.  But I am thankful that I've been able to be more attentive to Addy and we've even had the opportunity to get away for some one on one time.  This weekend I am hoping to go out on a real Addy and Mommy date.  Addy is still uber creative and loves nothing more to stay at home and cut, paste, tape and draw the most creative things.  Her latest creations (all out of construction paper) are a camera complete with pictures that come out, nutcracker cookies she gives out as presents and a rocket booster pack for her back.  We've gotten out all the Christmas movies and this year she remembers them all and is very excited to start the process of rewatching them.  She watched Home Alone for the first time and now counts that as one of her favorites.

Charlotte bear is doing so well.  She just had her two month check up and got a good report.  She is smiling and trying hard to work up to a giggle.  She has just transitioned to larger bottles and is growing every day.  Her little short hairs on top of her head have just grown enough to make for a soft downey covering.  I love to rub my cheek against her head.  She still has her old man longer hair around her head in the back - and it makes me laugh.  She enjoys watching her sister Addy and any time Addy comes around there are bound to be smiles.  She loves to just gaze around and see what is going on.  She is discovering her hands and that she actually has some control over them now.  It is so rewarding to see her making those connections.  Charlotte has been watching each night as Addy and I decorate the house and the tree, offering a few smiles and coos along the way.  This week we started some naps in her crib and she looks absolutely adorable in there.  Sometimes I can't tear myself away from the doorway.  Her nickname Charlie hasn't really stuck yet, we mostly call her Charlotte or stinks. :)  Addy does not approve of stinks and gets mad when she hears me calling her sister that.  And that makes me double smile. :) :)

I am on a mission this weekend to get Charlotte's two month bear pciture and a christmas card picture.  We shall see how both my girls cooperate. :)