Busy Week

This week has been packed with activities! Well, at least more packed than a 'normal' week of nothing to do besides watch Price is Right and hope for a decent nap (for Charlotte, not me).

On Wednesday we ventured out in the blustery weather to meet Sunah and her 1-year-old son Connor for lunch at CPK. Connor was taking an extra long nap, so Charlotte and I browsed around the shops at Fairfax Corner while we were waiting for them to arrive. Lunch served as a preview of what we have to look forward to in several months. Sunah had to bring along several bags of various snacks to maintain calm during the meal...grapes, rice cakes, pasta, animal crackers, etc. I thought I had to have quick reaction time with Charlotte now...Sunah was moving a mile a minute between picking out the right snack, keeping dangerous utensils and glassware out of reach, preventing Connor from eating the crayons, oh,and trying to eat HER lunch all at the same time! Both the kids did really well during lunch though. Unfortunately I didn't bring my camera along so I don't have any pics of Charlotte with her buddy Connor. But...I did take a picture of Charlotte in her cute coat when we got home.



When Steve got home on Wednesday evening we decided to head out to Expo Design Center to order a new rug for our family room. We wanted to get a softer rug so when Charlotte starts moving around she'll have a more pleasant surface to scoot around on. They don't make it easy for you to buy stuff at that place - we had to order from one person, take it to customer service to pay, then wait for a supervisor to "approve" the transaction. Anyways, we got it ordered. Since I had brought along Charlotte's rice cereal to buy us some time, we decided to head to Chili's for dinner. She was ready for her cereal soon after we got seated, but was a sweet little angel after I fed her so we could eat. Steve rode in the back seat with her on the way home because we have found that when it gets dark outside she doesn't like riding in the car. We hypothesize that she thinks we are putting her to bed and she is telling us "wait just one minute people, I have NOT had a bath or gotten my milk. It is NOT time for bed yet!" or something like that. :) She was happy looking at Daddy on the way home. He is very entertaining!

Thursday meant it was the day for our Mommy group. I was hosting this week so my morning was spent vacuuming the family room and kitchen area. I did this during Charlotte's morning 'nap' - she was up in her room for a total of an hour, maybe slept for 20-30 minutes but talked/grunted and kicked her legs (I figured out that this is the thumping sound I hear through the monitor) off and on the rest of the time. Oh well, it gave me a little while to get things done.

Julie and Brayden arrived, followed by Jen and Grayson. Jack was taking a great nap so Andrea and he were a bit delayed. When all had arrived, Jack was excited to show us his new skill - sitting up all by himself, totally unsupported! We were all very impressed. Charlotte wanted to give it a try and did pretty well herself! It just doesn't look that comfy.







Brayden decided to join the party and Charlotte decided she needed a rest!



Brayden semi-enjoying tummy time, thanks to the mirror (which was later purchased by his Mommy at our Babies R Us run...more on that to come!)



After we were done playing, Andrea and Jack had to go and get ready for their early Halloween celebration. The rest of us Mom's were starving, and also wanted to do a little Babies R Us shopping, so we headed out to a 'real' restaurant - Ruby Tuesday. Since it was an off time, the restaurant was almost empty so we had plenty of room to fit the 3 infant seats into their slings and still have room for ourselves. It was a pretty cute scene! The Moms took turns hitting up the salad bar. Brayden was very good and stayed in his seat. Grayson and Charlotte demanded removal and forced Jen and myself to eat yet another meal one-handed! But we are experts on that at this point. Here is a shot that Jen got of the kids at the restaurant.



After lunch we headed across the street to Babies R Us. We were in search of the Baby Einstein Exersaucer that Charlotte has. Jen put Grayson in it at the house and his little legs could reach the bottom and he seemed to be pretty into it. She loaded it up in the cart and we moved on. Jen also wanted the bottle drying rack that she had seen at the house, so we picked that up as well. Then we headed over to the toy section, with a slight detour at the Thankgiving attire section. I picked up a new seasonal onesie and My First Thanksgiving socks for Charlotte (to go with her other onesie that Nana bought and the turkey bib I bought only a few days before). I think we will be very cute and coordinated come Turkey Day. But we'll probably look like a boy because autumnal colors (at least in children's wear) really don't convey a very feminine look. It would really help if Charlotte had more hair and I could stick a bow or two in there! Julie found the mirror that Brayden had been spying at the house, and then we were off to checkout. I was very proud - it was my smallest ever purchase at Babies R Us...under $20 and I even got the smallest bag they have!

Charlotte was beginning to foam at the mouth (well, just a little drool), so I figured she would scream in hunger on the way home. I was wrong, she did a little leg kicking and then fell asleep. I stand by what I said in a previous post - that car seat must be emitting some sort of sleeping gas! She was really ready to eat when we got home though.

Busy week, but definately a fun week....and it isn't even over yet! We have to go buy a pumpkin tomorrow (way to wait until the last minute I know), dress her up in her costume and trick or treat at the neighbor's house. Then Charlotte has a birthday party to go to on Saturday for her friends Payton and Kullen. I'm sure there will be much to post on!