Animals, Animals, Animals - the Circus and the Zoo

A few weeks ago we went to the zoo with my best friend growing up (also named Melanie) and her little boy Owen. We had planed it a couple weeks in advance and sure enough, that morning we woke up to a little SNOW! We decided to brave the weather and go for it. We bundled up the kids and had a great time. It really wasn't that cold and we had the place to ourselves. It did make me miss the Omaha zoo. That place really was awesome and so close to our house. Charlotte and Owen had a great time. I think their favorite was the polar bear. He was pretty friendly. And the baby giraffe (three weeks old). 



In September we took Charlotte to the Circus with my parents. I actually don't ever remember going to the circus. Honestly, I got a little bored by the end. Charlotte was a trooper and lasted the whole time...secretly I was hoping she would have a meltdown so we could leave :) I think you just have to be a kid to love it. It was kind of funny during intermission I was walking to get a drink thinking "ok, I'm ready to go" and a couple of girls - maybe 10ish- were talking next to me and one said "this is the best night of my life, I hope if never ends" I thought yeah it is a whole different experience for a kid. We did have a good time though and Charlotte was entertained. Of course grandma had to buy her an extremely overprice stuffed animal. Those vendors must make a killing...dirty badgers :) 

Sledding and swimming in the same week

When we moved back to Bountiful we signed up for memberships at the rec center just a few blocks from our house. We signed up so we would have a gym and I didn't realized they have an awesome aquatic center open all year. We never went in the summer because we have a pool at our house and most swimming sessions with Charlotte were less than thirty minutes. One of my friends was telling me how fun it was for kids so a couple months ago we decided to go. It has become almost a weekly tradition now. It is fun because of bunch of girls in my ward have passes so we can take the kids and let them play and have some company. Everyday from noon to 2 is a mom and kids only swim so there is hardly anyone there and it is pretty much babies and toddlers which is nice (no big monster kids to splash everywhere). I've never taken my camera but Matt asked me to take some pictures so I finally remembered last week. Charlotte and her buddy Elise had a ball. It has been a fun thing to do since the weather has been rotten. Charlotte loves the water. She doesn't seem to mind being splashed in the face or going under when she falls. Hopefully it lasts...

Last Friday it started snowing and it didn't stop for almost three days. We got a ton of snow. We went sledding with our friends Brett and Carlee and their two boys. There is a great sledding hill at a golf course by our house so we headed up there. Their youngest is under 2 so him and Charlotte weren't quite sure about it. Matt took Charlotte on a couple of runs. The she got cold pretty fast so we only stayed about 30 minutes.

We had dinner at our house after. Nothing like a Costco box to entertain the kids.

The first day it snowed Charlotte wouldn't leave the window so I dressed her up and headed outside. She loved it. It started snowing hard while she was playing so I took her in and she started crying. She didn't seem to mind the cold.

To work or not to work...that is the question.....

My old boss called my in July and asked if I wanted to come back to work. My first thought was probably not especially since I had just started pursing teaching a couple of classes at Weber State University and was worried about being away from Charlotte (I never thought I would be that person). I met with one of the partners in August and we came to a deal that worked for both of us. So I decided to go back to work one day a week and work a few hours from home. It has actually been AWESOME to get out of the house one day a week and luckily my mom loves Charlotte almost as much as I do and takes good care of her while I'm gone. I love being at home with her more than anything, but is has been so nice to be back with a great group of people and feel like my brain is getting some variety. They have been super flexible and great about everything. And they pay me a LOT more than being a part time professor, so I can't complain.

When I started the last week of September, I had to go to San Francisco for a few days. With a nursing child it posed a bit of a problem so my mom was nice enough to come out with me and watch Charlotte while I was at work. We managed a few fun things while we were there. Unfortunately it was a bit chilly so we only made it to the Fisherman Wharf one night. But the boat ride and Seafood Dinner were great.

 

A couple weeks later we had a retreat at the St. Regis in Deer Valley. It was an amazing place. I'm pretty sure I'm too cheap to fork out the small fortune in costs to stray there, so it was fun to go and enjoy when it's free. Matt bought Charlotte up when he came for the night. I didn't take very many pictures but I did get Charlotte exploring the room.

 

My favorite part was the tram you have to ride to get from the check-in lobby to the actual hotel. Charlotte loved it, we could have ridden it all day. 

 

11 Months

A few things I want to remember about her at 11 months.....

• Took her first steps. She would take one or two but finally took five. She still prefers to crawl because she is much faster crawling.
• LOVES to read books. She turns the pages on her own and will read the same book over and over. I'm grateful we live next to the library so we have some variety.
• Her first Halloween. We went trick-or-treating with some friends along main street in Bountiful. She loved to hold her pumpkin and play with the candy.
• She loves, loves, loves to eat. I can't give this kid enough. Her favorites are cheese, bananas, cheerios, blueberries, meatloaf (not sure why but she loves it) grapes, and really pretty much anything. She is not so hot on bread these days but the kid drinks more water than most adults. It is a chore to keep her diaper dry.
• Love the water. Every week or two we go to the Rec Center by our house with some friends in the ward. They have an awesome swimming pool and Charlotte loves it. She loves to the tub too. Doesn't mind water getting in her face or being splashed by the older kids.
• In the last couple months she started giving kisses. She loves to give Matt kisses more than anyone else. She opens her mouth as big as she can and attacks. I hate slobber but I love the kisses.
• Mastered climbing the death trap stairs in our house. They scare me so bad. Now she need to learn to go down.
• Still loves her silky blanket more than anything.
• Turned into a good sleeper. Love the 9+ hours of sleep. She is still waking up around 5 or 6 to eat but then goes back to bed.  Usually sleeps on her tummy with her butt in the air...it so uncomfortable but she loves it.
• Loves to cuddle with her head on your chest and sleep in mom and dad's bed.
• She dances...cutest thing ever.
• She likes to watch cartoons (especially Dinosaur Train) on the rare occasions mom is nice enough to let her watch tv.
• Babbles all the time saying mama, baba, papa (kind of). She is such a sweet fun little girl with tons of personality and a mind of her own. The last month or so she has really been "needy" wanting to be held or have my undivided attention. I just can't resist her so some days I get nothing in the house done, work doesn't get done and dinner is well something fast and easy, but I love every second with her.

10 Months

My little monster just keeps growing. She has mastered getting around on her own and loves to play. She climbs up to everything and and loves to empty bookshelves and drawers. She went boating for the first time...well at least in the new boat..this month and started climbing stairs.

 

 



She loves the tub.

And story time.