Amateur Hour

can’t put on his own socks.  However, he has learned how to use the touchpad on the laptop.  No kidding – the other day we watched him use one little finger to carefully guide the arrow to a specific spot, then click the button to gain access to the programs on the computer.  Wow.  I [...]

I’ve been concerned about Charlie’s speech and language development for a while.  So, we scheduled an evaluation with the state Early Intervention team.  They sent a Speech Pathologist and an Occupational Therapist, and did a test called the Infant-Toddler Developmental Assessment.  The results indicated that his cognitive skills, social/emotional development, and “self-help” skills were all [...]

I’m posting this a day late, but Charlie turned 2 on Friday!  He had a party with his cousins at my sister-in-law’s house over Thanksgiving, so we just did a little cake and presents at home last night.
Here’s what happened when the cake was cooling and mom’s back was turned:

Charlie helped himself to a couple of [...]

One of our nicknames for Charlie is “the roaming gnome” because he’s about that size and he’s always on the move, getting into stuff here and there around the house.  So, for Halloween, I made him a little garden gnome costume (nothing major, a little vest, belt, hat, and beard.)  He didn’t wear all the [...]

We got Charlie a tricycle last weekend.  He loves it!!  He can’t pedal yet by himself (notice the stick on the back so that we can push), but he loves that he can steer.  He much prefers the bike to the stroller when we go for walks.  He also loves the helmet.  He insisted on [...]

Charlie actually started doing this a couple of weeks ago.  Out of nowhere, he tried to make the sign of the cross when we sat down to eat.  It is the most adorable thing I have ever seen.  Sometimes he’ll do it several times during a meal.  He’s got the “Holy Spirit” part down, but he often [...]

is now a hulking monster of a toddler.  We went for his 18 month checkup, and our little peanut, who was 4 pounds and change when we brought him home, is now in the 75th percentile for weight and the 90th percentile for height!!  Some pictures for comparison:
Charlie at 2 weeks old:                         Charlie at 18 [...]

A couple of weeks ago, Charlie’s grandparents came up to visit from Florida.  We had lots of fun! 

One of the days they were here, we went to a local strawberry patch to pick berries.  Charlie was in heaven.  He wasn’t so interested in picking the berries, but he was all about eating them!

Mmmmm…strawberries!

when there’s leftover mashed potatoes?

Charlie recently decided that the best way to clean his hands after eating is to wipe them on his hair.  Its not that big a deal at dinnertime, as he’s due for a bath anyway, but when he does it at breakfast…*sigh*
I can’t really blame him, though.  Look at that hold!

Charlie has been leaving me surprises this week.  A couple of days ago I caught him experimenting with crayons:

 
“Look, Mommy, they float!”
This morning, I went to move the clothes from the washing machine into the dryer and I found this:

I wonder what else he’s hidden somewhere around the house…