Charlotte's days: 8.5 months

It's not time for a new monthly update, but Charlotte has been busy lately and I want to remember the little details of our days together.

Lately Charlotte is into:

• Standing, leaning on the coffee table, and pushing all her wooden blocks onto the floor
• Knocking over the towers I build for her
• Trying with all her might to crawl
• Scooting & spinning in circles on her tummy
• Banging toys together to make a noise
• Giving open mouth kisses to her reflection in the mirror
• Seeing friends!
• Being outside- either in the stroller or just in the back yard
• Reading books! We recently started reading a big pop-up book together. It's the first non-board book that we've introduced and she is SO into it. She touches the pages and tries to pull on the tabs to make them move.
• Balloons! OH MY GOSH- this girl thinks balloons are God's gift to the world. It's hilarious to watch her get excited about them!

Charlotte really only naps in her crib these days. We expected she'd nap last weekend in the car but the stop & go of city driving didn't quite lull her into dream land.  She seems exhausted by the time her second nap rolls around and often falls asleep nursing and I transfer her quietly into her sleep sack and then into bed. She naps for 2 hours most afternoons; it's hard work being a baby!

The other night after dinner, Charlotte sat in her chair for over 10 minutes, quietly exploring the straps with her little hands. Joel and I just watched-- mesmerized by her concentration and her very impressive attention span.

Today Charlotte was in the nursery at church and my friend Melissa went down there to change her baby's diaper. She told me that when Charlotte noticed her, she got the BIGGEST grin on her face and started making excited noises. It makes me so, so happy that Charlotte recognizes the people she knows and loves <3