Charlie...

Wow! Look at me!! Twice in one month. I wanted to write a bit about what Charlie has been up to. He is such a big kid now. It's hard to remember sometimes that he is just 2 and 3 months, some days I have to verbally remind myself so I have a little more patience. But I wanted to share with family and friends some of the fun things Charlie is saying and learning.

He has learned his ABC's and what they say. He will say "Mommy, the H says *pants like a dog*". He has something for each letter. He has a board with letter magnets, plus some on the fridge. He also points out letters everywhere we go. It's so fun.

Joel and I are having a war over certain types of words. I got him saying 'soda' instead of 'pop', so Joel wants him to say 'samich' instead of 'sandwich' (so 'he has a little white trash in him'... haha!). Random little things that keep life interesting.

Some of my favorites right now are 'thanks' not 'thank you' anymore, the way please sounds like 'peas', and if you ask him 'why?' he will say 'cuz' accenting the c with a southern type drawl. It is so cute! Last night when we were leaving Joel's parents house he said "no way Jose" to Joel's dad and it was so funny!

He has been speaking in understandable sentences, too. For a while he would just babble between 2 words and expect everyone to understand, but now they are pretty clear. We went for a walk on Thursday and he said such things as "airplane flying in the sky" and "they flying a kite". May not be 'perfect', but for a 2 year old it is great.

In other information, he loves riding his bike, now outside. He still reads his books, but has his letters too. He loves sliding, running, and any type of ball he can throw, hit, or kick. He is very active, but very sweet and helpful, too. He likes to clean up his spot at the table, including putting dishes in the sink and wiping the table and floor. He will remind others to do the same. He loves to throw stuff away, help take out trash, really help with anything I do. He will help move and fold laundry (really that last part isn't very helpful!). I have to clean bathrooms and such when he is asleep because he doesn't understand why he cant help spray cleaner. He is good and cleaning his toys and always has his room pretty clean. He is so fun!!!

Well, that is my update. Now I need to print this and put it in his baby book to save myself some time. I hope you enjoy. I will try to update more often like this. It allows me to tell more details instead of summarizing months at a time.

Not too much exciting news going on here, but I am trying to keep posting, and we had family pictures, so bear with me. :) I hope you all enjoy the pictures I chose. Amy is an amazing photographer, and you must know that all these were taken in her livingroom while her twin 20(ish) month girls were playing, and poor Charlie wanted to join in. If you want to see more, check on facebook, or let me know and I will send them your way. I will be printing some for our photo album, our wall of family pics, and then for family members. If you want one, let me know which one and what size. If not, and you are family, I will choose.

In other news, it is finally starting to warm up here in the freezing midwest. It is 37 degrees at the moment, supposed to be in the 40s all weekend, and maybe even 50 on Monday. I know it doesn't sound to warm to my Cali friends, but after this horrible winter and constant white, I am looking forward to getting outside with Charlie.

Charlie is doing great! Growing too fast! He can count to 13, knows all his colors, knows all his animals and sounds (including some odd animals that I didn't try to teach), and has about half of the letters in the alphabet down. Though he calls "P" "popcorn" because his letters video he loves has that as the reminder. It's really cute.

Joel is working a lot this week, but after not working a single solid week yet this year, it is good. Between the cold, the snow, and running out of materials, it has not been a good few months for any construction. He should stay busy through the summer with this job, though.

I am just busy being a mom and wife. I love staying home with Charlie, but I also got a job doing housekeeping every other week. It's not a lot of money, but even a little helps, and it gives me something to do where I can take Charlie. I have also been reading a lot, working on scrapbooking our wedding, and trying to clean out the spare room.

In a final note, the adoption is going along as planned. As of now, Charlie legally belongs to me and his guardian ad litem (sp?) from West Des Moines. That part was completed in December. It's about a 6 month waiting period in Iowa for the adoption to be complete, so around the end of April we will start the final paperwork and sign up for a court date to be right at the allotted timeline. Joel has to have a lot of interviews and we both have to sign a lot of papers, but really there is not much to a step-parent adoption. It is just a lot of waiting, and a lot of money. Totally worth it all, and more, though. As for us as a family, we are wonderful! Joel is an incredible father, and Charlie is an easy going and fun child (most of the time). He sees Joel as his daddy and knows no different. It has been an easy and wonderful transition. Thank you to all those who have helped and supported us, and continue to support us. :D

California

We went to California for a quick visit last week. It was such a great trip, and a great break from the cold weather! We flew in late Monday night and got a ride from LA from my dad. It was a good visit, but we were all tired.

Tuesday was a relaxing day of picking up my car, starting the loan paperwork, visiting my grandma, and dinner at Woolgrowers with my family! It was so great to see everyone! Marc and the kids are doing great and the kids are growing so fast. Kristin is doing great with her senior year and volleyball, and the parents are doing well (besides their various injuries... old age!).

Wednesday we went to Morro Bay. Joel decided at this point there were some redeeming qualities to California. It was his first trip and Bakersfield wasn't his idea of a great place to live. We got to spend time with Crystal and her growing family, eat fish and chips at the Flying Dutchman, feed the seals, and play in the water. It was so beautiful and such a relaxing and enjoyable day! (The picture where Charlie is all wet was right after he 'caught' a wave. No pain, just rolled a little. )

Thurday came more paperwork, packing, and ice cream at Dewar's with the family. I got to meet Marc's girlfriend and Kristin's boyfriend (weird) and enjoy my favorite treat before leaving town. Then came the drive! To Vegas that night, St. George the next morning, Denver by midnight, then home on Saturday. We got to see the Oler's in Colorado and have a wonderful visit, so that was worth it!

Charlie was great in the car!!! But we were still so happy to be home and in our own beds. Even Charlie! He didnt want to change. He crawled into bed when we got here and when I walked toward him with pj's and a diaper he pulled on the blanket and said "no mommy, bed." It broke my heart, but I still changed him before I said good night.

We are all back to our routines and the never ending snow. Off to a Valentine's dinner tonight while Charlie plays with a friend. Thanks to all the family and friends we visited, or who helped along the way. It was a great trip and worth the stress of such a quick trip.

Birthday and Christmas

Well Christmas came and went so fast! All the snow and Joel working so much made the holiday sneak up a lot faster than usual. Decorations are already packed up and the house is clean and back to normal. Kind of sad to see if all go, but it feels good to have a clean house again. A tree and decorations seem to clutter it so much than just Charlie's toys.

We also celebrated Charlie's second birthday the week before Christmas. I can't believe he is already 2. He is getting so big, but I know he will just keep going day to day. He is very active and very stubborn (who knows where that came from ;) ). Talking a lot, and it's getting easier to understand him. He has started putting sentences and thoughts together, which is fun. He knows a lot of his colors, and loves to draw circles. He tries to count, and knows "two, three". He is such a smart little guy. I just wish "mine" and "no mommy" would go away, but we are working on it. Hahaha!!! It will be a while, I am sure!

After a record in snowfall for snow in December here in Iowa, we aren't sure what the next few months will have in store. We have loaded up on shovels, salt, and are trying to keep a small food storage in case we get some more bad storms.

We wanted (ok, I wanted) to take a trip to California in the next few months to visit family and friends, especially with all the changes in the last year, but the joys of a new house, a new family, and just the costs of travelling have made it tough. My little brother gets home from his mission in August, and 1 sister had a baby in August and another one is due in January, so next Christmas will be a sure trip out to see everyone, so I just have to wait.

Pictures to come. Charlie is asking for milk and I haven't uploaded them from the camera yet, so hopefully soon. If you read this and want them sooner, just send a reminder email or make a comment. :)

Happily Married

Well, we were married on September 19 in the Nauvoo Temple. We had some family and close friends with us, with more outside. We had an absolutely perfect day! Then went to Branson for our honeymoon while our close friends, the amazing England's, watched Charlie. It was great!

Now we are enjoying settling into our wonderful home, getting to know each other, and having fun being a family. Joel has been working long and weird hours, but we make time to be together whenever the opportunity arises. I will be happy when hunting season is over, too, so we have more time together on the weekends, but I know he loves him mornings out while they last.

Charlie is doing wonderful, too!! Our sweet little man will be 2 next month. He is getting so big and learning so much. He is fun to be around, sleeping all night in his twin bed, and loves time with daddy!

Holidays and both my boys' birthdays are coming up, so I don't know how long it will be before I post, but I should have lots of fun stories!

The Countdown!!!

Well, we closed on the house and have moved in... well, Joel has moved in! The beds are set up, his clothes, Charlie's toys, and the kitchen are unpacked, but the rest is still waiting for us to figure out where it all is going to go. We are putting up blinds as we can buy them, slowly getting all the bathroom hardware, such as towel racks, up as we have time and motivation, and then the decoration will come with time, money and gifts. I never realized how much goes into a new home, but I am really loving the process. Joel got our mailbox up, too, so that is fun!

We are pretty sure September 5 is the wedding day. We were told the approval from the First Presidency showed up on my church records, but I have to have the letter to be able to get the recommend and get sealed, so we are eagerly checking the mail everyday. My bridal shower is this Thursday which is making it so real and fun. Lots of friends and family gathering for a true celebration. I am so excited! Less than 3 weeks, so it's about time for this all to seem real. Picking up my dress and his suit this week, and hopefully will find a little suit for Charlie, too. I really need to send announcement for the reception, too, since I realized they were still in my car. I am a nerd like that!

So other than that things are pretty much the same. My sister had her third child on Wednesday, a little girl named Peyton Elise, and she is so beautiful. My mom is now back in Iowa after a month in Mississippi. It's nice to have her close again, but I know she misses it there. My brother, Nathan, just hit his 1 year mark on his mission in Ghana. Everyone is growing, changing, becoming more amazing... and for once I feel like I am in the move forward!

August already!!!

Well, it's August already! That means we have either 5 weeks or 7 weeks until the wedding. Since we have to wait for the First Presidency's approval, we can't plan for a specific date. We are hoping for September 5, but the 18th is our backup, and the reception is set for the 19th either way. It makes it tough to get hair appointment and make honeymoon plans, but at least it's not a busy tourist season so we should be ok.

As for our house, we didn't get to close yesterday like planned. We are still waiting for paperwork to be processed. The loan has been approved, but some guy in a cubical still has to look over the documents to make sure they have everything so they get their money later. So hopefully that will be done soon so Joel can move in, since he is now homeless sleeping on his brothers floor. It would be nice to move in (and get our stuff out of Kristi's garage :) ) and start unpacking and decorating so once we are married and working we can just live life!

Charlie has gotten to his organization stage. He loves to move and stack everything. There are big piles of toys and books all over the basement. For the most part he moves things one at a time, but lately he has been carrying books in stacks, so he gets a lot more done. He also loves to dust surfaces and wipe faces (his, mine, Joel's...). It's cute, but sometimes annoying. He is a blast, sleeping well, talking more with words I can actually understand, and dancing all the time. He loves music on while he 'works', and he randomly stops and dances. So fun!

That is our update. Wedding plans are going well. Thanks to Olivia, the reception is pretty much planned. My dress will be totally done in a week or so, and Joel's suit is bought and being hemmed too. The basic outline for the wedding and honeymoon are set, just need a date to finalize. I still need to plan the ring ceremony for the families, but that will come with time, I am sure. But if you have any ideas, please add a note.