Sunday, September 27, 2009

Summer's not quite gone yet if you ask us.

Sure it's officially fall but you couldn't tell it from our front yard today. Upper 70's I'd bet ya!Today was a great day to get outside and enjoy the sunny weather. Also an excellent day for a quick photo shoot of everyone's favorite curly headed giggle-face. After I mowed the lawn we decided to let Charlie explore a little bit of the flower beds. He loved the flavor of the marigolds but we are still questioning his behavior at dinner where he seemed to be hallucinating and listening to voices from the dinner table. Sorry no photo available on that one. But we did get a few really nice pics. Here they are...




Ripping up the marigolds...
Just helping you reseed them dad!




Learning all about the flowers and which ones mom and dad will let me taste. A very intense little hortoculturist we have.



Nothing like the smell of fresh cut grass!

She loves me...she loves me not...she loves me....


So warm I'd better stay hydrated. Also need to wash that funny
marigold taste out of my mouth!


Mommy I sure love being outside with you and dad.
Do you think it could be summer for a little longer?


up up up up!

Oh no!



That was fun! lets do it again!

Thursday, September 10, 2009

B-day wish list

I'm sorry if this is tacky but I don't know how else to let you all know what sorts of things Charlie needs/ wants. Let us know if you get Charlie one of these things but not from Amazon so we can be sure to take if off the wish list.

Here is the link to Charles Vander Houwen's Amazon wish list...

http://www.amazon.com/gp/registry/wishlist/2I0I14MZUOIS8

Wednesday, September 9, 2009

40 days and 40 nights until Charlie's first B-day

Hello Charlie fans!!!
Mama Michelle here....
Wow, time flies and Charlie will be walking in no time. His grandma Cheryl, Aunt Nancy and Uncle Simon are all flying out for his 1st and we are hoping that they will see him walk. It really amazes me to watch him. This week he has figured out how to get the rings back onto the stacking toy, he is pushing things (like diaper boxes) around while walking behind them, I finally saw him step down backwards off a step, and, he gets better and better at feeding himself (see pictures). He is reading (rather looking at books and turning the pages very carefully), he is waving (all be it backwards), and he is even attempting gymnastics (off the changing table)... he is very advanced!!!
I have been working hard but have found a bit of time to start planning Charlie's big birthday bash (yes, I know he won't remember it). I think that I will make Charles an Amazon.com wish list... just in case you are wondering what he needs... well, he doesn't need anything but.... just in case.
Charles has encountered some LARGE animals recently and adopted a very small one. First he and I went up to visit some friends of mine at their new home in NE Colorado. Ginger and Travis have a 105lb black lab. Charlie let him lick his ear (multiple times) without even flinching. Since he was okay with Porter I decided to really test things. Charlie took my parents and I to the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo in Colorado Springs and he was within a foot or two of a giraffe's head (and 16" tongue) and Charlie didn't mind a bit. This was a great adventure and Charles and I decided immediately that we will have to go back with Dad. The entire zoo is amazing... if only it weren't in Colorado Springs.
The new small animal in Charlie's life is a bunny (hopefully a magic bunny). Dennis had a contest to name her and the winning name... (she will be long gone before Charlie can spell this) is.... Gossamer Pippinpoof III
I hope you enjoy these photos and have been enjoying them all year... we have been blogging for over a year now and I'm so glad. It is great fun to look back at how much my boy has grown... (and the pictures of me pregnant are pretty amusing too).
We have been a bit better this round about keeping the camera handy and catching some great moments.
Charlie communicating with monkeys at the Denver Zoo.


A flower as big as Charlie's big head (Denver Zoo)

Charlie's first Crepe (one of Dennis' specialties)... liked the crepe, the cream cheese and the peach but not so keen on the raspberries



Gossamer
The Cheyenne Mountain Zoo with Grandma and Grandpa

Charlie's delight in discovering the joy of matzo balls....

and then we added a bit of Grandma's brisket... he is his Grandfather's boy!