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
Thursday, September 10, 2009
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!
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
10 Months Old Already!!!
Wow.. it has been a while... a very busy while! Since we last wrote quite a bit has happened.
1. Charlie can climb an entire set of stairs but, unfortunately, can not make it down one without falling on his nose.
2. Charlie has his first tooth with first appeared about a week ago.
3. Charlie got to visit with his big sis who came out to visit for 2.5 weeks (she just left on Saturday). It was great to have her here. She is amazing with Charlie and it means the world to us that she wants to be part of his life.
4. Charlie went to the doctors office twice.... once was for his nine month check up... just after we last wrote. Charlie is still perfect... in approximately the 60th percentile for weight, the 80th for height and the 95th for head circumference.
The second doctors visit was a bit more traumatic. Dalai, our sweet, loving little dog, freaked out when Charlie tried to grab one of her treats and bit him on the mouth (muzzle). Charlie is fine but we had to find a new home for Dalai where she no longer has to compete for attention with a babe. We tried training, we tried dog psychology but, alas, Dalai needs to be far from babies and, she is now. Ours was no longer the best home for her... one of the hardest things I've ever had to do was admitting this. The decision was perfectly clear from the moment she bit Charlie... that didn't make delivering into someone else's hands any easier. She was a GREAT dog for six GREAT years and we miss her terribly.
5. Charlie is standing on his own for about 30 seconds, he is crawling at lightening speed, he is walking along furniture and, he is NOT afraid of heights! We have set up a huge fenced in play area in the basement and we have barricaded in the living room so that he won't crack his scull open when we turn away for half an instant. I'm sure that some babies and parents can do without all the gates but not Charlie, not us and not in this danger zone of a house.
6. Charlie is eating Cheerios and other little chunks... banana, Gerber puffs, cantaloupe etc. etc. - he is growing up SO fast!
7. Charlie is thinking of becoming an electrician... this can be noted from his extreme interest in outlets!!!
1. Charlie can climb an entire set of stairs but, unfortunately, can not make it down one without falling on his nose.2. Charlie has his first tooth with first appeared about a week ago.
3. Charlie got to visit with his big sis who came out to visit for 2.5 weeks (she just left on Saturday). It was great to have her here. She is amazing with Charlie and it means the world to us that she wants to be part of his life.
4. Charlie went to the doctors office twice.... once was for his nine month check up... just after we last wrote. Charlie is still perfect... in approximately the 60th percentile for weight, the 80th for height and the 95th for head circumference.
The second doctors visit was a bit more traumatic. Dalai, our sweet, loving little dog, freaked out when Charlie tried to grab one of her treats and bit him on the mouth (muzzle). Charlie is fine but we had to find a new home for Dalai where she no longer has to compete for attention with a babe. We tried training, we tried dog psychology but, alas, Dalai needs to be far from babies and, she is now. Ours was no longer the best home for her... one of the hardest things I've ever had to do was admitting this. The decision was perfectly clear from the moment she bit Charlie... that didn't make delivering into someone else's hands any easier. She was a GREAT dog for six GREAT years and we miss her terribly.
5. Charlie is standing on his own for about 30 seconds, he is crawling at lightening speed, he is walking along furniture and, he is NOT afraid of heights! We have set up a huge fenced in play area in the basement and we have barricaded in the living room so that he won't crack his scull open when we turn away for half an instant. I'm sure that some babies and parents can do without all the gates but not Charlie, not us and not in this danger zone of a house.
6. Charlie is eating Cheerios and other little chunks... banana, Gerber puffs, cantaloupe etc. etc. - he is growing up SO fast!
7. Charlie is thinking of becoming an electrician... this can be noted from his extreme interest in outlets!!!
So you need some photos eh? Well Charlie and I went to the park today and had a little photo shoot. There are a lot more to come but for now these were what I had time to edit for the blog.
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Hooray! The pool is open!
After a series of trips and adventures and maintenance problems with the pool, Charlie's Grandma and Grandpa finally got the pool open. The weather was perfect and the pool heater had kicked in to bring the temp up to a very comfortable 85ish degrees. Charlie, Michelle and I all slipped into our swimming suits, grabbed the point and shoot and took the plunge.
Here we see Charlie touching down into the water. He isn't quite sure about it at first but has his shovel as a handy tool if he needs it to bail the water out of the pool. He decided quickly that he realy would like to use his inflateable swim saucer.
Here we see Charlie touching down into the water. He isn't quite sure about it at first but has his shovel as a handy tool if he needs it to bail the water out of the pool. He decided quickly that he realy would like to use his inflateable swim saucer.
Still not completely convinced yet not really panicing Charlie Started to warm up to the idea of floating along so long as he could still hold his trusty bailing shovel.
Ahhhhh! That feels great! I'm not real sure...
But I think that Charlie thinks Pool is spelled "P-P-O-O-L "
...Well with that out of the way...
Charlie really became quite comfortable in his first swimming experieince.
Unfortunatley he may have stayed in too long as his feet started to absorb water as you can see in this photo here.
Don't worry son... I'm sure your feet will wring out just fine!
Here we are 2 dudes from muscle beach drying off in the afternoon sun.
Charlie looks like he is ready to hit the pool again but I think he is still a little worried about his waterlogged feet. He's hiding them here in this picture.
I'm not sure he will be the next olympic superstar...
...but I do know that is one totally beyond cute photo of our little swimmer!
The End.
Saturday, July 4, 2009
July update.
Finally!!!
Here are some pictures for everyone. Most of them are of our trip to Denver's 'Wildlife Experience' for my (mom's) birthday.
Dennis tried to get some video downloaded onto the blog but it isn't working... bummer. We will keep trying... we may even have to ask a computer savvy friend for help.
I would love for you to see how in a mere two weeks Charlie has learned to crawl, sit up on his own, pull himself up to standing, feed himself sweet potato puffs with his hands, etc. etc.
In other words... he is getting many bumps and bruises but we are preventing all that we can and we are there to kiss the 'owies' that slip though our fingers. He is learning at an unbelievable rate. If he keeps this up he might be a concert pianist by age 8... never mind that we don't have a piano.
Since we have to watch like hawks when Charlie is free to move we occasionally have to 'immobilize' him in one of two fabulous new toys. Charlie has a new exersauser and, even better, a swing. He loves 'hanging out' in the swing so much that he has even fallen asleep in it. So far we can move it to two different locations outside of the house and I'm working on a way to hook it up under the stairs in the living room.
A happy Charlie who can't do anything to injure himself is a precious thing indeed!
Charlie riding a wolf! Top that Kandace!!!!!!!
Charlie watching some fish (one of his favorite pasttimes).
Quick, veer to the left.
Charlie and his dad posing with a Steve Goodman original on display at the Wildlife Experience
In the swing.... see how happy!!!
Charlie standing and having a 'chat' with a very scary baboon.
Here are some pictures for everyone. Most of them are of our trip to Denver's 'Wildlife Experience' for my (mom's) birthday.
Dennis tried to get some video downloaded onto the blog but it isn't working... bummer. We will keep trying... we may even have to ask a computer savvy friend for help.
I would love for you to see how in a mere two weeks Charlie has learned to crawl, sit up on his own, pull himself up to standing, feed himself sweet potato puffs with his hands, etc. etc.
In other words... he is getting many bumps and bruises but we are preventing all that we can and we are there to kiss the 'owies' that slip though our fingers. He is learning at an unbelievable rate. If he keeps this up he might be a concert pianist by age 8... never mind that we don't have a piano.
Since we have to watch like hawks when Charlie is free to move we occasionally have to 'immobilize' him in one of two fabulous new toys. Charlie has a new exersauser and, even better, a swing. He loves 'hanging out' in the swing so much that he has even fallen asleep in it. So far we can move it to two different locations outside of the house and I'm working on a way to hook it up under the stairs in the living room.
A happy Charlie who can't do anything to injure himself is a precious thing indeed!
Charlie riding a wolf! Top that Kandace!!!!!!!
Charlie watching some fish (one of his favorite pasttimes).
Quick, veer to the left.
Charlie and his dad posing with a Steve Goodman original on display at the Wildlife Experience
In the swing.... see how happy!!!
Charlie standing and having a 'chat' with a very scary baboon.
These photos were taken during breakfast with Aunt Karen at Einsteins just before she left for Australia and New Zealand (he misses you Karen). The shirt says "Captain Adorable" in case any of you were wondering.
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
CRAWLING!
Dennis is working on some video to add to this post but in the mean time I had to let everyone know. Charlie is crawling. I have been home for weeks and I just went back to work today... Murphy's Law... Charlie was crawling when I got home.
He only gets a yard or two before falling on his nose but I'm sure that by the time my parent's get home from Iceland on Monday he will have crawling mastered.
Still no teeth.
Charlie has a new smile... he scrunches up his nose, squints his eyes and grins from ear to ear. It is the CUTEST! He is going to be a charmer... or the class clown... either way he will be entertaining! He elicits smiles wherever he goes.. already.
He only gets a yard or two before falling on his nose but I'm sure that by the time my parent's get home from Iceland on Monday he will have crawling mastered.
Still no teeth.
Charlie has a new smile... he scrunches up his nose, squints his eyes and grins from ear to ear. It is the CUTEST! He is going to be a charmer... or the class clown... either way he will be entertaining! He elicits smiles wherever he goes.. already.
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
So much to tell...
Sitting up, log rolling, scooting backwards, getting up on his hands and knees and rocking back and forth... this boy is ready to move!
Thankfully he isn't crawling yet because the baby gate for the stairs doesn't go on sale until Friday ;)
Charlie is really starting to develop by leaps and bounds. Everyday he is doing something new. He is eating all sorts of fruits, veggies and grains with no signs of any allergies yet, he is grabbing, punching, whacking and pulling all with great force and he is babbling like a maniac. Sometimes this babbling is extremely loud (usually in quiet restaurants) and sometimes he speaks very softly and gently as if he is telling a nice little story - this is my favorite!!! I wish you could all hear his beautiful little voice.
He has had a great many adventures and met many new people since our last posting so we'll sum everything up into a photo montage.
This is me in my favorite bathtub... it's a big inflatable duck that my friend Chris got for me...
Here I am in my stroller at the zoo... I've been there about 100 times already!
These are a few pictures of my last trip up to the cabin... I sure do like Dad's fishing hat.
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