Dinner Out

Funny stuff recently...

You know Charlie is closing in real fast on being a WHOLE year old. Well, ever since she was about 2 or 3 months old, we've been taking her out pretty regularly to eat lunch or dinner.

I used to be completely paranoid about that. I used to have visions of Charlie having complete meltdowns in a restuarant and Mommy and Daddy being asked to leave because of our unruly child!

Thank goodness I have a very sensible wife. She has always been very confident and calm about the whole going out in pubic with the baby thing.

Here's whats so funny to me: EVERY time we go out now, we invariably are seated right next to a couple (or group) that looks absolutely horrified when we're walking toward their table with Charlie. They lean very slowly, and whisper very softly, but we know what they're saying.

The looks we get... it's priceless. They must have the same visions I used to have.

Now though, what winds up happening to us is that the same horrified people always come to our table as they're leaving to tell us how impressed they are with how well behaved Charlie is. What a "good little eater she is."

It's just really funny to me how people feel compelled to come tell us how surprised (probably pleased) they are that Charlie is so good in public.

Luckily her Mommy is smarter (and more forceful) than me! Otherwise, I'd still have Charlie locked up in the house all day for fear that she might cry in public or something!!

More Baby Fun

Not sure whether I've written about our neighborhood baby boom before on my blog. But here is a quick recap... There are LOTS of babies!!

We had some of our neighbors over last night for a casual, impromptu, get together that was really a few months overdue... it just so happened that everyone was around so we just said, "shoot over for a quick barbeque."

We had Bella (Charlie's 2-year old friend), Andrew (7 months), and Sophia (8 months) over (and of course their parents too).

It was just so fun to watch the kids interact... especially since they're all getting so big and mobile! Here is a picture of the three youngest comparing how tall they are.

This was the first time Charlie wasn't interested in the camera... she's starring at Andrew. I'm hoping that isn't the start of a pattern!

Anyway... great fun with our friends (who happen to be our neighbors too). We are just really happy that Charlie has so many playmates right in her own neighborhood!

We're Nearing A Year

I'm not sure what to say. Oddly enough. I've been watching over the last month as my daughter had been changing. Very dramatically. No... not really her personality. Just the way I see her.

What I mean is that I find myself these days watching my LITTLE GIRL play, and laugh, and snuggle... not my little baby.

The transformation has been astounding.

I find myself laughing WITH her these days. Nope. Not laughing just to get her to giggle, but actually laughing along with her... because she's VERY funny.

She just LOVES to snuggle and tickle and giggle, and she will almost attack me, to get me to tickle her. It is absolutely hillarious.

It really seems like yesterday that she would just lay there and gurgle.

Charlie is just the best little girl.