My Valentine!

The stuffed dog that Charlie is looking at is a musical, animated toy. Its ears flap up and down to "Shout" (You make me wanna shout, throw my hands up and shout ....). At first, he was very standoffish when we turned it on. Grandpa got him the dog for Valentine's Day 2009. (That is lasagna on his face ... our next stop was the bathtub!)

We were lucky enough to have Charlie with us for most of the day, and through the night. Even though the quality of the photos is not good, I am still posting them because they were so cute. I couldn't find my good camera so I settled for poor quality over no pictures!

Valentine's Day ... Last Year

< -------- Charlie, Valentine's Day, 2008 (I hope to post a 2009 picture tomorrow)

Tomorrow is Valentine's Day and I have been thinking about the days leading up to Valentine's Day 2008. If valentines equal love, then I am quite blessed and loved. I have my sweet husband who really tries to make my life happy and keep it full of attention and love. I have the most beautiful daughter anyone could ask for. She not only loves me because I am her mother, but also likes me and enjoys spending time with me. She is always thinking up ways to bring happiness, pleasure, and love to my daily existence. Then, of course, there is my sweet, perfect, charming grandson, Charlie. One of the best feelings in the world is the "rush" I get when he sees me coming and claps his little hands together while his face lights up in a great big grin. I get so much out of just watching him play while he explores this world that surrounds him. (For anyone who missed it, that means he is the center of my universe.) No matter what my mood is, one look at him puts me in the best place on earth.

Just those three people would be enough to make me the happiest, most loved person on earth ... but I also have many family members and friends that brighten my days. My extended family is "FAMILY" - what more can I say, except that family is everything. My "friends" come in all ages. Some of them I have known for many years; some were brought into my life by my daughter (I really like her friends!); some I am just getting to know. To all of you who bring such joy into my life, Happy Valentine's Day!

He's Growing Up So Fast!

I know that every child probably does the things that Charlie does, but this is all about Charlie!

He seems to understand the difference between "Hi" and "Bye bye". When we pass people at the store, he looks at them, gives them a big smile, and says, "Hi!" When I go over to Becca's house, he gets really excited and crawls over to me, faster than most people walk. He climbs up my legs, and holds his hands up while he says, "Up." As soon as I pick him up he looks around and says, "Byeeee" while he opens and closes his little fist in the "baby-bye-bye" manner. He's ready to go bye-bye with Grandma!

One of his favorite things to do is "drive" the car. He stands behind the steering wheel and makes that little boy built-in motor sound, while he turns the wheel back and forth. We have a routine ... he gets to drive and then he wants to see the baby in the sun visor mirror. After he gives the baby and smile and a kiss, it's time to try out all of the buttons and levers. Then, since I don't want to make him cry, his mommy has to be the one to take him out of the driver's seat. (That's just one of the perks of being the grandma instead of the mommy!)

If I were the jealous type, I would be quite envious of Charlie's Papa (Dave). Charlie lights up like Time Square on New Year's Eve when he sees his Papa. I have a picture of Charlie and Dave on my computer desktop. When Charlie sees that picture come up, he becomes all excited and says, "Ooooooo ... Papa!" Then he says, "Papa? ... Papa? ... Papa?" over and over until you answer him or distract him. Of course, his Papa gets just as excited about seeing him, too!

Charlie is a very polite young man. He regularly says "thank you" ... okay, it's more like "gack coo" - but the message is still very clear. He asks for his "baba" (sippy cup with juice or milk), always phrasing it in the form of a question. "Baba?" I have decided that sometimes food is also called "baba". He says, "Up" to be picked up, and "out" to be taken out of his highchair or car seat. He tries to mimic words that he hears, and actions that he sees ("Be careful, little mouth, what you say." "Be careful, little eyes what you see." - from a child's song Rebecca used to sing.)

And, now for the heartbreaking stuff ... He still won't say "Grandma"!!!!! But, that's okay ... he will say it soon enough, because he is growing up so fast.