Happy two days until your birthday, Charlie!

Water Baby

As Charlotte is turning a year old this week, I should probably rename this post "Water Big Girl." Happy Birthday Week Charlie!!

Chapter 2

Well, this pregnancy is officially in full swing!

Current cravings... (yes, there are more than one!)

1. french fries (made at home in the oven, topped with salt and a little Old Bay and dipped in the slightest amount of ketchup)

2. ice cream (preferably strawberry, but in a pinch any other flavor will do)

In fact, last night's dinner consisted of french fries... followed by ice cream... followed by french fries... and topped off with another round of ice cream...

Five words...

I'm going to be huge!

When I was pregnant with Charlotte, I had a lot of different cravings. Usually I would crave something for about a week, eat a ton of said craving, and then move on to the next food. My cravings included onion rings, strawberry ice cream, smoothies, BLT's,  hash browns, blueberries, etc.

One week we had french toast for dinner every night.

During the 'morning sickness' phase of pregnancy, I don't really worry too much about the nutritional value of what I am eating, I just focus on actually eating anything and keeping it down.

Last time the sight of raw chicken would turn my stomach something terrible, but I really wanted cooked chicken, so Tim was relegated to chicken duty for awhile. The other day, I spent a few moments in the meat department in the grocery store, trying to force myself to inch over to the poultry section and pick out some chicken, but in the end I gave up and headed to the frozen french fry aisle. I'll let that be a battle for another day!

This pregnancy, I have to eat pretty much constantly to keep the nausea at bay. Since the last thing I want to do when I am nauseous is eat something, this has proven to be challenging. During my last pregnancy I got in the habit of carrying around a bag of food with me. I never knew what would make me queasy on any given day, so I stocked it with everything I imagined might be okay to eat.

Well, I've started stocking the food bag real high again. My bag today contains saltines, honey nut cheerios, frosted mini wheats, an apple, a fruit cup, a granola bar, shortbread cookies, a little debbie cupcake and instant oatmeal... Don't worry, I don't eat all that every day. I really just nibble throughout the day. Whatever works.

If you've never had morning sickness, let me describe it to you. It feels exactly like motion sickness. Exactly. Most of the time you feel just nauseous enough to not throw up. You feel it in your head, the back of your throat and deep in your stomach. When you have the flu and you throw up, you feel better. Not so with morning sickness. You throw up and then you feel the same. So, it's totally not worth it!

At least that is how it feels to me. The only thing that helps is eating and sleeping. So I try to do both whenever I can. The sleeping part is hard to pull off with a 12 month old at home.

Early on Tim and I had a discussion about what to call this baby until it is born. If you remember, Charlotte was known as Shlomo for the duration of my pregnancy. Tim never liked the name, but I caught him calling the baby Shlomo towards the end. Good thing Charlotte was a girl or she might have had a hard time shaking the name Shlomo! This time around someone recommended "Shlomo-dos," which I like the sound of, but I doubt I can get Tim to sign off on that!! At first Tim wanted "Bambino" and I wanted "Chibi." I think we may have settled on "Chapter 2," but it is still a little too early to tell. If you have any recommendations for nicknames, pass them on! I will discuss them all with Tim and we will hopefully come up with a name we can both agree on!

And to finish out this blog post... Here's a picture of Charlotte and a dog. Enjoy!

She'll be walking soon!

Charlotte, can you say 'bye?'

Playing with Great Grandpa!!

Looks like they are both having fun!

Reunion Time!

This past weekend the long awaited Pearson Family Reunion took place in Carrollton, Ohio. As expected, it was filled with singing, dancing, outfits made out of curtains and Nazis...

Oh wait... that's the Sound of Music... well, scratch the outfits and the Nazis and you get the picture!

Honestly, though, it was an amazing weekend. Tim and I headed up late Thursday evening. Charlotte slept the whole way! Friday was spent exploring the area, rehearsing some music and hanging out with the family at Tim's grandparents house.

Charlie would ONLY nap in grandma's arms!

How did I end up with an outdoorsy kid?!?

She LOVES crawling in the grass 

enjoying the swing

out by the lake at the campfire

evening at the lake

Saturday was the actual reunion. We played bocci, had a picnic and went paddle boating. Charlotte had fun playing with her cousins. 

playing bocci

Tim, the bocci king

loving on my girl

love the hair!

Hi Cousin Emma! 

pretty girl

We all slept real well on Saturday night! Sunday we got up for church cause the Pearson Family (minus me and the babies) were scheduled to sing during the offertory at the grandparent's church. As always, they sounded amazing! Then it was lunch at Grinders and back to the house for packing. We didn't let Charlie take a nap so that she would be exhausted for the ride home. It worked! 

See her cute little pajamas with the bunny feet? They have no traction. Right after this picture was snapped, she slipped and fell and bumped her head. There were lots of tears! 

On the swing with her great grandparents!

look at that smile!

happy girl!

I thought Charlie looked silly in this pic, so I included it!

My wonderful little family!

Overall, it was an amazing trip! We had such a great time and can't wait to do it again...


Oh... And by the way...


Tim and I are expecting a new baby!!!

Didn't see that coming did you?!?!?

"Chapter 2" is due March 13, 2012

Keep Posted!!

An impromptu trip!

This past weekend, we took an impromptu visit to Ohio to visit Tim's grandparents. It was a great chance for Charlotte to spend some time with them. We went out to their lake and relaxed, took a paddle boat ride and played on the swing set. What a wonderful way to spend the weekend!

so pretty!

First time in a swing

She loved it!

the lake and swing set... so beautiful!

hanging out with Great Grandma Pearson!

A weekend of sad and happy...

A weekend of sad...

We moved the kitty boys to their transitional home (a.k.a. my parent's house) and there they will stay until they move to their new permanent homes. For Eli that will be about another 10 days.  For B'Oscar, we aren't sure yet. It was a long ride to Virginia with two unhappy kitties and a grumpy baby, but we all made it no worse for wear.

As we were packing for the trip out there, we realized that we only had one cat carrier... ONE... I thought, "That's not good!" Images of both kitties shoved into the same carrier, paws frantically swatting at us through the holes fleeted through my mind before shaking off that idea of a bloodbath! But Tim came to the rescue. He found a file box, cut holes in the top, and we lowered a squirming B'Oscar kitty inside. Then, we taped the lid closed. No fear, he had plenty of air, and I could even reach my hand down inside and pet him a long the way.

I have come to learn that kitties hate car rides. And it has also been my experience that Eli hates them the most. For as brave and bold as he is in everyday life, he turns into a gelatinous, furry pile of kitty mush in the car. We hadn't gone more than 20 minutes when we smelled something most foul and had to pull off at the nearest gas station, wipe down said kitty and his carrier. Fortunately there were no more mishaps.

When we arrived, we unloaded the cats in a closed room. In true Eli form, he was up and about, ready to take on the world. (Now that the world wasn't zooming past at 65+ miles an hour!) B'Oscar kitty headed for the first hiding place he could find... under the bed. But don't worry. Within a couple of hours, his hungry belly coached him out and about to explore his new surroundings.

We spent the night at my parent's, and the kitty boys shared the room with us. Eli made himself right at home in the bed. When Eli wants to be some place and knows that you might not want him to be there, he goes limp. Yup, a dead weight... Nearly impossible to move. So, he spent the night at our feet. B'Oscar kitty was a bit restless, jumping in and out of bed. At times, he would curl up in my arms and purr. I think he was pretty uneasy. By the next morning, he seemed back to his old self again.

Coming home without my boys was hard. The moment I opened the door to my house, I stuck my foot in, a habit I developed early on in my kitty owning days to prevent any adventurous kitty from escaping. But who was I trying to keep from escaping now? No one. Cause there was no one there to even try.

Throughout the evening I kept seeing them, B'Oscar mostly, darting past the corner of my eye. I swore he was in the hallway. Was that Eli sleeping on the couch? No... It was a white t-shirt. It's after 9pm. They must be hungry. I'll go feed them. Wait... They aren't here. Three minutes would pass and I would already forget they were gone. I'd look around for them and that sinking feeling would return. I keep hoping this phase passes quickly, but it hasn't yet.

A weekend of happy...

While we were out at my parent's house, we got to see a few of my cousins that I haven't seen in ages. They got to meet Charlotte. Charlie got to spend time with her grandparents, which she always enjoys. She sat on GP's lap for about a half an hour and became very fascinated with his ear. She kept trying to pull at it and talk into it. She was having so much fun!

While I wasn't looking she did manage to shove several pieces of cat food into her mouth on two different occasions, but her daddy dutifully dug them out of her mouth, to a lot of protest.

It was her first night away from home, but she did really well. She slept through the night and didn't even wake up from the really loud thunderstorm.

I got to see some of my father's new artwork and it was stunning! I can't wait to get it photographed and start entering it into shows!

Sunday evening, we took Charlotte to see her first fireworks. I wondered how it would go. Charlie isn't a big fan of loud noises and hates abrupt, loud noises even more. She's been known to start screaming when someone breaks out into laughter near her when she isn't expecting it.

We went to North Beach, to my brother-in-law's house for a cook out and then a walk down to the beach for the show. It was sprinkling when we started walking down in the dark. We got to the shoreline and waited. When they finally started Charlotte was mesmerized. Every once in a while there would be an extra loud bang and she would look at me to make sure it wasn't something she should be worried about. I would smile and tell her that it was all fine and gush about the colors and she would go back to watching the show. About 10 minutes later, it started to pour and we had to high tail it back to the house. It was alright though, because as entranced as Charlotte was, she is still just a baby and had pretty much had enough.

It definitely was an emotional weekend. I'm so thankful to my parents for taking in the boys and taking such good care of them. (I'm getting daily updates. They are doing great!) I am also very thankful for such a loving husband, and grateful for his 'cat-food-removal-from-baby-mouth' skills! I am also incredibly blessed to get the chance to watch my little girl discover the world around her. Growing up again is so much fun!

Ambidexterous waving and more Stink Eye

Now that Charlotte is ten months old, she's got a few tricks up her sleeves. As documented below, she can wave (both hands, mind you) and give the stink eye on command. She makes a mama proud!

(She can also cover herself in salvia and teething biscuits to the point of grossness.

Kisses, anyone?!?) 

10 months old...

Noana time...

My mom came to visit us this past weekend, and her and Charlie got some much needed Noana/Charlie time! Charlotte is my mom's first grandchild, and in true grandma form, she takes exceedingly good care of her! They spent a lot of time playing in her walker, 'talking,' eating Cheerios and chasing kitties. They both seemed to have a blast. 


At one point, my mom picked up Charlotte and started blowing raspberries on her upper back, and Charlie started laughing... I mean really laughing.. For anyone that has heard Charlie laugh, most of the time she sounds like a hyperactive seal, but this time her laugh was deep from her belly. And she kept laughing and laughing! 


When they were finished, Noana asked Charlotte for kisses, and Charlotte gave a great big smile, turned and started showering her grandma with kisses! (It should be noted that lately Charlie has been pretty stingy with the kisses. In fact, most of the time when I ask for one she just looks away, but somehow Noana gets them pretty liberally! Must be a grandma thing!)

Thanks Mom for being such a wonderful grandma!

A girl and her laundry basket...

Apparently Charlotte likes laundry baskets....

Charlotte's laundry basket prison...

(the video is pretty dark, so you might not be able to see much,

she does a lot of talking in this video, using a lot of her new sounds!)

Watch Out B'Oscar Kitty!!!

Mommy in a cabinet...

Our house has a really nice kitchen. There are a set of cabinets that you can open from both sides and see all the way through.

When Charlotte began opening cabinets, we thought it was fun to open the other side and surprise her. This has turned into a favorite game for her. Enjoy!

It's time...

After much thought and discussion, Tim and I have decided that it is time to get rid of our kitty boys. I am heartbroken by this decision, but I know it is the right choice for our family at this time. Our decision to get rid of them has nothing to do with them, or behavioral issues.

With that said, I am looking for a home/homes for my wonderful, furry little men. Let me take a moment to introduce them. Both cats are indoor cats and would need to go to a home that can keep them inside.

The first is Eli. Eli is a pretty big cat, completely white and 11 years old. He is a definite lap cat. He is happiest around people and great with kids. (Charlotte loves him!) His favorite toy is a piece of ice on a hardwood floor! I initially got Eli because I was looking for a large cat. When I heard his story, I knew he was a good fit for me. For the first four years of his life, he lived with a little old man. When the man passed away, the family didn't want him, so they sent him to a shelter. He bounced from shelter to shelter for 6 months, living in a tiny little cage. By the time we met, he was about 17 lbs. He's slimmed down a lot since then! I think he is about 14 lbs. He is highly adaptable and very loving!

The second is B'Oscar. (The "B" is silent!) B'Oscar is a black cat, 9 years old. Shortly after I moved to college, my cat of 17 years died. I decided then that the day after I graduated, I was going to get a cat. So, when the time came, I went to a pet adoption and met the ugliest kitten I had ever seen. He fell asleep in my arms and I was won over! I brought him home, and within a few months I watched him transform into a truly handsome cat. B'Oscar is about 12 lbs now. He is a bit shy. He takes a little longer than Eli to adapt to new surroundings, but once he does, he's great. He is a very loving cat. His favorite game is "Squish The Kitty!" which consists of him rolling on his back, exposing his belly and letting you 'squish' him with your foot! He is also a huge fan of cheese and knows the sound of a string cheese being opened. (Shh... don't tell Eli that he is my favorite!!)

I'm having a really hard time not crying while I write this post. Please feel free to spread the word if you know anyone in the Washington, D.C. / Baltimore metro area that is willing to take them in and love them bunches. We can deliver the cats wherever they need to go. We are under a tight deadline with this and need to have them in homes by July 1. Thank you so much for reading this and spreading the news.

Feel free to contact me at jonipear2@gmail.com or on facebook if you have any additional questions. Again, thank you!

Feeling nostalgic...

With my baby about to turn 10 months old, I'm feeling a bit nostalgic! Enjoy!!

10/22/10

10/23/10

10/24/10

11/09/10

Father's Day with grandpa

For Father's Day, we went out to Virginia and had lunch with my mom, dad, brother and sister. It was a great chance for Charlie to get some much needed Noana and Grandpa time!

Charlotte loves her Grandpa Crider. When she sees him, she gets a great big smile. When he holds her, she stands up on his lap, reaches up and pets his beard. She chatters with him and gives him kisses. It's fun for me to see them enjoy each other's company! In fact, it's hard to tell who is enamored more!!

DISCLAIMER
**The iPad 2 takes embarrassingly bad quality photos. Considering Apple's reputation for quality, I am surprised that they actually released the iPad 2 with a camera at all. I would hazard to say that first generation digital cameras took better quality images. With that said, I do appreciate the ability to take pictures with the iPad. I just wish they looked better!**

Cousin time...

Natalie and Charlie playing peekaboo!

Time flies....

One week old...

This pic was taken around 8 months old.
She's even bigger now!
(Well, not that much bigger)