Charlotte 19 months & Jocelyn 2 months

The summer is coming to a close with kids back to school and me officially not working. My last paycheck comes next week, then without a doubt it will fully sink in that I am at home full time.

Jocelyn went to the doctor on Thursday for her two month well-visit. The doctor said everything looked good. Jocelyn has much more sensitive skin than Charlotte did. She has a lot of baby acne and "cradle cap" on her ears and starting on her scalp. I hope it all clears up soon, but I am glad those little things don't seem to bother her. She continues to be a happy baby and sleeps well. She has had several 10 hours stretches at night, but typically stays closer to 8 hour stretches, which is of course nothing to complain about.

I still don't see much of a routine with her, but that is probably because we always have something going and don't spend too many days at home in row. Jocelyn loves to coo, smile, and talk to you when she is awake. Some how I was blessed with very easy babies.

Here are her stats from her 2 month visit on August 19th.

Weight: 10lbs 15oz (50th percentile)

Height: 23 inches (75th percentile)

Head: 15 3/4 inches (80th percentile)

Charlotte just keep growing up and getting more and more independent. She likes to do all adult things. She helps me empty the dishwasher on a daily basis, will pick up her toys with help, retrieve things when asked, follow basic directions, draws, and helps set the table for dinner. One of her new favorite things is to dress up. She tries to put on any clothes she can get her hands on, even if they are Jocelyn's. She also loves putting on our shoes and walking around.

As far as language skills, those keep building as well: New animal sounds include: monkey, snake, gorilla, penguin, and owl. For some reason we cannot get her to master cat. Verbally she says book, milk, juice, drink, outside, all gone/done, please, and I am sure some others that I am not remembering right now. She has added a few signs as well, cheese, cracker, and cookie.

Here are some pictures from the last few weeks...sorry, most of them are of Charlotte...Jocelyn is already suffering from second child syndrome with fewer pictures...as she interacts more, we'll get more pictures.

Coloring on a dry erase board (pardon the nudity...they markers weren't washable)

The Zimmerman family came for a visit. Noah is just a few weeks younger than Charlotte. Here they were playing at Kaleidoscope.

Proudly changing her baby's diaper.

Play time on the bed.

Getting into Mama's closet

Stylin'! Only a toddler could look that cute in that ensemble.

That is what her hair looks like most of the time...it is a struggle to keep a bow or rubberband in...she constantly pulls them out. After we're done with the paper, it is Charlotte's turn to "read" it.

Jocelyn's Birth Announcement

Charlotte (18 1/2 months) and Jocelyn (6 weeks)

The summer is flying by!! We are pretty well settled into being a family of four. Life is some what normal now and I go out several times a week with the girls.

Charlotte's vocabulary is growing quickly. She has added a few more signs this month (music and cracker). She has started talking more as well: "heryago" (here you go, as she hands you something), 1-2-3, mama, thank you, shoe, trash, good girl, burr (when something is cold), uh-oh, ouch, and help.

Over the last month Charlotte has become afraid of many things that haven't been a problem before. She is afraid of cars and walking in parking lots. I think this is due to a car starting near her that she wasn't expecting and startled her. She use to love baths and would not mind her hair being washed. Now, while she will take a bath without a problem, hair washing is a fight. I end up soaked by the end of the ordeal and she ends in tears. It isn't fun. We have also started seeing some fits when she doesn't get her way, so we have started some short time outs. She is showing more food preferences as well. She LOVES fruit and corn on the cob, but does not like cottage cheese. She doesn't eat much meat but is getting better. This week she ate a sloppy joe and some chicken, and as always, is still a big fan of turkey dogs.

Jocelyn is growing like a weed. We don't remember Charlotte growing so fast and changing so quickly. She weighs 9lbs 15oz according to her weigh in at the last breastfeeding group (8/2/2010), which was an 11 oz weight gain in a week! I couldn't believe it! She continues to be a very content baby, but spits up more than Charlotte did, but still not so much that I'm concerned. When she is awake she loves being in her swing and will coo and smile at the mobile and mirror above her. She usually goes down for the night around 10 and wakes up between 4 and 5:30 to eat, then sleeps again until 7:30. We are definitely getting more sleep than we did when Charlotte was this age.

We are anxious for the heat to subside a bit so we can spend more time outside. Charlotte loves our daily walks to the mailbox, but hates when we have to come back in. 105+ index just isn't good playing weather.

Jocelyn smiling at Charlotte. Charlotte usually gets her to smile better than we can. It is so sweet to see the sister bond already.

I found this large metal tub at Target on clearance and picked it up for a toy bin. Charlotte loves playing in it. The other day we joked as she crawled in it and asked, "are you going to take a a nap." Hours later when I told her it was nap time, she immediately went to the tub with a blanket and crawled in. Nice try!

Charlotte loves "shushing" Jocelyn, unfortunately, she usually sticks her finger in her mouth in the process.

Smiles. :)