Charlotte: words and signs

Charlotte signs:
"more"
"please"
"book" (sometimes)
"water" (of some sort of variation)

Charlotte says:
"mama"
"p" (said with a nod of the head) = up
"bep" or "bup" = paci
"bye"
"uh-oh" though sounds more like "oh-oh" a lot of the time

Charlotte - 9 months

Dear Charlotte,

You are now 9 months old.  You've lived in the "outside world" longer than inside my tummy. 
You (and your brother) are the joys of my life.  You both provide me with stability when life goes "wonky". 
You've changed so much this month. You've developed mostly in movement this month.  You figured crawling out and are now practicing for speed.  You pull yourself up (on toys, mommy's legs, the couch, and your crib) and I had to lower your crib to the lowest setting already!  You are very agile and confident with moving your body the way you want.  You do get stuck under the kitchen table and chairs.  You've even started to attempt the stairs -yikes!
We've had to do lots of baby-proofing this month.  Moving many of your brother's toys to the study and keeping doors closed.  You seem to like the bathroom the best - yuck!
You still have only 2 bottom teeth.
You love eating food and have attempted chicken this month, with some success.  Your faves are blueberries, banana, cheerios, raisin bread toast, cheese, yogurt, rice, black beans, and strawberries. 
You still breastfeed at least 5 times a day.  You take 2 naps a day, but still have 3-nap days.
While you don't have any new "words", you've become even more vocal and much louder.  You still don't laugh much, but show your happiness with sequels of delight and many, many smiles.
Your fave toys are Little People animals, duplos, activity table, and you've discovered books, especially the touch and feel ones.  We've been reading books a lot lately :)
You enjoy Pentwater with Grandma and Grandpa.  You LOVE swinging in the swing and like falling asleep on the boat (HATE the lifejacket, but I don't blame you!).

job insecurity

My teaching job for this year has been in question all summer.  My class, young 5's, didn't have enough students enrolled at the end of the school year.  Only 1 student, in fact.  The school board gave it until early July, if enough enrolled they would run the class.  But not enough did, still only one, in fact.  But the kindergarten was huge, so it will divided into 2 classes.  I was invited to apply for the job, but it would also be opened to outside applicants.  I am sure you can guess how that felt.  (Not good.)
Interviews were finally set for this week Thursday night.  I'm anxious about it, to say the least.  I'm worried about having to interview again (it's been 5 years since I've interviewed for a job!).  I'm worried about not getting the job and the feeling of failure that will go along with that.  I'm scared I won't be able to teach this year with all my wonderful co-workers, whom I LOVE!  But most of all, I'm worried about me not having an income.  To the point that I wake in the middle of the night and worry for hour(s).  It's just so stressful.
But Thursday night I should know.  And while I am really looking forward to just knowing, I'm terrified of how deeply I will feel as a failure if I don't get the job. 
So I guess I'll need a drink Thursday night.  A drink to a new job or a drink to feel less like a failure. 
I'll let you know how it turns out.
EDIT
Didn't get the job :(

Opposites

On Friday...
One dear friend was saying good bye to her sweet baby boy, Maxwell, stillborn at 38 weeks.  We gathered as friends, co-workers, family, and loved ones with her and her husband to say goodbye for a life taken way too early and to grieve with/for parents who were given such a short time with sweet Maxwell.

Meanwhile in another state in a very different situation...

Another dear friend was giving birth to her first baby.  A son, named Logan, who is healthy by all accounts.  Healthy and beautiful (boys can be called "beautiful" for at least a couple weeks!).  He is loved just as much as Maxwell, by his parents, family and friends.  But Logan has been given the opportunity to have a long healthy life, something Maxwell is stripped of. 

It's so hard to be left with so many questions and way too few answers.  Why do some babies die?  Why do others live?  One might think that after my 4 miscarriages I might have more answers -- but it's the opposite.  I'm left with more questions.  And doing lots of praying.  Praying for Maxwell's parents.  Thankful prayers for Logan's safe delivery. 

Charlotte - 7 months

Dear Charlotte,
You are 7 months old, actually 7 1/2 months, and I forgot to take your 7 months picture.  So this letter will have to do for the month.
You are such a blessing.  You are a very happy, content little girl.  You're smiley nearly the entire day, except when you're tired, then you're just kinda sober. 
You are deeply loved by your mommy, brother (who won't leave you alone!), and daddy (who says girls are more fun than boys!).  You are doted on all day long.
You still wake at least once through the night, but you take decent naps through the day.
You still breast feed all day long.  But we did add one 4oz bottle of formula at 7pm.  I hoped it would help you sleep better, but it has helped us not breast feed every hour between 5-9!  that has been nice for mommy!
You wake in the morning so happy and chatty.  You like to play for a while before you eat. 
At 7 months you:

• sit up unassisted
• hold toys, bang them up and down, throw them
• talk (baba, dada, mama (only when you're mad!)
• love to be on your tummy
• roll all the time
• pull knees up under your belly and thrust yourself forward.  very dangerous!  we all rush around moving Asa's toys out of the way!  Mommy is trying to figure out how to baby-proof with your brother's toys strewn around the house.  Asa is learning what "choking hazard" means.
• a little leery of strangers, look to momma for reassurance
• eating solids - you hated purees so we went right to finger foods (cheerios, carrots, peas, puffs, wagon wheels, baby mumm mumm)  You love them all.  Not much luck with fruits yet.
• you are great at the chewing motion.  Mommy was skeptical about "baby-led weaning" but it really works for you :)
• reach/watch everyone eating their food
• you enjoy sitting in the "big-girl" high chair at restaurants and Nonny/Poppy's house
• you've enjoyed swinging on the swings
• you love being outside and watching Asa play or just enjoy the wind through your hair :)
• we did move you to your next car seat, but with all the car switches in the last 2 weeks, you've been back and forth between seats.  

sunday am

My sweet baby Charlotte is 4 weeks today.  My heart aches as she is growing so fast and yet I yearn with anticipation for the "witching hour" to be out-grown.  This has been a rough week at times.  The evenings are difficult to predict, some nights she is content and sleeps the evening away - only then she is wide awake from 2am-5am.  Oh my heavens, was that a rough night!  Then other evenings she is attention seeking the entire evening and eating nearly every 90 minutes - but then she sleeps better through the night. 
This will be a busy baking week.  My family is doing our traditional almond tart (think banquette into a small tart) baking today.  We adore those little almond delights so much that the whole family gets into the assembly line to help out.   
Then Tuesday and Wednesday bring more baking with friends and family for giving away.  I'm looking forward to all of it, and praying Charlotte is content while I'm baking so I can actually contribute to the end product rather than just holding and feeding Charlotte.
Charlotte has her 1 month appt this week.  The school staff Christmas party is this week, I'm hoping to attend.  Then Friday, I'm going to my class's Christmas party.  It will be my first time away from Charlotte, at least more than 20 minutes.  Which means she needs to practice drinking from a bottle this week! I'm praying she easily accepts the bottle!

50 free Shutterfly cards?!

I love Shutterfly.  No, seriously, I do.  Not only are their items great quality, they also have helpful customer service and there shipping is fast too.
I fell in love with their photo books soon after we had Asa.  We made a "Year 1" book of Asa for the grandparents for Christmas.  They LOVED it.  They carried it around for months to show it off :) 
Then we started making photo calendars.  Now the grandparents expect one every year.  I'm happy to not disappoint them.  The calendars are so easy to make and look fantastic. I love the patterns that give you to choose from. 
Wanna make one?  http://www.shutterfly.com/calendars
I'm excited to make my free cards too.  We got family photos yesterday so I'm looking forward to choosing a great photo of our family and show off our new baby, Charlotte.
http://www.shutterfly.com/cards-stationery/christmas-cards
Shutterfly also has some great personalized gifts.  Maybe Grandpa will get a photo coffee mug this year... http://www.shutterfly.com/photo-gifts
Do you have a blogger and want free Christmas cards too?  Here's the link:  http://blog.shutterfly.com/5358/holiday2010-blog-submission-form/