Meant to Be

This morning my sweet friend Lindsey sent me a link to this post with a new (at least I think new) Steven Curtis Chapman song called "Meant to Be."  I, of course, cried when I watched it and cried some more when Charlotte wanted me to play it for her and I watched her dance through the song.  What a wonderful song with a wonderful message.  Thanks Lindsey for sharing!



Long before you drew your first breath,

the dream was coming true
God wanted to give a gift to the world,
so he wrapped it up in you
Every step that you've taken,
every move that you make is part of his plan
You were meant to be touching the lives that you've touched
And meant to be here making this world so much more than it would be without you in it
You were meant to be bringing the gifts you bring
And singing the songs you've been given to sing
You were perfectly, wonderfully, beautifully meant to be
You were meant to be
Long before you took your first walk
and stumbled to the ground
God started telling the story of you
to the angels gathered round
Every failure and victory, and everything in between,
it's all in his hands

You were meant to be touching the lives that you've touched
And meant to be here making this world so much more than it would be without you in it
You were meant to be bringing the gifts you bring
And singing the songs you've been given to sing
You were perfectly, wonderfully, beautifully meant to be
You were meant to be

You are, you are, you are meant to be

For every breath that you're taking, and every move that you make
It's a meaningful life you've been given, so live it well

Outside

Charlotte loves playing outside and now that it's cooling down slightly we've been going out in the afternoon.  She loves watching for birds and picking up  leaves and bringing them to me.  I'm looking forward to more and more time outside this fall!  With an active little one it's a good way to burn some energy!

Found a leaf!

Bringing it to me

Changed her mind! She's going to keep it!

Pointing at Luca when she spotted him

Wondering why Luca walked right by her

Look at how long and curly her hair is getting!

Sweet, sweet little girl

Giggles

On Tuesday I was opening the mail at the dining room table and Charlotte wanted up.  She's been all about spoons lately and she had one with her along with her sippy cup of milk.  So I put her in the chair next to me and she started cracking herself up.  I don't even remember what was so funny but she just got the giggles.  I love these pictures! They are so C at this age, just so happy and energetic!

Cookbook for a Cause

I read in a recent Parenting magazine about a promotion of Pampered Chef.  They are donating one meal to Feeding America for each FREE download of their celebrity cookbook.  The cookbook features 9 recipes from stars like Courteney Cox, David Arquette, Scott Wolf and others.  I've looked through the book and it looks like it includes some great recipes.  And best of all it's free and you're supporting a good cause by downloading it.  So head over to Pampered Chef and download your free copy between now and September 30th!

Cooking Through The Pioneer Woman's Cookbook

Well, gradually I am working my way through Ree's cookbook.  I'm still hoping/planning on get the whole thing cooked by the end of the year but I do realize that my recipe per week quotient is going to have to increase significantly if I want to meet that goal.  Last weekend I went through and found that I have 36 recipes left to cook and I've cooked 26.  Let's just say that if you're in Tuscaloosa with us this weekend be prepared to eat all Pioneer Woman all the time just so that I can make my goal! :)

I have had a few successful recipes in the past few weeks that I wanted to share.

Last Thursday I made The Pioneer Woman's Pot Roast.  Oh my it was good!  My friend Leslie had emailed me asking if I had made it yet and then she made it and told me it was great and easy so I forged ahead and went for it.  I had never made any pot roast before but this one really was easy.  And it turned out so good!  Just made sure you invite someone over to help you eat it because you'll have plenty! And we had leftovers last night in sandwiches and it was still really great!

I also made her Hot Artichoke Dip for our last summer Bible Study meeting.  It was reall good and very easy if you have a big food processor.  You just dump everything into the food processor and mix it up and then add the larger artichoke pieces in later and dump into a dish and make.  It was really good but I would recommend making two recipes. Our little group of 10 ate almost an entire recipe of it so if you're having some guys in your group or less things with the dip I'd recommend at least two recipes.  Besides, you can always eat the leftovers later!  I couldn't find this recipe online but if you want it let me know and I can email it to you.

This week I went for the Chicken Pot Pie.  I had never made Chicken Pot Pie before and this required me to make not only the filling but the pie crust.  It was a great recipe although I think I used a little too much thyme.  Also, it made A LOT of filling that overflowed my Pampered Chef deep dish pie plate.  So after cleaning that up and siphoning some sauce out of the plate I covered it with the crust and baked it.  I've never had good luck with pie crust and this crust was no different  -- it always tears for me when I try and pick it up.  But the crust tasted great and I think if I had made the crust longer than 30 minutes before I needed to put it on the pie it would have been colder and that would have helped.  But overall this was a great recipe and a good way to get veggies in C since she apparently really liked it and ate all that we gave her!  I also couldn't find this recipe online so email me if you want it.

Second Day of School

C had her second day of school on Wednesday and while the dropoff went much worse than the first day -- there was screaming and crying so hard she didn't breathe for a few seconds -- her teacher's told me that it was much better than the first day.  They said she calmed down quicker and she didn't cry when I picked her up either!  She has been a great eater at school so far and I'm happy about that.  (Sidenote: If any of you have great school lunch ideas let me know because I'm afraid I'll probably send the same thing every week!)  This week their class even went to Music and Chapel which they didn't make it to the first day of school.  We have an open house on Monday and are excited about Charlotte showing Jason her school.  I'm really glad that we're doing this program.  I think it's going to be really great for C and I know I'm getting a lot done during the time and am enjoying some time to myself again!

C went to school in her "Cow jumped over the Moon" outfit

Playtime at the Pool

On Sunday afternoon we went to the pool for one of our last trips of the year.  Charlotte is really loving being able to be in the pool without us holding her (she walks around on the top step of the pool which is really large).  She loves playing with her buckets and shovels and splashing.  Before we left I was putting her hair up and decided to try pigtails for the first time.  It was so cute!  We had a good time at the pool and are sad to see summer ending but we'll look forward to more pool time next summer!

C loves people.  In this picture she was smiling at the lifeguard on the other side of the pool after just waving at her.  She waved and said hi to everyone who came into the pool area!

We had the pool to ourselves for a little while.  This is the top step (some of it) at the pool.  Plenty of room for C to walk around with us monitoring the steps and it's shallow as opposed to the baby pool that is about chest deep on C.

Recipe Wednesday - Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars

A few weeks ago I was looking for a dessert recipe for Bible Study.  I wanted something that had chocolate in it but wasn't a brownie and was something that could be eated without any utensils.  So I searched my trusty recipe source (Tasty Kitchen) and came up with a few options.  I gave Jason the choice of which one to make since he would get leftovers and he chose the Chocolate Peanut Butter bars.  I'm so glad he did because they were so good!  And while making them I might have stumbled upon my new favorite, super guilty pleasure of peanut butter and brown sugar (don't worry I was cleaning the spoon after everything had been safely put into the pan and the pan was cooking in the oven!).  These are really good and very easy.  And they have oats in them so they're healthy right?? Oh... just because they have oats doesn't mean they're healthy?? I will choose to ignore that you just told me that! Enjoy!

Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars

Bottom layer:
1 box Chocolate Fudge Cake Mix
1/2 cups Butter, melted
1 whole egg

Top layer:
1/2 cups smooth Peanut Butter
3 tablespoons Butter
1/2 cups packed Brown Sugar
1 cup Oats
2 tablespoons All-purpose flour
Semi sweet chocolate chips

- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Pray a 9x13 dish with cooking spray.
- In a large bowl, mix cake mix, butter, and egg together until well combined.  Press into bottom of pan.
- Melt peanut butter and butter together in a microwave safe bowl until butter as been melted.  Stir in brown sugar, oats, and flour until oats and flour have been incorporated.  Sprinkle over chocolate layer and gently press peanut butter crumbles into chocolate layer.
- Top with chocolate and bake 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Cut into squares and serve.  Great warm or cooled.

Playgroup

On Friday we had playgroup at Caroline's house!  We haven't been able to make playgroup since June so we were excited to see everyone.  The difference in Charlotte between last playgroup and this playgroup was amazing since last playgroup she was still crawling everywhere and this playgroup she was walking everywhere!  She was a little overwhelmed to be somewhere different with some many kids at first but she enjoyed playing with her friends! Thanks Caroline and Miss Kelly for having us over!

Charlotte and Caroline

Charlotte and Nathan

Like Mother, Like Daughter -- Charlotte loved Caroline's workbench! (It's always been a dream of mine to get a real workbench with real power tools but for some reason no one will let me get one! They keep talking about losing fingers and arms and crazy things like that...)

I'm afraid they made a mess of Caroline's playroom but they sure had fun!

Doctor Visits are No Fun

Waiting with Daddy in the waiting room

This morning we had Charlotte's 15 month appointment with her doctor.  We love her pediatrician, he lives near us and is so so nice plus he was an engineer before he became a doctor so he speaks our language.  But Charlotte has come to the point where she is no longer a fan of her doctor.  She pretty much started crying today as soon as she saw him.  But we'll perserve and I'm sure at some point, even if it is in 15 years, she'll grow to a point where she at least doesn't cry when she sees him.

Charlotte's growth has slowed down, which is to be expected at this age.  She weighed 20.4 lbs (13th percentile) and was 29 1/2 inches tall (23rd percentile) and her head was 47 cm around (81st percentile).  So she has grown (a little under 2 pounds and 3/4 of an inch) but is still small.  Our doctor is really unconcerned about this and that makes me feel better.  She's got quite a cute little belly on her and just looks petite to me, not underweight so I guess that's all that matters.

Poor thing had to get two shots and they were pretty miserable.  But I was banking on a cupcake making her feel better on the way home so I was so relieved to see that they open at 9 am.  So C and I enjoyed a cupcake and despite the sugar high once we got home she immediately asked for a nap.  So she's sleeping on her drugs and the sugar and I'm about to put my sugar high to good use doing a bunch of chores around the house!

A Miss Princess cupcake of course!  C giggled every time I gave her a bite!

Morning Playtime

Charlotte loves her new Elmo camera that she got for the first day of school

You can just barely see the dark line on the bridge of her nose from when she fell into her maze box.  Thankfully it went away completely by Friday!

She loves trying to play with the computer!

And she loves HER computer!

15 months

Charlotte Lee,

I am totally stunned that you are turning 15 months old today.  This time last year you were an itty bitty three month old who couldn't even roll over by herself.  Now you are a full of energy toddler who loves to play hard.  Your developing personality is so entertaining to us and we love watching you become more you with each and every day.  I pray that you will never lose your acceptance of yourself and will retain your ability to just be you because, baby girl, you are the best you that you can ever be and you are just perfect the exact way God made you to be.

I've honestly given up trying to track your vocabulary growth from month to month because I'm pretty sure each time you are awake you learn a new word.  Instead I'll focus on some truly "Charlotte" moments that we've been having.

You love being outside.  A lot of times we'll go sit on the rockers on the front porch or go sit on the patio furniture out back and you'll just walk around the porches.  You love picking up leaves and drying flowers and bringing them to us.  You also love pointing out birds and cars and dogs.  This morning we were playing inside and you started saying "shoes".  You usually say that when you see shoes but there were no shoes in sight.  Eventually you walked into the kitchen and pointed to where your shoes usually are kept all the while continuing to say shoes.  So we asked you if you wanted to go outside and you started squealing and jumping up and down.  When we got outside you were in heaven and then some doves flew onto the parking pad and your world got even better!  We love seeing you so excited and love having you communicate with us!

You also love your toys.  You've developed a real affinity for your baby dolls, your Elmo doll, and recently you found your Scout dog again and have been carrying him around with you.  Last night you knew that your baby dolls were in the ottoman (it's a cube thing with a lid) and so you pointed to it saying doll until we opened it for you and you got your doll out.  You are so sweet loving on your dolls/animals and giving them hugs. 

Charlotte, you are now all over the place.  You can run in little spurts of steps and are always walking somewhere.  You haven't gotten to the point where you want to walk by yourself instead of being held (thank goodness!) but I'm sure it's coming.  You explore the house and I try to give you freedom to explore.  I learned this month that babyproofing for a 12 mo old is different than for a 15 mo old when you took the cabinet lock off of the handles and brought it to me.  Now our cabinet is being secured by an old ponytail holder!  You love walking around on the top step at the pool and feeling the water also. 

Eating is currently a chore that I am growing none too fond of.  You still love (and I mean LOVE) fruit, but everything else you could leave or take depending on the day.  You've recently started eating more beans and veggies (matchstick carrots are great) and you love the pot roast I made the other night but other than that you aren't a huge fan of meat or pasta's.  At Austin's birthday party on Friday though you chowed down and ate almost an entire piece of pizza though where previously you didn't like any kind of red sauces so maybe that's a start.  You aren't dropping food to Luca as much anymore but the resistance to eating food and putting your dirty hands in your hair are bothersome.  I'm praying that you open up to more food soon. 

You've had some fun firsts this past month like your first trip to the lake and on a boat.  You sat in a booster seat for the first time yesterday at lunch and did really well in it.  You now love getting lemonade in a cup with a straw when we go out to eat.  You had your first Bid Day in Tuscaloosa.  You started Mother's Morning Out and did well the first day.  You got your first real boo boo when you bopped your head on your maze box.  You turned around in your car seat and enjoyed watching dvd's on the trip to Tuscaloosa. 

A few funny words and associations are whenever you see a golf cart ("gah car") you immediately say "PaPa" because you usually see Papa in his golf cart.  Because Memma kept calling Papa on her phone while you were in Tuscaloosa you now say Papa when you pick up your pretend phone.  When we ask you if you're ready to go home you always "arf" like the dog says because you want to see Luca.  You can point out most family members in pictures or in person but when we ask where Charlotte is you go find a mirror to point to yourself.  You have known where your belly button is for some time now but this past week you learned to say belly button and have been going around to me and Daddy saying belly button and trying to find ours and showing us yours. 

Charlotte, we love watching you turn into a little girl from a baby.  You are so sweet and love to give us hugs and kisses.  Our heart melts every time you sign "I Love You" to us and when you clasp your hands together when we say "Amen."  You are our precious little girl and we love you so much.  We are loving watching you grow and pray that we are teaching you what you need to know to grow, someday a long time from  now, into the young woman that you will be.

love Mommy

First First Day of School

Today was Charlotte's first First Day of School.  She's actually going to Mother's Morning Out one morning a week but I'm referring to it as school because Mother's Morning Out is a long name.  She goes from 8:30 until around noon on Wednesday's and today was the first day.

I had to get her up a few minutes early (7:45) in order to eat breakfast and get to school on time. 

After breakfast we got Charlotte dressed and then I took some pictures outside really quickly.  It was kind of overcast but I think I still got some sweet pictures.  Memma found the perfect outfit for the first day of school on Monday! It's got Mary and her little lamb's on it which is perfect because Charlotte is in the Lambs class!

Then we hopped in the car and were off to school! Charlotte was excited and kept saying "Teacher" on the way there. 

She cried when I dropped her off but the school has monitor's at the front desk and camera's in each classroom so I was able to watch on the monitor until I saw her get down and start playing.  Then I headed off to brunch with Kelly and Caroline!  I'm so grateful that they could meet me -- it helped leaving knowing that she wasn't crying anymore and that I had something fun to go do!  And, to my surprise, I didn't cry a bit!

I went to pick C up a little early since it was her first day and I knew that she would be exhausted.  Her teachers told me that she didn't cry the entire time that she was there once she initially got calmed down and her report from the day said that she was happy and played with her friends.  They were doing bubbles when I got there so I know Charlotte enjoyed that! She also ate pretty well during snack time and lunch so overall it was a very successful day!  She did cry for a second when I got there but it might have just been because she had just fallen down.  Once we started leaving she was happy and pointed out the animals on the wall to me.  She wanted to get down and walk as soon as we got outside which is when I snapped these pictures.  You can see a tear still on her face in the first picture but I promise she only cried for a second!

When we got to the car I had her first first day of school present for her!  I plan on continuing this tradition as long as she's in school!  She couldn't wait to open it and was super excited about the Elmo camera!  She was exhausted though and as soon as I got the car going she started hugging her Elmo doll and sucking her thumb.  She told me "No Nap" when we got home and I told her she was going to take a nap but she's currently been down for an hour and a half and she has yet to move from how I put her down!

What a great start to Charlotte's school career.  Hopefully she'll learn to play well with others and spend some time away from Jason and I this year.  I know that she'll do great in school and will love hanging out with her friends and it was very nice to go to the grocery store by myself this morning!