Saucer!

Growing up so fast! She is really learning to use her hands and just discovering she has a voice that can do more than cry :) She is full of energy and for weeks has been sleeping about 11 hours a night. Cross your fingers it stays that way! She loves going on shopping jaunts with me and we have a good time playing in the new play saucer! She is so sweet and generally very happy. We have reason to think teething is starting, which makes her a tad unhappy in the evenings...but overall she is just so much fun!

Faces

More snowy day "photo shoot" pictures! She is doing well. Her recent doctors visit confirmed she is in the 90th percentile of height and 25th percentile of weight. Her blue eyes are still going strong and her hair does have a strawberry tint to it! She is very alert and loves her hands!

Goofing Off

Entertaining ourselves when its too cold to go out!

Sunshine Baby

Despite still not feeling well, Charlotte was very up for a little sunshine photo shoot on the changing table. The light was just right and we have a delightful time!

Overdue!

So long overdue...here are some pictures from this month!! (Thank you Liz, for the motivation!). She is doing wonderful. She is up to 12lbs 12oz as of February 12th! Unfortunately she does have her first bad cold right now, but she is a real sport and smiling through the tough times she has! She is able to hold her head up on her own and she can hold small toys now. She loves her hands!
Frank, too, is doing wonderfully. We all have cabin fever though and are excited that the weather is warming up!

Peek a Boo!

Charlotte has been very entertaining this afternoon with a mock game of peek a boo. She accidentally had the blanket on her face and then realized she loved when we moved it back and forth! She is up to 10lbs 10oz and 23" per her doctors visit last week! She is growing so fast.

Ice Storm

Another icy, chilly day at the Racho house! As you can see, Charlotte is enjoying her first part of the day in a deep sleep, all swaddled up. Until the ice clears, its just a nice relaxing day at home...maybe with some movies and wine!

Happy New Year!

My Mom sent me this picture of thier house this winter and I thought it was so beautiful and peaceful, I had to post it.

We had a wonderful New Years Eve, celebrated with friends. Charlotte was sure to include her two cents and was awake most of the night while we played games and goofed off. She also rang in the New Year by sleeping her first full night - eight hours! We hope this is her new pattern! Below are some pics of her today after I came home from running errands and she was enjoying herself in her car seat.

We wish health and lots of happiness for everyone this year (and many more)!!

Happy Holidays!

Happy Holidays to all of our friends and family!

First Christmas!

Charlotte slept through most of her first Christmas but she managed to wake up a few times to enjoy Christmas Eve. She was proudly displaying her smiles and new sounds! With her first Christmas also came her first cold, so she is resting up today and we've had our first stab at using baby saline nose spray! She isn't too happy but she is finally resting a bit.

Getting Ready

Papa is already planting the Yale seed!

Sun!

After days of cloudiness and snow, we finally got some sun! It came out just in time for sunset and we got some amazing views off the porch onto the hills. I am thrilled we got the snow but it was really nice to see the sunshine this afternoon.

Another Snowy Day

Any and all plans have gone out the window today as we are being dumped with more snow. I actually love it and wish it would be Fall and Winter all year round. Charlotte is doing wonderful, she is enjoying her awake time and still practicing smiles and coos.

For Alexis and Scott

These are for you Alexis & Scott, haha! The doggy is a Jack Russell he rescued this summer...who doesn't love a fireman-saving-an-animal-picture?

I also found some parade pictures for you to enjoy. The top one, hes in the bucket during a 9/11 event. The driving picture was from the Memorial Day Parade. Alexis - maybe you will be back on the east coast by then and we can go together with Charlotte! This is my public plea to get you back here!

Snow!

It's snowing! Here's a fun picture of the snow this afternoon. Charlotte is napping the day away, missing her first big snow.

Frank

Here's our handsome man checking things out while we are snowed in!

Visit to Mama and Papa's

Charlotte got to meet some of Mama's high school friends this weekend. We went to Mama and Papa's house for some wonderful food and fun. Charlotte is continuing to smile, but they are very difficult to capture on camera. I have realized that after taking all the pictures I have taken, that we really need a picture of the whole family! So, I finally included a picture of Ben and me from that weekend.

Smile!

So, just moments after commenting on trying to capture a small smile, she let this one out! She was just about to doze off in my lap...so it may be a dreamy smile, but it was so big!! Excuse the poor quality. I only had my camera phone right near me to actually get it on film. So sweet!

Hanging Out

Charlotte was enjoying her time in the lime light today - I was just really trying to capture a smile....this is a semi smile. I think she is doing really small smiles as of yesterday, but it still could just be gas! Frank enjoyed looking on as we played with the camera.

At her last appointment she had grown one pound and one inch! She is holding her head up more and more and when she spends time on her belly, she is trying very hard (but not really succeeding) to push herself up. Time is flying by!

Big Stretch

Not too much is new here at the Racho house. The doctor just gave me the go ahead to be more active, yay! Things are not 100% as they should be with my healing, but we are slowly getting better. We are looking forward to the holidays and taking her on little adventures.

Sleepytime

Another day filled with napping, eating, and well....you know what else babies do! Her sleeping schedule is still inconsistent, but she is starting to form a slight pattern.

Frank was looking especially pitiful this morning. He likes to pick up his food bowl after meals and walk around with it. He also enjoys sitting or laying near it and acting like he hasn't been fed in months. He thinks he is being smart! It looks like I placed the bowl by him, but he did this all by himself.