Six Months

Darling Baby,

Happy half birthday to my little stomach sleeping(sadly you still wake up a couple of times a night), thumb sucking, rollie pollie! You don't leave your stomach much these days. Trying to change your diaper or get you into your car seat has turned into a daily wrestling match for the second I set you you down you flip your entire body over, ready to roll. Rather than sitting in my lap you would prefer to lie superman style across my knees, arms outstretched and legs kicking. I imagine you will be crawling in no time!

Since you were born, everyone has thought (myself included) you looked exactly like your dad. Its been fun watching other little traits you have picked up from your dad. One of the silliest little quirks is your obsession with fiddling with your feet.  You will roll across the room just you can kick your feet up on the couch, console, table or wall.  Putting your feet up and through the crib slats is your personal favorite. Even when I am leaning over you changing your clothes or playing a game with you, you like to put your feet in the air and wrap your legs around my arm. 

I was beginning to wonder what part of me you inherited. Looks like you cashed in big time and were lucky enough to get my terrible skin. A trip to the doctor tells us you have eczema and are very sensitive to any irritants. We have changed your diapers and detergent and lather you multiple times daily with thick skin cream but we still find you scratching your belly and legs. Itching has become such a habit that whenever you find my skin, you immediately begin scratching that too. So sorry little one! Luckily, besides scratching, it doesn't seem to bother you.

Your current loves: spending time outside, and playing with Dad. At the end of the day when you have become bored of your toys and I have exhausted all my songs and games ( I guess I should probably work on increasing my repertoire of 3) the only fool proof way to put  a smile on your face is take a trip outside.  We sit on the porch where you curiously soak in the scenery and passerbys, waiting anxiously for your Dad to come home. Once Dad is home, there is no separating you two. If I try and take you into another room, you head is constantly whipping back and forth, trying to figure out where Dad is and how you can go play with him. I don't blame you. He's a pretty entertaining guy and I can't wait to see what adventures you two will have together!

Love Always, 

Mama

Five Months

Little Man,

Oh how much fun you are! I thought I knew and loved you when you were teeny tiny but I didn't even know what a hilarious, fun, little boy you would become! You have recently started experimenting with different sounds your voice can make and your current favorites are a fake cough and a wheeze that sounds like you are choking. You look so pleased with yourself at your recent discovery. A few nights ago, we were having dinner with friends when you made your choking sound and Allison immediately jumped in alarm at what might be wrong. We all had a good laugh as you gave her the biggest grin and smirk that said "Tricked you!"

Your current loves include sucking on your toes and your recent discovery of your thumb when you sleep (much to your Dad's dismay. I think its pretty cute :) You have officially become bored of staring at the walls all day long and I am frantically trying to find new toys that can keep you entertained. In a desperate attempt to reach toys out of reach, you developed a mini scoot. You stick your bum in the air bury your face in the ground and manage to slide forward like a slug. Unfortunately you found the mere couple of centimeters you moved not worth the effort and you quit trying after a couple of days.

I love when I get you to smile, you give me a big grin and then turn away in bashful embarrassment. It makes me feel like feel so loved. I hope you know how much I love you!

Mama

Mini Scoot in Action

Four Months

Little One,

You really aren't THAT little anymore. 14 pounds, 6 ounces at your last doctor visit; nearly double your birth weight. I'm willing to bet at least of couple of those pounds are found in your cheeks alone. They are the most delicious, round things that I could just eat them up. And I do. You receive lots and lots of kisses and every time I go to plant another big one on your cheek, you turn your little mouth towards me so I get a big, slobbery, open mouth, baby kiss. Nothing better.

You're rolling all around these days. The first time you rolled onto your stomach, you literally beamed with pride. You then spent the rest of the afternoon practicing to do it again. Oh how I beamed with pride to watch your baby determination to roll over again. Now we can't keep you on your back. Sometimes you get stuck on your stomach, forgetting that you can't roll back onto you back, and you bury your face into the ground with frustration. I cant help but laugh at the mess you make for yourself.

We were able to take your first airplane trip to visit all your family in Utah. Grandma and Grandpa Cragun and Grandma Ashton were able to come visit when you were born, but this was the first time all your aunts, uncles and cousins got to meet you. I had fun showing you off to my family and friends but I can't say you were all that thrilled to be away from home. You were awesome the first few days ( Except for the fact that you woke up every hour of the night the whole trip) smiling, showing off all your tricks, but then the lack of routine and poor sleep caught up to you and you let me know you were done. When we arrived home, I put your car seat in the middle of the room while I pulled in the rest of the luggage and you giggled in delight to be back at home. When your Dad came home shortly thereafter, you gave him the greatest welcome home a four month old is capable of. That night you didn't wake up once. Clearly you love your quiet little life.

I love my quiet little life with you too.

Love always,

Mama

Baby Blessing

We waited for Charlie's baby blessing until he was 4 months old because we wanted Blakely's dad to be able to come if he could . Crawford, Charlie's middle name namesake, was able to come in for the weekend, participate in the Priesthood circle and share this special time with us. Blakely gave a beautiful blessing and it was a wonderful meeting.

Even though we missed having most of our family to celebrate this sweet baby in our lives, we were blessed the have the company of so many great friends. About a dozen of Blakely's coworkers came to support. They are all in the FDP (Financial Development Program) and started Dell at the same as Blakely. After the blessing during sacrament, we returned to our humble little apartment (stripped after being robbed the week prior) for a simple meal of pulled pork sandwiches, salads, fruit, and a few cookies and desserts.

Tom and Scott

Lisa and Laura

Courtney, Ashley, Casey, and Jaclyn

                                                                  Trenton and Jay

We were also blessed to have many of our neighbors and ward friends come over once the church meetings were over.

Allison and Baby Addy, Kasee, and Andrea

James, Bart, Jason, Blakely and Charlie

Stephanie and little Andy

Charlie was such a sweet baby the whole time and performed right on cue for the large audience gathered in his favor. Everyone commented on his good nature and sweet demeanor. Of course he is the best baby :) It was such a wonderful afternoon to celebrate this sweet baby and wonderful spirit he has brought into our lives. We feel so blessed.

Charlie and Grandpa Crawford 

My favorite family photo.

Three Months

Dearest Baby

You are moving from a little lump into a little man! And as you lose your lumpiness, you are gaining more and more personality every day. We are long past using an alarm clock, but instead we rely on your happy chattering to wake us up every morning. (I'm sure that will be to our detriment one morning) Your Dad and I just lay in bed laughing, listening to you try out new sounds and noises. You are content to lay in your crib for 20+ minutes before we come in get you but the second you see my face, no matter how happy you are, you mean business. You want food immediately. None of this holding off to change your diaper stuff. You want your breakfast and you make sure to let me know!

Besides your daily morning chatter, you don't talk nearly as much as you used to. You are way too curious about your surroundings to be bothered by making noises. You're most definitely a happy baby, but when you are in new places and see new faces it is difficult to get a smile out of you because you are too busy checking out the new territory.

You love all things hands. Your hands or mine. You're not picky, they all taste good. And they taste even better if you can manage to eat both hands at the same time. You also LOVE your pink pacifier. We received a bunch of pacifiers that our friends had gotten for their little girl that they didn't like but there is one in particular that you can't get enough of. Sadly your mom is too cheap to go buy you a similar pacifier in a more boy appropriate color, but I think you are man enough to handle the pink :)

Love Always

Mama

Two Months

Baby Boy,

You kept teasing us with your gassy grins and the adorable half smiles you would give us as you fell asleep, and then you finally SMILED! I think babies can sense when moms need some payment for their many sleepless nights and their smiles come at just the right time :)

One night your dad got home from work late and you were already sleeping. He went into your room to give you a kiss and as he did you woke up. You looked him straight in the eyes gave him the biggest grin and turned over back to sleep. Pretty sure it made your Dad's LIFE!

Not only are you smiling but you are talking. You love to hear the sound of your voice and especially right after you eat, you will carry on for over half an hour. Every night as your dad sings to you, you look up into his eyes and sing along with him. It is my favorite moment of the day.

You are still our little snuggler and you can't seem to fall asleep unless its in our arms. You love being around people so much that you actually nap better if you are out in your swing where you can see me. If you momentarily stir in your sleep, you open your eyes and see you are still a part of the action and you are able to get back to sleep.

Speaking of the swing, you can't get enough of that thing. You don't even need to be moving but you could spend most of your day all snuggled in there. The other day, you discovered yourself in the mirror that hangs above and you were so thrilled by the darling face staring back at you.

Your Dad and I can't seem to get enough of you. You are still such a fun novelty in our house that since we can't seem to get enough of you while you are awake, once we put you to bed we have to get out our computer and camera and browse the thousands of pictures we have already taken of you

Keep being your adorable self Charlie, and you will continue to make me one happy lady.

Love always,

Mama

One Month

*I have always loved the idea of writing letters to my children every year for their birthday. My friend Janssen took this a step further and wrote a letter to her baby every month for the first year. Because I am not that clever, I am stealing her idea.

Dear Charlie,

The first week we had you at home will forever remain one of my fondest memories. Your Dad was able to take a whole week off work to spend with you and me and we had the most special time. Just the three of us, our own little family. We had nowhere to be and nothing to do except spend quiet moments holding you, singing to you, staring at your perfect features, and marveling at what kind of a little person you would grow up to be.

These quiet moments are often interrupted by your many grunts, and groans. You are the loudest sleeper! Any time you begin to wake up or make the slightest movement in your sleep, your face scrunches up, and you make these low long low grunting noises that sound like you are struggling to lift a 400 pound rock. Its sure hard work being a baby! For the first couple of weeks you slept in a bassinet right next to my bedside. Even though you slept great ( For the first week and a half, I had to wake you up to feed you. You were a little jaundice and the doctor wanted to make sure you were fed every three hours) I was up every few minutes awakened by your grunts or if I hadn't heard you for awhile I was awake to check on you and make sure you were still breathing. Because I leaned over on my side so much, propped up awkwardly on my elbow to check on you, I strained a muscle in my shoulder and arm. I still can't lift my right arm straight up!

You don't have much to complain about. In fact, you seem to dislike crying. As soon as we make any sort of attempt to make you more comfortable when you are crying, you immediately calm down, even it is not the actual solution to your problem. Of course we credit that to our excellent parenting skills :) You love to be cuddled ( as long as your arms are free), have something to suck on, and listen to music.

Everyone says that babies get more and more fun as they get older, but right now I am loving my snugly little newborn.

Love  Always,
Mama