Football game!

For some reason, Charlotte just *LOVES* football. Fox games, random games on the TV, anything. She gets so excited every Friday we tell her she's going to a Fox football game. She says "Let's go Fox!", but it comes out more like "Let's go Pox". We're working on it. We decided to take a video of Charlotte on her way into the game this past weekend. She nearly hyperventilated in the car, she was so excited. When we pulled into the school parking lot, she started shaking and squealing- the girl loves her football!

Mommy, I'm trying to watch the game.

Seriously, Mom. Didn't you hear there was a football game going on?

Disney Princesses!

Charlotte's buddy Abby and her mom, Peggy, invited us to go to Disney Princesses on Ice last Thursday. It was a lot of fun! Peggy is a producer for a local news station and gets lots of fun media passes to events as a perk. Last year we went to Disney on Ice with the dads, but since the girls needed their own ticket this time, it was just us ladies! Charlotte had a great time.

One of the perks was getting there early for a private photo op with Cinderella. Charlotte surprised me! I figured she'd be a little shy, but she let go of my head right away and gave Cinderella a hug. She was so quick, I wasn't fast enough with my camera to get the hug! Abby wasn't quite as thrilled with the idea of meeting Cinderella, so we don't have a picture of her with the princess. :)

There were pictures for the girls to color while we waited for a brief presentation about Feld Entertainment and their events. Charlotte really enjoyed the lemonade.

Charlotte lost interest with the coloring pretty quickly so decided it would be more fun to sprinkle salt and pepper on her hands.

And then lick it off. Seriously gross.

But she loved it!

Dinner was pretty tasty and very kid friendly. Charlotte ate a ton of chicken.

Best buddies!

The four girls. Peggy is expecting her second kiddo in March, so next year it may be six girls instead of four! We'll have to buy extra tickets. :)

Another perk was a fun goodie bag that had these light up wands in them along with a program and a disposable camera. The girls loved their wands, though I had to keep Charlotte from hitting Abby's wand with hers. She was ready to have a light saber battle like she does with Daddy at home.

The girls' favorite, The Little Mermaid

Cinderella at the end of the show. Abby and Peggy left at intermission, but Charlotte stuck it out to the end. She loved it! So much fun. Hopefully Abby and Peggy will invite us again next year. Thanks again, girls!

Three months old!

Can it really be so? My baby is 3 months old already? Where did the time go? It just doesn't seem that long ago that I was bringing her home from the hospital and had the whole summer ahead of me. Life sure does move quickly, doesn't it? Here are a few pictures of our girl. I also have Charlotte's 3 month picture to compare. Similar, but starting to look less and less alike!

Audrey, 3 months old (with super dark hair!)

Charlotte, 3 months old (with lighter hair and deliciously chubby cheeks!)

Audrey is all about putting her fingers in her month. She has definitely discovered she has hands.

Charlotte wanted in on the "cheese" action

So cute!

Busy, busy weekend

But NO pictures because I am a parenting failure. You must forgive me.

Friday we went to the Fox/Lindberg football game. The only thing Charlotte could talk about all week was the football game. Every morning, "Football game?" And I would tell her, not today, Friday. "Football game now?" The girl loves her football. We got to the game a little late (big surprise) and as we're walking by the end zone on our way to the visitor's side (the game was at Lindberg), Charlotte starts to laugh hysterically. I looked down at her and she's pointing to the field, where a play had just ended in a tackle, and told me, "Football game so funny!" What a girl, that Charlotte. She watched most of the game and even got mad when the marching band took the field. She wanted the football game back. She was very excited to learn that we could watch football games on TV at home and would say "Oh, no! Football game!" every time the game went to commercial. I have no idea where the obsession came from. But it is hilarious!

Saturday I took Charlotte to a zoo class. It was a lot of fun. Charlotte loved playing with the stuffed animals, but was a little weary of the real ones. She touched a salamander and a snake, but was too chicken to touch the millipede, owl and chinchilla. What kid is afraid to touch something fuzzy but will touch a snake without hesitation. Such a weirdo, that one. That night we took dinner to my aunt and uncle's house. They're moving to Denver at the end of the month and my Aunt Shirley and Uncle Dan came into town to help pack. Charlotte enjoyed the opportunity to watch another football game on TV.

Sunday we went apple picking. Lots of fun, but all the pictures are on our phones because I am incapable of remembering to bring the camera to fun events. Charlotte had a good time in the groves, but even more fun with the playground. There was a small toddler sized slide that Charlotte used as her kitchen. She took my bag of cheese puffs over to it and I was kind of mad because I know she doesn't like them. She then trots over with the puffs, one at a time, and gives them to me. "Here, Mama. I cook." What a doll. She made me cheese puffs. I love her!

Busy weekend, but I love making the memories with my family. There were a couple of moments this weekend where I just sat back and watched my family and felt complete and utter contentment with where my life has taken me. Life is good.

Where's Charlotte?

Believe it or not, there is a child somewhere in this toy explosion. Can you find her?

We survived

Or perhaps more accurately, I survived my first week back at work. I took Audrey into daycare for a practice run last Friday and I'm really glad I did. I wanted to see how long it would take to get both girls ready to go (a half hour longer than initially thought), wanted to make sure I had time to bring stuff I forgot (diapers and rash cream) and to get used to dropping off my youngest at school (I cried like a baby when I handed her over). When I dropped them off on Monday, it didn't feel quite so weird.

Going back to work is strange in that it isn't strange at all. It hardly feels like I've been gone. My coworkers were very ready for me to come back and on my first day, I set a case for trial, had a client enter a guilty plea and be sentenced to 2 years in the Department of Corrections and do brief interviews with three other clients. Nothing like jumping back into the fire.

Audrey's doing well at daycare. She's super mellow and seems to be adapting well. She's not napping super well, but I figure she'll do better once she's used to her new crib. I'm getting used to the idea of someone else taking care of her. I do miss her something fierce when things slow down at work. I have surrounded myself with pictures of the girls at work, though, so I can at least remember what they look like. :) Life is slowly becoming more normal and while I feel like the party is over, I am glad to be back at work. While I loved being home, I did miss what I do. But I try at soak up as much of my girls as I can while I'm home. Which is why my home is currently trashed. I'd rather play with them than pick up the house. With girls as cute and sweet as mine, can you really blame me?

The girls on Audrey's first day of school.

Soaking up my baby girl. I love my after work cuddle time!

Chillin' out, maxin', relaxin' all cool

The Fresh Princesses of South City

Camping Indoors

Daddy decided he wanted to make S'mores with Charlotte and was going to let the lack of a campfire stop him. The two of them had a grand time and Charlotte was completely covered in chocolate and marshmallow. We spent the next few days enduring endless requests for "mel-mellows".

A Papa Visit

Grandma and Grandpa Freeman came to visit a couple of Saturdays ago and the girls had a great time playing with Grandma Edie and Papa (all grandpas have become papas to Charlotte). We played at the house for awhile and then went to the International Festival in Tower Grove Park. Everyone had a great time (except me, since I was enjoying my second day of the stomach flu that my dear sweet husband shared with me).

As you can see, Grandpa visits are cause for serious excitement.

Reading the book Grandpa brought for Charlotte. It's one of those Hallmark books that you can record, so now Grandpa can read the book to Charlotte whenever she wants him to!

Playing in the fountain next to the Farmer's Market in Tower Grove and the shuttle to the festival.

One of the performers that Charlotte loved.

Watching with Grandpa