Charlotte - Week 32

Total baby-proofing is just around the corner! This week, Charlie has been getting up on her hands and knees and rocking, she's going to figure out crawling anytime now. Aaaah, I'm not ready! Ruby was a pretty easy baby with not getting into too many things, it will be interesting to see how Charlie will be. Judging by her personality lately, I think she may give me a run for my money! She is so strong and is a total wiggle-bug and is really hard to hold for any longer periods of time. She just wants to be running and jumping just like big sister. Charlie had a couple weeks of really fussy bedtimes but the last couple of nights seem to be getting better. I really think her teeth were bothering her a lot and expect to see a little one pop out any time now. She LOVES to eat and prefers foods she can gum and chew herself as opposed to baby food. Her favorites so far are chunks of banana, bread, chunks of sweet potato and those baby puffs that dissolve in your mouth. She's really trying hard to pick the food up herself but can't quite get those fingers and hands to do the right thing yet. :)

Easter was so fun with the girls. Ruby had several egg hunts and different churches before the actual one at home. She was pretty excited for the Easter bunny and thought he was very tricky with his egg-hiding spots. We hosted Easter this year with some friends who don't have family nearby and we had so much fun. We really are so lucky to have made such wonderful friends here.

Check out the video at the end of Charlie. :) xoxo

This is the best shot I got!

Rubes breast feeding her baby. Yes, that is a geisha baby.

Chillin' with Charlie.

Trying so hard to figure this crawling thing out!
At one of the many Easter egg hunts!

The Easter Bunny came!!!

Showing Charlie her Easter basket.

Not sure how yummy felt can taste.

Checking out the goods from E.B.

She loves her new sippy cup!

Big girl!!!

Tried making baklava for the first time - delish!!

Easter flowers and "He has risen" Margaritas. :)

Me and my sweet Charlie.

First skate board ride.

Wonderful friends!

She can read already. She is very smart you know.

Can you get any cuter, Charlie?

Ruby and Eva reading after ballet. Not much cuter than little girls in leotards. :)

Chubby cheeks!

Charlotte - Week 31

Sweet Charlie is growing so fast! She just feels heavier every day...slow down sweet girl! Charlotte loves eating solid food and is eating 3 times a day now. She also loves gumming little bits of soft bread, teething biscuits and bananas. She would love it if she could eat everything we do. She doesn't have any teeth yet but I have a feeling she's starting to teethe, she was pulling her ears and whining tonight. Hopefully it won't be too hard on her.

Charlotte continues to be a spunky ray of sunshine. She is so happy and smiley but, whoa, a tad bit of a temper to round out her personality. Doug and I always thought she'd be the laid back one but I have a feeling she'll give Ruby a run for her money. One of Charlotte's (and Ruby's) favorite things to do right now is chasing Ruby. Ruby gets a head start and Mommy or Daddy runs holding Charlotte until we catch Ruby. Oh the giggles from both girls are contagious. :)

Ruby's writing skills have grown tremendously in the past couple of weeks, she's doing so great and just loves to learn. She is so extremely independent (shocker) and can really do just about everything herself. We struggle most days with who's the boss of the house but I do so love her personality and her caring heart. I especially love it when she says out of the blue, "Mom, you know I love you of all the world. To the moon and the stars and Toronto." Ah, my heart. She also has the Easter story down. I asked her if she learned anything in school about Easter and Jesus and she said, "No, not really. Oh yeah! Some mean guys poked Jesus and killed her and then she came back to life." Hmmm. Yup, that's about right!

Happy Easter everyone! xoxo

Charming Charlie

At least some one's getting some use out of my sexy (dusty) high heels!

My attempt at making veggies fun. It failed miserably.

Can you make out "Julia", "Charlie" and "Doug"?

One proud mom!!

WWE Smack down - Vogt girl style.

Haha!! She reminds me of a baby orangutan here!!

Daddy and his mini-me.

Easter egg dying! So fun!

Mmmm, green beans!

You should hear the noise behind this face. Pure joy!

Rubes loves to feed Charlie. She does a great job!

Charlotte - Weeks 28, 29 & 30

Wow, 3 weeks went by so fast! I'm slacking in the keeping-up-with-the-blog department but in my defence, we had lots of visitors. And boy did we have fun!!! Doug's sister Pam, her husband Mike and their boys Luke & Evan (5) came for almost a week and we had so much fun. Ruby was in HEAVEN waking up to days filled with playing with her cousins. After that, my childhood friend, Jen came to visit with her littlest one, Julia who is just one week younger than Charlie. Lots of coffee was drank and even more catching up was done. Once again Ruby was in heaven with TWO babies to look after. We hope everyone comes back next year! Charlotte is such a doll. She is so incredibly happy and gives everyone smiles and her "scrunchy face". Although she is very happy and laid back, she does have a quick temper and does NOT like it when Ruby takes something away from her or kisses her too roughly. She also does NOT like to wait to nurse when she gets up from her naps, she wants milk pretty much as soon as she sees me and if I don't nurse her immediately (i.e. before I even walk down the stairs), she lets me know that she's not impressed. Charlie's getting really strong and can sit up pretty well and is starting to get up on her knees a little when she's on her belly. She still doesn't have any problem getting to where she wants to go, that's for sure. I took her for her 6 months shots a week after her 6 month appointment because she had an ear infection the first time and she gained a whole pound in a week!! She's just growing too fast, I would like to keep her at this age just a little longer, I'm just enjoying her so much. She's a great sleeper and we had both girls sleeping by 7:45pm tonight so we're slowly getting our life back. Ruby is loving her new ballet class and especially likes showing me hip circles and heel, toe; heel, toe. Her class will be doing a performance at a nursing home in the middle of May, I can't wait! Hope you're all well.

She sure does like chewing on things. Let's chew on some plastic now.

Mmm, doggy ear.

My mom thinks I'm cute.

Expert bouncer.

Ruby putting her new tool set to good use. Gulp.

Evan, Rubes and Luke = Pure Joy xoxo

Little Bo Peep.

Little Bo Peep and her evil Step-mother.

Ready for her first ballet class. Sniff, sniff.

Strong Evan!

Finger painting! This got MUCH messier.

Real, live starfish!! How cool for the kids to experience.

Beautiful beach baby.

Playing ring toss at the Rum Bar with daddy.

The whole gang. So much FUN!

She's always smiling.

Scrunchy beach face.

First bike ride!

Best carrot-peeler ever!

Our beautiful munchkins! We are blessed.

Charlie meet Julia!

Cuties.

Gentle Charlie! Julia just keeps smiling.

Jen and the girls. xoxo

Pool monster.

If you want to know what Doug would look like in a bonnet, here you go.

Nice walk on the beach while the babes slept.

Excited scrunchy face.

OK, this one just kills me with cuteness!!