Play date and baby updates

I took the kids to their first play date on Sunday, October 12.  I have volunteered to be the chairperson for my sorority alumnae group for the Mom's of Small Children Special Interest Group.  I planned an event to spend an hour at a local park.  I showed up and then then only other person who came was Caren with her daughter Cecily!

Caren lives in our apartment complex, so it was silly for us to drive over to a park when we could have just gone to the pool or something!  Oh well.  We had fun anyhow.  It was awfully windy, but the kids had a great time outside.  Cecily loves having fun with Cooper and Charlotte! 

Cooper sort of freaked out when Caren walked away from while she was holding him.  Charlotte loved eating gold fish and drinking my water.  Here are some pics of the babies swinging and then the three kids together.

Look how much taller Cooper is!

Cecily pushing Charlotte:

Cecily, Charlotte and Cooper:

Baby updates:

Charlotte just got her two top teeth and now three more are coming in!  Two more on the top next to the front two and one on the bottom next to the front two.  She has mastered finger foods and prefers to feed herself rather than us feeding her.  We are trying to get her interested in using a spoon, bowl or plate and she prefers to eat with her hands off her high chair tray.  She has also mastered the sippy cup.  She prefers cups with straws or soft sippy tops, but she is getting more flexible. 

Charlotte is beginning to mimic the things we say now.  She says 'hi da-da', 'ma-ma', 'ah-da' (all done), 'tout' (Scout), and 'ta-da' (touchdown).  We are just amazed that she understands words now!  It's amazing to suddenly be able to communicate with her in this way.  She is also pretty good at sign language and can ask for 'more' or for 'food'.  It makes for less frustrated parents and baby!

Charlotte is super fast with creeping, but she still doesn't get on all fours to crawl.  She has started to pull herself up on everything, which causes lots more bumps and bruises.  She can also move into sitting position at any time she wants.  She's thinning out a little because of all her creeping around.  She gets into things everywhere so we have to keep a constant eye on her.  We recent baby proofed, so she can't get hurt by anything.

Pulling up in the crib.       

Pulling up on my legs.      

Pulling up on the toy.  Charlotte never seems to notice that Cooper is in the way.  She crawls over the top of him all the time.  Guess he's just another obstacle for her.  He doesn't seem to mind unless she lays on top of him and doesn't get off.

Pulling up on the stroller.

Pulling up on another toy.

Pulling up on the office chair.

Sitting up in the crib after a nap.

Cooper is very needy lately!  He wakes up several times a night, so we are cosleeping now.  We will slowly transition him to his crib again, but we do put him in it for naps, so it should be easy to get him back there. 

He is also refusing to eat cereal.  We've tried everything - different cereal, mixed with fruit/juice/water/breastmilk, hot/cold/warm, thick/thin, different times, different spoons/bowls.  He still gags and chokes, clamps his lips and pushes the spoon away.  So we are skipping cereal.  We gave him some sweet potato and he gets a couple bites before doing the whole gagging bit.  So we moved on and gave him a piece of an avocado...he chowed it down and opened his mouth for more!  He also loves to eat puffs (melt in your mouth cheerios like baby snacks). We think it's the runny food and spoon that he doesn't like.   So I guess we'll just jump to finger foods!

Cooper thinks Charlotte is hysterical and follows her all over with his eyes.  He laughs any time she even glances at him.  He gets mad when she leaves him alone to play by himself.  He has started to get up on his hands and knees, so he might start crawling or creeping soon!   He finally rolls from tummy to back, so no more getting stuck!  He has also started to blow raspberries.  It's so cute.  When we get a good video of it, I'll post it.  Oh, and he's sitting up by himself now and doesn't fall over!

Getting a little big for the swing but he still loves it!

Out on a walk:                      

One of their favorite toys.  Awesome purchase...it tilted down when he liked to lay down and play with the toy above him.  Now it tilts flat/angled for them to sit at or pull up on.  Then it will go higher and tilt completely flat when they can stand.

We have Cooper's 6 month check up on Friday.  More shots. :(

The parental termination was granted on Monday, Oct 20 for Charlotte.  She is in the process of being legally released for adoption.  We will send off our application for adoption tomorrow.  Then we have to do a home study and back ground check (again!).  We want to go back for the adoption hearing, but it will depend on when it takes place.  (We are also allowed to do it over the phone.)  I'm so excited for us, but at the same time I am a little sad for Charlotte's birth mom.