Happy Birthday, Nana!

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Dear Charlee,

I'm giving you a lot of attention on the blog this week. When you're 10 or 15 or 20 and feeling like you got the short end of the stick when it comes to photos, scrapbooks, etc., read these blogs!

As a one-year old, here's what you're up to:

• Climbing on and in the dishwasher. You like to play in the little bits of leftover water, pull the spoons out of the tray and bang them on the door.
• You aren't walking but you crawl like the wind.
• Pulling up on anything and everything including Mom's and Dad's legs, your sisters backs, toys, stools, chairs.
• You love carbs. We introduced bread to you after a nasty stomach bug, and now you can't get enough of pasta, bagels, bread, and pita bread.
• Ezcema is still your enemy. We cover you in Vaseline or hydro-cortisone morning and night. You need to wear long pants or your legs get especially itchy and red.
• You can drink out of a sippy cup and a straw cup but you prefer to have milk in a bottle.
• Most nights you sleep from 7 to 6-ish.
• Your red hair is adorable and often commented on by strangers. Unfortunately, it doesn't cover your head. You have a bit of a reverse balding pattern--hair on top and the bottom but not around the middle. The pieces just over your ears curl up.
• You love to unravel all of the toilet paper. Don't you know that's a cliche?
• Maybe your toilet paper obsession stems from your toilet fixation. You love to play IN the toilet, whether your sisters have flushed it or not. We try to vigilant about keeping the bathroom doors closed.
• You LOVE the bath. You and your sisters could play in there indefinitely. When we pull you out, usually while your sisters are still in, you throws a massive all body fit, wriggling, wrestling, and screaming to go back in.
• You say "Dada." It was your first word. Occaisonally, I've heard "Mama." Your signs for "all done" and "more" are just good enough to get what you want. You shake your head to indicate "yes" and "no."
• Your eyes are my favorite color, turquoise. 

We can't imagine life without you!

Charlee Belle, My Baby. My LAST Baby!

A look back at a fun year with baby Charlee.

She loves her Daddy.

And Christmas.

I think she's so happy here because she can finally sit up next to her sisters and cousin.

This swing makes everyone smile.

My favorite pic of all time.

Awww. That poor baby was in the hospital with an IV in her head!

The beginning of sister adoration.

"Do I really have to hang out with this rag tag bunch?"

"Yep, I'm a red head."

"My Grandma knit me this super soft blanket."

That was a great day.

Charlee's Fiesta: Cupcakes and Mexican Martinis

We celebrated Charlee's birthday one day late with a small party including some good friends. We made enchiladas, queso, and Mexican Martinis. I also baked vegan chocolate cupcakes frosted with peanut butter icing for the non-vegans. Charlee was more interested in the candle than the cupcake.

All I got for my 1st birthday was an allergic reaction. And a trip to the ER.

Charlee's birthday started with fresh bagels. The kid can't get enough carbs, so I stopped on the way home from the gym at Einstein's and brought her warm, doughy carbs. Hopefully, you're thinking right now "Wow, she goes to the gym early. And stops for bagels! She's a great Mom." Remember this later.

Bread = Love

After breakfast, Charlee spent the day at Connie and Laura's as usual. According to Claire, the kids sang Happy Burt-day to her. After work, school, and play, we had our almost-first popsicles of the season. Charlee, too. She alternated eating the popsicle and writing with it on the sidewalk. You're right, I must be a super cool Mom to let my kids make a huge, fun mess with popsicles. Remember this.

Charlee's gift was a water table. Think mini bathtub with legs. Charlee loves baths so much that we thought this was the perfect gift. Charlee did, too. I know my baby well and came up with this gift idea. Yes, I'm that good! Remember this.

We were all enjoying being outside, so I brought a picnic out for the crew. Pasta, blueberries, and fake cheese for Charlee. Salami, tortilla chips, cheese, and blackberries for the rest of us. Charlee wanted some salami, so I let her have it. Five minutes later, hives. All over her hands, chest, and back.

Did you know Salami contains milk? I didn't. And Charlee's allergic to milk. The poor kid was itchy itchy. We gave her Benadryl, a bottle, and put her to bed. She woke up vomiting and with more hives. I called the doctor's exchange to see if we could give her more Benadryl, and the nurse said "Hang up the phone. Drive to the ER immediately." So we did.

And that's how Charlee spent several hours of her birthday in the ER. Doesn't she look peaceful after having some steroids? Mom. Of. The. Year.