He has many strengths as well

...but the weaknesses are much funnier...

Charlie got his regular "report card" a week or so ago.  Yes, he does have many strengths ("can be sympathetic, smart, funny, happy..."), but we thought his [thankfully short] list of weaknesses was more entertaining.  The hitting thing?  Yeah, he does that, but I think he intends it to be funny rather than mean.  The crying when told no?  Ummm, yeah, only it's more like screaming.  Although our girls really were never bad toddlers, I think this is pretty much par for the course for a 2 year old.


Love you Charlie!

Bathing Beauty

Charlie in the hotel room in Seoul -- age 10 months

Charlie last night after bathtime -- age 26 months

Just a Twinkle in my Eye

Ever heard the expression that a baby, before conception, is a twinkle in his/her parents' eyes?

Whenever Rose or Lucy, upon hearing a story about Ella or us prior to their birth, ask,"Where was I?" I tell them: "You were a twinkle in my eye."

The other night, as we were driving to Ella's birthday dinner, I told a story about the night Ella was born. I told Rose and Lucy, "You weren't there because you were still a twinkle in my eye. And Charlie was also a twinkle in my eye."

Pause.

Rose: "Ummm, how could he be a twinkle in your eye?"

Me (knowing she was trying to figure out in her mind how Charlie, who she knows grew in another lady's tummy, could have been a twinkle in my eye): "All babies are twinkles in their parents' eyes before they are born, and Charlie is my baby."

Rose: "No, he was a twinkle in his other mother's eye."

Me: "Yes, I guess he was a twinkle in both our eyes."

Rose (in know-it-all fashion): "Well, he was a twinkle in his other mother's eye first."

Hmmm...

The Last of the Korean Clothes

When Charlie came home 14 months ago, his foster mother sent along several outfits, PJs, etc. Most of the clothes he outgrew long ago, but the other day I happened to find the last of the Korean clothes in one of his drawers. This little green size 3 Ralph Lauren cardigan is just too cute (yes, Charlie is only newly-turned 2, and this cardigan is tight on him...don't judge!).

Doesn't he look dapper (and slightly suspicious of me taking his picture)?

This is Charlie's new reaction to any grown-up crouching down to take his picture. He squats as well!

Mama, why do you keep following me around with that camera!?

Enjoying fake ice cream...

Happy New Year!!

If my love of holidays were on a spectrum, Christmas Eve would be my favorite, followed by Christmas Day. New Year's Day, not so great, probably because I associate it with football and having to go back to school the next day:) New Year's Eve, however...pretty fun.

We have a family tradition of staying home on New Year's Eve, getting lots of yummy appetizer-type food (Sheref and I call this "fancy cheeses," though non-cheese items are also welcome!), sparkling beverages (both alcoholic and non), and watching movies.

Child-friendly sparkly beverage

Ella and I went to a party store and bought

New Year's hats, noise makers and other assorted decorations

Ella-bella

Lucy-Lu

Miss Rosie

Chuckles wasn't so sure about the beads...

But he did like the chocolate...

Dance party in Rose & Lucy's room. Rose & Luce do hip-hop one day a week after school, and Sheref takes Charlie to watch. Chuckles is clearly a fast learner when it comes to anything musical, as evidenced by the fact that he knows their routines as well as the kids in the class! There is one "song" in particular (some rap-ish song about Skittles...I put "song" in quotes because when Sheref and I googled other songs by this "artist," the titles are literally porn-worthy...the kids only dance to the cleaned up version:) that Chucktown can get down to. Hysterical!

Either this mask is really small, or Sheref has a gigantic face...

Ella thinks they're all nuts

On our way home from Tennessee on Friday, I brilliantly had the foresight to stop at a rural roadside fireworks stand to buy firecrackers for New Year's Eve. There are definitely pluses and minuses to living in South Carolina (the dumbest drivers in the universe being one of the minuses), but legal fireworks sold in every gas station and along random roads?? Definitely a plus!

I learned not to aim bottle rockets at large oak trees that still have dried leaves on them

The aftermath...

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!