Happy Birthday to my Charlie....

I usually make a huge long post with my favorite pictures from the last year, but we're going to make this easier and just post a couple of collages (pic monkey rules!) And with Michigan, the whole birthday thing is way behind.

Oh my sweet Charlie, it's been such a fun year.  You are getting older and so independent.  Your personality is coming out and is so fun to watch develop.  You are handy, helpful and sweet like your dad, stubborn, whiney and ornery like your mom....a perfect combination.  I love watching you learn new things every day and you are growing like a weed!  You still are not talking.  Let me rephrase, you talk all the time, just not in big kid language.  Your vocabulary is shooting up and you are using short sentences, but we have a lot of baby babble which I wouldn't trade for anything and I know I will miss so much when you do start talking. 

You love your trains, your cars, trains, your seek book, your blankie, your trike, trains, balls, anything with water and mommy's shiny diamond necklace which you twirl in your fingers when you are sleepy.  You are almost done with your pacifier, only using it during story/snuggle time before bed and sleeping.  I tried to get you off of it after our trip to Michigan but you wouldn't have it.  Your favorite foods are eggs, tortillas, refried beans, bananas, muffins and anything dad hands you from the garden.  You dad's little helper and are able to call different plants by name (kinda) and bring tomatoes up to mom on the patio without crushing them.  Although sometimes you feed cherry tomatoes to the dogs.  I'm having so much fun being your mom and can't wait to watch you grown into the amazing man I know you will become.

 Look at you go!