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You can start following along with us on my photography website:  www.mandymariephotography.com.

I will update family stuff as well as my photography sessions.  Basically...it will be awesome.

Mad Dash

Well baby number 2 is coming early.  Originally baby was scheduled to be here Nov. 30th.  Now the little one is coming Nov. 14th.  Needless to say we are trying hard to cross some things off our to do lists.  Seems like we have been so busy with both our jobs, Mandy's second job photography, dailly upkeep like cleaning and laundry, trying to squeeze some good quality time as a family, etc that we have not had any time for projects. 

Mandy's Dad was was able to come for 2 weekends to help with the kitchen and get the playroom going.  I should be able to finish the playroom before baby gets here.  Although I've decided I really don't like painting much.  Seems like it takes forever with so much wait time.  Mud the walls, wait to dry, replace the ceiling fan, prime the wall, wait to dry, paint the walls and ceiling, wait to dry, 2nd coat, wait again,  tape the trim, paint the trim and doors, wait again.  Tonight I should be able to get the second coat for the trim and doors.  Then all that will be left will be to put the quarter round down and stain the other side of the french doors.  Since we have moved in, I think every wall except the upstairs bathroom has now been painted at least once, almost every light fixture has also been replaced. 

Mandy has been trying to get all of her photo shoots edited and up to date, and get the house as organized as can be with a two year old in it.  So both of us have been trying to get all this stuff done, while still trying to love on Charlotte as much as possible.  I think both of us are a little concerned on how life with change with Charlotte as a family of 4 (plus 4 pets) vs a family of 3 (plus 4 pets).  I guess we will see starting on Monday. 

Halloween 2011

Charlotte chose her costume on her own this year and picked out Raggedy Ann.  I made her red hair and it turned out great

We had a wonderful Halloween season and tried to do as much as we could as a family before Baby #2 arrives.  We made it to 2 pumpkin patches, painted pumpkins, Night Eyes at the zoo, multiple farmer's markets (including the last of the season), Living History Farms Halloween event and ended with Trick or Treating this past Sunday.  

 Night Eyes

Pumpkin Painting

Living History Farms

Farmer's Market

Howell's Pumpkin Patch with Grammy and Aunt Barb

 Duck Racing with Dad

 Corn Pool with Mom

 Big Slide with Dad

We were the only ones in the pumpkin patch.  Little creepy as the sun set but tons of fun!

We have had a wonderful fall and are now eagerly awaiting the arrival of #2!

Big Girl Room

Charlotte now has a big girl room!

She had been using the crib as a toddler bed but we knew that was going to need to come to an end soon.  We have been debating what kind of bed to get her, full or twin basically.  We were checking out craigslist and came across this set.

What you have to understand is, from the time Charlotte was in the womb Jim was looking forward to the day he could get her a bed with a slide.  We ended up with an absolutely amazing deal and this bed is perfect for her room.  It still leaves her with tons of play space and she love napping under it and sleeping on it.  She is obsessed with playing in her room right now.

Puddle Jumping

My First Braid

I actually managed to french braid Charlotte's hair the other day.  I got half way down before she was done, but I considered it a success.  We went to dance class that night and she was very proud of her braid and tutu.  It was the last summer dance class until it starts again this fall.  Anyhow, here is a cell phone picture of the braid.

The next day when we took it out her hair was super crazy and she wanted to wear it down of course.  She looks like a little punk rocker.

Jim is Right

I have been CRAZY busy....too busy.  I know that building my business is worth it but sometimes I am slightly overwhelmed!

A couple weekends ago my Mom came to watch Charlotte because Jim and I had a wedding to shoot.  They went shopping and Grammy got her a Tangled shirt.  She loves Tangled.  She sings "I have a dream" so stinking cutely.  Dancing the whole time with wide spread "ta-da" arms at the end.  She also loves to say "I have long hair like Tangled".  I am not sure where she got that, but I know she is often told she has long hair so she must have put two and two together.

Here is a picture of her playing in her Tangled shirt running around on the back deck.  I can not explain exactly how much we love this girl.

Random post from Jim

Mandy has been crazy busy working on shooting and editing for her photography business that I thought I'd try a post.  I think the last time I made a post was when Charlotte was born.  Lots have changed since Mandy's last post.  Unfortunately not enough house repairs and projects have gotten done, though I did get the Living Room painted (1 check box out of about 15).

We are expecting baby number 2!  The little one will arrive late November, early December.  The official due date is Dec 4th, but the Doctors have talked about maybe planning to go a week earlier.  After a lot of debate, we decided not to find out the sex this time.  This decision may drive Mandy crazy, but I think it will be a really neat surprise.  She does too, but her planner side disagrees. 

Charlotte just keeps growing taller and smarter.  Its amazing to watch her grow up.  Though sometimes its sad too.  Little things, like when she asks to watch Monsters Inc. instead of "The Montor Moonie", make me realize she is growing up very fast.  Her vocabulary keeps growing leaps and bounds every day.  Sometimes not for the better as she got very mad at me a few weeks ago and called me a "Stinky Winky".  Charlotte has recently started going to a toddler dance class with Mandy.  I'm told she likes the class itself, but I know for a fact that she loves wearing a leotard.  Right now she would wear a leotard everyday if we allowed it.  We have already had to buy a second one.  She seems excited to be a big sister to her "bothersister" as she calls the little one.  She knows he/she is in mommy's tummy and the will come out around the time it snows.  We took her to the ultra sound appointment and she was pretty excited to see the baby, but after the first minute or two all she really wanted to do was play. 

As I mentioned earlier, Mandy Marie Photography has been much busier than last year.  Mandy's work just keeps getting better and better.  I've been trying to be more involved this year.  I've been put in charge of the business side of things by the CEO (Mandy).  Trying to keep up the books, research and buy the right equipment, try to get the website ranked higher, and maintain our new photo cart gallery software.  I've even started second shooting with her at weddings.  We have done 2 together so far, and it is pretty fun.  I know what I'm doing with the camera most of the time, but still need some help socializing with the wedding parties (That is what Mandy is there for I guess).  Its been one of the few opportunities to spend time with just Mandy, though that will change next month as we have plans to fly to Chicago for a couple nights.  Charlotte will spend her first night away from both mom and dad.  I'm sure she has been ready for quite some time to do this, but we haven't.

I'll leave you with a picture from the 4th of July Parade.  Charlotte really got into it this year and got a pretty full bag of candy, necklaces, stickers, etc. 

Spring Blooms

Every year our yard fills with spring blooms...tulips...daffodils...hyacinths...and more.  Every year my favorite are the mini-daffodils hands down.  Love them so much.

Boot Scoot Bike

We got Charlotte a boot scoot bike for her birthday and after a botched attempt at putting it together for her party due to an incorrect part, we had the company mail us a new one and got it put together tonight.  It is still a little big for her but I think we will be having loads of fun on this in the coming months.  In fact, tonight she was already in her jammies but still had to go give it a test run.  That's my girl!

Char is Funny

Easter morning I was downstairs finishing a few details...if you know what I mean...when I could hear Charlotte stirring on the monitor.  I could tell she was awake so I went up to get her.

I quietly walked into her room, and quietly shut the door behind me so she wasn't licked to pieces by the dogs.  When I looked over at her bed she was completely covered with her blanket with only her feet sticking out.  Immediately I figured she must be suffocating to death with the blanket over her head and I went to move it.

As soon as I leaned down to pull the covers away she whips them back and yells "RAAHHHRRR!!"  I scream and run across the room, hysterically laughing, Jim come barging in to see what is going on, and she is sitting on her bed, laughing.  It is official, I almost peed my pants thanks to the antics of my 2 year old.

Easter in a Nutshell

We had a wonderful Easter weekend this year.  Here is the breakdown.

Saturday we attended the Easter festivities at Living History Farms.  The hunt was on, and the girl was on a mission.

Sunday morning the Easter Bunny had come for a visit.  After checking our her basket, Charlotte realized he left eggs for her to find all around the living room.  That rascally rabbit.

A chocolate and some jelly beans later we got all gussied up for church.

Church was wonderful as usual and we got a nice family shot at the end of the service.

Charlotte's outfit was completed by a fine jewelry set left by the Easter Bunny.

And finally, we came home, got naked, and dyed eggs.  It was a wonderful time.  Jim and I also put together a fantastic turkey dinner that topped off the day in pure perfection.

Char is Funny

I figure if I don't start writing this stuff down somewhere, I am going to forget all the funny things are little girl says.

Installment #1:

Charlotte is fully aware her Dad is bald.  She says he bald, rubs his head, and when pointing out all of the body parts, she knows that when it comes to hair, her Dad has none.

Last night while rocking in her room and getting ready for bed, she pulled all of her hair back with her hands and said "look Mommy, I'm bald" and then busted a gut laughing.  I laughed too.

Curlers

My Mom got Charlotte sponge curlers in her Christmas stocking because I kept saying I wanted to get some to try in her hair.  Well....last night we tried them.  She actually really liked them at first and kept them in for quite awhile. 

Unfortunately for her, I am too anal and she was too restless and so as we cuddled on the couch and they would loosen I would insist on re-doing them over and over.  Eventually, she had enough and frankly I can't blame her.  We will definitely try again though, I may just have to walk away when done!

Spring Fever

Today was so nice out!  Seriously one of those super teaser days that reminds you spring is coming even though we will probably have snow next week.  We enjoyed it as much as we could at headed out after work to a local elementary school to play at the playground. 

Pondering....what to do first?

The slide wins!  This girl loves, LOVES the slide.  She had such a blast and we enjoyed our first taste of the nice weather to come.

Sick Chicky

I think we are repeating this same week from last year only with a fiestier little girl!.  Lat year at this same time Charlotte had RSV, and sure enough she got it this year as well.  We are home hanging out, having breathing treatments, and being ornery.  Here she is eating some pudding....crazy girl.

After a bath we spent the afternoon chilling, reading books, and cuddling a lot.

Hardly look sick right?  You should hear her cough.

She is so funny when she finds her baby stuff and uses it now.  Silly.

She was feeling much better by today.  Running around "nakey" or with just her boots on.  She is such a ham.   Love her to bits!