It's been a while...

...sometimes when I have big posts brewing in my head, it's hard to actually sit down and post anything, because I want to elaborate on these big themes, but I don't have time.  So I forget to stop in and blog about the little things, the stuff I want to remember.  The other day, I was discussing with my sister about how G doesn't have any teeth yet (@ 8 months) and I knew that Charlotte got her teeth "late" but couldn't remember when.  I was able to go back and look it up, which was so freaking cool.  It was in May of 08, and she was 7 1/2 months.

Things That Charlotte Loves Right Now:

* Movies!  Cars, Cinderella, Ratatouille are the big ones, though still Curious George & Mary Poppins.

* Music - Sharon, Lois & Bram; Imagination Movers; Cars Soundtrack (natch).  She still gets a hankering for "Single Ladies", and I can sneak in Vampire Weekend and Timber Timbre w/o too much of a protest.

* Singing songs - big hits are I'm a Little Teapot, Skinnamarink & Flea, Fly, Mosquito

* Things she's into: talking about animals, particularly "What hatches from eggs?" and metamorphosis; identifying dinosaurs; playing with her cars; stacking toys/blocks; dressing up in hats & scarves & shoes; coloring at her big-girl-table

* Places/Activities she loves - going to the library! getting a snack at Trader Joe's, seeing cows, going to the playground, digging in dirt, swinging & sliding.  Going to Yankee Candle.  Splitting a muffin from Dunkin' Donuts.  Seeing family.

* Books & Stories - she likes to listen to her Chicka Chicka Boom Boom CD, discovered the "If you give a..." books, We're Going on a Leaf Hunt, any book with a cat in it, most books with dinosaurs.  She likes me to tell the story of the three little pigs & goldilocks and the three bears.

* Toys - stacking is still huge. Her various stuffed rodents are special bedtime buddies, Angelina, Suzette/Suzie and Remy.  Remy got lost at Yankee Candle, and that made a huge impression.  Now whenever she can't find him, she remembers that time he got lost and gets very upset.  Tigger is still her "best favorite buddy Tig."  Moose is still necessary for the bedtime routine.  Her Cars cars are also very much favorites, as are her Little People Animals from her A to Z playset.

* What's next? Serious potty training. Finding a daycare/preschool/babysitter.  Maybe finding a playgroup/class? She clearly wants/needs to spend time with other kids. Swapping out some toys/books.  Packing up more baby clothes. Starting our garden plot. Sitting at the dinner table. Painting w/ real paints.