Charlie Turns 2

We all had the time of our lives on little Charlie's big day. I can't stand how much I love this kid. To commemorate his (as the midwife called it) "not normal" water birth we decided the the only fitting birthday tradition for this kid would be to find some way to go swimming in the middle of bleak Boston winter. (See one of the first blog entries for the full story of this guy's eventful birth). Last year, the best we could muster up was a good long "swim" in the bathtub. This year we went all out and rented a room at a nearby hotel with an indoor swimming pool. We checked in on Friday night and had some dear friends over for swimming and pizza and the kids swam until they were "all tuckered in" (as Hazel calls it). Despite their tuckered state, it was quite a struggle to get these two little monkeys to sleep in the same room. Finally at 10:30 after a few hours of alternating loopyness and frustration (for both parents and kids) we all finally zonked out....only to be woken up nearly every hour by a moaning Charlie who has apparently grown too long and too finicky for his uncomfortable pack and play. Despite not sleeping well Charlie was thrilled to wake up in the morning to his birthday. He spent some time jumping on the big king size bed and opened a little ball and hoop that Hazel picked out for him. We had splurged and paid for the room rate that included the buffet breakfast which made us all very happy and full and ready to swim some more.

There is nothing Charlie delights in more these days than jumping on beds...so the hotel room was heaven!
We invited a few families to come on Saturday morning to swim and eat cup cakes. Two of the families have little boys who were all born two weeks apart at the Cambridge birth center and who are all turning two. They all blew out little cup cakes with two candles and were delighted to splash in the hot tub together. I think Charlie had a pretty good time, even though he was totally spaced out for half the morning due to lack of sleep. He especially liked being sung too and blowing out his birthday candles (see opening picture). He practices this all the time: sings Happy Birthday and then blows at a pretend birthday cake so he was an expert.

You have to click on some of these images to really see the funny expressions (see post below). Check out Hazel's very weird face in one of those collasges....she is one funny girl. She was really pretty good at handling the lack of birthday attention and helping Charlie to have a happy day. We were so proud of her. She of course loved the swimming as much as charlie.








It all started in the bathtub below....to the right is Charlie during his first birthday swim....and as you see above, we've moved it up to a bigger "tub!"

Once we got home from the hotel Charlie spent most of his day walking around singing Happy Birthday to himself. Man was it cute. Happy birthday to me, Happy birthday to Charlie.....over and over and over again. That night we had a little birthday dinner (mac and cheese, charlie's favorite), blew out candles again and opened his presents from us and grandparents. He was in HEAVEN with a new "bug" helicopter, some great books and puzzles, a huge excavator that moves back and forth and a Lightening McQueen race track. I'll upload videos soon.

I can't get over how much I love this little boy. As I was going to sleep on his birthday I started remembering the day of his birth. What a magical day it was. So full of extraordinary "not normal" things that now seem to have been so clearly foreshadowing the charm of this sweet little boy. I remember really wanting charlie to be born on January 26th in the evening. In fact, I even placed a bet at Jeff's work that he would come exactly when I wanted him to: 6:30pm on January 26th. I wanted him to be born on this day because it was my Grandpa Dean's birthday and we were going to give him Dean as a middle name in honor of this grandpa. It was also the day my mom was arriving. I wanted him to come in the early evening because that's when my mom would be able to be there and because I didn't want to labor all night. I remember walking through the grocery store with Hazel at about 4:15 and starting to feel contractions coming on. I remember this very distinct feeling that this little soul was going to be super agreeable and pleasing and peaceful and delightful. His magical birth seemed to confirm this feeling that I had: he was born within 15 min of when I had wanted him to come, he was born with a caul, he came quickly and dropped into the tub etc etc. The first few weeks of his life he was an angel. And then, from week 2 to month 8 or nine I had forgotten that strong impression of a perfect babe because, due to reflux and some allergies, he was very less than agreeable and peaceful. But now I believe it again. I feel so blessed by this deeply kind and agreeable little soul. He is so eager to do what makes others happy. He is smart and charming and happy and funny and sensitive. He gives me big hugs and kisses (endures me kissing him every second I can), plays well with other kids (for the most part), normally says "ok mommy" if I ask him to do anything, dutifully puts his nose against the wall with no resistance when he has been naughty and he's even cute when he throws the occasional tantrum or antagonizes his sister.....

I know I'm a bit biased and I really could brag on and on about him. I just feel like we were blessed with a really good soul in this little Charles Dean Eyre Shumway.