The Five Freds: Happy Birthday Charlie!

As a parent I get very excited about my children's birthdays. I love to look back and reflect on how much they have learned and grown in the last year.

Charlie's vocabulary is gigantic and he is doing well at putting together sentences. I love watching the little wheels turn in his head as he formulates what he is saying. He loves to talk and talk and talk. He doesn't close his mouth sometimes. (Charlie with his birthday presents.)

I love it when he is playing and then will randomly start talking about something that is not related at all to what he is doing. He is really thinking about the things of life and contemplating them. I love it when he shares his thought with me. The one that he seems to contemplate the most is Christ. He will tell me how Jesus was hurt by the bad men and then he died. He will tell me that, then pause. He follows it up by telling me that Jesus was resurrected and is alive again. I love that he is thinking about these things.

Charlie is such a sweet boy. He loves to be soft and gentle with Elizabeth. He will lovingly touch her head, cheeks, hands, and feet. He loves to smile at her and tells me whenever she is learning to talk.

Charlie is such a manly boy. He really gets into his playing and will act very masculine. He flexes his muscles, stomps around, and talks in a "deep" voice. (Charlie pretending to be asleep at the table so I will take his photo like I was doing for Henry as he slept at the table.)

Charlie is learning how important it is to always communicate by using words. He is getting better about not crying and just matter-of-factly communicating to me what he needs or wants. He loves getting praised for doing it right. He is getting really good at talking to Henry about who was playing with what toy instead of stealing toys and hitting.

Charlie is so amazing at using the potty! Potty training has been the number one hardest thing as a parent so far for me. But he accomplished it after nine very long months. I am so proud of him.

Charlie is a great brother to Henry. He plays well with him and they love to wrestle and roll around together. He has learned the lesson that if he plays rough he will probably get hurt and it is okay. He is good at showing his affection for Henry with random hugs during the day.

Charlie enjoys being read to. He enjoys school time where he is learning about the sounds the letters make and how certain letters combine to make different sounds like "ch" for Charlie. He "reads" Go, Dog. Go! by repeating every word after I say it while I point to the words. He enjoys learning and is always wanting it to be school time all of the time. (No wonder people think they are twins.)