We Voted.

We got up at 6:30 this morning to be at the polls when they opened at 7:00. We woke the little guy and bundled him up for the 10 minute walk to our polling place. A family affair! I've never been so excited and so nervous for an election. This is it people. This is the time that we decide if we want more of the same or if we want something better for ourselves and for our children. I choose something better. I choose Barack Obama. For the last two months or so, Charlie will say "BER-AHK-O-BA-MA" everytime we pass a sign in someones front yard. He's memorized the way Barack's name is spelled and the different symbols on his campaign materials. He'll stop what he's doing if he sees him on the television and say "BER-AHK-O-BA-MA". I need to get this kiddo out more though...the other day we passed a little African American kid and Charlie pointed and said "BER-AHK-O-BA-MA". That made me smile and worry all in the same breath. Differences. Differences are all around us and I'm sick of people saying that they'll "tolerate" differences (which I guess is better than what is going on right now in California). The word tolerate is so negative and superior and I'm tired of it. I say the new word needs to be "embrace". Let's embrace our differences and learn from one another. It's shocking that we may be voting in the first African American President (or god help us, woman vp) but there is a state considering taking away fundamental civil rights from our friends, neighbors, grandmothers, grandfathers, mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers, aunts, uncles....and on and on. If you have ONE person in your life that you love who is gay you cannot in good conscience vote yes on 8. I'm sorry, but they go hand in hand. You cannot on one hand say that you love someone and then deny them love on the hand. It doesn't work like that people. It doesn't work like that family. Do what is right. Please. We love you Ah-May!

Grumpy Bumblebee

I love Halloween. Definitely number two on the holiday love list. Last year, Charlie was pirate and a very cute one at that if I do say so myself. I procrastinate...always have...to my mother's dismay, I'm afraid I always will. So last year I found myself scrambling around to find a costume for Charlie with absolutely no idea what I wanted to do. This year was different. I had a plan. I had a vision. I had the time. So, what did I do? I procrastinated. Yes I did. The weekend before Halloween, Megan and I set out to find his costume. We were going to turn Charlie into CHARLITO! Charles Morgan was going to be a Luchador. A Mexican wrestler. All I needed to find were solid jammies, red brief underware, and red converse high tops. I was then going to make his red cape with "Charlito" on the back and sew him the mask using these instructions. Easy enough and how cool and cute. Well. Out of all the things I couldn't find...Megan and I were not able to locate a pair of solid colored jammies. What the?! Come on...so easy and so ridiculous that we couldn't find them. So...Charlito was finito!

Don't fret...we found a pretty cute outfit. Charlie the Bumblebee. Correction: Charlie the Grumpy Bumblebee. He was totally unamused with the whole thing. The tights, the legwarmers, having to go up to total strangers, not knowing that he could turn his head when the hood of the costume was up. Unamused. KC's parent brought him over to Microsoft to "trick or treat" in the office and he made a big fuss, so we just went home. No trick or treating for this little guy. As soon as he got home, he wanted to put his jammies on and snuggle in, which was just as well.

We had a few friends and family over for Chili and Corn Chowder (thank you Kim!) and had a great time. It was a mello Halloween with very few kids coming to the door. Our neighbor Maddie got locked out of her house (with no shoes on!) and her mom was out with her brother hittin' the hood up for candy. So, she and her friend hung out with Charlie for an hour or so. I should note that Maddie and her brother Michael are two of Charlie's favorite people in the world! Charlie is in love with Maddie and when she babysits, he doesn't even know we're gone. He was thrilled!

Charlie's Grandparents brought corn husks from their farm and Charlie's Great Grandfather carved a "CHARLIE' pumpkin. Look at the picture below. Can you find all the letters?

Pumpkin Hunt 2008

For Mae Mae's viewing pleasure

Mama - Not sure about this config, but it's still a work in progress. KC doesn't care for the long table. Living Room pics below. The last one is the best though.

Charlie's a little sick...runny nose. Poor little guy!

First Haricut

Charlie had is first haircut on Thursday and it went better than I imagined. We headed over to Lil' Klippers in the Wallingford Center for our 3:15 appointment. KC stayed home from work that day so the whole gang was there, Dada, Mama, Auntie Meg and Charlie. Lynette greeted Charlie with a huge smile and reminded me of Go-go (my sister's mother-in-law), sweet, kind and expressive, she talked directly to Charlie and made him so comfortable. He hopped right into that rocket and away he went. No tears, no whining, some fidgeting but not much. The only time you could tell he was a little uneasy was when Lynette started cutting around his ears. He swatted at her hands. As soon as he was finished, you could tell he was a little boy and no longer a baby. We stepped next door to Trophy Cupcakes for a sweet treat afterward.

Bye bye bugaboo...hello Bob!

We're buying a new stroller. Now that KC's running and I'm hoping to start soon, we're moving over to a Bob. I'm selling the bugaboo on craigslist.

Update: The bugaboo sold and the Bob is ours. Yeah!

So Sweet

I just love this little guy.

Happy Birthday "Pa"!

Charlie calls his Grandpa, "Pa". We celebrated Pa's 60th birthday yesterday with a boat trip around Lake Union. Happy Birthdy Pa, we love you!

How do they learn this?

Charlie is so lucky to have his Grammy and Pa Morgan close by. He spends every other Friday with them and gets so excited when they come to our house to pick him up. It's comforting for me to know that he's getting the best care and attention while I'm at work and we can't thank them enough for all they do for us and for spending quality time with Charlie. This past Friday, the Grandparents informed me that Charlie learned something new and they were able to catch it on camera. I was so excited to learn what this new skill was until they showed me. Wow...both nostrils! How and where did Charlie learn to pick his nose? I guess he was doing it all day long and really enjoying it. I haven't yet seen the action live, but I'm looking out for it.

Guppy

Charlie had his first swim lesson today and did really well. He looked the part in his hawaiian print board shorts and 'little swimmers' diapers. The teacher was a young thing, probably on her summer vacation from the local state school and just itching to get back to her real life on campus with her Gamma Beta Phi Omega Chi sisters. She didn't really tune in much and there was only three of us in the pool. Oh well. Charlie enjoyed himself. Oh yea, I had to get in the pool too. Oh joy. "It's all for the boy, it's all for the boy, it's all for the boy (my mantra as I was walking around "the club" in my bathing suit). "

Black Jesus

I don't know if you noticed but the picture above is not Charlie. It's a picture of black Jesus. I don't know why, but the idea of a black Jesus just makes more sense to me. It fits, it's right. So, if I was a follower of Jesus, he would be black. What does this have to do with Charlie? Well, he said "Jesus" the other day. Our days of expletives like "shit!", "damn!", f***!" and yes, "Jesus!" (sorry jesus...and/or god, we're really bad and take your name in vain ALL the time) are over.

Words that Charlie says

Kitty Cat

Good Girl

Good Boy

Mama

Dada

MaeMae

Charlie ("yallie")

Hi ("eye")

Bye Bye

Truck

Car

Arugala ("roo-ah")

Baba (bottle)

Blank (blanket)

Baby

Bike

Book

Ball

Baseball

Hat

Agua

Tortuga

Shoe

Bird

Juice

Down

Up

On

Out

Go

And so many more that escape me....

So proud

It's a warm day and Charlie was enjoying hanging out in his diapers (a rare treat up here in the chilly Northwest). He disappeared for a bit in his room and came back with his converse shoes.

Charlie: "On? On? On?"

Me: "You want these on?"

Charlie: (nod)

Me: "Okay"

He stayed this way until his nap at noon. He's so proud and so am I.

Father's Day in Seattle

Amazing blue skys with little puffy white clouds greeted us in the morning. Charlie and I served KC his protein shake in bed and snuggled in for a bit. We then took him to the Ballard Farmers Market where we picked up fresh veggies, fruit, cheese and meat. After a quick pit stop home, we headed to the kite shop then off to Gas Works Park for a picnic and kite flying. We had a great day with Dada and hope he did too!

Mae Mae - Does the picture below look familiar? Charlie could not stop talking to this group of people sitting in front of us. He was so sure that they wanted to be his best friends. Hilarious.