C Bear

Five years ago today (and after 2 days of contractions), I became a mom to this insanely adorable (cranky), tiny version of myself and Jeff. Having a baby is a miraculously overwhelming and incredible experience. You're pregnant for 9 months and then all of a sudden there is an actual tiny human in your house with you. Jeff and I didn't know what the heck we were doing when we first brought Charley home from the hospital. He liked to cry. I know all babies cry but Mr. Charley Bear cried ALL. THE. TIME. See, he had colic but none of the remedies for colicky babies would work on him. He just wanted to cry. It was never at the same time every day. Always at different hours. Sometimes in the middle of the night for hours, or in the morning, etc. He cried a lot, ok? There were times where I would be amazed that he could cry so much. How does it not wear him out?? He would even sleep-cry. Meaning, he would be sound asleep then cry for a few seconds with his eyes closed and then go back to a sound sleep. But we were still in love with him. This little bundle of blue eyed Charley-ness. I loved watching him (even as he was crying and I was completely exhausted). I loved that he was the perfect combination of Jeff and I. At around 8 weeks, he decided he didn't want to cry all the time anymore. It was like someone switched babies on us and he was happy as can be. Smiled all the time and laughed constantly. Oh, his laugh is such a great sound to hear. The two months of constant crying was so worth hearing his laugh and seeing his smile.

Through these last five years, I have learned to calm down a bit. Going from wanting to take him to the hospital at the smallest sniffle to just telling him to deal with it if he gets a papercut. I was a frantic first time mom. I remember reading directions and printing them out on how to give him his first bath. Actual directions and trying to time it perfectly. I didn't want to make any mistakes but here's the thing... you can't follow a plan laid out for you on a mommy website or anything described in a book. You have to go with the flow and believe me when I tell you, the tiny human is the one in charge those first few weeks. You learn to adapt to their personality and their wants and needs. You can readjust everything as time goes on because believe me, once you get used to one way of doing things for them, they immediately change things up.

All babies/kids learn at their own pace. I know there are charts and guidelines of where each kid at each age should be but that's all they are; guidelines. It doesn't mean your kid is unhealthy because he's smaller than the average 2 year old or that your kid is slow because he's not walking at 9 months. Charley walked when he wanted to walk... which was at 15 months. He was perfectly fine doing his army crawl and I was totally ok with that. One day, he just decided it was time and that was that.
 

At 2 years old he talked up a storm and (much to the delight of Jeffrey) was obsessed with Star Wars. I owe every ounce of our potty training success to that franchise. Charley knew that every time he would have a good potty training day/week, he would get a new Star Wars toy (we had a plethora of Jeff's old figures in our attic. TONS of them). Needless to say, he was out of diapers very quickly.

My point is, just go with the flow. Find your own ways of doing things and stick with it. Don't freak out if your kid isn't exactly where another kid is. They are all brilliant little creatures who will learn things in their own way. The first five years of your kids life is some of the most fun you will ever experience. Filled with new discoveries and a love that you never knew existed. It's fun and exhausting and such a joy to introduce them to new things. Being a parent is an incredible experience.

Charley is an awesome kid. I know I'm biased (I'm supposed to be afterall) but he just blows me away with his little personality and those blue eyes. He's so smart and creative and hilariously funny. He's shy and stubborn and will argue with you until he's blue in the face.

Allow me to share with you some tidbits about that little Lego of mine...

-He has slept with a blanket that he nicknamed "na-night" ever since he was 7 months old. He still sleeps with it and asks for it when he's sad. He makes us find the tag on it for him, so he can hold it while he sleeps.

- At 7 weeks old, he got us kicked out of Kohl's in Westland Mall because one of the employees there was annoyed with his crying. (I told you, he cried all the time). When I told C this story the other day, he thought it was really funny.

- He learned to say "please" over a Wendy's Frosty.

- He can hold his own among any hardcore Star Wars fan. Also, do not get into a lightsaber/sword duel with him unless you are serious about it. He is hardcore.

 - He loves to snuggle as a family on the couch and watch movies with all the lights off  "just like a real movie theater".

He is addicted to popcorn and LOVES butter.

- His favorite CD's are the Star Wars Soundtrack and the Victorious Soundtrack.

- Poop, fart, pee. He loves talking and laughing about all of it. He's a boy! What can I say?

- He is funny. So very funny.

- He is always telling Jeff and I how much he loves us.

- He hates animatronics and people dressed up in big, fuzzy costumes. Completely freaks him out.

- He loves Logan and Bristow even though he tortures them incessantly.

- He loves mini muffins and is the pickiest eater in all the land.

- He gives really, really wonderful hugs.

- His favorite Superhero is Iron Man.

- He adores his cousins.

- He is smart. So very smart.

- He is one of the most stubborn people on the planet.

- He always tells me that I smell good (haha). Always.

- When he gets his haircut and they offer him a sucker afterward, he always takes 2. "One for me and one for Daddy".

- He has blue eyes and a smile that could melt your heart.

- He's very shy.

- He loves Legos. He wishes he was a Lego. He loves building things with them. Watching them on tv. Playing Lego video games. Most of all, he loves taking them apart. Even the little hands.  He loves taking them apart and mixing them all up (and it makes Jeff CRAZY).

From the moment I realized that I was pregnant, I have dreaded the day he would go to Kindergarten. It means he's no longer a baby. He's a big boy and growing up so fast. But he's so excited for it and he can't wait to meet new friends. It's just another chapter in this whole parenthood journey. We'll get through it and then move on to the next one. Until then, I will just be thankful for the last five incredibly (fast), awesome years.

Happy 5th Birthday, Charley Robert!!

Thanks for letting me take a quick break from the usual pop culture vibe of this here blog, so that I could pay a little tribute to that beautiful boy of mine. I'll leave you with my most favorite video of him. he was 2 years old here: