More Charlie Successes

Charlie's doing so many funny new things these days that I keep realizing I'm leaving things out. He's still crawling - it's sort of a funny, disorganized crawl - sometimes his bottom doesn't cooperate and throws him way off balance, but he's definitely moving. Our friends the Baskins gave him this cute train that plays music and throws colored balls around and moves in a circle. I think it's what really got Charlie going - he LOVES to whack it to get the music going, and gets mad when it rolls out of his reach. He's finally realized he can just chase it down.

Charlie now gives five. He's particular - no high fives or low fives for this kid, but if you put your hand out flat in front of him and ask him to give you five, he does. Sometimes he's really slow and deliberate about it, which is funny, but he's getting quicker and more confident all the time. He gets really excited when you ask him; before he'll do it, he gives you a big grin and a happy little wiggle like he's got to pull himself together. We were warned early on that preemie movements aren't always as organized as full-term babies, and to me, that really is the best explanation for how he reacts. He just needs to organize himself before he can follow through.

Another thing he loves to do these days is stand. When we put our fingers out, he'll reach out and grab them (again, after a quick shrug of excitement) and then push himself up to his feet with a little gentle lifting on our part. I think I must have been opening my mouth really wide when I was lifting him, because as soon as he gets to his feet, he opens his mouth as wide as he can. I think he's mimicking me, but the effect is as if he just can't believe what he's just done. It's pretty adorable. Hopefully we'll catch it on video. He changes so quickly and so often these days that I'm feeling the necessity to freeze each moment and accomplishment on film.

He's drinking from a sippy cup, and has figured out that he can lift it and take a drink without anyone's help. He's eating a ton - last night we got Chicken Out takeout, and Charlie enjoyed my chicken as much as I did! We're introducing more and more solid food amidst the purees, and he really seems to like them. And he's still a pretty well-behaved eater - he doesn't throw food or spit it out. When he doesn't like something, he just turns his head and turns up his nose like a mini-food snob. Pretty funny.

Once again, I don't have any new photos, but we'll post more soon. In the meantime, I'm just in awe of our little miracle and how far he's come. Last week we passed the anniversary of the date we brought him home from the NICU. It's truly amazing for me to reflect on where we were then and where we are now. Hooray!