Week 52...

52-week highlights:

• The last post in my weekly series for Charlie.  How can it be?  I can still remember being hugely pregnant with him and feeling convinced that he would never come out.  Crazy.
• In general, I would say that Charlie's current stage is quite taxing for me.  This isn't necessarily a complaint, just an observation.  His first 4 months of life were seriously SO EASY that I suppose that had to come to an end sometime.  What makes this stage so exhausting for me is that he needs me all the time and since he doesn't sleep very well (or very regularly) I don't have a lot of time for myself.  I try to keep this in perspective, but sometimes being needed all day every day is just plain tiring.  Oh well, it won't be long and I know I will be wishing he wanted to spend more time with me ;)
• He isn't napping all that well and still won't fall asleep regularly for naps without nursing.  He was in the nursery at church this morning while I worked at VBS and WOULD NOT go to sleep for the babysitter.  (Never mind the fact that he was up at 4am!)  Our church babysitter does in-home daycare and told me that he was the first child that she has not been able to rock to sleep when they are tired.  I told her that I actually felt relieved that she didn't have success because that means that other people have a hard time with him too and it isn't just me :)
• For some strange reason, Charlie thinks waking up at 4am is awesome...John and I do not agree.  This morning he woke up at 4, John went in to rock him a bit and then put him back in the crib.  That stubborn kid cried in his crib until 5:30!  At which point I got up and nursed him hoping he would fall back asleep...nope.  He was up for the day.
• Charlie can now say "mama" and "dada" although I'd say "dada" was technically his first word as John and Henry got him to say it on Father's Day, appropriately enough :)
• Charlie likes to point to different things that he is interested in.
• He also likes to arch his back and throw his head backwards when he is upset about something.
• He is now doing the "drunk sailor" kind of walking.  I think this stage is pretty hilarious.  He will start walking and get moving pretty fast, but then when he starts falling he will walk and fall at the same time which leads to lots of stumbling.  He's definitely walking when he has the chance now.  He still needs something to pull himself up against, but once he's up he can take upwards of 10 steps at once.
• Charlie still loves food.  I made stirfry last night and he ate a ton of it.  Meat, vegetables, rice...he loved it all.
• Wow.  I can't believe it's already been 52 weeks!  It seems like Charlie just arrived and yet it seems like he has been a part of our family together.  What a gift he is :)