We Said We'd Never Do This

Sweaty boy

2009-11-13T22:23:00.004-05:00

'Oh, Charles has just had a shower' you say? No, my friends, this is typical sweaty-head after 20 minutes of play (inside!). SW Florida's still pretty hot even in November!

Fall Trip

2009-11-05T15:36:00.004-05:00

Recently we had a week in north Georgia with family.

Highlight: a "scenic" train ride.

We also visited Babyland General Hospital, where Cabbage Patch Kids are born. Unlike his girl cousins, Charles didn't give a hoot about the babies. But he had fun on the steps.

And another must in north GA in the fall—a visit to an apple orchard!

Our fun days

2009-10-06T21:45:00.003-04:00

Charles loves "helping" Mommy in the kitchen. He insists on wearing an apron (unfortunately we don't have any masculine ones).

Home again, home again

2009-08-19T08:16:00.003-04:00

We had a lovely time in Vancouver this summer. Unfortunately we forgot our camera, and this is our lone family shot to share!

That same night, dinner with friends:

Back in Florida:

Charles tries out the new stool

Grandpa made for him.

A birthday present, an Ikea table

and stools for the kitchen!

Charles on the XBox—he wasn't

actually plugged in to the machine,

but he didn't seem to mind.

Leaving for the Summer

2009-05-15T22:59:00.004-04:00

Mommy's boys.

Charles has been a big help getting the house clean as we prepare to leave for the summer.

Sports Day

2009-04-22T11:58:00.004-04:00

We have a park across the street from our neighborhood. After just one afternoon of this you see below, we can't walk past without Charles pleading, "Ball! Dada. Ball!" It was that fun.

Easter

2009-04-17T14:58:00.003-04:00

It was a joyful celebration for the Raiths!

Charles caught on to the egg hunt right away.

Pit Stop Petting Zoo

2009-04-11T14:25:00.002-04:00

Our favorite exit on the way from Mimi & Grandpa's to SW Florida has what equates to a petting zoo. We bought food from the gas station store—Charles was not afraid!

But the cow couldn't get at the food in Charles' closed hand.

Daddy helped.

Two Recent Beach Trips

2009-04-11T14:05:00.003-04:00

Florida's winter has been too beautiful...

2009-04-06T14:18:00.008-04:00

...to be inside posting pictures.

The humidity and heat have returned. And so have the updates.

A quick catch-you-up on favorite photos so far of 2009:

Charles has recently become very interested in trains. Train toys and pictures of trains. We thought he'd like riding on this train at a Family Fun Festival in town. You can see we were wrong. Even with Mommy he was only just putting up with it.

Typical Charles: hot and sweaty from playing ball!

If you look closely you can see the balled up socks by the wall under the crib. Charles let on to his stash after a nap one day, just after Mommy couldn't figure out why there were no clean socks in his drawer.

The innocent Charles pose. When he's into something he knows he shouldn't be, this is the sweet face he wears. (Daddy adds: But how mad can ya get when this is his reading material...my little theologian)

Here's a current favorite. He's getting to be a much neater eater these days (this was taken in January). Rarely do we catch on camera a genuine, happy countenance.

A short (but typical) naptime clip...

2008-11-18T08:15:00.003-05:00

Listen carefully for the banging - it usually goes on for a good 10 min (he stops here, because I get caught filming).

"Washington is broken," "Change," "Blah blah blah"

2008-11-02T20:46:00.005-05:00

Charles is practicing his presidential acceptance speech...oddly, it sounds similiar to the real thing.

Trying to get Charles to talk

2008-10-25T12:34:00.004-04:00

Keep in mind that this video session started by trying to get him to say the word "cheese" (since its pretty dang cute when he does), but it didn't really happen until the very end (when Ansley actually gives him some cheese).

Saturday Night Fever

2008-10-07T18:42:00.004-04:00

Charles loves a beat.

It could be because Ansley played the jimbee and I the guitar while he was cooking in the womb...

The first clip demonstrates how quickly he can go from anger to instant joy at the sound of a groove (thanks to a little Radiohead)

The second, doing a little dance w/ Abba...American Idol, here he comes

Welcome to a new phase in Charles-ine entertainment

2008-10-05T12:22:00.006-04:00

Here's our first attempt at video. One problem w/ the iSight camera - you see on the computer screen what's being filmed...and Charles adores looking at himself being filmed...

Coming soon...video

2008-09-28T20:47:00.003-04:00

So, it seems that after Charles hit one, nothing terribly exciting is going on from a picture-only perspective. Sure, he's growing up and it's fun to see, but it's hard to show the good stuff with still shot (and it's hard to keep the ol' Charles blog interesting unless we mix it up a bit). Although we don't own a proper video recorder, Mac computers come w/ the ability to capture video through their i-Sight. I haven't the foggiest idea how good the quality will be, but we've got some footage that should be heading your way soon. For those who have never seen Charles in action, you won't be disappointed.

Executive Editor of "We Said We'd Never Do This" (a title, by the way, that refers to making a blog, not making a baby)

Whew - it's been a while...

2008-08-21T17:51:00.003-04:00

After the big "1" post, we lost some blogging steam for a bit...but the little man is back, sporting one of his b'day gifts straight from Scotland (thanks Derek and Katie :).

Hm...so even after the age of 1, they still cry. Just thought it all just fell into place after that. To give the boy some credit, he can now communicate "more" using sign language, he's almost walking full-time, he changes his own diaper, parallel parks our car, drinks Miller High Life on Saturdays...

Amazon box, book shelf, Charles on a climbing adventure.

CHARLES' FIRST BIRTHDAY PARTY!!!

2008-07-21T15:21:00.013-04:00

The party was a barrel of monkeys for Charles...monkey invitations, monkey cake, monkey outfit. It suited our little monkey well.

(this is before Charles wore his monkey shirt, being totally stoked about his helium balloon)

(this is Charles with his monkey shirt - and with cousin Ashlynn)

toys, toys, toys. And mommy's and daddy's nightmare - Charles got one of those tickle-me Elmo demon-possessed toys.

this was supposed to be his new pool, but as you can see, mommy and daddy misjudged the size. does anyone have a newborn that wants a pool out there?

and here we go...what everyone waits to see.

it starts a bit slow...

but let's watch what unfolds. keep your eye on the state of the cake...poor cake.

(and here we go)....

(at this point, Charles discovers you can actually eat this stuff...)

Happy Birthday, Little Man!!!!

Answer to the pic...

2008-07-12T14:49:00.003-04:00

Not many guesses out there, but the answer is...

It's the "I'm trying to make a dirty diaper" push face. Hilarious to see it live.

Can you guess what this face means? (seriously, take a guess)

2008-06-26T13:31:00.003-04:00

.....answer to be announced soon

cute pics of the three grandchildren (on Chad's side)

2008-06-26T13:22:00.002-04:00

Uncle Lee - making sure Addie didn't drop Charles on his head....and Ellee thrilled about taking pics...

nice kiss on nose - I think she managed to get the whole nose in her mouth.

Charles' first pool experience

2008-06-14T10:25:00.003-04:00

although we've managed to warm charles up to the ocean (a bit), the pool was a hit! he's got to be part fish - and he's also got to be the best tanned 10 mnth old around...it's a farmer's tan, but a tan nonetheless...

even outside the floaty thing, charles managed well...although managing charles didn't always go well - charles received a good mouth-full of pool water on more than one occasion ...

the grandparents put in a small waterfall, which was much fun for the kids (and pretty, too).

but he could never figure out why he couldn't grab on to it...

more pool shots

2008-06-14T10:01:00.001-04:00

It deserved a post of its own....

2008-05-27T20:50:00.004-04:00

(check out the teeth)

Charles' iPod, walking, and peek-a-boo

2008-05-27T20:33:00.005-04:00

how fast they grow up...but no worries - we only let him listen to Gansta Rap during dinner.

New toy from Gran - and one more step toward walking.

only problem is he hasn't quite figured out the whole "go around objects" concept...it's a trip - he'll fly across the room with this thing, hit the wall, and keep pushing until he tips the whole thing over and crashes to the ground, ticked off that the wall didn't give way.

and he's discovered the curtains and peek-a-boo around the curtains with mamma....

"peek-a-boo"