Hands on House

On the Monday before my birthday, Mommy and I were lucky enough to have another playdate with the Pinks, Jr Pinks and the T-Bird. We went to a really cool place in Lancaster called the Hands-on-House Children's Museum. They had all sorts of interactive play areas for kids our age. We learned a lot about farming, animals, science, food and lots of other things.

This was me in the dress-up room. I put on every boa they had. I loved looking at myself in the mirror. It got a little crowded in this room, though, so I couldn't show off my amazing dress-up techniques to everyone.

Sorry this post is a little late, but Mommy thought you would enjoy seeing photos of my first museum experience. Enjoy!





This was a tree house room where we got to play with lots of different stuffed animals. Mommy tried to read the information on the walls to us, but we were more interested in touching all of the animals.

Here is Mommy's lame attempt at face painting. She tried to paint a pink heart onto my cheek. It looks more like a pink blob to me!







At the egg exhibit, Genna and I learned a lot about how eggs get from the hen house to the grocery store. We loved disposing of the 'bad eggs.'



Wait! I made a mistake! That wasn't really a bad egg! How do I get it back??













At the farm exhibit, Mommy was so excited to see a tractor like the ones that Daddy's company designs. Genna loved sitting in the cab and pretending she was driving around the fields.


I liked sitting in the cab, too, but I was too busy looking around at what was next to look at Mommy for a good photo.

Genna and I took a break from collecting and distributing our corn to say hello to the pig.

This steering wheel looks a lot bigger than the one in Daddy's cars.

Ahoy, mateys. Captain Charlotte is at the wheel!





Our favorite part of the museum was the grocery store. We could walk around with baskets and pick out lots of kid-sized products. Genna and I were really good at being cashiers. Where's a bagger when you need one?


You're telling me that these carts are glued to the wall? What fun is that?




After a long morning of learning and fun, we went back to our house to have lunch. Mommy brought up my old bouncer so that little Steven could take a nap and relax. I remembered all the good times that I spent in that bouncer, so I decided to see if I would still fit.

It's a little more snug than I remember!!

Thanks for a great playdate Auntie Sue, Auntie Sharon, Genna, Steven, Grace and Riley. Let's do it again soon!!

Birthday Extravaganza

Wow!! What a special birthday weekend I just had! I'm only now recovering from the festivities.

Mommy and Daddy threw me a great 2nd birthday party on Saturday. So many family and friends came to help us celebrate. I was surrounded by the people I love the most - it was the best day of my two short years!

The weather could not have been more beautiful. Sun, blue skys, warm temperature...everything seemed to fall into place for my backyard bash.

Thank you so much to everyone who came. It meant a lot to me that you all traveled a distance to be here for my special day. I had a blast playing with you all, dancing for you, chatting with you - and opening all those wonderful presents wasn't too bad, either. Thank you so much for your generosity. All the gifts were perfect - you all know me so well!

Here are some photos from the day. There are too many for Mommy to list captions for all of them, so sit back and enjoy!!

Pre-Party Fun

My Auntie Tara couldn't come to my party - she was leaving for Maine the morning of the party, so she came the day before to bring me some great dress-up accessories! Thank you Auntie Tara. You're the best!!

Earlier that day, Aunt Sam took me to Build a Bear for our annual birthday bear building get-together. Aunt Sam let me pick any animal and any outfit that I wanted. We had so much fun - I love my bear and I loved spending time with you, Aunt Sam!

What do you mean they have to take my bear away so that she can be paid for?!

Luckily, the lady at the cash register worked quickly!

If you want to see even better photos of my party AND a slide show set to music, check out Jessi Barnak's blog - just click on "Sean's House of Divas" on the upper right hand column of my blog under "Links." Read the "birthday pics" entry. Thanks so much to Jessi for putting together that slide show!!

TWO!!!!

From TOO cute...



...to TWO cute!!!!



HAPPY BIRTHDAY, SWEET CHARLOTTE!!!
It was so much fun watching you grow your second year. We can't wait to see what the next year will bring. We love you to the moon and back.
Love,
Mommy and Daddy

Four Wonderful Years

On an absolutely gorgeous day four years ago, Mommy and Daddy got married at Penn State. They could not have asked for a better day. The sun was shining, the sky was blue and all their friends and family came to celebrate with them.

Unfortunately, I was not at this wonderful wedding. I had not yet graced the earth with my presence. Mommy tells me stories about it all the time, though. I hope that someday I find someone as great, smart, funny and handsome as Daddy to marry me in an equally perfect wedding.


I love to look at photos of the wedding. It's not often that I see Mommy and Daddy looking so nice! Mommy doesn't know it yet, but I know where her wedding dress is in her closet. Someday when she isn't looking, I'm going to try it on and pretend to be a bride!

Happy Anniversary, Mommy and Daddy. I'm so glad that you got married - otherwise there would be no me!!

Almost Two!!

Things have been very busy around here! Mommy and I have had so much to do (prepare for my party next week, get my 2 yr check up at the pediatrician, visit lots of daycares, check out Mommy's new classroom...) that there hasn't been any time for new pictures. Instead, we thought we'd share two of the photos that the magnificent Jessica Barnak took of me a few weeks ago!

While you enjoy the photos, Mommy wants you to know that I got a clean bill of health at my 2 yr pediatrician appointment. My doc said I am 'perfect,' even though I fell in the weight percentile department again. I just hit 23 pounds (I got to stand on the big kid scale this time - no more baby scale for me!!) That is the 10th percentile, but since Mommy told the doc I have a great appetite, he wasn't worried. I am 33 and a half inches tall, which is the 50th percentile. The best part of the visit - no shots!! The doc was impressed w/my good temperment while he was examining me. He said I am an angel. Well, duh!

I have been having lots of fun visitng all of the daycares recently. While Mommy talks and talks and talks to the teachers, I get to play with lots of new kids and toys. Mommy is impressed at how quickly I join the other kids, but she is a little sad that I don't seem to even notice that she is there. What does she expect? I'm a social girl, I have friendships to form and connections to make!!

OK - I'm off to continue planning for my party. Who knew that I would be this busy as I approached the big 2?! I thought life got more leisurely as you got older, not more hectic!! :)

Beach Baby Basics

This past weekend, we visited our good friends Amy, Big Jim, Avery and Evan in Seaside Park, NJ. It was my first trip to the shore. The weather was beautiful - we couldn't have asked for a better weekend for my first beach trip.

To provide yet another public service, I decided to take notes on my first shore visit. If your mommy and daddy are about to take you to the ocean for the first time, just follow these simple rules and you'll have as much fun as I did!

Hire a wagon driver to take you to the beach. You don't want to waste any extra energy and tire yourself out before you even get there!

When walking on sand for the first time, remove your shoes one at a time so that the feeling of the sand between your toes doesn't shock you.


Give in to the fact that your feet will have sand on them the entire time you are there. There is no use in trying to brush them off or keep them clean. Relax and enjoy the soft texture!

Once you have given in to the sand, let your daddy help bury you to prove that you are no longer wary of the warm, soft, harmless sand.



Play nicely and share all of the beach toys that your friends bring.

Going into the big blue ocean for the first time can be scary. Make sure your daddy holds your hand and don't be afraid to retreat to the sand if you are nervous!

Tell daddy to hold you tightly and quickly pull your feet up if the water is too cold or if the wave is too overwhelming.

Once you realize that the waves are actually quite fun to play in, grab daddy's hand and let the cool water wash over you and enjoy the ocean!

Don't forget to take a big, thick and cute towel to wrap yourself in when the water gets too cold and makes you shiver.

Hire the wagon driver for the return trip - you definitely won't have the energy to walk back to the house.

When traveling anywhere around the beach, it's a good idea to pack sylish sunglasses to protect your beautiful eyes from the sun.






After spending the afternoon wading and playing in the sand, the grown-ups will inevitably want to go to the boardwalk. Insist that they push you in a comfortable stroller so that you can squeeze in a quick cat-nap while they try to win soccer jerseys and eat fish sandwiches and clams.




While you sleep, the grown-ups will act like kids as they race around the go-kart track. Then one of them will lose the lead he had as he waves wildly to the camera.


Upon waking, the grown-ups will buy you ice cream. They say they are stopping at the ice cream stand for you, but you know that they are the ones who really want the ice cream.

Don't forget to take a bib so you don't get chocolate ice cream on your cute dress.


If you're a boy, though, don't bother packing a bib. We know you'd rather wear the ice cream instead of eat it!















When experiencing your first boardwalk ride, take a good friend who is familiar with the ride.



Always sit in the front so that you can get the best view!


Let your dady think that he is helping you when playing boardwalk games. When you win, he will act very proud and tell everyone that he won a toy for his child.

Choose your toy carefully (I recommend any toy from Blue's Clues), and hold onto your toy tightly for the rest of the night.

If the grown-ups take you back to the boardwalk on the second day, try to catch another nap in your comfortable stroller. You never know how long the mommies and daddies are going to want to play there, so it's best to grab sleep while you can.


You will probably spend most of the weekend at the beach or on the boardwalk. When you are at the house, though, make sure you are friendly to those walking by and greet them from the porch.

Last, but not least, make sure you thank your hosts for a WONDERFUL weekends. Amy, Big Jim, Avery, Evan, Big Big Jim, Lois, Riley and Oliver - we had a blast spending the weekend with you. Thank you so much for inviting us!!