Checking in

I see that I owe this blog an update since it has been quite a while, AGAIN, since I've posted.  The last post left off explaining how our family was expanding and edging toward a December 2012 debt-free goal date.  Well, I am pleased to say that our third daughter was born at home on September 6, 2012.  Goal #1 accomplished!  The second goal, reaching babystep 3, was postponed due to some health issues I experienced immediately postpartum, but I am happy with our progress nonetheless as we now owe less than $5,000 to Sallie Mae.
I think a follow-up post about my health will be coming shortly, but now I want to share a few photos of our beautiful daughter, Charlotte.


                                          Here she is just moments after birth:

                                          Her birthday bath:

                                          A few days old:

                                          Her first professional photo shoot at 10 days:

                                          She is thrilled to be a duckling on Halloween:

                                          Charlotte with her two big sisters at Christmas:

Sadly, because of my health concerns we have few pictures from this time, but at least I was able to get some, right?  Charlotte turned 8 months yesterday on May 6.  She started crawling a few weeks ago, and yesterday she pulled up on the couch for the first time.  When she crawls she puts one foot flat on the ground and drags her other leg behind, almost like a crabwalk.  She loves to babble, saying "Ba-ba-ba-ba!" I may have heard a "da-da" in there a time or two, so it shouldn't be long before she is intentionally saying dada!  She can clap her hands and make a sound like "yay!" also.  We can't believe how quickly this first year is going by, despite our family's challenges.  It will be sad to leave these baby years behind, but I know we have many years of wonderful memories ahead of us!