How Beauty is Handling the Beast

Charlie made Beast hold Belle's hand the first night they were home together.

A lot of people have asked me how Charlie is handling the beast being at home. And I can honestly say she had been a real champ! The first day we brought him home from the hospital we asked Charlie if she loved him. She said in an incredulous tone, "NOOOOOOO!" And if you could read into that long, drawn-out NO you would have heard, "Love him? Why would I love him? I don't even know him! And he is a boy. EEEeew!"

But since that day she has learned to love him. Multiple times a day she will look at him and say, "He is SOOO cute!" and then honks his nose. But she mainly keeps her distance, which is perfect. She loves him, but doesn't smother him. Although she does ask to see his eyes EVERY SINGLE TIME he opens them. I'm not sure what she is looking for in them, but hopefully she finds it soon.

My whole pregnancy Charlie knew there was a baby in my belly that would be coming home with us. She also knew there was a baby (named Belle) in her belly, so I made sure there was a Belle doll to come home with her. When she saw it in the hospital she was so excited. When I told her it was her baby from her belly she looked at me and asked, "My belly is empty now?" When I confirmed it, she seemed to be ok with it. But when we came home with Beast she made it known that she was not happy that she didn't get to bring home a "real" baby, just a present. Poor thing. She quickly got over it though and loves her Belle doll almost as much as Beast, but he gets a majority of her affections.

Charlie's "before" picture.