Hello Sunshine!

After a Blizzard of a week in west Texas, things have drastically changed! Today the high is 85 DEGREES and I couldn't think of a better day to go to the PARK!

Our first day at the park in 2011



"I don't want them to cover up his hands......"

We leave tomorrow for Collin's surgery on Friday at Texas Scottish Rite. Car seat, pack and play, stroller, books, blankie, puppy, and backpack are all ready by the door. It always amazes me as to how much stuff it takes to travel with a baby. Today I decided to tell Carter that we were going out of town and what for. In the past 16 months since Collin was born Carter has NEVER said one thing about his brother's hands. Not even when others have noticed or made comments. He has never asked a question, examined his hands, nothing. I don't know that he ever realized that his brother's hands are different than his. I love that about children. Since Collin will be coming home in a cast we obviously needed to explain a few things to Carter in an age appropriate way. I told him that we were taking Collin to Dallas to see a special hand Dr. and Carter asked "WHY"? I told him that when Collin was in Mommy's tummy there were strings that hung around Collin and his hands got tangled in them. He didn't say a word or seemed phased by what I said. I continued by telling him that the Dr's were going to help Collin's hand and then they would put him in a cast. Of course Carter had no idea what a cast was. I tried to explain it and then I could see the wheels turning in his brain. This concerned him much more than the fact that Collin's hands were different than his. We were in the car while we were having this conversation (only because he kept asking me over and over where we were going this weekend, because he had seen me packing every one's stuff but his, it just seemed like the right time) and he reached over and held Collin's hand and said "Mommy, I don't want them to cover up Collin's hands." I looked back at him in the rear view mirror as he held tightly to Collin's hand and said "I Know, me neither". That is all I could say because I could feel the tears coming to my eyes and that horrible lump coming up in my throat. After I got it together, I told him that he wouldn't have his hands covered forever just a 4 weeks and it would help his hand get better. He is still persistent that he doesn't want them to cover up his brother's hands and I love that. I love that he doesn't notice, or doesn't care, that his brother is different than him. I love that he sees Collin as his little brother, not the baby with hand differences. I love the pureness and innocence. I love that his biggest concern was that he didn't want his hands covered up because he wants to always see them. I am so glad he always wants to see them. I had stressed over having this conversation with Carter for while, but things are always a bigger deal to us then they are to them.

Carter

I feel like a terrible Mother because I haven't blogged about Carter in so long! He stays so busy that catching his picture is near impossible! This past weekend we went over to my childhood best friends house for a play-date with her son. Her parent's live directly across the street from my grandmother's old house. That is how the two of us became friends. She moved in when I was 3 and she was 4. My Mimi lived in that house up until 3 year ago. I have so many memories in that house! Its amazing how a structure can hold such a sweet place in your heart! When I parked in front of Kristina's house I sat in my car for awhile and just stared at my Mimi's house. I remember riding my bike up and down the sidewalk, having lemonade stands on the corner, and getting stung by a yellow jacket when I stuck my hand in the front porch bushes! After the babies played for awhile Carter was begging me to let him ride his bike. So I got his bike out and he rode up and down the sidewalk. It was such a surreal moment watching my child ride his bike down the same sidewalk that I used to. It made me feel old and it was a reminder of how fast time goes by! I know somewhere I have pictures of myself riding in front of my Mimi's house and now I have pictures of Carter riding in the same place!

Easter 2010

All of us before church, I am so blessed to have each one of them, ;) !

My sweet boys, I love the green and purple!

Cheesy grin and squinting eyes, oh but so handsome~

Sweet boy with drool all over his sweater!

Easter morning breakfast!

Daddy and Collin watching brother hunt eggs!

Yummy Eggs

Grandpa and Collin

Carter hunting eggs...

We spent the evening at our friends house the Ryden's and had a blast with lots of friends and all their kiddos. 

Collin and the girls, he has great choices for a future wife, ;)

Carter busy at his second easter egg hunt of the day!

It was a great Easter and we enjoyed celebrating our Risen Lord with lots of family and friends.

Happy Birthday Carter

The day has finally wound down enough for me to sit down and blog! There has been tons of things to blog about lately but I just haven't been in too much of a blogging mood. But on this day three years ago I gave birth to my first baby. I held him for this first time, kissed him for the first time, and on that day my heart grew. I can't believe that precious baby I introduced to the world, turned 3 today! 3, yes I said 3. Does that seem crazy to anyone else besides me? There have been so many milestones and unforgettable moments. We have a birthday tradition that we began last year on his big day. Instead of reading stories for bed we get out the photo album from the day he was born as well as his baby book. We talk about how much we love him and how excited we were to meet him. We show him how small his ankle was that he was able to wear his hospital bracelet. We talk about all the different family and friends that came to the hospital to meet him. He loved hearing all about "His Story" this year. Then after that we read one of my favorite children's books, The Night you Were Born. If you haven't read it, you should! I tucked him in and gave him a big kiss on his forehead. He said "Mama, I love you!" Precious, that is what that is, just Precious! We have had a really ruff few weeks with Carter lately. I am trying to learn this whole discipline thing as I go.  So I have had lots of really frustrating days where I feel like I'm going to pull my hair out. But tonight as I walked down the stairs, I remembered crying when he was 3 months old because at least once an hour he was spitting up all over creation. I remembered crying too many times to count because he wouldn't sleep through the night. Worrying sick when he came up missing for the longest 20 minutes of my life. (I will have to tell that story some other time) And it was just a sweet reminder that he is my first baby, that we are figuring this thing out as we go, that we have survived other obstacles and we will survive these. It was a very real reminder of how fast it goes by! A reminder to embrace every memorable moment with him because you can never get the time back! It's like that country song, "Your gonna miss this". The chorus says something like, "Your gonna miss this, you gonna want this back, your gonna wish these days wouldn't go by so fast, these are some good times, take a good look around, you may not no it now, but your gonna miss this!" As crazy as it may seem, I will look back and miss the little boys who has no concept of an indoor voice, I will miss the mischeviousness, I will miss this time! I feel so blessed to have a healthy boy who challenges me and stretches my heart more and more everyday. I am so lucky to be his mom. I am so blessed to have a God that has blessed me with my precious Carter.

Happy Birthday sweet Boy, I love you!
Mommy

Carter,

January 16, 2007

7:11 PM

The Night he was Born!

6lbs 1oz and 20 inches

Carter

January 16, 2010

My BIG Boy!

Let it snow, just not on Carter!

It snowed on Friday and we were so excited. I just knew that Carter would love the snow and making a snow man. So as soon as brother went down for his nap we got all bundled up in our coats, hats, and gloves to go play in the snow. After 3 steps unto the porch Carter wanted to go back inside. I tried to show him how much fun it was, I showed him a snowball, showed him how to catch it with his tongue, and nothing. "Mommy, I want to go inside!" I was so disappointed, I was looking forward to all our fun snow day pictures. Well instead, this is what we have to remember the first snow of 2009!

Yeah for Snow!

He wanted to ride his bike but couldn't do so very well considering the sidewalk was covered in snow!

This is how he felt about the cold, snowy day!

Boys, Boys, Boys

I have been meaning to blog since Collin turned 6 months on Nov. 11 but I'm just now getting around to it. So, our BIG 6 month old is doing well. At his 6 months well check he weighed in at a whopping 21 pounds. That puts him in the 90 percentile. He is sitting up now, which I love. It is a great phase because he can sit up and play but he can't go anywhere. LOL.  He is still just as happy as can be. Full of laughs and smiles, he brightens everyones day! He only has his two bottom teeth but he is working hard to cut his top teeth as well.

It is so hard to capture good pictures of them together but tonight I got lucky. Aren't they precious? Carter is doing well just rambunctious as can be. He is 90 to nothing all day long. He is getting excited about the Christmas season and all the fun things that involves.

Our Trip to Weatherford!

Last week the boys and I spent the week at my parent's house. My brother and his family came down for the weekend and we had a great time letting our kiddos play. My Mimi was also at my Mom's so I enjoyed spending precious time with her as well. Here are some pictures of our week in Weatherford:

Collin with his Aunt Lauren

Aunt Lauren and the cousins playing...

Carter and Katelyn being sweet

Uncle Blake reading the boys stories before bed!

Great Mimi with her great grandbabies

Collin and Katelyn

Mommy and Collin

(I love this pic)

Carter pretending that the tinker toys are tools and his undie's are his tool belt....

this kept my parents and I laughing all night

What have we been up to this month?

My parents came to town last weekend.........

Collin and Mimi

Mimi and Papa

Nana and Collin

Grandpa and his boys...

this picture makes me laugh, look at Collin's face

Collin, 5 months old

He is getting so big, we have moved up to size 3 diapers, a bigger paci, and 12 month clothes!

This is the conversation we had,

Carter: "Mommy, I'm a workin man"

Me: "you are?"

Carter:  "Mommy, your not a workin man!"

He has the cutest bottom ever!

Doing laundry with Mom!

Movie Night!

Last weekend we took Carter to his first movie. We went to see Toy Story in 3D. Carter had never been to the movie theatre before so we weren't sure how he would do. He loved it!

On our way to Carter's first movie!

(And yes, that is a tire gage in his hand, just like Daddy!)

He was so excited to be going to the "Movie Feeder".

(that is how he pronounces theatre)

Handing his ticket to the movie girl, what a big boy!

He love the big bag of popcorn that goes along with seeing a movie! We were waiting for the movie to start and he kept yelling, as if we aren't sitting right beside him, "Daddy, where's Woody?"

This is during intermission between the the two movies. You can see that his popcorn is half way gone. It was so cute, Chris and I had to help hold his seat down because he wasn't heavy enough to keep it from folding up. Oh, and by the way, he watched the whole thing a tad bit blurry because he refused to wear the 3D glasses. It was lots of fun, and we look forward to going to the movie feeder again soon.