Carter's 3!!!

I must confess to getting a little emotional last night when it came time to put Carter in bed.  As I was reading to him I couldn't stop thinking that my sweet baby, my 1st baby, is now a big boy. :( *sniff*  I know people say this all the time, but it REALLY does feel like yesterday that I was heading to the hospital to have him.  Roughly 22 hours after checking in to the hospital, our sweet baby boy arrived!  I can still feel that excitement!  I love both of my babies, but there is definitely something special about the first born.  That excitement and anticipation of being a first time parent, learning everything for the first time....it's all so special.  

So...about my Carter....

  He is the sweetest little boy I know.  He is SO helpful, loves to clean up his toys, help mommy around the house, help daddy in the yard.   He surprises me so often with what all he is capable of when it comes to working and cleaning.   I'm so thankful he has inherited his daddy's servants heart.  He is a giver, through and through. :)   And loving.....he will give hugs and kisses to pretty much anyone.  He loves to cuddle and won't go to sleep at night without a hug.   When he sees his mommy, daddy or sister act like they are in pain, he wants to know where is their "boo boo"?  When you show him, he will pray for you, then kiss it.  Then he'll ask, "all better?"  

  He's the best big brother....always concerned about "baby Shae'".  He gets upset when she has to take a nap because he wants her in the room with him.  Every morning when he sees her for the first time, he smiles and gives her a big hug and kiss.  I can't wait to see their relationship grow.

  He's learning like crazy right now.  He knows his alphabet, most of his shapes and colors and can count to 20.  He can spell his name and quote several scriptures.  He also knows COUNTLESS songs.  I'm amazed by this.  He will hear a song one time and a week later I'll hear him singing it out of the blue....and he'll know all the words.  The kid amazes me with something new everyday. 

  I love you Carter.  You have changed our lives forever.  You are just what our family needed.   

Below is a song I wrote for Carter when he was newborn.  I sang it to him everyday for at least the first year.  Now he can sing it with me and we sing it together to Shae' sometimes :)

"I love you Carter

 I love you Carter

Yes, oh yes, oh yes I do

I love your little toes

And your button nose

I love you Carter

I love you Carter

Yes, oh yes, oh yes I do

And when you grow up

When you're all grown up

I'll still be loving you"

Happy Birthday Carter!!!

His last night as a 2 year old :)

His birthday breakfast :)

My handsome little man :)

Happy Half Birthday Shae'!

Seriously?  I just can't BELIEVE it's been six months already!  They have flown by (and been quite the blur).   I have lived in a constant state of second-guessing myself, working on her sleep, her schedule, her tummy issues, you name it! HA.  She is DEFINITELY female :)  Very high maintenance.


My sweet girl weighed in at her six month checkup at 17.5 pounds, and is 27 inches long!  She is in the 80% for weight and 90% for height.  We like our babies big :)  She is becoming very active now.  She reaches for EVERYTHING...nothing is safe around her (which keeps us on our toes)  She is rolling all over the place.  Last night she started at one end of the living room and before I knew it she had rolled around the coffee table, across the room and over by the sofa.  She's outgrown the swing now but is enjoying the jumper/bouncer.  She is also sitting in the high chair now, which makes her look SO much more grown up :(

As for her eating....well...that's still an issue.   This girl has one sensitive tummy :(  Her doctor said all I can do is trial and error with foods.  So far we've tried:  prunes, rice cereal, oatmeal, applesauce, carrots, pears and avocado.  The only thing that hasn't hurt her is the pears and avocado.  Everything else has made her so gassy and fussy...to the point of waking at night screaming with a tummy ache. :(  I'm working on finding more foods she can handle.  But even the avocado and pears, it's slow going. It will take her 2 days to eat one small jar of pears.  And she has more gas than normal with that even.  Any other mommy's out there that have had baby's with a sensitive GI tract?  I would love to hear what worked for you?  Her doctor said she should outgrow it by her first birthday.  Our issue is that she is not satisfied with the breast milk alone.  Oh, she loves it, but she started waking at night and early from naps because it wasn't keeping her full long enough.  Since she has become more active, she needs more calories.  So, my push to find food she can have is so she'll get full enough and stay full long enough.  And she's SUPER interested in everything we eat.  I know she's ready, her tummy just isn't I guess.  


Aside from her tummy, she's just a doll.  She smiles at EVERYONE she sees...my little social butterfly :)  And her eyes are so big and beautiful, her smile will melt you! (well, it does us anyway)  I love how happy she is.  And she adores her big brother.  She will watch him for the longest and when he gets close, she's reaching for him and trying to give him kisses.  It really is so sweet. 


There isn't much more to say about her.....you'd  just have to see her in person to really see her sweetness.  If you ever do get to see her, she'll give you the biggest smile and I promise you'll fall in love instantly :)


We love you baby Shae'!   Happy half-birthdy :)

 On her 6 month bday :)

 Smiling at daddy :)

The sweetest face EVER!