A Day in the Life...

Simple Things Sunday: Food, Glorious Food!

2012-01-29T10:11:00.000-08:00

When I sit and think about my life... I mean really think - I can see how many things I have to be thankful for. The obvious ones are the ones I tend to photograph the most: my adorable kids and my handsome husband. But, as a part of Simple Sundays, I am hoping to help myself think outside of that box more regularly.

Today's photo is of a meal I made this week. It represents how blessed we are to always have access to a mountain of food in our home, never having to go without. It reminds me of how lucky I am to be able to gather around the table at night with my family. Even if the table is sticky with gooey handprints and crumbs are covering the floor... these moments together over a shared meal are something special to me.

What is your Simple Moment this week?

Happy Half Birthday!

2012-01-25T00:00:00.000-08:00

Sweet Baby. How has half of a year flown by? As your daddy reminded me... we are 1/36th of the way until you go to college. Eek. He shouldn't have mentioned that. I already feel like you are growing up wayyyyyy too quickly.

Another month, another bunch of firsts and great little memories.
During your 6th month:

You are weighing in at 19lbs, 15oz and are 27.5 inches long.
I went away for 2 nights. Dad took really good care of you, but you were super happy to see me when I got back.
You had your first bottle of formula. You were NOT impressed. Lucky for you, that isn't something that you need to have again!
You celebrated the turn of the new year... by sleeping.
A new tooth has popped through! It is a sharp little guy, and you are chewing on everything and everyone to make your mouth feel better.
You have some definite favorite toys: Your rocking horse (you love to look at his face and try and eat him), your stuffed monkey (you like to sleep with him... and eat him), and your Sophie (one for home and one for the car... you love eating her!)
Your sleep patterns are not improving, thanks to the arrival of new teeth. You wake up 2-4 times each night, but thankfully sleep from 6:30pm-8:00am with 2 naps a day. I can totally deal with that.
For some reason, you seem to think 10pm is a good time to wake up and play. We disagree. You get pretty mad when we make you go back to sleep.
When you wake up in your crib, you roll onto your back, try to grab your toes (even though they are always in footie pajamas), and babble to yourself until we come to get you.
You are a super roly-poly baby! You can roll from room to room and have even learned how to pivot to change directions so you can get to whatever you want. We've had to vacuum extra to keep the floors clean for your busy hands.
You are a big fan of riding in the stroller, but you still love to be all snuggled up in a wrap, too.
You started eating solid foods - you love carrots, peas, sweet potatoes, squash, apples, pears, and bananas. There isn't a single food that you have refused or even made a yucky face at. Such a good eater!
You try and steal any food that is within your reach - even our spicy curries! We can't wait until you are old enough to eat some.
Your babbling is getting louder and more frequent. You love to be heard!
You bang on your high chair and yell if we don't feed you quickly enough.
You practice blowing raspberries and "pffftttt"-ing all day long. Drool everywhere. But seriously cute.

As I sit here writing this, I am hearing you wake up (it is 10:45pm - you must be hungry)... now I get to go and give you some extra snuggles before you go back to bed. I'm pretty sure I have the best job in the world - even if I do work 24 hours a day/7 days a week. I wouldn't trade it for ANYTHING.

Simple Things Sunday: Ah... Love.

2012-01-22T09:49:00.000-08:00

Have you EVER seen love like this? You might have already seen this photo on my facebook page... but it is worth seeing again. There is really nothing like the pure love of a baby for his parents. Charlie knows just how very important his daddy is. So glad to have captured this sweet moment.

Thanks for joining me for our simple moment of the week. Take a minute to visit simple as that's blog for more great moments captured this week from friends across the globe!

Simple Things Sunday: First Snowfall

2012-01-15T16:18:00.000-08:00

It is Sunday, yet again! So I'm linking up with the Simple as That's Simple Things post. I love looking at other people's favorite moments of the week, but it is such a challenge to pick my own. I can quite easily pick my favorite dozen photos... but that isn't really the challenge. One photo. One moment. Something worth remembering and sharing. I hope you enjoy my Simple Moment of the week.

My sweet boy, Carter, has grown up in Phoenix. He has never had a snowfall to enjoy. But, that all changed this morning. His first snowfall - boy, did he love it!

Simple Things Sunday: First Foods

2012-01-08T10:31:00.000-08:00

Today, I'm sharing one of my favorite photos of the week. I have been right on track with project 365 - (at least) one photo each day this year. This week marked a big first for Charlie - starting solid foods! Here is a shot from his first dabble with carrots. Oh, how he loves to eat.

New Year's Goals

2012-01-07T14:29:00.000-08:00

Ah, the new year is in full swing. I love this time of year. Besides the obvious greatness of being between Christmas and my birthday, this time of year lends itself to goal-making. I am a goal-maker by nature. I love to read self-help/improvement books and parenting blogs, always making a plan about how I can better myself, my parenting, my relationships with my loved ones (and my not-so-loved ones, too). This year, I have a number of goals in mind... much more in-depth than in years past, but it isn't like I have too much else going on, right?

I've been reading The Happiness Project, which is a fantastic book about... uhhh... being happy. (Did I really need to tell you that?). There are so many aspects of our lives that we should and could be enjoying more fully, if we paid a little more attention and focused on them properly. This year, I'll be following her book, setting my own monthly goals loosely based on hers. 2012 is going to be a year to magnify the happiness that already exists in my life. Can't wait!

My secondary goal is to document our life through photos. I am AWESOME at taking photos about 2 or 3 times a year... but I often forget to pull out the camera to regularly document those everyday moments that are so fleeting as the boys get older. My goal is to take at least one photo a day - EVERY day. I can totally do this, right? I will also be taking part in simple as that's weekly photo challenge. Make sure to check in on Sundays to catch our simple moment of the week.

5 Months Old

2011-12-26T09:31:00.000-08:00

Happy Birthday, Jesus!
Happy Birthday, Charlie!

Christmas Day was Charlie’s 5-month birthday, and he celebrated it by taking lots of naps, lounging in his Granddad’s arms, and “talking” to anyone who would listen (which was pretty much everyone).

Here’s a quick recap of Charlie’s past month:

You love standing (with support, obv) and jumping. Your legs are getting so much exercise!
You took your 2nd and 3rd plane flights. I’m sure no one will be surprised when I say that you were PERFECT during both. Not a peep!
We lost your precious Sophie. Looks like you’ll be getting an after-Christmas present this year.
You talk and talk and talk... just like your brother! We can’t wait to hear what real word you say first.
Eye infections are no fun. You had to have antibiotic drops to clear it up, and you also had a pretty yucky cold. Thanks for sharing both with me!
You are still pretty obsessed with any food in sight; it’s obvious that you really want a taste. I’m curious to see how you do with your first foods. One more month!
You are a roly-poly baby! Now, you are consistently rolling over, especially when you are trying to get a better view of mom or dad.
You have some seriously fabulous belly laughs - the best are saved for your brother, but you are getting more generous with the rest of us.
Sleep is not nearly as awesome when we are on vacation. You are currently waking up every 2-3 hours... which you haven’t done since you were a week old. Crossing my fingers that this gets better once you are back in your own crib. Please?

Sometimes it is still hard to believe that we have a second son, and yet it seems like we’ve had Charlie forever. I wish time would slow down just a tiny little bit, and let me enjoy this infant stage just awhile longer... but I’m excited to see what the next month brings!

Merry Christmas!

2011-12-26T09:20:00.000-08:00

Our family has been enjoying another wonderful trip to Arizona. We have spent time with friends, grandparents, great-grandparents, cousins, aunts, uncles, and more.

Christmas morning took just about forever... Carter wasn’t terribly interested in most of his presents (note to self: try buying him things he wants, instead of things I want him to have), but he finally got pretty excited about his new ipod touch. “It is so important!” Uh, sure it is. Just what every 5-year old needs, right? Still, he loves it and has been having a great time ~~blasting~~ playing his music for all to hear.

Charlie was even less enthused with the whole present-opening excitement. He took two naps during the morning, and left me to open his presents for him. Luckily, I love unwrapping presents, even if they aren’t for me.

It was a wonderful day, and so special to celebrate the birth of Jesus on the same day as Charlie’s 5-month birthday. We are so thankful for the gift of our family, and being able to spend so much time together this Christmas season.

I hope your Christmas was as merry and bright as ours was!

Fall Photo Shoot

2011-11-28T21:07:00.001-08:00

Don't you all wish you had friends that asked to take gorgeous pictures of your kids just for fun? I'm so lucky to have met a sweet friend that is just that awesome! Look at these fantastic moments she captured of my little man...

It was such a beautiful, sunny fall day. I'm still in awe of the gorgeous leaves - I've been missing out on "real" fall my whole life! A huge THANK YOU to Heather for helping me capture my favorite season and favorite 3-month old - I'll cherish these pictures forever!

1/3 of a Year

2011-11-28T17:38:00.001-08:00

Charlie turned 4 months old on Black Friday! We were enjoying a wonderful trip back home, introducing him to many friends and family that have all been loving on him and passing him from lap to lap. As long as he is being held, he is happy! We are so thankful for our sweet baby boy. I can’t believe how well-tempered and laid-back he is. Certainly didn’t get it from me...

Charlie, you had a busy, busy month! Here’s a recap:

You were an Angry Bird for Halloween... but you were asleep by 6:30, so you didn’t see any trick-or-treaters.
Every day you get bigger and bigger. You were 18 pounds, 8 ounces at your 4 month checkup! WHOA!
Your laughs are plentiful and often. They light up my days like nothing else.
You get especially giggly when we play "airplane" or I nom on your tummy and pretend to eat you!
You love playing with toys, especially stuffed animals.
Your favorite lovey is a stuffed teddy bear from Carter. Big brother named him Ronaldo Picklehead. Awesome.
You took your first airplane trip. Even though we flew way past your bedtime and had a stop on the way, you didn’t make a peep the entire trip. Strangers were complimenting us on our well-behaved boys.
Thanksgiving was spent with Grandma and Granddad. You wanted pie SO badly. I had to hold you away from it because you kept trying to get some.
You are finally happy to take a bottle. It's about time!
You are a drool-monster! Slobber, slobber everywhere!
It is adorable to watch you try SO hard to blow raspberries. You put so much effort into it, and it is pretty much the cutest thing ever.
You had your first photo shoot with our friend, Heather Skogen. It was a beautiful fall day, and you were full of the sweetest smiles.
Your second photo shoot with Janelle Zeller was nearly smile-less. You must have been worn out from all the visiting friends and family.
You met two baby friends, Eli and Sienna. It is great to have little friends to play with when we are in Phoenix!
You are this close to rolling over. You get halfway then get stuck. Soon!

What a Love.

2011-11-08T22:53:00.000-08:00

So, lately, this blog has been all things Charlie. And while I'm sure you can understand my obsession with my darling baby, let's not forget baby #1 - Carter. That boy is something else. Too much like his momma when it comes to stubbornness and a tendency to talk back... which makes him crazy difficult for me to deal with, but so incredibly easy to love.

My boy has an incredible sweetness and is so incredibly affectionate. He doesn't care who is watching. He doesn't yet need to put on a show for his friends. He just loves us - unabashedly and completely. Yesterday, I drove him to school for the very first time this year (he usually rides the bus). I gave him and hug and a kiss and watched him walk from the parking lot to the front of the school. A few steps from the car, and he turned and yelled, "Another hug and kiss?" He proceeded to blow kisses to me the rest of the way to the door. Can you believe the sweetness? I know that the day of all this affection drawing to an end is probably nearing... he is growing up so fast and it is hard to believe that someday he won't want me to hold him and snuggle him and give him "one more" hug and kiss. But, for now, I'll just enjoy it. What a little love bug.

Project: Bottle

2011-11-06T00:14:00.000-07:00

Charlie is a stubborn little guy. He knows that if he holds out long enough, he doesn't really have to take a bottle. If a babysitter or Chris are with him, he'll cry, refuse the bottle until he falls asleep... or until I come home. No fun for anyone. It usually isn't a big deal. I don't have much going on outside the home that takes longer than an hour or so, so it has been almost a month since our last bottle attempt (a miserable FAIL). But, with a trip back to Phoenix just around the corner, and a 56-hour getaway -without kids- in December, I know it is about time he starts taking the bottle on occasion. Preferably without tears.

Chris tried this morning. No luck. I tried a while later. YES! He took it! My excitement was short-lived when I realized that if I am the only one who he will accept a bottle from, it hardly solves the problem. Sigh. Looks like we'll need to try again in the morning.

Trick-or-Treat!

2011-11-02T13:22:00.000-07:00

Halloween has never been a big deal to Carter. He doesn't care much about dressing up in costumes. Candy doesn't really impress him (I know!! So strange!). Walking around the block usually makes his lazy side appear. As you can see, Halloween just really hasn't been his thing. I figured this year would be just like years past - he would visit a half-dozen homes, complain of being tired and come on home... but, no! Our little man surprised us all by getting into the Halloween spirit. He was so excited to go trick-or-treating, mostly to figure out which homes his school friends live in, I think. Chris took him on a tour of the neighborhood and he returned with quite a nice stash - he even shared his only Butterfinger with me. Sweet boy.

The absolutely cutest thing? After he got home, he parked himself on our freezing cold porch with the bucket of candy to pass out to the Trick-or-Treaters. Instead of waiting for them to come up to our house, he called out to anyone he could see, "Hey!!!!! Kids! Come up here and get some candy!" He even reported that one girl gave him a hug (let that be a lesson - chocolate makes girls like you!). We finally had to pull him inside to go to bed, with much protest. He was just sure that there were more kids that needed his candy. I love this kid.

~~Luigi~~ Carter, eating his Halloween dinner

Before Trick-or-Treating

No cute stories about Charlie's first Halloween night - he was fast asleep by 6:30pm. I'm lucky I even got one picture with his Angry Bird hat on! I hope your Halloween was as fun as ours was!

Happy Halloween!

2011-10-31T10:15:00.000-07:00

I like to torment my family by making them be in lots and lots of pictures. Chris and Carter are used to it, and just give me a little eye-roll and sigh. Charlie, on the other hand, is the main participant in 99% of my photos these days. For the most part, he just sits/lies there. Doesn't move much, doesn't complain. Until now. Obviously, this was my own fault, but I just had to take one of those baby-in-a-pumpkin photos that all the cool kids are doing now. First mistake? Cut the hole too small. Then, we made it bigger and tried again. Still too small. Repeat. Again. Seriously?! My child is ginormous! He needs a super-sized pumpkin for this kind of activity. Thankfully, my pumpkin-carving professional mom was on hand to help, being supervised by my dad. Good times for everyone. Well, except Charlie. Poor kid... he was doing great the first 3 or 4 tries, but finally gave up and started screaming just when we finally made it the right size to fit his chubby body. Did I stop and wait until later? Of course not. What fun would that have been? He may end up needing therapy, but I think I captured the best Halloween moment EVER.

The Pumpkin Patch

2011-10-25T21:06:00.000-07:00

Grandma Joy and Granddad came for a visit this past weekend. It was WONDERFUL to see them! It has been quite an adjustment for me to be living so far from my parents. When I was a new mom to Carter, my mom was around regularly. She is one of the most helpful people you'll ever meet - she does dishes, vacuuming, cooking, and on and on - and was so great in helping me adjust to motherhood. This time around, I don't have her just a short drive away. A few hours on a plane just isn't the same, you know? Lucky for me, my mom and dad are able to visit fairly often, but it still felt like forever since their visit 2 months ago. Charlie has grown and changed dramatically since he was just barely 3 weeks old. I think they hardly recognized my big boy!

Our favorite part of the weekend was a trip to a nearby pumpkin patch. We have gone to the desert-style pumpkin patches in AZ, but they were nothing in comparison to this! Bizi Farms had a cider press, corn/feed grinder for the kids to use, hay bale maze, corn maze, pumpkin "launch"/slingshots, hayrides, pony rides, petting farm, pony rides... it was seriously amazing. We took the hayride out to the pumpkin patch and picked out 5 fabulous pumpkins (Chris has quite an eye for this!). It was nice and chilly, but not rainy at all. A perfect way to spend time with our super-loved Grandma and Granddad. I think Charlie had the best time of all - Grandma carried him around in the wrap all morning. Soooo comfy!

3 Months Old

2011-10-24T22:33:00.000-07:00

Little Charlie, what a beautiful boy you are! You have had a fantastic 3rd month of life, and are learning and growing faster than I ever thought possible.

You are ~~obese~~ very healthy! Today, you weighed in at 17lbs, 3oz. Whoa.
You are sleeping like a CHAMP! You go to bed at about 7pm and don't wake up until around 5am to eat, then back to sleep until around 8:30.
You are in love with your thumb. It soothes you in your crib and entertains you in the car.
You find your hands to be quite fascinating - you stare and stare at them while you slowly move each finger.
Your favorite toy is a little stuffed monkey. You could look at him all day and give him the sweetest smiles.
You love to be carried around in the wrap. Anything that keeps you superclose to momma is a good thing!
Putting yourself to sleep has become easier and easier. We snuggle you, kiss you, and tell you goodnight... and you usually let us leave the room without too much protest.
Big huge smiles and *almost* giggles are our favorite things. You always have extra smiles for Carter.
The way you break away in the middle of nursing, just to give me an ear-to-ear grin is so very precious.
The bouncer is lots of fun. You hang out and play while I'm cooking or folding laundry, and watch the waterfall and birds intently.
Toys are finally becoming interesting. You love to lay in the "baby gym" and touch the hanging toys.
Tummy-time is lots of fun! As long as we put some interesting toys in front of you, you'll hang out on your stomach for quite some time.
You love to walk outside. Taking Carter to/from the bus seems to be one of your favorite things to do. You are so focused on the trees, and love feeling the fresh air.
Old MacDonald is your favorite song. You smile SO big every time I sing it.
Your eyes are still blue. I'm starting to think they might actually stay this color!
You have the smallest patch of hair on the nape of your neck that hasn't fallen out. Otherwise, you are pretty much bald.
The carseat is your least favorite place to be. Lucky for you, we keep the car trips to a minimum these days.
Your sweet personality is starting to come out - you are such a happy and content baby. How lucky are we?

My Grandma Jan kindly pointed out that I haven't been posting many pictures of my darling baby boy... and that is something that needs to be rectified promptly! Enjoy this moment captured of little Charlie -

Perspective.

2011-10-19T22:40:00.000-07:00

Charlie has a little sniffle. Nothing major, just enough for me to want to give him extra sleep and snuggles and keep that awful nose-aspirator handy, just in case. A little cold is hardly blog-worthy, usually, but today it felt so different. I had this moment of incredible thankfulness. I am thankful that all I have to deal with is a cold. The worst injury Carter has ever sustained only required a couple of stitches. No big deal. My two boys are healthy and happy and have such very minor complications in their lives, so far. How very blessed are we?

Yesterday, I was introduced to the blog of a seriously amazing mother, Courtney Roth. Her sweet boy has a condition called Epidermolysis Bullosa. Her son, Tripp, has an incredibly difficult and painful life, and somehow she manages to be positive and see the best in the situation that has been given to them.

How often do I complain or get caught up in the "difficulties" of our life? Too often. Especially considering our life is pretty amazing. Yet, here is a woman who was told that her precious child probably wouldn't even survive his first year, giving all of her love and energy so selflessly, day in and day out. There are probably few easy days for her and Tripp. And there are so few hard days for our family. We are so incredibly blessed to have been entrusted with the care of these two perfect boys. I need to take a lesson from Courtney and remember to enjoy the blessings I have. Every single day. Because I have no idea how long I have to enjoy them.

If you want to read more about Courtney and Tripp, or to vote for them to win a feature in Reader's Digest to spread the word about his condition and $25,000 for the cause (she's in the lead right now, and every vote will help keep her there!), please click HERE.

Just a little reminder to hug your babies (or mine! They love extra hugs!) and be extra thankful for the blessings in your life.

Worth Remembering

2011-09-30T22:12:00.000-07:00

This is probably something I should re-read... everyday.

“I have come to the frightening conclusion that I am the decisive element. It is my personal approach that creates the climate. It is my daily mood that makes the weather.I possess tremendous power to make life miserable or joyous.

I can be a tool of torture or an instrument of inspiration, I can humiliate or humor, hurt or heal. In all situations, it is my response that decides whether a crisis is escalated or de-escalated, and a person is humanized or de-humanized.

If we treat people as they are, we make them worse. If we treat people as they ought to be, we help them become what they are capable of becoming.” -Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Save My Life!

2011-09-30T09:05:00.000-07:00

Carter: Mom, I need you to buy Lifesavers. You know, the kind that are red and green and other colors with a hole in the middle. They are really healthy. They save your life!

Uhhh... thanks for the genius marketing ploy, Lifesavers. I gave him an apple instead - I told him it would keep the doctors away :)

2 Months Old!

2011-09-25T20:21:00.000-07:00

Happy 2-month birthday, little one!

This month, Charlie...

has been sleeping 5-6 hours before waking to eat
has 3-4 naps each day
took his first bottle
had his first babysitter
has been a coo-ing machine - ooos and ahhhs, gooos and gahhhs
smiles all day long
loves to be carried in the Moby wrap
prefers to be held
enjoys the swing or bouncer for about 10 minutes before asking to be held... again
loves bathtime
protests when I try to clean out his neck rolls every morning
still hasn't had a single "blow-out"... knock on wood
has pretty blue eyes
attended 3 mommy&me yoga classes
went to his first Kindermusik class
weighed in at 14lbs 10oz

It is so fun to see Charlie's personality start to develop. He is such a sweet and happy baby. So easy-going and loves to smile at his family. His adorable coos are getting longer and more complex every day. I'm pretty sure he's a genius.

Chubby Baby

2011-09-19T17:47:00.000-07:00

Being that Charlie is my last tiny baby, there is something in me that just longs to keep him small and snuggly forever. However, in his first act of rebellion, Charlie has decided to grow. Rapidly. Of course, I have noticed that he's been getting bigger... I packed up all of the 0-3 month clothes and my arms are constantly tired from holding my little man. But nothing prepared me for his two-month check-up. Charlie is already 14 pounds and 10 ounces. Oh. my. ~~obese~~ chubby. baby.

Month One Recap (just a little late!)

2011-09-13T13:21:00.000-07:00

I am really good at a lot of things. But I am really bad at keeping track of important dates/milestones. You would think that a baby book would be the perfect thing... but I can never seem to remember to write anything in it. Occasionally, I'll think about it, but that usually happens when I'm out to lunch or in the shower or somewhere decidedly bad for actually following through and writing. So, in an attempt to keep track of some stuff - here is a (late) recap of Charlie's first month:

You graced us with your presence 10 days early. Thank you!
You were a water-in-water baby (water birth, plus born with the amniotic sac intact)
You had a fabulous head of hair, but at one month it is half-way gone.
You sleep about 4 hours at a time at night. Not bad!
You aren't very fond of the pacifier.
You still haven't had a bottle yet.
You stay awake for about 1 hour between 2-3 hour daytime naps. Such a sleeper!
You aren't thrilled by the swing or the bouncer. You only tolerate them for about 5 minutes.
You are a "hold-me" baby and always want to be in someone's arms.
You have visited at least a dozen restaurants around Portland.
You make the most unbelievably cute face when you stretch right after eating.
You seem to choke and cough every single time you eat.
You spit up a ton. Gross.
You love the bath, and big brother loves to help bathe you.
You grew out of your newborn cloth diapers in 3 weeks - they were supposed to last 3 months!
Your brother calms you down when you are fussy by singing, "Twinkle, Twinkle".
You started smiling - REAL smiles - at 4 weeks old.
You can only manage a few smiles a day. Hard work!
You will nap anywhere - the car, the couch, our arms, the floor, the crib.
You moved into your crib at 4 weeks old.
You are a super noisy sleeper.
You rarely cry, and just "complain" a little bit.
You are gaining weight like a champ - 11 pound 6 ounces at 1 month old.
You have perfect chipmunk cheeks.
You are pretty much the most amazing baby I ever could have dreamed of.

Only a couple of weeks until he is two months old. Time is going too fast! I wish he would stay tiny and newborn forever :) Okay, maybe not...

Milk

2011-09-08T12:29:00.000-07:00

Charlie boy is already 6 weeks old... and still hasn't had a bottle! A few nights ago, I fed him and then escaped to the grocery store. Chris was a little worried about being alone with both of the boys, but I reminded him that it can be done. After all, I do it everyday, right? Well, I underestimated just how much Charlie would need me. Even though I had fed him right before leaving, he quickly decided he was hungry again (boys - they always want what they can't have, right?). So, he cried and cried until Chris finally gave up and texted me - Please come home! Poor baby finally fell asleep, thanks to the good use of the paci (he's finally taking it occasionally). Here's what he looked like when I got home:

Isn't he cute??

So, it looks like if I ever want to grocery shop alone again, I need to make some changes. I've been lazy about starting to pump. It isn't a big deal, I just have about a million other things that I'd rather be doing, you know? But, this morning, I finally set everything up and got to work. I already have 4 oz. of milk to put away for my next outing. Now the only question is... where should I go?

Meet the Teacher

2011-08-30T21:40:00.000-07:00

Meet the Teacher night always makes me nervous - usually because I'm the teacher. Somehow I was still a little apprehensive tonight, as Carter and I set out to meet Mrs. T. Will she like Carter? Will she like me? Will she think I'm a bad parent because he is a challenging kid? Sigh.

This Meet the Teacher night was unlike any I've ever experienced in my teaching career. First of all, I have only taught in Title I (read: POOR) schools, and parental involvement was super low at all of them. My last school usually only had 1-2 parents show up for PTO meetings. So sad. So, imagine my surprise when I show up 10 minutes early, and the parking lot is already completely full. I had to park down the street and walk the rest of the way. Seriously! I can't imagine if I'd just been on time... I would have needed a shuttle!

Kids and parents were already lining up outside of the classrooms, and we quickly discovered that Carter knows two of the boys in his class from our neighborhood. Carter was his usual chatty self, asking all of the kids questions - name, age, favorite soccer player - and jumping around yelling, "I'm going to kindergarten!" His excitement was adorable.

Mrs. T seemed nice enough, but I just couldn't stop myself from taking inventory of the classroom. I was judging. No smartboard. No computers. No RUG. How do you have a kindergarten class without a rug?! I know that kids are taught successfully without all of the bells and whistles of classroom technology, but I've become so accustomed to having access to the very best technology available that I can't imagine running a classroom without it. It will probably be good for Carter to have 6 hours a day without anything electronic though!

I am so excited for Carter to have his first day at Kindergarten on Thursday. I hope he loves it... and I hope his teacher loves him. How could she not? He's pretty awesome.

Changing My Ways.

2011-08-30T11:58:00.000-07:00

So, in case you haven't heard - I have a challenging child. Not just a little challenging, but big-time-behavior-plan-push-your-buttons-on-purpose kind of challenging. I love him... a lot. But I definitely find myself at a loss in dealing with his behaviors sometimes. The arrival of Charlie has brought on some new interesting behaviors, such as throw-himself-on-the-floor fits, hitting himself in anger, and saying pretty hurtful things. I'm not surprised that things are especially difficult right now, but it certainly makes things worse when I'm so very tired from being up 2-3 times each night and have very little extra patience.

Thankfully, I stumbled upon a really fantastic blog the other day. On Real Child Development, the author, Leslie has really given me some insight into dealing with my spirited child. I've found that I'm so concerned with stopping the behavior, that I don't always bother to address the feelings behind it. I'm too focused on making sure he is obedient, which of course is also important, but there is SO much more to his behavior issues than just choosing to be disobedient. He makes those choices because he is usually truly upset about something. I have been using some of Leslie's ideas, have challenged myself to NOT raise my voice and give orders... but to keep calm (the hardest thing of all) and talk to Carter. This doesn't mean he doesn't have to listen to me. It just means that I will finally listen to him, too.

So far, so good. It hasn't been a miraculous turn-around, but there have been some huge improvements. Acknowledging his feelings calmly, but still being firm with my boundaries and consequences isn't always easy - but I can tell that he is slowly coming around. He's a challenging one, all right. Good thing I'm up for the challenge!

Family Outings

2011-08-28T22:15:00.000-07:00

While some days I like to laze around the house, never even bothering to get out of my pajamas, I know that our family gets a little restless if we don't leave the house on the weekends. This weekend, I found lots for us to do. We started on Saturday morning at the Portland Farmer's Market. I seriously love this place. It is by far the very best market I have even seen. There are millions (or a hundred-ish) vendors selling the most beautiful produce, fabulous flowers (the dahlias are unbelievable right now), and delicious food. To be honest, we really go for the prepared food. We have a favorite vegan/gluten-free bakery that only sells their product at the market... so we can only get our fix once a week. Now, if I am declaring love for a vegan/GF bakery, you know it must be great. I usually only endorse full gluten-containing products with lots of butter in them, but Petunia's really knows what they are doing. Delish. Carter surprised us by finally having a decent trip to the market. I totally get that it isn't his favorite place. There are lots of things he can't/shouldn't touch, it is super busy and he has to stay close to us at all time - not his favorite things. But, I'm a firm believer that even though he doesn't love it, he still has to come and behave - we shouldn't have to skip our favorite weekly outing just because the ~~dictator~~ 5-year old says so. He was rewarded by a lengthy visit to the adjacent playground, which was full of kids that had been dragged to the market by their parents.

On Sunday, we all went to a street fair. Portland is so much fun. Every weekend there are a huge number of great family-friendly activities to choose from, and one of my very favorites are the street fairs around town. This weekend, the Hawthorne neighborhood had an incredible street fair - complete with kids' activities like face painting and rock-wall climbing, good food, bands, and businesses displaying some cool stuff. Charlie was amazing - he had an awesome power nap... for 3 HOURS while we walked around. Didn't wake up once! Carter rode his new razor scooter around, chatting up every person he saw, and even attempted to climb the rock-wall.

It was a great family weekend. Now, back to single parenting, as Chris gets ready to head out of town tomorrow morning until Thursday night. 4 days with my 2 boys - and no more summer camp. Uh-oh! At least it'll probably give me something good to blog about!

Happy Birthday, Charlie!

2011-08-25T13:21:00.000-07:00

Wow. One month old. It actually makes me a little sad to see how fast Charlie is growing. Our family is complete with two beautiful boys, but I just adore this newborn stage so much that it is hard to believe that this is my last one!

Little Charlie is growing so quickly. He was born at 7lbs 15oz, but came home from the hospital at 7lbs 4oz. At one month old, he is already 11lbs 6oz! What a little chub!

Charlie at 1 week, 2 weeks and 1 month

What a little love bug! We'll definitely keep him.

A New Project!

2011-08-23T14:40:00.000-07:00

I just don't have enough to do. Life as a stay-at-home-mom of 2 busy boys is just too easy. I needed a new project. Oh, wait. You aren't buying that? Hmm. Well, even though my life is crazy busy at the moment, I have some high hopes that I'll have a tiny bit of extra time once Carter starts kindergarten next week. What will I do with that extra time, you ask? Blog! Obviously, I already have a blog, but it is all about the family. My new project will chronicle my attempts in the kitchen, craft room, and garden (if I ever get going with that!). I hope you find a minute to stop by and say hi at The Happiness of Rainy Days.

So Hard.

2011-08-23T09:57:00.000-07:00

I thought adding a new baby would be tricky - back to sleepless nights, endless amounts of poop, and a baby that is attached to my boob 20 hours a day. But, here's the thing... I really just thought the baby stuff would be hard. Not so. The baby stuff has actually turned out to be relatively easy (dare I say that? Knock on wood...). Charlie is a sweet baby - he sleeps well, for a newborn, he eats well, and my obsession with cloth diapers has made the frequent changes better than expected. The hard part was what I didn't expect - Carter.

He is pushing every button he can think of to try and get attention - negatively - from me. This morning, I told him that he could not bring snacks to summer camp. He's been going to camp ALL summer, and they provide the snacks - why are we even talking about this? Instead of being reasonable about it, he totally flipped out. Seriously. Like a two-year-old-on-the-floor tantrum. Of course, this was followed by my threat of "Put those snacks away and get in the car in the next 10 seconds or else...". Unfortunately, it just got worse from there. Refusal to leave the house. Refusal to buckle seat belt. Unbuckling seat belt as I was backing out of the driveway. I thought it was going to make my head explode. Luckily, my head is still intact, but now we have a host of consequences - no wii, ipod, ipad, computer or tv for the rest of the day. Have I mentioned that it is raining outside? Bummer. He's going to have one boring afternoon.

Maybe I'm not providing enough positive reinforcement? Maybe this is completely normal? I just feel like mornings like this are *way* harder than I ever thought they would be. Sigh.

Pacifiers

2011-08-16T15:03:00.001-07:00

As a first-time mom, I swore I wouldn't use a pacifier. I felt like many parents just pop a pacifier in their baby's mouth instead of trying to figure out what their baby actually needs. I didn't want to start a habit that would be hard to break later, and it seemed like Carter got along just fine without one.

Fast-forward 5 years to baby #2: Charlie loves to eat. Well, more accurately, he loves having something in his mouth. Unfortunately, this means that he wants to eat all of the time - but ends up spitting up tons of milk because he truly isn't hungry at all. What a waste a of precious ~~sleeping time~~ milk! I'm definitely a lot more relaxed this time around, and I'm no longer concerned about starting a bad habit or relying on the pacifier too heavily. I went to my favorite eco-friendly baby boutique and bought a couple of bpa/phosphate/phthalate-free pacis and an adorable clip to keep it attached to Charlie. Can't have it falling on the floor!

We'll find out soon if he actually likes it...

2 Weeks Old!

2011-08-08T18:08:00.000-07:00

Our house has been a whirlwind of activity during the past two weeks. Nana (Chris's mom) stayed with us for the past 3 weeks - one week in anticipation of Charlie's early arrival - and Chris's sister and brother-in-law were with us over the past weekend. Carter and Charlie have had tons and tons of attention... but now it is time to get back in the routine of our regular life.

Charlie had his 2 week check-up today, and he has already hit 9lbs! Not bad, considering he came home from the hospital weighing about 7lb 4 oz (born at 7lb 15oz). He is one happy eater and is growing fast. He has also gained almost 2 inches! He's definitely going to be a little chubber like his brother. He is sleeping really well, 3-4 hour stretches usually, and he doesn't seem to know how to cry. Well, he definitely makes his needs known, but in a much cuter, squeakier way. I'm sure the crying will kick in at some point, but I'm hoping he holds off as long as possible!

Carter has had a hard time adjusting to the diverted attention. He does not like to share mom and dad, and the disruption of his regular routine has been really tricky. Luckily, he LOVES his little brother and cuddles him at every opportunity. He even "babysits" him when I take my shower (don't worry - Charlie is always strapped in a bouncy or swing, so Carter doesn't have to really do much of anything!). This morning, Carter called to me, "Mom! Charlie is making noise, so I'm singing to him." Awww... brothers. Love it!

Guess Who!

2011-08-05T22:41:00.000-07:00

Time to play the "Guess the Baby" game!
So, which baby is which?
Carter? Charlie? Hmmm...

Cloth!

2011-08-01T11:39:00.000-07:00

Here's a little peek at Charlie in his very first cloth diaper, getting ready from his trip home from hospital #1. Other than the disposables we used at the hospitals, and a couple that Nana used while Chris and I were out, Charlie has been in cloth diapers the whole time. I was a little intimidated at first, but I'm definitely starting to get the hang of it - and Chris is, too! The washing isn't nearly as yucky as I imagined it to be, and there really isn't anything cuter than a little cloth-diapered bum.

Bright Lights

2011-07-30T10:42:00.000-07:00

We knew that there was a pretty good chance Charlie would end up struggling with jaundice, just like Carter did... and we were right. Luckily, diagnostic and treatment tools have improved so much over the last 5 years, that Charlie's return visit to the hospital only lasted 1 night. Charlie tolerated the isolation of the bili-light bassinet really well. It is important to keep them under the lights as much as possible, so I was only able to hold/feed him for 20 minutes every 3 hours. It was a long night, since he really wanted to eat twice that often, but he got through it like a champ. I was so happy to be released early the next morning with a clean bill of health for our little baby. We have been back to the doctor for another check, and he is still perfect - and not yellow anymore!

Splish-Splash! Charlie's Birth Story

2011-07-30T10:32:00.000-07:00

Fair warning - this is Charlie's birth story... so, if you aren't interested in knowing some of the finer details of my labor, feel free to skip this!
............................................................

Contractions started early Sunday morning at about 4am. Lucky pregnant mom that I am, I have had Braxton-Hicks contractions since week 13, so I am definitely used to annoying cramps in my uterus. These were clearly more than just the regular BH contractions though. Nothing too painful, just uncomfortable... but definitely different. I got my handy-dandy, contraction-timing iphone app going, and realized that even though the contractions were "real" and really annoying, they were still very inconsistent. Sometimes 7-8 minutes apart... then 15-20... no good pattern, which meant there was nothing much for us to do. Instead, we decided to spend the morning at the Farmer's market and then Chris and I headed into Portland for one last date night. I was certain that baby was on his way, and I wanted to make sure I had a gigantic milkshake, before dairy was forcibly removed from my diet for the next 12ish months. Let me tell you - there is nothing like a cinnamon/dark chocolate milkshake to put you into a food coma, only to be broken by actual labor.

I had a really hard time sleeping... contractions started crossing the line from annoying to irritating to downright painful. Luckily, they were still spaced pretty poorly, so I occasionally got 20-30 minutes of sleep between them. At 4am, my body decided that it was time to put the show on the road - contractions were 6 minutes apart, and consistent enough that I knew we'd better get going - we still had 30 minutes to drive to the hospital! I called our doula and midwives, woke Chris's mom to tell her we were leaving, and headed out the door... knowing life was about to change quickly!

When we arrived at the hospital, the main entrance was closed, the place was under crazy construction, and we ended up walking in circles for 15 minutes trying to find a way into the hospital. Not fun when you have to stop moving every couple of minutes because of those darn contractions! By the time we finally found our way inside, I was at 4-5cm and contractions were starting to speed up. They got me into a room quickly, and I walked and contracted, walked and contracted. While I was working on the contractions, the nurses set up the big ol' ~~kiddie~~ birthing pool. Within the next hour and a half, I had progressed to 7cm, so we decided it was time to switch locations and hop into the water. The warmth of the water was like heaven compared to a cold hospital bed. It really did make a huge difference in my ability to manage the increasingly difficult contractions.

I labored in the pool for awhile - maybe an hour - before I knew that Charlie really wanted to be born. Thanks to the shift change timing, we had double the nurses and two midwives on hand for the birth. Even though I was pretty focused on the whole pushing portion, I was pretty amazed when I heard the midwives and our doula exclaiming that Charlie was being born completely encased in his amniotic sac - my water never broke during labor. Our midwife said she had only seen this happen in 2 out of 600 births that she has attended. He was born completely quiet and only started to make a tiny bit of noise once they handed him to me in the water. It was such a peaceful way to be born, I think he just wanted to sleep through it all!

I always thought I had a very easy birth with Carter, but Charlie's birth was unbelievably perfect. It was quick (3.5 hours at the hospital), peaceful, and truly the ideal experience for me. If I were ever to have another baby (which is not in our plans - sorry!), I would have another water birth... no question about it!

Our Newest Sweet Boy - Charlie James Erickson

2011-07-28T14:38:00.000-07:00

We are so happy to announce that our little miracle has come into this world!

Monday, July 25th, 2011

8:20 am

7lbs 15oz

19 3/4 inches

We are so blessed to have a second son, and the perfect completion of our family.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

I'll be writing up Charlie's birth story soon, so check back or skip the next entry, depending on how few/many details you want!

Dinner with the Zellers

2011-07-24T16:51:00.000-07:00

When we lived in Anthem, I made some terrific friends. Janelle and I first met just a couple of months before I had Carter, right after she had her second baby. It is hard to believe that we've been friends for more than 5 years now - time really flies! She is an incredible mother, wife, friend, sister, and much more to those around her. I really am blessed to be friends with her.

You can imagine how happy I was when I found out that her family's summer road trip had her coming through Portland. Her beautiful family stopped by for dinner last night, and our kiddos had the best time playing together (although I do need to remember to retrieve the styrofoam rockets from the neighbor's yard...). I was hoping to have a baby to show off during her visit, but little Charlie has been staying put, so my big belly had to do!

In other baby news, I think Charlie is *finally* gearing up for his arrival. My guess is that we'll be at the hospital within the next 24 hours. Think happy thoughts for us!

Visit from Aunt Natalie and Cousin Jack

2011-07-16T11:49:00.000-07:00

We were so lucky to have a last-minute visit from Natalie and Jack Smith this week. Yay! Even though I have been waddling like a penguin and needed an afternoon nap everyday, we still had lots of fun together. We all ventured into Portland to try out a cute little amusement park that I have been wanting to take Carter to, and didn't realize until we got there that I couldn't ride ANYTHING! Thankfully, Aunt Natalie took the boys on all of the rides, while I babysat the backpack and the camera.

Carter and Jack especially loved this gigantic slide - it was about 30 feet high!

The little-kid Roller Coaster was another fave, but Carter had his eye on the big-kid rides and can't wait to go back with Dad to go on all of those!

We visited 3 or 4 parks while they were here. How cute are they on the tire swing?!

Carter and Jack were so unbelievably sweet to each other - most of the time. Lots of hugs, kisses, play-wrestling, and chasing each other around. It was precious to watch. Jack is just turning 3 at the end of this month, and it was really cool to see how Carter finally is treating him like a peer, instead of the "baby".

Bacon Pancakes!

2011-07-16T11:23:00.000-07:00

I have been mildly addicted to the website, Pinterest, this summer. It is a bulletin-board-type system that lets you share your favorite blogs/websites/recipes/photos with your online friends, as well as just catalog and save them for yourself. A couple weeks back, I ran across the delicious idea for BACON Pancakes. Oh, yes... totally calling my name! I finally got around to making them this week, and just made them again this morning. Hey, I'm pregnant (still!)... I have an excuse!

Sound delicious to you, too? Well, read on...

First, I took the easy way out - who wants to stand over the stove and fry up bacon in the summer? Not me! I used Trader Joe's pre-cooked, nitrate-free bacon. It takes just about 1 minute to crisp up in the microwave and tastes great. I used 4 slices and broke each one in half after cooking.

I found a seriously delicious, locally-made pancake mix. Yeah, I know pancake mix isn't the hardest thing to make, but I was going for simplicity here.

Once these two parts are made, you are *almost* ready!

Heat up your pan to medium heat, then add some oil. Once it gets hot, lay down a few half-slices of bacon.

Now, pour a little pancake batter on top of each bacon slice. You are getting excited already, aren't you? Be patient - don't flip them yet!

Once the pancake batter has little bubbles all over, it will be ready to flip. Don't do it early or the pancakes will fall apart into a big, ol' batter-y mess.

After both sides are pretty and brown, put them on a plate with some fruit... or more bacon... and serve with maple syrup. Yum! Yum! Yum!

No Longer an "Only"

2011-07-10T20:23:00.000-07:00

Let's be honest - I've made the majority of this pregnancy about me. How excited I am... how nervous I am... how helpful it would be to me for Charlie to stay put one more week. Yeah, I'm the mom, but obviously this baby is going to change things - big time - for our entire family. It finally hit me tonight. Carter has been our "only" for 5 years now. He has been the focus of our lives, and he has never known it to be any different. Now, suddenly, he is going to be an "older". While there are so many amazing things about being a big sibling, I know it must take some huge adjustments, too. How will he feel, having this tiny creature around? How will he adjust when our focus is diverted from him? I know how hard it is for him to just share me when I'm on the phone with a friend... it is hard to imagine the song and dance he'll do to get my attention when I'm changing a diaper or nursing Charlie. I am so hopeful that he will adjust beautifully... but let's be honest - he is 5, and he has had a lot of practice getting all of our attention. We'll have to make sure and show him patience, as we adjust to this new world of TWO little boys.

Ready or Not...

2011-07-07T16:10:00.000-07:00

I have been in serious nesting mode for the past few days. My floors are sparkling, my baseboards are scrubbed, and have organized everything in (and out of) sight. Not only am I probably driving my husband crazy... but it is incredibly unlike me to be this way. Nesting is such a strange feeling!

I had my 36-week check-up today, and it looks like little Charlie is probably going to be an early arrival, like his brother. Of course, it is all just speculation and it is entirely possible that I could remain pregnant for 4+ more weeks, but things are looking pretty good. I'm already 70% effaced, 2 cm dilated, and the baby is at -2 station. The midwife told me that she'd prefer for him to stay in and "cook" for another week, but that they wouldn't stop labor if it started sooner than that. I would definitely like to keep him baking for a little longer, for many reasons. First of all, Chris is traveling to Idaho next week. Not exactly convenient if I happen to go into labor! Second, I have lots and lots of preparing still to do: must prep diapers, finish up odds and ends in the nursery, etc... And third (though clearly the most important reason), I just want to make sure Charlie is as healthy as can be. I know that his timing will be perfect, whatever it is!

Buying for Baby

2011-06-30T20:47:00.001-07:00

As this amazing pregnancy has just flown by, I just realized that I haven't bought ANYTHING except diapers for baby Charlie. How very different than my spending habits while pregnant with Carter, when I pretty much bought every adorable baby item I could find. Since I'm approaching 35 weeks pregnant, I figured that now would be a good time to buy a couple of fun things for my newest little guy.

I have been hearing rave reviews from many, many moms for Sophie, a cute little giraffe teether. Now, I have my doubts about how life-changing this toy will be, but I have seriously never heard moms get so excited about a toy before. Worth a shot!

Since receiving blankets were incredibly well-loved by Carter and he was happily swaddled for months, our selection of blankets is pretty pathetic. I have a bunch, but they are all shrunken and pilly from so much washing and use. I found some super-soft and cozy, oversized swaddling blankets that I think will be just perfect for Charlie.

I can't wait to bundle him up!

Such a BOY!

2011-06-24T17:46:00.000-07:00

Carter, the child who has refused to sit through an entire movie at the theatre, and rarely can be convinced to watch one at home, suddenly has an increased attention span - for sports games. Much to this Food-Network-HGTV-loving-momma's dismay, the other members of my family have a huge preference for basketball, soccer, and football games. It's not basketball season, you say? Oh, well, (sadly) there are still games on - 24 hours a day, thanks to the wonders of cable tv. All of this game watching is also accompanied by thousands of questions. What is his name? What is a backcourt violation? Why did they blow the whistle? Do you like this team better than that team? ... and on and on... The funniest part so far? Carter watching the NBA draft with Chris yesterday. There was a rapid-fire series of about 150 questions in the first 5 minutes that Chris had to endure. Thank goodness he has the patience of a saint. He has come to love basketball so much, that now he is pretending to be the players when he is outside shooting hoops - the other day, he was "Bosh Chris Nowitsky" and he was playing against "The Lebron James". Hehehehe :-)

Happy Father's Day

2011-06-19T19:06:00.000-07:00

It is so hard to believe that we are celebrating Chris's sixth Father's Day. From the very first day of being Carter's dad, he has been so incredibly loving, kind and patient (definitely more than I am!). Every year has brought new celebrations and new challenges as parents, and I have always been so proud of the choices Chris makes as he guides Carter through these tricky early years. What a gift it is to be so close to seeing him with a newborn again. Carter and I (and soon, Charlie) are so blessed to have this guy - what an AMAZING dad.

The Bump - 32 weeks

2011-06-08T13:12:00.000-07:00

32 weeks tomorrow! I was able to get to yoga twice this week, so I'm feeling pretty proud of myself. My sciatic is not agreeing with me (or the weight of a baby pressing on it), so the extra stretching has been so helpful. I'm so lucky to have a husband that not only provides for me to stay at home, but doesn't mind that I have to hire a babysitter to get myself out of the house a couple times a week. Lucky me!

31 Weeks!

2011-06-04T18:35:00.000-07:00

With all of the distraction from the big move and the end of the school year, my pregnancy seems to be progressing so fast! I am amazed that I've already passed the 31 week mark. I am still feeling great, especially now that we are in this gorgeous weather and I'm trying to finish things up in the nursery. Baby Charlie has officially started the alien-movement stage, and I just love watching him lazily roll around and stretch my stomach into interesting shapes.

Obviously, because of the move, I had to find a new hospital and doctor. Thanks to the recommendations of Internet strangers and their blogs, I chose a midwifery practice that delivers babies at a hospital in Portland (about 30 min from us). This hospital offers water births, which sounded like the perfect option for me. I had my first appointment with the midwives this week, and I LOVED them! I am so happy to get to experience this kind of care. I also liked my ob, but my appointments barely lasted 5 minutes. This appointment was 45 minutes long - the midwife spent so much time just getting to know me and talking about all of the aspects of my pregnancy, thus far. I left feeling like I had made a new friend :-) She even sent me off with some restaurant recommendations to try and get to before baby Charlie joins us. I'll be seeing a lot of them, since my appointments are now every 2 weeks. The end is certainly creeping up! Hope we are ready for what is soon to come!

We Made It!

2011-06-01T22:31:00.000-07:00

It is hard to believe all that has transpired in the last two weeks. Carter and I wrapped up the end up the school year - he had a fun water day and pizza party with his class to celebrate his "graduation" from pre-K, and I spent lots of time packing up odds and ends in my classroom, readying it for the next teacher. It was bittersweet... I LOVED teaching at Camelview (for a 3rd time!) and I will really miss the friends I have made there over the past 7 years, but I am filled with excitement over my next job... just being MOM. I am so glad to be able to devote more time to Carter, without lesson planning and work stress nagging at me. Today, we made a big list of everything we could think of that we could do to keep busy at home this summer, and we spent the afternoon racing cars around the kitchen floor. Fun stuff!

I was so proud of how well he did on the drive up to Vancouver. We managed to get here a day ahead of schedule... with only a couple meltdowns (to be expected on such a long journey!). We were both so happy to be able to spend that time with Grandma. It is going to be hard not seeing her everyday, after staying with her and Granddad for the past 8 weeks. Every new adventure has drawbacks, and missing them is a big one.

Once we got to our new home, we were greeted by Daddy and Nana. We are so blessed to have Chris's mom be so thoughtful that she came ahead of Carter and I to help Chris unpack boxes and start setting up the house. By the time we arrived, pictures had been hung, furniture had been assembled, and there was minimal work for this big, pregnant momma to continue! Thank goodness!

So far, the drizzly rain and on-and-off grey skies have been lovely and refreshing. My ankles are SO thankful for this cooler weather... they are back to normal size now! Carter is learning how to time his outside play around the weather, and has had a blast playing basketball with his new big-boy hoop. He even has a new best-bud down the street to hang out with. Life is good - and I'm certain it'll only get better :)

Setting Up House

2011-05-15T18:35:00.000-07:00

Last weekend was my very first trip to our new home. It was fabulous! The rain was refreshing, and the clean air was just what I imagined. Chris did a fantastic job choosing our new home and neighborhood. Everything I’m used to having - the conveniences of good grocery stores, quick meal places, and my regular Target-Kohls-Michaels-etc - are all within a very short drive. The neighborhood itself is just crawling with kids. They all play out front, and the parents are friendly and welcoming. I couldn’t have picked it better myself!

Since I was only there for the weekend, I had to be focused. My first job was to unpack and organize the kitchen. No matter how helpful Chris would have been, this is a job that MUST be done by the person who uses the kitchen the most... ME! I’m happy to say that I was successful, and left him with a perfectly organized kitchen when I returned back to Phoenix. If only the same could be said for the rest of the house!

We have a lot to do once I arrive next week, but with the help of my mother-in-law, who will be visiting when I get there, I’m sure the boxes will nearly unpack themselves (don’t you wish your mother-in-law was so helpful?!). The thing I’m most looking forward to? Seeing Charlie’s crib set-up in the nursery. Can’t wait!

Our New House

2011-05-02T19:22:00.000-07:00

I have to admit - Chris had a pretty tough job this week. He was on his own in Vancouver, WA (suburb of Portland), trying to find a home for us to move into. Usually, this is something we would do together... and since we know I have no shortage of opinions, I would have obviously made the "right" choice clear to him. But this time, I wasn't there - I couldn't give my opinion on neighborhoods or yards. I have been pretty much limited to a few Craigslist pictures and Google maps info. Not ideal. I am so very lucky that Chris was up to the task. He visited about 10 homes, and picked the perfect one for us. It is in an awesome neighborhood - kids in nearly every house nearby, and the very best school in the city. And, of course, there is a guest room - so start planning your trips, people!

Happy (Early) Birthday!

2011-04-25T08:45:00.000-07:00

We celebrated Carter's 5th birthday on Saturday at Chuck E Cheese. He was so lucky to have so many special people there - Gigi (Great-Grandma Clariece), Nana, Grandma and Granddad, cousins, aunts, and lots of special friends. Carter's excitement was nearly uncontainable - and so adorable! As usual, he was spoiled by everyone - 3 wii games, board games, gift cards, and a new pack of gum - lucky boy! We are so blessed to have such special people to share our lives with. It sure is hard to leave.

Too Cute!

2011-04-21T12:48:00.000-07:00

Some people choose cloth diapers so they can avoid putting chemicals on their baby's bum. Others make this choice to reduce the 5000+ diapers that will enter our landfills because of disposable diapers. But me? Yeah, I think both of those reasons are pretty important... but my favorite reason? Have you seen cloth diapers and covers? There is seriously nothing cuter to put on your baby. And that was reason enough to convince me!

Want to see my latest arrivals? Here are two darling diaper covers from SweetVioletsMama on Etsy.

This cover is upcycled from wool and cashmere sweaters - reborn as a diaper cover.

This cute animal print cover is made out of fleece - perfect to keep leaks away!

Yep - our baby's bottom is going to be the cutest one you have ever seen!

Yes, We Have a Name...

2011-04-20T17:44:00.000-07:00

...or three. The current favorites, as chosen by Carter, are (in no particular order): Cold, Snow, and Bonzo. We are leaning towards Bonzo, but that is subject to change, of course. Don't go embroidering any blankets just yet!

Baby Bonzo is getting pretty strong in there. He's moving and shaking my belly for all to see. It is a pretty amazing sight! He has finally given up on his stubborness and allowed Chris to feel his crazy movements. The many movements are surely my favorite part of being pregnant. One of my least favorite parts of pregnancy has also kicked in - terribly sore hips. Yoga seems to be the most helpful thing to keep the pain at bay... if only I could go everyday!

An Unexpected Trip

2011-04-15T15:09:00.000-07:00

This was a great morning - I dropped Carter off at school, picked up some fabulous iced cinnamon mochas from Lola's, and headed over to hang out with my sweet friend, Eve Elise and her cute kiddos. After about an hour of chatting, I got a phone call from Carter's teacher. First thought that ran through my head? What did my child do now? But, this definitely wasn't his fault - he was sick. Poor kiddo. Then, my brain started racing - yesterday, at basketball practice, he had a ball bounce off of his head. No big deal, right? But then, at 11:30pm, he woke up crying about his head hurting. He ended up going back to sleep, so I didn't think too much of it... but then, vomiting with no fever? Of course, I immediately thought that Carter had some kind of traumatic brain injury that was surely worsening by the second. What kind of mother am I?! I rushed him to Phoenix Children's Hospital to get checked out - can't mess around with that precious brain!

Thankfully everything checked out fine. The doctor said it was all just a strange coincidence of unrelated events, and he is probably just getting a stomach bug. Now Carter is back home, curled up in Granddad's bed, watching the Golf Channel. Yep. That's right - the GOLF Channel. He should be asleep in no time!

Bye-Bye Baby Tooth!

2011-04-14T20:09:00.000-07:00

My little baby is getting SO big! His first baby tooth wiggled out last night, with a little help from Grandma. I have never seen Carter so genuinely thrilled by anything! He ran around the kitchen yelling, "I lost my tooth!!!" and grinning the sweetest, toothless smile you have ever seen.

The tooth fairy was on duty last night, and left him a little money and a note. I thought that the money would have been the most exciting part, but no... Carter was enthralled at the gift of the... paperclip. Seriously! I don't know where this kid gets it! Granddad and I took him to spend his money tonight, and he chose to buy a pack of gum. This is another big first for our little man - he's never had gum before! Of course, he chewed it like a champ, and didn't even stick it in my hair. Total success :)

Bummer.

2011-04-12T20:19:00.000-07:00

This was not quite the morning I had hoped for. I drove myself up to Anthem to pick up our completed taxes. I skipped the stop for a mocha - even though I was really craving one... that was problem number one, but certainly not the worst. Once I got to the accountant's, I was shocked to see our taxes. We usually owe a hundred or so - no big deal... but this year we owe a whopping $6200. Oh. My. Goodness. Guess I'd better start digging for change in the couch cushions! On second thought, maybe it is a good thing I didn't stop for that mocha... I can use all of the extra $ that I can get!

On a much more positive note, I was able to pop in for a visit with my friend, Genea, and her adorable kids this morning. Talk about one awesome stay-at-home momma! She sent me on my way with a huge basket of maternity clothes and adorable onesies and bibs from her new business - PRAISEwear. If you have a minute to check it out, please do so!

Perfect Heart

2011-04-08T22:44:00.000-07:00

I was a little bit nervous going into my appointment this morning. I spent the 40 minutes in the car listening to the most uplifting and calming music I have on the ipod, and reminding myself - over and over - that no matter what the outcome of the scan... we love this baby, and everything would be okay. After waiting what seemed like an eternity in the waiting room, the ultrasound technician finally took me back into the exam room. She spent well over an hour completing her measurements and trying to get every possible angle of every part of the body. She was so incredibly thorough, that I just knew I was in good hands. When she was done, she brought the doctor in to talk to me and do her own ultrasound exam. After another 20 minutes of measuring/examining, the doctor assured me that there is NOTHING to be concerned about. She showed me all of the parts of baby's heart, and showed me just how perfectly sized they are. Since I know absolutely nothing about a baby's anatomy, I'll just take her word for it.

This entire experience has just reminded me how often we take for granted our health... the health of our children... and the health of our pregnancies. It truly is an absolute miracle to have a healthy baby. Thankfully, this is a miracle that happens many, many times everyday - but the frequency really shouldn't lessen how miraculous an event it truly is. I am so very thankful that my little boy is growing just right... and I will continue to thank God every single day for giving me the chance to have another healthy child.

Another Appointment

2011-04-05T21:22:00.000-07:00

Today was our second anatomy ultrasound. During our ultrasound 3 weeks ago, the technician was unable to get a couple of pictures that they needed, due to my rather lazy baby. He just wasn't interested in rolling over. So, fast forward to today... my baby boy was as lazy as ever, and refused to give up the views necessary to complete the anatomy ultrasound to my doctor's satisfaction. Apparently, the angle that they are viewing his heart makes it look like the atrium might be slightly different sizes... but they can't tell if it is just the angle, or an actual issue. Now, I am being referred to a perinatologist for a level II ultrasound, so they can attempt to get the view they need to reassure them that everything is perfect with our little man. In the meantime, I am doing my very best to trust in whatever this situation may bring. If nothing is wrong -fantastic! If they find a problem, then we'll deal with that. I know that we are given situations that we can manage.

A New Chapter

2011-04-05T08:20:00.000-07:00

Today is bittersweet day. Chris is embarking on a great new adventure - his new job - and our family starts getting used to a lot less daddy-time, until we are all together again in Portland. Not only is Chris starting a new job, but they have him beginning by attending a huge conference. He's been studying all of their information, so he knows what to talk about to all of the attendees... sure doesn't want to sound like it is his first day, even though it is! It'll be a great trip to Chicago for him. He'll be able to meet everyone in his company, get to know some of his customers, and have a great time wining-and-dining. I'm a little jealous! Well, at least of the eating part.
Carter was sad to say goodbye, but I think the adjustment will be better than expected. He has already surprised us by his amazing attitude with the move to Grandma and Granddad's house, and his excitement about our upcoming transition to Portland. He is an awesome kid - we are so lucky to have him. I am so excited to start this new step in life, and hope it continues to go as smoothly as possible.

Oh. My. Cankles.

2011-03-28T10:38:00.000-07:00

That's right... CANKLES. My attempts to be helpful during our crazy moving weekend has backfired, and my body is officially in revolt. My calves hurt - and there is no longer any sign of my bony ankles. In fact, the skin on each of my toes feels so tight, that I'm pretty sure I have sausages attached to my feet. Attractive, definitely.

On a good note... the moving is done! Well, the moving out is done. Moving into our yet-to-be-chosen home in Portland will be yet another adventure, but thankfully that will wait for 2 more months. Carter is having a bit of a hard time adjusting to the move to Grandma and Granddad's house. He doesn't quite understand why we aren't at our home... but not in Portland yet, either. Luckily, there is a 4-year-old neighbor at this house, too - so he'll have a new friend to play with!

I'm already 21 weeks and 4 days along (a bit behind in my blogging, thanks to the move!). Baby boy is getting super strong, and more than a little bit stubborn. He has been kicking like crazy, and he is finally powerful enough to make my whole belly move. Of course, I try to tell Chris as soon as this happens, and the second Chris tries to feel him, baby stops all movement. He stays perfectly still until the exact moment Chris moves his hand away... then starts up again! Silly boy :)

Busy Packing

2011-03-17T09:21:00.000-07:00

Ahhh, spring break - finally! What is usually filled with sleeping in and spending time with friends has seen a significant change this year. I've been packing all week, trying to get everything in order for our move. We only have 8 days left before we load the truck and send it off to Portland. How has it come this quickly?! I have been trying to pace myself, take lots of little breaks, and stay hydrated, since I know that packing and moving isn't exactly the best thing for a pregnant momma. So far, so good!

We finally had our 20 week anatomy ultrasound on Tuesday. I am so thankful that every little measurement they took was perfect. Our little boy is measuring 11oz - just right! He was a sleepy little guy, and didn't want to move around much, so I need to return for another ultrasound in early April to take a few more measurements that they were unable to get. I certainly won't complain! Another chance to see my boy - yay!

Baby's movement has been getting much stronger this past week. It shouldn't be long until Chris and Carter (and random strangers who enjoy touching a pregnant mom's stomach) will be able to feel those little kicks and jabs. I can't wait to see what Carter thinks about that!

House-Hunting From Afar

2011-03-10T21:18:00.000-08:00

I'm currently addicted to looked at available rental homes on craigslist.com and hotpads.com . The HUGE downside to my obsessive house-stalking, is that what I actually see a house I really like... there is nothing I can do about it. Here's a picture of my current favorite house:

Hello, Landlord. I don't live in your state yet, and I can't come and look at the property. Can you just HOLD it for me for another month or so? Just in case I like it? Oh, and can you send me more pictures and interviews with the neighbors, and the ages of all their kids? How many steps to the closest yoga studio? etc...

See? If I send an email like that (which is really what I want to know!), I'll never hear back, and they'll tell their friends all about the crazy transplant from Phoenix coming in to annoy their town. Just what I need! Making friends before I even get there :) So... I stalk, I wait, and I pray for the weeks to fly by. In no time, Chris will be up there, doing in-person stalking for me - which will be much more effective.

Portland... Here We Come!

2011-03-10T21:17:00.000-08:00

...and we thought a BABY was going to be our biggest life-change of the year. Not so! Chris has been offered a job that he just can't turn down - in PORTLAND! Of course, the timing is a little... interesting, but our excitement over the move is huge. Portland is definitely our kind of city: vegetarian-friendly (for my sweet vegan husband), eco-conscious (so my cloth diapers won't be so unusual), and politically active - a blue state - wahoo!

Am I nervous? Why would I be nervous?! Maybe because I am going to be 7 months pregnant when we move 1300 miles away from home? Because I'll have to find a new midwife/ob/hospital/birth center/pediatrician/etc? Because I have to scout out neighborhoods, choose a good school, and find a place to live... all in a city that I've never even visited? Ummm... yeah. I'm a little nervous. But, don't let that fool you - I am really looking forward to this move. I know that God has big plans for our family, and the way this job worked out, makes it impossible to believe that He didn't have a hand in it. I know that we are doing what is best for our family, no matter how challenging the short-term might seem.

On the plus side, I get to spend a gorgeous summer exploring a new city, eating at new restaurants, and making new friends. I will be setting up a beautiful guest room - and I expect to have LOTS of visitors (who wants to come and see a cute baby this fall???). Chris's new job will allow me to stay at home with Carter and his new baby brother - for as long as I want to. That is a huge relief, and something that I am so grateful for. Carter and I are excited to plant our first garden, and he has been busy planning which vegetables to plant. It will be an amazing adventure - that's for sure!

We're Heading Out of Town

2011-03-10T21:15:00.000-08:00

It is official - Chis accepted a job in Portland, Oregon. He leaves April 6th, with Carter and me following at the end of May. I've been blogging about it, though not publicly, since it wasn't official until yesterday - I'll get that posted tonight. We're in for a whirlwind of packing and planning!

And the Hormones Begin...

2011-03-10T08:51:00.000-08:00

So far this pregnancy, I have felt really great. Sure, I was a little tired and a tad queasy during the first trimester, but all-in-all this has been a fabulous pregnancy. I really thought I was in the clear from all the pregnancy-related craziness, but my hormones seem to be on overdrive. I have been upset by the littlest things - with very little sense involved at all. Yesterday, I stopped at one of my favorite places for lunch - a guac BLT, fresh-squeezed lemonade and a salted chocolate chip cookie. It should have been perfection... but instead, I found myself wanting to curl up in a ball and cry. Why, you ask? Because the pickles got all over my pineapple. And I hate pickles. And my cookie was crunchy. This was particularly distressing, because I had the same cookie two days ago and it was perfectly soft and chewy. I knew what I was missing, and proceeded to brood over my misfortune for the rest of the night. Good thing Chris was traveling for work - I was no fun to be around last night!

In better news, I am 19 weeks along today! *Almost* halfway there! Well, maybe more than half-way... if I deliver a little early, as I did with Carter. I have had a few former coworkers post pictures of their brand new babies during the past couple of weeks... I love seeing those tiny babies! It makes me so excited to meet this little guy! Only 20ish more weeks to go!

18 Weeks!

2011-03-04T21:52:00.000-08:00

Sometimes I forget that I'm already 18 weeks along. Then, I look down and see my ever-growing stomach... and remember. Whoa! As my students say - I'm getting "huger" every day. I've gained about 10-12 lbs, and I'm feeling great! Still very excited for my 20 week appointment and ultrasound. Nana and Grandma will both be on hand to see their newest grandbaby wiggling around in there!
The "fruit" of the week is a sweet potato. This might be the ugliest sweet potato, but surely it is no representation of my gorgeous growing baby.

Sleepwalking

2011-03-02T21:14:00.000-08:00

Last night, I was getting ready for bed when I heard Chris start talking. I walked into the family room and saw him carrying Carter back to bed. Apparently, he walked out of his room, went over a side table and acted like he was turning radio knobs (imaginary, of course). He had no idea what he was doing! Looks like we found another way that Carter takes after his mama... crazy sleepwalking!

Wiggly!

2011-02-28T09:14:00.000-08:00

I just got home from Carter's dentist appointment. He is getting close to losing his first tooth (not counting the one that he knocked out 2 years ago). His bottom front tooth is super wiggly, and the dentist said it'll probably only last another week. Of course, we had to do a quick run-down of the Tooth Fairy with Carter, since we've never talked about it before. I may have changed our Tooth Fairy's rules, though... Carter thinks that his Tooth Fairy will probably bring him a new book, instead of money. Shhh- don't tell!

17 Weeks

2011-02-24T09:58:00.000-08:00

I am happy to have to many things to focus on in my very busy life, that this pregnancy is just zooming right along. Even though it is moving quickly, I am trying to capture and memorize each tiny little flutter and flip in my stomach, since I know that this baby will be our last one. I am so excited for the time - just a few short weeks, I'm sure - when Carter and Chris can feel this little guy moving around. Carter is going to love it! It is hard to believe that Carter is going to be a big brother is just 5 more months!

Baby is already 5 inches long, and is just about 6 oz. I have been feeling great! I'm definitely in the wonderful 2nd trimester - no more nausea or exhaustion, and I'm happily stockpiling little things for our new boy. We are so lucky to have cousins that are giving us a crib to use (Carter's was a drop-side crib, and those are a big no-no now). I feel like my nesting is already kicking in!

No Phthalates in My Milk, Please!

2011-02-21T15:18:00.000-08:00

Our family is always looking for ways to decrease our carbon footprint in the world, and make safer choices for our family. Even though many baby bottles have gotten hip to the no-BPA-in-plastic movement, we just feel that plastic really shouldn't be in contact with our family's food if we can avoid it. Here is one of my latest baby purchases:

Silikids BPA Free Siliskin 4 oz Bottle in Aqua

Glass bottles are very safe, and the silicone cover protects it when baby decides to chuck it across the room. It makes me feel a little old-fashioned, but for the few times baby might need a bottle, I just don't want to be worried about the toxins that he's eating!

My Avocado Bump

2011-02-17T13:39:00.000-08:00

I am definitely done wearing regular pants! This growing baby is making maternity leggings and loose skirts seem like a WAY better option. I had my 4 month check up (has it really been that long already?!) yesterday, and got to hear baby's heartbeat again. That is definitely one of my most favorite things to do! Only one more month until our next ultrasound - and confirmation that baby is REALLY a boy!

Strike!

2011-02-13T13:55:00.000-08:00

Oh, holy hilariousness! Watching a child bowl is always sure to get a good laugh. Watching MY child bowl is sure to have you rolling on the ground, clutching your sides, and gasping for air while you laugh until it hurts. Chris had the brilliant idea to go bowling this morning at the beautiful new lanes downtown. It felt more like being in an upscale lounge than a bowling alley. Thankfully, it was nice and slow on a Sunday morning, since they really market themselves as a night-spot. We got our shoes, ordered some french fries, spilled a glass of water everywhere, watched Carter throw himself on the ground in despair every time he missed, and had a pretty awesome time together. This will definitely be something to do again soon.

What is the Point?

2011-02-12T12:05:00.001-08:00

What is the point of children's sports teams? Is it to teach them how to play the game? How to act like a good sport? Practice listening to directions? To just have fun? I contemplated this today, as I watched Carter's last t-ball game of the season. Instead of paying attention to the game, he was busy climbing trees, kicking a soccer ball around, and running everywhere but on the field. One of the moms said to me, "Well, at least he's having fun, and that's why they do this!" Hmm. I'm not so sure I want to spend $100 every 8 weeks, just for "fun". Can't we have fun climbing trees, kicking soccer balls, and running around at home? For FREE? Just sayin'.

I think we are going to attempt another sport for the next season. Carter has his heart set on playing basketball, and I think it might be a little more engaging than t-ball. If he's off climbing trees in the middle of those games, we just might need to take a break from sports teams for awhile, though!

My Little Mathematician

2011-02-10T09:24:00.000-08:00

Since I'm a teacher, I've had experience with a broad range of children and ability levels. And, somehow, my own child still absolutely amazes me with his natural mathematical inclinations. For the past year or so, he has been obsessed with people's ages and comparing who is older/younger. Not only was it super cute (and sometimes annoying), but it really helped build his number sense. Couple that with way too much time on the Wii, and learning how to read numbers through the ten thousands place because of the scores, he is just flying with his math skills.

This past week, his class was working on identifying numbers 1-20 - BORING! Well, actually, totally age-appropriate, but not for my kiddo. Luckily, his teacher is awesome, and she taught him how to count by 2's instead. He has been showing off all week, counting by 2's up to 50 for anyone who will listen!

Last night, I asked him if he knew that we could count by groups of 10. He said he didn't know that, so I just counted by 10's up to 100, just to show him. Not only did he immediately repeat the sequence... but then he continued to count by 10's to 200!! Who showed him that?! My little mathematician - he amazes me! His kindergarten teacher is going to be in trouble next year!

Week 15

2011-02-10T09:16:00.000-08:00

It suddenly seems to be quite appropriate that I've been craving oranges and orange juice for a month now! My little boy is already 4 inches long, and is trying to make himself known by flipping around so I can feel him. The movement has gotten stronger and more consistent this week, but I still can't feel it constantly. Another couple weeks, and I'm sure I'll be missing the subtlety of his movements now!

The visit to the birth center was amazing. It is the perfect place to have a baby. We are waiting to hear what our insurance company thinks about our plan, and I will continue to see my OB in the meantime. I have an appointment next Wednesday, so we'll get to check in on our little guy then. Can't wait to hear his strong heartbeat again!

A Pain in the...

2011-02-03T17:13:00.000-08:00

This morning started off with a little scare. I had been up much of the night, just not feeling well, when I started to have really sharp pains in my abdomen. They continued to come and go for the next few hours, and I was getting pretty concerned. On my way to drop Carter off at school, I called my doctor and they told me to come right over to get checked out. Thankfully, baby is doing just fine. She thinks that the pains are related to some kind of virus, and I have to just let it work itself out of my system. Seriously uncomfortable, but I can manage.

Is it really week 14 already? Time is flying! We are going to check out a beautiful birthing home on Saturday. It would involve a switch from OB to midwife care, which is really more my style. I am praying that it isn't too expensive, and that it will fit our wants/needs. Want to check it out? www.babymooninn.com - I'll let you know what we think after we visit!

The BEST Feeling!

2011-01-29T11:41:00.001-08:00

For the last couple of days, I've felt a tiny bit of fluttering in my belly - but surely, this is too early to be feeling the baby, right? Since I wanted to make sure I wasn't going crazy, I went to my number one source for random information - google. Oh, how I love google! Sure enough, various websites concur that 13 weeks isn't too early to feel the baby, especially if you are a second-time mom. Then, last night, as I tried to go to sleep, baby decided to have a dance party! There was no mistaking it this time - this baby is definitely moving! I am absolutely in love with the feeling of these tiny movements - boy, have I missed this!!

Just Peachy!

2011-01-27T09:49:00.000-08:00

Week 13 is here! I am officially starting the second trimester, and I couldn't be happier to be out of first. It really seems like time is flying by - I'm sure August will sneak up on me before too long! This week, baby is busy developing teeth and vocal cords (hopefully not too loud!). He is also nearly 3 inches long - amazing how quickly he's grown from just a tiny little blueberry, a few weeks ago.

The bump - small, but definitely growing!

Sweet Boy!

2011-01-25T09:27:00.001-08:00

That's right! Another BOY will be joining our little family on or around August 4th. We knew it was a long-shot to find out the gender at this morning's appointment, but the ultrasound technician was sure about our little man. We are so excited, and looking forward to telling Carter. Thank goodness I saved all of those clothes!

Diapers!

2011-01-23T08:53:00.001-08:00

Yeah, I know you are going to think I'm crazy. But, really, what else is new? Since I am married to the world's biggest tree-hugger, and I'm easily influenced by adorable baby products, we are going to be cloth-diapering for baby #2. Now, beforeyou start telling me horror stories - let me assure you: this is NOTHING like your mom's old-school cloth diapering! These gorgeous little diapers are practically as easy as a disposable diaper, with the added benefit of saving about $2000 and avoiding an extra few thousand pounds of toxic waste, chemicals and plastic from entering our landfills. Here's a picture of one of our first cloth diaper purchases.

I've been amassing a small collection - I have about 15 newborn diapers and 5 for the next size. I'll be waiting until the gender scan to buy the rest in super girly or boyish colors. Can't have green and yellow for everything!

NT Scan Countdown

2011-01-23T08:26:00.001-08:00

I am counting down the seconds until my appointment Tuesday morning. It is for a Nuchal Translucency scan, which gives more information for possible defects or higher risk level for Down's Syndrome. I am not concerned about the results of the ultrasound - I know we will love our perfect baby, no matter what happens. I am just so excited to get to see him/her again! We had a very early ultrasound at about 6 weeks, and the baby just looked like a tiny blob. No arms, legs, etc had developed yet. I can't wait to see the progress that it has made... and if we happen to be about to see the gender early, even better! Only 2 more days!

1 Day / 1 Week

2011-01-20T20:47:00.001-08:00

We certainly seem to have fast-forwarded a bit! I was only in the "lime" stage for 1 day, since I thought I was due later in August than my doctor told me yesterday. Glad to already be at 12 weeks and counting! It is hard to believe that the baby is already 2 inches long - and almost all of the baby's systems are fully formed. Wow!

Whoosh-whoosh-whoosh!

2011-01-19T16:36:00.001-08:00

I don't think there is ANY sound more amazing than hearing your baby's heartbeat. It just seems so absolutely miraculous that there is a tiny person - growing inside of me! I had an appointment this morning to meet with my doctor (who I've actually never met, since I always see the nurse practitioner). Thank goodness I brought my mom with me - the 40 minute wait dragged on forever! Just when I was sure that they had forgotten about me, she finally came in. It took her awhile to locate the baby with the doppler, but she finally found it and we got to hear that wonderful sound. 170 beats/minute! She also confirmed that my due date is August 4th - different that the August 9th that I had previously thought. So, that means that baby is

already a "lime"! First trimester has really flown by.

So thankful that my appointment was so perfect today. We have another appointment next Wednesday for a detailed ultrasound, and I'm so excited to visit my little one!

Dirty Floors

2011-01-17T15:23:00.000-08:00

Good news: I spent Carter's naptime cleaning the wood floors! They looked beautiful.

Bad news: Chris came home from work and spilled a bowl of salsa. all. over. clean. floors.

Sigh.

Can't Love You Tomorrow

2011-01-17T08:03:00.000-08:00

Last night, Carter was being super cuddly with my stomach. He was rubbing it, kissing it, and jabbering away... "I love you sweet baby. Have sweet dreams! I am showing you love right now, but I'm not going to be able to show you love tomorrow because I'm going to the park and I'm going to be really busy."

Well, then. At least he was thoughtful enough to let baby know!

Oh, BABY!

2011-01-15T12:07:00.001-08:00

Our family is gearing up for a HUGE - well, probably very tiny, actually - life change. Baby Erickson #2 is planning on joining us in early August 2011. We were surprised, shocked, and seriously elated at this news. The timing is perfect: Carter will be starting Kindergarten, which will give me extra one-on-one time with our new babe.

We are so thankful to have saved most of our baby gear, crib, and all of the necessities. Once we find out if baby is a boy or girl, I'll probably just have to do some shopping for fun!

I am 11 weeks pregnant, and baby is about the size of a prune. Next week will be a more attractive fruit, I'm sure :)

I have been feeling pretty good so far. I've been a little more tired than usual, with occasional waves of nausea, but definitely nothing too bad. Chris might say I'm more cranky than usual... I'm blaming the hormones! I have an appointment next Wednesday with my OB, and my next ultrasound in January 26th. SO excited to see our wiggly baby moving around!

Boxing Day

2010-12-26T14:32:00.001-08:00

Today is the day that we get to wear Carter out by letting him play and play and play with all of his new toys. Lucky duck got everything he wanted for Christmas - and even more. The highlight of it all was a new drum set. Music to our ears. Sort-of. He's also enjoying the coolest blow-up car that works with the Wii remote/steering wheel, so he can really "drive" while playing the racing car games. Sweet! Toys just weren't this cool when we were little.

We were so blessed to have so much time with family this Christmas season. Nana visited us last week, and was able to spend almost a week with our sweet boy. Oh, how he LOVES his Nana! I don't think there is anyone else who can listen to him talk endlessly for so long and still find patience for him. Not to mention, she brought super-cool remote controlled cars.

Lots of time was spent with Aunt Kiki and her boyfriend, Scott, who were home visiting from Minnesota. I'll bet they were glad to be enjoying our 70+ degree weather!

It is hard to believe that 2010 is coming to a close. We are sure that 2011 will be our best year yet - full of noise, laughter and big surprises!

How Much We Do!

2010-09-26T12:54:00.000-07:00

My sweet husband was telling Carter how he should appreciate his mom because of how much I do for them. So, Carter comes out and says, "Mom, appreciate us because we do so much for you!" Hahahaha!

Potty Mouth!

2010-09-21T10:19:00.001-07:00

My silly boy has discovered the hilarious world of potty/poopy humor. Oh dear! His latest favorite thing is to record his own voice saying ridiculous things like, "I pooped in the toilet! I pooped in my pants!"... and then he laughs, and laughs, and laughs... so silly!

Love You Forever

2010-09-06T17:16:00.001-07:00

C: Mommy, will you love me forever?

Me: Of course, I will!

C: Thank you, mommy. That is nice.

All Night!

2010-07-24T12:17:00.000-07:00

Carter was up pretty late last night, just playing in his room and talking to himself. When he woke up this morning and come into our room, he was wearing UNDERWEAR! He said that he changed out of his pull-up and into his underwear before he fell asleep last night... which means he actually had his very first DRY night! Very cool! Getting bigger and more independent every day.

Questions

2010-07-22T21:42:00.000-07:00

It seems as though we have accidentally hit the "questions" button on Carter... and I can't figure out how to turn it off!! Yeah, yeah... we know it is cute... but seriously! How many times can you be asked how old you are, whether you are right-handed or left-handed, or if you are older/younger than someone? While some strangers think it is cute, there are many who don't enjoy sharing these personal details with my inquisitive 4-year-old. Is it too young to teach him how to read someone's body language to determine whether or not they want him to talk to them? Hmmm... maybe!

Go to SLEEP!

2010-07-20T19:54:00.000-07:00

My poor child is terribly sleep deprived... ridiculously cranky... and just not very nice to be around these days. Why? Well, other that just being 4... he's also in the process of giving up the treasured nap. Children don't seem to have quite the appreciation for mid-day siestas that they should. Personally, I would LOVE to take a nap everyday. Wish he'd agree!

Happy Birthday, Carter!

2010-05-08T20:16:00.000-07:00

We celebrated Carter's 4th birthday today at our favorite park. Our family and friends ate donuts, played on the jungle-gym, and enjoyed the sun. It was a beautiful morning! We are so glad to be able to spend our happiest moments with such special people.

Sick?

2010-05-07T06:54:00.001-07:00

I awoke at 5am to Carter yelling from his hallway, "Mom! I NEED you!" Of course, half-awake, I ran over there and found him sobbing. "I-I-I g-g-got s-si-sick!" Since he has only had a mild cough lately, I wasn't really sure what was going on... " You threw up?" I asked. "Yes! A few days ago!" he cried.

Seriously?! You woke up at 5am to cry about throwing up a few DAYS ago?! (which was actually a few weeks ago... we're working on elapsed time :)

Poor kid probably had his first nightmare. When he re-woke-up this morning, he asked me, "Why did you come in my room this morning?" I just can't win! :)

Almost FOUR!

2010-04-17T13:20:00.001-07:00

It has been a while since I've had a moment to write (or actually thought about writing!), so I have some catching up to do. Carter has had an awesome past few months. He is seriously obsessed with his hats, belts, fireman boots, and bike. Can you believe that he is already riding a big-boy-two-wheeler bicycle?! Our little guy is growing up faster than we ever would have imagined. His favorite thing to do is to "ride bikes with Tony"... every afternoon, every weekend, no matter what! He'd ride outside in the pouring rain, if we'd let him. Carter is certainly developing a strong personality. Aside from his usual chatty self, he has found some independence at home and school - and is testing his teachers and parents ALL the time. It can be tough to keep up with him, but I know that he's slowly figuring out who's the boss - and it's not him! He has been practicing using his "listening ears" (just watch him turn them on!), and is working on earning his bike time every day by making good choices. He's slowly turning into a mini-foodie, thank to his parents constantly dragging him to new restaurants. He now turns up his nose at take-out, and would much rather go to the "taco shop" or our neighborhood coffeeshop, Luci's... is it strange that they seem to know him there? He's just so darn likeable and outgoing, no one can miss him! Carter has also started swimming lessons again, thanks to my dear friend, Summer. Hopefully I'll get some pictures posted of that soon - it is super cute!! He's really looking forward to his birthday - and he has a long list of things that he'll do as soon as he's four (apparently it is some kind of magic number?). He'll eat his vegetables, like broccoli, ride his bigger bike without training wheels, etc... He might be mildly disappointed to find that four isn't so much different than 3.75.

San Francisco

2010-01-01T19:40:00.001-08:00

Better late than never, right?

For Thanksgiving break, we took a wonderful road trip to San Francisco to visit Aunt 'Lissa and Uncle Lazaro. Everyone we talked to looked at us like we were CRAZY to attempt such a trip with a 3-year-old, but we decided to give it a whirl... we really owed them a visit! It had been nearly 8 years since Chris and I had made it up there.

So, the trip began... Carter was AMAZING! He watched movies and listed to music the entire time. Better than we ever could have expected. We stopped for 2 nights in Yorba Linda to visit at Aunt Cathy and Terry's homes. On the way back, we were able to spend a night at Aunt Julie's house, and saw the whole Ewing side of the family - including almost all of the cousins. Wow, we felt productive!

The time spent in San Fran was wonderful. Carter LOVES his aunt and uncle. He especially loved learning funny new phrases from Uncle Lazaro - "We're the best of the best of the best!" and "Ohhhh, yyyeeeahhhhh!". Too cute! We took a day in the city, another in Berekley, and the rest just hanging out together at their home. It was a perfect trip (except I was sick the whole time!). But I had unlimited tea served to me, and lots of people to help look after my boy while I rested. Perfect!

Pre-Christmas

2010-01-01T19:34:00.000-08:00

Big-Boy Bike!

Another wonderful visit from Nana came just in time for Christmas. She came to see us the week before Christmas, so we could all visit Globe together for Great-Grandma Billie's 80th birthday party. Carter was a perfect angel on the 2 hour drive, and was a hit at the party... singing, dancing, and playing his harmonica for all to hear!

Nana brought the best present of the year - a big-boy bike! Carter is THRILLED to be "just like Tony" (next door neighbor, 3 months older than Carter). Every time he sees Tony outside, he runs to get his helmet and bike, and insists on copying everything that Tony does... including every time Tony falls down. Oh boy!

Oranges

2009-12-31T13:38:00.000-08:00

Carter: I love this orange SO much. I love it bigger than the moon. I love it bigger than the sky!

He proceeded to stick the entire orange on his thumb...

Carter: It's not a finger orange!

Silly boy!!!!

Carter's Debut!

2009-12-11T07:16:00.000-08:00

Carter's Big Debut!

(in the middle, striped sweater - next to the kid in an identical sweater... lol)

How adorable! Last night was Carter's school's Christmas party. We didn't go last year, so we really didn't know what to expect. We were surprised when the kids were called up on stage to perform with little bells. Carter hadn't said anything about learning Christmas songs, practicing with the bells... nothing! Sometimes I wonder if he even notices what happens at school :) They sang a few Christmas songs, rang their bells, and looked absolutely precious! Especially MY little performer! Carter spent one entire song covering just his right ear... he later told us that he could hear himself better that way. What a rockstar :) He lost his bell in the middle (who knows where it flew off to!), and he gave the cutest pouty face... of course, mom ran over and got a new one from his teacher. All was well, once he got a new bell! He just loved being up on stage - I'm sure it won't be the last time!

So Proud!

2009-11-29T12:21:00.000-08:00

Our family had a huge milestone to celebrate. After 15 months of HARD work, Chris earned his Masters Degree in Business Administration. What a huge accomplishment! We are so proud of the endless amount of effort and perseverance Chris showed while working towards his degree. He's not only brilliant - but he looks great with that cap on, too!

The Graduate!

So proud of his papa :)