Accomplishments

I have been so good about blogging about our happenings, that I'm afraid my boys' accomplishments have been lost in the midst, so I figured I would stop and fill you all in.

Caden... Caden is getting big way too fast. Much faster than his brother did it seems, but that is probably just because with two I am busier and forget to take note of things as they happened. Caden is the happiest baby I know. He giggles and smiles constantly, even when no one is around. He talks and coos and will hold a conversation with you. He loves to play independently for short times - which is such a good thing when you have more than one child. He sleeps through the night most of the time since he was 7 weeks or so except for eating between 5 and 6 a.m. and then will go back to sleep until 7 or 8. Praise the Lord!!! He loves tummy time, and rolls over like a champ...all over the room in fact. He rolled over from his stomach to his back around 4 weeks by mistake, but it became a regular thing around 6 weeks or so. He rolled over all the way at 3 months. The other day, he got up on his knees and forarms and pushed himself forward twice. I was SHOCKED! Carson never did that until right before he started crawling! He is constantly trying to sit himself up, which is very funny to watch. He always wants to be up so he can see everything. He loves to watch Carson, and smiles and giggles when Carson talks to him. He laughs when others laugh, even if it's in the other room. It's hysterical! Like the funniest joke was just told, and he totally got it. He's also very ticklish. He will let you know when he is upset, and is very specific about his wants, but is easy to satisfy. He is a very fast eater. He can nurse completely in about 8 minutes. And when he's tired goes to sleep quickly too. I can rock him for 5 or less minutes until he's dozing and put him in his crib. I just can't believe how easy he is. He is also about to cut his two bottom teeth. You can feel them right under the gums.

Carson is so big lately. He wants to do everything himself, and will tell you "Tartan do it." He calls himself Tartan, and his brother "Taden." He has started speaking in short sentences, and it's so funny when he uses things in context. When he wants something, he will tell you to put it "right dere, Mommy." He also says please, tank-tou "thank-you", torry (sorry), and "welcome" for you're welcome without any prompting from me. Every time I give him something he says "tank tou, Mommy," and I'll say "You're welcome, Carson," and he'll say "welcome," and nod his head to himself. It cracks me up every time. Yesterday, we were shopping at Walmart for a youth event, and Carson was pulling a popcorn popper toy that my Mom was buying him for being so good. He walked in front of a lady, and looked at her as he passed and said "torry!" We were cracking up. He is extremely busy, and loves to play outside. He also loves to read stories, and will sit with you as long as you will read them. Potty training is going well, and as long as I'm consistent with putting him on the "potty" he will go without accidents. He hasn't figured out the telling us he needs to go part yet. He will tell you he needs to go when its bedtime though, in hopes of delaying the inevitable. How do kids learn things like that? He does wear diapers when he sleeps, mainly for my sanity. His favorite things are balls, cars, tools, any park, choo-choo's (trains) - when he sees one, he says "all 'board!," outside, the pianum (piano), ALL instruments, especially the bums (drums) and the da-da-tar (guitar). Yesterday, he discovered the ice cream truck that comes through our neighborhood. (They have become pricy by the way!) When I was in junior high, you could get an ice cream for 50 cents, and now they are $2.50!! Anyway, he heard it coming and decided it was the "Pianum Truck" because of the music. He was so excited that the man gave him a treat. He also constantly wants to drink mocka milk (chocolate).

My boys are so much fun, and the days are going by way too fast! At least if I update my blog with the things they are doing, I will be able to remember it when they are 10.

Summertime Fun

Curb Appeal

This weekend, Cary and I got busy and finished the flower beds in our front yard. With two little ones, it took twice as long as it probably should have, but it was so worth it! We had already dug where we wanted the beds and placed the edgers (whatever they are called...) and when I say we, I mean Cary & my dad, when we remembered to take pictures. Anyway, here are some before and after pictures:

Before:


After:


Some close-ups:






And just for fun...
a picture of Carson who saw the camera and begged to have his picture taken...such a ham:

Happy Father's Day

I love you, Cary and am so thankful for the husband and father that you are! I hope that your day was wonderful, and that you enjoy all of your upcoming trips to the golf course! :)

Denver Children's Museum, Animal Farm & Bathtime

For Carson's 2nd birthday, my parents got Carson a one-year family pass to the Children's Museum. We took him there for the first time a few Saturdays ago, and he had so much fun! It's a pretty cool place with all of these different rooms to explore. You can paint on easels, grocery shop, cook pretend food, explore humansize animal burrows and bug tunnels, work in the building stations, play basketball in a little bitty full-court gym (which of course was Carson's favorite), and so much more! He had a great time! Here are some fun pics from our time there:

Playing dress up:






Climbing out of the ant hill with Daddy and a random playmate:


In the birdnest:


building a boat with dad:








We also visited a really fun park a few days ago that had a petting zoo and train ride. Carson LOVED it, and has been asking to ride the train every day since.





Caden was there too, but this was the only picture I took of him :)


And here are a few fun pics of Caden at bathtime. I'm so glad he has loved every one since the first!

Yay for my boys!

Probably TMI, but I think this is exciting. We started unofficially potty-training yesterday. Unofficially, because it's hard to start training on a busy weekend. I had planned on starting on Monday, but Carson found the training pants and pottyseat that I had purchased this week. He was excited, so I figured we would give it a go. Anyway, since yesterday, he has gone "poo-poo" twice - both times in the toilet! Yay for Carson! Going #1 has proven a bit more difficult...he sits there forever...I'm not kidding, like 20-30 minutes at a time, and then the moment he gets off, he pees... but I'm not worried. We've just started here, and as far as I'm concerned, he has pretty much figured out the hard part, now if Mommy could just figure out the timing for #1, we'd be good to go.

Concerning my other boy... this week Caden has started scooting all over the place during tummy time. Isn't it a little early for him to have figured out the beginnings of crawling? He actually sticks his feet to the ground and pushes himself forward. It looks like he's going to be trying to keep up with Carson in no time!

Oh, in other great news...our friends Josh & Kelly were able to bring their new baby, Patriot home on Wednesday! He made a sudden recovery due to many answered prayers and was able to come home early! Praise the Lord!!

Edit: Josh & Kelly just texted me to let me know that they Patriot has been readmitted to the hospital. He is too jaundiced, so they want him under the lights where they can watch him. Please pray for this sweet famiy. I know they want Patriot to be whole and are ready for things to get back to normal. For pictures of this sweet boy, and a better update, click here.

Pictures

One of our friends took pictures of the boys to document 3 months for Caden and 2 years for Carson. Here is a peek at some of my favorites...

More Baby News

Our friends Matt & Kari, who have been trying to have a baby for 7 years just found out that they are expecting for the first time! God is so good! This is a wonderful answer to many, many prayers! We are so excited for you guys!!!!