Check Ups and Progress

I took Carter and Caden for their 6 month and 2 year check up a few weeks ago... yeah, they were a little behind. Carter was just 8 months, and Caden was 26 months, at any rate, I wanted to make sure to record their growth. Carter was 17 pounds, 5 ounces (16%) and 27 1/2 inches long (48%). Caden was 27 pounds (29%) and 34.5 inches tall (33%) Caden has cut almost all of his teeth and the very last of his molars is mostly through now.

Carter is currently working on his 4 front top teeth all at the same time, and truthfully, he's being quite the trooper about it. He only seems truly miserable around bedtime. He's covered in drool and snot though and gnawing on anything available. The outside ones of the four (the bilaterals?) have cut the gums but you can only feel them, and the front two should cut through any day now. I'll be glad when these teeth are totally through. At my women's retreat a month or so ago, he got up on his hands and feet. It was hilarious, and he's been doing it ever since. He has since been getting up on his hands and knees and then diving forward in any direction. I think he's going to be on the go in no time. He also just learned to play peek-a-boo by himself. It's super cute and he cracks himself up! LOVE IT! :) Here are some pics of Carter doing some of these things...

Peek-a-boo



I got this Fisher Price Jumperoo for $5 at a garage sale a few weeks ago. I was so excited, and it looks nearly new.






Carter has been giving us these little smirky fake smiles lately that are so funny...he also makes this squinty eyed full on grin when he's trying to flirt with you, but I haven't caught that one on camera...yet. :)


His feet in this pic make me smile. He's just so content to be chewing on Carson's tools.

Carson's Birthday Party and Slip-n-Sliding

Carson's Birthday Party
We had a soccer party for Carson this past Saturday with a few family and friends. It was laid back and the weather was awesome. We barbecued and played a few games as well as a soccer game of sorts. We even had prizes and goody bags. It was really fun. Carson LOVED his gifts this year. He says his favorite was his hockey sticks that he got from Uncle Scott and Auntie K. My faves were his 2 weeks at "Adventure Camp" from my folks and some AWESOME new clothes from DeeDee and Uncle Tom. For Adventure Camp, Carson will go for 2 1/2 hours each week day for 2 weeks, and the activities include music, arts, crafts, games, drama, and science among a few other things. I think Carson is going to have so much fun! I can't wait to hear about each of his days.

One of our friends is working on starting a cake business and made us this awesome cake...aside from how awesome it looked, it was SO good!


This is their sweet baby, Jameson. Isn't he a cutie!


Here are some pics from the party:

Miss Emmarie:


Caden on the move:


The birthday boy:


My mom...isn't she a pretty lady? :)


Grandma Lola...love this picture of her!:



Sweet Naten...I'm SO glad his parents moved back so we could love on their little guy! LOVE this family! (I get to do a photo shoot with them soon, and I CAN'T WAIT!!!!)


Little Miss (Samantha):


She tuckered out right after this and it was hilarious!


Gearing up for the games:


Carson dribbling the soccer ball around the cones:


This pic was taken after Carson scored during our soccer game... Uncle Scott told him this was how you did a victory dance... you pull your shirt over your head and beat your chest. :)


Blowing out candles:


Opening presents...you can tell by Carson's hair that he'd been playing HARD!


It was such a fun evening!


Slip-n-Sliding
Carson got a 3 track slip-n-slide for his birthday. We pulled it out yesterday so the boys could play. It was so funny to watch them try to figure out how to dive down the slide. I suppose that's a pretty tough concept to run and jump into the ground. :)

Happy 4th Birthday Carson James!!!

You are such a sweetheart, my dear boy! You are a charmer and have most people you know at your beck and call. You already have a way with the ladies, especially little miss Alexa, who you talk about marrying someday nearly every day. You are highly independent, and have always asserted your opinion to anything we tell you with a "no, no, no, no, no....(enter the truth of the matter here). You are funny! Knock Knock jokes are all the rage for you right now, and you are always telling us one thing or another followed by "isn't that SO FUNNY!". You are super creative and love to do any type of craft. You LOVE to help with any project. I think you have a need to be needed, which is something your Daddy and I will need to remember. You especially love to help cook and help daddy with any project around the house or yard. You still have a crazy imagination. Daisy isn't popping up quite as often lately, but she still comes around when you need to blame someone for something...she and Caden tend to get the brunt of that. I still frequently catch you talking to any number of imaginary friends though when you're playing. You are always coming up with a new game to play or story line to act out while you are playing. You are REALLY into sports. I thought you were a fan before, but everything is about competition and one sport or another lately. Yesterday you kept finding dandelions to blow and with each one, you wished that you could play lacrosse with Tina. :) You adore him. You are so quick to offer praise to anyone for anything. You are constantly telling me "great job, Mom!," even for something as simple as changing someone's diaper. You are also pretty mischievous. We're currently trying to teach you that being deceitful is the same as lying, and you are truly having trouble understanding why they are the same. I think you are a bit of a passive aggressive. You tend to think that if you audibly comply and then do what you originally planned anyway, then all will be okay...your Daddy and I are hoping you learn this lesson quickly and easily. :) You are also still pretty laid back. As long as you know the plan, you are pretty much okay with anything. You have suddenly become quite the fashion guru. You are changing your outfit every time I turn around, and the new outfit is always sports related. When I ask you why you changed, you are always telling me this is your soccer (lacrosse, hockey, racing, basketball, etc.) outfit. You also LOVE costumes! If any outfit could possibly look like a hero or an animal or one job or another, you are all about it. You and Caden are the best of friends and the worst of friends. You love to play with him, and then you love to fight with him, and then the very next minute I hear, "Come on, Caden!" You are so good with Carter and other babies. I'm constantly amazed at how you use a soft sweet voice around babies and how gentle you are with them. You also LOVE to run with the big guys. Secretly, I think you believe you are truly a teenager. You are the sweetest boy, Carson James, and I am so proud to be your Mommy!

For you birthday yesterday, we had lunch with your Daddy and brothers at Chik-fil-a before going out for an impromptu photo shoot. Then you played while your brothers napped...I'm afraid your naps are few and far between lately, but you are really good about playing quietly. Preschool starts this fall for you, so I suppose it's okay that you are growing out of your naps. You definitely still need your down time though. Then we had some of our Uturn students over for our weekly planning meeting, and several of them brought you gifts for your birthday! They adore you! I made meatball subs for dinner and cake for dessert. You, in your true form, assured me that you had a "really good birthday." We're having a soccer themed birthday for you this weekend with friends and family, and you are so excited.

Okay, get ready for picture overload... Here are some of my faves from our photo shoot today. I also took pictures of Caden, because I hadn't taken his 2 year old pictures yet. This crazy Momma even attempted to get a picture of all three boys together...I was by myself and trying to get everyone's attention at once without letting Carter fall in the creek water (I found the coolest location under a street bridge), so that was a total joke... Oh, and Caden was much more cooperative than Carson was about having his picture taken, so there are several more of him...you'll see... :)

These first ones were all taken behind a feed store in Castle Rock.














Then we drove around for a bit and I found this gorgeous spot under a bridge. There is even a walkway along the side for easy access. I have to say though, that this part was short lived and a bit stressful. 3 little guys, a cold creek, and one Mommy with a camera is not such an easy combination. :)

SOAPing with Carson

Our church is doing a Bible reading plan called SOAP. (Scripture, Observe, Apply, Pray) We read a specific set of scriptures each day, and then journal about it. There are tailored plans for each age-group, including kids, so we've been trying to read frequently with Carson. It's really been awesome. Today's SOAP was particularly touching and hilarious, so I decided to share it and document it here.

Carson's reading for today was Matthew 18:10-14, which is the parable of the lost sheep. (The adult version covers the same portion of scripture, but more of it.)

Scripture:
Mommy: So what was your favorite part of the story?
Carson: When he found the sheep.

Observe:
Mommy: Can you tell me about the story?
Carson: He talked to them (the sheep) and found them and it was good.

Apply:
For this part I talked with Carson about how Jesus is like the shepard and we are like the sheep. I told him that when he does things that are naughty and he feels that nervousness in his heart, that is Jesus helping him to remember that he should be good. Then I asked him what he thought about that.
Carson: My heart is happy because Jesus is in it and knights.
Mommy: Knights?
Carson: Yeah.
Mommy: Does Jesus love you as much as the shepard loves the sheep?
Carson: Yeah.

Pray:
Mommy: Carson, can you pray about what we just learned? (Sometimes this is hit or miss, but today, he just rattled off this prayer.)
Carson: Dear Jesus, if my heart is lost and doing bad things talk to it, (I'm totally tearing up by this point.) and if I am lost, find me, (YES, LORD!) and if I'm stuck in a burning bush, put it out, and if there is a fire in our backyard, call the firemen to put it out. Amen.

I was so caught between full on laughter and tears. I was dying with giggles about the burning bush (which was his lesson in Sunday school a few weeks back) and the fire in our backyard, but I was so touched by his insight about Jesus talking to him and finding him, and even though the bush part was hilarious, I feel like I've been in a few burning bushes where I was more than thankful when they were put out. Lord, let it be!!