8 Weeks & A Drummer Boy

This past weekend we were blessed to have a weekend away with our church staff. It was such an awesome time of rejuvenation for us as a staff, and was much needed. It's so nice to be able to minister with people who are so eager to do God's will as a team. Carter went with us of course, so he was loved on by many, and my Dad got to fix his favorite baby hairdo:




We like to try to go to our youth's sports and school activities as we can, but this year our attendance has been pretty slim since we were having a baby and all. We did get to go to one of the last home volleyball games of the season for one of our schools though. It was fun because we got to see 3 of our girls play at once. The boys always have such a good time at the games. Carson got to hold a poster while he cheered as loudly as he could, and Caden and Carter made the rounds to all of our friends that were there.

Loving on Pastor Russ:



Carter has been with us for 8 weeks now. He's such a good baby, and we're starting to see him awake a little more frequently...little being the operative word. He still has the bluest of eyes. He is starting to smile more and LOVES to look at lights. He's been a bit of a flirt with me at times and it's fun starting to see his personality come out. I think he's going to be pretty laid back, but we'll see.

A super sweet family in our church decided to give Carson their child's drum set since he had outgrown it, and Carson has had so much fun with it. Here is a video of him doing his very favorite thing.


We're heading to Houston tonight for Cary's sister's wedding. It should be a fun time, and I'm sure I'll have pictures galore to post. Everyone will get to meet Carter for the first time, and many of the extended family will also get to meet Caden. I'm so excited for Emily and Shawn, and am so excited to get to be a part of their special day!! :)

Comfort

Caden has always liked things that are soft and silky. He has a small blankie that he sleeps with that is satin and minky fabric. He likes to touch things that are soft and suck his thumb. Ever since he was a little bitty thing, he would hold his ear while sucking his thumb, and more recently, he has been sticking his hands down his pants. Evidently his rear is soft. This picture was captured at our end of summer church picnic in September.

The Circus & The Best Hiding Place in the Woild

I blogged several months ago about how I had gotten Carter a coming home outfit that I LOVED. Since he came so early, he didn't get to wear it home. He finally got to wear the outfit for the first time Sunday, so I took pictures since the outfit was special to me, and one that will surely go in his keepsake box.





This picture cracks me up...


Last Monday, Cary and I got to take the boys to the circus, thanks to my Aunt Jess! I'd never been to a circus before, so I was super excited, and was not disappointed. It was so fun. The animals were so cool to see in person. The elephants were my favorite. And the boys (Carson especially) were so impressed with the motorcycle tricks. It was such a fun day.


Funny Carson Stories
The other day, during a particularly difficult naptime, I thought Carson had finally fallen asleep around 4:30 PM. When we were ready for dinner around 6, I went in to get Carson up, and he was no where to be found. I looked in his blankets, under his bed and in his closet. I walked around the house calling his name loudly, and nothing... And then I started to panic a little bit. I thought maybe he had snuck outside. I knew he wouldn't take off, but who knows what would have happened had some random person seen a 3 year old wandering around alone. So Cary and I both went outside and start calling for him. We went all around our front and back yards trying to find him with no luck. After a bit, I decided to check his room again. He has this storage thing that has small buckets in it for organizing, and we throw his stuffed animals behind it, so on a whim, I decided to look in the stuffed animals. Sure enough, underneath all of the stuffed animals, Carson is sound asleep. I don't know how he slept through all of our hollering. He woke up then, and looked at me. And I said, "Carson, I was so scared! I thought you were lost!! Were you sleeping in here the whole time??" and he said, "Yeah!! This is the best hiding place in the WOILD!! (world) He was so incredibly proud of himself, Cary and I just died laughing! We couldn't help ourselves.

Then this week, we've all had colds. When Carson first got it, I asked him if his ears hurt because he was messing with them. He felt one of them and said, "No, it's still bendy." Then I asked him if his nose was stuffy, and he felt it with his fingers and said, "No, look, it's still soft." :)

I love that kid.

Pumpkin Patch and Carving

I LOVE fall!! All of the leaves around here are golden and red. The air is turning cooler, and I love the scent of fireplaces each evening. I've wanted to take a trip to a pumpkin patch ever since Carson was born, and it's never worked out until this year. We got to go a few weekends ago. It was a cold and rainy day, but we stuck it out, and it was a ton of fun! Carson and Caden loved picking out pumpkins! Then Cary, my dad, and brother, Austin took the boys through the corn maze. They had fun, but met us in the car totally covered in mud! It was crazy, but surely a day we won't forget!



This pic was over exposed, but I wanted to use it anyway...














My mom and Carter hung out under a tent the whole time we were there, and Carter slept the whole time!










Then a few days later, Cary, Carson and I carved our first pumpkin.

Our Beautiful Boy, Caden...

CHIPPED his two front pearly whites! :(

How, you may ask??? NO IDEA!

They weren't chipped yesterday as far as we know, but they were chipped when he got up this morning. I'm so very sad. I called my mom - who worked in various areas of the dental field for forever - and she said that if he's not hurting, a repair would be purely cosmetic, and since these will be among his first teeth to go missing, we probably won't do anything about it unless they get worse. But I'm so sad. I swear this child is our reason for having health insurance. I see many, MANY ER visits in our future...

Here's a closer view of the damage. Notice how unfazed he is by it all...

1 Month Old

Carter has been with us for a whole month now! I really can't believe it's been that long already. He's been an easy addition to our family so far. He is a great sleeper in spite of sleeping through 80-90% of the day. He wakes up about every 3 hours, sometimes 2 1/2, sometimes 4, throughout the night. But he generally eats and goes back down easily, so that's really nice. I've really been blessed with great sleepers so far. I think God knows I would lose my mind if it were any different! :) He's generally mellow, and only gets super upset if he is hungry or needs to burp, and then he's pretty easily soothed. I've seen a few gassy smirks here and there, but no true smiles. Cary SWEARS he received the first true smile yesterday, but since no one was around to verify, it's still up for debate. ;) Carson and Caden have adjusted really well and just adore Carter. Caden brings me his pacifier and his diapers and loves to help, but he also loves cuddle time with Cary and I. Carson has totally taken on the roll as the biggest brother. He loves to play and pretend with Caden, and anyone else who will participate. He's loves to help and do anything that makes him feel big. He is constantly telling us that he can do such-and-such "because I'm big...I'm 3!" He also keeps telling us, "I can do it! I'm STRONG!" It's pretty funny how important this is to him lately. I think he finds some identity in knowing he is the biggest brother. He loves to help soothe Carter when he's crying by shh-ing him or singing. Speaking of singing, Caden is singing everything under the sun! It's so funny, because he doesn't know many words to the songs he knows, so he sings the tune and makes up words. Hilarious, but you can always tell what he is singing, and if you sing along with him, it lights up his world. Too funny. Anyway, the boys are sweet as can be.

Carter in his typical state at 1 month old:


Story time is big at our house, so I thought it was so sweet a few days ago when Carson took it upon himself to read Carter a story:




Caden grabbed himself a book to read, so as not to be left out. :) He's so serious about it!

Play Time & Bath Time

Earlier this week, Carson and Caden were playing in Carson's room. Carson wanted to dress up as a cowboy, and I suggested that he dress up Caden too. This is how they came out.... These pictures were taken in about a 15 second span without any instruction. It was pretty funny, Caden just kept posing...







Then Carson was telling me all about what they were doing while dressing up...


Carter had his 2 week appointment on Friday. All is well with him. He's growing so fast, I can hardly believe it though! He was 7 lbs, 10 oz and 20 1/2 inches long. He also had his first real bath on Saturday. He's had plenty of sponge baths, but this was his first real one since we had to wait for his umbilical cord to fall off. He did really well and seemed to enjoy it. He was mad at me for stripping him down, but was instantly calmed when his rear hit the warm water. Here are some pictures from that as well...






All clean:

Happy 29th Birthday, Cary!!!

I felt that this deserved it's own post. :) I hope you have a fantastic birthday, Babe! You deserve it! :) I'm so thankful for you and the blessing you are to me and the boys! I can't imagine living this life without you!! Happy, happy birthday!!

1 Week Old - Yesterday

Carter was one week old yesterday. It seems like he's been with us forever and yet like he just got here yesterday. It's so strange to think that he technically shouldn't be here yet. He's been such a good baby so far. He still sleeps all of the time, but we're beginning to see his eyes for small stretches here and there. They are a pretty navy color, though I'm sure they'll turn brown soon. Carson and Caden are doing well. I have to keep an eye on Caden because he just has SO much energy and is SO fast! But he loves to love on Carter and hasn't beat up on him yet or tried to push him off of my lap, so that's a good thing. Carson has been really good about asking if he can hold Carter and not just attempting to pick him up by himself. I'm really glad about that. Sleeping hasn't been too bad either. Carter sleeps in 3 hours stretches, and we've even gotten a few almost 4 hours stretches here and there, so that's been super nice. And then all of the boys take an afternoon nap at the same time, so I'm able to rest a bit while they do. Caden takes a morning nap still, so I'm able to catch up on some housework things while he's down, since I don't have to have my hawk eyes out. :) All in all it hasn't been too bad so far. Mom was with me Monday and Tuesday, and it was so nice to have her with me...not just for the help, but for the company. :) Sorry you had to go back to work, Mom, but I'm posting pictures just for you! :) It's also so nice to have Cary working from the house (although he has to leave for a business trip on Monday :( ) because he is here to help when I need him and entertain the boys here and there. He's such a good Dad.

Okay, I was just looking through my camera, and there are tons of pictures I haven't posted, so I'll just go in order by date. :)

Carter at 1 day old:


2 days old:


We had to get him a different coming home outfit because the one I had gotten and loved was ridiculous. This one is a newborn outfit and is still HUGE on him. Look how big the hat is! Oh, and his hands look huge because he was reaching towards the camera...


Going home...








1 week old with his big brothers...










Carter you have such good big brothers, and they just adore you!!