It's hard to believe...

... that one month ago, I gave birth to this handsome boy. Time flies.

Happy One Month Carter!
We love you!

susie homemaker?

I really wanted a nursing cover from slurpburp.com
but I couldn't justify the $25-30 + shipping
So...

I made a copy-cat one!

It took me maybe an hour and I didn't have a pattern.

I think it turned out GREAT! =]

^ the cover... this pic shows the built in burp cloth

^ this picture is probably most like the colors... beige and brown

^ this is how it works.

st pattys day and more

^ parker tried to give carter a bottle... and when i was bringing the bottle to the kitchen it got really quiet and when I walked back into the living room-- parker had carter sucking on his finger. they were both perfectly content and i even had enough time to grab the camera!!!!

^ parker's first time holding carter!


^ Happy First St. Patty's Day Carter!


^ check out those dimples!


^ check out those baby blues

^ parker playing on the playground. although our stay was cut short by a hungry, screaming newborn and a creepy kid named talon that wouldn't leave us alone!

^ carter at the playground

^ apparently what he really thought of being at the playground

^ britta and her boys came to visit for the day! we had a great time. here's hunter, jared, and parker.... hungry maybe? always.

OH! and this is too cool not to share:

jared is 8months older than parker.
parker is 8 months older than hunter.
hunter is EXACTLY 8 months older than carter!

^ i say 'smile' and this is what parker does

WHY I NEED A NIKON

this photo was taken with my point and shoot. i want a nikon in the worst way. but i know i'll never get enough money to do so... or if i do it'll be after my babies are all grown... =/

pictures from the in-laws

my father-in law burnt a cd for me of the pics of his camera here are just a couple of them

Thanksgiving with Great- Grandpa Bob:

Christmastime:

All the kids!
Jon, Laura, Beth, Matt, Rachel (Matt's Fiance)
Me, Brian

Parker

Parker getting into trouble (as always):

random question....

Seriously, I need ALL the input I can get.....

Have you ever said an answer in your head and thought you said it outloud? Has your partner or a friend ever done it to you?

Maybe you were paying attention to something, or driving, or falling asleep, or just basically preoccupied with something else?

I'm just wondering if anyone else has experienced this. THANKS!

stop the clock!

Carter had his 2 week appointment today!

At birth:

8lbs 4oz

20 1/2 inches


A couple days after birth:

7lbs 11oz

20 1/2 inches

Today, 2 weeks old:

8lbs 12oz

21 1/4 inches

He's already getting so big!


He has a cold kind-of cough and the Dr said there's nothing too much we can do (which I figured) and so he's just on some vitamins.

Other than that he's a "healthy and beautiful boy!"

meetin' the grams

Great-Grandma MillerGreat-Grandma Brenner
"Gram"

so I told myself.....

... not to get anxious about losing the baby weight. Anyone who really knows me, knows that I want to join a gym and lose some major weight but that I wasn't going to worry about the numbers right away.

Along with this I was not going to get on the scale (I did with Parker and I was at the same weight I gave birth at weeks after having him). Well, it was too tempting and I did. I was plesantly surprised to see I've lost 20lbs since giving birth! Today, I measured my belly and I'm down 10 inches from giving birth! To most, this doesn't seem like a lot bc I had a baby... well I'm SO shocked.

I was getting dressed and I said to Brian "oh lets see if my pre-pregnancy pants fit" jokingly. I took them out of the closet and held them up to myself with a giggle- there's no way they would fit. Well, I tried them on for laughs (and sobs) and they fit! Holy Moly! It totally made my day.

I obviously still have a long way to go to reach my goal but I'm on my way! =]

what a day

So, it's 8am and already:Both

Courtesy of Mr. Parker

...but at least I get to pick out new dishes!
(we needed more before and now our 4 bowls are down to 3 and they don't make my pattern anymore...)

outtie?

Carter's Umbilical Cord fell off today &

it looks like it's gonna be an outtie!

smarty pants

So Parker has been doing two things lately that have really impressed me!

He loves this book called "Zip Pop Hop and other fun words to say" and it is all about Elmo and his adventures with fun words. There is one page where Elmo's daddy is putting him to bed and it says something like "At night Elmo's daddy sings him a song. Sometimes Elmo hums along. Hmmm Mmm Mmm". Parker has been opening the book to that very page and humming. He will keep humming louder and louder- smiling... until we notice him and say something. And after we do- he just cracks up laughing!

In church- he waves his arm as though he is conducting the music while we help him 'read' the hymnal. Well, today he found my church bag and in it is a folder of sheet music (for primary) and I look over and he's humming and waving his arm- conducting the music!!! He does a killer 2/4 time. Future musician maybe?

Everyday I am more and more proud of him. He's turning into such a big boy!!

Happy Pease Porridge Day, Carter!

Pease porridge hot, pease porridge cold,
Pease porridge in the pot, nine days old;
Some like it hot, some like it cold,
Some like it in the pot, nine days old.



The origins of this rhyme are unknown. The name refers to a type of porridge made from peas, pease pudding, also known as pease pottage (in Middle English. ("Pease" was treated as a mass noun, similar to "oatmeal" and from that we get the singular pea and plural peas.)





Happy Pease Porridge Day, Carter!
I love you!

our 'exciting' morning

This morning we were sitting in the living room, I was on the couch... and Brian was on the floor playing blocks with Parker. We heard a wicked loud bang.... we looked at each other and said "WHAT WAS THAT?!". It sounded as though something had hit our air conditioner or something. Brian went to investigate and looked out the sliding glass door. Well, he apparently found the sound...... Isn't it amazing that it's not all over our floor?!?!


The maintence people said that it was probably due to the extreme temperatures we've been having outside. I'm sure the guy's sound system downstairs didn't help matters.

So, we'll be able to enjoy a nice new sliding glass door for a couple weeks at least!!

Thanks to the Ashton's for letting us come over while they were breaking and fixing our door!!

alaphabet tag

Here's how you play... My good friend Beverly tagged me with the letter "B". So now I have to list 10 things I love that start with that letter. So here it goes…...

1. Brian (that was an obvious one, right?)
2. Boys (especially my 2 little guys)
3. Bubble Baths (do i get 2 points for that?! haha)
4. Blogging
5. Bedtime
6. Buying Things
7. Bags
8. Bargain Shopping
9. Bahama Breeze
10. Baby Clothes

...phew, that was tough!!!

brothers

Parker brought over a book to Carter and was reading to him.

Priceless.

happy due date Carter!

^ tiny feet

^ tiny fingers

^ pushing Carter in the swing

^ resting on mommy
^ Carter's first battlewound courtsey of big brother Parker





^ See! Parker really is starting to like him.

^ my little blondie

ps- Kerry, Rob, and Luke- we LOVE the car pjs! thanks! =]
its so cute when the newborn clothes are too big for them.... makes you extra sad when they outgrow them

after thoughts....

My first birth was nothing short of ‘typical’. It was one unnecessary medical intervention after the next which, of course, led to a cesarean section. I smiled through the pictures and the countless ‘congratulations’ but inside I was dying. Had I really done all I could to make sure that my baby was born healthily? Did I really need to be induced? Did I really need cytotec and pitocin? Did they really have to break my water? Did I have to push when they told me? I knew from the moment I laid staring at the blue sheet waiting to hear the cry of my firstborn that next time was going to be different. I researched VBACs and a common trend I found was that successful VBAC moms had doulas. I found Doulas of CNY and began my journey. I emailed Chris, met with her, and she said that she would be my doula! I was well on my way to a VBAC.

The doula experience begins way before birth…. Chris met with me and asked me what my plan was and I said that I ‘wanted to try to VBAC’ and she said ‘You will VBAC’. I sent her countless emails with questions and she answered them all! She also sent me some poems that I hung around my house and read them daily to keep me focused and motivated. She arrived at the hospital as soon as she could (even though it was her birthday!!), and through her kind and encouraging words, gentle touch, and level head- I delivered my second son: without being strapped to monitors, without ivs, without pitocin, without pain meds, without being confined to a bed, and waiting for my water to break on its own and pushing when my body wanted to. This is how babies were supposed to be born.

Overall, my whole doula experience was great. I can’t wait to have baby #3! (Well, actually I can wait….. ;) )