Fall is my favorite time of year. I love the way the leaves look in our neighborhood. And driving down Hwy 21 on a bright sunny day can make the hillsides look like they are on fire! The kids could care less about the breathtaking view, but they do love playing in the leaves. If only they could rake them up themselves.
Some things our family has done the last month or so:
1) Picked apples at Eckert's apple orchard.
2) Hiked a trail at Powder Valley Nature Center.
3) Sampled and admired all the works at the Best of Missouri Market.
4) Played volleyball or softball.
5) Brewed some beer.
6) Took a photography class at Forest Park's Jewel Box.
7) Slid down the twisty slide without Mom's help.
8) Saw a real armadillo at the World Bird Sanctuary.
9) Played chicken with a bison herd at Lone Elk Park.
10) Upgraded to a big-boy bed.
11) Cheered for the Cardinals!
12) Drew chalk pictures in the driveway.
13) Learned STOP, DROP, and ROLL!
14) Climbed all over some firetrucks.
The weather has been wonderful these past few weeks. We've been spending a lot of time outside. Once the weather turns colder and the days grow too short, we'll turn into crabby, caged beasts until spring comes again. So for now, it's "Let's go outside!"
Click HERE for new pictures. Enjoy!
Thursday, October 27, 2011
Monday, September 5, 2011
"I am 3!"
Carter is officially out of the terrible twos, though I don't think they were ever really all that terrible. We had a great birthday party at our house with a Thomas the Tank Engine theme (if you don't know who Thomas is, pull your head out of the sand). Family and friends came to help us celebrate. Thanks everyone for your help and for the awesome gifts!
I keep thinking about all the milestones Carter has reached during this past year. The explosion of talking, running, and memory just blows my mind. We're working on potty training and soon he'll be in a "big boy" bed. I love being a witness to all his accomplishments but it is a little sad to see some things disappear. His word pronunciation improves all the time, so the adorable ways that he used to say some things are gone forever..."Nora" used to be "Ra-ra" and "Caboose" used to be "Boose-a-boo-boo". There are a few new ones though. Part of me doesn't want to correct the way he says "Peetz-ba" for "Pizza".
Nora has plenty of her own milestones to brag about as well. She's much more expressive at this age than Carter was. Already she has a few dozen words that I can recognize and her facial expressions never fail to make me smile. She's figured out how to climb onto the furniture and it's not uncommon for me to catch her standing up on an end table after leaving the room for a moment. She loves hiding in closets and tents, and hugs her stuffed animals whenever she comes upon them. In the flash of an eye, she will empty an entire drawer of clothing, then prance around the room with the clothes draped over her head. Such a ham! The best parts are listening to her and Carter giggle together like two scheming siblings.
The weather is finally turning cooler and we are welcoming the change with open arms. It's been a very hot and dry summer this year and we are looking forward to enjoying some playtime outside. Hope everyone is doing well!
Click HERE for a couple new pictures on Facebook.
And click HERE for birthday party pictures.
I keep thinking about all the milestones Carter has reached during this past year. The explosion of talking, running, and memory just blows my mind. We're working on potty training and soon he'll be in a "big boy" bed. I love being a witness to all his accomplishments but it is a little sad to see some things disappear. His word pronunciation improves all the time, so the adorable ways that he used to say some things are gone forever..."Nora" used to be "Ra-ra" and "Caboose" used to be "Boose-a-boo-boo". There are a few new ones though. Part of me doesn't want to correct the way he says "Peetz-ba" for "Pizza".
Nora has plenty of her own milestones to brag about as well. She's much more expressive at this age than Carter was. Already she has a few dozen words that I can recognize and her facial expressions never fail to make me smile. She's figured out how to climb onto the furniture and it's not uncommon for me to catch her standing up on an end table after leaving the room for a moment. She loves hiding in closets and tents, and hugs her stuffed animals whenever she comes upon them. In the flash of an eye, she will empty an entire drawer of clothing, then prance around the room with the clothes draped over her head. Such a ham! The best parts are listening to her and Carter giggle together like two scheming siblings.
The weather is finally turning cooler and we are welcoming the change with open arms. It's been a very hot and dry summer this year and we are looking forward to enjoying some playtime outside. Hope everyone is doing well!
Click HERE for a couple new pictures on Facebook.
And click HERE for birthday party pictures.
Wednesday, August 10, 2011
Dog Days of Summer
The heat wave finally broke today and we celebrated by going to the Zoo. Carter was most excited about the snakes, but I think Nora liked the ducks the best (because she can nearly say the word "duck"). I liked the Dippin' Dots ice cream break we took after two hours of pushing a double stroller.
Nora's vocabulary is really starting to take off. Not that anyone would be able to understand her...most of her words are ones that only I can comprehend. But in some form or another, she is able to say: Mama, Dada, ball, more, water, mouth, nose, ear, hair, duck, dog, book, Olivia, and Minnie. There may be more but that's all I could think of on the spot.
Carter hardly ever stops talking. His pronunciation improves every day. For example, he actually says the word "caboose" now instead of "boose-a-boo-boo" like he used to say. His hang-up now is that his entire conversations take place in the form of questions. It's kind of impressive really. I can't believe he'll be turning 3 in a few weeks. He's turning into a little man!
We just got back from a long weekend trip to Hot Springs with Mike's family. Despite the HOT weather, Mike and I were able to take the kids to their first beach trip at one of the local lakes. It was great! Carter especially liked walking in the water, even though he kept calling it a pool. Nora enjoyed collecting rocks on the beach and was loathe to give them up (I found several in her carseat later). While visiting the family, we even managed to get a respectable family photo with everyone (even the kids) looking at the camera! It was a miracle, especially that we only had time for ONE shot before the rain started pouring.
Hope everyone is having a good summer. I am really looking forward to fall and the cooler weather that it brings.
Click HERE for new photos added to the Summer 2011 album on Facebook
Nora's vocabulary is really starting to take off. Not that anyone would be able to understand her...most of her words are ones that only I can comprehend. But in some form or another, she is able to say: Mama, Dada, ball, more, water, mouth, nose, ear, hair, duck, dog, book, Olivia, and Minnie. There may be more but that's all I could think of on the spot.
Carter hardly ever stops talking. His pronunciation improves every day. For example, he actually says the word "caboose" now instead of "boose-a-boo-boo" like he used to say. His hang-up now is that his entire conversations take place in the form of questions. It's kind of impressive really. I can't believe he'll be turning 3 in a few weeks. He's turning into a little man!
We just got back from a long weekend trip to Hot Springs with Mike's family. Despite the HOT weather, Mike and I were able to take the kids to their first beach trip at one of the local lakes. It was great! Carter especially liked walking in the water, even though he kept calling it a pool. Nora enjoyed collecting rocks on the beach and was loathe to give them up (I found several in her carseat later). While visiting the family, we even managed to get a respectable family photo with everyone (even the kids) looking at the camera! It was a miracle, especially that we only had time for ONE shot before the rain started pouring.
Hope everyone is having a good summer. I am really looking forward to fall and the cooler weather that it brings.
Click HERE for new photos added to the Summer 2011 album on Facebook
Sunday, July 17, 2011
Alright Already!
Harassment has begun. Must post photos.
Here's a link: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.2082397132169.274471.1012296258&l=fe0c1956bb
Here's a video:
It seems like there's always so much to do these days. The blogs is at the very back of my mind. Sorry everyone! I know you're not waiting on the edge of your seat for my next update, so I don't feel too guilty. :-) We've had a busy summer this year. Despite ongoing battles with insects of all sorts, deer, and groundhogs, our garden is producing more vegetables than we can keep up with. I'm running out of counter space in the kitchen. Nothing beats a BLT with a homegrown tomato though! Over the 4th of July, we visited Grandma and Pop in Kansas City. The kids did amazingly well on the trip and we all had a nice time. Here at home we've been visiting our usual haunts...train museum, gardens, playgrounds, etc. But now that the weather has really warmed up, we'll probably start looking for indoor activities. Suggestions are welcome! We can only hit the mall so many times.
Hope everyone is enjoying their summer!
Here's a link: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.2082397132169.274471.1012296258&l=fe0c1956bb
Here's a video:
It seems like there's always so much to do these days. The blogs is at the very back of my mind. Sorry everyone! I know you're not waiting on the edge of your seat for my next update, so I don't feel too guilty. :-) We've had a busy summer this year. Despite ongoing battles with insects of all sorts, deer, and groundhogs, our garden is producing more vegetables than we can keep up with. I'm running out of counter space in the kitchen. Nothing beats a BLT with a homegrown tomato though! Over the 4th of July, we visited Grandma and Pop in Kansas City. The kids did amazingly well on the trip and we all had a nice time. Here at home we've been visiting our usual haunts...train museum, gardens, playgrounds, etc. But now that the weather has really warmed up, we'll probably start looking for indoor activities. Suggestions are welcome! We can only hit the mall so many times.
Hope everyone is enjoying their summer!
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
Getting Out to Play!
The days have finally warmed up and I have a legitimate excuse for not updating the blog so often. I can't believe all the rain we got this spring! Flooding is not something we need to worry about in our neighborhood, but even still...I was beginning to feel like my clothes needed wringing out even though I was only watching the downpour from the window. When the sun finally arrived, we burst out of the door and into the world! Just in the past couple of weeks, we've been to the Magic House, the Missouri Botanical Garden, Shaw Nature Reserve, the Museum of Transportation, and many local parks. So much nicer than staring at each other in the house.
Nora
It's official! Nora is walking! She had been cruising along the furniture for a couple months, but now she walks confidently everywhere. Usually she walks wherever Carter is happily playing by himself (screaming inevitably ensues). If she's not shadowing her big brother, she is looking at books. However the idea of books on bookshelves must be completely impractical in her mind. Each book must be individually examined and discarded on the floor before settling on one to page through. Perhaps she thinks she's "cleaning" the shelf? For the most part, Nora is also off baby food and eating table food. She's nearly weaned from her bottles too. I can't decide if this makes our lives more or less chaotic at meal times, but it's exciting to see her growing up. She's even beginning to talk a bit. The other day, Mike walked in the door after work and Nora shouted "Da-da!" She also says "Ma-Ma" and I swear today she tried to say "Snack".
Carter
Carter's conversation skills still continue to grow exponentially. He always surprises me with new words and phrases because while it may be the first time I've heard him say something in particular, he says it in a way the suggests he's known how to say it for months but was simply waiting for the right time. He's also started incorporating his train vocabulary to everyday situations. "Round the bend", a phrase frequently used by Thomas the Train, might be used by Carter while navigating around living room furniture. A few weeks ago, we got Carter a new sandbox to play in by the garden. This kid could spend an uninterrupted half hour just scooping sand with a shovel and filling a bucket. It's very serious work (according to him). Nora loves the sandbox too though she prefers to work without shovels and often pulls handfuls of sand out of Carter's freshly filled buckets.
Mike
Unfortunately Mike didn't get to bag a bird during the spring gobbler season. I'm really starting to think it's me that's the problem since he hasn't bagged one since we started dating. Does anyone know of an anti-turkey-jinx dance that I should be doing? Mike's been working hard making our yard one of the nicest in the neighborhood, which is no small feat! He's looking forward to his upcoming high school class reunion in a couple weeks, a chance to catch up with some old friends he hardly ever gets the chance to see.
Becca
After taking a year off of vegetable gardening (Nora's birth made it tough to get things in the ground last year), my green thumb has returned! We've got a nice vegetable garden this year and I'm really looking forward to harvesting things as they ripen. This year we planted TONS of tomatoes, at least 15 different varieties. There are also bell peppers, lettuce, cucumbers, zucchini, carrots, and artichokes. I also planted some rhubarb and asparagus in the hopes of establishing some long-term production (they are perennials). So far things are growing well and I am winning the battle against the deer and rabbits (Thank you Liquid Fence).
Hope everyone is doing well! We miss you all so much!
New photos on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.1857314385241.260963.1012296258&l=31fde3a1fb
Nora
It's official! Nora is walking! She had been cruising along the furniture for a couple months, but now she walks confidently everywhere. Usually she walks wherever Carter is happily playing by himself (screaming inevitably ensues). If she's not shadowing her big brother, she is looking at books. However the idea of books on bookshelves must be completely impractical in her mind. Each book must be individually examined and discarded on the floor before settling on one to page through. Perhaps she thinks she's "cleaning" the shelf? For the most part, Nora is also off baby food and eating table food. She's nearly weaned from her bottles too. I can't decide if this makes our lives more or less chaotic at meal times, but it's exciting to see her growing up. She's even beginning to talk a bit. The other day, Mike walked in the door after work and Nora shouted "Da-da!" She also says "Ma-Ma" and I swear today she tried to say "Snack".
Carter
Carter's conversation skills still continue to grow exponentially. He always surprises me with new words and phrases because while it may be the first time I've heard him say something in particular, he says it in a way the suggests he's known how to say it for months but was simply waiting for the right time. He's also started incorporating his train vocabulary to everyday situations. "Round the bend", a phrase frequently used by Thomas the Train, might be used by Carter while navigating around living room furniture. A few weeks ago, we got Carter a new sandbox to play in by the garden. This kid could spend an uninterrupted half hour just scooping sand with a shovel and filling a bucket. It's very serious work (according to him). Nora loves the sandbox too though she prefers to work without shovels and often pulls handfuls of sand out of Carter's freshly filled buckets.
Mike
Unfortunately Mike didn't get to bag a bird during the spring gobbler season. I'm really starting to think it's me that's the problem since he hasn't bagged one since we started dating. Does anyone know of an anti-turkey-jinx dance that I should be doing? Mike's been working hard making our yard one of the nicest in the neighborhood, which is no small feat! He's looking forward to his upcoming high school class reunion in a couple weeks, a chance to catch up with some old friends he hardly ever gets the chance to see.
Becca
After taking a year off of vegetable gardening (Nora's birth made it tough to get things in the ground last year), my green thumb has returned! We've got a nice vegetable garden this year and I'm really looking forward to harvesting things as they ripen. This year we planted TONS of tomatoes, at least 15 different varieties. There are also bell peppers, lettuce, cucumbers, zucchini, carrots, and artichokes. I also planted some rhubarb and asparagus in the hopes of establishing some long-term production (they are perennials). So far things are growing well and I am winning the battle against the deer and rabbits (Thank you Liquid Fence).
Hope everyone is doing well! We miss you all so much!
New photos on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.1857314385241.260963.1012296258&l=31fde3a1fb
Sunday, April 17, 2011
Nora is ONE!
It's Sunday night and I am totally wiped out! It's only 8:30 pm and as soon as I am done updating you, I am going to BED! Even though my head longs for my pillow, I will try to be as thorough and descriptive as possible. To make it easier on myself, I'll just break it down to one section for each family member.
Nora A baby no longer! Nora has accomplished so much in the last several weeks, she's almost unrecognizable from the baby we had at Christmas. Our little girl is now a big 1-year-old! She's nearly weened off her formula and bottles, she's eating more and more table food, and she's even taken a few tentative steps all on her own! Her doctor checkup had her weighing in at a hefty 25 pounds and measuring 31 inches long, both >95% for her age. It's getting harder and harder to carry her, but fortunately she likes to crawl and cruise on her own. There's no denying her growth though. She's working on more teeth again, wearing 18 month clothes, and sharing diapers with Carter (who's older by almost 2 years!). Nora's birthday party was small and simple but lots of fun. Everyone raved about the carrot cake cupcakes we made, but the credit really goes to Aunt Gracie for the recipe (Thank you AGAIN!). Pictures from the party can be found here: https://www.facebook.com/album.php?fbid=1857326545545&id=1012296258&aid=260964&l=1ad40a8236
Carter Even though Carter is nearing his 3rd birthday, there are days that it seems like he's just now entering those "Terrible Twos". Sheesh! This kid has a scream that could shatter glass and burst ear drums. Despite these bumps in the road, he really is a very sweet boy. He's showing a lot more affection towards Nora (if tackling is affection) and the kid simply can't stop talking! We really have to be careful these days as he's perfected the role of the household "echo". Anything you say he is likely to repeat, as Mike and I discovered during separate moments of frustration when we each said "Crap!"
Mike The winter months have given Mike a chance to hone his skills as a homebrewer. So far he's got a few batches under his belt and he continues to perfect his craft. A few other buddies also homebrew and they sometimes get together after work to "study" beer brewing at the local pubs. The warm weather brings other activities though so brewing might be on hiatus for a while. The lawnmower was tuned up and already been put to work. Soon we'll be planting some vegetables in the garden and that will keep both of us busy. Softball leagues have begun. And the most anticipated of all...tomorrow...opening day for the spring turkey hunt. Everyone keep your fingers crossed for Mike as he tried to bag a bird!
Rebecca For the first time in a very long time, I am not playing softball or volleyball at all. It's actually been 3 years since I played any softball, but I had kept up the volleyball, even playing while pregnant with Nora. But now I am without a team. I miss it sometimes, but the trade-off is worth it for now. I've been able to take some classes and do some other things I've never had time to do before. The bookclub I joined has got me reading some great books I probably would never have picked up on my own. I've learned so much about how to use my camera in some photography classes. I've also taken a bookmaking class, which I really enjoyed. Hoping to pick up some sewing skills this summer as well, and maybe volunteer for Habitat for Humanity. I love to learn new things. Is it weird to say that I actually kind of miss being in school?
New pictures posted at the link below, and I'll try to get a video of Nora's baby steps soon! https://www.facebook.com/album.php?fbid=1857314385241&id=1012296258&aid=260963&l=31fde3a1fb
Sunday, February 27, 2011
We Got Jokes, Yes We Do
One thing I always looked forward to as a new parent was the time my kid would say or do something so hilarious it was worthy of documentation. You know what I'm talking about...those moments that you laugh out loud and then store it in your memory to re-tell everyone you know over and over again...and then tell your kid about it after he's all grown up just to embarrass him. There's no need to look forward to that moment, because it has arrived. Here are some classic Carter moments from the past couple weeks:
1) For reasons beyond my comprehension, Carter has an elevated interest in BUTTS. Maybe it's a boy thing where all things butt and fart are funny. Lots of kids run up to their parents at random moments and wrap their arms around their legs for a quick hug. Carter is no exception here. However, he shares this affectionate moment not with my thigh or knee, but with my BUTT! He literally runs up, wraps his arms around my thighs and plants his face in my crack letting a muffled whoop of delight or giggle escape. It's always at awkward moments of course...while I'm washing dishes or paying a cashier at the store...moments when my hands are too busy to shoo him away from my derriere.
2) Speaking of BUTTS...just the other night Mike was getting Nora ready for her bath. While he undressed her in her room, I was running the bath water in the bathroom. Carter hovered back and forth "helping" us. Once Nora was down to her birthday suit, Mike set her on the floor and she immediately began crawling for the bathroom. Carter found this hilarious. He'd never really seen her naked up close before and he was very amused. He followed her on all fours with his face an inch away from her cheeks, all the while poking her and laughing. Nora barely noticed him, she was on a mission to get to the bath. But Carter was relentless. When they reached the bathroom, I said to Carter, "That's Nora's butt." (Our first mistake) He repeated with excitement, "BUTT!" Mike and I laughed (Our second mistake). With such an engaged audience, what kid wouldn't keep up his antics? "BUTT! BUTT! BUTT!...."
3) The potty humor is endless. When you have a small kids in the house, all privacy is out the window. A chance to use the bathroom without an audience is a rare privilege when I'm home with the kids by myself. So I'm quite used to Carter letting himself into the bathroom will I'm perched on the throne. I take it as a good sign that he is so interested in watching me use the toilet. In fact, he's so excited that he usually runs into the room and immediately begins slapping my bare thigh with both hands at a speed that would impress a military drummer. Somehow I need to transfer that enthusiasm towards his own potty training.
4) Carter's verbal expression has really exploded in the last couple months. Every day he attempts new words and often gets them on the first try. However, some words are going to require a bit more practice. A couple weekends ago, Grandma and Pop came for a visit. While Carter knows who these two are when we talk about them, he had yet to call them by their names himself. Well, no longer! Grandma has been christened "Cranky" by Carter. I have no idea why he says Cranky and not Grandma...he really seems to think he's saying the word "Grandma". The name Carter uses for Pop is a little more phonetically logical, however Carter struggles with words that have a "P" sound. So Pop has been named "Cock". Nothing beats hearing Carter ask "Where's Cock?" Pop says he's been called worse things so all is well for now.
5) Carter's verbal explosions has been accompanied by alphabet and counting skills. He can actually identify nearly every capital letter of the alphabet, though lower-case is still a challenge. As far as counting goes, he still needs some practice but it's coming along. Here is how I might count to ten: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10. Simultaneously Carter counts to ten in his own way: 2, 2, 3, 8, 8, 8, 8, 8, 9, 10. He likes the number eight I guess. :-)
Of course Nora has yet to utter her first word, but she brings her own amusing antics to the table. She babbles all the time and displays a level of confidence no one can match. She's happy and giggling all the time, and loves to do whatever Carter is doing (much to his dissatisfaction). With a mouth of eight teeth, she's beginning to get the hang of finger food. Crawling was perfected in a matter of days and she moved on to walking along the furniture. She can pull herself up and sit herself down with ease. In the blink of an eye she'll be on the other side of the room! I can't believe she'll be one year old in just over a month. Time flies so fast in this house I'm beginning to think the laws of physics don't apply across our threshold.
1) For reasons beyond my comprehension, Carter has an elevated interest in BUTTS. Maybe it's a boy thing where all things butt and fart are funny. Lots of kids run up to their parents at random moments and wrap their arms around their legs for a quick hug. Carter is no exception here. However, he shares this affectionate moment not with my thigh or knee, but with my BUTT! He literally runs up, wraps his arms around my thighs and plants his face in my crack letting a muffled whoop of delight or giggle escape. It's always at awkward moments of course...while I'm washing dishes or paying a cashier at the store...moments when my hands are too busy to shoo him away from my derriere.
2) Speaking of BUTTS...just the other night Mike was getting Nora ready for her bath. While he undressed her in her room, I was running the bath water in the bathroom. Carter hovered back and forth "helping" us. Once Nora was down to her birthday suit, Mike set her on the floor and she immediately began crawling for the bathroom. Carter found this hilarious. He'd never really seen her naked up close before and he was very amused. He followed her on all fours with his face an inch away from her cheeks, all the while poking her and laughing. Nora barely noticed him, she was on a mission to get to the bath. But Carter was relentless. When they reached the bathroom, I said to Carter, "That's Nora's butt." (Our first mistake) He repeated with excitement, "BUTT!" Mike and I laughed (Our second mistake). With such an engaged audience, what kid wouldn't keep up his antics? "BUTT! BUTT! BUTT!...."
3) The potty humor is endless. When you have a small kids in the house, all privacy is out the window. A chance to use the bathroom without an audience is a rare privilege when I'm home with the kids by myself. So I'm quite used to Carter letting himself into the bathroom will I'm perched on the throne. I take it as a good sign that he is so interested in watching me use the toilet. In fact, he's so excited that he usually runs into the room and immediately begins slapping my bare thigh with both hands at a speed that would impress a military drummer. Somehow I need to transfer that enthusiasm towards his own potty training.
4) Carter's verbal expression has really exploded in the last couple months. Every day he attempts new words and often gets them on the first try. However, some words are going to require a bit more practice. A couple weekends ago, Grandma and Pop came for a visit. While Carter knows who these two are when we talk about them, he had yet to call them by their names himself. Well, no longer! Grandma has been christened "Cranky" by Carter. I have no idea why he says Cranky and not Grandma...he really seems to think he's saying the word "Grandma". The name Carter uses for Pop is a little more phonetically logical, however Carter struggles with words that have a "P" sound. So Pop has been named "Cock". Nothing beats hearing Carter ask "Where's Cock?" Pop says he's been called worse things so all is well for now.
5) Carter's verbal explosions has been accompanied by alphabet and counting skills. He can actually identify nearly every capital letter of the alphabet, though lower-case is still a challenge. As far as counting goes, he still needs some practice but it's coming along. Here is how I might count to ten: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10. Simultaneously Carter counts to ten in his own way: 2, 2, 3, 8, 8, 8, 8, 8, 9, 10. He likes the number eight I guess. :-)
Of course Nora has yet to utter her first word, but she brings her own amusing antics to the table. She babbles all the time and displays a level of confidence no one can match. She's happy and giggling all the time, and loves to do whatever Carter is doing (much to his dissatisfaction). With a mouth of eight teeth, she's beginning to get the hang of finger food. Crawling was perfected in a matter of days and she moved on to walking along the furniture. She can pull herself up and sit herself down with ease. In the blink of an eye she'll be on the other side of the room! I can't believe she'll be one year old in just over a month. Time flies so fast in this house I'm beginning to think the laws of physics don't apply across our threshold.
Monday, February 7, 2011
Coughing and Crawling
Blog entries are supposed to be short blurbs, frequently posted. Well, I seem to have trouble with the frequent part. There always seems to be other things in need of my typing fingers...noses wiped, diapers changed, trips to the rec center or grocery store, dishes washed, laundry folded...and frankly when I have time to update the blog, I'd much rather curl up on the couch after kids are in bed and wrap myself in the silence with a good book.
To help me remember the things I want to write in my next post, I've been jotting the ideas down on Post-Its and sticking them to my desk. Now I will attempt to bring you up to date by translating my scribbled notes.
Carter
The past month has really shown a HUGE improvement in Carter's verbal communication. I can't tell you how much this has helped us avoid a potential tantrum (not that those don't still happen). His vocabulary expands at light speed and he's starting to string words together. While he's still considered a little behind for his age (in verbal expression, but not in comprehension), his recent advances have given us a lot of confidence in him. Now, if only we could get him to learn words that lie outside the realm of trains. How many two-year-olds know what a gondola car is?
Tis the season for colds and Carter was the first to get hit hard in our family. He weathered it out without too much trouble, except for the food strike. When he's sick, there's very little that appeals to his appetite. Unless I bring french fries, cookies, or fruit to the table, I might as well toss it in the trash. Fortunately he's recovered and his appetite matches that of a linebacker. Yesterday's lunch included mac'n'cheese, green beans, an apple, handful of crackers, Nilla wafers, and because he was STILL hungry, an entire hamburger bun. (Hey, I ran out of ideas and needed to hit the grocery store, ok?)
Nora
The 9-month check-up took place without incident. Nora is in the >95% for height and weight, understandable seeing how she eats nearly as much as Carter. Unfortunately, she picked up the cold Carter had, only it wasn't just a cold for Nora. She developed a double ear infection with a respiratory virus. Her coughing was so bad she required nebulizer treatment at the doctor's office. We all went without sleep for a few days then, but after the treatment, she really improved. Whew!
On a more positive note, Nora has begun to crawl. And crawl she does! We've had to re-evaluate our baby-proofing and be more mindful about what's in her arms' reach. For example, she can shred paper faster than your standard office paper shredder. Carter's books have become her favorite targets. It's exciting to see her growing though...pulling herself up to standing at tables, babbling like crazy, feeding herself. I can't believe she's almost a year old already.
Us
Other things going on include swimming lessons for the kids at the rec center. Carter goes with Dad and Nora with me. The lessons are at the same time so I can look across the pool and catch a glimpse of Carter trying to escape from Dad. So far there's been mixed results, but we've got a few more weeks so hopefully the kids will get used to it.
Mike and I have been filling our free time by catching up on movies we missed in the theaters with our new Wi-fi Blu-Ray player. I've signed up for some photography classes and Mike has taken an interest in home brewing. We've also tapped one of the sugar maple trees in our yard to collect the sap. In a few weeks, we'll try boiling it down to make our own maple syrup. At the rate of our collection, we'll likely only have enough syrup for one morning of pancakes, but it's a start!
New pics here: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=245105&id=1012296258&l=abd5b6bafb
New video below
To help me remember the things I want to write in my next post, I've been jotting the ideas down on Post-Its and sticking them to my desk. Now I will attempt to bring you up to date by translating my scribbled notes.
Carter
The past month has really shown a HUGE improvement in Carter's verbal communication. I can't tell you how much this has helped us avoid a potential tantrum (not that those don't still happen). His vocabulary expands at light speed and he's starting to string words together. While he's still considered a little behind for his age (in verbal expression, but not in comprehension), his recent advances have given us a lot of confidence in him. Now, if only we could get him to learn words that lie outside the realm of trains. How many two-year-olds know what a gondola car is?
Tis the season for colds and Carter was the first to get hit hard in our family. He weathered it out without too much trouble, except for the food strike. When he's sick, there's very little that appeals to his appetite. Unless I bring french fries, cookies, or fruit to the table, I might as well toss it in the trash. Fortunately he's recovered and his appetite matches that of a linebacker. Yesterday's lunch included mac'n'cheese, green beans, an apple, handful of crackers, Nilla wafers, and because he was STILL hungry, an entire hamburger bun. (Hey, I ran out of ideas and needed to hit the grocery store, ok?)
Nora
The 9-month check-up took place without incident. Nora is in the >95% for height and weight, understandable seeing how she eats nearly as much as Carter. Unfortunately, she picked up the cold Carter had, only it wasn't just a cold for Nora. She developed a double ear infection with a respiratory virus. Her coughing was so bad she required nebulizer treatment at the doctor's office. We all went without sleep for a few days then, but after the treatment, she really improved. Whew!
On a more positive note, Nora has begun to crawl. And crawl she does! We've had to re-evaluate our baby-proofing and be more mindful about what's in her arms' reach. For example, she can shred paper faster than your standard office paper shredder. Carter's books have become her favorite targets. It's exciting to see her growing though...pulling herself up to standing at tables, babbling like crazy, feeding herself. I can't believe she's almost a year old already.
Us
Other things going on include swimming lessons for the kids at the rec center. Carter goes with Dad and Nora with me. The lessons are at the same time so I can look across the pool and catch a glimpse of Carter trying to escape from Dad. So far there's been mixed results, but we've got a few more weeks so hopefully the kids will get used to it.
Mike and I have been filling our free time by catching up on movies we missed in the theaters with our new Wi-fi Blu-Ray player. I've signed up for some photography classes and Mike has taken an interest in home brewing. We've also tapped one of the sugar maple trees in our yard to collect the sap. In a few weeks, we'll try boiling it down to make our own maple syrup. At the rate of our collection, we'll likely only have enough syrup for one morning of pancakes, but it's a start!
New pics here: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=245105&id=1012296258&l=abd5b6bafb
New video below
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