My Fitness Journey

My name is Catherine and I am 26 years old.  I am married to the love of my life, Nick, and I have a son that just turned 3.  I'm slowly but surely coming to the realization that I do not have a baby anymore.

 Let's go back 8 years ago to when I was in high school.  I was always in some kind of sport.  Sometimes I had two seasons going on at the same time.  Basketball, softball, track and I was a cheerleader and in gymnastics even before that.  I was so active constantly!!  I did not even know what a diet was.  I ate like a horse.  My weight was sitting at 123.

 

I then went and played softball at a D1 school in college in 2006.  Loved it!!  I still ate what I want when I wanted to.  The freshman 15 never found me.  I gained a few pounds but it was only muscle from lifting weights so often.  I gained to 128.





I graduated in 2009 and got married to Nick, who I had been dating for about 4 years.  Four short months later we found out we were having a baby!!

 

 

April 21 was the best day of my entire life.  We brought a little boy into the world and we were so in love with him.  We took him home and felt so blessed.

 

 

Carter was definitely not the easiest baby.  He had 104 fever every other week, so we were at the doctor at least every other week.  Since he was always sick, he never slept good….therefore momma didn’t sleep good.  There was nothing we could ever do to make him feel better.  LOTS of trips to children’s for different appointments, to different doctors, trying to figure out what was causing all of his sickness. He ended up having 3 surgeries in 6 short months.  Stressful didn’t even begin to describe it.   

 

 

 

I began to stress eat.  I found myself eating at McDonalds every single day.  I also found myself not happy.  My attitude began to be horrible with everyone I came into contact with. 

Even after Carter was all better, I still had the habit of turning to food when it came to anything.  I would let so many things make me mad and I made a big deal about everything.  I would have to get up an hour early before work just to find something that would fit me.  None of my clothes fit and there were many mornings where I would sit in my room and cry because I had gotten so big.

I ate a lot of this

and this

 

 

I was completely disgusted with myself.  I no longer wanted to go out to different functions or even go shopping because I knew it would only make me more depressed than I already was. 

My son would beg me to get off the couch and play with him but I literally had no energy or want to to do anything.  I knew I had to make a change.  But as I said before, I had never had to deal with this and I didn’t even know where to start.  I was so lost.

 





I tried the gym thing.  It was like having to pack to go camping with a baby.  Plus since he was always sick I could ever stick to it because he was my first priority of course.

Then one day I was scrolling through Facebook and saw a video of a mom working out in her living room with her baby watching her.  I got the courage to message her and she told me about some home workouts that were available to me and she also introduced to me Shakeology.  I told her to tell me how I can get my hands on this stuff and she hooked me up.  I have never looked back since.

I started out introducing this guy as my personal trainer into my living room

 

I started out very slow, because I had become so out of shape.  I couldn't even do one single push up on my toes.  But I kept at it.  I didn't give up.  I kept seeing my family in my mind and instead of making them my excuse like I had before, I made them my reason.  They kept me going.  I got faster and stronger.

 

I got better, but no where near where I wanted to be.

 

 

I decided to take the next step up and introduced Tony Horton into my life and living room as my new trainer. 

 

I started eating a lot of this

 

 

and this

 







 

I also drank this every day



 

 

I got fast, I got strong, and I EARNED my new transformation

 

 

I am still not where I want to be yet.  I am still writing my story every day.  This is not something that is temporary for me.  This is my new lifestyle.  Did it happen overnight?  No.  Was it easy?  Heck no!  Was it worth it? Yes. Yes. Yes. 

 

I can't tell you the feeling that I even get writing this.  I feel now that I can accomplish anything if I set my mind to it.  I have gained happiness, energy, a better attitude towards people and life in general, and confidence.  Not to mention a bikini ready body for my cruise that I am going on this month.

 

 

Shortly after I started my programs, I knew I needed more.  I wanted to help others achieve the goals that I had reached myself.  I wanted others to feel the happiness that I do.  So I became a Beachbody coach.  One of the best decisions that I have ever made.  It feels nice reaching my fitness goals, but when I help others do it, it's a whole new world.  It brings me so much joy.  Just inspiring you guys and knowing that I am helping you....IT'S SO MUCH FUN!!  If you would like to join my team by helping others please reach out to me.  I will work closely with you to make sure you are being successful.  I will bring you to the top with me, because that's where I am going.

 

Thank you for reading. Much love to each and every one of you!

 



21 DAY FIX IS HERE!!!

Today is the day!!  I'm excited for all of you that are interested, because you are going to get results like you'd never believe!!

 



What is 21 Day Fix™?

21 Day Fix is a nutrition and fitness program that makes losing weight so simple, anyone can do it. Easy-to-follow portion control and 30-minute workouts take the guesswork out of losing weight to help you see results fast—up to 15 pounds in just 21 days!  Whether you want to lose a few pounds before your next vacation or jump-start a bigger weight-loss goal, 21 Day Fix is the program for you. It’s simple, it’s fast, and
it works. If you’re ready to get serious, 21 Day Fix can help you lose the weight.

 

 

Why is 21 Day Fix effective? Because it’s so simple! You don’t have to count calories, points, or log your food into diet software. With 21 Day Fix, everything is laid out for you. All you have to do is use the specially designed portion-control containers and do one 30-minute workout per day. Commit to it for 21 days, and you’re going to love your results.

 

 

 

What makes 21 Day Fix unique? It’s the only fitness and nutrition program that combines portion-control
containers and world-class workouts. By placing equal emphasis on fitness and
healthy portion control, 21 Day Fix can help anyone lose weight—and keep it
off—in a way that’s simple and sustainable. Whether you want to lose 10 pounds
or 100 pounds, you can do it with this program.

 

 

 

So she created short but effective workouts that take only 30 minutes a day, along with a simple eating plan that doesn’t require you to spend hours in the kitchenAutumn Calabrese is your personal trainer:
Autumn Calabrese is a celebrity fitness trainer, busy mom, and national-level bikini
competitor. She came up with the idea of a portion-control container system
after watching a client eat an entire 1,300-calorie salad in one sitting because it
was “healthy.” Autumn realized that supersized portions were hurting her clients’
weight-loss success because they were eating too much without knowing it. So she
developed portion-control containers to help people see how simple it is to eat the
right amounts and lose weight easily. And as a single mother, Autumn understands

how hard it can be to fit exercise and healthy eating into a jam-packed schedule.

 

What's included in 21 Day Fix?Essential Package:
• 7 color-coded portion-control containers
• Shakeology® shaker cup
• 6 easy-to-follow 30-minute workouts
• 21 Day Fix Start Here quickstart guide and workout calendar
• 21 Day Fix Eating Plan that shows you exactly what to do
• 3 Day Quick Fix Guide, Autumn's secret weapon for fast weight loss
• Dirty 30 bonus workout


What equipment is needed?
• Dumbbells or a resistance band are used in some workouts...THAT'S IT!

 Do I have to do the workouts, or can I just follow the portion-control Eating Plan?
• Both the workouts and Eating Plan are essential to get the best results in 21 days.
• If you're worried about being out of shape, we suggest you follow the modifier and do
what you can, rather than skipping the workouts entirely. You'll feel stronger in no time.


Can I use other containers I have at home?
• No, these are custom-designed for 21 Day Fix. Other containers may have the wrong
 proportions and you will not be successful unless you follow the Eating Plan using
 these containers.
• Very few (if any) other containers come in the variety of sizes needed for 21 Day Fix.

Can I eat out at restaurants when I do 21 Day Fix?
• Yes! The Eating Plan includes a restaurant guide that shows you how to practice portion control at your favorite restaurants.

What does it mean when you say "no off-limit foods"?
• The 21 Day Fix Eating Plan shows you how to incorporate treats (like chocolate and wine) into the plan . . . and you can still lose weight.

What makes the 21 Day Fix workouts so effective?
• 21 Day Fix takes all of the guesswork out of working out. You know which workout to do
 each day and can be confident you're working your whole body efficiently in just 30 minutes a day.
• The workouts yield consistent calorie-burning results, unlike a treadmill workout that can have very inconsistent and inaccurate calorie counts.
• The 30-minute boot-camp style workouts keep your heart rate up throughout, so you have an effective and efficient workout that burns maximum calories.

• There's a modifier in every workout to show you how to take down the intensity while still getting awesome results.
• Trainer Autumn Calabrese created a 7-day-a-week schedule to give you the best results
 in just 21 days. Each day of the week is a different workout, all perfectly designed to avoid overtraining and keep you injury-free.



What are the workouts?

7 workouts on 2 DVDs (VHS not available)
Dirty 30 workout**
Total Body Cardio Fix
Upper Fix
Lower Fix
Pilates Fix
Cardio Fix
Yoga Fix

 

 

Watch this quick video!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O_5g5rh1ezY&feature=player_embedded

 

If you are seriously interested and want some amazing results, message me.  My challenge group for 21 Day Fix starts February 17, 2014.  I look very forward to hearing from you!



Christmas 2013

Hey guys!  Christmas was a huge success for our families.  Carter got SO much.  It's pretty overwhelming.  He had a great time opening his gifts and tried to open everyone else's.  Everyone had a pretty good idea of what he likes because he got loads of planes, trains, and trucks.  He's really getting into learning how to draw his letters so he got something huge to draw one and a leap pad 2 that he loves.  I don't have many pictures but I did film every single bit of it. 

Carter was such a good boy the entire time.  He's usually not a fan of crowds but they do not bother him in the least now.  He also went yesterday without a nap and ended up going to sleep at 9:30 and slept all night.  I'm thinking that may be something I try out for a little bit....NO NAPS!  When he gets a nap in he WILL NOT fall asleep any earlier than 10:30 or 11:00 and then it's hard to wake him up in the mornings.  We'll see how that goes and we'll see what Mrs. Lisa has to say about that :)

I got some great things too.  I got home boots, shoes, money, jewelry, clothes, cookbook, socks and makeup.  My Nana also got me this cool touchpad game.  I can't put it down.  Nick got a new hunting jacket, money, deer target.  Well, actually the touchpad game was actually for him but I stole it.   What's mine is his right?

My house it like WHOA!  I don't even recognize it when I walk in.  I usually keep a somewhat picked up and clean house. (as clean as it can get with a 2 year old minus all my clothes slung everywhere in my spare bedroom.)  Toys are taking over our house.  It's time to go through and clean out baby stuff that he does not even look at anymore and put up in storage.  We have trains every where we look!!  But he does play with all of those.

So, anyways, I'm ready to get this new year started.  I know I am getting pretty annoying with all of the workout and Beachbody posts but I have finally found something that I am very passionate about and I am so excited to spread this to all of you.  Getting fit, happy, and energized is what this has done for me.  Yes, I do make money but if I never made a dime off of any of this, I would still be using these programs because of what it has done for me and my family. 

Why did I start doing this?  I had to.  I was just getting to where I was no longer happy with who I was.  I was letting small stuff get to me, I was holding grudges for no reason at all, and I just didn't have the "want to" to do anything!!  The truth about it was that I just was not happy with  myself.  I didn't like the way I looked, I didn't want to go shopping because I knew nothing would fit me anyways, I was addicted to junk food--which only made me more miserable-- and I didn't have the energy to even do much with my Carter. 

So, now I am seeing results, I'm gaining confidence, I'm fitting in jeans from high school and I'm just an overall happier person.  My husband has even commented on how much better my attitude is.  Not only am I bettering myself, I am bettering my family.  I am finally sleeping soundly at night without so much dang stress on me.  It's a wonderful feeling.  I am not near where I want to be, but going in the right direction is such an awesome feeling.

No time you say?  I work a full time job, have a 2 year old, a house to clean, dinner to cook every single night and I still find a way to fit in my 30 minute workout.  Yes, it takes time management, which has never been a strong point for me, but I am getting better every single day.

Can't afford it?  Well let's find a way to afford it.  It's worth it.  I didn't think I could afford it either, but there's always a way if you look hard enough.

Yes, making money is a perk, and I am more than willing to share with you what I do, how much I make, and give you the same opportunity that I have.  It is a LIFE CHANGER!! 

So, let's make 2014 a good one.  Go here :www.beachbodycoach.com/CATREEVES13 and sign up on my page.  Just click Join after you go to that link.  It's completely free.  Look around, do your research, and see for yourself what awesome products there are out there.

Talk to me!  Let me know what issues you are having with your body.  Let me help you.

Thanks!

Two Day Getaway

The hubs and I decided to go on a little getaway Monday afternoon.  We pawned the monster off on my parents and headed to Shreveport where we stayed on the Boardwalk.  Two full days and nights without Carter.  It was weird, but nice.  We had awesome food, watched great movies on IMAX, and did some shopping.  We initially went do get our Christmas shopping done, but prices are awful and I just couldn't bring myself to spend what they were asking for...for like everything!  I bought my mom's Christmas present and got Carter some nice clothes....sweater vests, button ups, and cute, regular sweaters.  Carter is most definitely my best accomplishment but also my biggest weakness!  All in all we had a good time.  Our last fun getaway was August 2010 so it's nice to do that once every three years! 

I know we were only gone for two days but I swear Carter has grown 2 inches and has gained a whole spectrum of vocabulary.  He is learning things like crazy!  He is learning to write!  He can draw an A, O, and he so close to drawing a B.  His little imagination is taking off too.  He loves to scribble then tell me what he draws.  Last night he "drew" an octopus for me.  He's so much fun!  When we are home we don't even watch cartoons anymore.  He would much rather play with his new train set or learn on his leap pad.  I'm much happier with that!

If he ever grows with the amount of food he eats, he's going to be a big boy!  He eats more than me.  No, seriously.  I don't know how he is so small.

It's nice to be back on my normal schedule.  I missed my workouts.  I gotta be honest, there for a little while I was in a rut and was not seeing any results.  I FINALLY found something that works for me.  It's so nice to see such great results in a small amount of time.  I'm not where I want to be but I'm headed in the right direction.  Please feel free to get a hold of me and I'll let you know!  It's something that works for me and I plan to continue for the rest of my life. 

Exciting News

The most exciting thing that I can say about myself is that I cut 2 inches off my hair.  Pretty sad, huh?  Well, that's not true...I take that back!  I actually started drinking this honey and cinnamon concoction twice a day that my friend Lee told me about.  It makes me feel amazing and energized.  If you want the exact measurements then just message me, it won't disappoint. 

I also go to go meet my brand new nephew, Ryker.  He's precious and looks just like big brother.  If he ever grows into his big hands and feet then he is going to make big brother and cousin Carter look like midgets.  They better start sucking up now.

I have really been missing my best friends here lately.  I mean, I always miss them, but I really really miss them right now.  It bites that I can't just pick up and go see them.  Keatha lives in Oklahoma: 5 hours away.  Holli lives in Dallas: 4 hours away.  Toshya lives in Ohio: at least 15 hours away.  Britni lives in Warren: 2 1/2 hours away.  Kari, who just got married, lives in Canada: several plane rides away.  Tonya and Elizabeth lives in....oh that's right, Nashville....We need to work on that!!  There is so much going all with all of them it seems and I am missing it all.  Any donations to pay for my way to go see them all is welcomed and appreciated.

Carter's wonderful.  He's at a very fun age.  Learning new phrases every. single. day!  I give him a month or two and he will be saying full on sentences.  He just talks constantly when he is at home.  It took him a little longer, but he is finally about to get caught up with where he needs to be with his speech.  Like any other toddler, he hates when I say no....to anything.  Homeboy has an attitude.  We're working on that.

He's still so smart.  He can count to 40.  If I give him the first 2 letters of his name he can finish spelling it out.  He is having a lot harder time with his colors than he did with letters and numbers, but I think he is about to get them.  Blue is by far his favorite color.  He knows most of his shapes.  He says "please" after he asks me to do something for him....it's so sweet!!  We are now working on "yes mam".

Bedtime is a fight every night.  He just don't want to go to bed.  He wants to stay up and play.  He's so silly!

Anyways, nothing exciting, I know.  But that's all I have for ya. 

Scrapper Football

We took Carter to his first football game of the year last night.  He LOVED it!!  He loved seeing all of the balloons go into the air.  He kept saying, "Where balloons go?  In the clouds?".  He also loved all the big football players.  During warm-up, he kept trying to run out on the field with them.  He got so upset when we wouldn't let him.  I'm pretty sure, though, that the popcorn was his favorite part.  He sat with my mom during most of the game, which I'm sure was another favorite part for him.  I'm pretty sure he loves her more than he loves me and Nick.  He gave lots of hugs to people he didn't even know, which is very rare.  I was proud of him.

One problem though.  After we were there for about an hour he told us that he needed to pee pee.  So I took him into the bathroom and he wouldn't use the big toilet.  I then tried to just let him pee in the grass in a corner outside and he wouldn't do that either.  He wanted his little potty at home.  It's not like that thing can fit in his back pack or anything.  Since I had a pull up on him, we went ahead and stayed at the game for another 2 hours.  He wouldn't use his pull up (since he never wears a pull up, I think it made him very uncomfortable).  So he finally got that panicked look in his eyes that he REALLY needed to go so we left the game early.  Right when we got home he sprinted to his potty and went.  Safe to say that he is fully potty trained....but only on his little potty.  Any suggestions on how to the make the transition easier from little potty to the big one would be greatly appreciated.  We won't be able to go anywhere without lugging the little potty around unless he gets this down.

Here's a good little story.  Nick and I always joke with each other about who Carter loves more.  Two nights ago, I asked Nick to put Carter to bed for me because I was exhausted and just wanted to go to bed early.  So, Nick took him back to his room and the next thing I know Carter came running back into the living room crying.  I asked Nick what was wrong with him and it nearly killed him to tell me that Carter said I. WANT. MOM!!  Mom-1 Dad-0.  I put him down with a big smile on my face.

AD and I have become real pathetic and lazy here lately on our workouts.  But, come Monday we are going back at it.  We made a deal not to cancel anymore unless we absolutely had to.

I'm hoping that by the next blog, I can tell you all about the new babies coming into the world.  Can't wait to meet them!!  Janice, Abbie, and Keatha......love ya'll.  HANG IN THERE!!  Praying for 3 healthy babies.

Goodbye Summer

Well, its officially fall.  I know most of you won't agree but I hate it!!  Summer didn't last near long enough for me.  I have to say that besides having his tonsils removed, Carter had an awesome summer.  He loved swimming and playing on the slip n slide at Mia's house.  He loved going on his evening rides on the ranger with Daddy every day.  He loved riding in his jogging stroller with me every now and then and he will for sure miss riding the lawn mower with Grumps.  But most of all, I think he will miss ramping in the golf cart with Mia, playing in his mud puddles and piddling around the pond.

On a better note...

I am excited to tell you that Carter has been diaper free, except at bedtime, for 2 weeks.  He is completely potty trained at home.  He has not had an accident at home for nearly a week now.  He does have the occasional accident other places.  He had one yesterday at Nick's parents house and he told them that he was sorry.  How sweet is that?  I have made a point to never get on to him when he does have one.  I just say, "That's ok, Carter.  Next time can you go in the potty, please?"

The whole process was nerve racking, messy, and frustrating.  He did pick it up a lot quicker than I expected, which made me so proud of him. I do have to say that he looks so cute in his undies.

He is talking more and more every day and he is so much happier now that he can tell us what he wants.  He is starting to get a tad bossy... yesterday he told me to pick up his toys.  When I don't do something that he wants RIGHT THEN he says, "tic toc".  Where in the world did he come up with that???  When I ask him a question, instead of saying yes, he says "otay".  He calls me mom and Nick dad.  He completely skipped the whole mommy and daddy phase.  Weird.  It is still crazy for me to hear him talk to me.  Love it!!  He is still loving his "school time" that we have at home.  He can't get enough of letters, numbers, shapes, colors, and puzzles.  We are working on sight words also.

I'm afraid that Nick and I don't have a ball player on our hands.  He couldn't care less about a bat and ball.  He actually takes his bat that he has at home and lines it up behind his trucks like a trailer.  Trucks, airplanes, and tractors are his go to toys.  We are okay with that.  With all the surgeries that ball playing got us, we are not so sure it's worth it.  Don't get me wrong, I would LOVE to watch him play sports, but if he don't want to, we're definitely not going to make him.  My nephew, Warren, on the other hand, could play t-ball tomorrow and be awesome. He's pretty talented for a 3 year old.

He can say his first bible verse: "God loved us, he sent his son".  He says it all the time.  That makes my heart smile.

Last night was the second night in a row that he slept in his bed all night.  Ummm....stop growing up please!!??

Life

Hey!  Just wanted to drop in and say that we are alive and well.  Nick is doing his working and golfing thing every week.  Me?  I am doing my non-workout/non-motivated/eating everything in sight thing.....and I'm pretty good at it.  Never in my non pregnant life have I ever been as big as I am right now.  It's frustrating and I need to do lots of soul searching to get my mind right again.  Have you even been to that point where you try on clothes after clothes after clothes from your closet and nothing fits...and then that's your breaking point that you need to seriously do something?  Well I'm there.  Give me a couple days and I will set some goals for myself. 

AAAAnyways...

Since I have been working more here lately, I have not been the housekeeper that my clean house phobia personality wants me to be.  So, I stayed up til midnight cleaning house...dusting, laundry (that was A JOB!), dishes, floors, bathrooms....the usual.  A mother's work seriously never ends.  It is so frustrating and heart warming all at the same time (but mostly frustrating).

I'm sure you know how Carter is since I post on Facebook every time he does something that I think is amazing--which don't take much.  You probably have realized that I am a little tiny bit obsessed with him.  But In case you need a run down, I am more than happy to do that for you.

He's so smart.  Like, shocking my socks off every day.  He knows all of his ABC's by heart and by letter recognition.  He also knows all of their sounds which is why his speech therapist said he will be an excellent reader.  If we want to get anything done or for him to work on something else, like a puzzle, we have to hide the ABC stuff.  He loves it that much.  He can count to 12.  He knows most of his shapes and only a few colors.  As long as he has learning activities in front of him he couldn't care less about the TV.  AND he is up to about 70-80 words consistently and repeating LIKE CRAZY!!!  No sentences or anything, but a couple 2 word phrases.  Now, that's coming a long way in a very short time.  I'm beyond proud of him. 

He started going to church on Wednesday night and he loves it.  It's so awesome to hear him say church and God.  I'm very pumped about that one.

He has gone to two movies in the theaters and did great.  Watched the entire movie both times.  That's a pretty good attention span for a 28 month old.

Mark my words...Carter will be completely potty trained after next weekend.  He's ready.  We have to get passed Uncle Keller's wedding and then we are going all in.

All in all,  he's a good kid.  He don't get into anything he is not supposed to.  He listens very well.  We do have to deal with the occasional attitude but it's never anything that a serious look can't fix.  No tempter tantrums in a very long time.

He's happy.  I'm happy.  This is a wonderful life that I live.  Thank you God!

Tonsils

What a week my little family and I have had!!  Last Friday my mom and I took Carter to the ENT doctor because his breathing was not so great, especially at night.  He was having severe sleep apnea where he pretty much quit breathing for moments at a time and it would always wake him up gasping for air and scared the daylights out of me and Nick.  Anyways, long story short, the doctor said his tonsils are huge and that he thinks they should come out ASAP.  So before the day was over we scheduled Carter for his third and biggest surgery. 

Thursday rolled around and we had to be at St. Michael's hospital at 6 A.M.  They wheeled him back and 20 minutes later they were done.  So much easier than what we expected.  We dreaded it all week.  We had prepared ourselves for Carter to be very needy, cranky, not eat, not drink, and pretty much just want us the entire time.  About an hour after his surgery.......

 

.....As you can see he proved us wrong from the get go.  We had to make him lay down and rest some.  We were told that it's the second and third day that will be the hardest for him and that he will only eat popsicles and ice cream for a week and not to be shocked if he lost about 4-5 pounds.  Once again he proved us and the doctors wrong.  In between naps all he has done is play play play and he has not eaten as much as he usually eats but he has eaten real food from the get go.  He has eaten 6 breakfast burritos, lots and lots of steamed veggies and meat, drank lots of whole milk, and about 12 popsicles.  Safe to say that my boy is a trooper.  He has kicked this surgery in the face and I am so proud of him!!! 

 

St. Michael's pediatrics has it going on!! We had awesome nurses the entire time and they had every Disney DVD he could watch and an awesome playroom.  If anything, Carter had fun!!

 

I am not sure if his big tonsils kept him from talking as much as he wanted, but since they have been gone, Carter has really started communicating.  He still has a ways to go to get where he needs to be but he is making drastic improvements really fast.  He loves for me to quiz him on his letters and numbers.  He loves to scribble (finally).  He is becoming interested in his shapes, also.  He is starting to become very creative with blocks and building things. You can name any animal to him and he will make the sound that they make.  He is OBSESSED with building tents.  Every time he sees a bed sheet he asks me to build him a tent (thanks Mia, for showing him that).  In three days, I bet Nick and I have built 25 tents.  Nick has also introduced him to golf (oh boy) and he loves it.  They hit golf balls in the house constantly.  So many of my prayers are being answered.  Potty training may be closer than I think.

 

I am starting to buy winter stuff for the lil man.  I bought my first order last week.  It is right around the corner and I don't want to have to buy all at once.  My bank account don't like that too much.

 

Anywho, that's our life as of lately.  Have a great day!





Shopping Issues

Shopping with Carter is becoming a problem. He thinks every toy is his and that he is supposed to take one home from every store we go to. Friday, Mom and I went into Kohls and oddly Carter knew right where the toys were so that's where he headed. 

This is the series of events that occurred.

1. He looked very carefully and picked out the biggest and most expensive truck they had 

2. He would not let us touch it because he thought I was going to make him put it up. So he held on to it for dear life.

3. He had to sit with it in the car... There was no separating him from this thing.

4. Cling to 18 wheeler issues only got worse when we got home.

Little guy will have a very hard lesson here pretty soon when I have to tell him be can't take every toy home that he wants.

 

 

 

 

 

Potty Training 101

When there is something that I have absolutely no clue about (when it comes to being mother) I do lots of research and ask other moms lots of questions.  Dang, there is a lot of methods to potty training.  I don't like that.  I am a black and white kinda girl.  I like "this is the only thing that will work, so do that".  Lucky me, potty training is nothing like that.  There is the bribery method, which I'm not so into.  Bribery is just not my parenting ways, so I don't want to start with this.  Of course if that's the only thing that will end up working, that's what I'll do.  There is easing into it method, which seems like that would just be a longer process.  And of course, there is the go all out without looking back method.  There is also all the other minor ones like letting him "water trees" outside and hitting the bulls eye in the middle of the potty.  I'm afraid if I let him water too many trees, Carter will be the little boy that will only go outside(even in public) and I'm not so fond of that idea either.

So I have decided to go with the go all in and don't look back method.  But the trick for this one to be successful and that Carter has to be 100% ready and willing.  I don't think we are quite there yet.  I let him run naked yesterday for a very long time and he did pee in the potty 2 times but it was when I saw he was about to go and I rushed him to the potty and set him down myself.  He is not letting me know when he needs to go and honestly, I am not sure he knows when he is about to go yet.  He will bring us diapers or try to take his off AFTER he goes, but that's it.  So he is showing a tiny bit of readiness but I think we are still a couple months away from going all in.  He knows what the potty is and he likes to sit on it and that's about it--but it's a start.  So for now, we are going to watch Daddy and keep his attention on it.  Then when he starts letting me know he needs to go...then BAM we are going all in.  I just think I am more ready than he is right now, and that's okay.  I know he won't go to college in diapers.



Nick and I had a very fun weekend!  We went with our good friends AD and Jeremy Pickett and floated Mountain Fork Saturday and it was fun!  The water felt awesome.  We both flipped our canoes but it would not be a successful float trip without doing that.  AD lost a shoe and Nick lost his hat that he has worn for about 5 years (I thought he was going to cry) but all in all it was a lot of fun.  We will for sure be going back.  I highly recommend Roma Italian Restaurant in DeQueen.  It was really really good!!  Someone needs to open one in Nashville.  Nick and I alone would keep you open.  It's very rare that Nick and I spend an entire weekend together.  We missed Carter so much but it was such a nice change.  Thanks to my parents for letting me off and working my shifts.

Summer

I have gotten a couple messages asking where in the world my blogs are.  Sorry, but I have not posted anything in a couple of weeks.  Nothing has really happened and I know you guys probably get sick of reading the same ol' stuff about Carter every time I blog.  But thanks for making me feel like my life is interesting enough to read about.

Where to start....

Carter loves the water.  Whether it's a mud puddle, pool, slip n slide, or at the water park he is in love.  We will be making lots of trips to the Diamond Mine water park and to my parent's pool this summer.

Carter is not sleeping well and is acting like his airway is being blocked again by adenoids.  He wakes up in a panic several times a night gasping for air.  So yeah, I am making him an appointment with the ENT doctor right when they open this morning.  As you probably remember, he has had them removed once already and they said there was a chance that they could grow back.  Poor little guy can't catch a break.

He is still chatting away.  His new favorite things to say, as of yesterday, is "Oh no!!" and "ooops" when he falls on purpose or accidentally drops something.  When he runs or plays trucks he also likes to yell "zooooom!!".  I have decided to take him out of speech therapy for now.  If he stops talking or goes backwards in his little speech journey then I will take him back, but I just don't think there is any need right now.  I think he should just be diagnosed with, "Stubborn like his Daddy Syndrome".

Nick and I played softball all day Saturday.  Nick came out of a 6 year retirement and he did awesome.  He pitched for the first time ever and only walked one batter all day.  He also hit really well.  I was so proud and had a blast playing with him.  We are both feeling our age and walking gingerly days after, though.  We can honestly say that we have made lots of new friends with this team.  I'm sad that our league is about to be over for the summer.

Well, that's all I got for today.  Adios!

Update

I have not been in the blogging mood lately so I have decided to drop in and give you just a little update. 

My little family and I are doing great.  Carter is still the most spoiled kid on the planet.  If he does not ride something (lawn mower, 4-wheeler, golf cart, ranger, tractor, ect) every single day, several times, then his day is not complete.  If he is not outside at least 50% of his day, then he is for sure letting us know how sorry we are.

MAJOR UPDATE: Carter is up to about 24-27 words.  Nick and I decided to put his words on paper and try to keep up because we are so proud.  If you don't want to know what they are, then just skim on down, but I have to tell you because I am so pumped that he is finally talking.
***Cat, dog, car, cup, truck, hot dog (too much mickey mouse), duck, juice, tractor, two, shoes, socks, star, ship, hot, chic, stop, go, clap, choo choo, peach, chip, outside, jump.  He can also point out several letters in the alphabet and say them***
He still does not just talk our heads off, though.  We usually have to ask him what things are in order for him to tell us, but that is such an improvement.  He is now learning about 2 words a week.

Two big things are happening this week for little man.  First, he has his first swimming lessons starting Monday.  The kid LOVES the pool.  I have a feeling we are going to be spending lots of time in my parent's pool this summer. Second, he just could not shake off his double ear infections so we have decided to go ahead and give him tubes Wednesday morning.  We are only hoping that it speeds up his speech process even faster.

I spend most of my time trying to convince Carter that I am just as cool as Daddy.  When Nick is around he don't give me the time of day.  I have even reached the desperate stage where I am bribing him.  It's starting to get pathetic.  Nick does not eat it up nor does he rub it in my face, of course.

Carter's new favorite snack is beef jerky.  What a little man!!  I'm not too thrilled since it's not just the healthiest snack, but at least it's good protein.  If that won't bulk him up, nothing will.

Nick and I are doing great!!  We do lots of things away from each other since we have different hobbies but it makes the time that we do spend together just that much better.  I sure do love that guy.  He's not perfect, but he is perfect for me.

I think we get asked at least 10 times per week when we are having another baby.  THANK GOD we both agree that Carter is more than enough right now.  To answer everyone's question--IF we have another one, we will start thinking about it when Carter is 4 or 5.  That will put me at 28 years old and Nick at 33...so we got time.  We sure are enjoying our hobbies and time with Carter right now.  We are perfectly content knowing that we can love on our new nephew that's on the way and my friend's new babies!

Anyways, I know I have rambled enough so I'll end it here.  Thanks for reading!  Sorry for the lack of pictures. 

What A Day

My day started at 3 a.m. when Nick woke me up in terrrrrrible pain. Like..... I thought he was going to die and so did he. At one point be was in the fetal position in the floor because he was hurting so bad. Log story short.... We ended up in the ER at 5:30 with kidney stones. They gave him some good medicine and sent him home around 8:15. I left from there and had to rush around so I could be in Texarkana at 10:30 for Carter's speech therapy.  Then we went to the mall and let Carter run around and play and we did a little

Shopping.

The patient is doing lots better. Still feels pressure and some pain but nothing like it was.

Moving on to Carter. The light bulb has come on!!! He is improving at lightning speed with EVERYTHING! He is talking lots more, running faster, eating like a pig, and just overall the happiest little boy that I have ever seen. Laughs and smiling constantly. He is starting to repeat words and actions and saying some letters and numbers when he sees them. I just love seeing him thrive.

He is also getting bigger! Lots bigger. Wearing 2T shorts, some 3T shirts, size 8 shoe. And I don't know how much he weighs but it's heavy!  Pretty sure we have a mini Nick on our hands.

I plan to have an amazing, relaxing weekend with my boy! Until next time...

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mud Puddles

Carter has decided that he loves mud puddles.  This just came on all of a sudden and it came in phases.

PHASE 1:  Spotting the puddle.

 

PHASE 2: Testing the temperature.

 

 

PHASE 3: Bravery.

 

PHASE 4:   Going in for the kill.

 

PHASE 5: Going all out.

 

 

PHASE 6: Bath time/fun has to come to an end.

 

 

 

PHASE 7: Denial.  Every mud puddle is made for me.  Even when it's the next day and Mom has put my good clothes and shoes on.

 

 

The life of raising a little boy!