Pierce Arrow

My mom had to go to Little Rock with  my dad for some meetings today so Nick has to keep Carter all by himself until 2.  That should be very interesting.  I wish I could see him try to feed him with a spoon.  I don't think he has ever done it before.  It is very tricky with Carter because, like me, he gets very very excited when he sees his food.  He does not wait for you to bring the spoon to him.  Instead he leans forward so fast and you never know when he is going to do it.  He keeps you on your toes!  When we are at home, it is just easier to put him in his diaper and that's it because we make a mess!!  And her recently he has started wiping his mouth (with food all over it) with his hands then rubbing his hair or his eyes.  Crazy kid!  I made what I know he will go bonkers for: bananas and pears.  So he will be double excited.  Sorry Nick....maybe you will really feel bad about not ever helping me feed him.

So, Carter is not happy unless he is on his feet standing or walking.  If there is nothing around him to pull up on then he gets very antsy and kinda fussy.  He REFUSES to crawl over to something to pull up.  So we have to go over to him, set him up on his feet and he is a happy camper.  He is starting to crawl more, but he goes backwards.  Always.  But he only crawls just for the heck of it.  Not to get something or because he is wanting to get somewhere.  I am thinking we are just going to have to let him get mad and cry until he figures out we are not going to run and pick him up anymore.

He is getting very good at self soothing himself back to sleep at night.  I think he woke up about 4 times last night and we did not go in to rub on him.  He cried for about a minute each time and went right back to sleep.  His gums are definitely bothering him.  I am looking for another tooth to come in any day now.  I hope very soon so he can get some relief again.

I have a very fun and busy weekend ahead.  Carter will be spending lots of time with Nick's parents, my parents, and my Nana.  Tomorrow Nick and I are going to a Celebrating Home party, Saturday I'm going to Texarkana to see my best friend Holli, and Sunday my Nana and I are going to watch Pierce Arrow in Magnolia.  Pierce Arrow has a very funny comedian and great singers.  Awesome and clean entertainment.   We always go see them in Branson so we were so excited when we found out they were coming to Arkansas.  We are meeting others there too that we can't wait to see.

So until after the weekend....be safe and happy Thursday!

Ouch!

Boot camp started again yesterday and my legs and behind are super sore....my targeted areas!  Running in place, squats, step ups, and lunges.  I am so glad to be back working out though.  Feels good!!  Right when I first started, it took everything I had to get me there but now I actually look forward to it.  The people I work out with make it so much easier to look forward to also.  So now I am back to working out Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.  I am also really going to try to watch what I eat and drink a lot more water.

I joined a website that I absolutely love.  myfitnesspal.com.  It's amazing and free!!  You can also get up to five friends involved and you can hold each other accountable for what you eat and how much you work out but we can't see each other's weight...that's confidential.  It makes it so much better when friends are involved.  My friends that I sent invites to are my sis in laws, Toshya and Abbie, and my best friend Britni.  I really hope that we can stick with it.  I have 2 more spots open so if you would like to join us, let me know!!  You put in your goals and they tell you how many calories you need to eat and burn off.  I am currently weighing 134 and I am wanting to get down to 125 again.  I want to do it the healthy way....slow and steady.  My goal is 1 pound a week.  I read that if I do it that way, then my chances are greater to keep it off after I lose it.  We'll see!!!  I'm ready to get this baby weight off once and for all!!!

How's Carter?  Wonderful!  He cried for me again last night around 3 but Nick just went in and rubbed on his belly, told him he loved him, and walked back out.  He cried for about 5 minutes and went back to sleep.  So glad we are finally getting back on our regular schedule.  He is 8 1/2 months old and he has officially moved into 12 month clothes.  He is swimming in them but anything else is way too short.  9 month clothes fit him perfect around but shirts end up being belly shirts and he is waiting for high waters to come in pants.  He must have gotten that from one of his uncles, because Nick and I have never had that problem.  I keep hoping he will be tall and slender like his Uncle Justin.

Happy Tuesday everyone!!

Mommy's Day

Since Carter has been sick, he has wanted to be with me 24/7.  That's understandable.  He always gets like that when he has fever.  He does not want to be put down for one second.  But the bad thing is that he would not sleep unless I was there with him.  So, I have had to sleep with him in the big bed.  I guess I kinda had to.  Because when he started crying and throwing a fit for me his fever would shoot up sky high.  I have never slept so bad.  Carter is a crazy peron the bed.  I woke up one time and hi feet were in my face and I lost count of the times he slapped me.  He is no longer running fever so I had to make him cry it out for about an hour last night.  I hated it!!!!!!  That's really hard for me to do. 

Anyway, yesterday after church Carter went and spent the day at Grams and Grumps house.  They said that he was in a great mood all day for them and they really enjoyed him.  I got everything done at my house.  I have absolutely no laundry, dusting, floors, or rooms to do today and usually Monday is my cleaning day.  Nick took Carter to Aunt Toshya's.  So, I am just going to have a mommy' day.  I woke up at 9:30 and I am going to read and lay around all day.  This has not happened in about 9 months.  I could do some deep cleaning like baseboards....but naw.  Also, my sweeping job is taken care of because I bought a Robo cleaner for my floors.  I wanted other people to buy it first so I could see how good it worked since it costs so much.  My whole house is hardwood or tile (which is white so everything shows up) except for the bedrooms.  It is so worth the 400 bucks!!!!  I was having to sweep literally every day sometimes twice a day.  My robo is scheduled to run at 1 am while we are asleep and it really does pick up everything.  I now sweep every other day or every 3 days.  It's awesome!!  It even does carpet!!!

Carter is still having trouble breathing but no more fever or constipation.  He is our happy boy again!!!  Here he is learning how to walk behind his toys.  He LOVES his CAT Work Truck!!!  It's his favorite!



My Poor Baby!!!

Wednesday around 1:00 we realized that Carter has not had a BM pretty much all day.  He seriously went from blowing out of his diaper like 5 times a day to not at all.  Weird.  But he was still playing and laughing so we thought we would give him a little more time to go on his own.  Well yesterday around 1:00 he was laughing and playing again and acted like nothing was bothering him.  Then literally 15 minutes later he was screaming, running 103.3 fever and breaking out in a rash.  ANNNDD he still is very congested.  he has not breathed out of his nose good for a week and has been congested for about 3 months.  And constipated.  So we call the doc and he makes room for us at 2:45 so he could have a look at him.

They did tests to see if it was RSV or the flu and they sent him back for yet another chest x ray. Third one!!  RSV and flu came back negative and his chest and lungs are inflamed.  So they sent us home with something to help him use the bathroom and another round of antibiotics (that's very thick and very very nasty tasting....so you can imagine how hard it was to get it down him).

We have an appointment at Children's Hospital at the Ear, Nose, and Throat doctor on Feb. 16.  We were going to have to wait 5 months to get in there but my doc pulled some strings for us.

We had a horrible night last night and the only way he can sleep is in his swing because that's how he breaths the best.  But this morning he had the biggest BM of his life.  Praise the Lord!!!  It was allllll over him.  I was happy though.  I know he had to be miserable without having one in nearly 2 days.  He still has fever but we are giving him Tylenol every 4 hours on the dot.  Even with all of this going on, Carter is still a happy baby and I am counting my lucky stars for that.  I know it could be so much worse!! 

Big boy weighed 18 lbs 4.5 oz.

Daniel Fast

So, two of my new year's resolutions were to lose weight and become closer to God.  I want to lose weight for several reasons:

1. I am wearing the same thing every week because most of my clothes still don't fit me.  I really don't feel like going out and buying a new wardrobe.  I only have about 5-8 more pounds but they are so hard to get rid of.
2. I think I would feel so much better if I looked and ate better.  Lots of times feel just kinda sluggish because I don't eat things that are good for me.
3. I want to set a good example for Carter on good eating habits.  He is not going to eat well if his parents don't.  End of story.

I want to be closer to God because as a Christian I need to know Him better than I do now.  My relationship is not where it needs to be with Him.  I need Him in so many ways in my life.  Being married and a parent is really hard!  I need God to be my rock.  When I come against a wall and I have so many questions I just want to be able to take a knee, have a conversation with him, and have some answers.  I want Him to lead me in the direction He wants me to go.  I want to become a more positive person.  Too many times I get a bad attitude and don't look on the bright side of things.  That's a horrible habit to start and I know it makes me look and feel horrible.

So, I have come up with a plan.  Well, actually I got my plan from someone else's plan.  I was reading my Aunt Patty's status and she said that she was going to start the Daniel Fast.  She told me to google it and I did.  You should too.  It's a fast that brings your body, soul and spirit closer to God. 

It's not like I am not going to be eating.  I can have three sensible meals a day with snacks, but there are restrictions.  No sugar, additives, bread, ect.  The website says to welcome and enjoy the hunger pangs and then control them with your focus on your goal and on God.


So my focus will be on my son and my marriage.  I want Carter to know God and I want to set the best possible example for him.  I want our marriage to lean toward and more Godly home: reading our Bible and praying together. 

Anyways...anyone want to do it with me? 


Oh...and just thought I should let all of you know...the piggies died Thursday.  No iron.  Sorry I have not mentioned that but I was too busy celebrating I mean mourning their death.

Hunger Games

If you love to read...well actually even if you don't love to read...you need to read The Hunger Games.  You will love it and will not be able to put it down.  I actually enjoyed it way better than the Twilight Series.   The movie is coming out March 23!!  I just bought the next book in the Hunger Games Series about 5 minutes ago.  It is called Catching Fire.  So this blog is going to be short and sweet so I can get to reading. 

Yesterday I took Carter over to Aunt Toshya's house.  I am so thankful for her because that is my time to get a lot of stuff done at my house.  There is really not a better feeling than having absolutely no laundry to do.  Every time I wash, dry, fold, and put up the huge pile in the laundry room floor, I always say that I am just going to do a load every night and keep up with it.  I am serious this time.  New year, new me.  We'll see how long this lasts.  But I honestly plan on it sticking. 

At 2:30 Nick and I went to pick up Carter and headed to Texarkana to get my new door.  It was the first time for us to take him to Texarkana without it being a doctor appointment.  We went to Gander Mountain and hung out for a little bit, then went to Home Depot, and ate at Chilis.  He was a little angel the whole time.  You could tell that he really loved being with us.  He sat in the buggy and high chair like the big boy that he is.

Surprise

Thursday night my husband came in the house with a very nice surprise for me.  I know all of you ladies will be so super jealous!!  I had told him that we are going to have to start thinking of a pet for Carter. I was thinking maybe, for starters, a gold fish.  And this is what he comes in with: 

Yes my friends, that is a little hog.  In case you didn't get it the first time....a HOG!!  A nasty, smelly, snorting messy hog.  And the best part is...there is not just one.  There are two babies.  How wonderful!  He and his uncle went hog hunting that day and they killed a big hog that he thought was by itself.  After they had shot it they heard squealing so they went over to see.  Two small babies...maybe a couple days old.  So Nick, being the baby-loving softy that he is, brings them home because he could not think of the thought of leaving them out there to starve or be eaten.  He said that if he would have known they there were two babies he would not have even thought about shooting it.  Yes, that is one of Carter's bottles and nipples that WILL be thrown away after the hogs are done with it.  I do love my husband.  Really.

Anyway.

What's Carter up to?  Being sweet and looking cute!!  He is over his little stomach bug issue.  He has learned to give kisses.  He is a little confused though.  When he leans in to give kisses he always ends up biting my nose, chin, cheek, ect.  Whatever he can get those teeth on he does.  It is so sweet though.  I know it is a horrible habbit for him to start but I can't bring myself to try to stop it.  He is starting to cry whenever I leave when someone else watches him.  I hate it but I just say you are ok, give him a kiss, and leave.  I never give in and pick him up because I hear that just encourages it.

He is really getting good with his feet and doing really well learning how to walk.  He hates the whole crawling thing and just wants to stand up and take steps.  When he pulls up on something he always lets go thinking he is bigger than he is.  He is getting very close to walking behind his walking toys.  He is nowhere near walking by himself or anything but he is doing pretty good.  We have had to lower his crib because he literally tries to lean over to get out of it.  Talk about a few minor heart attacks.

2011 has by far been my most memorable/special year of my life.  For so many reasons.  So, 2012, let's do this!!