New Books

Our friends Matt and Jess gave Carter excellent books for his birthday.  They are our new favorites.  It must be the teacher in them that leads them to such good selections!

Thank you for the great books! We have so much fun reading them. 

Grace's Birthday and Sledding

We had Grace's birthday party this weekend.  Carter also got to go sledding for the first time.  On his first run with Daddy they hit a big rock, but he still liked it. 

I really wanted to go sledding with Carter but being pregnant I thought maybe it wasn't the best idea so Amy was nice enough to take him!

Valentines Day Gifts

With Carter's birthday and Valentines Day he has received so many presents that he is beginning to expect them. Grandma sent him a package with all sorts of presents.  Here is Carter saying thank you!

Nana also gave him a Valentine with a stuffed monkey that he now sleeps with every night.

Happy Valentines Day Everyone!!

Baby Henry

Our good friends recently had a baby and we were so happy they came to visit us this weekend!

Park in the Winter

Carter loves the park and we need to get outside.  On Super Bowl Sunday while Daddy was having lunch with some friends Carter and I decided to go to the park despite the cold.  We had a great time!

Birthday Party

Carter's birthday party was on Saturday.  We had so much fun! Here is Carter opening a present from Nana.  Nana got Carter new trains and lots of clothes. 

The kids all decorated their party hats.

This is Carter's friend Drew.  Isnt' he handsome?

Baby Maura wore a pretty dress for the party.

The kids loved the balloons.

Here is Carter's Mickey Cake.

Blowing out the candles.

Eating cake

Thanks to everyone who helped celebrate Carter's party!! He had a blast.

Carter's School Birthday Party

We are really fortunate with Carter's daycare situation. As hard as it still is to leave him, he is so happy there, loves his teachers, and he has learned a ton. They had a birthday party for him at school. Here are a few pictures.

Happy Birthday Carter!!

Carter is two today!! He has had a great birthday so far. He slept until 6:30, which in his world is sleeping in. When he started calling for me I went into his room and sang happy birthday. He then asked to see Daddy. Carter and Daddy watched Sesame Street for awhile and we all got ready for work/school. At one point when I was drying my hair Carter ran into the bathroom and said "Mommy its my birthday!" Couldn't be cuter.

Ms. Lori his favorite teacher at daycare gave him a present when we got to school. A stuffed Donald Duck and a Mickey t-shirt. It was so nice of her. Carter was very excited about his Donald Duck. He loves Mickey and all Mickey's friends. I made Carter Mickey Mouse pancakes for breakfast, which he ate some of, but then he wanted oatmeal (he calls it okey meal). Oatmeal is his favorite. He asks for it every morning.

We gave him his first present in the morning, a lollipop drum. He loves to drum. Carter then brought his new Birthday Monsters book from Grandma to school along with some cupcakes for his class.

Carter received a card from Grampy....

Here is Carter and Daddy on his birthday!

We opened more presents when we got home. Carter got a Curious George tea set and a Thomas the Train set.

Here is Carter singing Happy Birthday to himself.

Favorite Songs

Carter is constantly singing now. He sings songs we sing at home and he brings home new ones from school and sings them to me. One of his latest favorites is below:

Five little monkeys swinging from a tree,Teasing Mr. Alligator,“Can’t catch me!”
Along comes Mr. Alligator quiet as can be…“SNAP!”
Now four little monkeys Swinging from a tree.

etc....

When he first started asking me to sing the monkey song, I thought he meant Five little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed (one of his old favorites). When I started singing, he said "No No Mommy" and started singing the above. I did have to look up the lyrics to really understand the song, but he did a pretty good job!!

Loving Another

As I approach Carter's second birthday I have started to reflect on what a little man he has become. He is so smart and so active and we just love him more then anything in the world. Baby boy number two is coming soon and we have started to think about how my little man is going to react and how we will adjust to four of us instead of three. I know its going to be great but I worry about Carter's feeling sometimes. I found this, which is perfect!

Loving Two

I walk along holding your 2-year-old hand, basking in the glow of our magical relationship. Suddenly I feel a kick from within, as if to remind me that our time alone is limited. And I wonder: how could I ever love another child as I love you? Then he is born, and I watch you. I watch the pain you feel at having to share me as you've never shared me before. I hear you telling me in your own way, Please love only me. And I hear myself telling you in mine, I cant, knowing, in fact, that I never can again. You cry. I cry with you. I almost see our new baby as an intruder on the precious relationship we once shared. A relationship we can never quite have again. But then, barely noticing, I find myself attached to that new being, and feeling almost guilty. I'm afraid to let you see me enjoying him as though I am betraying you. But then I notice your resentment change, first to curiosity, then to protectiveness, finally to genuine affection. More days pass, and we are settling into a new routine. The memory of days with just the two of us is fading fast. But something else is replacing those wonderful times we shared, just we two. There are new times only now, we are three. I watch the love between you grow, the way you look at each other, touch each other. I watch how he adores you as I have for so long. I see how excited you are by each of her new accomplishments. And I begin to realize that I haven't taken something from you, I've given something to you. I notice that I am no longer afraid to share my love openly with both of you. I find that my love for each of you is as different as you are, but equally strong. And my question is finally answered, to my amazement. Yes, I can love another child as much as I love you only differently. And although I realize that you may have to share my time, I now know you'll never share my love. There is enough of that for both of you. You each have your own supply. I love you-both. And I thank you both for blessing my life.

Author Unknown.