Surgery

I swear I posted after he got out of surgery, but for some reason Blogger didn't publish it. Sorry if I worried anyone!

Anyway, Chris did great and is feeling much better already. In fact, he's on his way home as I type! I'm so glad we'll get to spend New Year's Eve together so we can sleep through the ball dropping, just like we did last year. :-D

They finally just took him back. Should be about two hours.

Still waiting for him to get taken into surgery. We're bored!

Headed out to the hospital. Chris' surgery is at 9:30.

Christmas

Chris and I opened our presents on Christmas Eve since we'd be driving to Delaware on Christmas Day and didn't want to have to rush, or schlep the gifts with us. He got a coat, and I got a pillow and a purse. Both of which I asked for.





The next morning we drove to see Chris' extended family in Delaware on Christmas morning. We had a wonderful breakfast at his aunt and uncle's house, and then headed to our hotel for a little nap. Afterward, we headed to Chris' grandmother's house for dinner and presents.





The next morning we headed back over to MomMom's house for breakfast and to hang out for a while before heading home. Carter ate blueberry pancakes and loved them. He made an absolute mess of himself. We were going to head out to the mall to see if we could get any good after-Christmas deals, but Carter had other plans:



He slept on his MomMom for a good hour. It was so sweet. I think MomMom enjoyed it too.

Walker!

Carter has taken 7 steps so far today. 3 at a time twice, and then 4 steps the third time. I was so shocked the first time it happened that I just stood there, mouth dropped open, and stared at him. It was so cute seeing him taking his first tentative steps. I'm sorry Chris missed it...he was getting some library books in preparation for his surgery on Tuesday.

Yes, he's having back surgery AGAIN. They're doing a more exploratory surgery, as well as fixing a disc that's still really bothering him. He's been in quite a bit of pain the past few weeks. It's awful. So, we will most likely be spending our New Year's Eve in the hospital. Good times.

Thank you

He says it ALL THE TIME. It's so freaking cute.

Yum

I think he likes blueberry pancakes...

Carter's Christmas Party

Carter's daycare had a Christmas party yesterday. He had so much fun!

Thank you!

I just got a very excited phone call from Carter's babysitter. I picked up the phone and she yelled, "He said thank you! Twice!" She was so excited that she had to call me to tell me. It was so funny.

Fractured Prune

Have y'all heard of this place? Holy hell. We went for breakfast on Saturday and it was unbelievable.

They make each donut to order. They fry it up, slather on whatever toppings you choose, and serve it up piping hot. I got the Black Forest which had raspberry glaze, mini chocolate chips, and coconut. It was fantastic. Carter had just a plain donut with cinnamon sugar on it and he was just delighted. Chris had the Reese Cup and Sundae donuts.

The pictures on their site don't look as good as they are in person. They are sheer perfection.

Signing time

Here's a video of Carter signing "more." He tries to say it too which is just too cute.

Happy Hanukkah!

Carter enjoyed his Hanukkah. We lit the candles and I sang what I could remember of the prayers while he danced in his seat. Then he got to open his present and loved it! We were so happy that he loved it so much.

More

Carter finally signed "more"!

I was brushing his teeth and had just finished my first go-round (I usually do two) and stopped to wipe the drool from his face and my hand. Then I noticed him putting his hands together and realized he wanted me to keep doing it!

I thought maybe it was a fluke and he was trying to clap or something, but last night he did it again. I was feeding him some pasta from my bowl and we finished it and I told him it was all done. So he put his hands together and signed for more. Of course I had to oblige!

Some new things

Carter now points to stuff. For instance, when I ask him where the tree is, he points at the Christmas tree. And then says, "tuh" which seems to mean "tree."

He also puts his hand on his mouth to do that Indian thing (sorry, Bird). You know, like he keeps hitting his mouth while he says, "Aaaahhhh." What's that called?

And, lastly, if you say "dog" or ask him what sound a dog makes, he says, "fff fff fff" which is his version of "woof woof." Way cute.

No, we didn't get a puppy

Just a 13 month old.

Oops!

I don't know if he is intentionally saying it or not, but Carter's new word? Shit.

Parents of the year, I tell ya.

It finally happened!!!!

I know, I've gone a little YouTube crazy today, but this is soooo great!

Fierce

I seriously could watch this all day long.

Riding his giraffe

Carter got this giraffe this weekend as a birthday present from Chris' Aunt Bev in Minnesota. He went to the store and picked it out himself and he's a pro at getting himself on and off. He loves it. Usually he says, "Eeeee!" which I think is him imitating my "Wheeeee!"

Still??

Now that Carter is a year old, I'm getting a lot of, "You're STILL breastfeeding??" Some, "How much longer are you going to do it?" And a lot of "Wow" said in an ew-that's-really-gross tone.

I never in a million years thought I'd be breastfeeding an almost-toddler, much less an almost-toddler with 9 teeth. I was going to try for 3 months, and then be comfortable with switching to formula. I've talked about it before, but we worked really hard in the beginning. I cried. A lot. My toes curled, my nipples bled. And then the angel lactation consultant saved us, the day after Thanksgiving last year. After all that determination and pain, I wasn't going to give it up so easily. Three months came and went, and then I set a new goal of six months. Then 9 months. And at nine months I was sure the well was running dry. Pumping at work was yielding next to nothing and it was very frustrating. But Carter seemed to be getting what he needed when he nursed directly so we kept at it.

And here we are a few months later and still going strong. He eats table food and drinks whole milk instead of formula (at daycare), but he is still a breastfed baby when I'm around. And he loves it. If you so much as mention the word "milkies" around him, he drops what he's doing and gets to me as fast as he can, whining and licking his lips.

So, yes, we are STILL breastfeeding and will continue to do so as long as we're both happy with it. And for right now, neither of us is ready to give it up.

And now, just for curiosity's sake, how long (if at all) did you nurse your child?

#9

We have tooth #9! His top left molar has halfway popped through, which would explain the horrible screaming and nursing the past two nights.

And we also have a new word...shoe! He loves to carry his shoes around and always wants to be holding them if they're not on his feet. The other day he kept saying "sh, sh" and I asked Chris if that counts as saying "shoe" and he said no because there was no vowel sound. Next thing we know, we hear a little voice say very clearly, "shoe." It was so cute.

Oh, and his favorite song now? Happy Birthday. My mom kept singing it to him this weekend and he looooves it. He gets a big grin and flaps his arms and sometimes even blows at the end (to blow out his candles).

MIA

I know, I've been MIA for a week. Sorry bout that.

Thanksgiving was nice. Thursday morning I woke up with diarrhea, which is always pleasant. And then dry heaved in the shower and felt like I was going to pass out. So I spent a few minutes sitting in the shower until I felt okay enough to stand up. I felt really light-headed and nauseated and all around yucky. I was seconds away from telling Chris to go to Delaware without me. But I went, and the drive was awful. I had grocery bags in my hand in case I needed to puke which I was trying desperately not to do so it wouldn't make Chris all gaggy and pukey while he was driving. Every time I moved or talked it made me nauseous. It was a long 2 hours.

Once we got to Delaware I was feeling a little bit better but still not great. I wound up eating just a few bites of Thanksgiving dinner, but Carter made up for it by eating a LOT. He had mashed potatoes, stuffing, turkey, sweet potato biscuit, and sweet potato casserole. He was in heaven. We just filled the tray on his chair and let him go to it.

Later that evening we had another Thanksgiving dinner at Chris' grandmother's house. I just ate some fruit but all the food looked so good. But I still wasn't feeling 100%. I was maybe at 80% at this point, which was a vast improvement from the morning.

The next morning I woke up actually feeling pretty good. I was ready to eat, and thank goodness breakfast was waiting for us when we got to MomMom's house! We had eggs and pancakes. Carter had blackberry pancakes, with blackberries grown in their backyard. He loved them.

We left Delaware around lunchtime on Friday and headed out to my mom's to celebrate with her. This time I was actually able to drive and life was good again. I was really bummed about missing out on all that good food, though. Really bummed.

Dinner at my mom's was good, and again, Carter loved everything he ate. Little piggy. We spent the night and came back home late Saturday afternoon.

So Thanksgiving is sort of a blur of being sick, being in a car, and being surrounded by food. I wish I could have enjoyed it more, but there's always Christmas!

One year stats

Our little munchkin is still a little munchkin.

Weight 20lb 3oz (14th percentile)
Length 29" (26th percentile)
Head circumference 47cm (69th percentile)

His height went down from 52nd percentile to 26th, so I'm hoping next time we go to the doc, he'll have grown a little taller. The doctor said she wasn't concerned at this point, but of course I am. I can't help it.

Carter's Birthday Party

Carter had a lot of fun at his party. He had a jungle theme and gave out animal mugs with animal crackers in them as "goody bags." The older girls got a jungle print journal to write in.

His cakes turned out really great. We got them at Graul's, which is pretty much guaranteed to be delicious.

My grandparents flew in from Florida to be there, so it was nice for Carter to have them and my other set of grandparents at his party. He doesn't get to see either of them too often so it was nice for him to spend time with them.

After everyone sang to him, we waited for him to go crazy and dig in to his cake. Yeah, not so much. He wasn't that into it. He was more interested in Chris or me feeding it to him than feeding it to himself. I was really looking forward to cake all in his hair, up his nose, in his ears. Oh well.






He even really enjoyed everyone singing to him. Lots of kids and babies get upset at the loudness and everyone looking at him, but Carter was really into it. Little sweetheart.

So, thanks to everyone that came, and to those that were there in spirit.

First Haircut

Carter had his first haircut yesterday. He actually didn't do too bad. He was a little cranky about the whole thing, but no serious meltdowns like I expected. And no meltdowns from me, either. :-)

He looks even cuter (if that's possible) with his shorter hair. I love it. The back is a little crooked and screwy, but there's only so much you can do with a squirmy child.

One year pics

We finally found a picture place we love. Portrait Innovations rocks. Hard. Here are just a few of the 45 pictures we have.

Yes, he got his hair cut. That's the next post. And then I swear I'm gonna do a birthday party post.

Comfy

This is how Chris found Carter when he went in to wake him from his nap last night. Look at his right leg. Weird.

Before I forget...

Tooth #8 is in, on the bottom. Also, Carter does Peek-a-Boo but instead of putting his hands over his eyes, he puts them over his ears. Crazy kid.

Odds and Ends

I have stuff to talk about (birthday party, etc.) but now I'm all out of whack because Carter and I were in a minor car accident this morning. We were stopped in traffic about 10 cars back from a light when I got rear-ended, and then rear-ended a second time. Guess one time wasn't good enough. :-)

Anyway, everyone was okay, just a little shaken up. After we got hit, Carter started crying because the jolts scared him. I've never moved so fast to get in that backseat and make sure he was okay (he's just fine).

My bumper will need to be replaced so now it's the waiting game to see what happens with the insurance companies. Thankfully I was the front car so I don't really need to worry too much about it. Just a pain.

So I'll post about his birthday a little later, after I stop obsessing over my baby being in an accident.

Happy Birthday, Carter!

It's official. My little baby is one year old. He's very excited for his party today...he even learned how to clap yesterday in honor of the occasion.

I have so much to say but just can't collect my thoughts. Later.

Ball

Baby Beethoven

I think he's got natural talent.

Caption this photo

I don't have a prize for you, but thought it would be fun to see what you come up with.

A new word

Carter has a new word to add to his repertoire. He says "book" pretty consistently. Except he doesn't pronounce the "k" sound.

Molar

Chris told me today that he thought maybe he saw the beginning of a new bottom tooth. I looked and felt and didn't see anything, but I mentioned that he will probably be getting his one year molars soon and, from what I hear, they're a real doozy.

A little while later I remembered that when Carter was laughing the other day, I thought I saw some white in the molar area but he was eating a cracker so I chalked it up to that. I stuck my finger back there and...whaddya know! He's got a molar! Well, three points of one at least. That explains why his jaw has been clenched so much recently. I just thought it was a phase because sometimes he does weird things for a while.

So, we have tooth #7. Woot!

Nice hair

Check out the bedhead.

Tongue

He's smart.

You know it's gonna be a good day when...

...your kid wakes up in this kind of mood.

JDRF Walk

From my friend Kris:

Hello everyone!

Since we recently moved from AZ to TX, we missed our regular JDRF Walk in Phoenix this year. We did manage to raise some money for that walk, though and to those who donated we are EXTREMELY grateful.

We have decided last minute to take part in the JDRF Walk with the Houston Chapter. So, since it is very last minute (the walk is on Saturday) we need to do some fundraising. And FAST. Please once again watch Hayleigh's video (below) to see what she deals with every day. After watching it, you will understand why we are working so hard to help find a cure.

Any amount will help us. $1, $5, $10 or more. No amount is too small and we appreciate each and every donation.

Please use this link (instead of the one on the video) to donate. We need all the help we can get. Thank you!!!

http://walk.jdrf.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=extranet.personalpage&confirmid=87270978

Link for the video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E8GC5zzIqTw

Overwhelmed

I've been in tears all morning, trying to grasp the magnitude of what happened yesterday. To know that Carter will be reading about this day in his history books one day, and to be able to tell him that he was a part of it, is just so moving and amazing to me. To see the people who had never in their lives voted before, get out there and cast their ballot...well, that just makes me swell with pride and patriotism. People waited in line for HOURS to vote. That kind of tenacity and motivation is huge.

I'm just very, very moved.

Success!!

I watched the news this morning and saw the insanely long lines. I heard Chris tell me how bad it was at 6:00 a.m. However, I thought I'd just swing by my polling place on the way in to work just to see what the parking lot looked like.

I got a spot right in front. I walked right up to the "A-C" line and got checked in. I stood behind 4 people in the voting line. I took Carter out of his stroller so he could see what I was doing. And when the big red VOTE button came up, I took his hand and let him press it. 10 minutes, in and out.

My boy helped make history and I'm feeling very proud and patriotic.

Sort of bummed

I really wanted to take Carter with me when I go vote, but Chris told me the line was insane at 5:55 this morning. There's no way he'd make it through a long line like that. So, I'm just gonna go mid-morning and let him stay in daycare. I really wanted a picture of him helping me vote. It would have been so cool to show him that picture years from now and say, "You were there for that historical election."

Learning how to bite

I'm trying to teach Carter how to bite things, and not shove the entire thing in his mouth. This morning I handed him half a banana to see what happened. I think he did pretty well!

Getting there

Carter's making strides (no pun intended) on walking soon. Today, he stood on his own for 30 whole seconds. The only reason he fell was because he got so excited that he threw his arms up in the air and it knocked him off balance.

He's also started using this walker we got him a few weeks ago. I got it at a consignment sale for $2 and he had absolutely no interest in it until a few days ago. Now he loves to go back and forth across our living room. He's almost able to turn it around himself, but he gets frustrated and gives up.

Carter's First Halloween

What a fun day! He had a costume party at daycare. The kids were so cute all dressed up. They were so excited when I got there. They were all running around like crazy, touching each other's costumes, and running to the mirror to see themselves. It was hilarious.

After he left daycare, we went over to Chris' parents' house for dinner and trick or treating. I was so excited to finally be able to trick or treat after 15 years! We brought Carter's new wagon, and he did really well in it. I think it helped that he was tired, so he just sort of chilled out.

Here are some pics of our night:






And, finally, the pumpkins my MIL carved. Isn't she so talented??

Next time you're at the grocery store...

You have to see if this is true.

http://bread-and-honey.blogspot.com/2008/10/wtf-broccoli.html

A sneak peek

A sneak peek at Carter's Halloween costume. Cutest turkey EVER.

So weird

My husband got out of bed at 2:00 this morning, went to the bathroom, and took a shower before he realized it wasn't time for work yet. How weird is that?!

#6

Tooth #6 popped through yesterday. It's funny because the dentist didn't count it on Monday because it was still below the surface, but on Tuesday it was a full-fledged tooth. I'm hoping now that it's out, Carter will sleep a little better. He's been nursing 2 or 3 times a night recently. He now has 4 on top, and 2 on the bottom.

Apple picking

We went out to Crooked Run Orchard this past weekend with Chris' parents to pick some apples. The Braeburns were picked pretty clean, except at the very top of the trees. And of course there weren't any of those tall sticks around to help us get them. So....my in-laws climbed the trees! I tried but I just don't have any upper arm strength to pull myself up there.



Here's a pretty one Chris picked. It's tiny but cute.

Our bucket of apples. We wound up getting a bunch of Mutsu's also. They are really good! A tiny bit of tartness with the sweet, and very crisp. A perfect apple for eating raw.

And now I have to find the time to cut them all up and make some applesauce for the little guy...

Uh oh!

We have word #3! Granted, he hasn't said Hi or ByeBye too much in a while, but he has before, so I'm counting them. Last night, he kept dropping his "credit card" that we give him to play with. Every time he dropped it, I said, "Uh oh!" After a few times, we realized he was repeating what I was saying, but it was in Carterspeak so that's why we didn't realize it at first. But, every time, he said it right after I did. Chris and I got such a kick out of that! I'll try to catch it on video.

He's also gotten really good at high fiving in the past few days. He does his Touchdown whenever he hears us say that word, even if it's not in the right tone or singsong voice. And if we say "high five" and hold up our hand, he presses his hand right into it. So cool. He actually understands what we're saying!

Yesterday, my mom got him to shake her hand. She says, "Carter, do you want to shake my hand" and holds her hand out for him. He grabs it and she shakes it while saying, "How do you dooooo" in a funny voice. He loves it.

Watching him imitate us and learn things is so amazing.

You're not gonna believe this

So, you know how we were wondering what to do with Chris' walker and toilet thing? I had contacted a bunch of places and finally found a nursing home that would take it off our hands. Maybe.

But tonight, I got a Freecycle email from someone looking for a walker and toilet thing! It went to the large group, so it's not like they sent it just to me because they knew I had one. I emailed her right away and she was so happy. Her dad's coming for a visit and they wanted to have stuff for him at her house. She's coming by tomorrow to pick it up.

How great is that??!!

First dentist visit

Carter had his first dentist appointment this morning. He, um, hated it. LOL. I really think it was all about how the hygienist approached him, with both hands coming at him. But he screamed and squirmed and didn't do so well. But, he recovered quickly and the dentist gave him a clean bill of health. Said his teeth look perfect and to keep him coming every 6 months.