Happy Fat Tuesday!

Took Carter for his 2-year check-up today and our boy is tall, skinny, and healthy! Weighing in at 29 lbs, 8 oz, he's still around the middle percentile at 60%. He's 36.5 inches tall (or if you prefer, a tad over 3 feet), which puts him in the 95th percentile. Ear tubes still look great, teeth look great, and we are going to try to switch him back to cow's milk (skim) and see how he does with it. Not that we don't mind filling the fridge with soy milk, it just wouldn't be such a bad thing to have a little more coin in our pockets...

Snapped a few photos before we took off to the doctor's office as Carter was playing with some Mardi Gras beads. Here's wishing you a very HAPPY FAT TUESDAY! Our King Cake is waiting to be eaten tonight and we'll be snarfing some red beans and rice alongside it!

As Carter was playing with the beads (yes, red and blue - what else did you expect?!), he was shouting "shayshock" (which is "Jayhawk") over and over. I think the kid is ready for some NCAA basketball!!! Couple pics of him playing with the beads:
Big plane few over - had to check it out and say "bye bye"...
Hope that you have a wonderful Fat Tuesday and Rock Chalk Jayhawk!
~kerrie

Happy Birthday (No. ONE!!!) to Carter!

Exactly one year ago today (March 2, 2009), Matt and I welcomed our baby boy into this world! I had a fairly easy pregnancy (only 2 weeks of bedrest at the end - precautionary only), it wasn't a crazy-long labor (at "only" 19 hours), and there were only a few minor complications with delivery (with just a few stitches and headaches to remember them by)...

But looking back, it was totally, completely, and positively the VERY BEST DAY of our lives!! Seeing Carter James for the very first time simply melted our hearts and we knew that our lives would be even MORE wonderful with our son as a part of it. Below was Carter's very first picture at the hospital. Even with 2+ days without sleep, Matt was simply beaming at our nearly 9-pound boy that was finally born around 4:00 in the afternoon:
Our first day home as a family (sans showers), we begged our neighbor, Kristin, to take a few photos of us and only let her see Carter from a distance (ok, she got about 2 minutes with him, that was about it). She happily obliged and here was our new, happy family:
We chose to keep him "under wraps" for the first month (partially doctor's orders, but mainly because he was born into the middle of cold and flu season, which was hitting NM quite hard). After that, our wonderful friends and family continued to lavish us with gifts, love, and support. And they're STILL doing that!

Matt and I continued to be a happy family during Carter's first year and I honestly don't even remember what life was life before Carter came along! We had our fair share of ups and downs (that whole ER visit over Memorial Day weekend sure falls in the low-lights of our lives) and I can't wait to see what the future holds for the Greenies!

Below is a little photo montage of Carter's monthly photos that we took during his first year of life. Starting with one of the photos we included for our birth announcements (which may not be the ACTUAL photo we sent...but one of the hundreds we took):
Moving on to the monthly photos with the infamous "photo cards" from my sister-in-law, Katrina. Month 1 - April 2, 2009 (on a handmade blanket by Aunt Katrina):
Month 2 - May 2, 2009:
Month 3 - June 2, 2009 (on a handmade blanket from CJ):
Month 4 - July 2, 2009 (on a handmade blanket by Sarah):
Month 5 - August 2, 2009 (sporting some John Deere for Grandpa C):
Month 6 - September 2, 2009:
Month 7 - October 2, 2009 (with Grandma and Grandpa C in Kansas):
Month 8 - November 2, 2009 (in KU gear, just for Mommy):
Month 9 - December 2, 2009 (in Star Wars gear, just for Daddy): Month 10 - January 2, 2010:
Month 11 - February 2, 2010:
And finally, sharing his No. 1 birthday with Dr. Seuss's 106th - March 2, 2010:
Our boy has accomplished just so much during his first year! Here's a little summary for you:

• Carter started life off at 8 pounds, 14 ounces and now he's up to nearly 25 pounds (I'll post the actual weight after his doc appointment on Wednesday).
  

• Started out at 22.5 inches tall and now he's nearly 3 feet tall (again, I'll post his actual height after Wednesday).
  

• Carter was exclusively breastfed for 7.5 months and finished out the first year of his life with a combination of breastmilk and Enfamil Premium formula. Only reason he didn't make the full year was because I had some supply issues during all of my traveling.
  

• He managed to eat (and enjoy!) something from ALL of the 21 recommended plant families, even cranberries, pomegranates, onions, garlic, and cabbage! Even at school, he's always the best eater and will try anything they put in front of him.
  

• To chow on all of those tasty foods (many were homemade by me and mostly organic), he couldn't have done it without his TEN teeth! That's right, our boy has 10 chompers!
  

• He still has very little hair, but we know it will thicken up and maybe on his 5th birthday he'll have his first haircut!
  

• Carter had his fair share of colds and ear infections during his first year of life and even had his first major surgery (ear tubes were put in).
  

• He still isn't much of a cryer, topping out at about 5 minutes a day (unless he's sick). Guess he prefers to babble and smile more than crying...which is ok for us!
  

• He progressed right on through diaper sizes 1 through 3 and is currently wearing size 4's.

• Carter is wearing mostly size 12-month clothes, but size 18-month PJ's since he's so tall.

• He can "commando" crawl, "regular" crawl, and is "cruising" all around the furniture (and around the house when he uses his little walker toy). He's even been "standing" around during the last week or so.
  

• He's certainly on his way towards being a chatterbox, as he is not shy about babbling and babbling on and on. He's currently able to say "mama" and "dada," but we're not sure yet if he's referring to us or just babbling.
  

• Carter is just about done with the bottle, since the sippy cup is one of his favorite smash-up-your-dinner items (you know, by banging on the tray).

• He sleeps very, very well and always through the night (and has since about 3 months old), but he still isn't much of a napper (couple 30 minute naps during the day).
  

• And finally, he clearly loves his Mommy and Daddy and isn't shy about giving us hugs and "kisses"...awwwww...
  

Tomorrow I will post a few pictures, including his "official" 1-year photo, and pics from his first taste of sugar...his very first birthday cake!! Should be a grand 'ol time and I'm sure wimpy Mommy will be sporting the waterworks...

So, Carter, our son, with as much love as we can squash into this little 'ol world, we wish you a very, very Happy 1st Birthday!
All our love,
Mommy and Daddy

PS I know Matt says I shouldn't be so sappy about this birthday "stuff" because our boy is SUPPOSED to grow up, but geez, it sure is tough when time flies so fast, eh? As of today, my baby is now officially a toddler! Oh well, in my heart, he'll always be my Baby Boy!! ~kerrie

Carter is 11 Months Old!

Can't believe our little boy is nearing the one-year mark! Time sure files when you're having fun, eh? Little behind on blogging this week since the fam is fighting off the sickly bugs.

Carter is currently on a round of antibiotics (two types, actually), since he woke up on Monday morning with blood running out of his ear (ewww). Doc says it's nothing to be alarmed with and his tubes still are open and it's all clear behind the blood. Pheww. Guess when he gets a cold, the goo will take the path of least resistance and in this case, it was out the ear since his nose was quite stuffy. So, we have drops for his ear and an oral antibiotic and he should be good as new in 10 days.

And I finally caught the bug (from Carter? from traveling?), but I guess I can't really complain, since I've really only been sick once during his first year of life. I lost my voice on Monday night, got it back on Tuesday afternoon, and am WAY better today. Now it's Matt's turn...

Ok, on to our boy. Still around 22 pounds, WAY tall for his age, and still fitting into his 12-18 month clothes. We're going to start size-4 diapers here soon, so he's filling out perfectly and is generally a healthy boy. He's still babbling like crazy, cruising on the furniture, and is getting some great balance.

Carter has managed to eat pretty much everything we've given him (even the cabbage and bananas he smeared together a week or so ago...) and is doing well with his fine motor skills. Since he's not a fan of being fed with a spoon, we're taking a good hour for dinner. Works out ok since Matt is working overtime lately (our schedules seem to flip, which is good, since we both can't be on OT at the same time...). Funny, too, that he is QUITE a fan of his sippy cup and washes down the dinner all by himself. Before we know it, he won't need us (just our pocketbooks, right?) - only kidding!

Anyway, the important part, the photo cards. ONE MORE to go and then we're in the clear. We waited until just before bedtime to take some pics last night, hoping that he would be tired and just hang out. Not so much... Believe it or not, these next round of photos are actually sequential - he was THAT much of a busy bee!

Started off well enough - sitting on his rug, deciding which truck to play with:
Scampering away, caught by Daddy:
Wait a minute, those're just legs...
Taking the photo card and making a run for it:
Daddy brought him back over - not happy about it:
Ok, back to happy, even a little giggle:
Making a run for the changing table:
Climb INTO the crib?
Nah, make a run for it down the hall...
All this photo taking is tiring:
But there's still a little time for toy playing:
Try that crib-climbing again:
And to finish up the photo shoot, Daddy had to confiscate the card since Carter took a chunk out of it:
So we'll settle with these next two as his "official" shots for Month 11:
Hoping you're enjoying watching our boy grow up as much as we are!

And finally, we have quite a bit of excitement coming down the pike, as Grandma and Grandpa C will be celebrating their 40th wedding anniversary just 3 days after Carter's 1st birthday. Which only means one thing: TRIP TO KC TO CELEBRATE! Looking forward to seeing my folks and spending a little time with my brother's fam, too. Plus, there's a party or two involved, so let the excitement begin!

Have a terrific week!
~kerrie

Carter is 10 months old!

Wowza, 10 months already! Where DOES the time go!? Will start with some highlights from the month and then get to the photo [debacle] shoot.

Carter weighs in around 23 pounds and is just under 30 inches tall. Still riding along the tall, skinny boy line on the charts. He's on the cusp of no longer wearing the size 3 diapers and he's in 12-18-month size for his clothes. He's started wearing sneakers to school and is a really big fan of taking them off at the end of the day...

He's now acquired every Ikea toy they make (thanks, in part, to Kristin and Justin) and goes through them all in a matter of minutes (only has an attention span of about 5 seconds at this age...). Carter's favorite toy of the month is STILL the "zoo contraption" (there's a whole post dedicated to that annoying, annoying toy...). He's also becoming quite a fan of his stuffed soccer ball and the old oatmeal canister filled with rattly things. Carter can often be heard babbling as much as his mother when playing around with his toys (and taking a bath...and eating his dinner...and pretty much just babbling all the live, long day...).

Happy to report that he's still eating pretty much everything we put in front of him. From my list of 21 plant families to eat from in the first year of life, he's had all but 3. We're holding off on strawberries and citrus to simply avoid dealing with allergies. Matt has a few food allergies, so we're hoping to steer clear of them. To date, his favorite fruit is probably mangoes (blueberries being a VERY close second) and his favorite veggie is broccoli (seriously!!!). Carter is also a HUGE fan of yogurt, so we mix it with his morning cereal to keep him a-smiling.

While Carter spent the majority of the month crawling around "commando" style, as of Dec. 31, he started crawling on all fours! Yay! He's also getting pretty good at "cruising" and can maneuver between the furniture pretty well. He's pulling himself up on anything that he can get to (including the walls) and we're having to keep a pretty watchful eye on him because he still tumbles to the floor pretty easily. I'm dreading the day that I actually start typing the words "Carter is walking..." But it's going to be here soon! Yikes!

Ok, on to the photo shoot. We have 2 photo cards left. And that's about as much patience as Matt has left for them. Carter is MUCH more interested in eating the card than he is in posing with it. Here are a few takes from tonight:
"What, this card? You want a photo of me AND the card? Whatever..."
"Folded in half, right?"
"Ok, can you see the card? And me?"
"Ok, this sucks. Just let me have the card and you guys leave me be!" (I, personally, think this pic is just TOOO cute!)
And this is where Carter started taking off down the hall:
Moving right along...with the card being carried between his choppers:
Last shot before he tried to climb up the wall...or was it Matt wanting to climb up the wall? I forget...
Ok, I'm settling on this next shot as his "official" 10 month photo. Shows his standing abilities, his new shoes, his pinchable cheeks, and those big blue eyes - just some of the things we love about our little boy:
Hope you're keeping warm, enjoying the Greenie Times, and keeping with your New Year's resolutions!
~kerrie

Carter is 9 Months Old!

Carter is growing up so fast! In 3 months he'll be a YEAR old! Crazy! Well here's a brief post on his life and busy-bee-ness... Biggest highlight of the month is he's sitting up on his own and then...yikes...he's pulling himself up on the furniture! Before we know it he'll be standing, then walking, then sprinting. Yeesh.

At his check-up today he weighed in at almost 21 pounds and was 28.5 inches tall. So still a tall, skinny kid, right where he needs to be on the charts. Doc says he looks great (and the tubes in his ears have REALLY helped him stay healthy!) and he's a really easy-going 9-month old! Yay!

He's a mile-a-minute playtime kid and can empty (and subsequently get bored with) every single toy he owns in about 10 minutes...but it's ok because there's still the cat to keep him entertained!

He's still eating everything we give him (even the okra!) and we've started some more table foods (noodles!). Looking forward to trying some chunkier stuff this month and we're even going to start the sippy cups (yay for no more bottle washing!)! I'll be sure to post on the progress, as it will be riddled with hilarity, I'm sure!

Still trying to use the monthly photo cards from Aunt Katrina and this month was quite similar to last month...difficult! Since he's always being decked out in MY choice of clothing (KU!), this month he's sportin' one of Dad's faves: Star Wars!

Starting out he was quite interested in Yoda and the light saber:
Then it was all about crawling away during the photo shoot:
"Eh, no need to watch the camera...check out this sign!"
"Tasty, tasty!"
"Again, definitely worth snacking on - paper is good for you, right?"
"Ok, not so much of this sign will be left when I'm done with it...that's cool, right?"
"Dang it! Where'd the sign go?!" (And I love taking pouty pictures...we don't get a whole lot of them since he's generally a happy, happy kid...)
So we tried. Really, we did! These next two are his "official" 9 month shots (and I say "official" because I'm putting them all up on the wall in the hall!):
And you can't see his cheesy grin behind the sign all that well, but he really was smiling and having a great time!
Matt and I are still really enjoying this parenting gig (and never thought we'd have so much love for the wee little lad!) and are looking forward to spending Christmas together as our little family! Hope you're doing well and keeping warm!
~kerrie