Our Weekend

Saturday, I worked most of the day at an event for Boot Camp. Jeff did a great job with the boys, of course. And even had time to invite some familiar faces over to play. I arrived home to Kev, Jess, Jhett, Shannon and Bree! 

Bree entertaining Jhett

Camden bringing Jhett a ball. He shares much better than his big brother.

The boys playing.

Camden kept using Jhett's head to help him stand up, not very comfortable I assume but Jhett didn't seem to mind.

Then Camden decided to try to sit in Jhett's lap.

Bright eyes!

Sunday, relaxing in the backyard. The boys climbed in their pool, clothes and all.

Their diapers got a bit heavy, so we stripped 'em down. Carter hates to be undressed, so no photos of his naked butt to share. Camden on the other hand, might join a nudist colony.

But he's very modest.

And keeps everything strategically placed.

He really wanted to ride Carter's bike, and kept pulling himself up on it. 

Made for a cute shot of his little tushy.

and off he went . . .

A B C D . . . I want to see ME!

Carter has started saying his ABC's. Until he sees me trying to get it on video, then he wants to see himself and comes running over. I can't tell you how many half ABC songs I have on video.

Hide and Seek

Camden and Carter playing Hide and Seek. (Look closely, you can see Carter on the other side of the table, making Camden laugh.

Ramdom Weekly photos

Erin sent knee pads with Carter's helmet. he kept looking down at his legs and almost falling over on his noggin'. Looks like he needed his helmet just to look at his knee pads.

They kept falling down on his shins, which will make perfect shin guards for soccer practise.

Cheesy grin

Sharing snacks. Carter grabbed Camden's baby cereal and the proceeded to distribute it accordingly. "5 for me, 1 for you."

As if one pacifier wasn't enough. ***Sigh***

HATE THIS DUMB YELLOW DEATH TRAP-

I hate blogging this stuff (for 2 reasons: #1. For fear someone is going to judge me as a horrible parent #2. The fact that this makes me a horrible parent.) Anyway on with the story, Jeff and I (and Mike and Amanda) had a real wake up call yesterday. Mike and Jeff were in the pool with Carter, Dane, (both boys pretty good in their water wings) Camden in his yellow floaty and Nora in her yellow floaty. Amanda and I had yet to eat after the rest of the crew devoured dinner so we thought we would grab a quick bite and then jump in the pool with everyone else. No sooner had I sat down and took 1 bite of my burger that Amanda (who was facing the windows watching the activity) got a "look" on her face and started to say something. I turned around, took one look at Camden, who was reaching for Jeff and about to roll himself in the stupid yellow floaty. I flew out the door just in time to watch him flip right over. UPSIDE DOWN! FEET STRAIGHT UP! Jeff was helping the older boys with their water wings. he was literally a foot from Camden and we assumed he was safe in that dumb yellow float ring. But we should have know, he can tip a whole highchair over at 6 months so he could tip a yellow float ring over too. Anyway, I was screaming, you know those screams that sounds like someone else far far away but it's actually coming from somewhere deep inside you. Anyway, Mikey had seen Camden at about the same second I started screaming and throwing the "1 bite missing" burger at the pool. He flipped Cam right side up as I got to the pool and grabbed him. I think that's how it happened, it's kind of a blur. But Camden came up looking wide eyed, didn't even cough or sputter, just cried for a minute. He was under the water less time than when I dunk him myself, but I was still frantic. (We will cut out the drama that ensued the next couple minutes . . . Sorry Mike and Amanda) and I will instead say Camden was happy 2 seconds later and we played another 30 minutes in the pool. (The one bite burger still laying on the pavement where I threw it) Then I got paranoid at home that night that he would "dry drown" from water he might have inhaled. So I was up every 1.30 hours to ward off nightmares 

(my own) and run upstairs to feel his back and make sure he was breathing. I haven't done that since he knocked the highchair over. So WARNING TO ME: ONE-ON-ONE IN THE POOL ONLY. CHILDREN ARE UNPREDICTABLE. NO DUMB FLOAT RINGS. 

Not that it is really the products fault, but it specifically states: "Babies love these 27" diameter pools floats. Featuring Heavy-duty vinyl. A large ring with a smaller inner ring "PROVIDES STABILITY" (NOT SO MUCH) This double-ring design allows babies to sit upright (NOT SO MUCH) and kick around the water in a safe, stable (NOT SO MUCH) pool float. It even goes on to say the float is "Baby Brawny" (UMMMM, NOT SO MUCH)

Lesson Learned. (And The Grandparents will probably never let us "house sit" again.)

Le Reve . . .

On Sunday, we were able to go out with Mike and Amanda to see a Cirque du Soliel show. It is called Le Reve, which means The Dream . . . yep, it was a dream, no kids for 2 hours.

A very special present . . . a moty-scyco

Today Carter received a very special birthday gift from Erin. A bike, but more important, the Thomas the train helmet that came with. He seriously would not take it off, not to go potty, not to eat, I barely pried it from his head for nap time. I have most of the pictures on my phone, I will try to load them later.

Camden was elated!

photo session

Some photos from our recent photo session. We tried to get Carter's 2 yr pictures but the boys were less than cooperative. These are the few ok shots we did get. 

Sad moment: When we got to the picture place, there was this couple trying get their 2 boys to smile in the same picture, one would cry, they other would smile, then they would swap and the parents just kept pushing and pushing to get the right picture. By the end, the photographer had had it, the kids were hysterical and the parents exhausted. I commented to Jeff, "There comes a point when you should just give up, it's only a picture right?"

Flash forward 10 minutes to our session: Kids suddenly because unglued, wouldn't sit, no smiles, hands in their mouths, crying, whining, running, parents frustrated. I kept saying  "just one smile Carter please", (notice no pictures of the boys together) one would smile, the other would cry. In the studio, surrounded by the giant display pictures of little angels posed and smiling so perfectly, I just wanted one good photo. I started to get peeved. Then Jeff politely reminded me to not "be one of THOSE parents." We gave up, it's just a picture right?

 (My sister can probably hear me sighing all the way in Seattle right now)

Hindsight, we did get some good photos of the boys individually. 

Two years old!

Carter's Birthday picture.

It is now a tradition to take the boys picture at the same minute they were born.

This is what he was doing at 12:28pm on 8/3/08.

10

Mobile Monkey,

You started to crawl officially today. You have gone from the belly slide to all fours and are so proud of yourself. Maybe you are cheering because we are.  You can sit by yourself in the bathtub and not fall over, to our relief. Well, except when Carter goes splash crazy and then you go splash crazy, you get wobbly and we get soaked. You pull up on things too. It makes me nervous but you are strong and solid. Rarely are you not content. (with exception to teething) Cam, you are my lovey. Extra snugly right now, maybe the 4 new teeth that popped up but I love it, not the crying from the teeth but the fact that you need me. You smile wider and wider everyday. You wave Hi and Bye to complete strangers and say Mama, Dada and Baba. You babble non stop in the car. You love to watch Carter and Dane. Dane is your buddy as much as he is Carter's. In meeting yesterday, you kept trying to get his attention, touching the back of his chair, patting his head, tickling his neck. Maybe I should have been more serious about not goofing around. But Amanda and I could only laugh, Dane announced that "you are a good boy." That you are. Dane also likes to "pet" your surfer hair. Maybe, he likes how soft and wavy it is like I do. I can't cut it, you look messy but it is so cute. Most of all Cam, I love that I can't imagine my life before you. I really can't remember what it was like before those blue eyes 10 months ago.  I guess I remember when it was only Carter with us, maybe I even remember when it was just me and Daddy, but I still feel like you always existed. Maybe in my heart I knew I would have 2 perfect, handsome, sweet, lovable, boys to watch grow. Thank you for filling my days and my heart.

Love Mamamama

TWO

My Big Boy Carter,

I am having have growing pains, pains in my heart due to the speed with which you are growing. The time has flown by at "Lightning McQueen" speed. (Cars is your favorite movie and you love to watch it at Sandy's house with your best bud Dane.) You are less of a baby and more of a little boy everyday. Letting me know with such confidence, "I do it!" making sure I understand that you can climb into your car seat by yourself, clean up by yourself, wipe your own face, brush your own teeth (not really), carry your own books, help yourself to goldfish. All things that I have been doing for you since you came into this world. You are trying to go potty like a big boy, but right now it's more about the "MM tweat" than the pee in the potty. None the less, you are willing for now to sit until I get you your treat and we are successful about 1/2 of the time. Your vocabulary has grown even in the last week while visiting Papa and Grammy. You happily announced Thursday before we left, "I go on airplane, high in sky, to Seattle, see Grammy and Papa. Motorcycle in garage. It blue" all in one breath. And yes, we flew to Seattle, your 5th? flight in 2 short (fast) years. You don't like the sound of take off or landing, but other than that you did great. This will be the last time you get to fly as a "lap baby" Now you are a big boy and will require your own seat on the plane. Another small sign that indeed you are growing up. You had such a fun time kicking the soccer ball in the back yard with grandpa, you can actually dribble the ball around shouting with glee, "I kick it!" "Papa get it" "Carter get it!" We went to the places I grew up going to. To the zoo, to Dick's property, to Country Village were I used to work. Each place you took in like a sponge. Laughing at the monkey, explaining to Grammy all about the tractor you love to ride. I can see your mind working now, formulating thoughts and memories that we can share. You LOVE (and that is an understatement) trains, cars, trucks, tractors and you drive them around on the floor with such purpose. Imagination play, you pretend cars are crashing, trains are chugging and you like when they go under tunnels. But funny enough, you are leery of Papa's motorcycle and wouldn't even sit on it while it was parked in the garage. Though you talk about it daily. You are sweet to Camden, saying Hi baby when you pass by him. This time on our trip, you gave hugs and kisses goodnight to everyone without shying away. You are fun. Your mission everyday is to go outside and play or play with trains inside. Maybe have a fruit snack. That's it, the simplest of pleasures. And I am so glad I get to watch you grow.

Carter's 2nd Birthday Party

The 4 of us. I can't believe that 2 years ago it was just the 2 of us.

Opening presents. He wanted each one out of the box to play with immediately. All I heard was, "Open Mommmay!"

An art isle from Bryan, Shannon and Bree. I will be setting this up in the garage, where it won't matter if he colors on the walls when he gets too excited. Not in the house where there are couches, white walls, and a tile floor that often look like good drawing material.

What!? Carter is TWO already! He's 4 times as old as me.

Jeff and Jhett

Kev and Cam

Singing "Happy Birthday!" This year he finally knew we were singing to him and loved his CHOO CHOO cake.

Carter (2), Trinity (3) and Ava (2) enjoying cake.

More present pictures, these are really out of order.

Floaties for the pool from Uncle Mikey, Auntie A, Dane and BB Nowa

The gang

Casey, Sandy, Dane, Carey 

Eating snacks. We actually had food before the cake, unlike the pictures show. 

Ava eating. She is Carter's favorite Gymboree buddy. So glad she came.

Kevin and Jhett

Shanda and Jessica, something about the bottle must have been funny.

All in all, it was a great day. We have just returned from Seattle on Friday and so it was quite busy getting ready for the party, but it all went great and Carter had a great time with all his friends and family.

The Aquarium in Seattle

"I see sarr isshys" (starfish)

Carter the octopus, Halsey and Camden look on.

"Antee Aayin, look at da seal"

Erin and Halsey pose, Carter attempts to catch a fish.

How I know our kids are "from" Vegas

Sorry, tilt your head.

This is how I know our children were born in Las Vegas.

Pure, elated excitement over a tree.

"A tree, a tree! A tree!"