A Look Back

I was going through old photos and found this video of Blake making Carter laugh.  Carter was 6 months old on this day.   Blake still makes Carter laugh like that.

Today's Art

As Carter was drawing he was telling me what it was.  

He was very deliberate in his motions as he would say, "A", "sun", "worm".  

It totally freaked me out.  Can you figure out which is which?  Hee, hee.

My angel

No words needed here

He's so cheesy

Carter loves his Annie's shells and cheese!

This look cracks me up

Cheese!

Toddlers are strange

Toddlers are natural explorers.  I know this.  I love this.  I have rediscovered so many things through Carter.  It's wonderful.

I'm not sure, however, what could have prompted Carter to stick carrots on his face.   He just kept saying, "eye brow".  

I grabbed my phone since my camera was upstairs.  I know taking a picture encourages the behavior, but common, how could I not take a picture.  

Toddlers are strange.

Success with the first carrot.  The other side would not stick for some reason.  Drats.

Official Santa photo

Brian and I always prepare ourselves for potential disaster when it comes to having a toddler.  About 80% of the time we are pleasantly surprised.  

Carter being 20 months old is just the right time for him to be terrified of Santa Clause.  We were ready to accept our photo with Santa may not be any good.  

We could not have been more correct.

Drury University has an annual Breakfast with Santa.  It provides and activity and interaction with Santa and Mrs. Clause for their employees and Alumni with children.  It's a wonderful gig.

Last year Carter let Santa hold him for a minute.  We were so excited.  Tears running down our cheeks as it was our first Christmas with our son.  When it was time to sit him on Santa's lap for the official photo, Carter was not into it.  Oh well.

This year, 2008, Carter was NOT into it.  

As Santa made his rounds from table to table Carter looked at him.  Intrigued at the large man in red.  I had Carter standing on a chair so he could see.  (27 pounds gets heavy fast.)

Here is the moment.  Santa is walking and leaning toward Carter.....I am starting to cry sentimental tears and then Carter screams.  He jumps away from Santa trying to find me and lands face first on the chair next to him.  

Santa and Mrs. Clause are trying to see if he is ok and Carter is just plain freaking out.  I couldn't even get the words out..."get the heck out of here!" 

My sister, brother-in-law and niece Caelyn were with us.  Caelyn was so excited to see Santa.   But when she saw Carter wig out, she too, decided Santa was terrifying.  I felt so bad.

Brian and I decided it would be ok for Carter to sit on Santa's lap as long as we were in the picture too.  

I still have the giggles thinking about thay morning and really hope Carter is not traumatized for life.  *sigh*

At the cabin

My dad has a cabin in Texas County.  Several of us headed over there for the rest of the Thanksgiving weekend.  All of the children and my sister Katy ended up getting a stomach virus.  Several people in our family had the nasty bug.  

It was our first all night, throwing up sickness with Carter.  It was so sad.

Papa, Blake and Carter.  They can't leave with out a tractor ride.

Blake and Caelyn found some 4-wheeler helmets.  

The cousin's are tired after a big Thanksgiving.  They were ready for some down time.

Carter can't get enough of his cousin, Blake.  He wants to be next to him and do everything his does.  Blake can make him laugh so hard.  It makes me laugh.

Carter resting and playing with Papa

The day after

Brian and I made breakfast for all the over night guests from Thanksgiving.  I was busy that morning, but did take a few cute photos of our little punkin. 

Carter can't get enough of his Papa

Aunt Angie trying to get a moment with Carter

Carter and his cousin Blake relaxing and watching "Finding Nemo"

Forever Thankful

Thanksgiving Day has always been my favorite holiday.  It's the one day when 90% of my family is together.  Through tragedy, death and birth, my family binds together.  We know this is true throughout the year, but a holiday gives us permission to stop our busy lives and share a day together.

The past two Thanksgivings have been extra special.

We have Carter.

The past eight years Brian and I have watched my cousin's have babies, then my sister's have babies.  They have all watched us as we have tried to have babies.   I see the way people look at Carter and then at us.  It's the quiet nod that means so much.

  

Thanks to love and support of my family I am forever thankful.

Forever Thankful-Photos

Thanksgiving Day is always special.  Our family tradition is to go to my Dad's house.  As families grow, so do the number of guests in my dad's house.  This year I think we had 41 people ranging from age 80 something to 11 months old.  My sister and two of my cousins are expecting babies with in the next two months.  Next year will be an even more blissful chaos.

    

Our attempt to get a cousin photo

All but 2 of my cousins

The annual dog pile following the cousin photo shoot

Grandma Kirkman, her grand children and great grand children

Carter found the Mardi Gras beads

Forever Thankful-Photos

Wednesday evening my sister's and our families had dinner with my mother.  She spoils her grandchildren as you would expect any grandmother to do.  I managed to keep Carter away from the table while she dished out the ice cream after dinner!  He has not had that much sugar and I know he loves ice cream.  He would have been a mess.  I however had my fair share and it was sooooooo good.

My mother has a piano and the kids have recently discovered this.  Brooke is only 11 months old and didn't join in the "playing" of the piano, but Blake, Caelyn and Carter had a ball.  We all commented on how they didn't bang on it.  They actually used their fingers.  The piano was what kept Carter busy during the ice cream binge.

We couldn't leave Brooke out of this cute photo!