Clowning Around

Lucky for us Linc is feeling better - whew a long few days with a sassy baby! Carter is going to see the pediatrician in the morning too to have a ENT check - I think he's OK but want to be sure because he's been EXTREMELY whinny! I think that a great new business would be to have someone who could just do ENT checks all day long without appointments - I know I would give them business! Carter had clown day at school and found the nose to be a good time, not the clown collar he made (too messy with all that glitter!) but the nose was enjoyable. He also had a great time watering flowers yesterday although I think he got watered more than they did. He is looking forward to washing the truck with Sean on Saturday and they have been talking about it all week long. He's also learned how to "dog pile" on mamas which is oh so fun - watch out cousins here he comes!

100 degrees plus on the 7 day!

Ick I thought we'd escaped such weather by moving north - but we really have one hundred plus for the entire next week! Luckily we've all be sick so have spent most of our time in the air conditioning (now that is looking on the bright side!) Carter and Sean are fine so far but Lincoln had a bad virus that basically gave him canker sores in his throat. As a canker sore sufferer no wonder he has been a crab! He seems to be on the mend and I think I feel better today too.

Lincoln is ready for a crawling race - he's picking up speed and getting more curious. He's been obsessed with Carter's nightlight and the other day went from the living room (where I brought him to distract him from the light) and crawled back to the nightlight! He's also pulling up to everything and walking around things - he so badly wants to be able to really keep up with Carter. It is pretty cute to see him follow Carter around.

Carter has using the potty a lot this week and informed me yesterday that he doesn't like to wear clothes anymore! From the kid who would barely take his socks off last week to no clothes this week but it seems easier when we are at home to just wear his underwear!

Yesterday was Sean's birthday and I think maybe he would have liked a quieter birthday - both boys were just LOUD yesterday! Carter really wanted it to be his birthday but decided it was OK after we made Sean a birthday cake that any birthday was OK with him, he also got his fingers in it a few times before it was "served".

Home Sweet Home

It is good to be home and sleep in our own beds - some of us enjoy that more than others (us being Carter & I) and others being Lincoln! He seems to be going through a "phase" of not wanting to go to sleep sometimes and not wanting to stay asleep other times! Let's hope this phase passes quickly but the age doesn't - he's almost 9 months and it is a really fun age. He's totally on the go and now pulls up to anything, he tried to take a step this morning but went down rather than forward!

We went to a Clydesdale farm today and that was really cool - unless you were me of course and were carrying 50+ lbs. of kids! Carter didn't want down because he thought the horses were going to get him - they are like 2,000 lbs. and do eat/drink way more than he weighs in a day but I think they would have picked a more plump toddler if they were in to chomping on toddlers!

Both boys still seem sleepy and Carter is quickly learning to fake sick - usually "I don't feel good - I need something" and something is typically chocolate or right now "daddy's doughnuts". Yesterday as we drove by "Old McDonalds" as he calls it - he says "I want chicken nuggest, french fries & a shake" even though he'd already had lunch, guess you can tell we've been on the road. Carter has been busy packing his suitcase again for the plane, not sure where he is going but just in case he gets an invite, I guess!

Poweraid Puke and other traveling stories!

The boys before we left on Friday - looking to see if Red Dog was awake
Us at the reunion dinner
Carter & Jacob
Becki & I

Well this isn't how they looked the whole 14 hours in the car this weekend - but a few of them! We started our journey off with some motion sickness from watching about 5 min. of a movie - Sean and I are thinking of asking for a refund on our entertainment package in the car (and maybe the navigation too because we can't seem to use that very well either!). Overall the boys were great little travelers and their Mimi and Papa were really patient (even when we had to stop a few times about 20 min. apart). They are still really tired from being so darned busy the last week but are having a great time in Iowa.

Carter had tons of fun playing with Jacob in Tomah, Jacob is my cousin Becki's little boy who is almost 2 and Carter wanted to know where he was at all times, this of course pleased Becki and I very much. They ran in the hallways at the hotel, wrestled near the dinner (classy huh?) & played some ball outside. Carter came away with a little "road rash" from diving for a ball in the parking lot but it matched Lincoln's knot from falling in the hotel room. We got to see tons of family which was wonderful and we even stopped through Waterloo to see Katie and John (and the mini baby bump) for all of an hour.



Since we've been back in Iowa we've played with the cousins and played lots of baseball, Carter hit a good one yesterday and learned the expression "Holy Cow" from Papa, I think he might think it is a baseball term because he said it a lot after that. He also devoured an entire cow shaped cheese we brought back from the trip.



Lincoln has decided to start cruising the furniture while we've been here and is getting really good at moving around. He also is practicing pulling up and can pull up to many more things than even a few weeks ago. He had his first injury this morning from following Carter too closely and got his little finger shut in the door - he took it pretty well but I sure felt badly for him.



This morning we went to the fair and Carter went into the petting zoo a few times (only when held, however) you know he wouldn't wan to get his shoes dirty and was talking about how the stroller needed cleaning before we left. We walked through the barns and I think that he thought we were a little too close for comfort with the big animals. Tonight we are getting to celebrate Charlee's 2nd birthday which is exciting for us.



Overall we are having a great trip but will be ready to go home and see Sean tomorrow - Carter has had a few meltdowns begging for daddy and his home which are just one day and one airplane ride away!

Up, up and away!

We made it to Iowa! Carter loved the plane when we were on the ground (after throwing a total fit at the airport - 1st because our bags weren't going on the plane with us, 2nd because we had to leave daddy and 3rd because he had to take his shoes off to go through security). Anyway when we took off (he was in the aisle seat) he said "I want to get off" and wouldn't let me take my arm off of him for the entire flight! Luckily they both zonked out for the 2nd 1/2 of the hour flight and it was calm from there on out, as soon as we were on the ground Carter said "I want to do that again". Once we made it to Corning he said he was ready to fly home and have daddy pick us up! He sure is going to miss his daddy this week!

We have been here less than 24 hours and he has already had a ride on "HIS" 4-wheeler with Papa and in the tractor with Grampie. He's played some baseball and played with a little motorcycle. Linc has been motoring around but needs to be pretty close to his mommy. Both boys ended up in bed with me last night which was a treat and I hope not a indication of the next 7 nights! I woke up at 12:30 when Carter joined Lincoln and I and Linc was either drooling or sweating and it was running down my neck - now isn't that good sleep!

We are anxiously awaiting seeing all of the cousins tonight (although I already got to see Cael for a few moments earlier - how much he's changed since March! He has got to be the littlest man walking around and is just adorable doing so.)

Nap time for all of us - naps are going to be a requirement this week!

On our way to the "Motherland"

The boys and I are headed north today! We are excited to go and see all of the family but certainly don't like leaving Sean behind. I bet he'll be pretty busy for the next few days however because our new TV is arriving this morning (now that is good timing!). We had a busy weekend, we got to go do some swimming, watched some fireworks from our porch & headed to Enid, OK to meet my crazy parents. Sean came home early yesterday so we could go to Pelican Bay again and swim and it was the perfect day for it as it is over 90 every day now and I hear it is just as hot in Iowa! The boys are doing well - the first picture is Linc sleeping in the jumper last week (he fell asleep in there two times last week and as I type I think he's drifting off on my lap) it is a lot of work being 8 months you know. He now has 5 teeth that he's testing out on everything and everyone - except Carter, he hasn't nipped Carter yet but I'm awaiting that one. He's got some puppy in him I think - he's been eating any crumb he can find on the floor (good incentive to clean the floor more often) and has taken to chewing shoes which is just gross!
The 2nd picture is Linc being Carter's catcher. Carter is still crazy about baseball - he started wearing his baseball cap only after we called it a baseball cap & after he decided that he would no longer wear his bucket hat because it made him look silly (his words certainly not mine).
The last picture is Carter at the pond for the 4th - he was up from 7-10 that day without a nap and wasn't as tired as I anticipated. His latest thing to say is "I don't want to go anywhere" which really means - I want to stay home and watch TV all day (not that we let him!). He also told Linc yesterday - "don't do that, you'll spike yourself" - never a dull moment in our house! We will write from the Motherland!

Almost the 4th!

We had a lovely visit with the Goff/Griffin Girls! It was so fun to see Carter and Karry together as they are only a few weeks apart. Carter was a little concerned that she might be interested in adopting LeRoy and the puppies!
This is Lincoln really pulling up well to his chair - he looks so funny at that angle!
Carter is becoming very helpful when putting on sunscreen! Maybe a little thick but it is better that way!
He also has decided to really like baseball - he and Sean went to a Redhawks game a few months ago and I think we may try to take one in this weekend as well. He was outside "running the bases" the other day. Daddy really doesn't like it when we play in the living room but the Oklahoma heat makes me want to play inside!
This is Lincoln cheering on Carter at baseball.

We are looking forward to a longer weekend with daddy home a little extra time. We went swimming last night at Pelican Bay and I had forgotten how awesome it was, Carter really loved it this year and I was a little more comfortable with him around the water. He must have went down the slide 100 times! We are hoping that he'll be able to see some fireworks this year and I'm pretty sure that Lincoln will sleep through them!

Linc is getting a little more adventurous - this morning I found him scoping out the toys in Carter's closet and I'm still surprised to see him somewhere other than where I left him.

Happy 4th of July!