C is almost 3!

We can't believe that Carter is almost 3 but it is sneaking up on us! He is really excited about having a Lightning McQueen cake. We had his pictures taken today.

Both boys are interested in the toilet these days - Carter in using it (yay!) and Lincoln is splashing in it (not so yay!).

We are going to have to build a guest house for Sean - his alarm is becoming a problem! It goes like this, Sean's alarm goes off, Lincoln wakes up, Lincoln talks as loud and happy as he can & Carter wakes up - then everyone is up, today around 5:45! The Olympics and these early mornings aren't mixing!

Living with Boys!

I think that my life has officially changed living in a house full of men! This week I've suffered a bruised foot from a plastic baseball and have been hit with a plastic golf ball so hard it left a mark - not once but twice! Once was off the club when Carter hit it (and hit my arm so it was a pretty good shot) and the other time Sean thought he'd practice with toddler clubs for some reason and got me in the ankle! Boo-hoo for me, I guess! Here are some pictures of the activities and for the record Lincoln has not hurt his mommy this week.

Carter has been a little upset after having daddy all week last week that he isn't here in the morning when he gets up and asks for him every morning. He also has picked up some prime daddy language - he says "Girdy pood" like pig-Latin for Pretty Good, that is no good & told me that the #8 on his computer this week was the "Ocho" - you just never know what he is going to pick up these days!

Summertime

Carter and Marah watching Cars





Linc showing off his new chompers - 7 & counting




Being a big boy standing on the patio












This is Carter bounding after Marah - I love how his feet are in the air!





On our walk by the boats








We had a nice time at the lake, Carter adores his cousins and can officially now say all the names of his family! This is big stuff since he said "Samantha" to me this morning - this shampoo smells like Samantha's was the actual conversation and it was ok to use because it was like Samantha's.





The boys both love being outdoors which is going to present some problems for me in the upcoming years because I don't particularly like to be hot! Carter went on the tube with me behind the boat (very, very slowly) which was big stuff for him! And he swam in the lake for a little while. I went tubing with Samantha and I was certainly more afraid of crashing than she was! It was so nice to get into the lake since I wasn't able to last year because I was rather pregnant! We all enjoy being around the water and like normal Sean comes home NEEDING a boat.





We made it through the ulcerated throat illness but found Lincoln in a little bit of puke this morning. We've made it about 6 hours without getting sick but I'm not certain it is gone yet. So we've been enjoying (?) the comforts of home for a few days and it is a good time to do so because it is still ridiculously hot outside but we are to have low 90's over the weekend.





Carter is busy learning to use the potty and does pretty well most of the time and Lincoln is busy learning to walk - he stood for a few seconds last week alone and made a lap around our house with the laundry basket yesterday so that will certainly be here before we know it. He was walking behind his walking toy yesterday and Carter said "That is such a good job, Lincoln, I'm so proud of you" it was damn cute!

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!