Thanksgiving, and sooo many videos

For the Thanksgiving weekend, we headed up to VA to be with my side of the fam. Friends John and Carrie jumped in our car at the last minute and came with us!! They visited with their family in D.C. while we were with ours, and then we re-grouped to travel back together. Although leg room was non-existent during the 12 hours spent in the car, we had so much fun with John and Carrie during our trip. I was especially happy to have Carrie with me in the McDonald's bathroom when Carson's diaper explosion led to a squirmy, naked baby jumping around while we tried to clean up the situation, screaming and laughing all the way.

Carrie and John stayed at my parents' house the first night, and then we took them into D.C. to see the sites for a bit before parting ways. It was SO cold. This is how Carson looked that day:

Our traveling buddies:

John has a special talent of taking self-portraits, perfectly centering even a group of 4! Maybe he has an extra long left arm?

The Museum of American History had just re-opened, so we checked it out. Our favorite was the exhibit on transportation throughout the years. Rick and Carson with a old-school school bus:
Carson's favorite part was an exhibit where you got to open little cabinet-like doors to see different thing. I kept trying to walk away from it, and he would try to jump out of my arms to keep opening those cabinets.

Family photo with the white house.
Rick says I look like a model in this picture. Thank you, thank you.
After D.C., we got to focus on Thanksgiving!! But first, poor Rick had to work for his turkey dinner.
The delicious feast!

So, I was going to edit tons of videos of Carson and put them all together for one really great video. Sorry folks, I've got more important things to do, like decorate our 3-foot tall Christmas tree. So here are way too many videos that are way too long. If you have a spare half hour, go for it!

Some of Carson's first steps. For a couple of weeks now he's walked when encouraged, but just in the last day or two he has actually chosen to walk on his own. It still cracks me up every time I peek in to check on him playing, and he's just standing there or walking from one place to another.


At first, Carson was deathly afraid of this rocking horse. As you can see, now he's figured out what it's for:

Even to the point that he loves his little horse:

For some reason, I find this new trick even more fascinating than first words, walking, and Carson's other new skill of flexing his muscles. He focuses so intently on some little task, like putting these marbles in the jar, or putting his little toy animals in their barn and shutting the door behind them. It is so fun to watch him figure these things out!

fine, have a look at my belly.

I am (sort of) flattered by so many requests to see a picture of my belly! Ok, get ready for this. Here is me and Mr. Fetus on Sunday, at 20 weeks:

Compare to this picture, when I was 37 weeks along with Carson. (Yes, I wore the same outfit on purpose.) Basically, I'm huge.

The Birthday Boy's Day.

We didn't give Carson much hoopla for his first birthday. To show him it was his special day, we allowed him to eat cheese for breakfast. The evening of his birthday, he opened some presents. The day after his birthday, I finally got around to making his chocolate zucchini cupcakes (with applesauce instead of oil and whole wheat flour!). He enjoyed consuming an entire cupcake (with lots of chocolate frosting), and then threw up about an hour later. It was a great birthday!

"I'm ONE!!"

Carson held his cupcake to his mouth like this for about two minutes straight. Maybe he was afraid I'd take it away from him, as I usually do with anything sugar-filled!

Web-camming with silly pappy, who happens to have a turkey on his head.

Carson loved his letters from grandmama and pappy

I am working on a video that showcases Carson's cute tricks, but we'll see when that gets finished. For now, some of his favorites include:

• clapping;
• putting up one finger when asked how old he is;
• signing "milk" and "fish", which look about the same except fish has some more movement;
• walking a record of 12 steps, although he definitely still prefers crawling... well, it's actually a bum scoot these days;
• we've officially decided his first word is "bath"... it's hard to tell if he's saying "mama" to me or if he's just babbling, but "ba" for bath is pretty consistent;
• turning off light switches and closing cupboards to "help" are a favorite;
• giving kisses and snuggling when asked;
• showing lots of preferences for certain foods, and throwing those he doesn't like;
• climbing up onto the couch, onto his train table, and on the shelf underneath his changing table.

Carson was sick a few days before his birthday. Sad, but sooo cute an cuddly.

More cuddling.

A favorite hiding spot.

Discovering Christmas.

He's one!

From 5 pounds to 20, here's how our little boy grew this past year.

(Click to enlarge.)

How I Found Out I Was Pregnant: A Story.

After a summer of traveling halfway across the world (to Cambodia) and back ALONE with a baby, then crossing the U.S. a couple of times to see some family and then move back out east, it was no wonder that I felt tired during the first couple of weeks we lived here. As the weeks turned into months, and the fatigue persisted, the thought crossed my mind, "I haven't felt this tired since... I was pregnant with Carson!" That thought was quickly pushed out of my mind, as there was no way I could be pregnant again.

And then, it became difficult to button my pants. Unfortunately, "Rick, I'm getting fat" is a pretty common declaration in our house, so he and I paid little attention to my seemingly expanding waistline. I kept exercising and, again, pushed any nagging thoughts of a possible pregnancy out of my mind.

And then finally, the day arrived in early September when something inside of me clicked, and suddently I knew why I couldn't keep my eyes open after 8:00 p.m., and why I couldn't button my pants without lying on the floor and sucking in with all my might, and why I was having a hard time producing enough milk for poor little Carson.

That day, I pushed Carson up some nice hills for the 1.5 mile jog to the library. He and I went pretty much everywhere with the jogging stroller in those days. I was excited to check out a book that I'd had on hold, and I had some items to return.

"That will be a 10 dollar late fee," the librarian demanded. I froze. 10 dollars??? After a little discussion about why on earth I owed 10 dollars for a DVD I didn't even watch and had no idea that was late, I was forced to pay the fee. As I dug in my wallet for some bills and loose change, my eyes started to fill with tears. I quickly shoved the money towards the librarian, checked out my book, and ran out of the library, trying to stifle the sobs before they all broke loose. I bent down to make sure Carson was buckled in (and to hide my wet face from public view), and suddenly, it hit me.

I was crying. Hard. Over a late fee from the library.


I had to be pregnant.


The end. Except it's really the beginning I guess, because a week later I had an ultrasound which revealed that I had actually been pregnant for nearly 3 months, without anyone bothering to let me know there was a baby growing inside of me. Now I'm 5 months pregnant, one appendix less, looking like I'm about 8 months pregnant, and we're excited to have 2 little boys who we hope and pray will be best friends. The real end.

daddy time

I snuck this shot of Carson having some daddy time.

Get it??

And Carson's newest trick is flushing the toilet. Great.

And that was my 100th post!! Thank you, thank you.

book review #2

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shafer and Annie Barrows.

I love, love, LOVE this book. It's written entirely in letters, and it takes place just after World War II has ended. It's hard to articulate a brief summary of the plot, but I'll try... Juliet, a single writer living in London, receives a letter from a stranger, a man who lives in the British island of Guernsey. He inquires about a book with her name written in it, and they develop a friendship through writing letters. Juliet learns that her new friend belongs to a Literary Society created as a cover-up during the German Occupation in Guernsey. Eventually, all the members of the Society write to Juliet, describing their experiences during the war. These charming people, the residents of Guernsey, fall in love with Juliet and she with them. I, too, still smile and laugh a little when I think of their delightful letters!! Juliet ends up meeting her friends in person, and then the traditional love story takes place, which made me very happy! I also appreciated a new view of some of the heart-wrenching suffering that took place during World War II. Residents of Guernsey were forced to send their children away, and then to live without food, soap, etc., and in constant fear of their German oppressors.

This book is just the perfect blend of a little bit of romance, some well-researched history, lots of references to literature and the arts, and a group of characters that seem like some of the most delightful people who've ever lived! I would absolutely recommend getting to know Juliet, Dawsey, Amelia, Isola, and the rest of the crew!!

burning questions

Are the (huge) size, (awkward) spacing, and (unattractive) crookedness of my baby's teeth any indicator of his future dental anatomy???
I'm a bit concerned.
I still get startled when Carson flashes a big smile. The sweet, toothless baby is no more. I miss the gummy smile, and the kisses that did not include painful bites.

and

It is 10:30 a.m., and I just changed big, full, stinky, poopy diaper number 3 of the day. Is this normal?? I've heard rumors of children that have poopy diapers only once a day, or even less frequently. Do they really exist??

and

What should I make for dinner??

The burning questions of this stay-at-home mom.

on the mend.

In case anyone is curious about a health update, I feel great!! I am ecstatic about my new abilities to sleep and stay asleep without waking up in pain, walk faster slightly faster than Carson can crawl, and hold Carson without defensively guarding my abdomen against any slight wiggle.

Believe it or not, Carson changed a lot in the short time I was not his primary caregiver. He busted out of the clingy stage and is demonstrating some independence! He now crawls away from me much more often than towards me. Especially when I am holding a diaper, or a set of clothes soon to be put on his little body. Then he crawls away really fast, laughing all the way. His newfound hobbies include pulling every plug in the house out of its outlet, and smiling when a camera is pointed his way. The cheesy smile:

I can't say I'm glad I was sick, but being out of commission for a week or two sure does wonders to make a stay-at-home mom appreciate her lot in life! Yesterday, I could not wait to get out the cleaning supplies and attack the bathroom. I vacuumed, swept, mopped, etc. and was so happy to be doing so! I organized Carson's clothes in his new (to us) dressers and can't stop walking by his room to admire my work. (ok, actually my father-in-law's work. He painted the dressers, and Carson's room is looking so cute! Pictures to come.) I appreciated and enjoyed playing with Carson much more than before.

Perhaps we get sick in order to appreciate being well!!

Oh, and I actually got the courage up to cut Rick's hair, and this time it looks decent!

I scrounged up this picture from my last attempt to cut his hair, nearly a year ago. Oops. The clippers just got away from me! This time, working with scissors, his poor head fared much better. Phew.

Happy Halloween!

from the hospital...

I feel silly blogging about my own health situation. But if one of my friends were going through this, I would want to know all the gory details, so here are some of mine:


Wednesday: I noticed a stomachache; thought nothing of it. It got worse during my day of babysitting 2 toddlers, so by late afternoon I hadn't eaten anything and was in pretty severe pain. I forced down some Saltines to have the energy to put Carson to bed, and then I crawled into my own bed, hoping to sleep it off. That night was horrible; I woke up every half hour in pain, or with a dry mouth, or to go dry-heave in the bathroom. Pain was belly-button level, all around the abdomen. If you guess the diagnosis early, you get a prize.


Thursday morning: I called and went to see my doctor. This is highly unusual for me, as I would usually tough it out for a few days. However, I was very worried about... drum roll, please... our baby #2, 16-week-old Mr. Fetus. (Sorry for the abrupt announcement, but it's necessary for the story here.) So, I told kind Julie that I would only leave Carson for an hour or so, and headed off to the doctor, hunched over in pain. I assured the doctor that it was probably a stomach flu, but that I just wanted to make sure my baby was ok. Wise doc took labs and decided (lots of leukocytes) that there was an infection somewhere. She pressed on the left side of my abdomen--fine. She pressed on the right side-- ouch!! So, I was sent directly to the hospital.


Thursday afternoon: The ultrasound (would be a CT scan, but due to pregnancy had to be ultrasound) definitely showed an inflamed appendix. The ultrasound tech officially added me to his list of "interesting cases." So interesting, in fact, that the whole crew of radiologists came in to take turns poking and prodding me to find my nice big appendix, squished by little baby. So, they sent me over to the Emergency Department, where they said I would be sent right to surgery. I sat in that sinkin' ED for 6 hours, on an uncomfortable bed, in pain. I was visited by many doctors, all assuring me that they were meeting with a team to figure out the best plan to do this surgery and protect the baby. Rick called a friend who works as a surgeon here, and he was SO kind to call and help me get in a little quicker. THANK YOU!! As they wheeled me up to surgery, I spotted another friend from our church. He turned out to be my anesthesiologist! At this point, I was all alone, as I had forecefully sent Rick home to study for Friday's test. The anesthesiology residents all found it hilarious that I had sent him home. So, it was a special miracle to have a friend with me throughout the entire surgery, taking care of me and baby. I think, at one point I told him, "don't let anyone touch my baby!" Surgery was from about 8 p.m. til midnight.


the wee hours of Friday morning: Surgery was successful. My appendix was apparantly "nasty," oozing with puss, as it had burst some. (good thing we didn't wait any longer to take it out, ehh?) As usual, I woke up from the anesthesia a little crazy, crying some and screaming for Rick and my friend Carrie, who was coming to be with me. They put Rick on the phone, and I got a little loopy, cheering him on to, "Go study, honey!!" That loopiness lasted a couple more hours, and Carrie and my recently-arrived parents got to see quite a show. Finally, I slept some, with Carrie being a wonderful friend and nurse throughout the night.


Friday: was quite painful. I thought recovery would go a lot smoother. I guess the anesthesia fills you up with CO2, which results in intense pain all in your abdomen, shoulders and neck afterwards. Breathing is very painful! I didn't eat much, just tried to sip fluids and walk around a tiny bit and deal with the pain. Carrie is so amazing for staying all night and then putting up with me half that day. (During stage loopy, I kept gushing, "Isn't Carrie just so great??" Funny, but true.) Finally, Rick finished his test and came to be with me. This night was especially painful for me, and I was so grateful to have a loving husband there to pray for and with me.


Saturday morning: I was discharged and loved going home to watch Carson laugh and play. He follows my mom around like she is his own! However, my pain wasn't doing too well, and lots of nausea set in. Rick came in to chat with me after eating a burger, and I nearly threw him off the couch for his nauseating smell.


the wee hours of Sunday morning: The nausea progressed to... vomit, vomit, and more vomit. I went back to the hospital in a daze at 3 a.m. After impressing the ER nurse with my ability to continue vomiting at her desk, she admitted me right away. This is the point where I told Rick I was sure I was going to die. I kept sort of fading in and out, and when I was "out," I had the most vivid, pleasant dreams, sometimes like I was re-living my life! Sort of cool, now that it's over. In the ER, a doctor came in and introduced himself as a friend-of-a-friend. He took such good care of me, and once again, I'm so grateful. So, they gave me lots of IV fluid and I started feeling a lot better.


Sunday: I actually felt great once re-hydrated. The only issue was getting my bowels to work correctly... which we're still working on today, Monday, at the hospital. Let's just say, ew.


Sorry for the lengthy post. I hope to be discharged soon and able to take care of my sweet baby(ies) soon after that. I just want to say that I am so grateful for modern medicine, caring friends, my growing faith, prayer, and my wonderfully helpful family.

crazy carson

Sometimes, this kid gets a little crazy...

...Like when he puts everything on his head. In this case, the headband works.

*Should I be worried about those ribs??

...Like when he crawls inside of the end table...

...and sometimes even pushes the door open to burst out the other side!

...Like when he climbs into boxes.

...and like when he opens his mouth so wide that it takes up half of his entire face.

I guess we all get a little crazy sometimes...

P.S. I had two cute, crazy videos to share, but they're not wanting to upload. Sad. In one, Carson laughs so hard he gets to the "silent laughing" stage. Another day.

P.P.S. According to several sources, by Carson's age there is no chance of the eye color changing any more. So, I have a child with GRAY EYES??? Is that possible? Sometimes his eyes have a little dark blue tint, sometimes they look more brown, but usually, when asked to identify his eye color, the answer is, "hmmmm. ummm. gray??"

tractors, nascar, and goodwill shopping

It was a true southern weekend.

Rick and my dad attended an event at a Nascar race. (Mostly so our good friends in the Army could throw Rick up on a stage and say, "Look, everybody! This good-looking guy joined the Army; don't you want to too??") They visited all sorts of interesting booths and attractions. Their favorite? A row of tractors that performed a synchronized dance to music, their lights flashing, their shovel-things swinging in time to the music.

Nascar + dancing tractors = a redneck event for sure.

They also got to do a simulation of sky-diving, called a wind tunnel. According to their description, there was a huge fan that blows you up in the air, and apparantly it feels the same as sky-diving.

(In picture to the left, that's NOT my dad, or Rick. They didn't let them go that high, thank goodness.)

While they were busy flying, my mom and I found a redneck activity of our own. We discovered North Carolina's largest Goodwill store!! Here are the goods:

Gap green cardigan: $3.75

Express tan sweater: $3.75

set of 4 Pottery Barn bowls, that perfectly match our dishware: $2

Banana Republic shoes: $3

(not pictured) books for Carson: $.50 each

Go Goodwill!!

And, to cap off the weekend, we discovered North Carolina's very own fast food chain: Cookout! None of us are regular fast-food eaters, but we fell in love with Cookout. Their burgers taste like they just came off your backyard grill, barbeque was equally delicious. And when your choices of sides include not only cole slaw, but chicken nuggets and a corn dog, how can you go wrong? Amazing shakes complete the huge meal for only 5 bucks. Mom and dad vowed to stop for dinner on their way down next time they visit, so we can enjoy Cookout as soon as they arrive.

So, I guess we're really southerners!

Now we just need to get Carson hanging around the right people so he can develop a Southern accent.

to create

A leader of our church recently stated that women "sometimes undervalue their abilities—they focus on what is lacking or imperfect rather than what has been accomplished and who they really are."

Then he talked about how, if we want to enjoy God's happiness, we should do two things that God does: 1.) create. 2.) be compassionate. "He is a God of creation and compassion. Creating and being compassionate are two objectives that contribute to our Heavenly Father's perfect happiness."

When he said this, I thought, "what does he mean, create??" Well, here is the list of things that I created today (or helped to create):

• Carson's giggles.
• understanding in a church class, with a comment.
• a big bowl of popcorn, currently being devoured. Perhaps a Sunday night tradition?
• Rick's smiles. Along with his "smile wrinkles," which I adore.
• compliments to friends.
• an incredibly nutritious lunch for Carson: yogurt, flaxseed, and squash.
• the opportunity for someone to go to church, by giving him a ride.
• a dinner featuring 4 different colors.
• memories for my parents.
• another happy day for my sweet baby.

I know I could have done a lot more creating, but we're just focusing on what has been accomplished, right?

President Uchtdorf is right on when he says, "Creation brings deep satisfaction and fulfillment. We develop ourselves and others when we take unorganized matter into our hands and mold it into something of beauty."

I am glad that even those of us who aren't great singers or artists can still create things of beauty with our own unique talents. (Even if that talent is something as simple as making a baby laugh!)

Now, to work on that goal #2., of being compassionate...

a pillow obstacle course, created especially for Carson

he sure looks good in white!

Rick officially received his (short) white coat last weekend. Nice ceremony, lunch, and presentation by his professors. We heart Wake Forest.

the pre-ceremony behavior discussion.

man he looks good.

family photo:

twins:

triplets:
in front of good old Bowman Gray, founder of the med school. This is where Carson and I often meet Rick during his lunch hour, or to walk him home from school.

We so enjoyed our visit with Rick's dad, "grandpa Sam." THANKS for coming!!

awaiting the delicious Sunday brunch! We had dreamed about the food for days prior to the event.

Yum.

bowling ball with legs? (a very cute bowling ball.)

wall o' pictures

Finally finished the wall o' pictures in our "family" themed front room.

I cannot get enough of chocolate brown and blue. Apparantly I'm not the only one: there's a website called thechocolateblues.com, dedicated to all things chocolate brown and blue.



And a shot of the other side of the room. Curtains are the next project, but can't find any fabric that tickles my fancy. Any suggestions? Would brown be too much... brown? Would blue be too much... blue?

All photos taken with this kid hanging onto me. And, what a coindidence! His pants are blue and brown! So was his shirt, for the short time he was fully dressed that day.