Carter turning three

My firstborn is turning three in two days. On Tuesday Carter will be three!!! I cannot believe it! It seems like just yesterday he came into our world and made me a mommy for the first time. I remember it was such a special time when I was pregnant with him. It changed the relationship between Derek and I as we became not only partners, but parents together. It brought us so much closer bringing this little life into the world. Now, here we are expecting our third boy, and feeling so fufilled with our family.
Carter is such a sweet boy. He is helpful and loving. He reminds me a lot of myself as a child. He is very creative and loves to sing and dance. He loves to use crayons and scissors to make "things" out of paper (right now they are "for santa"-I think he's hoping he'll get an extra present or something). He loves books and is a people pleaser. He is sometimes shy, but enjoys playing with other children alot. He wants to go to school so he can ride the school bus.
Derek is going to be underway for his birthday, so this weekend we took him to chuck e cheese to celebrate as a family. Saturday he will have his birthday party. We are hoping Derek will be back by then but we are not sure yet. Anyway, Carter and Evan loved chuck e cheese and keep asking me to go back. I am so blessed to have my sweet boys!! Happy birthday my first baby boy!!

Cute boys, cute words

The boys are growing so much!! Carter has mastered pee-peeing on the potty, and it only took a couple days. We are still working on the #2 issue!
Evan thinks he can use the potty now too. He wants to do everything his brother does...

Carter knows many, many words. Some funny things he says are calling cats "Meows" and a motorcycle a "farcycle" and icecream "cream creams"

Evan says "baby, bottle, bye bye, mommy, daddy and "cream creams" too.

The boys loooooveeeee the beach this summer and never want to go home!!

It has been such a fun summer with them!

birthday fun!

Well, Derek and I celebrated our 28th and 29th birthdays this weekend. woohoo! Getting up there. We went out seperately on fri and sat nights so we wouldn't have to get a sitter. We each wanted to go with our own friends anyway. Both of us had a good time it seems! Derek is now underway until wed. but I have yet to get a call from him!!! I worry so much. I know he had duty last night, but I always like to hear from him. The boys are having fun playing in the pool water. They are just so cute. I love them soooo very much and feel so blessed to have them as my babies! Should be a hot one today!!! ughh, I am already starting to grow tired of the heat!

summertime...the living's easy....

Boys and I are loving the new summer weather. We spend most days outside except for meals/nap. Evan has got his molars coming in now, but he's been doing ok. Just a bit fussy. Carter is talking up a storm and has learned to open the sliding glass door to let himself and Ebbie outside! I am so blessed to have my cute little guys! And Derek, too of course. I am so thankful for my wonderful little family.

sick babies

Here we are again with the stomach bug. I hope we are at the end of it, because Ebbie is pissed and I am so over laundry. Carter seems better today, so I hope by tommorow all is well. I am glad it is warm, so I can open the windows and air out the house.
Other than that things are good. Evan is saying "NO,duck,ball" very well. He is so funny. Mimi brought over m&ms to them and Carter takes one at time. Evan grabs as many as he can and stuffs them in his mouth.
Despite being sick, they are enjoying outside. Carter loves to play in the water table. They both would stay outside all day if they could.
Carter is singing "Say what you need to say" by John Mayer. SO funny. and ebbie dances a long!

fun boys!

What fun spring is turning out to be this year. My two big boys are best friends and we all are having a great time. We have been bike riding (with the boys in the trailer) to the park sometimes twice a day. They love it. Evan is my little dare devil, diving head first down the slide. Carter wouldn't even go down, but Evan didn't give it a second thought. They love to swing and run around. I love this time with them and really see how much the age gap has closed between them. What a fun summer we are going to have!!!

peace

One week Later

Well, it has been over a week since we found out our sweet baby was gone. I have been numb mostly up to this point. I've shed tears here and there, but I have been trying to avoid the pain, and avoid feeling. I suppose it is always true God works in mysterious ways, because I randomly wound up reading this blog audreycaroline.blogspot.com and how it has opened my heart. This family lost their baby girl, and through tears I have been reading their journey. Their faith has been inspiring and I feel so thankful to be able to better understand my feelings through someone else's words. The father of the baby is in the christian band "Selah" and he and his wife wrote this song for their Audrey. It is exactly how I feel about my little baby I will never meet. Thank you Lord for loving me where I am and knowing what I need.
I Will Carry You
There were photographs I wanted to take
Things I wanted to show you
Sing sweet lullabies, wipe your teary eyes
Who could love you like this?
People say that I am brave but I'm not
Truth is I'm barely hanging on
But there's a greater story
Written long before me
Because He loves you like this
So I will carry you
While your heart beats here
Long beyond the empty cradle
Through the coming yearsI will carry you
All my life
And I will praise the One Who's chosen me
To carry youSuch a short time
Such a long road
All this madness
But I know
That the silence
Has brought me to
His voice
And He says...I've shown her photographs of time beginning
Walked her through the parted seas
Angel lullabies, no more teary eyes
Who could love her like this?
I will carry you
While your heart beats here
Long beyond the empty cradle
Through the coming years
I will carry you
All your life
And I will praise the One Who's chosen
Me
To carry you

sad day

Well, we lost our little bean. I went in for a regular ob appt. on Wednesday and there was no fetal heartbeat. I was measuring at 15 weeks and only 15 wks 3 days at this appt, so they think it happened recently. The baby had been growing fine until that point. I had my D&C on yesterday and it went as well as it could have gone. We are doing ok I think, I feel greatful I have my boys to come home to, but it is terribly sad to lose a baby, and I wish I had some keepsake to remember this little one by. I love you my little bean and we will one day be reunited in heaven.

First day of Spring Within Sight!!

Friday is the first official day of Spring and I am so excited. The last few weeks we have had the flu (the throw-up kind), it has been freezing cold, and it has pretty much rained non-stop! I am so ready to air out the house, and just bask (sp) in the sunshine! Today is a great start to it all! It is about 65 degrees and we decided to take full advantage of it. After breakfast, we got ready and rode the bike with the trailer to the park. The boys played on the jungle gym and ran around. Then we biked home and had lunch. After lunch we spent a while in the back yard, but it was still wet from the rain, so we came in and had free play in the play room. Now we are just waiting for Daddy to come home! He has been underway, so we are looking forward to seeing him!

Baby Ebbie Turns One!!!

My little baby turned one on 1/28/09!!! We had a party on Saturday and he was a great boy!!!

Dear little Ebbie,

What a blessing you have been. You and Carter have had your age gap close so rapidly and now are like best buddies. You are always wanting to be just like big brother. You have a mouth full of teeth and are walking really well! You love to eat pasta and french fries, but you don't like cheese! You like to point and give hi fives and wave bye-bye. You have gone from a fussy little baby to a sweet easy-going boy!!! You are my little lovey and I am so glad you are ours!!!

I love you little man!

your mama!

A RECAP OF 2008....a little past new years, but better late than never, eh???


1. What did you do in 2008 that you’d never done before? I mothered two children.

2. Did you keep your new years’ resolutions, and will you make more for next year? I don't remember making a resolution. I guess if I did, I broke it.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth? I gave birth to Evan in Jan. Cousin Leanna gave birth to Holt in July. Cousin Sarah gave birth to Vyla in October.

4. Did anyone close to you die? No, Thank God.

5. What countries did you visit? uhhh, Nada.

6. What would you like to have in 2009 that you lacked in 2008? A house of our own

7. What date from 2008 will remain etched upon your memory, and why? January 28th, Evan's birth.

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year? Uhh, making it with two under two by myself for fourth months while Derek was working in Baltimore.

9. What was your biggest failure? I don't know.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury? I got scratched in the eye by Carter and had to go to the ER....worst pain of my life!!!

11. What was the best thing you bought? cloth diapers, I never knew they were sooo easy!

12. Whose behavior merited celebration? Carter and Ebbie. The cutest, sweetest boys! Well, most of the time!

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed? Greedy bank CEO's and all those anti-Obama people.

14. Where did most of your money go? Uhh, where does it ever go??? Nothing exciting. Groceries, rent, utilities. A little spending $ here and there. Our savings is up to $11,500 or so now though.

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about? Cable TV! Woohoo! and living back in vah beach

16. What song will always remind you of 2008? Estelle "American Boy"

17. Compared to this time last year, are you happier or sadder? eh, same I guess.

18. What do you wish you’d done more of? Worked out more.

19. What do you wish you’d done less of? playing on the internet!

20. How did you spend Christmas? Christmas Eve morning with Derek's mom, that night at Mammow and Grandaddy's, Christmas morning just us, and Christmas night with Derek's Dad.

21. How did you ring in the New Year? at home with the boys. I was sick. Derek went to Mike and Abby's though.

22. Did you fall in love in 2008? with my new baby Evan! and over again with Hubby Derek and my little guy Carter!

23. Who was your hero? OBAMA!!!!

24. What was your favorite TV program? MAD MEN!

25. What was something you needed to do and didn’t get around to? Getting Rid of Crap and Clutter!!! Still working on it!

26. What was the best book you read? Reading?? Who has time to read? I do read magazines though!

27. What was your greatest musical discovery? Carter and his impressive Diggie Dar.

8. What did you want and get? Black yoga pants. A pair for everyday. And an oral b electric toothbrush.

29. What did you want and not get? Lots! I am trying to really cut our spending though!!! Every penny counts!

30. What was your favorite film of this year? ummmm......Can barely get through a movie w/the two littles.

31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you? 27 and I can't even remember!!! It was right before our move, so I guess we did something. Who knows! Prob. Dinner!

32. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying? I don't know.

33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2008? Nursing Casual! Nursing tanks and yoga pants!

34. What kept you sane? the backyard!!! Free playtime fo rthe kids!

35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most? Joquain Phoenix, of course.

36. What political issue stirred you the most? Crappy CEO's and the bank bailouts!!

37. Who did you miss? Anita Workman!

38. Who was the best new person you met? My Ebbie

39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2008: I am a great mom and I can do it myself, even with two.

40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year: I have no idea!!!

winter days.

Things here are going well. Pregnancy is going good. Still have yet to tell the fam. Derek is already planning his vasectomy! I am between 7 and 8 weeks now and sick :( but am hoping I will be over my morning sickness in the next month or so.
If we have a girl she has to have a M name, because it is tradition in Derek's grandmas family. I like Mavery. I like Lucia too, but that doesn't start with an M. :(
Boys names considered before were Sullivan, Fletcher, Heath...Sullivan will probably win though because thats Derek's fave.
Tommorow is baby Ebbie's birthday and I can't believe he is already a year old! I will write his birthday post tommorow!

baby #3

Well, it looks like we are expecting again. I have yet to tell anyone IRL yet, and won't for a while, but I think my due date is around 9/15/2009. Carter will be 2yrs 9mos, and Evan will be 1yr 7mos. I am nervous to have 3 under 3, but excited too. This will be our last baby so I want to enjoy this pregnancy. I also hope I have enough mommy to go around for the 3 kiddos. Hey, but if the Duggar's can do it with 18, I am sure I can with three!