Monday, August 31, 2009

Good Night Moon

For Grandma when she has trouble sleeping and Grandpa when he works late.

Tuesday, August 25, 2009

10 Months Old


I never did a 9 month post. OOPS!!

Carrigan is the most fun little girl you will ever meet. She has such an outgoing personality. In public, she wants to get down and GO. That is SO opposite of Gavin! She smiles, laughs and melts our hearts continuously!

I wish everyone could see her walk. She has such a wide stance that makes it SO adorable! I tell her she walks like a monkey. :) Carrigan will not crawl. It doesn't matter if the object she desires is just over an arms reach away, she is going to stand up and walk to it. She is also one independent little thing!

She is 20 lbs! I'm not sure about the ounces. Oops again.

Carrigan is getting her 6th tooth! 4 on top. 2 on bottom.

We can't go anywhere without someone commenting on her eyelashes. They touch the middle of her eyebrows. I was once asked in a very serious manner if I curled them. As if I am a cruel mother for doing such a thing. I could read all over her face she didn't believe me one bit when I said no. We were in an elevator, by the way. AWKWARD!

Carrigan talks. MY GOODNESS, how Carrigan talks! Here is a list of her words:

"Momma" (not said the most often, but it's first on the list because it's my favorite)
"Bubba"
"DaDa"
Good Girl "Goo(d) Gir(l)" Seriously. I am not making this up. If you ask her if she is a good girl, that is what she repeats. I have witnesses and videos to prove it!
"Bye Bye"
"Uh-Oh"
"Peak-A" Gavin follows with Boo!
That seems like SO many words for a 10 month old!

She loves table foods, but has one basic rule. If you can eat it from a spoon, she wants none of it.

Her hair is curly in the back.

Some of her favorite things to do: Go outside. Torture the cat. Watch Elmo. Pull Gavin's hair. Steal Gavin's bottle, drink his milk & hold the bottle upside down to watch it drip. Pour out drinks. Bath time. Push Gavin's train around. Knock over Gavin's towers.

We love her to bits! She adds joy to a room when she walks in. God was in an extra good mood the day He made her. He filled her full of smiles!

Monday, August 24, 2009

How Un-August-like of you

The weather, that is. How often do you get to enjoy 75 degree weather at noon in August? Not very often, so we are taking full advantage of it!

Carrigan sitting outside is a rare thing. She is up and going the entire time. No fear, no frustrations when falling, just happy and mobile. .... and you couldn't bribe this girl to go back to crawling. That's more like it. Keeping up with the big kids! Waving and saying "bye bye" to every airplane we see is a must. Little Darlings.Every month Carrigan becomes more and more a Mommy's Girl. I love it.This is Gavin's favorite shirt. "What does the monster say?" "Rawr!" What caused these smiles? The vacuum. She LOVES the vacuum! The cat came out to say hello. Carrigan pulled his tail ...while Gavin threw grass on him. The poor thing! Posing for pictures with her cousins is one of Madi's favorite things. Can you tell? Ha! I then gave Madi the job of taking Gavin's hand to lead him back into the house. Gavin was giving her the ol' tuck in elbows, bend at the waist, and run in circles, routine. Madi found it exhausting while Gavin thought it was hilarious! I got a few good laughs out of it. :) She finally caught him though!

Wednesday, August 19, 2009

Look who is back to her old self!

She is getting her 5th tooth! Carrigan can walk from one end of the house to the other and FAST!


AND look who got her toe nails painted pink! Levi came home from work and noticed her toe nails IMMEDIATELY! For the first minute he was against it, but now he is telling me to paint her nails once a week!





Here is a video of her saying (yelling) Bubba after we got done singing "Happy Birthday" to Gavin. She was perfectly quiet during the song, but as soon as we were finished she decided to chime in! Her head jerks make me laugh every time I watch this part of the video!

Monday, August 17, 2009

Family Resemblance


Beside the fact that I look like my mom (always have, always will. Sorry Levi! Ha) I rather think my daughter looks a bit like me! I can even take credit for her hair, color and "style", which excites me! After only hearing that Gavin looks anything like me a handful of times the past 2 years, I love when I can see my daughter in my old pictures!

This certainly isn't the best picture I have that shows the family resemblance between Carrigan and myself. Levi went through a box of old pictures my mom was throwing away and found this one. There aren't too many pictures of me and my mom without my sister somewhere in the picture. I'm not sure that I had ever seen this picture before.

Oh and I can only hope my mom was accidentally throwing this away!

Saturday, August 15, 2009

Now that's what I call a good day.

This post will be B-O-R-I-N-G to anyone but myself! I actually recommend that you don't read it because it really isn't worth it! I want to remember always what I consider to be a fun, eventful, satisfying Saturday at this point in my life.

Carrigan and I slept in late until 8:30. By 9:00 I was in the shower while Levi watched the kids. At 10:30 a.m. Gavin and I headed out the door with strict instruction from my mother that I was to only spend my birthday present (money) on myself. We went to 3 stores and bought 3 pairs of shoes for myself. The last time I bought shoes was long before Gavin was born and Levi made me do it! The whole while Gavin followed directly behind me and never once needed to be told "No." He thought the shoes on display needed to be put back in their boxes and would quietly take his shoes off to try on a pair with me. We then went to, where else, but McDonald's for lunch. When I have alone time with my boy, you'd better believe he is going to be happy! At 12:30 we arrived home to see Levi watching a movie while Carrigan slept on his chest.

At 3:30 p.m. Carrigan and I left to find her shoes. In both stores she wanted to be on the floor, walking up to people and tasting all the shoes within her reach. At one time a little boy and Carrigan were checking each other out as his mother Ohh and Awwed (I didn't know how to spell that, but you know what I mean right?) the baby girl shoes. At that time I was reminded how lucky I am to have one of each. I remember doing the same thing before I had little Miss Carrigan! I found her two ADORABLE shoes that are perfect for pairing with Fall clothing, then it was back home we went.

We arrived home to see Levi and Gavin sound asleep. Yep, Gavin took a late nap until SIX THIRTY! Gavin then had his "Forkables" and cinnamon bread and it was off to the park we went for more mother and son time. He again was a perfect angel, and I, for the first time watched him go down the big blue curly slide all by himself. Wow, it is an amazing feeling to watch him gain independence.

After stopping at Sonic for drinks, (me, Vanilla Coke and him water because, well, he won't drink anythng else) we expected to come home to a sleeping Carrigan. It is 8:00 p.m. after all. Nope, we hear squeals from the moment we open the door. She and daddy are in a bubble bath having a great time.

Gavin sat down and ate the ice from his drink. (he LOVES ice and always has) Now it is 10:10 p.m. and I can hear Levi and Gavin playing with coins shouting "We're Rich!" while watching Noggin. Noggin is back on as of yesterday. I considered that a fantastic birthday present! Yay for Max & Ruby, Miss Spider's Sunny Patch Friends, Franklin, Little Bill and the rest of the cartoons that I love *ahem* Gavin loves. :)

Now it is time to go kiss my sleeping baby girl and find out WHEN my 2 yr old will be tired enough to go to bed.

Saturdays as a mom is quite different than it was a short 2 years ago, but I wouldn't change them for the world.

Thursday, August 13, 2009

The rash today...



This is how she woke up this morning. If you can believe it, the pictures don't show it as bad as it really is. There is hardly a white spot on her face.

The doctor said to look at the baby not the rash. She should be feeling fine if it is Roseola, but she doesn't. She is a fussy mess that doesn't want off my lap. I hate this for her.

Yesterday the people in the waiting room at the doctor's office looked at her like I had brought in the plague. I can't imagine how they are going to react if I need to bring her in again!

Big Brother has been a big help by bringing her all her favorite toys and lots of hugs when she gets upset. When she was taking her medicine he would gently help hold her still, wipe her mouth, then applaud saying, "Good Girl, Carrigan!"

Wednesday, August 12, 2009

Can't catch a break

It's been a stressful week! Gavin and Carrigan finally got over their colds, but then Carrigan got an ear infection. Then it was vomiting, diarrhea and high fevers. This morning she woke up with a horrible rash. The doctor said he HOPES it is Roseola, but she might have a stomach infection to go along with it. He gave me his cell # to call if things haven't gotten better by Friday. She looks horrible!

The rash covers her entire forehead, face, back, stomach, well, her WHOLE body! Gavin had Roseola about a month ago and the rash looked like nothing compared to this!


Enlarge the pictures to get the full effect of the rash, although these pictures don't do it justice!

Monday, August 10, 2009

Test Results are In...

Gavin's blood work is ALL NORMAL!

I wish I could tell you what all they tested for, but the connection was horrible. All I heard were the important words, "Everything looks fine!" I asked his doctor to test for Hypothyroidism and he said they will be testing a number of things. I am going to ask for a list at his 2 yr check up.

What I do know is his white blood cell count is normal, he is not anemic and his thyroid is fine.

He will now be going back to the Children's Eating Specialist, a Nutritionist, and Gastroenterologist. A swallow test was mentioned, but neither Levi or I feel the need for it, so we will have a discussion with the GI. His doctor also wants to make sure his liver and kidneys are functioning properly. I don't know how they will test that, but hopefully it is just with another blood sample.

We need this boy to gain weight and have NO more tests!

12 Months: 18.10 lbs
18 Months: 21.8 lbs
24 Months: 22 lbs (he was squirming, so his weigh in on the 25th will be more accurate)

Wednesday, August 5, 2009

3rd Anniversary

Happy Anniversary to us!

(We stayed home to nurse our little boy with a severe cold who had blood drawn today & our little girl with a cold + ear infection)

Monday, August 3, 2009

Baby Steps

UPDATE: Carrigan just took ELEVEN steps! I literally sat next to her with my mouth open!!!

Carrigan can take 3 steps at a time! Watch carefully to see the first step. It's small so you might miss it.
Little Miss Carrigan looks quite pathetic in the video too. I took it on Friday, at the beginning of her cold. She also has a mosquito bite under her right eye. The poor girl!

Saturday, August 1, 2009

Worry

At the beginning of the year, a few friends posted on their blogs that a 2 year old girl named Tuesday had passed away from cancer. Occasionally I go to her blog and read the emotional posts by her mother, Jessica. Today while Levi took Gavin to the store and Carrigan napped, I read the entire blog from beginning to end. I could not rid myself of the lump in my throat and cried as Carrigan woke up from her nap. My heart has broken so many times for this family. I have given Gavin and Carrigan's cheeks the longest kisses, tearing up because Tuesday's mother will never have that joy again. They have lived all our nightmares.

After Gavin was born I was overwhelmed with the fear I would find him not breathing. When family & friends would hold him I would be knotted up inside that their shirt was covering his nose. I wanted to yank him from their arms. Gavin was at least 6 months before I slept with my back facing him. I wouldn't even lay on my back. If I found myself drifting off to sleep, I would wake myself up to check his breathing one more time. He stayed in his bassinet until he was too long to fit. He still to this day has not slept at night in a room alone. I couldn't take a shower without him in the bathroom with me, in his bouncer, and the shower curtain open just enough to see him. It was all out torture when I left him with Levi and his family to go to a movie when he was 4 months. I have never driven so fast to get home.

Now he is 2 and my worries have somewhat subsided. I still have fears his body will not be able to handle illness because he is so small. Doctors tell me to "push fluids" but that isn't possible with him. On his best day he drinks far less than a boy his age should. He eats mere bites at meals. His fevers get so high. He has a small freckle on his upper chest. It is raised. Freckles aren't raised. One more thing to worry about until his Dr appointment.

A few months ago one of Levi's Aunts made the comment, 'Oh, he can eat from a spoon?' in a surprised tone. Do people think something is wrong with him? Do they think he is developmentally slow because he is under weight? Do you? Well, he isn't. He is 100% tip top what a boy his age should be. Of course he can eat from a spoon.

I don't know why I worry about my boy. I don't worry about Carrigan. Levi and I joke that she is more "durable" than Gavin. Heck she took 3 steps yesterday. But Gavin did at 10 months, so why the big difference in feelings?

My dad passed away from cancer when I was 18. Is that why? Probably. Gavin has my dad's smile. My dad was tall and thin with the exact same blue eyes. Gavin has the Carson eyes... eyebrows and all. Gee, that's another thing. Why is he 2 with no eyebrows? Has anyone died from not having eyebrows? No. But I still worry.

I also wonder if this is all apart of the special Mother-Son relationship. I should start writing an apology to his future wife because he isn't going without a fight.

My child holds my heart. When he was a baby, I wrote down what to put on our tombstones if something were to happen. If he goes, I go. I found a poem and thought it fit perfectly. Crazy, I know.

Yes, crazy... I have wanted to write about my fears for my little boy for so long, but worried I would be viewed as the 'Loony Overprotective Mommy' if I did. I mean, some people even leave their tiny 2-3 month olds with family to go on vacation. To me, THEY are the crazy ones.

Oh, well. My baby boy is 2. I have had 2 years of the most beautiful, loving, precious, priceless moments of my life. His hugs are amazing. He cuddles like a dream. If I want to lay in bed and look out the window, so does he. He is what I call perfect. ---Then Carrigan came along and gave perfection some pizazz.


On a lighter note, it has been raining here. A Lot. We busted out the old Halloween Costume and had some Dinosaur fun. Just another plus to being a small 2 yr old. And as an added bonus I can still put him in his old baby clothes and say "Aww" all I like. Two days ago he wore 3-6 months shorts to Wal-mart. No sentimental value to them, they just fit.

And so what if he still has his paci. If Carrigan would take one, I'd let her keep it until she was 5. :)

Nothing better than a dinosaur and his dragon. Roar! His Roars are so cute. Poor Miss Carrigan couldn't see a thing! It was big brother to the rescue! Going out to terrorize the town, no doubt. I love my kids.