Carter-27 months

I've decided to post quarterly on Carter boy since changes aren't so drastic anymore. Here we go...

Stats: 28 lbs, 36 inches (hit the 3 ft mark!)

He is at such a fun, yet hard age. My Dad came last week and said that Carter just enjoys life and the simple things. So true. Right now Carter is loving his new room and his firetruck bed...so much so that he will play for 1-2 hours regularly before falling asleep for nap! He goes down easy at night and will wake up about 7-715 saying "light outside!" because he knows when its light, its time to wake up. He loves trains, trucks, music, books, and puzzles. He loves "helping" and is constantly pulling the step stool out of the pantry to help me do dishes and we take turns spraying pledge and using the "big" vacuum. He really just loves the pantry jn general so weve had to put a child lock on that door :). He loves his bath and thankfully our new morning routine includes him in the bathtub playing while I get ready for the day. He also asks to "talk beach" atleast 5 times per day and we pretend we're going to the beach and talk about who will go with us, who will drive the boat, what food we will take, etc.

He has started singing along to songs and I LOVE it. He's pretty delayed with words and gets every few words right. His best so far is baa baa black sheep (go figure!) but also will sing his ABCs, the eyes of Texas, Mary had a little lamb, Elmo's world theme song, "wise man rock", and Jesus loves me. He will also ask specifically for songs in the car or iPod and loves to dance to music.

He can count to 10 consistently, a lot of times up to 13. He knows most colors. He continues to be a "running stream of consciousness" and speaks in 4-5 word phrases. He's starting to use some pronouns and prepositions but continues to primarily speak in 3rd person (however knows "mine" very well!).

His memory amazes me. I love that Caleb hit a trash can backing out of our driveway one time around Christmas and he continues to recall it pretty much every time one of us backs out--"dada hit trash can. Be fafa (careful)". Ha. He also remembers sequences of days really well, the other day told me about the day the man came to "fif it garage door" and how afterwards we went to feed ducks, go to the park, go to his new school, but then he got sick. I couldn't remember this series of events until he told me, it was atleast 2 months ago!

Behavior is a challenge. He's gotten pretty bossy and def has mastered the whine. We try to use love and logic methods with him, giving him 2 choices. Caleb has decided that there's always a 3rd choice which is floor--he will often drop right to the floor and either throw a fit or grab his chincha and just lay there. Oh, the joys ;).

He's still our little social butterfly and constantly asks "friends come over?". He will go up to complete strangers to tell them whatever he is thinking or bring them a book and plop in their lap. No stranger danger here. He loves going to the dr, really bc he loves any attention. We had a pulm fu appt this past week and after each "procedure" (ie: checking ears, listening to lungs, etc) he would say "more!". Only 2 year old I know that gets excited to go to dr and is jealous when Isaac "gets" to go to dr :).

I would say he's adjusting fairly well to being a big bro. Pretty much ignores Isaac but will occasionally ask to hold him. A few times he has asked me to put him down or in his swing, but really plays well by himself or will sit by me and let me read books while I nurse. Thankfully, the crying doesn't seem to bother him and he will either ignore it or smother Isaac with his chincha--bc in his little mind, if you cry the chincha makes it all better!

Dear Carter Boy,
Since you are so social Mama was a little worried about how you (and i both!)would adjust to being home all day now that I'm not working. It's only been a few weeks but I'm having so much fun getting to discover your world with you. We read lots of books, have dance parties, play hide and seek, and make sure we "go bye bye" atleast once a day...even if its just shopping at "mamas friends house". I love your compassion and your energy. You laugh and smile so easily and we have so much fun together. I'm so blessed to be your Mama and thank God daily for making you just the way you are.

Feeding ducks

My coffee date for the morning--this was the week before Isaac was born

My little block captain helper, out delivering the neighborhood newsletter

Weekend before Isaac was born...family trip to the zoo! See "The Woods" sign above us :)

Kitchen helper

This is pretty much what his room looks like after nap...he LOVES to play in his room!

First haircut! He did great!

Playing at the new Perot museum with friends

Night before induction...we went out as our last "family of 3" for ice cream at Braum's!

Isaac's birthday--dropping him off at school where he was blissfully unaware his world was changing!

And now he's a big bro!