*Update*

As I've mentioned in previous posts, Carter has not been sleeping good at night for the last couple weeks! He has been waking up several times at night & wanting to get in our bed. He almost seems scared to be left alone in his room, even in the daytime. Even as a baby, he's never been the type to sit contently & play by himself. I've never been able to sit him in his crib and go clean or take a shower because he gets upset. Some babies can do this-I know people who's kids can. But Carter, he's not like that! His personality is very much like his fathers when he was his age. I was a more calm, content baby. I guess its safe to say he's just like his daddy :) & that's not a bad thing! I love him just the way he is!!

One thing we have always had a rough time with is sleep. Like most babies, Carter woke up alot when he was newborn. However, that is to be expected!! Some people's newborns sleep all night from the get go. For most of us parents....that is not the case! With us, Carter started sleeping better around 5-6 months old. He would only wake up once throughout the night. I learned to deal with that and got used to it. Around 7 months old, he started waking up several times at night again. That lasted through Winter of last year and come March, we were exhausted! So, March 20th (I believe) we decided to try the CIO (Cry it Out) Method. I know, I know, we didn't like the sounds of it either, but it worked! The first night we tried it was hard, I'm not going to lie. Carter cried for 30 minutes straight. We would go in every few minutes to reassure him, but it was still tough to deal with. After that, he slept like an angel & all summer & even some of this fall! This all changed about 2 weeks ago. He started back up again, waking up at all hours of the night....crying and afraid to be in his crib. We started letting him sleep with us because unlike the first time we let him cry it out, now he calls our names, tries to climb out (which he's done successfully once!) and jumps up and down histerically! Its a pitiful site, believe me!

Tonight, however, we've changed pace again! After 2 weeks of hardly any sleep, we talked and decided to change the routine and let him cry if he had too! Tonight, instead of reading him his books in the living room...I read them to him in his room. He didn't sit on my lap this time either, he sat in his crib. We gave him a stuffed dog to sleep with & told him that Mo-mo (The dog!) would keep him company all night. I did give him his bottle to drink while I read to him, but he didn't finish it. Usually what I was doing was reading his stories first, then bottle, then bed. BUT, he almost always fell asleep as he was drinking his bottle & then I just carried him to his crib. Tonight, after stories I kissed him goodnight and turned his night light on & walked out! He began to cry & call my name, but we stood firm. We went in every few minutes like the last time and reassured him, but then walked out again. He cried for 25 LONG minutes, but I'm happy to say that he is now sleeping peacefully with his dog :) At first, he fell asleep standing up!! But, then he laid himself down and kept right on sleeping. Now, will this last all night?! I don't know! What I do know is that sleeping in our bed isn't working. He needs to know that his room is not scary and that he can sleep in his crib by himself all night. Nobody gives you a "guide book" on how to raise children. You can only do what you think is best. Hopefully this was the right decision. I pray everyday that I make the best choices for him in life! Only time will tell what will happen with this little boy of ours ; ) he's a tricky one!! I wanted to blog about this because it can't always be cheerful, sometimes life is tough. But that's what us "mom-blogger's" do, we post the good & the not so good, lol! One day I will read this and miss my sleepless baby nights & he will read this and call me a "Cornball" ha-ha!! Goodnight, hope everyone has a good nights sleep!!

Thanksgiving 2009

Thanksgiving this year was wonderful! We had dinner at our house at 2pm, like we do every year! We were surrounded by our loving family: Michele, Mikey, Uncle Mike, Melanie, Pop-pop, Uncle Jimmy, Grandad, Granny, and me :) Pop pop cooked ALL the food by himself and it was delicious!! Then we headed over to my moms house to spend time with that side of the family! After my moms, we headed over to Debbie’s for dessert and hung out there until around midnight! Carter spent the night over at my moms because CJ and I were going Black Friday shopping the next day early-4 am!! We met Brandy & Alan and went to Fredericksburg! We got some good stuff & had fun so I’m glad we went!! After we were done we came home and hid the presents and now we’ve been hanging around the house ever since :) But here are some pictures from our holiday!!

The boys

Seeing the Christmas Tree for the first time since last year! He was so amazed by it!!

Last night before bed, watching Barney :)

All framed up..

 

Here are some of the pictures around our house :)  Thanks to Mandi for giving us pretty pictures to put in frames!

 

This framed picture is my work :)  

PS. Happy Thanks Giving!!!!! Pictures from our day to come later ;)

1 Word Weds.

~Proud~

Two week follow-up

Today was Carter's two week follow up visit with Dr. Daidone. I left work at 2:30, met the boys at home, and we were off. The appointment was at 4:15 and we got there right on time! In fact, we may have been a few minutes early ;) We were out of there by 4:36pm! It was that fast... Gotta love that!! Carter was pretty well behaved once we got in the office, the ride up he was a little fussy, but I later found out that was because he had a little "prize" in his diaper haha! Anyway, she said his ears looked great & we were very happy to hear that! We did tell her how he hasn't been sleeping all the great lately, but she insisted that had nothing to do with the tubes.


His next appointment for follow up is the last Thursday in February, so hopefully everything looks good then too!! Once we left, we got stuck in a little bit of traffic & Carter was not in the greatest of moods! He didn't get a good nap in today and since he hasn't been sleeping good at night, he was very cranky. We got home around 6pm & got him in the bath and then put him to bed!! He fell asleep at 7:30 so I am praying that he sleeps good tonight! I could really use a good nights sleep & I know he could too! That's all for now-I'm going to try and get to bed just in case the little guy decides he wants to wake up later! Tomorrow is my last day at work for the week....ahh I love the Holidays! I will be taking lots of pictures, you can be sure of that ; )

18 Month’s old

 

I am typing this a day late-oops!! But that’s life when you have a toddler, you can’t always be on time :) So what is this 1 & 1/2 year old up to these days…? Well, lets see:

He still loves the outdoors, I don’t see that changing!! He Just got tube’s put in about 2 weeks ago & goes for his checkup on 11/24. He still only has 10 teeth, no new molars yet! He STILL has not had a hair cut since July, so it’s getting very long :) but its beautiful!! He weigh’s about 23lbs I think…he goes for his well baby 18 month visit on 12-2-09…they are a little backed up so that was the earliest we could get! He hasn’t been sleeping that great lately, but when I read up online about it…everything says that some children will go through phases of not sleeping well and that its perfectly normal! Hopefully this phase is a short one!

He is learning to say more and more words everyday & even learning to say 3 words together, they are working with the kids at daycare on that! Barney is one of his favorite shows! I know, I know…..why couldn’t it be Elmo or Bob The Builder?! Oh well, if he’s happy, we’re happy : ) Hide & Seek is one of his favorite games. So is wrestling with daddy!! Just today, he finally said “Jimmy” more than once! He can also name just about every person in our families & even friends at daycare.

He is growing and changing so quickly! I am still amazed that 18 months is here already. Before we know it he will be 2!! Happy 18 month little guy…we love you more & more each day.

Carter and Granny playing with the leaves

  

Let the leaves fall : )

Ahhh…..  what a sweet, sweet life. We get to relive our childhood everyday because of this beautiful boy.

The last few days have been…

 Sleep deprived… a little. For some reason, Carter has been waking up in the middle of the night. Sometimes more than once! He wakes up & does not want to go back to sleep in his crib, so we’ve been putting him in our bed. Needless to say, non of us have been getting restful sleep. Maybe its a phase he’s going through or maybe he’s teething. Maybe…he’s having bad dreams?! Whatever it is, I hope it passes soon & we get back to sleeping good :)

On another note, We didn’t do much this weekend. Saturday was Carter’s 18 month mark! We went to a craft show in the afternoon and then came home, ate dinner and went to bed!! Today, we relaxed and watched football :)

 

Here are some pictures from Thursday. It was the Daycare’s annual Thanksgiving luncheon. Daddy & Uncle Jimmy went, mommy couldn’t make it :( But Daddy got some good pictures!!

 

Ready to go home!!

Sitting at the table with his friends :)

Security breach…

He’s following in his Daddy’s footstep’s way too fast! Carter “Hudini” broke out of his crib tonight!! That’s right, he escaped. This fearless child of ours decided it was NOT time for bed yet…and climbed right out! I knew this day would come sooner or later, but I didn’t think it would come this fast. I guess I need to come to grips with the fact that my baby is growing up :*) ahhh…it is bitter sweet!!!

So, now what? I guess we will lower it down to the max. Then when that doesn’t work, toddler bed it is! Luckily, his crib converts into an adorable toddler bed! At the rate he’s going, my prediction is that he will be in a toddler bed before his 2nd birthday! I know that sounds kind of far away right now, but it’s only 6 months away! Oh my goodness!! Crazy!

1 Word Wednesday

Kaiden’s 1st Birthday

 

After the mini-photo session we had earlier in the day, it was time to head over to Kaiden’s Party! It was held at the Potomac Heights Recreation Center. Kaiden is only  6 months younger than Carter and now that they are both walking, they have even more fun together! Tara, Blake and they’re families did a beautiful job setting up and the food was delicious! Carter especially loved the meatballs ;) Anyway, We just wanted to wish Kaiden  HAPPY BIRTHDAY again & Thank you for inviting us! You are growing up so fast!! We had a blast.

The amazing cake, made by Judy :)

The Birthday Boy

         

Christopher Robin

Chris & Mandi’s Little boy..Kolten