Ryan's 1st Hair Cut

Ryan's hair has been growing alot lately. Her bangs are in her eyes most of the time and will probably be that way until they fully grow out or until she learns to love wearing hair bows.  The back of her hair has become a curly "mullet" that has gotten out of control.  Today we decided it was time for Ryan's first hair cut.  Something to simply take the length up in the back and give it a little more shape.

Ryan did a wonderful job for a first cut.  She cried, of course, but not hard and she sat really still on Mommy's lap.  She was even willing to let the stylist braid her bangs!  Ryan loved getting a sucker as a "reward" at the end.  Here are some pics to enjoy!

love it when he says....

Carter is such a talker.  3 year old kids are just so darn cute!  I love it when he says...

Em-o-wee for our 6 year old neighbor, Emily

O-tay for ok

Pink yemonade for pink lemonade

Clothes hang-a-per for clothes hamper

The list could go on and on.  Of course I can't think of anymore now.  Blame it on the pregnancy brain!

falling behind

Yes, shame on me.  I've been falling behind on my blogging.  Since moving into the new house we've been on the go, go, go. 

We finally have the old house on the market.  The first 3 weeks have been slow (real slow), but we still have our fingers crossed that the right buyer will come along sometime soon. 

We also enjoyed a week long visit with Robin and her kids: Wilder (almost 8) and Montana (6).  My camera made it's way back to Colorado with them so I don't have any pics to share at this point. 

I'm 16 weeks pregnant and I was hoping morning sickness would be a thing of the past by now.  Unfortunately I haven't kicked it yet, but my energy level is much better.  We find out the sex of the baby June 30th.  Hard to believe it's right around the corner.

Here are a few pictures of the kids to share.  We took them to Sears for their annual pictures.  I wasn't crazy about doing it in a studio, but the deal they had going on was too good to pass up.

 We want to congratulate our friends Dave and Gail who got married last month.  We are so happy for them.  The wedding was a fun getaway weekend for Kyle and I. 

Also, we want to give a big blog welcome to some new babies.  Over Mothers Day weekend our friends, Dan and Andrea, had a very adorable and very chill baby boy, Griffin.  Adelyn Bolles (sister to Carter's buddy, Nate) was born June 8th.  We hope to spend lots of time with these babes this summer.  Both are so cute!

so much going on

Tonight Ryan is asleep by 7pm, Kyle is out of town and Carter is visiting his grandparents in Evansville. This seemed like the perfect time for Mommy to get some much needed blogging done.  I know I've been "missing in action" lately.  That's because we have been super busy with some major changes in our lives.  For starters we're having another BABY!  Yep, this will be #3!  We're due November 26 and everything on the ultrasound a couple of weeks ago looked great.  We're pretty excited.  I'm rather nauseous and exhausted.  Also we moved into a new house.  We're still in the process of getting the old home on the market.  That has also been an exhausting process!

Since I'm not up for posting much at this point, I thought I would share some recent photos:

Don't mess with a girl on an Easter Egg Hunt....

Carter checking out his loot....

 LIGHTSABERS!!

 Popsicles on the front porch.....

Finally little Ryan is willing to wear hair accessories......



P.S.  Happy Mothers Day to all Moms!

Mommy, Daddy, Carter Day

Mommy and Daddy had a very special date with a very special little boy.

First stop, Some Guys Pizza for dinner

Then off to the Murat Theater for a show 

The Madagascar must-haves: Alex the Lion and a light up toy

Waiting for the play to start

Carter had so much fun at Madagascar.  We were impressed at how well he was able to sit and watch the show.  That's something I don't think he could have done 6 months ago!  He loved to applaud after every act.  He thought Alex the Lion was great.  I think Carter was disappointed he wasn't on stage for every second of the play.   He was constantly yelling out, "Where li-gon (lion) go?" Carter loved the moments where the entire cast sang and danced together.  He wasn't willing to leave until the final curtain fell.  However, I think Carter's highlight of the play was eating popcorn.  His face lit up when Dad gave it to him and he didn't stop eating until every piece was gone.

Yep, it was a great Mommy, Daddy Carter Day. 

Birthday Celebration!

  

Carter had a wonderful birthday.  His birthday party at Recreation Unlimited which is a large warehouse full of swing sets, basketball hoops, trampolines and toy train tables.

Carter picked out his own cake this year and decided to go with a Thomas the Train cake.   

Several of Carter's friends and grandparents came to join in the fun. I think he loved every second of his party

...and his sister had a great time too!!

Carter's gift this year was a bike with training wheels.  He like his bike but was a little apprehensive at first because it was big and wobbly.  Every day his confidence has grown and is enjoying more and more. 

(I'm sure all the concerned parents out there are wondering where his helmet is.  Well, the 3 year old size helmet we bought didn't fit.  Apparently we should have bought the 5 year old helmet.  Just another example that Carter is not a small child.)

Almost 3

Carter is turning 3 on Sunday.  Sometimes it's hard for us to imagine we've been parenting for 3 years and other times it feels like we've been parents forever.  We can't even imagine what our lives would be like without our kids!  I suppose more rested...huh? 

Carter seems to have turned from a toddler to a big kid over night.  He's potty trained (except for his pullup at bedtime).  He is always telling us how he wants to do stuff by himself.  He wants to wash his hands by himself.  He wants to put his shirt on by himself.  Oh yea, did I mention he will ask for some privacy when going to the bathroom? 

He is talking so much more now.  Very chatty.  He is constantly saying "what does this do?".  Most of the time he's asking about things like the freezer or the mailman.  However, sometimes it's off-the-wall stuff.  For example he saw Las Vegas on tv and asked, "what does Vegas do?".  The only response I could come up with was, "It takes your money, Sweetie." (hee, hee, hee). Carter is speaking more clearly now too.  The days are gone when he would say opi instead of open.  And he actually says Popsicle instead of calling them powerpuckers.  I still love how he wants to watch "Spackle, Spackle Me" when he's trying to say the movie, Despicable Me.  And I always smile a little bit when he can't pronounce the "C" sound like calling himself Tarter Meek or a tow says moo.  If you want to hear something adorable ask him to say Indianapolis.  It just sounds so sweet.

His imagination is in full swing these days.  He loves to play pretend.  Lately he's pretending to be a fireman (wearing a firehat nonetheless).  He's Fireman Carter and I'm no longer Mommy but Fireman Mommy. 
Carter:  "Fireman Mommy, can I have some chocolate milk?" 

Me:  "Yes you may, Fireman Carter"

He is also a 3 year old turning into a teenager too!  How does he know to ask for 5 more minutes at bed time?  He doesn't even know that that means!  When I tell him to go potty he waves his hand and says "yeah, yeah, yeah" or "oh, alright"!     WHAT is that? 

Carter is a kid full of personality.  We love watching him grow up.  However I'm sad to know someday Carter won't want me to carry him into his classroom (because he says it's his favorite part of going to school) or he won't call for me 15 minutes after being put to bed for one last kiss.  He won't want to wave to Daddy through the window every time Kyle goes somewhere.  He won't beg us to take him to Target so he can play in the toy isles. He won't ask us to go through the car wash everyday.  He won't find elevators to be the most awesome invention ever created.   I guess these are the reasons why parents, sitting with their college kids, are always looking at us laughingly in restaurants as we constantly pick up dropped toys from the floor and beg our kids to sit down.  These parents always say, "Enjoy it now.  These moments go quick."  I'm starting to believe it!