It's a...

girl! :D



19 weeks

Last night was the first time I've had a dream about the sex of the baby, and it was a girl in my dream. I went into the ultrasound expecting it to be a girl, and it was. My mom met us there and even had a present for Cameron Blake. She said she knew it was a girl. Aaron's great-grandma's name is Blake and she just turned 100 in October 2009 so we're naming Cameron after her. :) Cameron was our girl name from the last go around. :)

We enjoyed lunch outside at North Hills but then headed home so Aaron could get ready to teach Chemistry on his day off since he has a meeting at church later tonight too. Carter, mom and I are planning to head out to check out all the pink stuff. :P


Welcome Home Pinkkkkkkkkkkk!

Nite Nite

The newest discussion around here is transitioning Carter out of the crib. My initial thoughts have been to put him in a toddler bed. Carter is just 20 months...I like him at this size. Anything bigger than a toddler bed just seems HUGE! Aaron like the idea of a twin or larger. No decisions have been made yet...
But Carter does like his crib, and he especially likes the bumper. I went to check on him one night this week before we went to bed and this is how I found him. :0)



His face is propped up on the bumper and his knees are bent at the other end. Doesn't look very comfortable. I called Aaron in to see Carter...and also to turn in back into a normal sleeping position.

Peeling to ring in 2010!

Since I am in the middle of updating events from last year, I should probably start updating from this year or I'll be in the same situation again! :)

On Thursday, New Years Eve, I had a quick drs appointment and ran a few errands while Aaron and Carter started taking down wallpaper from the kitchen. There was only 1 wall (and it was fairly small) completely over in wallpaper besides between and counter tops and cabinets. In the rest of the room, there was just border. They peeled and took a lunch break to meet me and get Carter's hair cut. Then later that night, we resumed wallpaper peeling. We finished around 11:30pm. What a fun way to spend New Years huh? Actually, it was nice to be at home. We had been traveling for the last week! On Friday morning we ran to Lowes to get the paint and supplies and then my parents came over to help us paint during naptime. We turns out that one wall completely covered with wallpaper needed some extra loving so my dad ran to Lowes and bought something to help get off the hidden glue. We worked for a couple hours and then painting resumed again on Saturday. Saturday night we were finally finished. I'll have to post pictures later because the room looks like sad with nothing on the wall yet. I've been looking for curtains but haven't found any to match this color green.



Carter helping :)

18 month vocabulary explosion

Going into November 2009, Carter had a few choice words...like Mama, dada, doggies, ball, Nana, Papa, Hey, Bye, Sit/Sit down. I am sure there are more...just not coming to me at 10pm.


2 days after he turned 18 months old, the words started coming. I remember at his 15 month check up, I was getting worried when looking over paperwork. It said he should have 150-200 word vocab by 2. At that time he had 10 maybe. His newest word that caught me off guard was please. We worked on that word often so it was so cute to hear him say. In the last 2 months, the vocab has exploded. I am sure I am forgetting words but here's what he says on a regular basis.

People: Mama, Dada, doggies, Nana, Papa (for my dad & gpa), Derrick (I'm not 100% sure how he pronounces it), Gigi (Aaron's mom), Papa (for Grandpa-Aaron's dad), Ad-a (Adam-Aaron's brother), Fu-fur (Cooper-his cousin), Papa (for Papaw-Aaron's gpa), Kelly (the girl I homeschool), Ne-Ne (for Sydney-our friend's daughter) & Carter

Things around the house: chair, phone, goal, seat, Hat (pronounced hot), Book, tree, star, lights (yites), bath, color, Please, No, baby, shoes, socks, shirt, pants, Pray, Amen :), pen (for pen or pencil), paper (not shure how he pronounces it), slide, pool, Hot (for temperature), Cool, Night Night, Sit/Sit Down, Excuse me, box, clock,

Toys: bus, car, choo-choo (for train), Super Why (His favorite show!), Manny (for Handy Manny), blocks

Food: snack, milk, water, Cheese, Candy, Cookie, Chip, Fries, Chup (this is my favorite for Ketchup), Nana (for bananna), eat (said as eat-eat), fork, spoon, plate

Places: church, outside

Animals: Moo (for cow), horse, teet-teet (for bird), duck (said as duck-duck)

Body parts: eyes, chin, nose, mouth, hands, arms, hair, ears, teeth

Numbers: 2, 4, 6, 8 & 10! He's even! :P

Several ABCS

29 lbs & counting...

I'm pretty sure I've failed to update Carter's stats...even dating back to the 12 month check up! Yikes! :)

So here goes...

12 month check up (May 2009)
Weight: 24 lb 10 oz--75% percentile
Height: 30.75 inches--75% percentile
Head: 47 cm--70% percentile

15 month check up (August 2009)
Weight: 25 lb 10 oz--70% percentile
Height: 32 inches--75% percentile
Head: 48 cm--75% percentile

18 month check up (November 2009)
Weight: 29 lb--90% percentile
Height: 34 inches--90% percentile
Head: 48 cm--50% percentile

Carter continues to see Dr. Langdon for his appointments and she's great! He's such a show off for her too. He got his flu shot, H1N1 & H1N1 booster in the fall. Carter has yet to have a sickness that has required any sort of medication...Just the common cold. We are very blessed! :)

Carter doesn't have much of an appetite. We were worried about that but Dr. Langdon said he'd let us know when he's hungry! I'd hate to think how much he would weigh if he did have an appetite. :)

Hill Ridge Farm

We headed out to Hill Ridge Farms in Youngsville, NC for a fun couple hours. We enjoyed a hayride and pumpkin picking, mazes, bunnies, slide and corn pit. There was tons to do, but it was approaching nap time so we headed out!

October 2009

I found out on October 2nd that we were pregnant...but kept it a big secret. That same day, I headed off to SC for a youth group retreat and Aaron headed to Asheville for men's retreat. Carter stayed with Nana & Papa. The first night of the retreat, I ran into a teenage girl from the beach that I've known for a couple years. As soon as she saw me, she put her head on my stomach and said she heard a heartbeat...yea, STRANGE. Especially considering the fact that I just found out that day. Needless to say, I tried to act like she was crazy! :)

Homecoming was also in October so we enjoyed an afternoon at the parade.

Aaron's parents and brother came to Clayton and stayed with us one Sunday night and then went to tour NC State. Aaron's mom, Carter and I visited the Farmer's Market and then joined them for lunch in the wolves den on campus.


On the 14th, at 17 months and 1 week old, Carter got his first hair cut. It was more of a trim because I just wasn't ready to lose his PRECIOUS curls yet! :) Janie cut his hair, this is a lady that has been cutting my gma's hair for yeeeeears, cuts my gma's and has cut mine from time to time. She was retiring this week so we squeeze in the visit just in time! :) Carter did great. He sat in my lap and never moved.

Aaron's mom bought us pumpkins at the Farmer's Market so we enjoyed a fall afternoon outside painting. Carter is a lefty...so it was messy! He tried to eat the red thinking it was ketchup.

September 2009

In September, we welcomed Matt & Lindsey's new baby Peyton to the mix! Chelsea and I went to visit them! :)

And Saturday, Sept 5th Carter peed in the potty for the first time!! We've had the potty in the bathroom for a month or so just to get him used to it. This was nothing we pursued, just when he was interested.

We met some of our old teachers friends, Brandon and Jessie Mitchell, at Krispy Kreme. Jeffie also joined in on the fun. Brandon and Jessie moved away at the end of the school year in 2008 to take jobs in Ohio.

We also took several impromptu weekend trips to Charlotte starting in September to spend time with family.

Homeschool also started in September. Carter loves school...and school supplies. He's just like his mommy! Carter has since learned how to say Kelly! :) He likes to get in her chair every time she gets up as well as sit in her lap, mark on papers and books. Sometimes it work to keep him out of the way. We got to the gym twice a week so he's gotten accustomed to visiting the nursery there. It took a couple months for him to go in without crying. He's funny though, even though he cries when dropped off, he acts like he doesn't want to leave when I come to pick him up. I enjoy peeping in the window to see what he's up to, and I really enjoy watching him help clean up when time to go. :)

Wolfpack Football

August kicked off football season as we flew to the first State game vs. South Carolina after Aaron's volleyball game. This season Carter didn't make it to any games...we planned to take him, but it just didn't work out. Next fall, we can take 2 kids! :) It's quite difficult to enjoy a game with a 1 year old. We didn't make it to as many games as normal this year. We were out of town a couple weekends and busy around here the others.

August 2009

August marked the beginning of Volleyball and Back to School for Aaron. I don't help out as much as I use to because its difficult to watch a game with a 1 year old. I still make an appearance at tryouts, share my opinions, organize stuff for the girls, and try to keep them out of trouble. The season was ok...finished 6th, which is disappointing considering their talent. But girls are just a different group of people to coach.
Back to school is my favorite time of year. I LOVE setting up a classroom and getting ready for the first days. I should start a service so that teachers can pay me to set of their classrooms. :) While I "worked", Carter played with cars and carts. :)
Also, in August I had a family in the church contact me about helping home school their high school senior. At the time, Aaron and I had been praying about the time to have another baby. I wanted them to be two years apart, and this would be the time we would need to start trying. We had decided to wait but then this home school opportunity came about with weekly pay. Kelly, the girl I help home school, has been in youth group 7-12th and we've helped during that entire time and we were also her 5th grade Sunday School teachers. Needless to say, we've always had a close relationship with Kelly. This opportunity is great for Kelly and her family and also benefits us with extra pay and a confirmation to start trying to have another baby. We do school Monday-Thursday from 8:30-12:30 but for the past months, it been till at least 2:30. The only bad part is that it's a job, which means something I must commit to everyday. Therefore it limits the freedom that Carter and I have. Since Carter naps around 1...and sometimes for up for 4 hours, I can't go anywhere during the day till after 5pm.

Zoo & Panthers

On August 7th, we headed to the Columbia Zoo with Aaron's family. We enjoyed a hot day of animals, picnic and more animals. Carter and Cooper had a great time! :)
On Saturday, I went to the Charlotte Mothers of Multiples Sale with my sister in law Ashley and her family. I wasn't sure what to expect but it was no where as big as the Kids Exchange in Raleigh. Since I had been to the sale in Raleigh the month before, I wasn't looking for too much at the Charlotte sale. After the sale, I met Aaron's dad, Sister Rachel and Brother Adam at the Carolina Panthers Fan Appreciation Day! The event featured a HOT open practice with lots of fans. It was quite difficult to keep Carter contained at the stadium. Luckily there was no one sitting next to us so he could wander down the row.

A night out with friends

Our new bible study, which we call cnet, had a night out with no kids. In our group we (now) have 3 girls and 3 boys 2 and under. We enjoyed dinner at Kaze, bowling, cookie & icecream and Cranium. It was a fun jammed packed night. :)

Dinner in Richmond

In July, we also took a trip to Richmond for a little reunion with Aaron's mom side of the family. There were about 40 or more of us in a local Italian restuarant. It was good to see everyone but it was a quick trip!

Carter's 1st Trip to the beach

Pictures to come later...

Carter, Aaron and I took a trip to the beach for a few days at the end of July. This was Carter's first time and he seemed to really enjoy it. He has a love for the water and a new love for getting covered in sand. yuck. We didn't stay right on the beach which meant we had a lot of stuff to lug from the car and back. not fun either. The more I type, the more I am reminded that I'm not really a beachy person. I mean its nice...for a day. And nice probably isn't the word. I just don't like sand at all. But I knew Carter would enjoy it, so I toughed it out for him! :)

We're still here...

Its a new year so time to take care of things you've neglected, right? Well, the poor blog got lost for the last 4 months so I thought this would be a great time for it to make a come back! :) Theres lots to catch up on...which stresses me out. For today, we'll start with something big...
Carter is going to be a BIG BROTHER in JUNE 2010! :) We've kept the secret long enough right? I'm sure you already know this exciting news but I had to document it. Carter's brother/sister is the reason I am awake at 8am while everyone else sleeps. I tend to have the hardest time going back to sleep after using the bathroom...which happened at 7:20am. With last night being new years, we stayed up till after 1am...crazy people I know, which is why I will desperately need a nap later today. As crazy people last night, we spent the night at the house peeling off wallpaper from the kitchen. During nap time today, my parents are coming over to help us paint. We've lived in this house for 4.5 years, and just recently I got the desire to change the kitchen. When we bought the house, I was ok with all the color choices in the room bc they worked with all our existing stuff. But over the years, we've slowly made different changes from paint to laminate flooring. I'll be sure to post pictures. :P
Geez, I just don't even know where to start...I guess I'll have to go through my facebook photo albums to job my memory of whats been going on in our lives. Well, I better save this now before Carter wakes up and I "forget".
Blessings to you and your family in 2010! I plan to update more regularly so come back soon! :)