Baby Blues

I was just playing around yesterday, taking some pics of Carson while he watched his standby, Clifford, and loved how blue his eyes looked--even if his expressions weren't exactly kodak moments.
I know we'll take some grief for this, but what is interesting about this picture is, when Trent and I both looked at it the first time, each of us said separately: "Wow! He looks like Chad!" Now, honestly, that does NOT have to do with the finger in the nose. Here's a picture of Uncle Chad and Aunt Jess for those of you who don't know them or don't see them often.

Just go with it.

This morning as I was rushing around getting ready to leave for Bible study, I realized Carson had been silent for too long. I was all done getting myself ready, and just needed to get him dressed, then we were out the door. Except that he had scooped a generous handful of "daddy's hair" (aka: hair pomade) onto his scalp, and it was a big, greasy mess. My gut reaction was "grrrr!" and wanting to give him a bath to clean it up, but there was no time. So, I tussled it up and grabbed the camera. I'm sorry all these pics of C-dog are so blurry, but he will NOT back away from the camera! What you can't see is this is the only shot of about 4 where he is NOT trying to grab the lense.

Also, yesterday at Gma Tompkins' house, he got to help make and decorate sugar cookies! This is him making the agonizing decision after dinner of which one he wants to share. He stared at these four cookies for a good 2 minutes before deciding...and coughing on all of them, which is a great diet technique for the adults. "Ooooookay. Not really craving those cookies anymore."

Really...I'm still alive.

I've been chastised for not keeping up with my usual blogginess. Sorry about that. And at least 2 people (my husband included) have confessed that they open the page with some disappointment when they see "just words" and no pictures, so here's a post to appease you illiterates. ;)

This is just a random, slightly out-of-focus pic of Carson yesterday, mugging as usual. In fact, this is the furthest I could get him away from the camera. For some reason the angle of the shot or the slightly oversized sweater makes him look like he has Popeye shoulders and skinny little waist, but I think it's just an optical illusion. Carson has been pretty sick this last week. I've never seen him lose his appetite like this before. He hardly ate solid foods for about 5 days--just a bite or two here and there. We were force-feeding him smoothies and Carnation instant breakfast. I won't get into great detail, but another symptom was explosive diarrhea for several days. In fact, he can now say "I have diarrhea!" And after "I love you" isn't that a phrase you want to hear most?! Yesterday I walked into the kitchen and he was sitting at the table drinking my water and looking at a toy catalog! I'm not making this up! I told him to point to what he wanted.

The drum set. Of course. I'd consider it, but not with "Shrek" on it, please. I'm averse to character-covered toys. Scarred by my JEM paraphanalia from the late 80's, I think.

Also, I just wanted to point out that after a couple years of having most of my best buds from Oregon with a blog, three of my best friends from college have recently joined the cult, er, club of blogging, which I love! Check out the links on the right for Templetons, Lyons and Wooldridges. I love being able to see pics of their families since we are not together nearly enough. Now you all can blog-spy on them too.

Perspective

This afternoon I had the rare opportunity to get groceries by myself. I even drove out of my way to WalMart to get some good prices. I carefully picked out all the stuff I need to make my portion of Thanksgiving dinners this weekend and waited in long lines of others doing the same thing. Then I looked in my purse and realized...I didn't have my wallet. I was so many things, but the two major emotions were embarrassment and frustration at the wasted time and effort. I was sure I had grabbed my wallet! Then as I made the walk of shame out of the store, leaving frustrated clerks behind, I had a thought: maybe my wallet was stolen. I hadn't been super careful, and I my purse is one of those pick-pocket's dreams: just a big open hole at the top, with my wallet peeking through. So, all the way home I panicked about who I should call first, how much cash was in there? What if they charge up videos on my Blockbuster account? When I got home and saw my wallet on the table, I was so relieved that my wallet wasn't stolen that I didn't care so much about the wasted afternoon.

Kind of like when I got a tattoo in college, I thought I should tell my parents that I was pregnant and going to Vegas to elope. Then in their mute stupor, I would say: Just kidding! I only got a tattoo! No big deal, right?!

When did November come?

BTW, here is a pic of the door after we painted it. I don't know if you can tell the difference as much, but we can!

Also, this was the first day Carson showed a strong preference (and if you are familiar with toddlers, you know that by "strong preference" I mean "if he didn't get his way my life would be miserable and/or the end of the world would be imminent") regarding his clothes. I had already picked out the top portion, and he demanded his "Beeber pants."

No Really! Helmets look cool!

A few weeks ago we took Carson out in our new bike-trailer (is there a better name for it?) that he got for his birthday from Gma and Gpa Tompkins. Of course we also had to get him a helmet, which he was not too sure about. (Can you blame him?) Of course, it didn't help that both mommy and daddy pinched his skin the first time they clicked the chin strap. :(

I decided that biking together (or should I say bicycling? Do I really need to clarify that we were not on Harleys wearing leather?) is good family exercise. The best option, really, at this point. Carson is no longer content to sit in a stroller, which is the only way we can walk fast enough for me to get my heart rate up at all. (Although he declared about 15 minutes into the ride that he was "all done," he still lasted much longer than in a stroller.) And what I love about riding on a bike, as oppose to when I tried my "learn to be a runner" club last spring, is that I am not reminded with each step that I have given birth to a child and therefore need to concentrate continually on not wetting my pants. Too much info? Sorry. Most of the mommy readers will understand.

My favorite part about us riding together is that even with an older bike AND a trailer attached, Trent still rides much faster that I do. This fact was not lost on Carson, who kept yelling back to me: "Come ON, Mommy! Keep going!"

"I'm COMING, Carson! Tell your Daddy, Lance Armstrong, to slow down a bit!"

Filler Post

I've been slacking off on taking pictures, which is kind of my bread and butter for this blog. So, I'll try to fill you in on some things Carson has been saying lately. I find that adults trying mimic their toddler's language in person is somewhat grating. I hope that just typing it out isn't as annoying to you. If so, you might want to stop reading now.

"I want my Beebers ______________." Coming from a family of OSU fans, he already has lots of Beaver goodies. The most common things he asks for are his Beeber pants or Beeber plate.

"I don't yike that!" This was originally started by Trent when they wrestled, to let Carson know when some action (or a particular place on the body) was off-limits. Well, instead of being the "safe" word in the midst of rough-housing, C just seems to holler it out quite a bit. I think he figures it will give him the edge over his daddy, since technically, Daddy is supposed to stop whatever he's doing if Carson says that, then Carson can continue his slick wrestling moves.

"I watch Tipperd." This is in the morning before we turn on Clifford.

"Play bitball!" That's football.

"I need MY poon." (spoon)

"It's too youd!" When he accidentally turns up his little stereo in his room.

There's more, but I can't think of them right now. It's so fun to hear his language just take off. More to come, I'm sure!

News Flash

I was just finishing the previous post when something newsworthy (or blogworthy) happened. Carson, dressed only in a diaper, came to me slowly with his arm out, and there was SOMETHING on his finger. "Oh, Lord. Please let that be part of a dead worm. Or the world's biggest booger. Or melted chocolate from the leftover halloween candy." I gently grabbed his wrist to prevent IT from touching anything, especially me, and held it closer to my nose. Nope.

It was none of those things.

Slow News Day

This is a family shot at the church where we grew up, where my dad was a pastor. Sweet beard, Dad. Aren't we so cute?! And so 80's! I loved that dress.

It's funny to think of my mom as a mom of YOUNG kids! She's probably only about 32 in this picture...barely older than I am now! Does she look tired? I mean, Mike was not a small toddler. As Carson would say: "He's hebby."

My dad pointed out to me something I wouldn't have noticed about this picture. When it was taken, my dad was twisting my brother's finger to make him squirm, so Mike started pinching Dad's arm (or pulling arm-hair--not sure which.) Always the goofs. And it seems I'm looking over disapprovingly, as a big sis should.

I think the time and event of this pic is self-explanatory. What is weird is that it already seems dated. This will probably make people older than me roll your eyes, but I look at this pic and think: we look so young!

Cowboy Carson

We had quite a day yesterday! After Bible study, we had lunch at Gma Jo-Jo's house, then drove to Beaverton to meet up with Ethan and Nathan and their mamas. Then we stopped by BCC to say hi to some of my old coworkers, and went to Uncle Mike's and Aunt Becky's for dinner, where C-dog scarfed up Becky's spaghetti. THEN, for the culminating event, we went to the harvest party at BCC, where the boys were totally over-stimulated by baloons, lights, people, noises (including fire alarms and one total evacuation), food, big screens and more. Carson is getting to the point where this interests him, and he likes to walk around and see more, even though he doesn't have a clue what is going on. Here's some pics of the evening:

A dragon, acowboy and a bear sat on a hay bale...sounds like the beginning of a bad joke!

Aunt Becky helping the cowboy button his vest. This vest was TRENT's when he was a little boy! If I have the story right (which is not always the case) his grandparents got it for him...in Mexico? I think? Anyway, Trent started calling it the family heirloom vest.
Carson wanted popcorn and didn't ask for candy!

These are some pics Mike took before dinner. Hello, scrapbook!