Friday, December 18, 2009

It's Christmas time in the city...

So this is my first REAL Christmas with Carson in my mind. Last year, he was turning one, but he really didn't get it. He was MUCH more interested in the paper and tissue than the gifts. Plus, we had too many last year! We had Christmas Eve presents, Christmas day THREE times, little Carson started throwing up during the second :(, one day off, then a five hour drive to Missouri and an even longer 5 hour drive home in the same day. I was sick the whole trip home, got to puke on the side of the highway a lot and the whole night, Josh was sick by morning, and that day was also Carson's first birthday party. So we held our stomache's together and got through the day. Of course, we had no friends to play with on New Years Eve b/c they all got sick. SORRY FRIENDS!

So with all that said, I feel this is our first Christmas as a family. Carson is "getting it" more this year. He likes to find "Clause" and tell us he wants "Airplanes and choo choo's" for Christmas. He LOVES turning on the lights every morning and still says "WOW!" each time. We've been having family activities each night that range from looking at lights to reading the Christmas story. He LOVED LOVED LOVED the lights. And I must say, we did too! They really go all out in Texas. In fact, my street looks similar to the Grizwalds house. Carson kept saying "More! More!". SOO sweet!! We've made an handprint ornament as a gift for Jesus, painted on our windows, wrote a letter to Santa and wrapped presents. We still have so much to look forward to, singing Christmas songs, a visit to Santa, baking Christmas cookies, our small group Christmas party, the Night Before Christmas and my FAVORITE, the candle light service. All leading up to the most exciting day of the year (at least for a kid) the morning you find out that SANTA CAME!

I decided to just get Carson one big thing from Santa instead of several things, like my mom used to, because I like having more under my tree. So, Carson is getting the train set and train table that I have to pull him away kicking and screaming from each time we pass one. He is going to be SO excited!!! And I know it sounds silly, but I'm so excited to put C to bed on Christmas Eve and then put it all together with Josh. Even though Josh and I are the WORST at putting things together...he doesn't like to read instructions and I like to read them three times... which makes for pretty good arguments most of the time! But it will be fun!

We are heading to Oklahoma Christmas morning. People think we are crazy for even wanting to travel on Christmas day, but we are going. We probablly won't be doing it again, but we want to be home as long as we can since we won't get to come back for a while. Josh is having to save his vacation for the babies arrival and I don't travel well while really pregnant. We will have to wait till June to get more vacation time. SO, this will most likely be out last trip home for seven months. Sad I know.

Anyway, we will be going to Duncan on Christmas day for a few days, then transfering to Seminole for the rest of the time. Of course, we have to split the time between my mom and my dad. But, the good news is, our Christmas events are a little more spread out so we will get to enjoy ourselves at each place before hurring off to the next. And of course, we have a BIRTHDAY to celebrate in there.

Overall, I have been feeling very lucky and blessed this Christmas. I am so glad that we can give our child the Christmas that we want him to have. I'm so thankful that we can have so many special family moments. I LOVE walking him through this magical time of year. It makes me even more excited for the years to come when our family is complete! The future will bring more wide eyes, extra wows, extra great gifts, lots of laughs, tons of smiles and even more love.

So, here we are, ONE WEEK TILL CHRISTMAS! I can't wait!

Wednesday, December 16, 2009

Monday, December 14, 2009

Lessons Learned

I have learned many lessons during my life, but none have compared to the lessons learned since the arrival of Carson. It all began just days after bringing him home from the hospital when my dad kindly volunteered to change C’s diaper so I could shower. I came out and my dad proudly announced “I took that thing off his pecker!” I said “Dad! They told us NOT to pull that off!” He felt VERY bad, but his response was “well, someone should warn a man about things hangin’ off someone’s pecker!” LESSON 1. Since then the lessons have continued to be learned and TAUGHT. Many of which I NEVER thought I’d be teaching. I’ve taught Carson to not eat bugs, dog food, not to put things in the dogs…you know…, I’ve explained that you shouldn’t pee pee on the slide to cool it off, not to hit mama in the face, not to touch mama’s body parts, and not to put food in our hair. I’ve taught him lessons I thought I’d have years to teach like, keeping his pants on, and leaving HER shirt on. I’ve caught him kissing a strange girl at a circus and I’ve had to explain to him it’s not nice to take off bikini tops. He’s learned diving face first off our couch hurts, and that dirt taste bad. He’s learned not to color the dog pink with chalk and not to rip my CD player out of my laptop. Of course, that lesson was learned too late. But perhaps the one lesson I NEVER thought I’d have to teach my baby boy was taught this weekend when I had to say to Carson Dane, “do NOT to hit your wee wee with your bat”. I think he knows everything he needs to know now, don’t you?

Tuesday, December 8, 2009

My name is Kendall...and I'm an addict.

It began when I moved to Katy. I left the job I loved, the people I loved, a dog I loved, and was left alone because my husband's job required him to live three hours away. At first I started to fill the time, feel connected, basically, just to have something to do. But it got worse. I started in the morning. Sometimes before I even got out of bed. Probablly three more times before lunch, all afternoon, the urge consumed me. It was just so simple. Always within reach. So simple... But then my husband started to notice. So I began to hide it more. I knew there was a problem when I learned that he could not hear me open it if I did things just right. I'd make an excuse to go into a room alone, or spend extra time in the bathroom. I'd lie about how many times a day I had. Telling him, it's just when I'm bored. It was starting to come between us. But all I had to do was pick up my IPhone and select my Facebook App.

Suddenly, I felt that all 300 plus friends needed to know what I was doing at all times of the day. Why? I don't know. It seems kinda silly that we advirtise our daily activities- Kendall is getting up early.... Kendall is eatting now... Kendall has no life. But what if someone else posted something that was actually INTERESTING??? I have to know!

I now know more about some of my "friends" than I knew about them when they were my "friends" back in high school. I communicate with people I would otherwise never talk with due to life/location/schedules, I can share the sweet moments with my son with hundreds of people that would otherwise only be shared with him, AND I LIKE IT!

So I admit, I'm a Facebook Addict. But I can honestly say, for the first time in my life, that is the only thing I have a "problem" with.

Tuesday, December 1, 2009

It's a girl!?!?!?

I have always imagined having two little boys running around. Well, after I found out Carson was a boy that is. For some reason, the whole GIRL thing is SO hard for me to get my head around. I think I'd have an easier time if they had said "It's a lizard!" I think I would feel equally prepared to raise a lizard as a girl. Why you may ask? Well, if you know me, then you know that I have almost two toenails painted, all my finger nails chewed off, my hair hasn't been colored or cut in half a year, my eyebrows need waxing, I just washed my hair for the first time in three days, I hate shopping, I don't see a need for more than two pairs of jeans, I have about 3 necklaces and 2.5 pairs of earrings, I never change purses, but I do have two, one brown and one black, I currently don't even own a belt, I really am not sure how to put on eye make-up though I try occassionally, basically- I lack all the "girly" qualities. So how in the world am I suppossed to raise one? I do like pink however. That's good right? There can't be much more to it than that right? Just make things pink and I'm good? (yea right!)

Now don't get me wrong, I am very happy to be having a girl and SO happy that the baby is health (and looks pretty so far) I am just confused. I am also sad to not getting to be use all Carson's cute stuff again. I really wasn't finished with it all in the first place. BUT, I do feel that the family will be complete. I do not worry that I'll want a third to "try for a girl this time" b/c I would fear that I would have ANOTHER girl! And I would cry.

So, for now, I guess I'm going to look for a job. Girls sound expensive. Well, I guess unless I raise them like myself- then they'll just need beer money occasionally.

Wednesday, November 18, 2009

And FIVE loads of laundry later...


I ALMOST have yesterdays POOP attack cleaned up. We ran out of "magic belts" aka duct tape- and BOY DID I PAY FOR THAT!!! Then to top the day off, C-Dane had another poopie diaper last night, so he took his diaper off (of course) and the dog ATE THE POOP!!!! RIGHT OUT OF THE DIAPER!!!! Anyone wanna dog? Free to good, wait free to A home. It's a 40 pound Maltese/Chihuahua. (or so we were told!) Apparently you don't even have to buy dog food if you have a kid...I bet he'd even lick things clean, if you'd like him to, so you can save on wipes too! Where else can you get a deal like that???

Side note- I gave my FANTASTIC lab to my cousins to keep this poop eatting giant mutt! WHAT WAS I THINKING??? Oh. I remember, NO ONE WANTED JAXON. I can't imagine why not.

I will not be putting Carson's bumpers back on his bed since he will only be sleeping in it for two more nights anyway. This makes me so sad! So for the next few nights, he will be banging his head and waking up w/ bumps. I guess he'll survive. So glad we have another baby to move into that bed in just 5 months. I'm pretty sure that baby may sleep in the crib till he/she moves out of the house.

Obviously we still don't know what we are having. The Tuesday after Thanksgiving is the big 20 week ultrasound so we BETTER find out then or I'm going to assume it's neither- which will be a big problem! I mean, THEN WHAT COLOR WILL WE PAINT THE NEW ROOM???

Monday, November 9, 2009

Help! My baby is going to be ugly!

The pregnant brain is an amazing thing. Doesn't amazing mean CRAZY?? I lay in bed at night with many perfectly rational fears about having another child. How will it change Carson? How tired will I be? Will it be health? How will we pay for it? Will it be a boy or a girl? But what keeps me up the most is my insane fear of an ugly baby.

Now I think I'm a rational person. I know all parents think their babies are beautiful. But COME ON!!! You know you've seen an ugly baby! They are the babies that are always called sweet or precious, or you say "Look at those feet!". Or at least that's what I say. (Guess I'm gonna have to make an effort to say CUTE since I've told my secret) I really think I had a pretty baby the first time. Now, there were a few months where Carson had the ring of fire going on with his hair and when I put him in a white button down and a tie he could have passed for Danny Devito. MY POINT is that I can recognize when my baby looks dumb. And I'm SO AFRAID #2 being ugly. WORSE, I'm afraid of #2 being an ugly GIRL! I'm so afraid that if #2 is ugly that I won't love it as much as Carson. (Yes, I'll quit calling my baby an "it" once I know the sex!) I'm afraid that when strangers stop us in public to look at our baby they'll give the shocked look, then turn to CARSON and say "look at those eyes". Now can you imagine this happening to a ten year old girl????

I know that is really a bad and terrible thing to say, but I just can't be the only one out there with this fear. I may be the only one to ADMIT this fear, but I can't be the only one to have it. But, I guess I just cross my fingers and hope for a pretty baby. I mean a HEALTHY baby.

Sunday, November 8, 2009

The Battle of the Flying Poop

It began when my dad was visiting. Well, it had been happening for a while, but nothing like this. Suddenly, I hear my dad yelling, gagging, and running downstairs, saying, "I can't do it! You'll have to go in!" I run upstairs wondering what in the world could have happened that made a grown man run for his life- then I saw it- an armed baby. Two hands full of poop granades- and a full diaper waiting when he runs out. "Boom!" Came the first granade. The smell filled the room. The baby laughed and laughed at his first victory, thinking the battle was all wrapped up. "You will not win this I said". Quickly I captured the poop filled diaper and took it to safety, returning for the baby. While holding the baby out in the air trying to limit the damage I filled the bathtub and put him in, washing all the evidence of the hard fought battle away. After the baby was clean I returned to the battlefield, picked up all remaining pieces and sat the baby down for a talk.

Well the talk didn't work. The battle is still in full force. I have cleaned crib sheet after crib sheet, scrubbed poop off my furniture, my walls, Carson's toys, the crib, books, MYSELF and my only solution is...duct tape. When I tell people what I have resorted to, they look at my like I'm hurting my child. But I ask you all, WHAT WOULD YOU DO????

He thinks it's his "Magic Belt." I put a strip of duct tape across the front of his diaper so he can't open it as easy and I tell him the "magic belt" makes him run fast. He actually gets excited when I put the "magic belt" on and he says "RUN!" while moving his arms in a running motion real fast. He is slowly learning to keep his pants on. (A lesson that I though I had years before I had to teach) I feel my solution is actually working for now. So, why do I get such strange looks? Do I LET my child act like a non housebroken DOG pooping all over the house and maybe (my worst fear) even EATTING some of it? To me duct tape is a great idea. We are all happy. Carson runs faster than ever, I don't get poop pellets thrown at me, my water bill is lowering from less loads of laundry, and MAYBE if I can get this under control, my dad will come visit again...

The Best Weekend EVER, followed by one not so good...


Time to back up... I seriously think Carson had the best weekend of his life Halloween weekend. First, there was getting to dress like a pirate! "ARRRR" Carson would say, then he got to "knock knock" on doors, say "treat, thank you and bye". He went trick or treating for two hours, literally till he dropped to his knees and said "all done." But this day did not even touch the excitment of the following day.

On Sunday we took Carson to the air show and I have NEVER seen a kid have more fun. Parents- if your kid likes airplanes and you'd like a relaxing day with the family, take your kids to an air show. Carson was ENTERTAINED for FOUR hours. And I don't mean we were working our butts off to make sure he was happy, I mean we sat back and enjoyed ourselves b/c Carson was having SOOO much fun. He wouldn't wonder far b/c of the loud noise. He had to stay close to feel ok about the jet noises. He yelled "AIRPLANE!" with the same enthusiasm from the first one, till we got home. He fell asleep in the car and the first thing out of his sweet mouth when he woke up was "airplane?". I would go back every weekend if I could! Even with the 1.5 hour wait in line to get back to our car at the end. SO WORTH IT to see him SO happy and excited.



Now, here we sit a week later. I think Josh has the flu. Not sure what kind. Carson has had his seasonal shot and I have had the H1N1 shot. Doctor told us that if Josh gets H1N1 that he is not to come NEAR me... well I wonder how we are suppossed to know the difference. And I wonder what our options are... We have NO family here to pawn ourselves off on. So, it's just the three of us on day three of this. So far Carson is feeling GREAT and me to except that I'm having a hard pregnant weekend (since I'm having the worst "normal" pregnancy ever in my opinion). Of course, I feel like I have the flu at least once a day, if not all day, so it's hard to tell. And I'm on anti vomit meds so who knows- So we had the best weekend followed by one of the worst. And I have learned the worst thing about having a baby- WHEN YOU DON'T FEEL GOOD! They just don't get it. "Mommy doesn't want to be hit with a bat right now" just gets a confused look, like "Why in the world not?". Not to mention Carson has been crying to see his daddy. But I've locked him in our room trying to limit this flu stuff. Oh well, maybe I'll have time to update this more.

Wednesday, November 4, 2009

Our new routine

Well, so far I have proven true to form, and have been HORRIBLE at tracking our lives. But what else can I expect. I am finally sitting down now to give an update on our world....

As many of my friends and family know, I have had a hard time making the transistion to being a stay at home mom. Let's just say, I'm missing the domestic gene. My husband will second that! I really don't like cleaning, more like HATE cleaning, I'm a pretty terrible cook, I'm not "crafty", I don't decroate for the seasons, except Christmas, and I'm just not that good at entertaining young children! Even ones I love as much as I love Carson... BUT Carson and I are settling into a fairly good, semi productive routine.

Here's how our day goes. About 7-7:30, I hear "Mama!!!" from the intercome, so I drag out of of bed and head upstairs. Before I go any further, I'd like to comment on stairs. I have ALWAYS wished I had a two story house, ALWAYS, but now, NOW I dread my stairs. There LONG, HIGH, and miserable when sleepy and/or pregnant. Anyway, I drag myself upstairs, where I find Carson sitting in his bed, or jumping on it. The first thing he says it "Mama" the second is "poo poo". After much bribing I get him to get out of bed so we can change his diaper, which normally does NOT have a poo poo in it. We then head downstairs to "EEEEAAATTTT" and watch "SHOOOWWW". Shortly after breakfast we head out on our walk, followed by backyard/downstairs/errands/playgroups time till lunch. After lunch we head for nap time, which Carson GLADLY partakes in most days. After nap we "EEEAAATTT", and "PLAY, PLAY, PLAY, UPSTAIRS". (I cap everything b/c Carson yells everything that he's "Ci" (excited) about.) After about two hours of independent play, during which I actually get things done around here, like laundry, dinner, my shows, or facebook, you know important things- Carson comes back down for more "OUTSIDE" time. Then before we know it "DADA" is home and the ball throwing wrestling session begins! The boys act like boys till I make em eat. Then more "AH BOOM" till bath time- which my WONDERFUL husband almost always gives Carson- followed by reading and bed. Now reading is pretty fun! Carson is so sweet. He always picks out the book he wants and brings it to me. I read the book. Then being the sweet all-inclusive kid he is, ALWAYS says, "DADA" and takes the book over to Josh so he can read the exact same book again. We then have our kiss offs till Carson tells us or shows us that it's time for "SLEEP". We push play on his CD player and we see him the next day, when he is, as my DeDe says, "Brand new".

Now weekends- those are a whole other story!!!

Monday, October 26, 2009

Getting started

So I've been planning jumping on the Blogging Bandwagon for over a year now and I'm just now getting around to it. Why? Because my life has slowed down a bit. My family moved to Katy, TX (west of Houston) in June, I am not working right now, so I spend a lot of time at home watching my baby Carson play, sleep, eat, and resting myself because we have another baby coming in April. I have been wanting a place to document all the silly and precious things Carson does other than on my status on Facebook, so I thought this would be a place to begin. I am also hoping for friends and family to feel they can stay up to date on our swiftly changing world here in Katy.

Carson is beating on the dog now, so I'll have to get back to this later, but I can't wait to share the wonders in our world.