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!

Carson at Two

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?

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.

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.