June- Getting ready for Caroline!

Carter moved to a brand new room and into a big boy bed so that his little sister could have his crib! I was worried he would feel displaced or we would ruin his perfect sleeping track record... but his doctor and his dad were both convinced he would do just fine. So I gave in, and was happily proven wrong! He was more than happy to leave the "baby bed" as he chose to call the crib, and he has championed the transition without any issues! I took him to Target to pick out some wall stickers and a nightlight, and he had so much fun. I showed him all the choices- trucks, spaceships, sports balls, princesses, flowers- and he carefully examined each box until he proudly grabbed the sports balls, and said "Dis one, Mama!" and put it in the cart. Then he chose a dump truck night light, and even chose to forego his outdoor pre-dinner playtime so we could put the stickers on the wall as soon as we got home!  He is still so proud of his room that he doesn't fight going upstairs to bed, and walks up the stairs all by himself (which his hugely pregnant mom greatly appreciates!).

He is talking all the time now, making sentences, having full on conversations with us, and making connections between the books we read to him and real life! Here are some favorite phrases overheard in our house:

- Dad: "Carter, Where are you?"

  Carter: "Dada, playing choo choo trains!!! "(yelled back from the other room)

-"Mama, Cah-ter sad (with a completely dramatic, half smiling frown)... Cah-ter need huuuugs."

-"Meno look a quarral (squirrel)!!!"

-"Mama, peeease don't go" (said in the tone that I say it when reading his favorite book of the moment, Where the Wild Things Are)

- Heard over the monitor in the morning "MAMAAAAAA Where ahhhh YOUUU??? DADA!!! MAMA GET UP HERE!"  (He still won't get out of his bed until we open his door. Or if he does, he will just grab a toy and scurry back into his bed).

-"Cah-ter do by hisself" when climbing stairs, getting into the car, fixing train tracks. 

-With his toy screw driver in hand, he marches up to wherever his dad is working on putting furniture or baby gear together, and days "Dada and Cah-ter do guy stuff."

Carter in his big boy room!

Caroline's room is ready for her!

The day after our ER trip (and our sleepless night), I decided to take my injured guy to Chik Fil A since his dad had to work late... which unfortunately took an unlucky turn as my car completely broke down! I was lucky enough to inch into a parking lot with no power steering, and we made the best of a bad experience by getting some ice cream (we ended up breaking down in front of a Baskin Robbins thank goodness!) and watching the tow truck operator load the car on the truck.  As always, Carter hung in there and kept on smiling through it all. Such a trooper!

A common scene now as we try to leave the house... he has let me convince him to choose his two favorite toys  with the promise that his toys will be safe when we return (and I just hope one of the dogs doesn't break my promise!!)

On a day he chose to play in his room and jump on his bed during nap time... I never see this guy asleep anywhere but in his bed!

Very interested in helping me cook...

"Cah-ter being silly, Mama" and I turn around to see this... haha

Father's Day with our favorite dad!

Baking cookies for his dad on Father's Day and learning to be very patient....

His grandpa taught him this trick with the bucket... he thinks it's hilarious.

Just being a boy :) This was the toy he wanted to bring in the car with him...

Introducing "Baby sister Caroline" to Lightening and Mater

Every afternoon, we can be found drawing on our front porch!

Learning to share on a playdate with his two friends.

With Lucy (who he walked up to the other day and said "This my dog, Mama") at his grandparents house. She was a rescue we took in last year after being tied outside and beaten.  I went to Walden's Puddle to drop off a baby bird we rescued in the back yard, and they asked me to help them take on a dog in return!  She is turning out to be the sweetest dog and not that fearful of people anymore :)  And she has adored Carter since the day she met him. Love that he loves dogs!!