Carson-- Months 15-17

Oh my poor neglected second born. Okay, not really neglected, but he has not been given ample time on the blog lately and there is a lot to report!

I think this precious boy might end up being just as strong-willed as his brother. He is very vocal, and already seems to have quite a temper-- especially when he doesn't get his way. He still loves to be held and wants me to pick him up or carry him around the house with me as I go about my day. He is slowly gaining a little independence and will play some on his own or venture into a different room without one of us with him. He is adored at church because he likes to cuddle and has such an incredibly sweet spirit, though he screams and cries every single time we leave him in the nursery-- but just for a few minutes. He is becoming incredibly verbal-- he says: mommy, daddy, carver, bye bye, thank you, my milk (or just milk), cracker, walk, get out (when he wants out of his highchair or the bathtub), no, please, more (signs this also), ball, deep/wide (when "singing" the song), Lea, and probably many more I am forgetting. He has far far exceeded where Carver was verbally at this age.

The big news right at his 15th month was that he started walking! He was walking all over the house and doing a great job. He walked for about 4 or 5 days and then abruptly stopped. He didn't walk again until he was almost 17 months old. Crazy.

His first weekend of walking.

Hanging out in a walmart bathroom during a potty break for big brother.

He loves to play outside! 

He also loves to unload baskets, bags, drawers, etc.

One of our first "activities" during Carver's time away at school-- he loved it!

The boys love playing in the back of our closet, they laugh and Carver tells Carson stories and yells for me to "take a picture!" of them.

Oh that smile.

They love each other. They fight like crazy, but they really love each other.

He loves picture books. He is a little less patient when reading books with words.

Laundry baskets are endlessly entertaining.

Carson got sugar and cookies MUCH earlier than his big brother. Hard to say no when his brother is sitting next to him eating a delicious looking treat.

Sometimes I just have to escape. Carson will watch me through the door, sometimes crying, but often laughing, smiling, waving, and making faces at me through the window.

Some days all he wants to do is cry. And whine. And follow me around the house.

A little mustache fun.

He has an odd interest in smelling things. Like these green onions.

This is what he does while I am getting ready in my room. He opens up my jewelry chest and plays with my necklaces.

Visiting Daddy out at camp.

Blurry, but goodness, I adore that smile. It kills me.

He, much like his brother, likes to steal my drinks. Coffee, coke,...all great things for a 17 month old to be drinking.

I am so curious to see how Carson will grow and change in the coming months. The changes come so rapidly in these early days, sometimes I feel like he is changing too quickly and I do not get enough time with each phase he goes through. He and his brother are extremely different from each other-- in looks and personality. It's funny how two boys with the same parents and the same upbringing can be so unique. This age that Carson is approaching is one of my very favorite. He is not exactly the easy baby I had secretly hoped for, but he is infinitely more than  I could have ever imagined. He may be on the small side but he has a big personality and an even bigger heart. I love his laugh, his enormous grin and his crazy curls that his Daddy desperately wants to cut. 

These boys drive me absolutely crazy. I yell more than I should and retreat to the porch or another room to hide from them from time to time-- but they are so much more than I deserve and have provided my life with a focus that I had never had before. Staying at home with them sometimes feels like I am giving up on my own goals for furthering my education or career-- but well, this is the only thing I can imagine doing right now. Such a small window of time to raise these boys to be civilized and useful members of society. I can't really think of anything I would rather be doing right now. So, my house is a mess, I'm exhausted all the time, I sit on the floor and cry when I have just yelled at them and hurt their hearts out of my impatience, I lay in bed and wonder how I could do better, be better, I worry about the amount of sugar they eat and the amount of screen time they have each day and I vow that tomorrow I will be a perfect mom and we will have a perfect home and my kids will eat perfect meals and so on. And, of course that never happens and I am back on the floor crying about my inadequacies. But despite all this I am blessed. And content. And happy. And hopeful. Because of them. Those two precious boys.