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.

August Beach Trip

In August my family took a trip to Anna Maria Island to celebrate Julia's 16th birthday. It was such a sweet time of loving on Julia, spending time together as a family, and enjoying a full week at the beach. It had been a really long time since my family (my parents and the rest of us) took a trip to the beach, though we did it every year when I was growing up. I loved that week.

Because it was still in the crazy busy time of the summer, Daniel was not able to go with us-- Lyle and his family couldn't make it either so their absence kept it from being a perfect family trip, but otherwise I would not have changed a single thing.

We ate at some amazing restaurants, spent most mornings at the beach and afternoons in the pool. We gave Julia daily birthday surprises leading up to her "big" party on one of our last nights there. We took naps and got some sun, and Carson and I made daily early morning Starbucks runs. We made pizzas one, ate Publix subs for lunch almost daily, and had a feast of crab legs the night before we left.

I'm was so sad when the week ended and I am so ready to head back down.

To get beach ready, Jules and I headed to get a spray-tan at a local spa. It was definitely and interesting experience.

The first night in we headed to a favorite of mine-- the Gulf Drive Cafe.

After carrying Carson across the street, Carver informed me that he wanted to be "carried like Carson."

Jules was a good sport for all of the photo taking of her with the babies :)

Jules with all the babies.

Jules and Riley

For our first full day at the beach we had beach and pool time, then made pizzas for dinner. (Sidenote: We LOVE the Tortuga Inn. We stayed there with friends two years ago and I was so excited to go back!)

Later that week we headed to St. Armand's Circle for lunch at the Columbia Restaurant. This was one of my favorite meals of the week...

And then had more pool time...

Another favorite was The Waterfront Restaurant and this salad...

The island has a free trolley that we rode one day. I wish we had done it more than once because it was super convenient and fun. We took it to the other end of the island to go in the tiny museum. Of course, anything historical is on my list of things to do and this was a fun outing.

We spent quite a lot of time on the beach, thanks to my dad who bought a canopy tent for us and put it up my himself every single day. The man is a saint.

Dad liked to avoid the sun and sand and Cargy liked a comfy place to nap. Win win situation.

Mom found these cute chairs for the babies to sit in on the beach and we had a crazy time trying to get a cute picture of all three littles-- but I think they looked SO adorable in these chairs.

Yes, we got matching bathing suits for these two.

The babies got to spend some time "playing" together too. Love it when the littlest cousins get together.

One night we ate at the Beach House Restaurant, which has a great location right on the sand-- a good opportunity for more pictures :)

Heading out to dinner.

At the beginning of the week we had a quick birthday party for Riley who turned 1 at the end of July.

The big celebration for Julia came of Friday night, two days before we all headed home. We went out to dinner at the Blue Marlin Grill (loved it!), then came back to cake and presents.

AMAZING smoked fish appetizer.

On one of our last mornings we headed out to the Rod and Reel Pier for breakfast-- it was a highlight of the week for me. It was a beautiful day, and random, tiny, but good breakfast place, lots of pictures, and even a dolphin sighting.

On our last night we bought 6 lbs of steamed crab legs from Publix and had a casual dinner at our apartment. Another of my favorite nights at the beach.

I am so thankful for the memories of these week. I am so thankful for getting to spend so much time with Courtney and her girls, and SO thankful for my parents for planning this vacation. They are so good to us and our kids and sacrificial with their time and money. I am so thankful for this trip, so thankful for my parents and my sister (and my brother of course) so thankful for our close relationships that are sometimes hard and sometimes messy but such a blessing to me.

 I hope Julia loved it as much as I did and felt very, very blessed during her birthday week.