Carter James Anderson

Yes, I know...I have dropped off the face of the blog. Oh well...time to pick back up and move forward.

First things first...Carter was born on Aug 31, 2011. He was 9 lbs 4 oz. I was induced on my due date, and it's a good thing...he was huge! I went in to be induced at 7am, got my room at 8, pitocin at 8:15, epidural at 9...7 pushes and he was here at 10:10am. Easy-peasy. He was (and still is) BEAUTIFUL! This picture was taken about 20 minutes after he was born.


Here are some things about his first 4 months with us...

-He doesn't cry for no reason. He's either hungry, tired, or needs to be changed.
-He's super slobbery. Sometimes I think he's a St Bernard disguised as a baby.
-He HATES a wet diaper. And he pees a LOT.
-He looks at Grace and Carson like they are super stars.
-Grandpa Anderson was the first to make him smile.
-He has dark hair.
-His eyes are still blue, but they are blue like Carson's were, not like Grace's. So I think they'll probably change.
-He LOVES the bath. He only cried during the first 3 or 4. Now he loves it!
-He hates Walmart. He has cried EVERY time I've taken him.
-He loves when Jake plays guitar. He studies Jake's hands and has been caught playing air guitar.
-He often sleeps with his eyes partially open...like his dad.
-He is a snuggler...and he's warm and chubby

I could go on and on and on....I LOVE HIM! I cannot imagine our family without him. He was the 4th greatest decision of my life.

love.

Wedgies...

Just a quick note...

Jake gave Carson a wedgie this morning, so naturally Carson decided to go around the house giving us ALL wedgies (thanks dad)! When he got to Grace, I braced myself for a fight. Instead, she came up to me and excitedly said "mom, Carson pulled my pants up for me!!!".

I love them!!!

Its a BOY!!!

In case you don't already know....we are expecting our third, and final, baby in August. I've kept it off Facebook for now, it just feels too personal for me to jot down in a random status update. As of today, we can officially stop calling him an "it". He is officially a HE and Carson is quite pleased! I could have sworn he was a she...until a couple weeks ago and the heartburn set in :/ then I second guessed myself! Jake was right all along (as he has pointed out SEVERAL times today). Grace got to go with us to the ultrasound while Carson was in preschool. When we picked him up, she said "we get a baby brother" and Carson jumped for joy (literally).

Anyway, we are very happy and excited to welcome this little boy in to our family. Yay!!

Jingle Bell Rock

This year at the Anderson Christmas party, each family did a little skit. Luckily, Jake and Carson like to perform, so they took center stage. Grace and I played the jingle bells.

*As a side note, Grace's hairclip was falling out, so I put it in my hair and forgot it was there. Festive, yes....fashionable for a 30something, not really. :)

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HE'S FIVE!!! SHOUT IT FROM THE ROOFTOPS!!!

Carson was SO excited to turn five this year!! As a matter of fact, he's STILL excited about being five. He asks every day about this or that "that I used to do when I was four". Anyway, we had a trip to the Pumpkin Patch with the preschool that day, so it was kind of like a built in party. We celebrated with his family gifts in the morning before Jake went to work, then went to the Pumpkin Patch with his preschool friends and then had a few friends over for cake and ice cream in the early evening...easy and FUN!

I made this banner to hang above the kitchen

Carson saw the letters before I had them attached and sewn together and he said "Mom, where's the 'C'? How will everyone know it's MY birthday if it doesn't say 'Happy Birthday Carson'? And how will they know I am FIVE?"

So he woke up to this:

He was very specific in wanting a "black cake with a yellow circle and then blue". I'm pretty sure he meant he wanted a black tier, a yellow tier, and a blue tier, but no way was I going to make a 3 tier cake because that's what he 'designed' on the toys r us website! So I improvised and came up with this.




Happy Birthday to an amazing, AMAZING boy!!!

I'll have to post about the Pumpkin Patch on another day...it's time for bed!

Is October Really OVER???

I cannot believe how busy we are these days! We have had so much fun stuff going on over the past few months and I haven't written about ANY of it! Part of my problem is that I get started writing and then get interrupted and never go back (you should see how many 'drafts' I have with 3 lines written). I don't think I'm a very good writer, so if I don't post it right away and have to go back and finish, chances are, I'll re-read it and think "duh that's dumb" and start a new post and never finish....it's a horrible cycle!!

Anyway, I'll just post some short version stories...


Carson and Grace working on some art




Carson's finished product (a tree and some clouds)

His Own Battlefield

Ok, I know this is a heavy topic and not fun at all, but it's World Suicide Prevention Day today. And since this subject is a big part of my family and my life, I will post. There was an "event" on facebook to share thoughts and memorials. I ran across this:

His Own Battlefield

"Our friend died on his own battlefield. He was killed in action fighting a civil war. He fought against adversaries that were as real to him as his casket is real to us. They were powerful adversaries. They took toll of his energies and endurance. They exhausted the last vestiges of his courage and his strength. At last these adversaries overwhelmed him. And it appeared that he had lost the war. But did he? I see a host of victories that he has won!

"For one thing - he has won our admiration - because even if he lost the war, we give him credit for his bravery on the battlefield. And we give him credit for the courage and pride and hope that he used as his weapons as long as he could. We shall remember not his death, but his daily victories gained through his kindnesses and thoughtfulness, through his love for his family and friends...for all things beautiful, lovely, and honorable. We shall remember not his last day of defeat, but we shall remember the many days that he was victorious over overwhelming odds. We shall remember not the years we thought he had left, but the intensity with which he lived the years that he had. Only God knows what this child of His suffered in the silent skirmishes that took place in his soul. But our consolation is that God does know, and understands."

The Reverend Wes Stephens, at a funeral for a victim of suicide

Many of these are thoughts I have had about my little brother, Shawn. He was a strong man, who had so much to live for. He was funny and had a beautiful smile. He danced like no one was watching - even though he knew we all were! I cannot imagine the kind of pain he was in. I know he fought a good fight. I love him and think of him every day.