First time for Everything...

Stitches.

Like all parents, we were hoping to avoid any of our kids ever needing stitches...  But you just can't prevent every accident :/  

We had a really fun big-kid night planned--the Holiday Lights at Sibley Park and Pizza Ranch--while Carson stayed at home with a sitter.  

The lights were cool, and Pizza Ranch was great.  Until Cooper fell with his chair to the ground and cracked his head on the back of the chair.  It bled like crazy, he freaked out, and the restaurant went silent.  We got him to the ER right away, where they eventually put in 7 stitches.  

This is him waiting for the numbing gel to take full effect.  A rare calm moment of the night.

Jeremy said the worst part was holding him down as he freaked out for the Novocain and then the stitches themselves.  I was in the waiting room with Izzy.

And we couldn't believe the surprise visitor to the ER... The manager of Pizza Ranch came and brought us a pizza and some coupons to come back to the buffet in the future.  That was an act of kindness that was unexpected!!  Too bad Cooper didn't feel like eating after the spazzing he did in his room, and Jeremy was too worked up to think about food.  I was too queasy, but Izzy sure enjoyed it :). We passed the rest along to the great staff at the Mankato ER!

  I'm so thankful Jeremy was along--I honestly don't know what I'd have done if I was alone with the kids and this happened.  I got queasy just thinking about it!

By the time we got home, our little patient was feeling better :)

Now he tells anyone who will listen about his seven stitches.  And I found this selfie on my phone as I was looking through pics the other day... Apparently he wanted a closer look...  This pic looks to be about a week post-injury.  Healing nicely :)

Here's the story, from Cooper :)

Getting Ready for the Holidays

Christmas didn't used to be my favorite holiday... But that was pre-kids!!!  I love the entire month of December, and below are a few of the reasons why.

All the fun that goes into preparing for Christmas is so much more fun with little people!!!  They are so eager to experience the special things the season brings.  And they're easy to please... Hopefully it stays that way!!

Here's a glimpse back at the month of December (well, at least before the week of Christmas)... 

Carson and I watching fireworks from inside the Tahoe while dad and the big kids play in the snow under the fireworks after the New Prague Parade of Lights.

Carson didn't mind sitting on Santa's lap one bit.  Izzy was all talk... And then once it was our turn, she wouldn't go to him.  And then there's Cooper, who has known since July that he didn't want anything to do with Santa.  I may never get my three together on the Big Guy's lap!  One out of three this year!!

Dad's favorite--Spritz!  Can you guess which one of  these got eaten first??

Santa Baby :)

A big-kid outing.  We met up with Jack and Hannah to do some painting.  It was really fun!

Cooper's preschool holiday party was a blast.  Seeing him get so excited to have me come to his classroom was so cute!  His gingerbread boy hat stayed on for the whole party.  I think it helped his creativity flow... Check out that gingerbread house ;)

With his teacher, Ms. Julie

Happy Thanksgiving

I suppose since it is almost Christmas, I should catch up with the Thankgiving post :)

Happy Thanksgiving from our little turkeys!!

We spent Thanksgiving Day with Grandpa Randy, Missy, Phil, and Drake.  We got our first snow, so we HAD to go out and play! 

Carson's first experience in the snow

Drake's first time 'playing' in the snow

The little Izzy Angel

The speed demon,  Cooper

Our weekend also included lots of Black Friday online shopping, a Maverick hockey game with the Kalals, and news that we are getting a NEPHEW in April!  Dana and Jeremy found out it's a baby boy :)

Carson's first hockey game!

Ole! Ole! Ole!  Mavericks win 6-2!!

I am thankful for our healthy kids, our daily laughs, and our family & friends.  We are so blessed!

10 Month Update

Holy cow, ten months has come and blown by, and we are having so much FUN watching Carson learn and grow and try new things!

Up until about the beginning of December, I'd been a little nervous about Carson's legs and his lack of interest in putting any kind of weight on them... and then one day, it just clicked.  In two weeks' time, the kid went from not even straightening his legs when you held him up on your lap, to standing up next to something if we held him, to pulling himself up, to attempting walking while holding onto hands. 

 

So I guess I'll spend my energy worrying about other things :)

This was definitely this month's big news, along with the little stinker deciding to say "Da-da" all the time to taunt me...

 

Chubbers loves to explore the house and follow us around.  He has been pretty interested in the Christmas tree and ornaments, but understands what 'no' means already :)  He likes to climb over people on the floor, and he's getting amazingly fast at crawling!

He loves to eat.  So much so that Kris, our daycare provider, likes to call him Porky.  He rarely turns down food, especially if it's finger food.  He eats pretty much anything from the table now, but I do still feed him purees just to make sure he's getting enough of what he 'should' be eating.  His favorites are broccoli and cauliflower, bread and crackers, and anything sweet.  We can't eat with him in our arms anymore until we plan to share with him...

Official stats include size 4 diapers, 12 mo clothes (but not for long), 4-5 milk feedings a day, two 'meals' in the high chair, size 3 shoes, one afternoon nap with the occasional morning nap if he decides to wake up early for that day (which he's been doing more and more often).

He's such a happy little guy... always smiling, drooling, and making some kind of noise.  He continues to have a special adoration for Cooper, but Izzy has been getting more and more giggles for herself :)    We love his squish and his snuggles.  But I still wish I could freeze time!!  We love you buddy!

Mr. Photogenic

Handsome little guy, isn't he!?!?

Everyday Moments

He's so content when his belly is full and he can just play :)

Izzy and her headband... Arranged all by herself of course!

Making monkey bread with dad

Hanging with mom on a Jammie Saturday.

These three think it's so funny to b me in the crib together!!  I must admit, I think they're pretty cute too :)

9 Month Update

How is this kid already 9 months old!?!?  We love this soft and squishy little dude so much!  The 'baby' in him is getting harder and harder to see each day... 

Carson is a very happy, very content, very smiley little guy.  His giggles are pretty easy to get, and he is very ticklish. Big smiles come out whenever he peeks around the corner at one of us, when he looks in the mirror, and when he sees food.  I also LOVE picking him up from daycare--he jumps up and down in Kris's arms and I get an ear-to-ear smile.  Cooper still seems to get his very best smiles and giggles!

The biggest excitement this month was Carson learning to crawl forward.  He'd been stuck in reverse for weeks, and finally figured it out!!  He was lured by remote controls and musical toys :). Now he is a crawling machine, getting into everything... Earning himself the name 'Baby Godzilla.'  Crawling has opened up a whole new world for him... He is even happier and more content than he's always been.  He also can get himself from laying to crawling to sitting, and just once, he pulled up to standing by the couch.  Otherwise, he has absolutely zero interest in standing on his own two feet.  I think he's just a bit of a lazy little bum for now.

His current favorites include watching Homer (grandma and grandpa Kalal's dog), swinging in the yard or at the park, crunching paper (weirdo!!), sitting up and splashing and kicking during bath time, and smacking his hands on the kitchen floor.  

Carson likes to babble, and is just starting to make some real sounds.  A whiny 'maaaamaaaaa' was what I count as his first word:).  It seems mama only comes out when he's whining or when I've left the room!  A few dada's have also popped out:)  Cooper is DYING for Carson to say 'Cooper.'  He keeps trying to have him say 'Coo Coo.'  No luck yet! Carson tecognizes his name, and he recognizes all of our voices... I think he's starting to get the hang of a few baby signs, too!  He has a FIERCE 'no' head shake.  It's hilarious and extremely frustrating at the very same time.

For monthly stats, he's in 12-month clothes, just into size 4 diapers, weighs 21 lbs. 3 oz. (76%ile), is 28.5 in tall (57%ile), and his big brains take up 47.1 cm (95%ile).  We have some big-headed, smart babies!!!  He nurses four times a day (sometimes 5) and eats two baby food meals a day.  He sleeps about ten or eleven hours a night and takes one good nap of 2-3 hours.  Carson is still inconsistent with night wakings... But is sitting at about 50/50 :). If he wakes, I end up feeding him to get back to sleep.

Carson looooves to eat food... His favorites are squash and pears, but he eats pretty much anything.  He really likes to be able to feed himself... He does well with finger foods, but I don't like to get too adventurous yet since he still has no teeth.  His favorite finger foods are Brocolli and graham crackers.  He is certainly trying our determination, because he's less and less interested in baby food purees and more and more interested in finger foods.  But with a pretty  limited 'menu,' he doesn't end up getting a full meal in by finger food just yet.

This little boy has stolen my heart.  He is the sweetest, softest little snuggler, and a total Mommy's boy.  His cheeks are getting smaller, so I try to cover them in kisses every chance I get :)

We love you, little Carson.  Would you please stop growing so fast!?!?!?!

Happy Halloween!!

IWhat a blast this Halloween turned out to be!!  Cooper wanted to dress as Miles the astronaut from 'Miles from Tomorrowland,' Izzy wanted to be Izzy the pirate from 'Hake and the Neverland Pirates,' and Carson was the cutest little zebra in history.

We kicked off the festivities with the annual ECFE Costume Party.  The favorite activity of the night was playing in the Glow Room :)

We carved Jack-o-Lanterns... Jeremy was afraid of the goo as usual, and has now passed that fear onto Cooper

And then we made lots of pre-Halloween visits:

Halloween night... Lots of trick or treating and LOTS of candy!!

Carson's first Halloween!