Fun with Fire

A few weeks ago, Sean and I bought a fire-pit for the back yard and have since been obsessed with it. We light up a fire at least once a week, usually a couple times... or more. We almost always smell of Mesquite smoke. S'more ingredients are now staples in our pantry. When we wake up in the morning after a fire the night before, we just throw a couple of logs on the still-hot coals and have another fire.

That's what we did this past Saturday, and then we got a little creative. We had done the whole steaks-on-the-pit thing the night before (it was delish) and thought we needed more of a challenge. So, I whipped up some pizza dough and sauce and we brought the pizza stone out to the pit.

With a little crafty engineering on Sean's part (he was really into it), we ended up with some really tasty pizza!

Grandma helped put the pizzas together. I was too busy cracking up and taking pictures to be any help.

So proud of himself. That's my husband. He has a very healthy self-esteem.



I must admit, it was really good. Carson agreed.

Carson and Jet played in the yard after eating some pizza (don't worry, Jet got some too. Carson feeds him all. the. time.).

My sweetie. So lovable.

Jet hates this.

I love the look on his face when he's crawling for something he wants. In this case: Grandma.

Jet LOVES sticks, and won't let Carson hold onto one for long.

Oh, yep, there he goes. Stick stealer.

Grandma getting lots of snuggles with "her baby."

If it seems too good to be true...

then it is. Right? I'm afraid all hell is about to break loose because I've had the most heavenly day.

Carson slept until 8:00 am. Yes. He's my little up-at-6:15-everyday guy but this morning I was up at 6:15 and had a couple cups of coffee and relaxed while he slept. He's taking his second over-an-hour-long nap of the day right now... and while awake he was a total angel while playing at home and while running three errands. He made a couple friends at HEB and ate all his meals and snacks without getting a single stain on his clothes. He only pinched his fingers in the kitchen cabinets once- and he didn't even cry when I pulled him out of the dishwasher. I have also been able to clean out a closet, his room, and the playroom, do three loads of laundry, and run the dishwasher. Oh- and I took a shower and put on real clothes and make-up. I blow-dried my hair. And, it's not in a ponytail. Oh, and I am blogging.

Am I living in some sort of alternate universe? What is going on?!?

Maybe this is God's way of feeding my second-baby fever with a little "see how easy it is to be a mother?!? It can't be that hard to have two! Go on... have another sweet, precious, adorable baby!!" Well, I just might take the bait. My current goal is to lose ten pounds and then we'll start trying. I just haven't told Sean about that goal yet. (ha!)

Here's a couple cute pics of my men eating popcorn (thanks Aunt Stephanie!)...




"BA!" (translation: Popcorn!! YUM!)



"BA!" (translation: MORE POPCORN!!)

Christmas

My sweet sister-in-law took some pictures on Christmas Day, thank goodness, because I'm the awesome parent who didn't take out her camera one single time over her first born's first Christmas. Geez. What was I thinking?!?

Actually, I wasn't really thinking at all... I was soaking up every single second of that wonderful day. Christmas with my son and family was just amazing.

As all babies seem to be, Carson was more interested in the packaging than the gifts. He really loved Christmas cookies and had more than his fair share. He didn't really get the whole stocking thing... maybe I should have stuffed it with tissue paper and ribbons, he probably would have loved it! His teething seemed to take a break for the holiday and he was able to enjoy all the fun- and so were we! Looking at the pictures makes me laugh because for such a happy baby, he sure doesn't smile for his picture! What a stinker!

Over the past few weeks, Carson has become almost an entirely different baby. It really amazes me! He is now super, super busy all. the. time. If he's awake- he's moving. He LOVES climbing things, which is getting a little scary. I swear, I just turn my head for a second and he's in the dishwasher or on the fireplace mantle or is attempting to climb the kitchen chairs and coffee table.

He's such a fast little crawler too- and he loves to be chased around! He'll just giggle and giggle if you act like you're going to "get him!" He's not walking, but is taking a few little steps when holding on to something.

He's not saying any real words yet- but his "word" for everything is "BA." He points to whatever it is he wants and says "BA!"

Popcorn? "BA!"

Deer heads mounted in the office? "BA!"

Mommy? "BA!"

He LOVES his daddy and just about everything except green beans, eggs, and getting dressed! If it wasn't January, I'd just let him be naked all day long because he's much happier that way! Just like his daddy, he loves all things carbohydrate- bread, crackers, pasta, popcorn... they're two of a kind. I sneak in as many fruits and veggies as I can- for them both!

If you'd have asked me about 11 months ago (yes- he's almost a year old!) if I liked being a parent, um... not so sure. But ask me now... It's AWESOME! Sean and I are having SO! MUCH! FUN! I guess Carson may have a brother or sister after all (all grandparents let out a sigh of relief). I think I may have caught a second baby fever...

Jet Obsessed

Carson is totally obsessed with our dog, Jet. Everything Jet does is hilarious and everywhere Jet goes is the place to be. If Jet goes to the door... Carson goes to the door. If Jet is drinking water... well, Carson tries to drink water too. I only wish he hadn't spilled the entire bowl of water all over him in the process.

Carson is also obsessed with dog toys, and best of all, the kennel! This probably sounds terrible, but whenever Carson gets fussy, I'll take him to our room and set him in front of the dog kennel... endless enjoyment!

Ooooooh.....



Ahhhhhh....



If I could just get in here...





I give up, where's Jet?



Oh, Jet, your tail is the best. thing. ever.



No more pictures, please Mom. I'm busy eating this dog's tail.



Alright, just one more, if you must.

iPhone Pictures

Yes... I'm just as obsessed with my iPhone as my husband is. I finally admit it. Moving on...

Today I had Sean help me remove the thousands of pictures I've taken on my iPhone (literally thousands. And yes, I need his help. I'm obsessed with my phone, but I have no real tech knowledge.) and I have just vowed to myself the following:

I will take more pictures on our actual camera and not so many on my phone. The picture quality is terrible. My son is much cuter when not fuzzy and blurry.


But, I do feel the need to share a few of my iPhone favorites... fuzzy and blurry as they may be...


How could this not be one of my favorites? Only minutes after this precious angel entered my life. I tear up each and every time I look at it. Life is amazing, isn't it?




Funny little guy... was he ever really this small?



Love his smile in this one... it was one of his first real "he knows he's smiling at me" smiles.



Precious sleeping face.



Man how I wish he still loved this toy... he would jump his little hiney off! Those days are gone!



Love watching him play.



Oh, man, those bananas were nasty!



Sweet, sleepy baby.



It used it crack me up to watch him take every single toy out of the basket. Used to.



Best Friends. LOVE!



Shopping. I love this picture! I love shopping with him too... he's such a good sport! I'm sure that won't last forever, so I guess I should do as much shopping as possible right away!



He's such a little stinker! His ability to get around is getting ridiculous! He's ALL over the place! I pretty much get nothing done while he's awake.



This pumpkin suit was not going to stop him!




Blurry, but fun little pictures, right? There are about a thousand more.

First Spaghetti

Last Tuesday, at Carson's nine month check-up, I was made to feel like a terrible mother because I wasn't feeding my baby mostly table food. (Not really. Dr. Pielop is awesome, but he did tell me to lay off the baby food and bottles and feed this boy the real deal.) So, I've been diligently feeding Carson exactly what we've been eating... plus a few extra fruits and veggies (like most mothers, I feed Carson much better than I feed myself).

Tonight I served my men spaghetti and turkey meatballs... and they both loved it.








It was absolutely adorable watching him completely cover himself in spaghetti sauce. It almost made me forget that he screamed the entire time I was cooking. I guess he's training us to eat earlier than we used to. (BTW- at Carson's nine month appointment, I asked Dr. Pielop about why Carson is all of a sudden way fussier than he used to be... his answer... "Their personalities start showing around nine months." Great! My kid's personality is awesome!)

I was impressed that he ate all the onions and garlic... I wonder when kids start deciding they hate things? A battle for another day, I guess. Thank God they don't all come at once!

Before his bath we let his spaghetti-lusty dog have a go...






I just posted pictures of my dog eating spaghetti off my baby. Someone nominate me for mother of the year.