Chica and the Sunny Side Up Show

Mom’s out there may know exactly what I’m talking about when they read that title.  There’s a channel that has become our best friend since Carter was born.  It’s called the Sprout channel.  There’s a show called the Sunny Side Up Show and it stars a puppet named Chica (or Chicka…not sure how it’s technically spelled).  Chica is a puppet and let me just tell you, Carter LOVES puppets. 

Baby Einstein is one of his favorite things to watch and he’ll watch the whole dvd for each episode, but you can tell when the puppets are on because his face just lights up like he’s a kid in a candy store.  This is why he has become a huge fan of Elmo and not so much a fan of Mickey Mouse.  He isn’t digging cartoons yet, only puppets.

I digress.

Justin was at home with Carter yesterday and took this video and I had to share.  It’s of Carter watching Chica on the show.  He sounds like he’s screaming in fear, but I assure you, it’s a squeal of delight.  He LOVES watching Chica.

And apologies for the longways video from the iPhone.  Even though I have figured out that the phone should be turned sideways to take a decent video, my husband has not.

The 3rd week in February is almost over folks.  I’m so excited to be leaving February and getting into March.  I’m still going to be busy in March, don’t get me wrong, but it’s one step closer to April 15th.  Which makes me ecstatic!  8 weeks left!!!

Valentine’s Day 2013

Even though this is Carter’s 2nd Valentine’s Day, I consider it his first.  Last Valentine’s Day….I’m not gonna lie.  I don’t even remember it.  Carter was about 5 weeks old and we were all still adjusting to being a family of three.  I have no idea what we even did last Valentine’s Day.

Because of that, I consider this his real first Valentine’s Day.  The one where mommy had the time and brain cells to do something for him!

I decided to cut out hearts from pink, red and white card stock and on each heart, I wrote one thing I loved about my wee man.

Excuse the fact that he looks dazed and confused.  This was right when I walked in the room when he woke up.

True story.

A girl in our Sunday School class made him a onesie with a train that was blowing hearts and it was towing another cart with a heart in it.  I thought it was very “boy” but still recognizing Valentine’s Day.

When I woke up and went into the bathroom to take a shower this morning, I found a card Justin had put on my Bible.  Usually he finds these extremely elaborate cards that have the absolute sweetest things written in them.  But this time this card had five words in it.  There was a boy and girl toddler on the front of the card kissing and when you open the card it had five words:  I’m never letting go.  Ever.

I know it sounds like a card you get someone that you’re fighting with or something like that.  I assure you we are having no marital problems ;)  He’s just sweet like that.  The card is covering a topic we discussed in our premarital counseling about no matter what happens down the road in life, keep holding on.  Always.  I thought it was incredible.  And naturally the note he wrote in it was so sweet too.

After I took a shower, I went upstairs to get Carter ready for school and found yet another card.

Again.  True Statement.  Not about the me being a terrific mom part, because I feel like I never even see my sweet boy anymore.  But more about the “great kids like me don’t just happen to anyone” part.  I love my sweet boy so much and he truly is my favorite blessing from our Lord.

Then I went to work.  I have been working at my client’s office this week though, so I’m not in my office.  Justin sends me flowers on VDay every year and they always go to the office and I usually always have to go pick them up at the end of the day.  A coworker of mine sent me pictures of the flowers and I texted Justin saying that I loved them and him and thanked him for them. 

Several hours later, he called me and said “I think I made a mistake”.  Here’s how the conversation went:

Justin:  “I think I made a mistake”

Marcie:  “Oh Lord, what did you do?”

Justin:  “What did you give up for lent?”

Marcie:  “Chocolate, why?”

Justin: “Oops”

Marcie: “What?”

Justin: “You have another delivery coming to your office today.  This one is from Carterman.  And he told me he wanted to get you an edible arrangement….of chocolate covered strawberries.”

Marcie:  “Guess I’m breaking lent for a day”

I shared with some coworkers.  You would think eating 12 strawberries would be no big feat, but there are LAYERS upon LAYERS of chocolate on these things and I got full after two.  The rest can wait until Sunday when I’m allowed to eat them.

Y’all can I just say how extremely grateful I am for my husband.  He is so sweet to think of this!  As soon as I saw the card I wanted to burst in tears.  Not just because he showed his feelings for my abilities as a mom, but for his love for Carter by calling him the best baby ever.  I am so blessed with these two boys…words are just not enough to express that!

And here’s my pretty flowers from him (and yes, that would be Carter in the background crawling in the dog’s kennel).

My husband isn’t competitive at all ;)

Carter got some pink heart shaped marshmallows from his teachers and Ms. Marie (she’s not his teacher but will be in a couple of years, she’s just a good family friend) gave him some Krispy Kreme heart shaped donuts.

YUMMMMMMMMMM.  I only gave Carter a couple of small bites because it was close to bedtime by the time we got home, but he really liked it.

The only thing I wish I could have gotten was a picture with me and Carter :(  I haven’t had one taken of us in a while.  Work has just taken over my life.  I need to get on that this weekend!  Overall, we had a great Valentine’s Day in our household!!  I hope your family had a blessed Valentine’s Day as well!

Henry’s Bathtime…

Completely devastated my child!!

Carter has yet to realize that there are two Henry’s and we’re hoping to keep it that way for as long as possible.  But as much snot and crap as Carter gets on these Henry’s…both of them desperately needed a bath.  We still haven’t been able to give Henry II a bath yet because of the uproar caused by Henry I’s bath :)  See through washers can be the devil!!

Clothes Donations - HELP!

I need some assistance my friendly followers.  As I mentioned before, Justin and I are doing the 7 experiment fasting with our Sunday School class.  Last week was food, and then we had a week off (due to timing of things) and next week is clothes.  I plan to give away 25% of our clothes but I really am struggling with where to take them.  I don’t really want to take them to a donation center that will put it on a rack and sell them.  I actually want to put clothes on someone’s back that doesn’t have to pay for them!  Any suggestions???

3 Kids

How many of you think I’m about to announce a pregnancy with twins because of that title?!?!
No news of that nature here!!!  Instead, I wanted to show you what goes on behind the scenes of trying to get three kids to take a picture together.

It’s kind of like looking at a jar of jelly beans and guessing how many are in it.  How many adults with pictures or videos on phones does it take for three kids to smile?!?!  In our case, more than we had because we never got a good picture.

Last weekend we all got together at the Morris household to celebrate Justin’s sisters birthday.  We ordered Zoe’s and had cookie cake!

This girl has NEVER met a camera she didn’t love!!  She just loves to have her picture taken!

All the chocolate is from the cookie cake.

Carter found a new obsession when we were over there.  Empty coke bottles.   Seriously moms to be, don’t waste your money on toys.  Just recycle cardboard boxes and coke bottles.  It’s all they need!!

Trying out some cookie cake.  I think he liked it!

With three kids eating at the table with the adults, some clean up needed to happen afterwards.  This nice little rice pile is all from Carter!

Carter loves his Papa!

Love seeing them play together.  Of course, right now they aren’t so much “playing together” as they are “stealing toys from each other and frequently hitting each other with them”. 

I am now almost done with my 4th week in busy season.  Our hours went to 60 sooner than they normally do because we had so much work from our clients in.  It’s nice that I’m not working 60.  I’m only working 50 since I’m part time, but even 50 is extremely difficult.  Justin’s big travel season is usually the fall, but he’s currently on his 5th week of consecutive traveling.  Trying to work 50 hours while taking care of Carter by myself when Justin's out of town while also making sure I accommodate my mother in law’s schedule is the most tiresome thing I’ve done in a long time.  Probably since giving birth to my wee man. 

Every week is a struggle, but I’m doing my best.  Though I can’t help shake the feeling that I’m a failure.  On any given day, I’m trying to be super mom, super wife and super accountant.  I usually fail at accomplishing at least one of those every day.  I have to give up on trying for at least one of the three daily.  Some days I give up being super mom when Justin is in town and I have to stay at work late to make up for the previous days when I couldn’t stay at work because my MIL had somewhere to be and I had to go get Carter.  On these days, I don’t even get to see Carter.  I give up being the super wife when I don’t have time to get the dishes done or do laundry or do anything at all whatsoever around the house not to mention the attention I know my husband wants from me that I just don’t have time to give.  And I give up being a super accountant when I decide that I’ve had enough of not seeing my baby and I leave work to come home instead of staying to work late.  I just can’t find a happy balance with all three right now.  So ready for busy season to be over!!!!  9 1/2 more weeks…..UGH.  What’s getting me through is thinking of what life will be like after busy season is over.  I will only be working 34 hours a week, so on most weeks, I will have Friday’s off.  A three day weekend with my baby :)  I think I can, I think I can…

First Bubble Bath

Last night Justin decided it would be a good idea to try out a bubble bath for Carter to see if he’d like it or not.  I thought it would be a good idea so I got the “Mr. Bubble” bubble soap from my bathroom (yes, this is what I use when I have bubble baths…I couldn’t find anything else at Publix!!) and brought it to Carter’s.  I think I definitely overestimated how much liquid to use because there were WAY too many bubbles.  Noted for next time.

He didn’t really have a strong reaction one way or the other.  I could tell he was confused as to why he couldn’t see his toys in the tub as good as he usually could (they were covered with bubbles).  And then he would just stare at the bubbles on his hand as if he was in deep concentration trying to figure out what it was.  Naturally, as I’m sure most kids do their first time in bubble baths, he tried to eat the bubbles.  Pretty sure he was able to get some in his mouth before I could get his hand out!

Isn’t he so cute??!?!?!  Okay, I know I’m a little bias.

Justin took a video with my phone to see his reaction:

I just love my little Boo :)