SQUEAKY CLEAN

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Tonight I gave Carter a bath. I took these pictures after I dried him up. I love his soft, kissable skin and his innocent face in these pictures.  I don't often take pictures of the two of us together because I have to plan ahead and get the tripod set up which kind of ruins the spontaneity and the fun. Sometimes I really wish that I was not a single parent and I could hand the camera over to my husband.

6 MONTH CHECK-UP & SHOTS

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Carter had his six month check up today. As you can see in the pictures, there are bright blue band aids on both of his thighs from where the nurse gave his inoculations. Ouch! I've thought about bringing my camera to one of his doctor's appointments, but so far I've not had enough courage to do so. Also, as any mother can tell you, baby check-ups are not exactly the proper time to take pictures. It would be difficult to juggle a crying infant in one arm and a camera in the other. These pictures were taken after we got home.

GYM TIME

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Carter turned 6 months old yesterday.

A few times recently Carter has “teased” me by sleeping from the time I put him to bed until his 5:00 a.m. feeding. It was so wonderful to wake up feeling refreshed and revitalized.

I’m still using my Moby sling sometimes to carry Carter, but he sure is getting heavy in it.  I really only use it when he’s really fussy or when we are out running errands and he refuses to sit in the stroller.

I’ve been reading some baby board books to Carter in the evening, but so far he seems more interested in chewing on them then listening to the story.

Carter can just about sit up on his own, but he’s still having trouble balancing.

I have been putting a little bit of oatmeal once a day in his bottle, but I’ve not really started feeding Carter any baby food yet.  I’ve been waiting until he turns 6 months old because this is what the American Academy of Pediatrics currently recommends.  Therefore, I guess this means that I will start feeding him actual food just as soon as WIC give me the vouchers to do so. 

MOMMY'S LITTLE LAMB

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My Dearest Carter,

In the stillness of the night I tiptoe into your nursery.  It is so quiet and peaceful here.  I can hear you breathing softly and I watch your little chest rise and fall.  Sometimes I reach over to stroke your hair.  It is so soft and very fine.  Other times I gently caress your little chubby hands or pat your little round tummy.  Every once in awhile you stir a little so I have to stop before I wake you up.  I go in here to check up on you to make sure that you are warm enough and that you are breathing okay.  This is a nightly ritual. I think about you all the time and want to spend every possible minute of my life with you.  You are my heart’s delight and you have brought unspeakable joy into my once dull life. I begged God to give me a baby and he gave you to me.  Now my arms have someone to hold and to love forever.  I’m more fully aware of my human existence now that I have become your mother.  You are part of the reason for why I was created and for why I was put on this earth.  I thank God every day for giving you to me.  If anything ever happened to you my heart would be rent into pieces never to be put back together.  As I stand here in your nursery I think about our future together and how I can help you grow into a man.  God has given me this responsibility and I do not want to let Him down.  I look forward to watching you grow and mature. You are so precious to me.  I want to experience with you every happy or sad event in your life.  No matter what happens I will always be here for you with open arms to share in your excitement or to wipe away your tears.  My love for you is like a two edged sword – one side is a dull, constant pain because I know that someday you will grow to be a man and leave me to start your own family.  Sometimes this pain feels so sharp and I weep.  This time of your infancy is too short and so precious.  I try to slow the time down, but to no avail.  We’re living on God’s timetable.  The other side of the sword is a feeling of excitement, happiness and contentment in living our lives together here and now.  I prefer to feel this side of the sword the most, but I cannot get away from the knowledge that you are growing too fast and the ache in my heart sets back in. The clock is ticking fast and I feel so rushed to spend as much time with you as possible. You are my darling baby boy and I love you extreme.

- Mommy

CARTER IS 6 MONTHS OLD TODAY!!!

GRANDPA COMES FOR A VISIT

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Dad came over for a visit this morning.  I can tell that he loves seeing Carter.  He doesn’t say it so much in words, but I can see it in the way he interacts with the baby.  I enjoy being able to see him which is something I don’t get to do very often.  Carter was his usual self today – cheerful and bouncy except for when he got hungry.  Then he was like a wild cat, lol.  Dad didn’t seem to mind though and took it all in stride.  Here is super short video of the two of them. 

PLAYTIME WITH DADDY

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 Wilson came over for his bi-weekly visitation today.  Look at how short Carter’s legs are in these pictures.  He wasn’t quite sure what to do about sitting on Wilson this way. 

PLAY TIME

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I purchased this Graco Baby Einstein Discover and Play Entertainer before Carter was born for about $60.00 from a little store down the street from where I live. It has turned out to be one of the best purchases ever.  It was used when I got it and it is has gotten even more used since Carter has played in it. He loves this thing and will stay in it for long periods of time. I started putting Carter in it when he was still very tiny. I remember him crying around 2:00 a.m. one night.  After feeding him, he still didn't want to go back to sleep. So, I placed him in the exersaucer with a couple of receiving blankets surrounding his body to keep him from flopping around. He was only about three weeks old, but even as a newborn he had really good neck and head control - strong and sturdy! After getting him situated, I laid back down, but I could see him from my bed.  He sat there like a little prince looking all around with his tiny little black marble eyes. His feet literally only hung like an inch or two down from the bottom of the cloth padded seat. Such a tiny sweet baby. I was so exhausted that I dozed off.  When I woke back up, he was still there and still looking all around. 

 

TUMMY TIME

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Carter hates tummy time!  (Wow, how many times have I said this???) Tonight I placed him on his belly on my bedroom floor with a full length mirror (a very dirty one at that!) lying horizontally in front of him. Carter is learning to hold his head up, crane it from side to side and lift the front of his chest of the floor, but he gets tired and frustrated easily and fussiness soon follows.  The mirror held his attention for 1-2 minutes before he lost interest. It was cute while it lasted though. Whenever we pass by any mirror Carter smiles and coos at the sweet baby on the other side.  He gets so excited when he sees and hears the other baby in the mirror that he kicks his legs, waives his arms in the air and bounces in my arms.  It’s moments like this that make my heart ache.  I love Carter so. 

DIDDLE DIDDLE DUMPLING...

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Diddle diddle dumpling, 

my son John

Went to bed wit his breeches on,

One stocking off,

and one stocking on:

Diddle diddle dumpling, 

my son John.