FIRST TOOTH! and Seven Months Old

I found out, unfortunately the hard way, that Camden's first tooth came in last Friday. His lower, front right tooth finally broke through leading me to better understand his past fussy disposition. One down, 31 more to go!

Our Carter

Carter has been sleeping in his big boy bed now for the past three days! Things are going extremely well, but for some reason he is now afraid of the dark and of monsters. I guess cribs make children feel very safe.
The other day I took the boys to the grocery store and placed them both into the big huge car cart, you know, that huge cart that is impossible to navigate around the aisles? Well, as soon as I put them in, Carter immediately started pretending to drive with the fake steering wheel. While he was moving his hands back and forth, I noticed he had his hand up by his ear as if talking on the cell phone. Hmmmmm, wonder who he was copying? The funniest part was he was mumbling and carrying on imitating my voice inflections and he sounded just like me! It sounded something like this, "Hi, yeah Carter, blah, blah, blah, I know, can you believe it? Carter, blah, blah, blah, blah, okay bye I love you". It was super funny and super cute!

To Sleep or Not to Sleep

Remember my blog entry, quite a while ago, explaining an interesting phenomenon about how children won't misbehave on days that you don't care if they do or not? Well, apparently there is another phenomenon that needs explaining. It appears as though your children can sense if you need a nap...really bad...and when they sense this, it interferes with any napping capabilities that they would otherwise possess.
Yesterday Carter napped for almost 3 1/2 hours, and Camden slept for 2! Today, they both slept for only 30 minutes, leaving me only a ten minute tease into sleepy-time land. After being up with Camden ALL night, I am one super D-duper grumpy Momma bear. Grrrrrrrrrrrrr. AND, when Dan is home in the mornings they sleep until 7:30, but when he leaves for work early, they wake up by 6:30. I NEED A NAP! Vent over.

On another good note Carter slept last night, and for his wee nap today, in his big boy bed! Yay Carter!!! Just in time for him to have to go back into his pack 'n' play when we travel to Cleveland for a week soon. I hope this doesn't mess up our progress.

Where'd the Orange Fishy Go?

Yesterday Carter and I ran into Petsmart to pick out a new fishy. We currently had two, but one had been belly up for a while. WELL, when we got back from the pet store, the "belly up" fish seemed to have recovered. So, we put the ailing fish into his own temporary home to rest while the new orange fish was released into our tank.
This morning when we woke up, the ailing fish seemed to be doing a lot better, but Carter was asking the question, "Where'd the orange fishy go?". The orange fish was nowhere to be found. I was scared to look around in fear that he had jumped out and was laying on the counter all crusty. Well, he wasn't on the counter, but he was on the floor. Ewwwwwwwwwwww. We are so upset. We can't figure out how in the heck our new fishy got out of the tank since there is a secure lid. I guess it will remain one of life's many mysteries. Poor orange fishy, rest in peace little fella'.

Big Boy Bed!

Carter is officially taking a nap in his big boy bed. We are so proud. After complaining and calling us back into the room for 40 minutes he eventually just fell asleep and has proceeded to take one of his longest naps in history. Who would blame him if he gets to sleep in a comfy bed versus a portable pack 'n' play? We are hoping he will sleep in his bed tonight. We'll let you know.

Picture Post

Here...let me get that for you.

Playing in Carter's bed (he is STILL sleeping in his Pack 'n' Play because he refuses to sleep in his Big Boy Bed)

Yuck! Those bananas taste just awful...bleck.

That's a nice bike dude. Yeah, the chicks dig it. Hey check out my new tatoo.

Taking the edge off of the summer heat while Daddy waters the grass.

Moments...

like this one make all the harrowing Mommy moments soooooooooo totally worth it! I had to vacuum the other day, so I put Camden in his crib so he would be safe. Well...I guess Carter thought he would be safe in there as well. Here is how I found them when I checked on them a few moments later.

Here they are whispering about me...

First Trip to the Pool

We went to the pool this morning, for the first time this pool season, even though our pool has been open for two months already. Carter was very cautious in and around the water, and always has been. However, when we put Camden in his little arms and legs went crazy! He loved the water and wouldn't stop splashing and kicking. I am glad that I had Dan's help, I wasn't sure I wanted to venture out to the pool with both of the boys by myself quite yet. By the time we needed to go home, Carter was nice and comfortable with the water and didn't want to leave. He enjoyed jumping in the water off the wall of the pool into Daddy's arms.

Current Prices

Since I am using our family blog to create an instant family scrapbook, I thought I would include the current status of our economy. That way when the boys look back when they are older, they can see that a loaf of bread hasn't always been $15. To think that prices will only go up from here is super scary!

• Gallon of Gas $4
• Gallon of Milk $5
• Movie Ticket $10 (SMALL drink $5, SMALL popcorn $5)
  
• Average Car $27,800 (I didn't make this up...it's true!)
• Average House $265,000
• Loaf of Bread $4
• Pack of Gum $1
• Pound of Turkey at the Deli $9
• Pound of Cheese at the Deli $6
• Bottle of Water $1.50
• Frozen Dinner $7
• Pound of Butter $4
• Average Plane Ticket $350
• Package of Diapers $24.97 (104 count)
  

Birth Stories

Most of you have heard these stories before. However, since I am trying to keep up with some information that the boys might actually be interested in through our blog, it is time I tell their birth stories. If this just isn't for you...move right along...I understand.

Carter Reed
Length of Labor: 35 hours and 55 minutes
Born January 9, 2006 1:25pm
Official Due Date: January 4th
10 lbs. (9 lbs. and 15 oz. after your first poopie!)
21.5 inches long
Who was there? Daddy, Nah-Nah Jan, our Doula Sharon Orr, and Midwife Sher
I had pro-dromal labor (contractions that don't progress) for three days up until "real" labor began. The night I really went into labor, your Daddy and I had watched Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (which was awful by the way) before going to bed. Labor started at 2:00am on the 8th of January. I laid in bed laboring, until I finally woke your Daddy up at 6:00am to tell him this was finally "it", even though I knew I wasn't quite ready to leave the house yet. I was so excited I couldn't wait to tell him! I labored at home until 4:00pm the following day before going to the birthing center. To pass the time, I sat on the birth ball and watched TV and Daddy and I played Boggle and some other games. At 4:00pm we left for the birthing center. We stopped at Quizno's Subs on the way to buy some sandwiches to eat after you were born, I figured I would be really hungry after you were born. Your Daddy took a long time in the sub shop and I had some bad contractions in the car. If anyone saw me they would have thought I was making funny faces at them! I specifically told your Dad NOT to get onions because I was afraid that would bother me while I was in labor, but he did anyways and he was super stinky! When we arrived at the Birthing Center, Sher told me that I was already 4cm progressed and that you should be born by midnight! Unfortunately, after laboring at the birthing center until 1:00am on the 9th, I had only progressed to 6cm, and you weren't moving into my pelvis at all. I was growing increasingly ill and I couldn't stop vomiting. The pain was unbearable, it felt like someone was splitting my bottom into two with an ax, sorry but there is no other way to describe it. I tried laboring in different positions...on the ball, on the bed, in the tub, but I wasn't able to find any relief. They tried to give my some fluids but I was too dehydrated for them to start an IV. After administering some pain medication that did not help, Sher made the call that I had to go to the hospital. Daddy drove me in our car to UNC Hospital in Chapel Hill, Orange County, NC. Once I was admitted, the nurses started pitocin to help me progress pass 6cm and started an epidural to help me manage the pain. The epidural did not work, and the exhaustion was really starting to take a hold of me. I had to lay in bed and feel every contraction. Around 5:00am they broke my water hoping to get things moving. At 10:00am the doctors came in and told me that they would give me two more hours to see what my body would do, but that a cesarean was probably inevitable. Sher wanted to respect my wishes to have a natural birth, so she insisted we wait a few more hours. However, I never progressed passed 8cm, and you never moved into my pelvis, you were coming down at the wrong angle. At 12:00pm the decision was made to prepare for a cesarean. I was very upset, but I just wanted you out safely. You were finally born at 1:25 pm that afternoon. You cried right away much to our relief. You were very tired and fell asleep after our long ordeal. The nurses couldn't believe you weighed a whopping 10 pounds. Your Daddy, Nah-Nah and Sharon all got to hold you before I did because I was unconscious for a while because I had hemorrhaged during the operation. Tthey wanted to give me a transfusion, but I had declined. We stayed at the hospital for three days before finally getting to bring you home. It was such a wonderful day!!!

Camden (Anderson)
Length of Labor: 10 hours 42 minutes
Born November 29, 2008 9:42am
Official Due Date: November 30th
8 lbs. 3 oz.
21.5 inches long (Just like Carter!)
Who was there? Daddy, our Doula Sharon Orr, and our Midwife Maureen (She is by far my FAVORITE midwife at the birthing center, I was so super elated to have her at your birth!)
I was very ready to have you come out even though I hadn't even reached your official due date quite yet. On Wednesday the 28th of November, I flirted with the idea of drinking some castor oil mixed with some grape juice, I was desperate to finally meet you! After only tasting the yucky concoction, I went to bed. I was awoken around 11:00pm with what I was sure were Braxton Hicks contractions. I couldn't sleep through them so I decided to do some laundry. If I wasn't going to sleep, I might as well be productive! I realized that after standing up and walking around the contractions slowed down, which was weird. So, around 1:30am I laid on our guest bed to get the contractions to start again. Boy did they start...and around 2:00am I felt and heard a "POP". I was so excited that my water had broken, this meant I was most likely in for a quick labor and delivery with you. I woke your Daddy up, called your Grammie to come and stay with Carter and I took a quick shower. We arrived at the Birthing Center (after Daddy drove 90+ miles an hour-he'd always wanted to do that) around 3:30am where Maureen greeted us. She measured me at 5+cm (I was so happy about being 5 already) and then she "disappeared" upstairs for a while and let me labor quietly and peacefully for a few hours at the birthing center before going to the hospital. I was so appreciative that she let me do that. Since I was considered "high risk" because of my previous cesarean, I was not supposed to labor and deliver at the birthing center, much to my chagrin. We left for the hospital around 5:30am. Our doula, Sharon, was already there. When Maureen checked me again, I was already 7 cm, and moving right along. I was experiencing painful contractions, but I was able to talk and actually laugh in between them. It was great! Around 7:30am, I didn't think things were so funny anymore, and I didn't want to be touched or talk. I just wanted to stand up and close my eyes. Laying down was too painful. Around 9:00am Maureen made me lay down so she could check me, she could tell by the sounds I was making that I was close to 10cm. To all of our surprise, I was already 10 and ready to push!!! Everything progressed so quickly I never even had time to think about any pain relief, it was great. However, once I started to push and you moved down into my birth canal, I couldn't bear the pain. Your Daddy had to leave the room because he couldn't stand to see me hurt to badly. When you were almost out, they made sure he was back in the room. I was squeezing the rails on the bed so hard that your Daddy said the bed was bending and flexing and he thought I was actually going to break it. Sharon stood by my side quietly and sponged my head with cold water. Maureen asked me to breathe slowly and stop pushing when you crowned so I wouldn't tear, but it hurt to bad to even think about stopping. I took a deep breathe, and with all my might, I pushed as hard as I could and at 9:42am out you popped! Maureen had to catch you. She laid you on my chest as soon as you came into this world, it was such an awesome moment. You were so cute laying there and looking up at me. You made these cute little "kitten" like noises, but you didn't cry. Sharon cut your cord because Daddy didn't want to. They cleaned you off, weighed you and wrapped you all up before giving you back to me. Because I had had a successful VBAC (Vaginal Birth after Cesarean) and we were there with the midwife I was able to go home that day. I chose to spend the night there to have a chance to "heal" a little. Nah-Nah Jan came in the day you were born and took over for Grammie. We left the hospital around lunch time on the 30th. We stopped at Quizno's Subs for lunch and I went in! It was so different from my cesarean recovery. We even stopped at the bank with our day old baby before heading on home. Nah-Nah, Grammie and your big brother Carter were waiting at home to greet us. We finally had you home and our family was complete.

Picture Post

Carter LOVES to put puzzles together...all day long...

First time Daddy bathed Camden (Mommy was taking a break)

I Painted Today

Okay, so this will perhaps be one of the most embarrassing posts that I will ever post, but there comes a time when we all have to swallow our pride just to share a funny story. Dan's Mom-Mom (grandmother) is in town from Florida, and in anticipation of her arrival for a visit this morning, I cleaned our bedroom. Apparently I cleaned the room very well because when Carter saw it for the first time, this was his reaction, "Wow (looking around the room), Mommy you painted (wants to touch the 'wet paint' [really our comforter and pretty pillows] on our bed)". The room looked so different he thought I had painted it. How funny is that!?

The Time Has Come

What time? you may ask. Well, Carter is now greeting us in the hallway when he should be in bed. Yup, he is now climbing out of his crib and roaming around the upstairs. Grammie came to watch the boys for me the other day, and while she was downstairs with Camden, Carter came down the stairs and greeted her and proudly announced, "Carter's up!". Ugh.... I have not been looking forward to this.