A little light reading...

One of these is not like the others...

Made ya look twice, huh?

I got the idea for this picture after Tim and I had both been caught off guard a few times.  Carson loves to dress her babies in Hunter's clothes.  And now she goes the extra step in letting her baby "nap" in one of Hunter's hangouts - the swing, the bouncy, the playmat, etc. Let's just say its slightly unnerving to be walking through a room and catch a glimpse of a baby in a bouncy seat where you know you didn't leave one.  Its pretty weird - almost like being in a Stephen King movie I guess.

C is still rockin her job as big sis!

Happy 2 month birthday to you, sweet boy!

First day of preschool!

We still find it a little hard to believe, but our little lady has started preschool!  We made a few pictures before heading out on the big day, and Carson had one request - "I want my picture with Hunter, please!"

And then a couple of the happy parents...

Carson is 3!

We can't believe it, but our little lady just turned 3.  Our friends called us crazy for hosting a birthday party so close to Hunter's arrival, but whenever we asked her what she wanted for her birthday, she only replied "a birthday party with a bouncy house".  We did lots of prep work ahead of time, Tim made one trip to Costco for some brunch fare the day before and ta-da!  A princess bouncy house party!

We had some light rain during the day, but that didn't stop her and Daddy from taking some extra bounce time in the afternoon before it was disassembled.

Later that evening, we ordered in some Mexican and enjoyed the Cinderella cake made by my good friend, Andrea.  I keep telling her she should start a business!

Happy Birthday, Carson!  We love you more than you'll ever know!

Hunter's Arrival...

I've got quite the backlog of pictures to share, and keeping things in chronological order will help me to share them all. 
And a quick disclaimer:  If you don't like reading about birthing stories, just go ahead and skip this post.

Hunter's birth was trickier than we expected.  Quite a bit trickier, actually.
My blood pressure began ticking up in the middle of June, right about the time my feet and ankles began taking on the "sausage" appearance.  I had some blood pressure issues with Carson, so I wasn't too concerned, but this was my first time experiencing swelling.  At every visit, they began testing me for preeclampsia, but every test came back with a negative result.  I borrowed my neighbor's blood pressure cuff, we started tossing around the possibility of an induction before the due date, and that was that.  I also started going for non-stress tests every week to check on Mr. Hunter specifically, and make sure he was still doing okay.  I actually went for one of those tests on July 20th, and of course it was the only day that I didn't get my little preeclampsia test.  I wasn't too pushy about it ( I should have been), but peeing in a cup at 38 weeks pregnant ain't exactly easy, so I let it slide.  I went home and rested some in the afternoon, but slowly began feeling not so well.  I actually got excited because I thought it meant that I was going into labor, but then I actually began to feel really sick - really sick.  Lots of nausea, I couldn't catch my breath, and the feeling that little Hunter's feet were going to break the ribs on my right side.  I called Tim at work (thank goodness he was working in Burlington that day and wasn't far away) and we laid on the bathroom floor together for a bit and then decided that a trip to the hospital was best.  I knew that I wasn't in labor, but I knew that something was wrong.
After we got to the hospital, I got my trusty little cup to pee in, and I had vaulted myself right into severe preeclampsia.  I still really didn't appreciate the seriousness of it all - I was just glad when they told me 1) you will stay and have this baby tonight and 2) we are injecting your IV with morphene to take care of that stabbing rib pain you're dealing with. 
So, I was hooked up to some pitocin to get the ball rolling, as well as some magnesium sulfate to keep me from having seizures on account of the preeclampsia.  The "mag" as they call it, was pretty nasty stuff.  It makes you feel as if you have the flu - exactly what you want to feel like when you're in labor.  Around midnight, I was then given the news that I also was experiencing HELLP syndrome, and things were taking an even more serious turn.  My liver enzymes were way up, platelets were way down, and that epidural that I ordered thirty minutes ago was not going to happen.  Since my platelets were so low, I had lost the ability to clot my blood, and thus, if the anethesiologist pricked me the wrong way, they would not be able to stop the bleeding in my spine.  Yay.

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So, after quite a bit of pushing, Hunter arrived at 6:23 in the a.m.  We were so thankful to have him out healthy and strong and glad that the uphill climb was over.  I had to stay on the magnesium sulfate for another 24 hours, which combined with the effects of the preeclampsia and HELLP, made me swell like a Thanksgiving Day parade balloon, have double vision, and feel all over yucky.  I didn't get to hold Hunter very much that first day - only to nurse him.  Of course, when I sat up in bed to do that, my double vision would set in strong and my eyes would swell shut.  You can only imagine how glad I was to see that nurse disconnect the IV the next morning!

On the morning of the 22nd, I got breakfast (hadn't been allowed to eat since entering the hospital), a new gown, and a new room.  I immediately started feeling better after "the mag" was out of my system, and I was finally able to start enjoying my little boy.  We got to come home on Friday afternoon, and I boo-hooed when I left the hospital - thankful for a healthy baby, and thankful that I was still able to take care of him.

And so, we've been at home resting, relaxing, and adjusting to life with "the kids"!  Our family and friends have helped us out so much with meals, cleaning, and baby care.  The transition has gone more smoothly than I anticipated - Carson continues to be a wonderful big sister, and a big help to her mommy.  We drove to a friend's house yesterday and I looked in the backseat and she was holding his little hand.  She told me, "I'm holding Hunter's hand, Mommy.  I don't want him to get scared."  Awwww....can I just keep them this little forever?

Welcome, Baby Hunter!

We are now officially a "four story house" with the arrival of Hunter Harrison, on July 21st! He weighed in at 7lbs, 4oz and measured 20 and 3/4 inches. Yes, I'm a little late in posting about his arrival, but I've been a little busy managing two munchkins, and any spare time has been spent playing Candy Land with Carson or just staring at my precious baby boy.

Hunter is being so good to his mama - he is such a laid back little guy. We are constantly knocking on wood around here, hoping our good fortune with his demeanor continues. We actually think we may have a baby that likes to sleep on our hands, unlike big sis, who was NINE MONTHS OLD before deciding to sleep through the night consistently.

Speaking of big sis, she is absolutely in love with him. We know it won't always be this way, but we are soaking up the harmony while we can. She loves to hold him, find his paci, pick out his clothes, and continues to ask when she can give him a bottle. Our neighbor asked last night if she could take Hunter home with her, and Carson looked at her as if she had three heads. She's had her moments (like yesterday at the Carter's outlet when she saw Hunter in the stroller for the first time - the stroller that used to be hers, but that she hated to ride in, but now that Hunter is in it, yes, she would like it back....NOW) but the happy times are outweighing the not-so-happy times, and for that we are thankful.

And, since we are not technically a "three story house" any longer, you'll have to catch us at our new blog site - do I even have to tell you? http://www.fourstoryhouse.blogspot.com/

Two days old - at the hospital...

Proud big sister!

This one was taken just a few days ago - at almost two weeks of age. We have no idea where the dimples came from...sweetness!

There she goes!

Believe it or not, one of Carson's favorite things to do this summer is to jump off the diving board at the pool. She started the summer sitting on the top steps and not even wanting to get her face wet - now look at her! We are proud parents!

My poor, neglected blog....

Okay, its been awhile. Every time I've thought about updating, I've shuddered at how long its been and how much catching up there is to do. Since the last post, we've moved, prepared for Baby #2, and otherwise just been our goofy selves....

The house: We didn't move very far away, but that of course didn't matter. I still cannot get over how much stuff you can accumulate in less than ten years. Massive trips to Goodwill, lots of help from Nana and Papa Ned with everything from painting to landscaping to gutter cleaning, and then of course all the unpacking....and we have sold one house and moved into a new one. We absolutely love it. We love having space, love having a bonus room, love our large kitchen, and our neighborhood! Its such a perfect layout for our family - lots of open, large living space and we are so pleased that we made the move.

The baby: Baby Boy is due to make his appearance at any time, really. Up until a couple of weeks ago, this pregnancy was so similar to Carson's, but then there was the puffiness, and then the blood pressure on the rise. I've raised a few eyebrows at the midwife's office lately, so I know I'm not the only one ready for this little guy to get here. Hopefully soon!

Timbo: He's busy with triathlons - just finished one, preparing for another - and is enjoying the nightly coverage of the Tour de France. He's so excited about having a little boy!

Carson: (aka Miss Independent) She loves to do everything herself and I usually love giving her the freedom to do so. She continues to amaze us everyday. Just this week, she jumped off the diving board at the pool. Tim was there to catch her, but we were astounded that she would even think about it.

She seems to be very excited about the baby. She spends lots of time in his room with her baby dolls (some clothes have made their way out of the drawers and onto her babies - hmmmm....) and she talks about how she wants to hold him, feed him, play, etc. We'll keep you posted on that one!

That doesn't even begin to cover the last few months, but I had to start somewhere. I'll work hard to be back soon!

Recently Overheard....

The hits just keep on coming at our house. Here's a sampling of how she keeps us in stitches:

Me: Do you need help with your clementine, or can you peel it yourself?
Carson: I can do it, Mommy
(Tries for a minute, then frustration sets in)
Me: Do you need help? I can help you? (My own frustration is starting to rise)
Carson: No, I'll do it, Mommy. Relax, just relax.
(actually it sounds more like "re-yax, just re-yax")

The next day we're driving on I-40 and this guy in front of me keeps changing lanes and won't make up his mind.
Me: Come on dude! You are making me crazy!
Carson: (from the backseat) Me too!

And later that night...
Tim arrives home after a long, stressful day.
Me (at the fridge): Do you want a beer with dinner, honey?
Tim: Yeah, that would be great.
Carson: I want one too!

I got my wish!

My mother-in-law reminded me that on my last post I wrote that I wouldn't mind one more good snow. Well, I got my wish! We were snowed in on Friday night with about 6 inches, which made for some good playtime on Saturday and even more so on Sunday. Carson really got in to riding on the sled and was excited about using her "snowman kit" that she got last Christmas. The big hit though, was coming down the slide on her snowed under swingset. Since she was dressed head to toe in waterproof-wear, it made for a very slick and fast ride down.
Its tough walking around in the snow with ten thousand layers on!

With the sun out on Sunday, we joined lots of neighbors sledding at the bottom of the neighborhood. The temps were much nicer too.

Ta-da! Our snowman....

When we asked Carson what we should name him, she responded, "Umm....snowman"

Hello, hello...

Hi Friends...
Live from the ladybug tent...its another Christmas present that's made the cold winter days a little more fun inside. It even has a detachable tunnel. Of course it takes up the majority of floor space in our living room, so it doesn't stay up for extended periods of time, but it does make its way out for a day or two every week or so. Something about being in the tent makes playing with all of your regular toys more fun.

I snapped this picture pretty recently. She finally has enough hair for some decent pigtails, AND she sits still long enough to let me play with her hair AND she doesn't pull out my hard work five minutes after I'm finished. I think she's finally gotten tired of her hair falling in her face. Although I swear her hair isn't getting any longer, its just getting wider. Curls out the wazoo.

More fun with toys from Daddy's gym bag. Speaking of Daddy and the gym, he's scheduled for three triathlons this spring and summer, including an Olympic-distance one in June. I am so thrilled that he's switched to training in the mornings also. He hates getting up at 5:15, but I'm so glad he's home all evening with us. And Carson's pretty happy about it too...

The New Year's hat and horn still make several appearances each week. I keep hoping that little cardboard horn will wear out, but I've not been so lucky yet. Poor Abby dog - she's the one who's really unnerved by it.
We made Rice Krispie Treats with Carson for the first time the other night. Nothing like having one warm out of the pan!

And...we did make it to the park for one of the really warm days last week. Its so nice when she can play without a heavy jacket. I am so ready for spring - although I wouldn't mind one more good snowstorm.

And what else is our little lady up to? All kinds of big girl things. She's very much into imaginative play - dress up, princess, baby dolls, etc. Its so much fun to see her get all dressed up, pack her baby bag and purse and cruise around with her baby and stroller. She talks and talks and talks. She's a negotiator. She'll ask for goldfish crackers twenty minutes before lunch and after I say no, she responds, "just a few, Mommy, just a few". At least she's not whining! Don't get me wrong, she does her share of that too.

She's been out of the crib for quite a while (since August) and that went amazingly well. We've got to get her out of her toddler bed and into a regular bed soon - she's about to outgrow it. She's been doing the whole potty training thing for a while too, and she's about 90% there. She and I have taken a little Mommy and me dance class this fall too and she's loved it. I think we might try swimming next.

She's growing so fast and its so fun to be a part of it all.

Carson's also going to have a new title later this summer - big sister.

Yes, you read it correctly. I guess we might even have to change the name of our little blog to Four Story House!

And now this tired momma-to-be is signing off and heading to bed!

Happy New Year...

Settle in, friends. Lots of pictures to catch up on here (since I haven't posted since, ahem, the fall) Shame on me. For the record, these are all pretty random and just a smidge of what we've been up to the last few weeks. This was one of the last shots of the Halloween candy. We kept it around for 4 or 5 days, but once I hid the loot in the pantry during naptime one day, she never asked for it on a regular basis again. We still sneak into every now and then.

Carson loves to cook. Muffins and pancakes are her favorites. She either sits on the counter and stirs or grabs her step stool and watches.

I couldn't resist snapping this one with her arms stretched back like this!

We spent Thanksgiving at the beach with my family.

Nana and Papa came for the Mebane Christmas Parade (which was close to 2 hours long - next year I will bring a chair!)

Carson and Santa - Thank goodness there were candy canes - they were the ultimate selling point.

Carson made a tricked-out gingerbread house at our neighbor's get-together, with just a little help from Mommy.

Tim and I got a night away at the Grove Park right before Christmas - lots of snow in the mountains. I am ready to go back!

Christmas morning - nothing like a candy cane at 7am.

Another big hit from Christmas - a puppy dog that barks and walks from Uncle Jeremy and Aunt Corie.

And...a hairstyling kit with a battery operated hairdryer!

That's it for now. I've still got lots more to catch up on, so I'll be back soon. Promise!