Happy FIRST Birthday, Sweet Baby Girl!!

Dear Rita-Carlita,


I know I am a day late in posting this, but yesterday was all about you, and I didn't quite feel like writing a blog...

Let's see...what's new?

You are walking!!!

You still nurse, but only twice a day at this point. You love to eat regular people food...cereal bars, fruit and brownies are your favorites!!

You still wake up a couple of times a night, but that's ok because you go right back to sleep! You take a nap in mid morning and then a nap in the afternoon.

You love to play peek-a-boo, patty cake, and wave bye-bye!

It has been such a fun year with you! I can't believe how fast time has gone...you went from 7lbs, 5 oz to 17lbs, 14oz. From 20 inches to 27 inches. You are just growing like a weed. I love you soooooo much...and am sooooo grateful you blessed us with your presence! It is such a joy to watch all the new things you do and to experience life with you. Everywhere we go, people just fall in love with you because of your infectious grin and your beautiful spirit! I hope you continue to smile all the time and shine with love and happiness!

I believe that a woman who says she loves all her children the same is lying. A mother loves each of her children differently and for different reasons. It doesn't mean that she loves one MORE than the other; it just means that each child holds a unique spot in her heart, each child fulfills a different role in her life. I love you more than I ever thought I could love a baby girl. I know that sounds weird, but I thought, after three boys, that there was no real inherent difference between boys and girls. After all, a child is a child no matter what. You would just be another child in my house. But I am already finding that you are NOT the same as your brothers. That pink is so much fun!

Anyway, I love you my sweet, sweet Princess,
Mommy

Been a While....

Life seems so hectic right now...in reality it's not any more hectic than usual, it just FEELS so.

Landon started first grade. They grow so much in Kindergarten--that's a given. But I never knew how much they would grow academically in just the first month of first grade. Landon's penmanship is improving by leaps and bounds. And he is a bona fide reader now! There are some words that I am in awe that he knows, and then there are others that he won't sound out and it's frustrating. He has homework every night, Monday through Thursday. It is just a math worksheet, a writing/words worksheet, and to read/be read to for fifteen minutes. And it falls on me to be the taskmaster. He gets so upset with me when I come home from work and tell him we have to do homework. So I have now instituted a reward policy...if he does his homework without complaining each night, then he can buy his lunch at school one day the next week. Seems to be working nicely so far...

I have decided I DO NOT like the age three. I didn't like it with Austin or Landon. I do not like it with Ryan. And I will not like it with Carly. (I do not like green eggs and ham, I do not like them, Sam I am.) Ryan is sooooo mean. He is constantly "beating up" on Carly, and even Landon. Whatever happened to my sweet little blondie?? But, as he grows up, he cracks me up with the things he says and does. He LOVES Mylie Cyrus...so last night he has boppin his head and singing along with her on TV.

Carly...Carly...Carly. There is so much going on in the world of Carly. Her seventh tooth started poking through this past week (the day Patrick Swayze died). She is drinking milk from a sippy cup all by herself! But the big news is she is walking!! She started taking steps here and there the last couple of weeks. Then it turned in to six or seven steps at a time the last couple of days. Then it turned in to her walking everywhere last night. It's too cute. She walk really slow to keep her balance. And she's so little that it looks funny for her to be walking around! Go, Carly!!

I have been crazy busy at work. Some days were crazy due to patient load...we had forty-some deliveries in the first five days of September. That kinda capped off a hellish three weeks of every room full and more coming in every time you answered the phone or the door. Right now I am trying to finish a big project...one more thing (and it's just a class!) and I am D-O-N-E!!! This has been something I have worked on since January, and it feels soooo good to be pretty much finished! Being the overachiever I am, I feel like I have gone over and above what was asked of me, but at least I can say I truly earned my bonus and the level III RN title!

I start back to college in November. I am bridging to get my bachelors in nursing. It is an online program, and it should only take me a year or so. Baylor pays for it, so I am psyched!

There's way more going to in the Caro household, but I just do not have the energy to put it out there for all to see. Plus I have to get dressed for church--such a bright spot each week!!

Almost a Year!! You're Eleven Months Old Now!!!

My dear, dear Carly-bug:

In one month you will be ONE!! I cannot believe how long you have already been on this earth, delighting me with your silly antics and melting my heart with your sweet, innocent baby love!

Let's see:
Eating--You still nurse. We're down to about four times a day, but I am wondering if you will ever stop?! You LOVE to eat big people food. There is nothing that you won't eat, or at least try. You seem to gravitate towards the fruits and breads before you eat anything else. And you love to drink from your sippy cup. So far, you will only drink ice water from it. I have tried formula and just today whole milk, but you will take one sip and then shake your head "no" as you throw the cup. You are making your preferences known.

You also make your wishes known VERY loudly and precise. You throw all sorts of screaming fits when we take something away from you. Or in the case of ice cream, fail to give you something you want SO BADLY.

You stood up today on your very own from sitting without holding on to anything! You were in the middle of the room without anything around and Landon said, "look mama" very excitedly and you were standing all on your own!! That means you will be walking soon!!! And I am ready!

You "talk" to us quite a bit, but no real words yet. You say mama and dada indiscriminately, but I'm sure you don't know what it means. I know you know NO. You shake your little head when you don't want something...tht's very obvious.

You sleep pretty well at night now, not really getting up but maybe once or so. I have started rocking you and putting you in your crib. You will sleep for 2-4 hours before you wake up screaming. So I will get you and bring you into my room, and then you'll sleep the rest of the night!

You still smile your cheesy grin when you see hte light from the camera. Silly, silly girl!

You busted your lip this morning...I don't know what you fell on, but you creamed and cried and couldn't be comforted with being held. When I looked down at my shirt, there was blood all over it, so you busted it good. I let you suck cool water from a washcloth and you were fine. It had a blood blister, but it popped at some point in the morning, and now you just look like you've had silicone implants on one part of your upper lip. Poor baby. I know it is the first of many, many more owies and boo boos.

You wave, give high-fives, play peek-a-boo, and play patty cake. You also pat me on my arm when I am holding you...you crack me up.

Your brothers bug you all the time. Ryan sits on you, crawls on you, pushes you and is just a big bully to you. One day you will have enough and tear into him. I look forward to it ...LOL. Landon thinks he is your appointed cry stopper...whenever you cry, he always brings you to me. And just plops you in my lap.

I can't think of anything else right now except that it is a joy and honor to be your mommy. You bring me happiness every day!

Until next month, my sweet baby girl,
I love you
Mommy

More Carly Updates....

Wow...it's been a while since I've been on...due in large part to my computer crashing. Such drama, but the good news is, I didn't lose much. And no pictures or videos where harmed in the crashing of the 'puter.

Anyway--here's what's new in the world of Princess Carly.

She stands!! She can stand all by herself for long periods of time, well really only about 20 seconds or so, but who's counting. And boy, let me tell you, she pulls herself to standing ALL the time!

She waves bye-bye...just started doing it two days ago. She also high-fives, peek-a-boos and claps!!

She also got her FIFTH tooth 8/12. It's her left lateral!!

Will post more later!!

Happy TEN months, Carly!!

Dear Carly,

Today you are TEN months old!! That's only two months away from being ONE!!! I cannot believe how fast this first year is flying...I am loving that you are getting so big and doing so many news things!

You now have five teeth! You got your top two within a couple of days of each other earlier when you just turned nine months old, and you got your right lateral (tooth next to the front tooth) yesterday!!

You crawl ALL over the house. There is not a room that you cannot crawl to...now that you can navigate up and down the step in the living room! You can also stand...you pull to standing on anything and everything...the window curtain, the fireplace, me, toys...anything, LOL. You also stood all on your own the other day. You were standing, holding on to me, and then you let go. You were upright for a few seconds and then you lowered yourself back down to sitting!

You "talk" a lot...mostly screaming when you want attention. You follow me around the house screaming at me...it's annoying at times, but also cute!

You still nurse, but now you are eating all sorts of food. I guess you thought you were too big for baby food, because once I started feeding you "big people" food, you started eating a lot!! You love fruit (cherries and oranges are your favorite), noodles, and rolls! Angela says that when she makes noodles, you scream at her until she gives you some and then you eat, eat, eat! We went to Golden Corral last night, and I'm telling you, you ate more/better than your brothers!!

Yesterday someone waved to you and you put your hand up like you were waving back...smart baby!!

You got some boo-boos this month, all in the same day. You were crawling on the tile, when you got caught up in your dress, and you fell on your face. Bruise number one on your right cheek. Then as I was taking you out of your high chair, I scraped your thigh on the tray. Bruise number two on your right thigh. Then, to add insult to injury, you fell against the metal frame on my bed. Bruise number three across the bridge of your nose and left eye. You looked so pitiful, my poor baby, with all those bruises.

You love to play with your brothers. You follow them around, saying "eh, eh, eh" while they play. I guess the "eh, eh, eh" is to get attention. You also love to stand at the tub while they take a bath! Landon has gotten in to the bad habit of picking you up and carrying you all around the house. I am trying to teach you a little independence, so I let you cry a little on the floor before I get you. Landon will always pick you up and hand you to me, saying, "Here's Mama, don't cry." He's like another little mother to you.

Oh, and Carly, now you bite...and it HURTS. When I tell you "NO" very sternly, your little face crinkles up into a pout and then you start to cry, like I hurt your feelings. But you gotta learn!

That's all I can think of right now...will post pics later!

I love you sooooo much, silly bear!!
Love,
Mama

Carly's Favorite Past-time

Can you guess what is Carly's absolute favorite thing in the world to do???

If you guessed following me around the house, screaming at me, then you'd come in a close second....her "favoritist" thing is STANDING...tada!!!

My girl has already been corrupted by the boys...

So the other day, Carly was lounging peacefully in my lap, as she usually does on these hot, lazy summer days. All of a sudden, this loud, unlady like noise erupted from her delicate little bum. Carly looked up, grinned and then started laughing. *Sigh* There go all my hopes and dreams of a girly-girl...LOL