More Feelings

I apologize if this post comes out a little disjointed. I feel a little disjointed when I think about all that I want to record for the future. First of all, thank you for your comments after my last venting session. It's always nice to know there are others out there who feel the same way I do, and I love blogging because it is a great way to encourage each other in our times of discouragement.

That being said, I must also admit that, for the first time in my life, am a bit envious of the gestational period of an elephant (close to two years). As we enter the busiest time of the year, I'm kind of wishing I could carry this baby until next spring. Of course, I would only want to agree to that if I knew I wouldn't have to deal with the uncomfortable third trimester for an entire year. Otherwise, that deal is off.

I also have been wishing time would slow down so I could enjoy the baby I already have. Carter is growing up way too fast. He is nine months old (nine and half, actually) and he is a busy, busy boy!

I haven't really compared him to other babies his age until this past Sunday, when I noticed a huge difference between his activity level and the activity level of a little girl just older than him. She crawled and walked around, exploring, but Carter was like a man possessed. He was all over the place, exploring everything, but getting bored quickly and moving on.

Since I realized how active he is, I have noticed it in other places as well. He can't hold still to drink his bottle and I thank my lucky stars every day that I'm not still nursing this octopus. I have to feed him in short shifts, because he gets distracted and has to do something else for several minutes before coming back to his bottle. And forget about him holding his own bottle. He will still only do this, flat on his back, for 1-2 minutes at a time before taking off to find something more worthy of his time and attention.

I have tried to use these feeding times to enjoy him as a baby. I look into his big eyes and rub his head, while he grabs my hand, and I can't help but feel a little sad that he won't get to be my baby for long. I have been in a dang rush for him to grow up, because I'm afraid of what it will be like to care for two babies, but I think I may need to just relax and let him take things at his own pace. He's growing up plenty without my encouragement.

(Take a look at Torso Man! His legs are short and stubby and he's pretty much all torso)

His appetite has returned full force and if he has finished his bottles, I usually let him eat whatever he likes. He prefers anything he can shove in his mouth. I think it was grape slices this day. He does this funny thing where he sucks in air, sort of like a panting dog, when he wants more food. And when people laugh, because it really is quite hilarious, he looks at them like they have some kind of problem. Doesn't everyone react with extreme excitement when they see food?

My kids all love to carry him around, which he cannot stand. He wants to be left alone to his devious ways, and doesn't appreciate Allie, and especially not Kyla, trying to carry him around the house. That doesn't stop them from trying, though. Allie asks me almost daily if she can hold him. I always let her try, but it always ends the same way: with Carter screaming and crawling off her lap. I hope she realizes it isn't personal. He just loves his mama and he loves his freedom.

We took the kids to the Gingerbread Festival on Friday, and found that the best way to carry Carter, without suffering severe arm cramps, is to put him in the backpack. He still loves it. And I love having Jeff with us so I'm not the one that has to tote him.


I love how Jeff is trying to stay out of the shot. Too bad, sometimes you have to show up on the blog to prove that you do exist and I'm not creating these children myself.

This was my favorite creation:

And because the artist was standing right next to us, gauging our reaction, I made sure to make a big deal of it and take a few extra pictures. It is pretty amazing.

Here's a quick update on Kyla: she has toned it down quite a bit with her "kill" and "death" lately. She still slips in a few comments here and there, but it seems like the extreme fascination has ended for now. I hope for good. She and Allie are both at the stage where they want to "be" someone else. Any show they watch, any game they play, even any magazine they look at, they are picking which person they want to be. Kyla will say, "I'm she and you're she" repeatedly each day. And her mixing up the pronouns drives me a little crazy, but not as crazy as the fighting that ensues over who gets to be Taylor Swift and who is Carrie Underwood. Seriously? Damon never did this. What is it with the girls?

Kyla has also had a hard time adjusting to Daylight Savings Time ending. She has still been waking up early and waking everyone else up, too. I had to put a clock in her room, with only the first digit showing, and she isn't allowed to get up or wake anyone else up until the number says 7. It seems to be working a little better, although she still wakes up when it is 6:00 from time to time. I'll give it another week before I write my strongly worded letter to the president about how destructive DST is to my life. Maybe things will work out. And I'm sure President Obama has a few other things he is dealing with.

Mostly, though, I just feel lucky. I know so many ladies who have a hard time getting pregnant or those haven't been as fortunate and haven't found their perfect match yet. So who am I to complain because I have been blessed with the opportunity to bring beautiful children into the world, and raise them with my very best friend? When I think of it that way, I feel sheepish that I ever had reason to complain. Those four sitting on the couch are my world. And as terrified as I am about helping them reach adulthood, I know I am so lucky to be their mom. They help me grow more than they'll ever know until they are parents themselves.