Halloween Howl

So I know I said I would post more pictures from summer, but I haven't even been on blogger since then. So I am skipping ahead to Halloween.
Once again I have to credit my friend Natalie for lending us some amazing costumes. She keeps us looking good. This years theme was 101 Dalmatians  in case you can't figure that out. He didn't love being in his costume but he did catch on to trick or treating pretty fast. He wanted to eat each treat as soon as he got it. But he would walk up to doors and was ready for his treat and was happy to walk away with what they gave him. Jim is always such a good sport. He was Jasper or Horace  which ever one and a giant dalmatian. What a good guy!

Every age is fun and it keeps getting more fun. Some of Carter's latest, climbing up on everything. Chairs, couches, ladders at Grandma Hickman's, whatever he can get on. The past few days he is testing me and throwing his blanket and soother out at nap time so I will keep coming back in to give them back. Sad that I have put an end to that game and they are now laying on his floor while he naps. Guess he is out growing them or will decide to stop throwing them out. Only problem is that when he wakes up and his blanket and soother as on the floor he can't roll over and go back to sleep cause he wants them. So his naps have been a lot shorter the last few days. UGGHH!!
Grandpa and Grandma Jacobs came and babysat for a few days in October while I went with Jim to a work conference in Arizona. Carter did great and I didn't worry a bit. He loves being Grandpa's helper and loved having them here. I loved having a few days to enjoy eating out with my husband and having a little time to myself. Ahhh, remember what it was like before kids when your time was your time. Those were good times.
I have started a kid swap with a boy a few months younger than Carter. He goes to their house one day and Payne comes here another day. Carter was a little nervous and scared at first but I have to drag him kicking and screaming when we leave. He and Payne are SOOOO cute, running around chasing each other and jabbering with each other. They were having so much fun together and I love it! Today I was trying to remember something I needed at a store and he puts his finger up to his mouth and says ummmmmm. Like I have done before apparently, it was so darn cute. He is saying a lot more now, new things all the time. Choo choo, no, yes, please, clean up, just to name a few. He is trying to say whatever we say. He will get things when I ask him to and close doors. He is loving stuffed animals as friends lately and tries to feed them what he is eating and give them drinks.
He is able to walk up and down stairs without help or holding on to anything.
He had his first Emergency room visit in the middle of the night. He woke up one night and was not breathing very well, so we took him in. He was a trooper (with the help of shows on the ipad) but the lack of sleep the next day, plus not feeling well did not lend itself to a great day. He had the croup, so not fun but the steroids and breathing treatment they gave him helped, thankfully.
We are having fun with him. He has finally caught on to the fun he can have by playing with his cousins at Grandma Hickman's house, Hooray! Now he will run and play with the other kids and it is so nice. His cousins are so great and they have had to be patient with him to come around, but he has.
Just a few things that he is up to. But he is yelling for me from his bed, since waking up from his nap with out his blanket and soother. The joys, guess I will go get my baby that is turning into a little boy.

Quick update

I have gotten behind in blogging, it's just hard to get on the computer. I know lots of moms say that and it has happened to me. I still need to blog about our trip to California to see a good friend get married but for now I am just getting a short post done.
Carter is 18 months....and he is getting more independent. He is 24 1/2 lbs and is 33 inches. He can now climb up on the couches and is learning to jump. He loves jumping on our neighbors trampoline. He loves to shut doors and try to keep us out of rooms. He is signing - Please, more, all done, wash  And he is saying hot, when his food is too hot. He says sheshe for our neighbor Ashley. Dada, oh no, no and he is just starting to try saying more words, so I'm sure that list will grow pretty quickly. He likes doing pilates and run to get on the machine when my clients come, so he gets there before they do. He is a big helper and most of the time a good listener. It's amazing how much they understand. He likes flushing the toilet for me and sweeping the floor. He wants to read all the time now. Loves rocks and cars. He is down to one nap and honestly becoming a big boy. I seriously LOVE this kid and he is so fun. He is starting to be able to play more independently, so sometimes I can cook dinner without him under foot. He started going to nursery at church and doesn't even need us there. It's amazing.
I will post some pictures of him soon and his long surfer hair. He has gotten called a girl a few times. I need to learn to cut it, but one of these days I will get it done.

17 months, where does the time go?

My little man is growing up...and he is strong willed and knows what he wants. My parents and sister, Tami came to visit us in July. Carter is a grandpa's boy, sorry Grandma and Tami. He hears a computer or TV turn on and comes running. He loved helping Grandpa do work on the computer.

Trying to get milk out of this big bottle...not going to work. As you can see he is into cars and loves seeing tractors or big trucks.

Carter and I took a road trip to Boise and then on to Canada with my parents. We stayed at my sisters house in Boise for a few days and spent the 4th of July with them. Carter loved playing with his cousins. We had a great water balloon fight and I won the water balloon toss both times with different partners, my reward was getting ganged up on by everyone and soaked. Poor losers!

We celebrated Jacob's birthday with ice cream. Carter LOVED the ice-cream bars.

So glad we were there to hang out with my favorite 9 year old. Jacob is an awesome kid and so good with Carter.

Then we 

Then we continued our travels to the Great White North. My brother and his family were there too. Jovie and Oakley cowgirl-ed up at the ranch.

So did Jessica and Madison. They are true cowgirls riding bareback. They love horses and loved spending as much time together as possible.

In Calgary we went to the zoo. Carter loves looking at animals and if they are close enough he pokes at their noses.

He also enjoyed a Popsicle cause it was unusually warm for Canada.

We also went to a few hours of kids day at the Stampede. It was the 100th year celebration so it was busier than normal.We hit a few pancake breakfasts that week to get in the spirit. At one of them there were line dancers, I joined them for a dance and some one tried to recruit me.

The kids liked being in the jail buggy.

Back at the ranch Carter loved helping move things around in his tractor. He doesn't drive it, but he likes to sit in it and load it up with stuff. 

He was a big helper to Grandpa and dad. Here he is helping shoot gophers.

Jessica and Madison played dress up just like my sisters and I did when we were younger. So fun!

Grandpa took us all fishing. I call us the Gum Boot Gang!

Riding in the back of the truck, watch out for bumps!

Carter had his own pole that he liked swinging around. He even touched a fish that someone caught.

Back to Logan and Carter thinks he is getting so big. First time he climbed on the coffee table, but I'm sure it will happen again. TROUBLE!

Big Boy

Carter is such a little ham. Here he is driving the grocery cart. He demands to get the car cart now. 

He wants my phone and holds it to his ear and talks. He also puts the phone in front of his face and talks cause that is what we do when it is on Speaker phone for Aunts and Grandparents to talk to him. He thinks he is so big.

Here he is eating the bubbles in his bath. 

He sat in his pool with his clothes on one day, I didn't want him bare in the sun when I took his clothes off, so I grabbed one of my t- shirts and put it on him. Then tied it in the back so the neck was smaller. Then we ran an errand to my friends house in this outfit. I am a great mother. He didn't mind a bit.

He has started putting lots of his toys in his tent and then hanging out in there. The teddy bear is quite comfy to lay on inside. Sometimes there are so many toys he can't even get around. 

His new love is cars. On of my friends little boys gave Carter a bunch of his old toy cars and Carter loves playing with them. He makes the vroom noise and everything. He loves to put them on the window seal, push them off behind the couch and then make me move the couch so he can get them and do it all again.

His other new love is being a naked baby. He loves to streak through the house. Without a diaper is not a good idea, since there have been a couple of puddles. He thinks it is great fun to get chased while being naked.

His favorite place in the house is out bed. He loves to sit on it and has taken over my side. He doesn't like you to sit on that side when he is there. Bed commando! Sometimes he gets to watch TV there and then he is in Heaven. Our bed is super high but he loves walking to the edge and waiting for us to chase him away from it. For him it's a game, for us, it's not so funny. I have a ottoman next to the bed and now he gets off the bed himself sometimes. I am a little worried he will miss it and hit the floor but he has done okay so far.

One day he was standing in the bathtub cleaning the tile wall. He really is a good little helper.

Tooth update....he has 4 on the top, almost 3 on the bottom plus a molar. Teething is a LONG and PAINFUL process. But he is so much fun and he is a big mommas boy.

Trouble!!!!

His new thing is running with his eyes closed. It is so funny. So far he hasn't hurt himself and run into anything, but it's close. Silly boy. He was also practicing walking backwards the other day.
He screams and squeals a lot. Likes to do the thing you tell him not too. Yells at people to tell them whatever it is he is saying. He still isn't saying real words but he does yell and babble a LOT. Well, he has started saying oh no.
At church or at stores he loves getting people to look at him...seeking attention from a distance. But still only goes to Jim or I 95% of the time. He pushes and pulls us where he wants us and pulls us if he needs help. Last week he didn't want to share my attention with anyone...which makes it hard. That is when I question trying to have another one and want another one at the same time. He needs a friend but sometimes I can barely handle the one I have.
 His cousin, Tate, is a year older than him and Tate is so soft and nice to Carter. Carter loves him and has fun chasing him around when they are together. Tate gives him hugs and it is adorable. He is lucky to have cousins that are so good to him close by. Carter is at a fun age.
He understands how to play with toys better and loves to climb on Jim and I and play around. He laughs and jokes around.
Carter is always getting things out of the drawers or pantry, so I usually don't pay attention, the other day I saw him with a little chocolate bar and didn't worry about it cause he usually just plays with them. I was on the phone for a few minutes, got off and went around the table to see what he was doing....he had eaten through the wrapper and was eating the chocolate. I don't know how he even knew he wanted to eat it....he cried when I took it away. Man, that kid!

And he found a new hiding place for his toys...guess I need to make sure the toilets are clean.
Jim had his first Hockey game on Friday night. He hasn't skated since we have been married, but he did surprisingly well. He needs to practice with a stick and puck, but he will pick it up quick because you his competitiveness. It was fun to watch. I was surprised that they played 3, 20 minute periods. Hard core!
We went to Park City a few weeks ago. It snowed a lot when we were there....can't wait to head to warmer weather in July for my friends wedding. I miss vacations!
Saturday we went to Olive Garden for dinner. Carter put his bread and grapes up on the ledge until he was ready to eat them. (look on the ledge) Ummm...okay, whatever keeps you entertained.

He loves stirring things, moving things, and running around, laughing and being silly. He LOVES going on bike rides. He sits behind Jim and kicks him to go faster. He likes standing on the top of our driveway and throwing balls down it and then running after them. I have to run too so I get to them before Carter runs out onto the street to get them.
His 2 teeth on top finally came through...but more are working there way in all the time.
Spring weather has been warm then cool. Switching week to week or day to day. But the 70's and 80's are so nice to have and be able to play outside without it being too hot. We started the summer park schedule with Jim's sister's families. Love meeting up and enjoying the out doors together with family. It's also nice to run outside. My friend, Natalie, is training for Ragnar and it's so good to have someone to run with and push you. I love warm weather! And to mention it, cause I never do, I love my fun, darling little boy!
Not sure I like that he is smart....cause he also came with an independent, stubborn, willful side that I can't believe comes out so strongly in a 16 month old. Tonight, he cried when I was eating and wouldn't pick him up, then he screamed when Jim took him in the other room so I could finish. He screamed cause he wanted me and that was that. Give me strength. I need to be on my knees already to have patience with this child. He poured out a bag of chips and then tried to crush them while I was trying to clean them up. He can now stand in his high chair, scary. I was eating a marshmallow and was finished, so he opened the door under the sink and put his marshmallow in the garbage. WOW! While playing with bubbles tonight he wouldn't let me blow them, he wanted the wand. He actually get a few on his own, but wouldn't even let me help him get the wand in the bubble solution. He thinks it's funny to do things we have told him not too. Drink the bath or water table water, eat the bubbles, stick his hand in the car exhaust pipe....just to mention a few. He wares me out....mentally and in every other way. How can he already be this much of a handful so young????? He came with a personality that will prepare him for the things he will face in this world....but will I make it? He understands and can learn to do things by himself, yet still is not taking much of an interest in talking. I don't count the squeal he has started to do more frequently....that is so annoying, once again he thinks it's funny if I tell him to stop. Sometimes this kid kills me.
After reading this post.....does he sound like a normal boy or am I in for it?