The Carters

So Sweet

2012-02-07T12:37:00.000-08:00

I just thought this was too sweet not to share. I caught Marin reading a story to her baby one morning.

A Look Back

2012-02-02T09:01:00.000-08:00

Our video camera takes pictures as it records, and just recently we looked at all the pictures that were on there for 2011. Sorry for sounding cheesy, but it brought tears to my eyes to see that sweet little chubby baby! It's just a reminder of how quickly time passes, and our little ones won't be little for long. I have such wonderful memories of this past year with Marin. Here are a few of the pictures that made me smile.

15 months

2012-01-18T14:07:00.000-08:00

Marin is just growing so quickly. I look back at pictures from just a few months ago and I feel like she's not a little baby anymore. She's my buddy though, and we have so much fun together. At her 15 month appointment she weighed 26 pounds and was 32 1/4 inches (95th% for both). She is so good at her animal noises (sheep, cow, duck, elephant, dog, cat, horse, bird, bee). She babbles and talks all the time. She loves to babble in her car seat especially. Here are some pictures from her one year photo shoot. I'm really behind! She loved this photo shoot at the beginning, and as it continued she grew a little impatient with us. For her one year check up she was 35 pounds and 31 inches. This new stage of walking and running around has had a few accidents come with it. She fell at the playground one day and her two front teeth were shoved up back inside her gums. They seem to be coming back down, so hopefully there won't be any long term damage there. Then she was running in the house one day and slipped and hit her head on the hardwood floor. We had to take her to the ER to get stitches. It has healed up really well, and hopefully her eyebrow will cover up most of the scar. I'm sure this is the first of many times she will give me a minor heart attack in my life.

Moss Rock

2012-01-18T13:35:00.000-08:00

We love going over to The Preserve and hiking Moss Rock. It's a fun outdoor adventure for us, and it's nice that it's so close to us. Here are some pictures from our latest trip.

Hiking on Daddy's shoulders

Marin loves bridges and letting leaves fall into the creek below.

OW OW

2011-12-23T19:38:00.000-08:00

I think Marin's favorite animal is a cat! I hate to break it to her but I'm allergic and Mark is not a fan of cats at all. When there's not much to do I like to take her up to the pet store to look around and when we pull in the parking lot she begins saying "Ow Ow", which is her version of meow. My mom's cat Jazzy is so good to put up with Marin too. Unfortunately for Jazzy, Marin learned that the more she pulled her tail or tugged her fur the more noise Jazzy made. So she was a little rough with her and even tried picking her up. Marin likes to lay down on her belly and "talk" to Jazzy real close. Here are some pictures at my sister, Susie's, farm. This is her cat, Jack, who also put up with a lot from Marin. She "brushed" him not so gently. I thought she would be so excited about the horses, but she mostly wanted to play with Jack!

Christmas at Bass Pro Shop

2011-12-23T19:20:00.000-08:00

Christmas time with Marin has been so much fun! There are so many special things to do with little ones at Christmas that we would not normally do if we didn't have her. She has really made this Christmas feel so special. We have been to several Christmas parades, the neighborhood tree lighting, driving around looking at Christmas lights, story time at the resort, and last weekend we went to Bass Pro Shop to take a picture with Santa. Well we couldn't even get close to Santa. The line was forever long, but Marin had so much fun exploring the store. Thank goodness there were a lot of things to do there other than Santa.

Marin loves ALL snowmen. She gets so excited when she sees one somewhere.

"MOMAN MOMAN" she says!

This is the closest we got to a Santa!

MaMAA. DaDAA

2011-12-19T18:08:00.000-08:00

Mommy Did It!

2011-11-30T13:02:00.001-08:00

I ran in the Ruben Studdard Half Marathon here in Birmingham, and was pretty proud of myself for finishing! I finished in 2 hours and 2 minutes, which is only a minute slower than my other half marathon time. I think I could have beaten my time if it had not been for those hills at the end of the race. I placed 16th for my age group, but after the race was over I noticed the times for the 5K and I would have actually won that one PLUS I wouldn't have gotten the world's largest blister on my foot. I't was a fun time though, and the weather was great! We really lucked out on that part, since it was late November. Mark played with Marin the whole time I ran, and I'm pretty sure he was more worn out than I was. They met me at mile 7, which was the railroad park. It was the CUTEST thing ever... she was clapping and smiling for all the runners. She looked so tiny and pink on the side of the road watching everyone. Mark tried to take a picture there of me running by and high fiving her, but he forgot to take the lens off the camera! It looks like they had a lot of fun together though. I can't wait until my next race!

At the start

She's wondering if it's OK that Daddy's in charge.

I love these two! I'm so glad they were there to cheer me on!

Playing at the fountain

Playing at Railroad Park and hopefully not eating those berries

I'm so excited it's almost over!

A congratulations hug

Halloween

2011-11-29T09:32:00.000-08:00

Marin LOVED everything about Halloween. She loved the weeks leading to up it when we'd go for a walk and she'd get all excited over Halloween decorations. Robb and Megean hosted a family Halloween party a few nights early and she enjoyed playing with her cousins. My mom came down a couple days later. We took her to the train park and played outside. She drove Marin around at night to see all the decorations. On Halloween night Marin had so much running around seeing all the neighbors dressed up. We stayed out past her bedtime and she didn't complain for a second. She was sure to say "moo" to everyone too. It was just fun having everyone out visiting in the neighborhood. At the end of the night, we stopped by Sabrina and Joe's house to let her visit with Asher. He was very into his suckers and I think she liked seeing him dressed up! I'm sure next year will be even more fun!

She liked Spiderman!

Boo at the Zoo

2011-11-16T09:26:00.000-08:00

Marin loved Boo at the Zoo this year (as you can tell by the picture). No, really she did love it! There were too many fun things to do and see to sit on a hay bale for a photo shoot. There were colorful lights, fun music, a petting zoo, pumpkins everywhere (her favorite) and even a big talking pumpkin! We will definitely go back next year.

Tailgating With a Toddler

2011-11-16T09:05:00.000-08:00

We had so much fun at the Auburn/Florida game this year, although it was a very different kind of fun from Florida games of the past. Our good friends, Rob and Jenny, moved to Auburn recently so we had a nice place to stay for the weekend. Maggie was such a great playmate for Marin and we all enjoyed spending time together. The boys, of course, spent most of their time on the golf course. I can't blame them since the weather was perfect. Friday night we went to a party at the club where we almost won tickets to the game. I still think that was rigged! We went to campus and spent the day outside tailgating. We didn't go into the game, obviously, but it was fun watching it from the tailgate outside the stadium. An Auburn victory made the night even better. We finished the weekend with Sunday lunch at Niffer's.

I think she loves Auburn as much as her mom and dad.

Sharing lunch together.... This is her first Amsterdam's Turkey Wrap. This will be her first of many
since this is one of my requirements with every trip to Auburn.

Sweetness

2011-11-01T12:38:00.000-07:00

Now that Marin is walking everywhere I feel like my baby is starting to look more like a big girl. It's a little sad, but this is such a sweet age. My favorite thing now is if I'm sitting on the floor and she wants to read a story, she'll bring a book to me and turn around and back up into my lap. It is just the sweetest! Her favorite thing is doing anything outside! Lately she has had a lot of fun strolling around the neighborhood and looking at the Halloween decorations. These pictures were taken at The Preserve. We went for a hike out there and then let her run around in one of their parks.

Animals

2011-11-01T09:14:00.000-07:00

Marin loves animals, especially horses. Whenever she sees a picture of a horse or a stuffed animal horse she rocks back and forth like she's riding it. We went to Homestead Hollow, an arts and crafts show in Springville. She got to pet these mules and loved it. There were also some very loud geese that she thought were a little scary!

Aldridge Gardens

2011-10-26T09:12:00.000-07:00

Mark needed a mental health break from work, so he took a Monday off and played with us all day. It was such a nice surprise! The weather was perfect, and Marin just loves being outside so we ventured over to Aldridge Gardens. We ate lunch there, played, and took a little hike. It's nice having a place like that so close to us.

A Day at the Park

2011-10-24T12:35:00.000-07:00

The weather this fall has been absolutely beautiful. Marin and I have been spending a lot of time at the park. We took Uncle David, Aunt Stephanie, Bridget, and Audrey to play when they were here for a visit.

She loves her new ride on toy from Baba and Fly. It's not the fastest form of transportation but she felt like such a big girl riding it next to her cousins.

Sweet Audrey

Pink Lemonade

2011-10-07T14:42:00.000-07:00

She kept trying to hand her cupcake to Daddy!

I think the bubbles were her favorite part!

Rin had a pink lemonade theme birthday party. It was a lot of fun to do. I think we're done squeezing lemons for awhile though. She had a great time playing with her cousins and some of her friends. We played outside most of the day because the weather was absolutely perfect! The food turned out really good and I had fun making it. Mark helped a lot too; I need to give him credit. I had planned to take a picture of the food before it was devoured, but I forgot! I was too wrapped up in the fun! After everyone left, she literally sat in my lap and opened every single present. I thought there was no way she would sit in one spot that long, but she loved opening all the gifts. It was just such a fun day I found myself wanting to do it all again the next day.

Happy Birthday!

2011-10-07T13:11:00.000-07:00

My "baby" girl turned one. I can't believe it. It has been such a fun year, and I've really enjoyed every second with her. Marin is so special to us. For her actual birthday Aunt Meg had us over for dinner and playtime. Currin decorated the house in her honor with pink streamers everywhere. He loves his "Marinny Rin". She had a lot of fun playing with her cousins, and she even had a bath with Cam. We are so thankful they are right in the neighborhood.

At her one year check up, Marin was still in the 95th percentile for height and weight at 31 inches and 25 pounds. She has 8 teeth and a molar that is most of the way through. She's walking great now! It's amazing how quickly she has gone from just taking a couple steps to walking everywhere. She loves playing outside, so we're loving the weather this fall. Her new favorite food is kiwi. She can eat an entire one at the end of a meal. Her new words are "baby" and "bubble". We look forward to this next year, but are overwhelmed thinking about how much she is going to change in another year. We will definitely miss having her as our little baby.

Notice Currin's sleeve... she pulled on it the whole time during dinner.

She was being very serious during playtime.

Waiting her turn to ride Lucky

This is her favorite thing to do at Aunt Megean's and Uncle Robb's house. She tries to sneak away upstairs to the playroom just to see Lucky. When we see a picture of a horse in a book, she rocks back and forth like she's riding.

Bath time fun... not sure why it looks like she's pouting here. She really did enjoy it!

So close!

A Grand Vacation

2011-10-03T08:37:00.000-07:00

Mark had to work in Mobile for a few days, so we made a little vacation out of it and stayed at The Grand in Fairhope. The weather was absolutely perfect the whole time. Mark went to work during the day and Marin and I had so much fun hanging out at the resort.

We fed the ducks every morning. One even attacked her for some food. He pecked the side of her face and she just sat there stunned.

Between her morning and afternoon naps we went to the pool and swam and ate lunch. We met some other families there with little ones and we let them play together and crawl in and out of the water.

After her nap we went to afternoon tea in the main building an then just played around outside. When Mark came home from work, we went out to eat and then came back and played outside at the resort.

Someone hates the sand! We are going to have to work on that.

I love these chunky ankles!

Game Day! Auburn beat Mississippi State in a close one!

Walking

2011-09-15T18:37:00.000-07:00

Marin thinks walking is so funny! She is trying to walk everywhere these days!

11 Months

2011-09-11T20:11:00.001-07:00

Happy girl on her way to the pool!

Daddy dressed her in some crazy outfit complete with bows!

She loves making a mess and playing with her zoo

Playing with Bentley is one of her favorite things to do.

He's beginning to like her more and more since she gives him all kinds of things

especially things we take away from him.

Guilty... she got into Daddy's cereal.

Talking to Bentley through the door

I decided I need to do an 11 month post before this little girl turns one! I can't believe September is here. A year ago today was actually my due date. It's fun to think back to what we were thinking a year ago. We were just so ready to meet this little one and filled with anticipation. It's hard to imagine we didn't even know we were having a little girl. Every night I would go to bed thinking this is definitely the night something is going to happen, and then the next morning... nothing! So, here's a quick update on Marin at 11 months.

7 teeth
She took her first steps on August 30th at Aunt Megean's house. Since then she takes a couple steps here and there, but she definitely still prefers to crawl. She's good at standing, though.
She's a good eater (imagine that)! Fruit is definitely her favorite... especially blueberries. She enjoys pretty much everything except broccoli. She still loves baby food purees especial ones with carrots or butternut squash. This girl has gotten her fair share of vitamin A!
She can say bye, ball, and bow. They are all very close, but we can tell the difference. She says bye to Daddy every morning before work, and she loves to take her bow out and hand it to you and say BOW!
Marin loves to be outside. She cries whenever it's time to go in. She's a great little swimmer and kicks her legs like she knows how to swim.
She loves other kids and animals. I think she would be a great little sister because she loves having big kids around and activity.
Her favorite thing to do inside is play on our bed. She loves to be tickled and drug across it. She starts giggling so hard she can't breathe!

Sweet Grandpa

2011-09-11T18:55:00.000-07:00

My Dad is so in love with his first granddaughter! We went up to Knoxville and spent the weekend with him. We had a nice time just visiting and watching football. My dad has not been doing well, so it was nice to bring Marin and lift his spirits. Rin had fun exploring his house, and it always feels good to me to be home. We're looking forward to our next visit already!

Star Lake

2011-08-11T12:00:00.000-07:00

Marin and I are always looking for an adventure to get out and about. We ventured over to Star Lake one afternoon. It's actually a pond, but it's filled with geese and ducks, which Marin loved! She was pointing and "talking" the whole time.

Marin Meets Great Grandmom

2011-07-30T07:59:00.000-07:00

Mark's sweet grandmom, who will be 98 this year, came to visit all of us in Birmingham all the way from Greenville SC. She is such a sweet lady and very proud of all her grandchildren and great grandchildren. This is the first time Marin had met her, and I'm glad they got in some special bonding time. Mark's Aunt Theresa and Uncle Jerry drove her up, so we got to spend some time with them also. I hope we can make a trip to Greenville this fall to visit everyone.

Trip to Knoxville

2011-07-21T08:41:00.000-07:00

Marin and I went to Knoxville to visit for a few days. The trip there always seems so quick, but hopefully we'll go back soon. We got to visit my mom's new home. She had only been moved in for like 10 days and there were no boxes and it was decorated like she had been there for ten years... typical mom! She's definitely not a procrastinator at all! We had a nice time with everyone and Nana was so excited to show Marin off to all her friends.

This was my first road trip alone with Marin. It went pretty well for the most part. I did learn that she can't make it all the way there without a stop. We absolutely LOVE Chattanooga, so it's the perfect stopping point! We had a nice lunch together and played outside and looked around the city. She loves people watching! I really enjoyed our Mommy and Marin trip!

She loved playing in the fountains outside the aquarium.

9 Months

2011-07-18T19:44:00.000-07:00

Marin had her nine month check up and did great! She showed off with her waving and saying hi and "eh" for everything. She weighed 22 pounds and 10 ounces and was 29 inches long. Both are the 95th percentile again. I had to tell on her how she doesn't hold her bottle and instead she just folds her arms over her eyes. The doctor just thought that was funny. Marin is crawling like crazy and loves playing in all the kitchen cabinets. She is trying to pull up and stand all the time too, which leads to a lot of bumps and falls. She is a really easy and generally happy baby... we got lucky! The sweetest part of her day is after her bath when she's all clean and just as she finishes her bottle she crawls up on my shoulder to snuggle. I feel like I could hold her like that all night.

Messy hair when she wakes up... just like Daddy

So cute all snuggled up

The twins

She now has six teeth. The two bottom ones came in together a long time ago and then all of a sudden her top four came in all at the same time.

This is what out kitchen looks like most days. I clean it up during naps and then it goes right back to this. She is such a messy eater! It's getting better now that she likes the pureed food less. She has a lot of fun trying to pick things up herself like blueberries and green beans. Her favorite thing right now are the fresh peaches Daddy brought back from Peach Park.

She still loves bath time. This was her last night in the duck tub. Now she takes all her baths like a big girl sitting up in the tub. This is all going by way too fast!

4th of July at the Lake

2011-07-09T13:07:00.001-07:00

We spent a very nice, quiet, relaxing weekend at the lake for the Fourth of July. Rin is not a fan of loud noises, so I didn't keep her up for fireworks. Although, she probably would have surprised me like she usually does and been a perfect angel. We took lots of boat rides, which she loved. She got in some serious bonding time with Bentley too. We took a nice long walk up to the club, and watched Bentley swim and play on the beach. She watched her first Wimbledon, and her Daddy and I keep hoping she'll be playing there one day. Overall, it was just a nice low key weekend.

Enjoying the boat rides

Bonding with Bentley... he puts up with a lot!

First Father's Day

2011-06-24T15:59:00.001-07:00

Words can't describe how lucky little Rinny is to have such a great daddy. He really loves her so much. He even said golf isn't very important to him anymore... wait WHAT??? If you know Mark you know that is TRUE love right there. I wanted to make his first Father's Day extra special. His big present was a new camera, which he is loving! So, bye bye blurry/fuzzy pictures! Hopefully our pictures from now on will be much nicer. We spent Saturday at the lake with Mark's family. It was a nice time visiting with everyone and celebrating Baba's birthday.

Sunday began with me and Marin making a special breakfast for Daddy!

We enjoyed some time at the pool after that. This girl LOVES to swim!

Then we went to the zoo. Marin was just amazed the whole time. I don't think she blinked the entire time. Her favorites were the macaws and the crazy squirrel monkeys that were quite active.

Big Week

2011-06-09T08:32:00.000-07:00

I LOVED my first week as an official stay at home mom. Summer has started and I am taking next year off from teaching, so Rinny and I can play! Marin had a BIG week of learning last week. She learned to crawl!!! She has been trying to for such a long time, and I think watching her cousin Cameron inspired her to take her first few steps. She has also gotten really good at sitting up from laying down. She does it over and over. It's so funny to walk into her room and see her sitting up in her crib looking back at me. She also learned how to clap her hands and wave. We have gone swimming everyday and she loves the pool. She actually kicks her legs and looks like she's trying to swim. Marin's top teeth are starting to come in (the reason for all the drool), which I'm hoping doesn't change her sweet smile too much. When I ask her where the fan is, she looks up at it right away. It's amazing how much she has done in just one week.

Playing in her room and practicing her crawling

Always trying to get the camera

She still loves the walker

We hung this swing on our front porch, and she has so much fun in it.

She is always worn out at the end of the day.

Golf Debut

2011-06-01T08:19:00.001-07:00

I have to apologize for the lack of blogging lately. Life was a little crazy in May! The end to the school year is always tiring and hectic, Mark just started a new job for which he has been out of town quite a bit, and our Nanny left for Europe while I still had two weeks left of work. Thank goodness Mark's mom was able to help us out with Marin and I had a few days I could take off work. Everything has settled down now and SUMMER is here!

A few weeks ago we took Marin to her first golf tournament! The Champion's Tour was held at Shoal Creek this year. Of course we finally get to move to Ross Bridge and then they move the tournament. Anyway it was gorgeous out there, and the weather was wonderful. Marin was a perfect angel and was sure to not make a peep during play. Hopefully, she'll be playing in some golf tournaments one day!

Summer Project

2011-05-08T08:25:00.000-07:00

We decided to start a raised vegetable garden in our backyard. I do one with my class every year, and this year we got inspired to do one of our own. I hope Marin will have fun harvesting her own fruits and vegetables in the future! It's as close as we get to farming in Ross Bridge. I'll update with pictures every so often so we can see some progress. Right now we have planted rosemary, basil, strawberries, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, okra, peppers, cucumber, squash, zucchini, and carrots (from seed). Here are some pictures from Day 1. Didn't Mark do a great job building the bed? It wasn't an easy task!

Easter

2011-05-05T19:43:00.000-07:00

I think Easter might be my favorite holiday. The weather is always so pretty and I just love the pastel colors and sweet Easter dresses. It's always such a nice sign of spring after a dreary winter. We enjoyed a beautiful Easter weekend in Montgomery. We went to the club at Baba's and Fly's house (we're working on Marin to come up with her own name for them) and saw the Easter bunny and watched a bunch of kids play! I thought Marin was going to scream with the Easter bunny, but she didn't mind him at all.

Wondering who/what is holding her

We had a nice cookout that night at the house. The next morning Marin made her first appearance in church. I wasn't sure how it was going to work out since we had to wake her up a little early from her morning nap (I don't like to interrupt nap time). Plus Marin is not a fan of loud noises or large crowds. She did GREAT!!! She loved listening to the music and looking around at everyone.

The Easter Bunny brought Marin her very own little chair for the front porch!

A Week With Daddy

2011-04-26T20:02:00.001-07:00

Mark has been between jobs, and he was able to spend a week home with Marin. They had so much fun together, and I know he'll look back on that time with her and smile. I loved getting his texts and picture messages with updates of what they were doing throughout the day. She had a great week with Daddy!

She played with Daddy's Auburn hat.

Being a perfect angel

They enjoyed hanging out on the front

porch together.

She played in her walker. This was the first time she circled the island in the kitchen... so proud of herself.

She stole the remote from Daddy.

They enjoyed some nice lunches together.

Playing with her toys... she is really good about playing by herself, which is really surprising since she has always had our undivided attention.

A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood

2011-04-11T20:35:00.000-07:00

This weekend was a perfect example of why we chose to move to this neighborhood. The weather was just beautiful, so we were able to spend a lot of our time outside. This was Master's weekend, which usually means Mark is glued to the TV, so I was shocked when he said he would just record it and watch it at night. I was pleasantly surprised that we were able to spend the weekend together! Friday night we walked up to Robb and Megean's house and grilled out. It was a nice relaxing evening, a beautiful night for a walk, and Marin enjoyed playing with Cameron's toys! She loved playing on her baby piano. Like I've said before, she's a little musician.

Saturday morning our neighborhood had several garage sales. We walked around and visited with some of our sweet neighbors, and Marin even got a few cute summer hats and little toys. That afternoon we sat out in the park in front of our house with our neighbors. We let the dogs play, while Marin played on a blanket and the adults just relaxed (the boys had some adult beverages of course). We met some new neighbors that just moved in a couple houses down and they have a little boy that Marin is excited about playing at the pool with this summer. Whitney and I took Collins and Marin and Bentley on a nice long walk. When we got back to the house, we got ready for dinner and headed down to the resort. The restaurant was crowded, so it took a long time. This was Marin's first time to sit in a high chair at a restaurant. I wasn't sure how long she would last, but she did great! She acted like she was just one of the adults at the table!

On Sunday we started a little project for our backyard. I'll write more about that later, but we're pretty excited about it! Sunday night Marin had her giggle box going! She just thought everything was hysterical. She laughed at everything... even a sneeze was funny! It's so cute now how I can look at her and laugh and she laughs right back at me. We even "talk" back and forth. I'm loving this age. All the outdoor fun must have worn her out because she fell sleep during her bedtime bottle. Then when I put her down in her crib she fell asleep on her side right in the middle of rolling over.

This weekend we also discovered that Marin actually does love baby food... just not the baby food that I make. All along, I thought I was being some sort of Super Mom and making all of her baby food. I was so proud of myself thinking it was cheaper and better for her. However, she never really loved it, so I decided to try some store bought jarred baby food. SHE LOVES IT!!! I'm not sure if it's the smooth texture or if it just tastes better, but it definitely is a hit. She has been eating a lot! Oh well, I tried! Unfortunately it was back to work Monday morning, but it's only 7 more weeks until summer!

Showing off her legs!

One of her garage sale finds... hoping she continues

to be a thrifty shopper!

6 Months

2011-04-06T21:44:00.001-07:00

I just can't believe the first half of Marin's first year is over. She is an absolute joy and makes me laugh everyday! I wish I could freeze her at this age because it's just perfect. She can do so many things, but I'm not having to chase her around yet. She had her six month checkup today and she is 28 inches long and 19 pounds 3 ounces; both of those put her in the 95th percentile. Here are a few things about our sweet angel at six months:

She is a pro at sitting up. She's been doing this since 5 months, but now she's good enough to where you don't have to worry about her tipping over.
Marin has two sharp little teeth right in the bottom front. They started coming in at about 4 1/2 months.
She loves to jump and swing. She has gotten pretty good at scooting around in her walker, but she moves it with both feet at the same time.
She sleeps on her tummy most of the time. Marin is like clockwork when it comes to her daytime schedule. She's a great napper, but she rarely sleeps all the way through the night. She made it an entire week last week, but not so much this week.
Surprisingly, she's not really into eating solids. She does love peaches, apples, and oatmeal, but pretty much everything else comes right out.
This week she has really started talking... lalala and dadada. It's so cute to watch her try to talk to us and really use her tongue to make sounds.
She has also started reaching out for when she wants to be picked up.... so sweet.
Marin loves loves loves being outside, and Bentley always makes her smile. He is really good about letting her pull his hair and ears, although I can tell he's not too thrilled with it.
Her favorite song is "Itsy Bitsy Spider". She can be fussing and once we start singing that song she gives an immediate smile.
She hasn't really shown any interest in crawling yet, but she does get up on all fours in her crib and kind of scoot backwards.

To sum it up, Mark said the other night he wishes we had two of her!

My buddy

Swinging at the park

Fun times on the front porch

A new trick... she blows all the air out of her lungs and the takes a big breath!

Beach Baby

2011-03-21T20:31:00.000-07:00

If you know me or Mark at all, you know we tend to be last minute planners. So, we were enjoying the beautiful weather on the front porch last week and decided we just couldn't let Spring Break pass us by without a trip to the beach. We packed up the car with what felt like everything we own and took Marin on her first trip to Destin. I must say she was an absolute angel the whole trip and never once complained about being stuck in the car. The weather was just gorgeous, and the ocean water was the prettiest we have seen it in years. We enjoyed some nice dinners out and strolled around Baytown Wharf and Seaside at night.

Marin loved the beach, and she was just so precious in all her beach attire. She really enjoyed sitting on the beach and watching the waves and the seagulls. She never messed with her sunglasses or hat either. The water was freezing, but I had to stick her fit in just for a moment, which she did not appreciate. I'm sure it won't be long before we're back at the beach, but Marin will be totally different. It was nice not having to chase her around anywhere. I'm enjoying her immobility right now when we can just sit her down somewhere and she's content right where we put her. Spring Break 2011 was the best!!! I treasured every second spent with my baby girl!

She loved feeling the sand, and of course putting

it in her mouth!

High Chair Fun

2011-03-05T12:25:00.000-08:00

Last weekend we bought Marin a high chair hoping that would inspire her to eat solids a little better. She LOVES the high chair! She is having so much fun in it. She is still making a huge mess and not getting a ton of food actually swallowed, but that's OK. Her favorites right now are apples, sweet potatoes, and cereal. The other night I started laughing at what a mess she was making, and she looked right back at me and laughed because I was laughing. It was so cute. When she finishes her "meal" Mark takes her on a ride around the house in her high chair, which she thinks is the best! She goes flying around the dining room with a huge grin on her face!

We'll work on manners later!

Lately

2011-02-21T16:21:00.000-08:00

We have had such beautiful weather lately. It has been a wonderful break in February. The neighborhood has come alive after hibernation! We have really enjoyed going on walks and hanging out at the park. Marin has had lots of fun swinging. It makes it really hard to go to work wishing I was at home playing with her outside.

Each new stage of Marin's life brings excitement and a little sadness knowing that she'll never be that tiny baby anymore. I get so sad putting away the clothes that she has outgrown. Marin has two little teeth coming in the bottom front, and I'm really going to miss that sweet toothless smile! She rolls over all the time now, and she can roll over both ways! She's getting pretty good at sitting up now too. Marin has gotten so much better at eating solids. She gobbles up her sweet potatoes. She tried peas for the first time yesterday, and she was not a fan. We'll keep working on those. I feel like she has really hit a growth spurt lately. She seems heavier and stronger to me. She's now taking 8 ounces in each bottle 5 times a day. That's a lot of milk!

My mom came and kept Marin for a few days, while we found a new nanny. She had so much fun with Marin and said it was hard leaving this time. So, our new nanny is so much better with Marin. She plays with her all day, and she even monogrammed her a few things already. She made a CD of children's music to play for Marin. It's much easier going to work knowing she's in good hands, even though I still wish I could be with her.

Sweet girl at 5 months

She loves swinging

She is so proud of herself now that she can sit up!

A Sad Goodbye

2011-02-21T15:34:00.000-08:00

After the Iron Bowl, an Alabama fan decided to poison our beloved oak trees at Toomer's Corner in Auburn. These 130 year old trees are so beautiful and mean a tremendous amount to the Auburn family. It's so hard to understand how someone could do that. To have such a lack of respect for nature makes no sense to me. These trees are irreplaceable, and the news of this brought such sadness to us and the entire Auburn family. We always envisioned ourselves taking Marin to Toomer's Corner, and it may never be the same. So, this weekend we decided to load up and head to Auburn so we could at least take her there to see the trees one more time. It was a beautiful day and it was fun and sad all at the same time to see so many people coming out to say their goodbye's. This man has taken a symbol of our school, but he can never change the Auburn spirit.

I hope they can survive

Daddy taking Marin into Toomer's for their famous lemonade...

maybe next time she'll get to have some.

She loves Auburn already!

The new basketball arena that I hadn't seen yet.

It was so fun taking Marin around campus and trying to

guess what it might be like by the time she goes to school there.

It has already changed so much since we were there.

So tired after a fun day outside. Check out those chubby legs!

4 Months Already

2011-01-25T19:52:00.000-08:00

I keep telling Marin to stop growing up, and she's definitely not listening. She turned four months old last week. It amazes me when I stop and think that 1/3 of her first year is gone! Why can't they stay babies longer?? I have really enjoyed these four months with her. She is just constantly doing something cute, and I'm just more and more in love with her everyday.

She had her four month check up today, and everything was great! She is 16 pounds 14 ounces, which is in the 90th percentile. She is 25 inches long, which is also in the 90th percentile. Here are a few things about Marin at this age:

She loves to play airplane by flying on my legs.
She rolls onto her side all the time now, and has even rolled all the way over a few times.
Even her cry is adorable. Somehow she makes her face completely flat and rolls her bottom lip. When she's really mad, she holds her breath and her whole face turns red.
Loud noises make her cry, especially when she's zoned out having a bottle.
She hates wearing hats.
She loves to roll on her side in her crib and feel the inside of her bumper. It helps her go to sleep.
She is definitely going to be a thumb sucker. A lot of times she sucks on her entire hand, or she'll put her thumb and pointer together and suck on those. She only occasionally takes a pacifier at bedtime.
I love listening to her talk and laugh at herself while she lays in her crib.
She LOVES music. When Mark plays the guitar, she is mesmerized and sometimes it even puts her to sleep. She really does love any music though... instruments, singing, the radio. Marin laughs if you sing or dance with her. I think she will have some musical talent.
She is beginning to learn how to eat. She is slowly getting better at eating cereal. Once she masters that I'm excited to begin feeding her real food. I've been making and freezing some veggies for her!

Enjoying tummy time these days

The most adorable smile

She LOVES this doll. Her face just lights up when she sees it. I guess she thinks it's another baby because it makes all kinds of baby noises just like her.

She has to wear things with hoods if we go out in the cold because she dislikes hats so much.

Tasting cereal for the first time

Auburn University: 2010 BCS Champions

2011-01-18T14:57:00.000-08:00

Mark amazingly made it to the championship game in Glendale after being told they didn't have the tickets he bought to the game anymore, surviving an overnight stay at a Birmingham airport hotel and winter storm weather delays. After spending most of the morning and afternoon waiting at the airport, they arrived at the stadium when the team ran onto the field... 10 minutes before kickoff. Then, right after the game, they got on a plane and came home. He basically spent 6 hours in Arizona and 30 hours getting there. But it was worth it because Auburn WON!!!

Tickets are finally in hand!

Blood splatter on the bedside lampshade at the "shady" Birmingham airport hotel. Yikes!

Pink and white = Birmingham shuts down.

Finally made it to the game. Just in time.

Mr. Penny!

Mom and her two (of three) sons.

Auburn is the 2010 BCS Champion!

First Swim

2011-01-17T07:44:00.000-08:00

Marin and I were looking for a way to get out of the house, but also out of the cold. So, we went to an indoor swimming pool and tried out her new bathing suit. She really liked it, but unfortunately the water was a little chillier than I expected. We didn't last too long, but she did look so adorably cute. We had fun, so I now I need to find an indoor pool in Birmingham that's a bit warmer before she outgrows this bathing suit. I can tell we're going to have a lot of fun at the pool this summer! She's going to have to love the pool, since that's about what I do everyday in the summer!

Marin Reports Live on the Scene

2011-01-05T16:05:00.000-08:00

Mark is working on his iMovie production skills. Here is his first project...

The Year of Change

2010-12-31T08:29:00.001-08:00

This time last year we were desperately hoping for some change in our lives. We said that 2010 would be "The Year of Change" for us, and we were right! We were fortunate to be able to sell our house and move into a new home in Ross Bridge, which is where we had been wanting to be for quite some time. And on New Years Eve of 2009 we found out we were expecting a baby in 2010! What a perfect way to ring in the new year. I will never forget that phone call and the words I had been wanting to hear for so long. Marin has certainly changed our lives and I wouldn't have it any other way. We were so blessed in 2010 and hate to see it go, but maybe 2011 has exciting things in store for us as well!

My 2010 angel

Christmas 2010

2010-12-27T17:45:00.001-08:00

We had a wonderful first Christmas in our new home with Marin. It's amazing how having a baby brings an even greater spirit to Christmas. It began with the Lighting of the Green, our neighborhood Christmas celebration. We had my brother and sister in law and their kids over for dinner. Then we headed to the front of the neighborhood to see Santa! It was fun catching up with some of our neighbors, and Marin did so good sitting on Santa's lap after quite a long wait! There was food, hot chocolate, fireworks, horse and buggy rides, and singing. It was a nice start to the Christmas season for us.

Then we decorated the tree. Actually, Mark did most of the work while Marin and I watched. Marin did hang her own ornament that she made with her handprint. We listened to Christmas music and had a really nice day together. We didn't make our usual adventure to the Christmas tree farm to chop down our own tree. We decided that it was too cold and too difficult with a two month old. Next year, I'm sure we'll go back to the farm though.

Of course, we had to take pictures for Christmas cards. Marin had to pose with her cousins for Mark's parents card. Poor Marin was only two months old and of course could not sit up on her own. She was all scrunched up and oh so mad!!! Needless to say, her screaming and crying was infectious and we actually got a pretty funny card out of it!

Marin's cousins, Cameron and Currin, hosted a Happy Birthday Jesus party. We had a lot of fun visiting and having lunch at their house. Marin must have partied a little too hard and passed out in my arms right in the middle of it!

We hosted a brunch to celebrate Christmas with Mark's family. It was so nice to get everyone together and just enjoy the company. Marin had fun playing with her cousins and grandparents. She loves having people over!

For Christmas we went up to Knoxville to visit my family. My sister, Debbie, hosted a very nice Christmas Eve dinner. Then we went to my sister Susie's house for Christmas day breakfast and mom hosted Christmas dinner at her home. Again, Marin had so fun being with her family. Her cousin, Audrey, especially loved laying on the bed and playing with Marin. She kept saying, "Her likes me!" My Christmas present from Marin was sleeping through the night on Christmas Eve! That was all I really wanted, and somehow she knew it! Unfortunately, it didn't continue as I hoped, but it was still nice. Marin's first Christmas was a white one. We had fun playing in the snow with Bentley. He LOVES snow and chased us up and down the hills during sledding.

Dancing With Daddy

2010-12-14T14:19:00.000-08:00

Marin's new favorite thing is dancing with Daddy! She really starts laughing and even squeals when she gets really excited! It's the cutest thing I've ever seen. Hopefully I can get a video of it, but here are some pictures for now.

Thankful

2010-12-06T10:23:00.001-08:00

I think Marin decided to make sure we had something to be thankful for this Thanksgiving! She started feeling sick Thanksgiving evening. She threw up, wasn't eating much, and extremely fussy. I knew something wasn't right. On Friday, she still wasn't eating much so we called our pediatrician. They were closed and told us to take her to Children's Hospital. We left home at halftime of the Iron Bowl. We watched the rest of the Iron Bowl from the ER waiting room. It was actually quite a memorable way to watch it. After a few tests, they decided Marin had a bladder infection and sent us home with antibiotics. On Sunday she still wasn't feeling any better and the pediatrician sent us back to Children's since she still had a high white blood cell count. I had a feeling they were going to put her through some unnecessary tests, but I had no idea what we were getting into. Once we met with a doctor there, she told us a few different things it could be. She mentioned meningitis and a problem with her bowels. Poor Marin had a spinal tap, X-ray, ultrasound and four blown veins from trying to get an IV started. Late that night they finally said it might just be a stomach virus. I can't believe they put her though all that just for the stomach virus. I wish they had mentioned that possibility a bit earlier before she had all those tests. We had to spend the night with her in the hospital and she was already feeling better by the next day. She is back to her old self and feeling great now. I wish we had just waited it out at home a bit longer, but we didn't know what to do. Anyway, I am just so thankful she didn't have anything seriously wrong with her. Her health is something I will never take for granted!

Poor baby

Watching the Iron Bowl from the ER was quite interesting

There was a good mix of AU/UA fans, but this guy decided to stand right in front of us.

We thought it was pretty funny.

A Happy Two Months

2010-11-21T20:05:00.000-08:00

Marin has been smiling and cooing for several weeks now, but yesterday on her two month birthday she let out a real laugh. It is the sweetest and funniest sound I have ever heard! She's such a Daddy's girl that of course he's the one that made her laugh! She is just such a fun little girl and I find myself just staring at her in hopes that I never forget all her sweet looks and sounds as a newborn. Below is a video of her adorable little laugh. We had to hide the video camera behind Mark because if she can see the camera she'll just stare at it. Enjoy!

War Eagle

2010-11-16T13:50:00.001-08:00

Mark and I were able to take Marin to one of our favorite places... Auburn. I just love Auburn. Even though I only spent four years there, it always feels like home when we visit. It was fun taking Marin around and showing her the places I used to go (even though I know she doesn't understand yet). We walked around campus, and of course had a picture made at Samford and then we tailgated the rest of the day. We made a quick appearance at Tiger Walk before I realized it was just too loud for her. Mark went into the game, while Marin and I headed back to the lake. She crashed once we got to the lake. I think Auburn wore her out! We watched the game on TV and enjoyed a nice quiet night at home together.

The Ballerinas

2010-11-15T18:59:00.001-08:00

Evyn (3 mos.) Cameron (5 mos.) Marin (1 mo.)

Marin and her cousins, Evyn and Cameron, dressed as ballerinas for their first Halloween. Our neighborhood was packed for Halloween. We enjoyed a nice dinner together and then Marin enjoyed a bottle while everyone else went trick or treating.

It is going to be so much fun watching these three girls grow up together. I can't wait to see them play at the lake together and have spend the night parties! Will they be perfect angels or get each other in trouble?? Let's hope Marin is not the instigator if so!

So In Love

2010-11-08T12:26:00.000-08:00

When I was pregnant everyone told me how difficult parenthood is, but no one can even begin to explain what a wonderful experience it is to be a parent. We are both just so in love with this little girl. There is nothing better in this world than that toothless grin. I know this sounds crazy, but I even like getting up with her in the middle of the night. It is such a sweet peaceful time with just the two of us. She is so fun now that she is cooing and smiling.

Marin is growing like crazy. At her six week check up she was 12 pounds and 24 inches, which means she's off the charts for both height and weight. We love her chubby cheeks and thighs! We are having so much fun with Marin, and she gives us something to look forward to everyday! What a blessing.

Road Trip

2010-11-02T14:31:00.000-07:00

Marin went on her first out of state trip Saturday. Mark and I love to travel, so we are hoping Marin will be a good traveler too. We went to Chattanooga for a visit and it was a success. I was a little nervous how things would be traveling with a newborn, but she did great! I think she really had a good time. We love Chattanooga because the downtown is so easy to walk around. We had a good time just walking around shops and hanging out in Coolidge Park. That night we watched Auburn win another game at a fun restaurant/bar downtown. Marin was so well behaved the whole time. I think she enjoyed getting out of the house just as much as Mommy. I told Mark that this trip was just what the doctor ordered.. I needed a change of scenery! I think we're ready for a beach trip now!

She loves hotels just like Mommy

Blowing bubbles during the Auburn game

Watching a carousel

Enjoying the park

Daddy had fun showing Marin Chattanooga

Bath Time

2010-10-19T19:13:00.000-07:00

Marin LOVES bath time! I am relieved because she absolutely hated sponge baths. I got up the courage to try out a real bath once her cord fell off. She didn't cry at all until it was time to get out. She smiled, cooed and kicked her feet the whole time. I remember loving baths as a child and now I am looking forward to many fun baths with her!

First Days

2010-10-06T10:13:00.000-07:00

We welcomed Marin Warren Carter into the world on September 20th at 7:05 pm. She weighed 8 lbs 15 oz and was 21 3/4 inches long. We are so in love with this little girl already. Each day seems to get a bit easier. She is a fantastic night sleeper, but we're working on taking naps during the day. She has so many funny expressions and the cutest smile I have ever seen. She squeaks and chirps all the time, which makes us laugh. We have enjoyed some nice walks around the neighborhood and even a picnic in the park one day. Mark comes home at lunch and can't wait to see her. He is definitely head over heels for her. She is definitely Daddy's girl. Here are a few pictures from our first couple weeks together. As you can tell, she loves sleeping on her tummy ...especially when she's curled up on mommy or daddy's chest.

First night

Happy family after a long day!

I'll never forget the moment I heard Mark say, "It's a girl!"

Big girl!

There's nothing better in this world than seeing the man you love

holding your baby girl. I love them both more than anything.

I can stare at that sweet face all day.

Bentley is so good with her.

Daddy's girl

Her favorite position

She was so good for visitors!

Daddy reading to her for the first time

So sweet

Last Day

2010-09-19T19:44:00.001-07:00

Baby Carter is now 8 days late and is being forced out tomorrow. So, today was our official "last day of Independent Mark and Kathy." Thinking about how much life will change for us makes me nervous and a little sad. Mark and I have had so much fun together over the past 7 years that it's hard to accept things changing too much. So, today we knew we had to enjoy every moment. The day started off with a delicious breakfast at Panera and then a nice long walk on the trail at Lakeshore with Bentley. It was a beautiful morning, and it was so nice to enjoy it just the three of us. We came back home and relaxed and then got the house clean for when we come back. Then we had dinner at PF Chang's and walked off some of our dinner strolling around the Summit. When we got home, we enjoyed the night with Bentley on our front porch. Have I mentioned how much we love our front porch? We live out there. Anyway, Mark and I have definitely enjoyed lots of fun adventures together, but some of our most favorite memories are days just like today. We're hoping for a somewhat smooth day tomorrow, and we can't wait to share the news of our arrival!

I love my boys! Aren't they the cutest?

Just Waiting

2010-09-08T19:43:00.000-07:00

As you can see by the ticker and by the size of my belly, we are only days away from meeting this little one. We are more than ready to meet him/her. For weeks, the doctor has said... "could be any day now." Hearing that just makes the wait seem even longer. I have not made any progress in the last couple weeks, so it seems like Baby will probably arrive after the due date. I think we're as ready as we'll ever be. The nursery is complete, clothes are washed, bags are packed, and names are picked out! Everyone at school is shocked when they see me every morning... apparently I look huge and ready! I'm so thankful that I still feel great. I haven't had any swelling or stretch marks.

The other thing we have been anxiously anticipating has started... AUBURN FOOTBALL! We made it to the first game, and it was so fun just to be back in Auburn. Of course, I finally got my Amsterdam turkey wraps and sweet potato chips that I've been craving. Our offense was exciting to watch, and we are really looking forward to this season. I did have some contractions on the way home from the game. I didn't tell Mark, though, because I knew that panic would ensue. Sadly, this is the only picture that we got at the game.

Summer Project

2010-08-28T13:09:00.000-07:00

This is Baby's coming home outfit and my first attempt at smocking. It's certainly not perfect, but I'm feeling proud of it! It was fun to learn something new, but it definitely took some time and patience. Hopefully there will be more outfits to come. We are just getting some last minute things together this weekend and finally packing our bags for the hospital. We're getting really excited to meet this little baby. The suspense of knowing he/she could arrive any day is so exciting!

Getting Closer!

2010-08-21T10:13:00.001-07:00

We're getting close! I went to the doctor on Tuesday and I was 1 cm dilated and 50%. That's not much, but it's progress. Most people seem to think I won't even make it to September, but I don't really feel any differently. I am still feeling great and taking Bentley for walks everyday. School has started back, so I'm definitely tired at the end of the day. The beginning of the school year is always exhausting, but this extra weight on my feet is not helping. I'm so glad I'm not swollen, though. I think we have gotten all the last things we need for Baby. We still need more clothes, but I guess those will come once we find out boy/girl. Everyone still believes it's going to be a boy, but I have no idea. I am so excited to meet this little one, but I'm also enjoying my days with just Mark and Bentley for now.

Belly at almost 37 weeks

Baby Shower Fun

2010-08-06T21:18:00.000-07:00

WOW!! Look at that ticker! We have less than 40 days until we meet this little one! It's unbelievable really. As Mark says... we're about to have a roommate for the next 18 years that we've never even met! He's getting a little nervous about the whole delivery, but I think he'll be fine when it really comes.

I had my big shower last weekend and had a great time! I never feel like I get around to talk to everyone as much as I should as those types of things, but I really appreciated everyone who came. We had a very yummy lunch with one of my favorite desserts... Baby Bites! We got a lot of gifts and I spent this week getting some essentials that we didn't have yet. I had to get everything close to ready since I start school NEXT week! Yes, I'm going to be exhausted! But, I'm sure it will also help these last few weeks fly by! Let's say a little prayer that I have a sweet class this year that really gets along... no girl drama PLEASE!

34 week belly

Weekend Getaway

2010-08-02T09:28:00.000-07:00

A few Thursdays ago, Mark and I decided that we couldn't let an entire summer go by without a trip to the beach. So on Friday we packed Bentley up and headed down to Fort Morgan. It was fun to be able to include Bentley in the trip. He had a blast!! We basically just hung out on the beach and enjoyed some dinners out. The beach was beautiful. There were a few tarballs, but nothing that stopped us from getting in the water and walking along the beach. Bentley was in and out of the water all day long! Mark and I challenged each other to a couple games of miniature golf! I won only because Mark gave me a handicap. It was so fun just to get away for a little break to the beach. There's something about being at the beach that is good for your soul. I hope we can still find time to spend together after the baby comes. I also hope Baby is a good traveler. We love to be on the go!

Even though we set up an umbrella for B-dog, he wanted to be in the small spot of shade right behind our chairs. He always wants to be right by us.

Life is good!

This is the best, daddy!

Super sandy

Cousin #13

2010-07-26T19:55:00.000-07:00

Baby Carter now has 13 cousins!!! Evyn Elizabeth was born last week. Baby is officially the next to make his/her arrival. I hope they have many fun years ahead. I don't have pictures of all of them on my computer... hint hint to all my sisters and sisters in law. I need more pictures. So here's a list of all the cousins that Baby has to look forward to meeting: Gracie, Baylor, Andrew, Colin, Bailey, Bridget, Audrey, Currin, Ethan, Banks, Beres, Cameron and Evyn. I'll have to write a post with all their pictures... coming soon!

We have an exciting week ahead with a doctor's appointment and a shower, so more to come. I think this is the only time in my life that I'll look forward to doctor's appointments!

Evyn Elizabeth Carter

Baby Has a Bed

2010-07-15T20:04:00.000-07:00

My loyal helpers

The crib bedding arrived, and I couldn't wait to put it all together. We immediately went to Buy Buy Baby and bought a mattress and mattress pad so the crib would be complete! I must take a minute just to say what a great daddy Mark has been already. He literally put the mattresses right on the floor of Buy Buy Baby and laid on each one to find the firmest one. He's so good to me and Baby! I can tell he's going to be really involved in this little one's life and I'm so happy our child will have such a wonderful daddy. Anyway, I love the bedding and I like to just go in the room and look at the crib trying to imagine our little one laying in there. I can't believe we are finally having our very own baby! I'm just so excited!

I had my 31 week appointment this week, and everything still looks healthy. I was able to have a surprise ultrasound because the baby is breech right now. There is still time for the baby to turn, and even if it doesn't I'm not stressed out about it. As long as I have a healthy baby I don't care how it's delivered.

29 Weeks and A New Hobby

2010-07-02T18:44:00.000-07:00

I had my 29 week doctor's appointment this week, and everything is healthy and right on track! I have only gained 4 pounds in the last 7 weeks, so I was pretty happy about that even though it looks like a lot more than that. I still can't believe what a miracle this baby is. Feeling it kick and move around (which it's doing all the time) is just so amazing. Last night it kicked so hard that it shook the whole bed. When people say "I can't believe you're not finding out. That's crazy!" I just want to explain that when you try for a baby so long that it's not really about clothes or decorating the nursery anymore. I'm just thrilled to have a precious baby. Anyway, that's how I feel about that.

A couple questions for all my mom friends out there.

1. If I buy a jogging stroller should I also have a regular stroller? I was thinking about getting the City Mini and the FIT by Baby Jogger, but then I was wondering... can't I just take the jogging stroller everywhere? Or is it too difficult to take everywhere and would I wish I had a regular one also?

2. Anyone out there use cloth diapers? I know that sounds crazy, but they have really come a long way. They don't seem too difficult, and of course they are cheaper and better for the environment. Plus, it just seems healthier for the baby. I don't know... I have a feeling it may be one of those things I get all excited about and two weeks later I give up.

I started smocking lessons this week! I have never sewn anything at all and I have no artistic ability, so this is a big adventure for me. It's pretty fun so far, but all we've done is practice. I have a feeling that once I start on a real project it's going to get a bit stressful. Hopefully in a few weeks I'll have a finished project to show off!

A Shower and Icings

2010-06-28T12:26:00.000-07:00

What a fun weekend! It all started Thursday night when I went to a neighborhood Bunco get together. It was great meeting a bunch of the girls in the neighborhood without them having to chase their kids around. We stayed up chatting until about 11:30. Mark and Bentley hung out outside with one of our neighbors and their dogs while I was at Bunco. So all three of us were tired!

Saturday morning I went to my friend, Jenny's, baby shower. It was at our friend's, Ginger's, parents house in Mountain Brook, and it was gorgeous! We had some excellent food and it was just fun visiting with everyone. We're looking forward to meeting Jenny's little girl, Maggie, in about a month or so. I hope our children grow up being good friends!

Saturday afternoon we went to our friends, Jason and Rebecca's, house for a cookout. The weather cooperated and it was so fun seeing everyone. We had some great food, and Mark and his friends enjoyed "icing" each other. Watch the video below of Gabe getting "iced" and Alex saying, "Woahhhh Gaaaabe" in her hilarious NYC/Miami/Las Vegas/Oxford, MS accent.

I have my 29 week appointment tomorrow, and I actually have a couple questions this time. Usually I don't know what to ask and the appointment lasts about 5 minutes. I have been having horrible middle of the night leg cramps and they are getting more frequent, so I think I'll see if there's anything I can do about that. Other than that, things have been going great! I actually really love being pregnant, and I think I'm actually going to miss it. I know, some of you think I'm crazy!

Catching Up

2010-06-23T12:55:00.000-07:00

This summer has gotten off to a busy start. Now that it's all settling down, I'm hoping to post a little more often. My last week of school was just crazy. Mark took his final section of the CPA exam on Monday. My last day was Wednesday. We were closing on our house and moving on Thursday and then closing on our new home Friday. That was the plan at least. Everything was going great, and then we were told our closing on our new would be moved to the following Friday. Only one problem... we were left homeless for a week. Thankfully, the owners let us move everything off the truck and into the house, but we couldn't actually live there. So, we packed Bentley up and headed to the lake house. I must say it was a wonderfully relaxing and quiet week at the lake that was much needed. Bentley and I enjoyed a lot of walks and swimming together. Unfortunately, my camera was packed up somewhere at the time so I have no pictures of that week.

Anyway, things have settled down now and we're enjoying life in Ross Bridge. I have been walking a lot and lounging in the pool. We have made several new purchases including a king bed, dining room table, sofa, and furniture for our favorite place in the house- the front porch! Needless to say, baby's room has been a little neglected. I did put together a bouncy seat from my shower at school and Mark put the crib together. It took a total of about ten minutes, but I guess that's a start. Yes, I know the room is pink and there is a 50% chance that it's not a girl. It was pink when we moved in, and we're waiting on the bedding before we decide what color the room should be. I'm sure we'll paint over the pink and then have a girl! I am 28 weeks now, and I'm really wishing my shower were sooner because I have plenty of free time and I'm wanting to get things organized and ready. I'm trying not to shop too much until after my shower, but it's hard to wait! More exciting news... I think we have names picked out. We're withholding that information too and making everything a surprise in September!

Bentley was a big help!

All this assembling really wore Bentley out!

Final product... ready for Baby!

My mom painted these many years ago, and I can't wait to see them in the nursery!

First Thing's First

2010-05-01T19:20:00.001-07:00

So we don't even have the beginnings of a nursery, but we did buy Baby an Auburn outfit to cheer on The Tigers this fall!! We are ready to share one of our favorite places with Baby. I just could not resist this cute outfit. I'm hoping it will work for either a boy or girl.

My sweet friends at school are throwing me my first shower on Monday! I'm so excited. Here's a belly shot at 20 weeks. I feel huge already, and I know it's only going to get more out of control. I still feel like it's a boy and Mark is thinking girl. We love being able to feel it moving around. I have another appointment next week at 22 weeks. September still feels so far away, but I know this summer will fly by as always.

Baby Carter Pictures

2010-04-13T19:04:00.000-07:00

I had my 18 week appointment today. I love my doctor, but the appointments and waiting take forever. We got some great pictures and a DVD of the whole ultrasound. It was so fun watching he/she move all around in there. He/she kept pulling his/her feet up by its head. We stayed strong and didn't find out what it is. I'm glad we didn't because I think it will be really special to wait. I feel relieved now knowing that everything looked normal. The spine, heart, and face formations were all normal. The baby is actually measuring a week bigger than 18 weeks, but they aren't changing my due date just yet.

Other fun news... Robb and Megean (Mark's brother and his wife) have officially moved to Birmingham! They are having a little girl in May, and we're so excited to watch our babies grow up together! We're going over to their house to have dinner and show our ultrasound DVD. We'll get their votes on what they think the baby is!

I have been feeling great the past few weeks! I can even feel the baby moving now, which is such a great feeling! I am so grateful and happy to be pregnant. I can't wait to hold this sweet baby! Here are a couple pics from today.

Baby Update

2010-03-23T19:37:00.000-07:00

It has been way too long since my last blog entry... sorry! Baby seems to be doing great! I had my 15 week appointment today, and I was able to hear the heartbeat. At 12 weeks, the heartbeat was 162 bpm and today it was 153 bpm. I just love hearing that sound! I go back to the doctor in three weeks for the "big" ultrasound. We won't be finding out what we're having... we're just so happy to be having a baby we don't care what it is! I still can't wait to see what Baby looks like, though.

Most days I feel great except I've had a few migraines that have made me sick. I'm hungry all the time, which is taking some getting used to. My clothes options are getting limited, so I'm excited that spring seems to be here, which means loose, comfy dresses! Our house is still for sale, and we're not sure where we're moving next, so no I have not begun to get anything for the nursery. We don't want to set anything up and then have to move it all. But, I can't wait to get everything settled and organized.... soon hopefully! Here are some ultrasound pictures, but of course I'll have some better ones to share in a few weeks.

Baby at 9 weeks showing off some big feet.

Baby at 12 weeks.

He/she was moving around so quickly that it was difficult to get a clear picture.

Snow Days!

2010-03-03T18:55:00.000-08:00

Well, we have had some unusual Alabama weather. We are usually excited over a day of flurries, but it has actually snowed here this winter.... and more than once! I do love the snow, but it's March and I'm ready for spring to come and stay! Bentley just loves the snow! I got out of school early a few weeks ago, and we played in the snow for hours. His girlfriend, Lily, even showed up to play for awhile. Bentley's favorite part is catching snowballs and rolling around in the snow. Here are a few funny pictures.

I hope everyone is staying warm!

Very Exciting News

2010-02-09T17:27:00.001-08:00

Well, we can't keep it a secret any longer. We're going to have a baby in September! We are just beyond excited! There have been a few scary moments and I'm still taking nightly shots to keep my progesterone up. I have been feeling great, though. I've had no sickness, but instead I'm hungry ALL the time! The ultrasound pictures have been so fun to see. Each week, I can see a lot of growth. Yesterday, we saw arms and legs moving all around (even toes)! I'm sure I'll have plenty of stories over the next several months. September seems so far away, but maybe it will be here in no time. I feel like there is a noticeable pooch forming already, but I'm trying to wait until spring to do some shopping. However, spring seems like it's not coming anytime soon. If anyone has any used baby things they'd like to donate I'm willing to take anything! I can't wait until I have some baby pictures to post! Oh, and yes, Bentley is going to be the BEST big brother EVER! I'll keep everyone updated.

Comfort and Joy

2010-01-07T19:35:00.000-08:00

I hope everyone had a great Christmas and is enjoying the New Year. Bentley got a new bed for Christmas, and he has pretty much spent all of his time in it. The weather has been too cold for us to do much of anything fun outside.

In other news, the year started with an Auburn victory! We enjoyed this football season, and we're looking forward to next season! All of our games this year either had a severe storm or a drizzling rain. This is Mark enjoying the beautiful weather at the Ole Miss game. At least we won!

I hope 2010 is good to all of us!

Home for sale

2009-11-22T19:46:00.000-08:00

I'm sad and excited to say that we're selling our home. I'm sad because this is our first home together, and we've made a lot of memories here. We're proud of all the renovating that we successfully accomplished. We think it's a pretty cute home in a great neighborhood. We will miss our sweet neighbors. If you know of anyone looking for a cute 3/2 in Vestavia, please send them our way. If we find a buyer, we have a lot to build on in Ross Bridge.

http://www.forsale-byowner.com/listings/4700-4799/4734.html