Happy Days!

Things have been going much better around here lately.  Ben’s teeth finally made their appearance – one last Sunday and the next on Tuesday.  He is a much happier baby!  I have never had a baby have such a hard time teething.  I guess part of it is how young he is.  I am just glad that it’s over for now.   On top of that, he slept 8 hours the other night! Not so much last night, but at least now I know it’s possible.  There is a light at the end of  this sleepless tunnel.

Carter is over whatever he had and back to his usual self.  He got a haircut this week and it really hit me how fast he has grown up.  He turns 5 in a few weeks!  I think part of it is that he lost some weight when he was sick, but he is losing his little boyish-ness.  Before I know it he will be moving out!  I need to remember to enjoy these awesome kids while they are still small.   Mike, being the awesome husband that he is, replaced my camera that was stolen last week.  In celebration, me and Ben had a little photo shoot.  There are a bunch, and they are all similar, but I love them all.  So look if you want to, don’t if you don’t.  But really, you should look.  He’s pretty dang cute. 

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What a week!

This week has been pretty rough. We have had lots of ups and downs. Carter woke up Monday morning with a fever. He came down with a bad cold and ended up with an ear infection. That alone hasn't been that bad - he really hasn't done much but sleep all week. He is feeling better now, and hopefully he will be back to school on Tuesday. Ben has been teething lately (his first tooth popped out today!) and on top of that, he got whatever Carter got. No ear infection, just the cold. So he has been cranky all week.

In spite of Carter being sick and Ben being cranky, we had a great Thanksgiving! With Carter being sick all week and we were thinking that we may have to miss out, but he was doing better Wednesday night/Thursday morning so we went over to a friend's house and had a fabulous dinner with some of our best friends. I made a turkey, and it was delicious!

By the time we were done with dinner, Carter was feeling sick again and went to lay down. Samantha wanted to be a part of the party too.

On Friday I finally took Carter to the doctor. While we were in Walgreen's filling his prescription afterwards my car got broken into. They stole my GPS and my camera. I was devastated over the camera. I think that Carter may have been even more upset. I had Mike come and pick him up so he wouldn't have to wait for the cops with me. Mike said it took him 10-15 minutes to calm him down. He was crying and going on about how people should just be honest and how it was just a terrible thing. Samantha offered to give me her camera as a replacement. We are working with the insurance and I have overcome the initial devastation. Mike got my window fixed and hopefully I will have a new camera by Christmas.

Finally, I got to see New Moon yesterday. It was so fun to go out with the girls and leave the kids at home. I can't say that it was my favorite movie ever, but I thought it was good. I have to admit that I think Jacob is pretty dang hot. I also have to admit that it causes some serious internal conflict because he reminds me a bit of my little brother. I think it's mostly the mouth, I don't know. Something to discuss with my therapist I guess.

Hopefully with some medication and rest we will be back to normal this week!

Halloween

I have been meaning to get the kids back into their costumes to get better pictures than this, but it hasn't happened yet. It was so fun to have Grandpa get to go trick or treating with us! Carter informed us that this was "the best Halloween ever!" This was the first year that he really got trick or treating. Samantha thought it was ok, but once a kid in a mask started following us she decided she was done. "I don't like that guy" she kept on saying over and over.
She was a princess under her jacket. Carter was a GI Joe ninja and Ben was a baby. I was a total slacker and didn't even dress him up. Like he will remember, right?

A day at the beach

While my parents were here I took them down to the lake.  My mom hasn’t ever seen the ocean, so I figured this is the next best thing.  It was pretty cold and windy, but we had a good time.  I will never understand the fascination with throwing rocks in the water. 

Carter found a stick (which he used to poke the huge dead fish he also found): Samantha ended up soaked from getting in the waves to throw her rocks. Did I mention it was cold? Aren’t grandparents the best?

Who needs sleep?

Not Ben apparently.  This kid will not sleep!  At least not in his bed. Or in his car seat.  Or really anywhere that isn’t my arms.  Ok, maybe he will for a minute, but that’s only after screaming his brains out and exhausting himself.   The sad thing is that I have read close to a dozen books on getting babies to sleep.  I know all about putting him down while he is drowsy but still awake.  All that does is give him enough time to start freaking out before I leave the room.  I know he’s too young to cry it out, but after putting him to sleep 3 times in a row in 30 minutes, what’s a mom to do?  By the end of the day he is so tired and cranky that I finally give in and put him in the wrap where he will sleep 3-4 hours.  Then I worry that by doing that I am just showing him that if he holds out long enough he gets what he wants.   Do babies even get that?   Nights are ok, but that is just because he sleeps with me.  Go ahead, judge all you want, but after getting up with him 3 times before midnight just wipes me out (oh, and did I mention his bedtime is 10?  He won’t stay asleep before then).  I do put him down in his bed in hopes that he will sleep longer, but so far we haven’t gotten very far.  Once in a while I will get 4 hours and then it’s every 30 minutes or so.  He can start crying it out at 4 months, and then we are going to have some serious sleep boot camp action.  2 more months…

In spite of the sleep issues, he’s still one of the sweetest babies I know.  I just need to vent sometimes.

Hog Heaven

I have wanted to go to the Harley Museum for a while now. I knew my dad would love it, so when my Mom and Dad came out, it was one of the first places on our list of things to do.   It was really interesting, although I think my Dad liked it more than I did (he’s kind of a machinery nerd :)).

One of my favorite parts was the architecture of the building.  Check out this rhinestone beauty:  They had to have a second alternator to power all the extra lights.      Before we left, we got to test drive a few bikes:   Me and Ben:  He was in the wrap, which is why his head is poking out at a weird angle. 

It’s definitely worth seeing, but leave the kids at home.  I know I’m glad I did (Ben doesn’t count yet). 

My Little Pumpkins

Alright, it’s a little late, but I am seriously behind on my blogging!  We were lucky and had Grandma and Grandpa Forster in town for Halloween.  Grandpa helped Samantha design and carve hers.  Carter designed his own (with the square eyes).  Carter then went through all the pumpkin guts picking out the seeds only to find out the next day that he really doesn’t like pumpkin seeds.  Sucker. The rest of us enjoyed them!  I’m not sure what all head tilting is all about, but they both do it.