mornings with Carter

7 a.m.

i wake up to my alarm - daron, asking me if he can go get Carter. i laugh because every morning he asks for my permission.

7:30

i feed Carter while daron showers.

7:45

i watch my boys play together.

the second best part of my day.

8:00

i make breakfast.

8:15 

daron and i pray together just before he rushes off to work.

Carter and i say goodbye to dad. the worst part of our day.

8:30 - 9

Carter and i do tummy time, practice the newest skill we are trying to master, and get dressed for the day.

9 - 11:30

Carter sleeps.

i check on him constantly.

there is nothing better than watching your beautiful babe sleep. nothing more peaceful.

11:30 

finally, i can wake him up.

it's only been 2 1/2 hours, but i have missed him.

i rub his tummy to wake him up.

he stretches his arms, arches his back and sticks out his cute bum. 

i melt.

11:30 - 12

i feed him in our unmade bed.

i tell myself, "tomorrow i will make the bed before i put Carter down for his nap."

NOON

it's time to play. 

i teach him that his name is Carter and that my name is mama.

we do tummy time on my chest so i can easily kiss his irresistible cheeks.

wipes are on the bed. 

i will have already changed his diaper many times this morning. i never mind.

i squeeze him.

hold him.

snuggle him.

call him mine. 

i notice the hairspray on the dresser. 
i think to myself "i should put it back in it's place but it looks so very high." 
i leave it there.
daron will use it the next morning and leave it in the same place.

12:30 

Carter will try to grab edgar.

{meet edgar ^ the orange toy}

and we play until we sleep and eat and play all over again.

our mornings around here are simple. 

simple and wonderful.

our weekend through instagram

picture 1

gone are the days when Carter likes his car seat. the screaming in the car on our way to a friends house was so intense that it resulted in me jumping in the back seat (which daron hates) and plugging him up with my nub. worked like a charm. losing a thumb has proven to be somewhat useful. (remind me that the next time i try and open the pickle jar). 

picture 2

i baked a lot. there were chocolate chip pudding cookies in this house along with strawberry cheesecake cupcakes and orange creamsicle cookies. i've decided the baking is only going to continue. a house feels more like a home with baked goods inside, wouldn't you agree?

picture 3

ever since Carter was born, i have had this aversion towards tv. so, daron and i decided to buy a puzzle that we could do together. it was a good decision.  

picture 4

the hardest time to nurse Carter is just before bed. he is constantly moving his head everywhere and craning his neck. if i try and feed him he pushes me away with those chubby, strong arms. this night, i gave up. i just sat there and watched him follow something in the room. daron says it was an angel. that makes me smile.

picture 5 

Carter on daron's lap flashin' us his flirty grin before church. i plan to be the only woman this kid flirts with until he is 18. i'll let you know how that goes.

discovering ...

baby Carter is really starting to notice the world around him. he is realizing he has these long things attached to him that can touch and grab things and that there is something pink and squishy in his mouth. i will be nursing him and notice that he has stopped eating. i'll look down and there he is- intently starring at me. i'll smile at him and say something like "hey, what are you doin!?" he giggles, gives me a huge grin, then continues on his merry way of getting a full belly.

he is mesmerized by the way i eat. i find myself acting like i am in a Carl's Jr. commercial (minus the scandalous nonsense of course!) eating my food in slow motion so he can see how it is done. he loves bright colors and is starting  to copy what daron and i do. uh oh! it's already begun ... 

 {oh those cheeks (!!!!!!!) they are just so yummy!}

over the weekend, we plan to do more discovering, bake lots of delicious baked goods (yessss), dinner with friends, attempting to make it HERE, buying a book to read together (suggestions please?), AND a puzzle. because ever since Christmas break with my in-laws, i have been dying to do a puzzle. i will also be dreaming about sledding in the puffy, white goodness this storm is bringing us. hint hint sweetheart ;)

hectic and romantic

if i had to describe our valentine's day this year in 2 words, they would be hectic and romantic. this year, it was my turn to plan lover's holiday. while daron was out of town on a 3 day work trip, i spent all my spare time planning the little details of our romantic night. i couldn't wait. then, 2 days before, i got a nasty bug that made me feel terrible. wednesday night i asked daron if we could celebrate lover's day the next day (on friday). he said it would be okay but i so badly wanted to celebrate on the actual day.

valentine's morning came and daron surprised me with beautiful flowers and peter pan on dvd. ( i really appreciated this since i am trying to collect all of the disney classics for Carter, our future children, and let's be honest, for me:) i was touched by the gesture, especially since it "technically" was not daron's year to do anything. at 10 o' clock in the morning i decided to bite the bullet and try and pull off everything i had planned. annndd this is where hectic came in...

my brain was thinking 3 things at once the entire day. i learned having a dinner that is warm, a dessert that is cooled, a set up that is complete, a kitchen that is clean, and a baby that is fed and happy is something i really need to practice! an unexpected run to the grocery store, along with daron calling me an hour earlier than i had planned saying he was on his way home did not help the stress! i got off the phone with him with the kitchen still a mess, 30 candles still needing to be lit, and the worst part, realizing i was not ready! i had 10 minutes before he walked in the door. 

i can't remember the last time i moved that fast. i was lighting the last few candles (which was a horrendous process. we don't own matches and our lighter doesn't work. i had to bring the candles up, light them using the stove and carry them back down to the basement to finish lighting the others) and i heard the garage door opening. i knew daron would get the mail so i had 2 more minutes. i finished the last candle, sprinted up the stairs, placed myself in the kitchen "like nothing was happening" and did one long exhale. i literally thought i was going to pass out from running up and down the stairs so many times. but somehow, daron didn't notice my red cheeks, the sweat on my face, and my panting. what we do all in the name of love!?

in the end, things worked out. 

daron was surprised. the food was delicious. Carter slept all night for us and we had a blast playing a game i made up for the 2 of us. i royally ruined the cupcakes we were supposed to have for dessert. but daron, being the great improviser he is, dumped the cupcakes into a bowl and called it cobbler!

and that is why he is my valentine. 

next year though, we're goin out. ;)

.the very best 3 months.

my baby turned 3 months old last week. in my desperate attempt to feel as though i am not missing a single moment of his life and to store every tiny detail of him at every stage, i have gathered nearly every picture of him taken by any phone. each picture means so much to me. going through these photos took me back to moments where i laughed, cried, worried, and rejoiced. it is obvious i'm a newbie at this mothering ordeal... trying so very hard not to forget every facial expression Carter has ever made, the different outfits he's worn, and every first that we've shared together. 

you can't blame a mother for wanting to remember the first picture she took of her newborn son, the first day they spent together all by themselves, her baby's first walk, first smile, first bath, first giggle, first Thanksgiving, first Christmas, first time standing, (ah! the memories are endless and it's only been 3 months!) if only there was a way to imprint every moment on my mind forever.

this babe of mine... we feel so blessed and lucky to have him. sometimes my heart starts racing when i think of the future with him. it can be so overwhelming. this little human's life depends so much on what i do. me, little "peanut" dani bree who is still learning so much about this life herself! the future can be nerve racking when fear of making mistakes creeps in. i have to remind myself life comes one day at a time. i always say this, but thank heavens these babies come one at a time. (most of the time ;) you mothers with twins, triplets, oh how i salute you!)

Carter Lee,

your dad and i adore you. every day i tell you how you are my favorite. everyday i tell you that your Heavenly Father loves you, Jesus loves you, your dad loves you, and i love you. don't you ever forget it.

love,

your mama

in honor of {love} day

 i want to say *thank you* to my handsome valentine. there are about 1,275,345 things i could thank for him for... but currently at the top of my list are:

-loving me when i make it oh, so very hard

-desiring to make me truly happy

-helping me raise the most beautiful baby boy

-working hard every single day to provide 

-making our baby light up 

-longing for the day when Carter can hug him back

-taking care of me when i feel terrible

-dancing with me in our kitchen

-striving to be better in every way

-being patient with my many weaknesses

-making me laugh till i cry

-being the greatest valentine i could ever ask for

and (the most important of all)

-choosing me to spend forever with.

i love you daron young-

to the moon and back.

Sweetheart & Papa

my mom and dad were in town over the weekend. their stay was all too short. a mere 24 hours was all we got with them but we'll take any second we can get. my parents arrived, hugs were given, and Carter was whisked away to the couch. my parents smothered Carter with snuggles and love. watching these 3 on the couch practically made me giddy i was so happy. finally, my baby boy was spending time with his "Sweetheart & Papa" that i miss so dearly. i definitely took this moment in.

living far from family is hard. i think it is even harder for me because i didn't expect it to be hard. i remember -miss independent me- thinking on multiple occasions that "i would not have a hard time living away from family." little did i know ... that was before i had a child of my own. now, not a day goes by that my heart isn't sad that Carter doesn't see my brothers and sisters, his cousins, and my mom and dad. daron and i are happy where we are. we have made a life here and it is a wonderful life. but that doesn't take away that tiny piece of me that aches to be with family. 

 {my mom and Carter having quite the chat^}

{ and, okay, seriously ... what in the world happened to my newborn!?!?^^^}

i remember when i left for college, i didn't shed a tear. it was like "see-yah!!!!!!!!!!" then i got married and it would be sad to see my parents go but on with life. then i had a baby ... and i'm on the verge of tears every time my parents leave. they weren't lying when they say you will never appreciate your mother more than after you have a baby. in an instant, my mother's hero status was taken to a whole new level. she is a rock star.

Sweetheart & Papa please visit again soon!

or, maybe ...........

we can come visit you?!

daron??

what do you say??

and there you have mine and daron's

topic of converstaion

for dinner tonight

;)

when dad comes home

it's getting a little ridiculous with these two.

hello monday

oh monday,

i really want to like you. i do. but you make it so hard. you take my husband away and how i miss him so. 

dear weekend,

i love you. thank you for bringing me sugar cookies, a walk with my little one and husband, sunshine (!!!), orange leaf, the very best company, and an opportunity to wear my new shirt given to me by auntie anna. i loved wearing it, even if i did realize at 10:00 p.m. it had been on backwards all day. until next time weekend, until next time. 

happy friday boobies and giggles

last friday, i took a picture of Carter's ever growing boobies that

i just

*adore*

this friday 

i have some 

"happy friday"

giggles
that show this mama
has some tricks up her sleeve
to make her darling boy
giggle.

{it's not only daron ;)}

^this kid is happy. 
it makes me so grateful.

we are looking forward to a weekend with 
Sweetheart & Papa (!!!)
it has been too long.

happy weekend!