Lisa Lisa Bo Bisa

I'm going to gloss over the fact that this reminds me he is just 2 months shy of a year and jump right in. (Gulp). Ten months. What is Carter up to these days? He   loves emptying things. Anything. If his drawer is open, he pulls out all of the clothing inside. This is particularly problematic when I am trying to put laundry away and it’s coming back out as fast as it’s going in. Not to mention the destruction to a stack of folded laundry (which is why I rarely fold in the first place), his toys, and basically anything within reach that is neatly organized. For awhile now, he likes to raise his left arm straight into the air, hand in a fist, tuck his chin, and loudly proclaim, "Woooooah" or "Wowwww." It’s hilarious. A few times he has delighted Jon with a "touchdown" move. And he still flaps his arms when he gets excited. Actual clapping with his hands is just starting to make sense to him.  He will stick out his tongue if ...

My itty bitty boy is growing fast. Yes, I am that insane mother, over-documenting my child's life and going nuts over comparisons and reflections and growth. But I went to the trouble of getting a photo of him every. single. week, so I had to do SOMETHING with them. And really, it's such a trip to look at this 40-week span of his life. Even more so than my 40 week pregnancy belly growth. My thoughts: Holy cow. I really want to snuggle that 1-week-old baby again, although I am seriously infatuated with my 41-weeker and all that he is today.  I can see his head-tilt phase here, the one that had me panicking so in the early months. Thank goodness that worked itself out. No exact repeat outfits, which is amazing considering it was not usually on my mind.  I can't believe how much his hair has grown. Out of 40 weeks, there were only 2 in which he was clearly unhappy that I can see. And we didn't do any retakes - this was a "whatever we get, we get" pro...

Last week, we celebrated our 5 year anniversary. It’s cliché, but time is flying. Sure, we’ve done a lot, seen a lot, learned a lot, tasted a lot, laughed a lot, and changed a lot in these last 5 years. And yet, I can’t wrap my head around the fact that it's already been 5 years. The old saying is definitely true: The days are long but the years are short. Per our tradition, we headed to where we were married, the Landmark Center, on our anniversary day. This time, with a baby in tow, which added some new complexity to the logistics (gone are the days of easily meeting up after work) but so exciting.  We walked around, reminisced about that most marvelous day, watched our son crawl on the floor where we had once greeted our guests, and took a few photos. (Self-timer camera = no smiley baby…I’m pretty sure he thought we were nuts, but at least he looked at the flashing light). Afterward, we had dinner down the street where our rehearsal dinner was. Carter happil...

Saaaay what? My little mister is nine months old. He has now existed longer on the outside than he did on the inside, by one week actually (if we’re getting technical). It is mind-boggling that what started out as just a dream is now this little tiny human who has become beyond our wildest dreams. Most recent stats: 20.25 lbs (61%), 28 inches (33%), and 18 inches head (88%). All over the board. He barely grew an inch in the last 3 months, but I'm told that is typical and he'll likely have a huge growth spurt in length before his 12 month checkup. It would be so strange for him to stay on the short side given both of our heights. His head sure does appear to be growing fast! ;) Carter has always had a lively personality, but we are seeing this shine through more now that he’s both mobile and comprehending more. He’s fearless and energetic and so. much. fun. He is not afraid to climb, or fall, and usually does both with a grin on his face. He tries to scale the wall...

I can't believe it is already September. It IS my most favorite month of the year, but I definitely wasn't ready for its arrival so soon. I want more summer! Fortunately, we just had a really great summer-perfect weekend that takes a bit of the sting out of the fact that summer is nearing an end. Last Friday, we both took the afternoon off work and headed to the MN State Fair. We look forward to it every year, and this year had the added excitement because of Carter. Obviously, he is a baby and doesn't yet seem to know his toe from one of his toys (both are chewable), let alone understand anything about the fair experience. But, it's tradition for our little family, and I was eager to see his reaction to the crowds and the commotion. My parents joined us, and we met up with Jon's best friend and his son as well. We all decided on our first must-have foods and parted ways to go get them as we were all starving. I couldn't get to my corn dog fast enough! We...

Nearly a month ago I boasted how great my first week of the 21 Day Fix went. Whelp. I haven't been able to do a single workout since. My back has been on and off a giant pain (quite literally). I rested it for several days, it started to feel better, I went out of town, and by the time I was ready to start this program back up, I was in pain again. All it takes is one twist or bend, or a hearty sneeze. ARGH. It doesn't help that I can't exactly stop using my back, especially with an almost 20-pound son that has been going through a Mama stage. Picking him up from the ground, or his crib, or lifting his car seat carrier... all lead to excruciating pain most days. So yeah, there are no lunges, squats, or planking going on here. Walking is the best I can do. (You might be wondering why I haven't gone to see a chiropractor. A combination of conflicts at work, vacation days, my chiro's limited schedule, clinic location, and office renovations have made it impossi...

Look who's 8 months old? My heart almost bursts on a daily basis. This motherhood thing...it's awesome. A little about Carter at this age: Vocals | All the time. His usual is "da da," "ba ba," "gah," or "uh-ta" in a whisper. Or a loud shriek. Or a click of his tongue. All seem to make him so happy to be communicating and he loves it when we mimic him. If only we knew what they meant. Teeth | Two! One came in shortly after he turned 7 months, and the other we noticed two weeks ago after returning home from a weekend away. It sure explains all the fussiness of late. Preference | Mama. If I am in the room, he must be in my arms or on my lap or touching me of some sort. In many instances I can't even just sit next to him on the floor...he immediately crawls onto my lap and then reaches for a toy to play with. It's so very endearing, and melts my heart. But I won't lie there have been times where I wish he would...