An update

Carter with mom before church. Doesn't he look like a missionary?


Below: trying a raw onion. (Yes we are mean parents.)

Before haircut

After haircut..

So.. to all of you faithful readers.. I think you deserve an update on our lives.

1) We moved to a new place, just across town. Graham was spending about an hour and a half every day in the car driving me to work, Carter to daycare, to school, etc., so we made the decision to move in June. Now, we live 3 minutes from daycare and 5 minutes from my work. It's a 2-story townhouse with more storage and a bigger kitchen, so it's nice. We don't have a view of the water anymore, but it's ok.

2) Carter is 9 months!! How crazy is that?! He has teeth and he's crawling!

3) Graham has a summer job as an ice cream man. Graham, Graham, the ice cream man. So random! Too bad the summer SUCKS right now. I think it'll be better in August though. So yeah, Graham works until like 9:3o every night, so I'm a single mom every evening. Carter really misses his dad like crazy and gives him the biggest smiles whenever he comes home.

4) I am not working weekends this summer due to staffing changes, which would be nice if Graham weren't working every weekend!

5) I am no longer pumping/breast feeding anymore. Long story, but it got extremely painful, so I stopped cold turkey around the 4th of July. I had rocks for boobs for almost 2 weeks!

6) Carter is hilarious. He has the happiest disposition as a baby that I've ever seen. He is literally a joy to be around. He does some funny things, like sucking his tongue to comfort himself, crawling around like a wounded soldier and dragging one leg behind him, wrestling with pillows (I wish I could post the video). He is also so sweet. One night when I was holding his bottle, he was running his hand through my hair as he ate. I wanted to die it was so cute!

7) Carter eats food like a champ. He likes everything, including raw onions (gross I know), lime rinds, and pureed prunes. However, some things he did not like included lime-cilantro rice and beef taco meat. He actually threw up after trying the rice.

8) I posted this on Facebook, but I wanted to clarify that Graham has 3 more years of school left. The Washington State extension engineering program at our local college only offers classes at specific times, and requires him to go over to Pullman, WA, to the main campus for 2 summers in 2013 and 2014 for labs he can only complete there. Soooo, the extra year SUCKS, but it also allows us to remain here in our town, where Graham can get his school paid for and an guaranteed job out of college. Oh, and Graham is doing very well in school. He's been on the Dean's Honor Roll for 7 out of the last 8 quarters.

So what are we doing for the rest of the summer?

1) Graham's sister, Grace, is here this week watching Carter for us while our daycare is closed.

2) My parents are coming up next week in preparation for their Alaska cruise. Their cruise leaves from Vancouver, British Columbia, so we are going up to Canada next weekend. Carter has his first passport with a giant baby headshot! We are planning on taking a Greyhound bus tour, and I want to walk over this awesome suspension bridge.

3) Graham turns 26 next week.. I've gotten him some fishing supplies for the salmon season coming up.

4) Losing weight. Now that I am no longer breastfeeding, I am 0.6 pounds from my pre-baby weight, but my spare tire doesn't agree. I'm slowly but surely trying to lose my gut. Graham has also gained weight rather quickly. When your diet subsists of Costco muffins, 3 bags of Famous Amos cookies, 3 PB&J sandwiches, and Mountain Dew, you can gain a belly even with Graham's metabolism. I am also trying to get the motivation to exercise, but it's been difficult. I almost always choose time with Carter over exercise.

5) Nothing! Graham is working 5 afternoons/evenings a week, and he has Scouts the other nights. Sucky summer.. but it's ok.


Hope you all are doing well. I'll try to post more pictures of Carter.