cowboy in training...

You know you are in Oklahoma when you arrive to the park and a sweet little boy wearing Wrangler jeans, cowboy boots, a long sleeve collard shirt with snaps, AND a shiny silver belt buckle (whew! that was a loooong clothing description!) befriends you! It was as if he came straight from the cattle ranch for a little fun in the city! ha. He was the sweetest little fella and pushed Olivia on the swings, helped her climb up the tall ladder to the slide, and pushed her on the merry-go-round!

I chit chatted with his mother and Olivia loved having a little playmate! We had walked down to the park a few blocks from our house and it is rather old with little play equipment, so despite the 75 degree weather we were the only ones there. I'm sure the fancy new parks around town were packed, but I liked the idea of being able to walk there! Carter enjoyed the stroller ride and getting some fresh air to his toes!

(almost) wordless Wednesday.



Carter's very first time sitting in the high chair!

make your own pizza night!

Sunday afternoonn naps are the best!

Carter's first wagon ride.  He made it about 5 minutes before he fell over!

toes taste yummy!

evolving artwork.

Olivia drew this on her chalkboard yesterday......

I was completely impressed!  Aren't you?!  ;)

I don't know how to put words onto the pictures to point things out, so you will have to bear with my description and find the details yourselves.  The large circle to the far right "is daddy. Those are his eyes and that is his nose", she said.  Can you see that she put eyes and a nose and they are in the right spots!  And it appears he has some form of legs below the big circle of a head, too!  Now overall it sort of looks like a pig, but it is the first time she has actually drawn a face with features on it. She then told me that the shape/blob above him was "daddy's aiprlane".  Way to go, Olivia!  She put the plane up in the sky where it belongs!  She said the other marks are me and Carter, but they are more representative of her usual drawings (squiggly lines).  I'm not sure what is developmentally appropriate at this stage, but I was happy to see that her artwork is starting to evolve!

Now look to the left of the picture.  See the 'O' about mid-way down?  She was writing her name!  She got the 'O' and the 'l' correct (and nearly the 'i')!  I was shocked when she called me to her chalkboard!  Typically her name is a series of lines as well!  I was so tickled to see that she got the 'O'!

everybody is growing up.

After my realization that Olivia is growing into a little girl yesterday, I decided to go ahead and let go of Carter's babyhood as well.  He is a few weeks shy of 6 months so we fed him rice cereal for the first time!  Rip the band-aid off rather than just gently pull, right?!!

Now, don't get me wrong, I would like it if he was a snuggly little newborn on my chest for the rest of eternity, but the reality is that he will be bouncing and running around here (just like his big sister) in no time.  So, with further ado......

On a side note, Olivia had to give up her high chair for Carter to start eating.  We began by having her sit at the table last week and we kept prepping her with "you are a big girl now and Carter will get to use your high chair soon!" propaganda.  It may sound silly, but she has major issue with change!  The first several discussions were met with tears and "but its my high chair" sort of nonsense.  However, by the time I actually put Carter in "her" chair, she was accustomed to sitting at the big table with us and it was a non-issue.  We have just learned that preparation and and open dialogue go a long long way with our sweet girl.  There are certainly no fast-ones pulled around here ;)

Okay, back to Carter!  I am also in the beginning process of switching him from a 3-hour schedule to a 4-hour one, so I decided a little extra food will do him good!  He did just fine eating the cereal.  Lots ended up on his chin and cheeks, but that's to be expected!  I found myself saying "he is doing much better than Olivia did with her first feedings!"  Then I realized I was doing that 'mother comparing her children thing' and I quickly stopped!  Our two precious babes are very different souls, so I should just stop with the comparisons already.  

Just look at our sweet boy! Eating rice cereal like a champ! 



And now we begin the baby food journey.......I had better get my food processor warmed up!  There is no stopping us now!

one of these is not like the other....

 
sigh.....I finally went to the doctor last week. 


They took an x-ray "just to be safe" and I was surprised when he called me to say that my ankle was broken!  I got an Ortho consult and went on Tuesday.  Seems that I have a bone bruise on the inside of my ankle, torn 2 of the 3 ligaments on the outside of my ankle, and chipped off a 7mm chunk from the bottom of my fibula where it connects in to the ankle joint.  What a fun Valentine's Day, huh?!  ha.  I am now the proud owner of this boot for the next 4 weeks.  It is cumbersome, but it is actually a little easier to walk with it than it was without.  I had gotten quite adept at functioning despite the pain (and fracture!), but I am ready for this ordeal to be over!  As if my job of raising two little humans isn't hard enough!  Now I have to mange it with a large boot and broken ankle. 

Prayers for a proper healing would be appreciated!

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On a more fun note, I made a dinner last night that I have never tried!  Inspired by my love for crab cakes (I typically always order them when at a seafood restaurant...by the way, I miss eating fresh seafood!  Charleson spoiled us!), I immediately pinned this when I saw it on Pinterest.

Source: foudefoodmtl.com via Stephanie on Pinterest

my version.

I had to use frozen crab because I couldn't find any fresh (again, I miss Charleston!), but they turned out pretty tasty!

I served it along side some cheesy rice and broccoli and we had a great low calorie meal!  In fact, I only ate one of my crab cakes because it was so filling. 

Have I mentioned how much I love Pinterest?!!  It has revolutionized my cooking!  I make at least one recipe a week that I find there. 

Try these crab cakes!  They were very very simple and delicious!





And just because she is soooo cute, here is Olivia taking her baby for a ride yesterday.  However from closer examination, it sort of looks like baby is having a near-death experience dangling with her head near the sidewalk!  Haha.  Don't you think Olivia looks so grown up?  Andy called her Baby Girl the other night and she said, "I'm not Baby Girl, I'm a BIG GIRL!"  Oh how the truth in that statement makes my heart hurt!

quick visit.

I've heard its not the quantity, but the quality that counts in life.  I would agree to that after my parent's quick visit this past weekend!  They arrived on my doorstep just prior to lunch on Friday and left after dinner on Saturday.  Quick in time, but FULL of quality family time!

this one is a keeper, for sure!

Carter thought Aunt Cathy's story was pretty funny ;)

Love you, Mom and Dad, and can't wait to see you again!

wordless Wednesday.

Olivia is a great big sister and reads to Carter every day!

Carter just loves being anywhere Big Sister the princess is!