THIS IS HOW WE ROLL

This is the multi-tasker in action. We've done more house work and work work together than I can even remember....the wrap is called a "peanut shell"....Carter LOVES it as you can see. He's a big snuggle kid....he's getting a little too big for it though. I am going to have to buy a bigger one. Chris says it's a kangaroo pouch....pretty close!
***disclaimer....the highlights the last time around we a little too funky....so my hair does look a bit strange...I prefer a more "natural" look...considering I haven't seen my real hair color in 15 years....but who cares really....

TICKLE ATTACK

This is what we do almost everyday......
it's tickle attack time......

and this is Mr. Carter happily playing in his bouncer watching Cole play outside....

LOVE LOVE LOVE SUMMER

I just love summer. My potted plants are doing very well. I planted a hydrangea this year and as soon as it blooms I'll post pictures. Hydrangea's are my absolute favorite flower and they are not easy to grow here in Idaho Falls. It's alot of work! The yard is coming together and Chris has done a great job with the lawn. We just hope the neighbors get it together and put grass in sooner than later. I'm getting annoyed with the constant dust and dusting that has to be done....

This morning...Carter loves to crawl all over. He is also pulling himself up on anything he can get his hands around. He hasn't tried to take any steps yet but he does stand without holding on briefly here and there. I'm anxious for him to walk...but I'm also enjoying him right where he's at...I don't want him to grow up too fast...he's almost 11 months old.

Cole's shirt says...."I run on SUPER POWER".....wouldnt' have ever guessed......

KING OF POP

VIDEO HERE

I can't post this video because YouTube doesn't allow it...but click on this link...my favorite Michael Jackson song of all time....

Chris' favorite is "Smooth Criminal"

THE LUNCH BOX LIVES ON

We are in mourning over the death of Michael Jackson...Chris especially.....when Chris was little he had a lunch box decorated with Michael Jackson stickers....I played the CD "Thriller" this morning...while we got ready for the day....



So sad.....even though controversy surrounded MJ at times...he was an artistic genius who changed the way we listened to music with his music videos...I will never forget the "Thriller" ride at Universal Studios in Florida. Just an amazing talent....

GREAT DAY

We found a new playground....here are some pictures of Cole playing. This playground even has a sandbox. I'm planning on spending alot of time here. It's really a fantastic place.







Monday was Faye's 5th birthday (Faye is Frank and Jamie's little girl see their blog here)

I had no idea that turning 5 is such a big deal to little kids. Cole has been talking about turning 5 since last September when he started school. Since he goes to Montessori school the classrooms are set up so the children are grouped together by age. The preschoolers are with the kindergartners. This encourages mentoring with the older kids and I guess is an all around good thing.

Cole has been fascinated with kindergartners since he began the 4yr old preschool program. Too bad for Cole though....he missed the kindergarten deadline by 13 days she he will be doing preschool again in 09-10. Chris and I are totally fine with this. I talked to alot of people (thanks Aunt Anne love ya!) who said that little boys do better waiting a year to start kindergarten because they are slower to mature. The good news is that Cole's classroom at the Montessori school is set up so he can work at his own speed and if he needs to work up on some things he can partner with a kindergartner in his class....so that is how the whole "mentoring program" works with the classroom...okay now that I've gone on too long I'll stop myself......

So when Cole heard Faye was turning 5 he was VERRRY excited. Here is Cole with Evelyn at Faye's birthday party. Eveyln is Jamie's niece. She is cuuuuttte. (I borrowed the picture off Christie's blog!) ;)

Cole loved the airplanes. My Dad used to take us to this amusement park alot when we were little. It was really fun. I'm sure we'll take Cole there a few more times this summer.

WEEKEND UPDATE

Happy Father's Day to all the daddi-o's out there. We had a great weekend. Saturday we took a day trip to Salt Lake City. One of the HUGE Subaru dealerships was hosting a car show on Saturday and Chris really wanted to go so we loaded up and headed out. It was raining like crazy. My hair was a wet mess by the time we finished at the car show. We didn't expect the weather to be so bad so we had to make a quick detour to Target and we found a rain jacket for Cole. It was 3 sizes too big but it was all we could find. At least he was dry. Carter was snuggled up in his blankets and stayed very warm. He laughed and talked in his baby babble the entire time. Overall we had a great time. Chris was hoping the car show would be a little more exciting. It was alot of fancy cars and guys just standing around.....afterwards we went to lunch at Red Rock and Chris told me "I guess I'm just not 19 anymore!". Hm...I think we were the only ones there with a stroller and diaper bag. It was a great weekend though.

Yesterday we spent the day in Pocatello with my Dad and had a nice lunch at Ruby Tuesdays. It was great to visit with them. I feel like we've been on the go alot lately but I do think that's better than sitting at home bored. It's another windy rainy day.

Where is summer? I could handle all the rain in Portland because it was so green and at least it was warm...this however...is driving me nuts. The only reason I can survive the Winter here in Idaho is because of the great summers. And they are really great. Warm and awesome summer nights. This is killing me. We went from snow to rain to wind to hail to endless rain. Enjoy the pictures of my favorite boys. They are all SOOO cute!

THE BIRDS LEAVE THE NEST....KINDA

This will be the last post about the baby birds because they have all left the nest...and flew into the window well. !

When I got home today Chris met me in the garage...he said "we have a problem, the birds are in the window well".

Two of the birds were in window wells around our house. They were each in a different window. Chris passed the baby (our little bird...Carter) off to me and went to workwith the rake gently trying to rescue them from the window well. The plan was to get them to hop on the rake teeth and lift them out. This worked very well and the little birds were lifted to safety. This of course was only after a few attempts and alot of fearful chirping from the babies we got them out....only after the mom and dad bird went craaaazy flying around us and squawking like no body's business.

After the semi-dramatic rescue...the first little bird took three hops and flew off. The last little bird sat on the rocks in our flower bed. At first I was afraid her wing was hurt but then she took off.

Sigh....

Fifteen minutes later I checked back outside and there's no sign of the birds. I think they are off on their own now. It's amazing how fast they grew.

We really enjoyed watching them with Cole. He was very concerned about them in the window well and kept telling them "it's okay...we'll get you out in just a minute...just relax".

Onto the next adventure.....

MY LITTLE BIRD

and an update on the birds outside.....they are growing!!! Momma bird is still dive bombing anyone near the nest. She was NOT happy with me.....I refrained from screaming however...

BABY BIRDS UPDATE

We finally had enough sunshine I was able to get outside and take some pretty good pictures of the baby birds. The momma bird spends most of her day now searching for worms. When she's around the nest she becomes pretty agitated and dive bombs anyone close by. She pretty much attacked Chris when he was mowing the lawn. I found this pretty humorous considering Chris was screaming and running around very afraid of the momma bird. 

Birds 1 Chris 0

10 MONTHS AND 1 DAY

So precious.....yet so full of zest and fun!
Look at those legs.....
Where did all the days, weeks, months go to? 

I'm so glad I have all 2500 pictures of him so far (Cole is still winning with 4900 pictures!) Digital photography is a beautiful thing. I think we have almost every day documented. 

THE BABIES ARE HERE!

Cole, Miles, Mark, Sally the baby birds have hatched! Pictures to come! (Cole named the baby birds after his school friends) They are CUUUUUUUUTE little balls of fluff in their nest! 

Here are the pictures of the oh so cute baby robins. They are just little balls of fluff! The momma bird was feeding them and I tried to get a picture but the momma was spooked and flew off so I came inside. I don't want the babies to get cold and it's been windy so I'll try to get a feeding picture on a warmer day. 

CLASSIC COLE

TIME ESCAPES

How did we go from this ....

to this.... Carter Robert Smith 6 days old

and from this... Carter Robert Eat's ALOT at 9 1/2 months old

last year's graduation at Holy Rosary Catholic School

to this...

this year's art show at Snake River Montessori

so fast? 

I swear...I blink my eyes and a week has gone by...and then a month...and then six months...and I can't keep up. 

Today I washed Cole's hair in the bathtub and then wrapped him up in his towel and carried him to his room. This is not an easy task considering he weighs 50 lbs. I remembered how he used to cuddle up so easily in our big fluffy towels and we would change into our pajamas and read stories in bed while Chris was in Virginia. This would occur almost nightly around 7:30 pm.  I would look at his tiny feet and could barely imagine they would ever be dirty and his toe nails were so perfect and soft.

This morning after his bath I looked at his growing toes and saw how his toe nails are no longer the soft little nails of a baby or toddler but that of a boy. I even noticed after a nice warm bath full of bubbles his feet had a bit of dirt residue that probably comes with being a busy boy and is going to take a "good scrub down" to remove.

I try so hard to remember every moment but I'm losing track faster than I can tally events here or in a journal. 

Carter is starting to babble more and more and I'm sure words are soon to come. Mamma and Dadda are pretty fluid at this point. We are just waiting for his version of  "Coley" to emerge. 

Monday I was doing laundry and vacuuming and Cole was playing is his room. Carter was in his crib playing with various toys and  I heard the most wonderful sound. The sound of two children laughing. I followed it to the bedroom and watched without the boys spotting me. 

Cole and Carter were playing. Cole was gently tossing his Backyardigan stuffed animal (Uniqua click here to see what she looks like in all her pink fabulousness) into Carter's crib  and Carter was crawling to her and then tossing her out again and they were doing this over and over again. 

All the while both boys were laughing hysterically.

I thought my heart might just explode with happiness and joy. 

These are the days I want to remember forever and ever. 

CHICKEN ON MY NOSE

***disclaimer...we don't encourage "playtime" at dinner. Chris' favorite saying is "Cole, this isn't comedy hour...eat your dinner" (I think Chris' Mom used to tell CHRIS that regularly!) But it was Sunday night and we were having a late afternoon dinner....Chris took the video and was encouraging the fun....so blame him...not me! *just kidding Chris. Love you! L

CATCHING UP!

Well it was our 5 year anniversary and here is Chris...and Me.....but we didn't get a picture of us together. I'm going to have to morph us together or something....

Here is Carter and Coley. We are going for a walk. We do this ALOT! 
Carter tries to pull off his hat for the first 10 minutes after I put it on him...then he gives up. This is another failed attempt here! 
This is Chris and 6 a.m.....see Cole below!
I am not even kidding...this is 6 a.m. Cole is decked out in all his "gear". 

6 a.m.

Cole has been working on his MAP all year long at school. He finished it on the last day of school. We are going to frame it and hang it in the kitchen with all his artwork. He cut each continent out and then labeled them all. Big project! 
This is Cole's idea of Friday night fun....licorice whiskers.....
I'm a little confused.....
But Chris was all about it!