Horseback Riding, Baby!!!

Thursday nights are now reserved for Caroline's horseback riding lessons. Yep, this little city girl is going to learn how to ride Cowgirl style.  Before I get started, let me explain Carter's enthusiasm in the above pic. Caroline got a new car seat, which means Carter got her old one. He is pretty pumped he's no longer forced to ride in his baby seat in which his legs hang out.  He's so proud of this milestone. Of course, since I took a pic of Carter in his car seat, I had to take one of  Caroline in hers!

As a child Justin rode horses all summer long, and gained a lot of knowledge of ranch life and country living.  About a week ago he came in and told me he signed Caroline up for horseback riding lessons. My first response was, "What?  NO!!!! How much does that cost? It's too dangerous."  But a week later, and here we are, my argument didn't hold much weight!  And as an added bonus, the lessons are rather reasonably priced.

Thursday night, Caroline climbed right on and rode for about an hour. The guide walked right beside her the entire time and taught her all about the horse, equipment, and commands. Caroline has been practicing the new vocabulary and commands all week. She can't wait to return!

 After attending one lesson, I feel it's pretty safe and I'm excited that Caroline is loving it so much. I've always heard horseback riding can be therapeutic and I'm hoping it is for her. Caroline inherited my energetic, never still, a bit hyper that can rear it's ugly self in the form of nervous energy and anxiety type personality. I'm hoping this hour a week can calm some of that in her!  

Carter loved this place too, especially the overly friendly animals that were EVERYWHERE!  I'd prefer this cat just be a cat, but instead she wanted to play and lick. Yuck!!

 So this Thursday we will be returning. Hopefully Caroline enjoys herself again.

11 months

 I say it every month, but it is true, this little guy has grown up in a blink of an eye.  In a month from today we will be blowing out a candle and singing, "Happy Birthday."  I love this age, I love this stage, I wish I could can him up and remember every precious moment of these days. He is just a doll, a mischievous, somewhat naughty little doll, but just an absolute joy. He is in to  everything, we are always on our toes. Between unrolling toilet paper, splashing in the toilet, turning on the bath water, trying to sneak up the stairs when someone's left the gate open, eating rocks out of the fireplace, and so much more we rarely catch a breather for ourselves.  One of his favorite hangouts is the shower. If anyone is in there, he's going to join. We are going to put a baby gate on the shower soon so we can again enjoy an individual shower.

 Carter loves almost anything I give him to eat, and we have to watch him because he will get Caroline's sippy cup and chug.  He is crawling, pulling up, and standing alone. He's taken one step numerous times but I'm not ready to count his first step yet. I feel like it has been more of a fluke than an effort at transporting himself.  He babbles lots, and says a few words although I don't think he knows what they mean. He does know "uh oh" and says it a lot!  That fits his into everything personality perfectly. He babbles mama, dada, nana, and occasionally says hi and bye.

 I think Carter is around 21 or so pounds, his weight has slowed down for sure. He's not my roly poly he once was, although still very healthy.  On Saturdays he sports his football uniform, he's looking forward to the day Coach Tuberville calls his number.

 I tried bean bag pictures, but he wasn't sitting still so I put him in the crib for his official 11 month shot.  Cute boy!!!

Sibling love

Nothing in the world makes me happier than seeing Caroline and Carter adoration for each other!! They absolutely love each other to bits!! Of course occasionally Carter will get into one of Caroline's special toys and upset her, but 98% of the time they play so well. Caroline is a total Mother Hen. Comforting, carrying, feeding... Doing whatever she can for Carter. Today my mom took the kids to Chuck E Cheese and on the way Caroline told Nana that Carter had something in his mouth. My mom quickly pulled over and sure enough he had bit off a piece of something that he found on the ground and it was floating around his mouth. Without Caroline who knows what could've happened. Love that girl!!


Lately we've been having trouble with her sleeping in her room. She is scared of monsters, thunder, the dark, and anything else she can think of. She comes down almost every night and makes a nap mat by our bed. Well last night at bedtime Caroline asked Justin, "Why does God want me to sleep upstairs?" Poor thing, she hates being up there alone. Not sure what we are going to do.


Finally here's Carter enjoying Chuck e Cheese. Glad they had a good day, my first day was nice too!!


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Lots of Happenings!

August has been a busy month around here. Two Fridays ago I got a call to interview for a new position at a new school. I got the job, made the hard decision to accept, and am now the Campus Test Facilitator at Crouch!  So far, I am really enjoying meeting the new people, learning about a new school, and fulfilling my job requirements. With this position I will be coordinating all testing, training teachers on testing procedures, making sure we follow all rules and procedures, and looking at data from the tests to see what we can do better and differently.   My new school is huge, over 1100 students, so that will be a challenge but I am really excited!  Right now, my office is filled with someone else's boxes so I am without a home base right  now. I'm ready to be organized and have  a space to call my own. 

 Other than work, of course these two keep me busy!  Love them so much, going back to work was so hard due to what I am leaving behind. However, I know they are in good hands and  Caroline loves going to her school. Carter is completely spoiled when I'm away so I'm sure he loves his days with his Granny and Nana!  Justin will be out of town for about the next two weeks, so we will see how I juggle being alone with two little ones and working! It's going to be crazy!!  Justin's job is really picking up lately, which is a blessing when running your own business!

 Last weekend I hosted my sister's bachelorette party! I had to get tips on everything to do from my Dallas friends because I am about as lame as they come and know nothing about cool, fun places for us young people.  Luckily I got good advice, and we had a blast. I think I am still recovering, even a week later, I don't think we went to bed until  4. Too late for this mom!!

 Yesterday was my little niece's first birthday party. We had it at our house because Andrea, Jesse, and Maddy live in Conroe but everyone else is up here. The party was adorable, Andrea is unbelievably creative. Maddy loved her cake, obviously!  I cannot believe she is one...I feel like Andrea and I were both huge and ready to pop yesterday.

 This little man loved the party too, or maybe he loved the bites of cake and ice cream he got from all the guests.

Tomorrow the kids come to school and things will really pick up!!  I am sure before I know it I'll be putting up my Christmas tree and wondering where the first semester went!

10 months already!

Saturday this little dude who happens to be suffering with allergies in this picture, turned 10 months!! 10 months!! That is 2 months shy of one year!!  Where did my bitty baby go??  At 10 months Caroline was walking, she was a big girl!!  Now he is my big boy!  With her I couldn't wait for the next milestone, with him I'm screaming for time to SLOOOOOWWWWW down!

At 10 months Carter is crawling and cruising, and standing briefly on his own without support. He babbles all sorts of sounds, babbaba, banana, mamamama, dadadada.  I thought he had learned to wave, but hasn't shown off that skill in a week or so.  He claps and loves to be sung and talked to all the time. He loves table food drinking out of a cup. He still nurses and eats three meals a day.
He loves to play with his toys and interact with his big sister. He is getting tons of hair and it's getting lighter. Caroline wasn't a true blonde until near her first birthday. I think he is trending the same way.

 I love these two so much and we've had such a nice summer together. I am sooooo dreading returning to work. It gets harder and harder each year.   God has blessed us so much!

Conroe Crew

Early last week we made a quick trip to Conroe to see family, celebrate Papa Mike's birthday,  and for Justin to meet with clients.  On Monday we loaded up the car and headed to the Houston zoo. It was hot, but not too terrible, we had a great time!

 Papa Mike allowed Caroline to make a build a bear, she picked a Giraffe. She was really proud of her animal.

 The whole group!

Can't wait to watch these two grow up together!

Toothy Grin

Since the day Carter turned 9 months teeth have been popping through his gums like crazy. Today I noticed the front two and bottom two are all the way through!! Also, a couple of days ago he began cruising and walking behind toys. He's growing and changing so fast!


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