Life with Carson

I don't even know where to begin. If you are friends with me on FB, you have no doubt picked up on the fact that Carson is a challenge. And I mean that in every sense of the word. He's messy, mischievous, loud, strong willed, and demanding. I say all that in the best possible way b/c I have no doubt that he will grow up to be something special. He is really funny and brave, and we LOVE these qualities in him. He just takes a little extra management on a daily basis. I thought I would capture some of his shenanigans. This compilation took me less than two weeks to capture. Enjoy.

It's hard to tell from pictures, but we turned our backs for one minute and he painted himself with yogurt (or as he calls it, applesauce??). His face, hands, and neck were covered in strawberry yogurt.

One morning when he was completely ready for school, he walked in our shower and turned it on himself. It was cold and he was wet, but he still smiling. 

He's a climber for sure.

He hates to be confined, whether it be in a car seat, high chair, or shopping cart.

If you leave the room for one minute, you never know how you'll find him when you return.

When it gets quiet, you better go find him. He had been quiet for several minutes the other day so I went looking for him. I finally found him hiding behind my clothes in my closet.

One time his diaper was wedged in his bottom and since then, he says, "my booty hanging out" every time we change his diaper or give him a bath.

Just a normal activity for Carson.

We had to rearrange our silverware drawer b/c he came walking through the living room with a steak knife the other day. He opened the drawer and reached over the edge to get it. He had it hidden behind his back. I thought it was a fork and then Miles discovered it was a knife. 

As we often say, it's a good thing he's cute.

Less Words Wednesday

Carson had the annual Ball at his daycare last week. The boys and girls are supposed to dress up like princes and princesses. I don't know if they had talked about it a lot at school, but he seemed excited about dressing up.

He was really excited about the bow tie which he called an "elbow".

The teachers took this pic during the day. He loves school to the point that he doesn't want to leave in the afternoon. We usually have to bribe him or drag him out against his will. Unlike Miles, who would stay home 24/7 if it were possible, Carson likes to be on the go. He doesn't have many places to go at his age, but he loves going to school, church, and Walmart any chance he gets :)

Basketball

Miles' basketball season ended on Saturday. This was his second year to play Upward.

He had the same coaches, Coach Jason and Coach Josh. It was also his second year to play with Mason and Bennett. I love that he gets to play with some different friends. He has great baseball teammates and great basketball teammates.

He loved having his grandparents watch him at a couple games. It's a joy to watch him play basketball b/c he has a confidence about him. He just seems comfortable with a basketball in his hand.

He got a lot better at free throws and jump shots this season.

Ball handling is his favorite. He is right handed, but eats with his left hand. We somehow think this makes him more comfortable dribbling with his left hand, b/c it seems to be pretty natural for him.

I could not have been more pleased with the coaches again this year. They handled themselves with class during every game and practice, even when others did not.

The coaches worked hard to teach them and I could tell an improvement in every kid. It's tough when you have all different levels of athleticism and effort, but they did a really job to meet every kid where they were.

Earlier in the season when I took Miles to watch his baseball teammates play on their travel basketball team, I was concerned that he would question why he wasn't playing with them. Truth be told, I just couldn't handle two travel sports when Darrin travels so much.

I also thought it would be good to play with different friends and coaches just for a change of scenery. After watching his friends play, he said on the way home that he wanted to play with them next year. Next year is a long way off, so I told him we would look into it.

On the way home after his last game, he said he wanted to play for Coach Jason again next year. He said that he felt like his Upward league was pretty competitive too and he liked playing there. It really doesn't matter to me where he plays, but I was happy to hear him say that. I thought it was a wise thought process and I was glad to hear him feel satisfied with his season and what they had accomplished. 

His feelings and the season in general were definitely wins.

Weekend Wrap Up

Miles had a birthday party to go to on Friday night. It was at a  trampoline park which was the perfect thing to do since it's been raining for days on end. These boys needed to get some energy out. 

The birthday party was for a baseball teammate. He'd never had a party with friends, so we thought we'd come up with a fun gift. It was a pizza box from Little Caesars with a bow.

Inside was a pizza made of money and a note from Miles. Miles said he really liked it.

Saturday morning, against my better judgment, we went to Walmart. Darrin was out of town and we didn't have enough snacks to get us through the weekend. I thought we were out of milk, which was my main reason for going, but we actually had some in the garage frig. I didn't find that until we got home. 

We fought the rain and Carson while we tried to quickly get the short list we needed. Carson was awful. I mean really, really bad. I don't know what was wrong but we couldn't get out of there fast enough. I was too busy during the week to plan ahead and get my list together for an online order, but I won't make that mistake again when Darrin will be out of town.

We passed a little time before Miles' basketball game playing Sneaky Snacky Squirrel. Carson got the game for Christmas and we thought he might be able learn it now. He did pretty well and seemed to like it. 

Then, it was time for Miles' last game of the season. Two of his baseball teammates came to watch him play.

His team was 6-1 going into this game. They were 1-1 against the team they were playing, so it was a much anticipated game for the kids and coaches. The other team is a little aggressive, so they really wanted to win....and they did! We were behind most of the game and then came on strong at the end. 

Miles was happy to have Nate and Tyler there to watch him. He made a good shot at one point and made sure his friends saw him as he ran back down the court.

After the game, Miles and I passed some time by drawing while Carson napped. We still love Art For Kids Hub.

Carson woke up a little early from his nap. He laid on my chest and went back to sleep. I was able to lay him on the couch to finish his nap.

Miles was grounded from electronics and TV for most of the weekend, so he took a much needed nap. I guess he couldn't find anything else to do. 

The rain was insane all day and night on Saturday. This is our back yard.

And our front yard...

We were so glad to see the sunshine on the way to church this morning.

Darrin is almost home from his trip, Miles is playing with Legos, and Carson is napping. I'm not going to lie, between the rain, Miles' attitude, and Carson in general, it a really tough weekend, but all feels right today after some sunshine and downtime :)

Wordless Wednesday

Three Years in the Making & 6 Other Pics

We had a monumental day in our house last week. We've been in the market for a new washer and dryer for oh let's say around three years now. Our old washer has been held together by duct tape for a long time. When the center agitator broke a couple months ago the need intensified. We've only been able to wash medium sized loads since that part broke. Medium sized loads don't really work for a family of four.

I've put off the purchase b/c a) I didn't want to spend the money (cheap like that) and b) all I've heard is how terrible new washers and dryers are with their water saving technology and locking lids. I read a million reviews and talked to a bunch of people. I finally decided to go back with exactly what we had since it served us well for 15+ years. 

We are the proud owners of a top loading Maytag, with a center agitator. Aren't they pretty?? Darrin said this weekend, "I feel like you're washing everything" to which I reminded him that is pretty much what we do on the weekends. You know you're old when a new washer and dryer are blog worthy.

And now for six random pictures. Miles and I went to see A Dog's Way Home on Presidents Day. Darrin went to work and Carson went to daycare. It was a cute movie and the popcorn and watermelon Sour Patch Kids were on point.

Monday afternoon we played outside for a little while even though it was freezing. I don't think Darrin has ever not recruited on Presidents Day. He's a little ahead on recruiting, so he could afford to stay home with us. It was so nice to have him home.

Carson has FINALLY learned how to drive his 'mon-mower'. I thought the day would never come. He only knows one direction. He makes a big loop around the house, always starting in the back and driving around to the front.

After the movie on Monday, Miles and I had a 'disagreement' about the fact that I had to run some errands. After some very unhappy moments and a few errands, he fell asleep on the way home, and it all made sense. The poor kids just needed some sleep. 

When Miles was little, after his bath he would stand on a stool, brush his teeth, and patiently wait for me to blow dry his hair. Carson has had zero time for any of that. Lately he's been a little better about brushing his teeth, so I thought I would try to blow dry his hair. He let me for a minute before he started saying, "me do it" and grabbing the blow dryer away from me. He looked so cute though!

I bought two pairs of sunglasses on Monday. Now, I just need the sun to come out so I can use them. It's supposed to rain all week. I'm ready for sunshine, spring, and baseball season to begin!