New and Exciting

It's official, Carter is crawling! Over the past two weeks he has been rocking, getting up on all fours and lunging forward and landing like a baby seal, but yesterday when we were cleaning his room he started picking up one arm and moving the opposite leg and so on.  He was so excited about being able to make such progress towards toys or us!  I have it on video, and hopefully today I can figure out how to put my videos on my Mac to share on this blog.

Food no longer APPEARS to be the enemy:)  He ate butternut squash using the spoon the past two days.  I think we'll try a green veggie next, but my pediatrician recommended the yellow/orange veggies first.  I'm over trying rice cereal--maybe after we try the veggies we can try it again.  He seems to enjoy the taste of the fluoride, so at least that's a plus!  I downloaded Feeding Baby Green by Dr. Greene to my Kindle and read it this weekend.  It has already proven to be a great resource (I do recommend it).  And, if by the grace of our God, we have another child, I will reference the book during my pregnancy as well.  It's very interesting!  One of Josh's co-workers purchased a book for us, So Easy Baby Food; so I plan to start making Carter's food this week.  I've read the book a couple times and looked at recipes, but until Carter showed interest in food, I didn't want to get started.  Now I am excited to try some out!!! Wish me luck that my ability to prepare Carter's food goes better than my cooking for Josh! lol.  I'm a great baker...not such a great cook:(

While Carter naps 2-3 times a day, I am also busy reading American Lit on my Kindle...super fun!  I am writing unit and lesson plans for my new position as 11th grade English teacher.  In addition, I received a letter congratulating me on being named Language Arts Department Head for our school.  It's going to be a new and exciting year with a new superintendent and several new dept heads, including my sister Lauren, who was named LS Dept Head.   

Every day is new and exciting as Carter makes new noises, expressions and progress.  He is still so sweet...such a cuddler.  He constantly gives hugs and kisses, and it's rare NOT to see a smile on his face.  Carter LOVES music and he still smiles like crazy and even talks back when Ni-Hao Kai-Lan is on.  He especially loves the intro song to her cartoon, but any time she is on the screen talking to the audience he just beams back at her.  He enjoys watching other kids and loves being entertained my our friends in the congregation at church!  We are so blessed by our Lord to have such a sweet, good-natured and happy little boy.  Thank you Jesus for this wonderful little boy.

7 Month Pix

"Yeah, I've been workin hard on this belly."

Carter has figured out how to blow raspberries!

Carter is 7 months old

Carter had his 6 month checkup today which is funny since he turns 7 months old tomorrow.  However, with his surgery being ON his 6 month bday, we didnt want to schedule the 6 month vaccinations for a while, hence the delay.  He weighed 19 lbs 10.5 ozs and 29 inches long.  So--at his checkup today he met Melanie and Pam...both VERY nice and wonderful with children!  Dr. Hamm and Sherry were excited to see his new smile, too, and Carter loves showing it off:)  He reached for Sherry on the way out (after shots mind you) and while in her arms, charmed the staff for a while before we left.

They said not to be concerned about his aversion to eating...just keep trying and give a few days break if he still hates it.  We can also skip the cereal and go into squash or carrots...hmmm...maybe he'll like that kind of food better than cereal.  I've tried letting him play with the spoons thinking he has a fear of the spoon (assuming he thinks I am trying to give him meds), but he doesnt put the spoon in his mouth...interesting because EVERYTHING else goes STRAIGHT into his mouth! I dont want to force it though--they say that can have lasting negative effects...later in life.

He almost has crawling figured out.  He'll be doing that in NO time...gotta get the gates up & childproof the electrical sockets and cupboards! AHHHHH! Gavin came for a visit last eve with my mom and I had the opportunity to see what all I'll have to be doing in another 6 months...like remove cords and keeping the coffee table cleared off:)  It was pretty fun having a toddler walking around though.  I want to keep Carter a baby, but I also look forward to watching him become more mobile.  He still LOVES his exersaucer and sleeping in the crib is working pretty well as long as he hugs his pup-i-low (a stuffed dog that has a velcro strap that allows it to turn into a pillow).  He enjoys "doing hair" especially Josh and Grandpa Terry's.  I say he's taking after the Colorado Tharan men:)

Well--I'll keep ya posted, as always!

My Bday, Fathers Day & Trip to the Zoo

Latest pix w/o tape

This was just so cute...like I caught him chewing on the bird

Checkin out the elephants as they wrestled in the water

Checkin out the baby elephant inside

Cousin Gavin checkin out the baby elephant, too

Carter, mom & dad with Victoria

Gavin & Uncle Kevin chillin during lunch at the zoo

Hanging out in his crib with his favorite toys (this is where he tries crawling)

More zoo pix

Baby Carter with Grandma & Grandpa Tharan at the zoo...moments before falling asleep

Carter & Gavin checkin out the gorillas with Grandpa & dad

Carter & Grandma chillin at lunch

Busy weekend!  Let's start from the beginning...Friday after work, Carter gave his daddy his Father's Day gift because we needed to go get it together...Uncle Kirk graciously allowed us to borrow his truck and Josh, Carter & I went to C & A and picked out a Red Maple...it's going to be Carter's Tree for us to watch grow just like him!

Saturday was my bday and Carter & Josh couldnt wait to give me my gift...and boy was I surprised and SOOO excited!  They got me a KINDLE...I havent stopped playing with it--searching and downloading books and READING!  Josh and I left Carter @ my parents and went out to eat at Luigi's for dinner.  It was a lovely evening, but we missed our boy!  We had some much needed adult conversation, though.

Sunday we headed to the Pittsburgh Zoo (dads get in free on Father's Day) with the Tharan Clan.  Baby Carter was such a trooper!  He and his cousin Gavin fell asleep within about 30 mins of each other and slept through the PPG Aquarium, but when they woke they were both in great moods:)  It was so nice to walk around the zoo with my husband, son, brothers, sisters-in-law & parents...even when the boys slept it was fun for the adults to talk and enjoy each other's company:)  After the zoo, we headed to Smoky Bones in Cranberry Twp (dads eat free..lol).  We had a great time with the family and our new "the boys"!  My brothers have been "the boys" for 30 some years, but they are finally passing the torch to Carter and Gavin...so what are we supposed to call Kevin and Kirk....The Men?  Maybe The Good Ol' Boys...they used to loooove playing Bo and Luke Duke! lol.  After dinner we headed to The Coursen Great-Grandparents where we celebrated Father's Day & my birthday some more!  Trica, Lance, Grandma Darlene and Grandpa Terry all met us and we shared a yummy cake and Handels ICE CREAM!  Thank you!! 

Upon returning home last night, we gave Carter a much needed bath and he quickly slipped off for the night...and at 9:02AM, he has been up now for about an hour...and our day must begin!  His little endearing smile is coaxing me off the computer--maybe today is the day he'll figure out crawling...then again, maybe he'll wait.  Maybe he'll like Oatmeal...or at least allow the spoon to touch his lips!  I'll keep ya'll posted!

Latest Pix

Carter Update-2 wks out from Surgery

Carter is doing extremely well:)  We had a post appt with Dr. Losee on Monday (June 7) and the arm bands are off, he's back to nursing and doesnt need to be seen again for 6 months (unless the scar reddness doesnt fade).  Dr. Losee was very pleased with everything, minus the fact that he'd like the scar to be less pink.  Carter will be wearing a flesh-colored tape ON the scar and a pressure tape that goes on his two cheeks across the lip for AT LEAST the next 3-6 months.  He doesnt seem to mind that:)

SO, now that the surgery is over...let's get back to CARTER development updates!  Without the arm bands he is rediscovering toys, rolling over, pushing up, and rockin on all fours trying to make progress!  We are also finally introducing Rice cereal...he's not too interested.  I video-taped it for Josh to see--hilarious.  He barely opens his mouth, and when he does actually attempt to taste it, he puckers up like I'm giving him Sour Patch Kids to eat!

He's back to sleeping through the night (since I dont have to watch him like a hawk with those arm bands) and takes 2-3 naps a day. 

Yesterday he just wanted in that Excersaucer or on his belly in his Baby Einstein tunnel to play.  He's thrilled to be able to put toys in his mouth again, although he's been doing that very gingerly (so smart). Today he wants to sit on my lap and play...probably missing that a little since that's how we've spent the last two weeks. Its been so cute because he stops what he's playing with, looks up at me, smiles and then reaches both arms around me and hugs me:)  So endearing...he's such a lover!!!  He's also loving that he can wrap his arms around my neck and squeeze again...but he hasnt tried to do too much kissin yet...give him time...if he were to kiss me like he did (see Mother's day pix) it'd probably hurt his tender nose anyway. 

Well...life has returned to somewhat normal....I no longer feel like I have a 20 lb newborn who doesnt sleep like he did when he was an 8 lb newborn...my arms are getting a well-deserved break after having to hold Carter nonstop for the past two weeks...dont get me wrong, I wouldnt trade that closeness for anything in the world--but I'm exhausted!  I hear ya moms around the world--"welcome to motherhood" and "it's only just begun."  Thanks:)

Carter 7-10 days post op...the TUBE is gone

Seven days after surgery!!!!  Tube is out and scar is healing beautifully:)

Here he is wearing the brown tape on his lip...he's found a way

to make the most of his no-nos in the exercsaucer

10 days after surgery

Grandma holds Carter while Aunt Lauren entertains

Aunt Lauren loves to hold Carter

Constantly Improving

Here is a profile and three close up pix of Carter from Memorial Day morning...6 days after surgery!