I read a friends' blog and she sited another blog that said moms need to be sure and get in front of the camera sometimes so the kids will have memories with mom too. Since there is such a small window of time where Ben is not trying to get in every picture, I took my opportunity and snapped some candids with Nate.
Nate took his first bottle today without a fuss! He had 5 ounces. One and a half hours later he was screaming at me and sucking my knuckle as hard as he could. I guess 5 ounces wasn't enough! Live and learn.
Ben and I watched multiple videos on a friend's youtube channel this morning and it made me think I needed more videos of my little boys! This friends' kids are the same ages as mine. So, here is some video overload! Most of them are all today. We have lots of things happening in our house apparently.
Ben repeats a lot of what he sees and hears these days. He has caught on to me saying, "aye yai yai" and actually uses it correctly quite often. Oh boy!
This boy is always up to something!
Nate is quite a talker. This video is almost 2 minutes, but try to at least make it to 1:19. It is worth it :)
Ben has started counting. 4...8...4...8. And if you ask how many he has he will say 4. You can barely hear him in this video, but he was counting loudly before I got out the camera.
My boys love each other. These moments are my favorite. I try to savor them because they don't always last long.
Ben loves to pretend play right now. I love watching him. He had just become interested in the microwave when he got his kitchen. He says "beet beet" to start his microwave. He did that without my prompting and I just love it! I have also found him saying "beet beet" to scan items in his shopping cart. When we go to the store now he will say, "Mommy buy me dis please, uh huh."
I thought of this picture of Ben and couldn't help myself last night.
I generally only blog about the boys because I know that is what you really care about, but our whole family is in ministry so there is a lot of our lives that I leave out. Here is a small glimpse.
I have never successfully grown anything! I kill all plant life (except the weeds that overtake our yard). I definitely don't have a green thumb.
BUT...being in ministry often stretches me in odd ways and so I will be participating in a community garden this spring. A generous donor purchased two empty lots one block over from our church plant for the purpose of making a community garden. He has brought in work groups to clean the lots of overgrowth, cement sidewalks and lots of trash. We have been canvasing the neighborhood to drum up interest. Participants will be given a 10x10 plot to tend in the garden. That is the part that scares me! Everyone one know which one is mine! ha.
This past Saturday the temperature was in the low 30s and it was sprinkling - just a nasty day - and yet about 30 middle schoolers showed up with their youth leader and cleaned out the lots some more. The whole Carter family came along to participate. Ben even brought his own plastic tools. He opted to pick up rocks and add them to the huge pile. I tried to be helpful in raking and bagging leaves. Ryan broke up massive pieces of cement! Nate was bundled in the stroller but once the drizzle started really coming down he started to protest. I can't blame him. Instead, the boys and I bought groceries and set up lunch for all the workers while Ryan continued to work.
Just another day in our lives. We wouldn't have it any other way.
The big rock pile Ben was adding to.
Ryan trying to decide if he really wants to pick up that massive piece of concrete.
I am so behind in blogging so I am just posting random pictures to clean off my memory card. They are all really cute though!
Ben got a water table for his birthday. This boy loves water more than anything. He asks to play in the sink constantly; sometimes he just turns it on without asking. I am very anxious to see what he will do in a pool. I think it will freak him out!
He still goes down a slide backwards.
I caught him peaking through the fence to the neighbors yard.
This is the way I like to play outside.
I decided to paint my toe nails and Ben jumped up on the chair and got to work on his own! Oh brother.
Nate comes outside with us too. I was hoping this would keep big brother out of his face.
Ben likes being outside so much that he went out himself one morning in his pjs and Daddy's shoes.
Nate's cute swirl in his hair.
Fat & Happy
I love Nate's face in this picture.
But I think I love this picture even more. It makes me laugh!
All our biological family members are so very far away so we have forced ourselves on everyone here. Ben has various connections (ie. some sneak him candy while others share their chapstick) with many of our coworkers and we are so thankful that they love him as they do.
Maren once told me that she had a niece call her Auntie Grandma because she wasn't exactly sure of their relation. I liked the name and adopted that for Maren. Auntie Grandma Maren works in our hospitality ministry and works on our grounds at World Impact. She is often outside and we intentionally and unintentionally go for a walk to see her.
She has a small fire pit that she lights up often and lets us come enjoy the fun. She told us that a wax-dipped pine cone is a great fire starter. That meant Ben and I had a craft project to do! There is one tree on the grounds that gives pine cones. We spent a very cold morning out hunting for pine cones. Nate rode in the Moby wrap and had no idea how cold it was. Ben and I knew! We brought our pine cones home and dipped them in some melted candle wax. We took them over to the fire pit and it worked! Just one pine cone lit the fire quickly and it was fun to see our project work so well.
Admiring the loot.
He got the wooden spoon and wooden bowl himself - smart kid :)
Suited up and ready to go.
Quick nose-picking break. I have far too many pictures of this!
Concentration
Fire time! The good thing about Auntie Grandmas is that they let you make smores!
Ben also has a standing date with Maren to put bird seed in her bird feeder and water in the bird bath. I finally took my camera along to document it.
First we refill the bird feeder. He makes such a mess!
Then we put water in the bird bath.
He was trying to be patient to see if a bird would come eat or drink. I don't think he lasted long in the swing.
Always on the go.
Nate is just happy to soak up some beautiful rays.
As I type this blog it is 37 degrees outside. I want that warm sunny day to come back! The weather here is so unpredictable.
I have a great camera with lots of settings that I never use. Nate and I were both in the mood to play with the settings today. Here is what we came up with (after playing with some editing too).
