back to work.

Change is never easy, but always necessary. After having an amazing 4 months of maternity leave, I have to return to work tomorrow morning. I have been dreading this day since I had Carter. I just love being at home with him. It is such a joy to watch him play, discover, laugh and learn new things every day. The last 4 months have been some of the happiest moments of my life (I'm not completely naive - there were difficult moments too!) and I will always cherish that time I had with my beautiful baby.

Tomorrow a new routine will begin. Playing with new friends, napping at a new place, drinking from a bottle - changes Carter will adapt to. Balancing work and baby, husband and dog, friends and home - changes I will somehow learn to manage.

Carter - you are such a blessing in our lives. You are sweet, silly, cuddly and smart. You amaze me at how advanced you are for your age. Your smile melts my heart. To us, you are perfect.

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mom and dad time.

Here's what Carter has been up to in the last few weeks. Learning how to use a Mac.

Mastering the art of the jumperoo.

Showing off his first polo shirt. (Anyone who knows Matt knows he owns a lot of polo shirts. So, naturally Carter needed one too - thanks Jake!)Going on walks with mom.Getting cozy on the floor with Yoshi.

We've also entered into the fun world of teething. Constant drool throughout the day, many bib changes and a little fussiness but no teeth yet!

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Celebrating the Glanzers!

Our good friends, Carrie and Brandon Glanzer, are in the process of adopting 2 little girls from Uganda. We got together with all of our friends yesterday to celebrate. It was so fun and we can't wait until we get to meet these precious little girls!!Karlie (holding a sleepy Carter), Caity and Brie

Luke, Seth, Clay and Michelle enjoying root beer floats!

Brandon opening up the 3rd potty seat they received!Matt and Brandon having their own little storytime.Cute little family picture!

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so much better.

How great is the new blog design?!?! Even though I didn't win the blog makeover by Heather Mann, she was still kind enough to redesign our blog - apparently it was THAT bad! I've known Heather since I was 5 and she never fails to amaze me. She is so talented and creative in all she does and somehow finds the time to always help out a friend. Not to get too sappy, but she really is wonderful and I'm truly blessed to have her in my life.

So, if you have a blog that needs a little work, check out Studio M Designs. You won't be disappointed!

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St. Paddy's Day

Carter's Grandma Vance bought this adorable St. Patricks Day onesie. So...we just had to get some pictures.It took about 9 attempts to get a decent shot of the 2 of us. If only babies knew to look at the camera and smile on cue. We'll keep working on it!

Lovin' those hands.

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Sleepy baby.

Since Carter has been wanting to bounce like crazy every time he stands on our lap, we decided it was time to buy an activity jumper. For anyone who has been over to our house when he's been in it, they've seen the excitement that begins when he starts to jump. It cracks us up everytime he does his little river dance. It's also been a lifesaver for me when I need to take a shower, fold laundry or eat lunch. He just entertains himself! Yesterday I was busy folding laundry when I heard the music stop playing. I peeked around the corner to check on the little man and this is what I found. Sound asleep. Poor little guy had jumped so much he was exhausted! Too cute.

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Chunky Monkey

At 3 1/2 months, Carter is now over 18 lbs! Most strangers guess he's about 6-7 months old, but we love our chunky little man. He's also getting stronger every day - lifting his head up higher during tummy time, trying to scoot, standing on our lap, and slowly discovering his feet.

Look at the belly!

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teddy bear.

I know some people hate those baby clothes that have ears on the hoods, hats or coats. But...I love them. I think they are so cute! Carter is growing like a weed and even though his head is in the 50th percentile, he keeps growing out of his hats. So, I went hat shopping last week and found this adorable teddy bear ear hat. We decided to do a little photo shoot with the hat the other day. I think he's pretty darn cute.Excuse the spit-up.

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blog makeover

Let's be honest. For the 4 of you who read this blog, it's lacking in creativity. The content is fun, but the design is pretty lame. Luckily, I have a wonderful friend who is having a contest for a blog makeover! How fun is that. Her name is Heather and here is a link to her blog.

http://heatherandevan.blogspot.com/

Heather is such a great friend and an amazing photographer if you ever need one! Her family is super cute too! So, Heather (since you are one of the four people who read this) I have now completed steps 1-3....pick me friend, pick me!

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what i've learned.

I can't believe how quickly these last 3 months have gone by. Yet, it seems like Carter has been in our lives for so long...I can't imagine life without him. As a new mom, I'm learning new things every day. Here's a list of just a few things I've learned:

1. It's amazing how one can function on such little sleep.

2. My renewed love for coffee.

3. How I sway and bounce automatically, even if I'm not holding anything at all.

4. The magic of a binky.

5. Blow-outs are now preferred over constant spit-up.

6. It is possible to fall in love with someone, in an instant.

7. 2 loads of laundry each day is totally normal now.

8. Never hold a baby without a burp cloth, unless you're prepared to change your clothes.

9. A baby's giggle is the most magical sound.

10. A quick trip to the store is no longer quick.

11. It takes an SUV to fit everything you need for a weekend away.

12. My husband is an amazing father.

13. Baby fingernails grow at an alarming rate.

14. Squishy cheeks and thighs have never been so cute.

15. Being a mom is my proudest accomplishment.

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3 month fever.

Poor little guy. For his 3 month birthday, Carter received his first fever. Yuck! And, I just feel horrible about it. All morning he was cranky and clingy and I was just getting annoyed. He wouldn't go down for a nap, wouldn't play with his toys and would whine anytime I put him down. Finally, I decided we were going to go for a car ride so he would fall asleep. As I went to get him ready, I noticed he was really warm and sweating. Checked him temp. and yep...101.0...poor guy. After his first sick trip to the doctor, we are still playing the waiting game to see what happens. Luckily, his lungs are clear and no ear infection.

I tried to get a cute 3 month pic, but he wasn't having it this morning. So...here is one from yesterday with his new outfit on! Oh yeah..3 month stats from the doctor today: 17 lbs. 7 oz and 26 inches long (big boy!!!)

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