Carson Anthony: 15 Months!

Carson is 15 months, does that mean I need to start shopping around for Cozy Coupes for next month for his 16th month birthday!?  (Seriously, he doesn't have one yet!)  

Test driving his friend Hallie's car

Carson is officially 24lbs 4oz. (48th percentile) and 31.75" tall (71st percentile)!  Here are a few pics from his 15 month appointment where he was as ornery as ever.  :)

What Carson Loves Right Now: 

-Carson loves waving to EVERYONE.  He waves to cars driving by our house, waves to birds outside, waves to our dogs, waves to me, waves at the TV, etc.  He seems to get a little annoyed when people don't wave back, but still always has a huge grin on his face!
-Carson still loves balls.  I'm not sure this obsession will ever go away!  He loves shooting hoops with his basketball (or anything that will fit through his basketball hoop) and also loves kicking balls around the house like a little soccer star!  His latest favorite ball is definitely his beach ball.  He carries it all around the house and loves to play "catch" in the driveway.  It's more like fetch, but don't tell anyone. ;)

-He also loves balloons and anytime he sees some sort of sphere that resembles a ball or balloon he goes nuts pointing and yelling "bah!"  It's pretty darn cute. :)
-Carson loves bubbles!  We have a little bucket of outside toys that includes a few bottles of regular bubbles, a jumbo tube of bubbles, and a bubble machine.  He frequently goes and picks one out and brings it to us saying "buh! buh!"

-Carson loves playing hide and seek and chase!  We have an island in our kitchen and he will chase me around it CRACKING up the entire time.  He also likes to play hide and seek but isn't very good at hiding yet.  He loves to seek.  When he goes looking for me, he'll sign "all gone" whenever he checks a spot and I'm not there.  It's so hilarious and adorable!
-Carson's favorite foods this month are definitely bananas and pancakes.  He has pancakes just about every morning for breakfast and gobbles them right up.  He's always liked bananas but now he has started to eat the entire banana before even trying anything else on his plate!

Carson loves stealing Mommy's drinks!

Sharing is caring! ;)

Carson also still LOVES his slide!

What I Love Right Now: I'm loving Carson's personality!  He is such a cheerful little boy and LOVES teasing people and cracking up.  He has always loved our dogs but now he's starting to interact with them more and try to play with them by passing them toys and throwing their toys for them to fetch.  He loves to feed them treats and share his food with them!  He is definitely a little stinker and knows when he's being mischievous.  Lately he loves to throw food off his plate for the dogs and then get a super serious look on his face and shake his head "no".  

After he pulled everything from the recliner into his crib!

 

I found him all wrapped up like this...so snuggly!

Some of our Biggest Struggles: One thing that we're working on right now is throwing.  Carson has quite the arm and he loves to throw anything.  It started with balls and that was fine.  Now he will pick up any toy (usually it seems to be the sharpest toy around) and then he'll CHUCK it full speed at me or the dogs...or who ever is nearby.  It's been really hard to try to teach him what he can and cannot throw.  Any tips are appreciated! ;)
Carson is still super active and has no fear so that's a constant "struggle" but I think that comes with most little tots his age...especially boys!  He climbs on everything and has recently found a fascination with jumping off things.  Lord, help me! 

Exciting Milestones & Physical Changes: Carson has a new word!  He has learned  how to say "wawa" for water and is using it on a consistent basis.  I can't wait for this supposed "language explosion" to happen.  It's so fun to watch him verbally communicate!  He also now knows how to moo like a cow which is super cute.  If you are reading a book and ask about the cow or elephant, he won't point them out before doing the animal sound for you. :)  He is also in the process of learning to jump!  He squats down and pops up but doesn't quite get off the ground.  It's really adorable and I'm pretty sure he thinks he's jumping 5 feet into the air!

Carson finally has some more teeth!  This last month he sprouted another top lateral incisor and TWO MOLARS!  Those molars are doozies and the second one isn't even all the way through!  He now has a total of 8 teeth - 6 on top and 2 on bottom!  He's due for another haircut but I'm putting it off....like usual. :)  I think I might need to buy some baby hair gel and give him a style one of these days. ;)

Teething Carson = so sad! :(

We were able to do so many fun things this month like splash pads, play cafes, and the children's museum!   

Things We're Looking Forward To: I'm still looking forward to that "language explosion" everyone talks about.  I'm excited that Carson added two more "words" this month and does TONS of babbling still but I seriously can't wait to add more words to his list! 

I'm also looking forward to giving Carson his big Christmas gift this year.  I scored this adorable kitchen for $38 SHIPPED!  As soon as I brought it inside he ran over and gave the girl a kiss.  Such a charmer!

We have some fun things coming up this month including Carson's Grammy's birthday and also getting our house ready to put on the market!  It's going to be a crazy time but we're excited for new opportunities!  


We were able to test out some of his Fall clothes when it got a bit chilly for a few days!  :) 

I'm linking up with Kristin for Baby Talk today!

Tips for New Moms

{1} Trust your motherly instincts.  You know the saying "Mother knows best"?  It's true.  If you think your baby is sick, trust your gut!  I'd rather be safe than sorry when it comes to my child.  Do you research on things as well and be your child's advocate.  If you feel there is something wrong with your baby and the doctor isn't agreeing, get a second opinion!  Even if your baby is fine, you will feel good that you made absolutely sure he/she was totally okay!

{2} Stop comparing.  Don't compare your baby to other babies.  Don't compare your parenting style to others' parenting styles.  Nothing good comes from comparing.  Your baby will develop at his/her own rate and there is no need to waste time thinking about other babies who are hitting milestones before your baby!

{3} Keep the husband-wife relationship strong.  Bringing a baby into the mix can be stressful on everyone.  Babies can sense stress.  Keep the house happy by dividing your love and affection between baby and hubby.  Not only will this bring you closer as a couple, but it will make everyone happy.  I can't wait to absolutely disgust Carson when he's older with my affection towards his father.  Ha, I'm so evil!

{4} Research baby gear!  Don't pick the trendiest items or the items that your friends INSIST you must get.  Pick the items that get the best safety ratings and that have positive reviews from actual customers!  Also keep in mind that an item may get rave reviews from thousands of customers, but it might not work for your baby.
{5} Get into a routine, but don't feel rushed to do so.  I remember Carson being 2 weeks old and someone asking me what his bedtime routine was.  They made me feel like such a failure!  Why didn't I have a routine yet?!  You want to know why, because he didn't even have a bedtime yet, he was still waking up every few hours!  Start your routine when you feel your baby is ready!  If your baby isn't ready, it will cause more stress on you.

 {6} Cherish every moment.  I SWORE I would never be one of those moms to say this, but it's true - the time goes SO fast.  Take extra time to let your newborn nap on your chest.  Never say things like "I can't wait until ____."  Trust me, it will be here before you know it and then you'll be wishing you had a squishy little newborn again!

{7} Don't be so hard on yourself!  I know many new moms (including myself) who wasted too much time stressing over the little things.  It's okay if your kitchen has dirty dishes in the sink.  It's okay if your fanciest outfit of the week was yoga pants and a nursing tank.  It's okay if a messy bun is your new go-to hair style.  The most important thing is that you're now a mother to a little blessing!  Your baby just needs your love and affection, not nice hair and fancy clothes!
{8} Don't be afraid to ask for help.  This kind of goes along with #7.  If you're feeling overwhelmed, ask for help.  Most people are thrilled to help a new mother because there's an extra benefit of stealing some snuggles with an adorable newborn baby!  Help comes in many forms.  You might need someone to come over for 30 minutes so you can get a shower.  You might want someone to bring dinner over.  You might even feel the need to get out of the house.  Just don't be scared to ask!
{9} Read to your baby!  I know a lot of people think it's silly to read to a newborn, but it's not!  I even read to Carson while he was in my belly!  Although your baby won't understand the stories you read yet, hearing your voice will help to stimulate an interest in sounds which helps develop listening skills!  [Former teacher, much!?]  Besides aiding in developmental skills, reading to your baby gives you the excuse to get in extra snuggles and bonding time!  This can also become part of your routine!
{10} Find a support system.  Find some Mommy friends (in real life or online) that can answer your questions and ease your worries.  Someone you can go to to clear your head.  For me, this came in the form of a new mom's group at my hospital as well as my birth month group from a community message board.  Being able to talk with moms who are going through what you're experiencing is very important and comforting.  Carson is 15 months and I am still extremely active on my birth month board!  It's amazing what a support system can do for a new mom!

I'm linking up with Becky today: 

Must See in NYC!

I'm going to be spending a long weekend in New York City starting TOMORROW!  My husband is there for 2 weeks on business and I decided to take advantage of a free hotel and do some sight seeing!  I've never been to NYC so I made a little list of "must sees".  Next week we'll see just how many of these I will actually able to check off the list.

1. Times Square.  I don't know why, but I'm dying to see the craziness of Times Square.  I'm pretty sure it's a top tourist destination.  I can't wait to feel the energy!  My husband has called me from there a few times around 11pm and all the shops are open and people are everywhere, it's so loud!  I can't wait!

2. Ellis Island/Statue of Liberty.  The history of Ellis Island amazes me.  I've always been interested in early American immigration and it fascinates me that most of our families came through the island!  Plus, who goes to NYC without seeing Lady Liberty?!

3. Metropolitan Museum of Art.  My sister (artist and art teacher) would kill me if I didn't make a stop here!  The trick will be convincing my husband that we need to go.  Museums are NOT his thing! :)

4. Empire State Building.  Just like the Statue of Liberty, I feel like I would be a total failure if I went to NYC and didn't see this historical landmark!

5. Rockefeller.  Our hotel is practically next to this so I figured I'd check it out.  It'd be nice to see it during the holiday season with the tree and ice skating but hopefully the "off season" will be almost as impressive!

6. Central Park.  I would prefer to see Central PERK but the park will have to do.  I honestly have no idea what to expect.  I've heard Central Park is gorgeous and I've also heard it's dangerous.  We shall see!

7. 9/11 Memorial.  This is something I've been wanting to see for a while.  I know it will bring back memories and won't be a happy site to see, but it's a must for sure.

8. Broadway Show.  I've NEVER seen a Broadway show.  Not even in my hometown!  I'm not big on "shows" but I figure I should definitely do it in NY!  (Confession: I already know we won't be checking this off the list because we waited too long to buy tickets...oops!)

9. Good Food.  There are probably about a bajillion restaurants in NYC.  That means a LOT.  I tried to look up menus and reviews and I also asked for referrals.  Hopefully we'll be having some awesome food in the city.  Also, dessert is a MUST, I'm so excited for dessert!

Have you been to NYC?
What was your favorite "tourist destination"?
Any suggestions for me?!

Burrito Casserole [Tasty Tuesday]

When I meal plan, I try to have a category for each day so it makes it easier (and faster) to choose meals.  Tuesdays are Taco Tuesdays.  They should really be called Mexican Tuesdays but that doesn't sound as nice so Taco Tuesdays means any delicious Mexican food!  This burrito casserole recipe makes frequent appearances on my rotation and if you try it, you'll find out why!

Creamy Burrito Cassrole

Ingredients
1 lb ground turkey
1/2 medium white onion, diced
1 pkt. taco seasoning
3-4 large flour tortillas
2/3 cup water
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese (you can also use taco cheese!)
1 can cream of chicken soup
4 oz. of sour cream (I use the light)
*Optional: hot sauce

How to Make It

1. Brown ground turkey along with the diced onion and drain.
2. Add taco seasoning and water, stirring occasionally. 
3. Mix soup and sour cream in a separate bowl.
4. Spread half of the sour cream mixture in the bottom of a greased 8x8 baking dish.
5. Tear up half of your tortillas and cover your sour cream mixture.  
6. Put half of your ground turkey over your tortillas.
7. Add a layer of cheese (and hot sauce if desired).
8. Repeat the layers.
9. Sprinkle cheese over the top and bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees for 20-30 minutes.

Here's what my layered casserole looks like before baking:

Motherhood Goals

When my husband and I first met, I knew we were meant to be.  (Is that enough mushiness for the first line in my blog post?!)  I spent many hours day dreaming about our future and the family we would create together.  It gave me butterflies and it still does!  I have always wanted to be a Mommy.  When I was younger, I would play with my dolls: pushing them in the stroller, feeding, them, changing them, etc.  I loved doing whatever MY mom was doing.  She was my idol and I wanted to be a loving Mommy like her!  I waited years and years to be given the precious gift of being a Mommy and over those years, I had time to think about what kind of mother I wanted to be to my children.  Like I mentioned before, my mom is an amazing mom and it made me easy to think of some motherhood goals for myself.

As a Mom I want to...

• Have patience.  Being a mom can be a hard job.  Being a mom, wife, sister, daughter, friend, etc. can be even more challenging!  I want to always be patient with my children and give them time to be kids.
• Be fair.  When I was little, my mom NEVER showed favoritism between me and my sister and she was always fair.  Everything was equal.  As a teacher, I saw many parents with an obvious favorite child and it made me so sad for the other child.  Seriously, how would you feel if you realized you were not the favorite?!  I know I could never have a favorite child, but just so it's clear, I want to be totally fair in my parenting.  Everything from they get equal pours of milk in their glasses to rules!
• Teach.  Obviously I want to help my children learn and grow academically, but I also want to teach them life skills.  I want to teach respect, honesty, perseverance.  There are so many things I can't wait to teach my children!
• Create memories.  I'm not talking about fancy trips and vacations (although those are nice, too).  I'm talking about memories of blanket forts in the family room, flashlight tag, picnics by the river.  I want to make special memories with my children that will last a lifetime!

As a mother, I have many other goals, but most of all, I want my children to know they are loved.  I plan to tell them way too often.  Carson is already smothered in my love (don't worry, he loves it)!  This is like second nature to me because that is how I was raised BUT I know all too many people who were not told often enough that they were loved.  This is so important to me.  

I'm linking up with Becky today:

Flashback Friday

Now that it's getting to be back to school time, I decided to do a little flashback into my high school years.  This post was totally inspired by Abby's post over at The Inspired Apple!

Let's start out in the early years....when awkward is still considered cute!  The left larger picture is my kindergarten pic.  Awesome outfit, I look like a beer wench!  I also LOVED my glasses, they were red frames with Mickey Mouse on the side.  So cool.
The remaining pictures on the right are 1st-4th grade.  I like how I have oversized collars in 3 of the 5 pictures.  Don't miss my girly Cosby sweater from 3rd grade!  Oh, and my 4th grade crimped hair is pretty amazing too.

Now onto the TRUE awkward years...the years where you can no longer blame your Mom for your clothing or hairstyles!  Here's my Freshman year picture.  Not only do I look cross eyed but I have some AMAZING bangs.  You know I spent lots of time on those with a huge round brush and tons of hair spray.

I finally got things right by the time I was a senior.  Brows are shaped (almost gone, but shaped), bubble bangs are gone and my teeth had been corrected by braces!

I'm linking up (a day late) with Cara over at The First Grade Parade!

What do your school photos look like?  

Did you follow any silly trends like my puffy bangs?!

DIY Bachelorette Bouquet

One of my best friends is getting married in October and we officially started her wedding festivities this past weekend.  We had a wonderful bridal shower and a super fun bachelorette party!

I was in charge of a few of the DIY things for the festivities (which I LOVE) and I was pretty excited about how my crafts turned out.

I'm sure some of you have seen the "Suck for a Buck" t-shirts.  They have little candies glued to them and guys pay a dollar to suck one of the candies off of the bachelorette's shirt.  We love the idea of collecting some extra cash to cover the bride's bar tab BUT we wanted something a bit less raunchy.  :)  Enter the suck for a buck bouquet!

What You Need
Foam cone (in the floral department at craft stores)
Ribbon (the wider the better!)
Suckers (I used 25 blow pops which was about 3 bags)
Hot glue gun

How to Make It
First you will want to cover your cone with ribbon.  Using your hot glue gun, you can wrap your ribbon around the cone or apply it in vertical stripes like I did.
Once your cone is covered, start sticking those suckers in the top!  I started at the center and put them as close together as possible so I could get quite a few in there.  I ended up fitting 25 all together (I used 3 bags and had 2 leftover suckers).

Next, you need a sign so that all of those crazy inebriated men at the bars know what this is all about!  I created my sign using Microsoft Word, but you can use whatever program you're comfortable with.

Next give the wonderful bouquet to your bride-to-be and head out for a night of fun and free drinks!  

Here's a picture of the bride-to-be with her beautiful bouquet!