happy halloween!!

pumpkin patchin' - 10.23.11

since daddy is a man of his word, he took us to hunsader farms to get us in the fall spirit! the consensus: we will return in a few years when you will really appreciate the festival in all it's fabulousness!

mommy didn't quite get the family picture she was hoping for at hunsader, so after nap, daddy took us back to the pumpkin patch we went to last year. and you had equal or greater fun there--20 minutes from the house! moral of the story: daddy is usually right, but mommy still gets what she wants. ;)

here are the best photos from hunsader farms:

here are the best photos from the local pumpkin patch:

{wordless wednesday: 175 envelopes}

happy half birthday, C!

to celebrate you and your big 1.5 years of life, mommy and daddy took you to the zoo! you had A LOT more fun this time, which made us happy and probably had to do with the fact that you are now able to WALK at the zoo!

after the zoo, we headed to Bailey's to celebrate your day with a birthday brunch, complete with homemade cinnamon rolls, only to find Bailey's closed!! mommy scoured the internet while daddy drove around trying to find a place open, with no wait, on a SUNDAY! Pane Rustica was the winner! we settled for a pizza and cinnamon croissants and made it home in time to nap!

the rest of the day was pretty normal--we went for our nightly walk, you watched baby einstein and we had spaghetti for dinner like MOST sundays! BUT mommy made "tee" (=treat) for your special occasion and daddy lit one and a half candles for you. man, you sure love blondies (you truly are your father's son!)!

we hope in the years to come, you look back and realize how much you have always been loved! you truly are a joy! we love you!

{wordless wednesday: hangin' out}

18 months

when i let myself sit and think about what your 18 month birthday means, i get all teary-eyed and realize that i'm ready to do it all over again. :) you make me want to do it all over again! you've help make me the woman (and mama) i am today, and while it took a little adjusting on my part, i am 100% certain that you are the (second) best thing that ever happened to me! meeting your daddy has to be the first, otherwise we could not have had you!

my only concern is that no other baby your daddy and i make will be as good as you...as perfect as you...as sweet as you. you are one in 6,775,235,700 (give or take a few since that is the world population according to google for 2009). you are you and there's no one like you. i love you so very much, carter brian. you make me one proud mommy. :)
now on with the update!

at 18 months, you...

...weigh 22lbs (6th percentile) and are 32.5 inches long (50 percentile), which translates to size four diapers, 12 month size clothes and a rear facing carseat for the foreseeable future!

...have 50+ words

...have graduated from the highchair to the big boy chair and keep us on our toes with your eating! you don't want us to feed you, but are VERY INEFFICIENT at feeding yourself. lately we've been allowing you to listen to music (specifically Little Big Town since that is the only album on mommy's iphone) during meals.

...still LOVE books! your current infatuation is "twinkle twinkle little star" but still really like "go dog go" and can ask for it perfectly!

...are constantly getting into things and play alone more often
...make out with the "scare-coh" numerous times a day. mommy will be doing the dishes and hear "mmmmmm" "mmmmmmm" "mmmmmm" coming from another room. mommy needs to start looking for a scarecrow replacement for the christmas season!
...LOVE the time right after dinner just before bath. daddy hides and you look for him or you play chase. it really is the best time of the day! you are the happiest and laugh the most then!

...cheer "woo woo" when we say "way to go, carter! way to go!"

...follow directions very well, but compliance is a whole different issue! but you surprise us with how much you know on a weekly basis!

...LOVE any and all trucks! you label them while we are in the car but mommy always has to check her rearview mirror to know for sure what you are talking about because you still sit rear facing!

...attempt the motions for itsy bitsy and seem to have developed an interest in music in the last week or so.

...say "bless" after sneezes AND farts

...really LOVE mommy's blondies--so much so that you were sneaking crumbs off the table and requesting them at the site of the container they were stored in!

...have said new sentences this month: "mama, more bread" and "mama, more treat"

...ask about "uh-cle" ALL.THE.TIME.

...stand at the window and watch daddy mow the grass. AND WAVE AND WAVE AND WAVE!!
and

...give the best hugs after mommy's stripped you down and daddy's drawing your bath. you cling to dear life, anticipating daddy putting you in the tub. mommy loves this time of day!

other photo favorites from the month:
{celebrating uh-cle's birthday at babe's pizza!}

happy birthday, great grandma heisserer!

saturday we went to brooksville to celebrate great grandma heisserer's birthday. it was so nice to see great aunt norma and walk around great grandma's property.


we got great grandma a carter's sunburst camellia for her to plant and think of carter when it blooms. silly mommy forgot to get a picture of it though!


speaking of pictures, it is nearly impossible to get a photo of you these days! you are SO ON THE MOVE!!! we did manage to take another five generation photo, actually we took a LOT of them. this is the overall best photo of everyone.


of course we must include a photo of you and your beloved uncle! obviously you were ready to go, considering your level of "sweet boy" captured in this picture!