Our Precious Blessings

Happy Birthday Carter Michael!!

2010-03-18T09:35:00.006-05:00

Happy, happy fourth birthday to our little man!! We love you more than you'll ever know!!

I'm sitting here in disbelief that you are four years old...it seems like just yesterday we were anticipating your birth, yet when I try to remember what life was like before you were here I just can't seem to remember. You are everything we hoped for and so much more.

You have grown up so much this past year. You are very tall for your age, a good head above most of your friends. You are so handsome with your beautiful blue eyes and your awesome head of blond hair. As you've always been, you are lean yet solid...to the point I can hardly pick you up any more. You are still the world's best snuggler and I hope that never stops! (Although it will be a beautiful thing when you decide to stay in your own bed all night long and quit sneaking into ours...)

You have the most tender and caring heart I've ever known. You love your family with everything in you and are always looking out for the best for others. You are an amazing big brother - you adore your sister and take such great care of her. So many times when she is messing in your things or getting in the middle of what you're doing (times when I would be irritated and frustrated with her if I were in your shoes), you are patient and loving with her. The times when she hits you for no reason, you sit there, never laying a hand on her. You are patient and kind and have taught me so much about loving others.

You love to learn. You work hard at everything you do. Several times your sweet teacher, Mrs. Julie, has told me that you were upset with her because she made you stop working on a project before you were finished because you were working so hard on it but all the other kids had finished theirs long before. You have an attention to detail that is nothing short of amazing. And you have such great manners - recently you went with some friends to play after school while mommy had a meeting. When I came to get you, all the moms were bragging on how great you were. You sat still, ate all your lunch, said please and thank you, and did everything they asked you to. Oh Carter, you make us so proud.

You have really grown in your faith this year too. You love Jesus and ask the most thought-provoking questions that just make my heart melt. You have a faith that trusts even when things seem impossible and you find such joy in praying about something and then seeing how God responds. Watching you grow into a young man of God is one of the greatest joys we have as your parents.

You still love your trains but have broadened your horizons this year to legos, Cars, tractors and Spiderman. You love to read and work on puzzles. It's not unusual to sit at the table for hours working on a 200+ piece puzzle. You have been taking gymnastics (it's a combination gymnastics/karate class) and love it. You also love to run and play outside and have recently developed a love for baseball and basketball.

You are the most amazing young man and we are so very blessed to serve as your parents. Thank you for the grace you extend us when we mess up and for the love you lavish us with that never ends. You are such a special boy and we love you with everything in us. I will wrap up this post with a story from last week that tells of your selflessness:

You developed a pretty bad case of bronchitis last week and we ended up at the doctor. You had to get a steroid shot, which you did not want, but were brave enough to take. You were upset after the shot because it hurt, and the more you cried the more you coughed. I let you cry for a minute or two, then it was time to get our stuff gathered and head out. You composed yourself enough to leave, and as we made it to the waiting room, Campbell decided to climb into one of the chairs and stay a while. After telling her to come on several times, I grabbed your hand and started walking away (please note: I would not have left her there!) saying "Come on bud, we're leaving. See you later, sis!" You stopped dead in your tracks and started sobbing, begging your sister to come along so she wouldn't be there alone. You were so concerned about her well-being, despite being so sick and hurting from a big-boy shot. It broke my heart that you thought I was going to leave her (parenting lessons from a three year old...we get them quite often) but was overjoyed with your concern for her. You always put others ahead of yourself, just as Christ modeled for us.

We love you, handsome! Happy, happy birthday Carter Michael!!!

Happy Birthday Campbell Grace!

2010-03-16T21:15:00.007-05:00

It is hard to believe that our baby girl is turning 2!! Happy Birthday Campbell Grace! (And happy St. Patrick's day to the rest of you...)

Mommy and Daddy love you more than life itself and can't imagine what our lives would be like without you. Campbell, each day you remind us that God's plan is so much greater than our own.

You surprised us with an early delivery and were so very, very tiny. At 5.7 pounds, you were the smallest baby I had ever seen. I remember wondering if you would ever fill out your preemie outfits. Now at two years old, you are still a little lady, but you are growing so quickly we can hardly believe it.

What started out as a calm and laid back nature has evolved into a young lady that knows what she wants and will do what she wants when she is ready, not a moment sooner. You did not start walking until a week before you were 18 months and once you decided you were ready, there was no stopping you. You've been the same way with talking...you understand everything and can communicate quite clearly, you just rarely choose to use words. But when you do, you are so articulate. You are quite opinionated, especially when it comes to getting dressed. We will go through multiple options each morning before you agree to something, then the same goes with shoes and bows. I love that you know what you want and will stick to your will until you find it...I'm believing that will pay off down the road when peers are pressuring you into things you know aren't the right things for you.

You love life and find joy in almost everything...until you get frustrated about something and then watch out! But as soon as the temper-tantrum starts, it is over and you're back to our sweet baby girl. You love, love, love puppies and adore your baby. Or as you say "BAAAAAABY". You think your brother hung the moon and want to do everything with him. We love watching you two together - it makes us happier than you'll ever know that you two are developing such a loving relationship. Your daddy is most definitely your hero. Any time you see a phone you hold your hand to your ear and say "i daddy" (hi daddy)...that's your way of asking me to call him so you can talk to him. Any time you see any item of daddy's around the house you say "at's daddy" (that's daddy's). I love nothing more than picking you up from Mother's Day Out or LifeKIDS and watching you see me, drop everything and come running to the door yelling "Mommy! Mommy! Mommy!"

We pray God's blessings over you and his plans for your life. We know they are great and many. We are honored to serve as your parents - it's a role we do not take lightly. Happy, happy birthday to our precious daughter. We love you so.

Enjoying the sun!

2010-03-09T23:01:00.003-06:00

We are quite thrilled that Spring is finally giving us glimpses! It rained and rained all day Monday, but today was beautiful! (Minus the wind...) Over the weekend we bought a new camera and are having a lot of fun figuring it out. Here are a few ones of the kids today.

Campbell has discovered the art of blowing bubbles. Nine times out of ten she isn't successful, but that one time makes all the other less successful times worth it. She entertained herself for such a long time this afternoon. She is growing up too fast...

And speaking of growing up too fast...who is this young man and what did he do with my little boy?!

Any given Sunday...

2010-01-23T15:16:00.006-06:00

Sundays at our house are normally pretty low-key, playing catch up or spending time with family. Recently my sister, Robyn, came to play with the kids and join us for dinner. Here are a few pictures of the fun:

Robyn is the artist in our family, so Carter always has fun with her. This day they were using Carter's new art set to create some lovely pictures. And as you see, his new bike helmet was protecting his head the whole time. He got a scooter for Christmas from my parents and they got him a helmet to go with it. Mom bought a size 5, thinking he'd have room to grow into it. Not so much...we couldn't even get it on his head! So she exchanged it for a helmet for an 8 year old. I'm sure it's cause he gets his brains from him Mom! Ha! He's been wanting to wear the helmet in the car lately. I can only imagine what people are thinking as they pull up next to us...

While they were working on the masterpieces, Matt was tightening up the legs on our kitchen table which were starting to wobble. Campbell, not wanting her Daddy to miss anything, was right there helping him out.

After she was sure he had everything under control she decided to kick back on the floor and start singing. She has been doing this a lot lately - laying down with her feet in the air just having a ball. It cracks me up every time! I think this picture is so cute and perfectly captures our little lady. She has really developed so much personality the last few months. Our once passive and laid back gal is now quite spunky and so funny. I'm not sure what we ever did without her!

Cherishing the moment...

2010-01-13T16:10:00.003-06:00

So I'm sitting at the computer doing my best to get caught up on the never ending piles of paperwork. The house is silent, both kids are taking naps after a fun morning at the Science Museum with Aunt Brookie, Cousin Chesney (today's her first birthday...Happy Birthday Chesney!) and Gran.

A few moments ago I hear the swoosh-swoosh-swoosh of movement down the stairs and my sweet little boy appears and asks if he can sit in my lap. I clear the way and let him climb up. In no time he is asleep again. He's hot and sweaty, and truth be told, the boy I will always picture in my mind as a baby hardly fits in my lap anymore. Instead of thinking about how uncomfortable I am and he must be, though, I'm choosing to cherish this moment. Because my sweet boy is sound asleep in my lap and I know moments like this won't happen much longer. Carter Michael - I love you more than life.

Please excuse the mess in the background...I told you I was working on it!

Hi. We are still here in case you were wondering...

2009-11-06T14:25:00.002-06:00

Hello! It's been FAR too long since I've posted anything here! We have had a crazy 7 months since our last post and finally feel like we're back to "normal" - whatever that really is!

Here's a brief, quick update:

In the midst of our house-building process that began the week after Christmas last year, we sold our house in April to a great couple and were able to stay there through the end of June. When it came time to pack up and move, our new house wasn't quite ready, so we loaded up a couple of Pods and had the privilege of spending five weeks with the Northcutts, our dear and precious friends that we consider mentors. (Or as Janie would rather hear, more like our older brother & sister.) They had cleared out bathrooms, bedrooms and closets and let us take over. What a blessing it was! The kids absolutely loved being there, and it was such a relief to not have to move twice. We moved in to the new house in August and while we miss our roommates, it's great to be in one place without our belongings spread all over the place! Both of our parents were wonderful and allowed us to store lots of stuff at their houses, we had stuff in Matt's warehouse at work, plus the Pods. Yes...we have way too much stuff.

The kids are doing great, growing faster than we can possibly fathom! Carter is in preschool and is doing so well. He's so smart - we are constantly amazed at the way his mind works. And boy is he funny!! He is unusually tall for his age, so when he acts like a three year old (for those of you with three year olds, you know exactly what I'm talking about) we get some funny looks. He's got the sweetest heart and is so compassionate with friends, family and especially his little sister. He's still crazy about Thomas the Train, Cars (at our house, Lightning McQueen is also known as Rusty), and sports in general, and he loves to cuddle up and read. Lately he's had quite a fondness for Pinkalicious - we didn't think much of it until a friend at church sent us a picture of him one night while we were at Bible study. He was dressed up like a fairy. Proud moment for the Moores. I look at him with amazement - how did my sweet baby boy grow up so fast to the point I can hardly carry him any more? His speaking skills are incredible - we carry on adult conversations. It truly seems like he's grown up overnight.

And then Miss Campbell. We are having a blast with her! She's really coming out of her shell and literally she's changing every single day. She has been our late bloomer; she had no desire to walk until she was 17 months old. We laugh about it now, but over the summer we had the kids in Mother's Day Out one day a week. Campbell was in the toddler class, where she was right in the middle of the kids, age-wise. After 3 weeks of MDO, they asked us to keep her home for the rest of the summer because she just wasn't ready for the toddler class. At that point she still wasn't walking, needed more than one nap a day, was hardly talking, etc. And of course there wasn't a baby class for her to go to during the summer session. So when it came time to start back in the fall, she was put in the baby class where she could go at her own pace. She did great in there, had the most amazing teachers, and really blossomed. Last week they moved her up to the Toddler class and she's loving it! Her new teacher said it really is amazing how much she has developed since July. Campbell adores Carter and it has been so fun watching them play together. She's crazy about dogs - any time she sees one she yells "Puppy! Puppy! Puppy!" and has a slew of doggie stuffed animals that she takes with her wherever she goes. I'm a bit concerned...she's developed a real liking for shoes. Ha! And she's just the opposite of Carter - she's very small for her age. We are in a constant battle with her hair - it's a mullet. But she has these sweet curls in the back that I don't have the heart to cut off. Thank goodness the top is finally starting to grow and we can somewhat hide the reality of the mullet. For parents who thought that they wanted all boys, she sure has changed our minds. We love having a daughter and a son!

Well, that really wasn't quick or brief, but hopefully it gives you a slight glimpse into our lives these days. Here is a link to my friend Amanda's blog - she took some family pictures for us recently and our pics went up today. I think she did a great job capturing us. http://eikonart.blogspot.com/.

And maybe I'll post again between now and the next six months...

Happy Birthday Campbell and Carter!

2009-04-13T23:24:00.004-05:00

Last month (yes, I'm very late posting) we celebrated Campbell and Carter's birthdays together. I figure it won't be much longer that we can have one party for their day-apart birthdays since they're different sexes, so we made the most of it this year! We are so blessed to have so many family members and loved ones that love our kids endlessly!!
I know I'm partial, but how cute is she?!
And my oh my, what a handsome three year old Carter is!!
Our sweet baby girl right before she dug into her birthday cake. Now, every time she sees cake, she literally dives for it and will scream and point until she gets some. She definitely inherited my sweet tooth!!

Carter and Campbell, you bless our lives more than we could ever express. We are so thankful that God chose us to be your parents - we cannot possibly fathom the fact that the love we feel for each of you is just a fraction of what He feels for each of us. The way you love each other melts our hearts each and every day. Thank you for being the greatest kids we could ever ask for!!

Our Baby's Growing Up...

2009-02-26T23:50:00.003-06:00

For months now we've avoided (or at least tried to...) the comparisons between Carter and Campbell in terms of when he did this, when she did that, etc. We know our kids are unique and exactly how God designed them to be. Carter just happened to be our early bloomer, and sweet Miss Campbell is content with not rushing things. She was nine months old before she started crawling, and now at 11 months old, she has perfected her version of army crawling and is one fast moving little gal! She has had no desire at all, in any way, shape, or form, to put weight on her legs. Until this week. And now, watch out. She wants to stand all the time! Balance is still an issue, but she's quickly improving. Last night she was at LifeKIDS while we were at LifeGroup and she pulled up for the first time...twice! She did it again today for my Mom. I still haven't seen her do it. Maybe tomorrow...

Here she is showing off her new skill:

Happy Birthday, Daddy!

2009-02-26T23:44:00.003-06:00

This week we celebrated Matt's 31st birthday. Carter worked very hard decorating Daddy's cake - footballs and football helmets are sprinkled on the top. And he picked out the candles himself and couldn't wait to blow them out for Daddy.

Of course I wasn't successful in capturing a picture that was good of all three of them at once, so here are a couple where at least 2 of them are looking at the camera!

Matt will not be happy with me for putting this picture on here of him, but I love the way Campbell is admiring him. She lights up when she sees her Daddy. I am so thankful that my babies have a Daddy that loves them more than life itself!!

Our New Cousin, Chesney Ann

2009-01-14T16:18:00.006-06:00

Yesterday, January 13, our first cousin, Chesney Ann was born!! What a fun day we had at the hospital...seeing Aunt Brookie and Uncle Chris as they prepared for the birth of their baby girl, playing with Gran and Papa, eating you name it...cookies, apples, gummy worms and starburst, and much more!! It was so fun!!! But the best part was seeing Miss Chesney for the first time. She is such a perfect blend of Brooke and Chris. She has his gorgeous dark hair and eyes and has her mommy's chin and lips. Carter is so very excited to have a cousin and I'm thrilled for the kids to have a buddy so close to their age to grow up with!! I didn't have my camera handy last night, but we got to see them today and I got some cute pics.

Here she is:
And here is Carter talking to her:
Reality is sinking in...my baby doesn't look much like the baby any more!!!
I have to tell a story with this last picture. Brooke was changing Chesney's clothes to get her ready for her newborn pictures. The sweet baby didn't care much for that and was crying that sweet baby cry. Carter was really bothered by her crying and wanted to help her stop, so I suggested he sing her "Jesus Loves Me". She was laying on Brooke's bed and Carter was standing at the end of it facing her. About halfway through him singing, she stopped crying and just stared at him. My precious boy was so excited that she stopped crying when he sang that he went on to sing "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star" and the "ABCs". I think he's going to be as protective of Chesney as he is of his little sister. Oh how I love that boy. Here she is right after he sang to her:
Chesney Ann, your Uncle Matt, Aunt Katie and cousins Carter and Campbell love you more than anything and can't wait to get to know you better! We have so much fun ahead of us!!!!

A Christmas Picture...or documentation of sibling rivalry!

2009-01-08T22:56:00.011-06:00

On this day, the kids were dressed and ready to go with Pops and JJ/Janer (my parents - and yes, my mom's name changes back and forth depending on the day) for the annual OPUBCO family Christmas party. While we were waiting for them to pick the kids up, I decided I would capture a shot or two of them in front of the Christmas tree. The shots I got were not quite what I had intended, but our life captured, nonetheless. I will narrarate (and think) for the kids as we go:

Me: "Carter, please scoot closer to your sister so I can get you both in the picture."
Carter: "I not want to, Mom."
Me: "Well then would you please at least put your toy down for the picture?"
Carter: "Not a day, Mom." (translation: Not today, Mom)
Campbell: Why should he get to have all the fun with the toy?? What about me?! After all, I'm the one with the giant bow on my head...
Campbell: Look, Mom!!!! I got it and I was so fast he didn't even know what hit him!
Carter: "No sister!!" You just think you've got my toy. Maybe if I smile while ripping it from your hands Mom won't get mad...

Me: BUSTED!!!
Carter: Way to go sister, now we're in trouble for fighting.
Campbell: Way to go bub, had you just shared with me from the start we wouldn't be in this predicament. She's not going to get mad at me, look how cute I am!
Carter: "Mom, sister's on me." Get off my leg you little thing!!
Me: "Carter, do not push her. I'm coming to help."
Me: "Now sit still for just a moment longer. Hey there...look at me!!"
Carter: "CHEEEEEESE" (When do they stop saying this for pictures?? And who taught him to say cheese in the first place?!)
Campbell: You want me to do what?! I think this bow is cutting off circulation to my brain...
Campbell: He's finally gone! Now I'll ham it up for you, Mom!

Edited to add: Notice all the ornaments hung in a giant cluster above Carter's head? He was such a good helper when we decorated the tree!!

Dear Santa

2008-12-31T08:06:00.003-06:00

We had a wonderful Christmas that stretched over several days. Lots of time with family and wonderful memories made. I've got plenty of pictures to share, but they're still on my camera. I will get them downloaded soon. And I'm hoping that in 2009 I will be much more faithful in keeping this blog updated! The kids are growing up so very fast...I can't believe it. So until next time, Happy New Year! May God bless you and yours beyond measure.

Here is a picture of Campbell and Carter with Santa. My parents took the kids to Opubco's family Christmas party and they got to sit on Santa's lap. Matt's mom and I tried to make it to the mall for pictures with a "real" Santa, but here we are, on December 31, and that never happened. Next year for sure!

Mr. Independent

2008-11-21T14:35:00.004-06:00

Recently Matt was out of town and my sister came over to spend the night and hang out with me and the kids. On Saturday morning I had somewhere to be and Robyn was taking the kids, along with my parents, to visit some dear friends in Enid. As usual, it was a crazy morning and we were running behind... Carter took it upon himself to get dressed. He didn't realize it was cold outside and not raining, but I still need to give him credit for taking the initiative!
Now...look a little closer:
My sweet boy went the extra mile and put his clothes on backwards and even had his rain boots on the wrong foot. I like the fact that he is growing more independent, but even more, I love the fact that he still needs his Momma every now and then...

I Love Pickles!!

2008-11-21T14:31:00.004-06:00

Campbell is eating anything that she can get her hands on these days! The other day I met Mom, Robyn and her boyfriend's sister for lunch and Campbell had her first pickle. She LOVED it! She threw a temper tantrum when I took the slimy, nasty remainder away from her. I can't believe how fast she is growing up...

So many new skills!

2008-11-03T16:39:00.003-06:00

Campbell is growing up so fast...too fast if you ask me! In the two months she has mastered sitting up, eating food, and now rolling over completely. These are a few pictures I think are so cute of her - look at those rolls!!!

I'm on a mission to capture her rolling over on film now...we'll see how that goes!

State Fair 08...Just a little late!

2008-11-03T16:19:00.006-06:00

Each year we go to the Fair on opening night with my family because my Dad is on the board and they do a special night for the board members and their families. Free fair food and free rides - it's always fun! This year was the best yet. Carter had a BLAST and I think Matt and I had even more fun watching him experience so many exciting things! Campbell was a trooper and was so cute taking it all in. I don't think she made a peep all night! Here are some pics from our night.

Carter loved this ride! Each turn would fling him into Matt and he would crack up. It was so fun watching them together!

This was the hot air balloon ride. Carter had to ride this one alone because Matt and I were too big to join him. Right as they were about to close off the ride to begin, the cutest little girl came up with her Daddy. The only open seat was with Carter. Is she not darling?! He was a perfect gentleman the whole time and they giggled and laughed as though they had known each other forever! I have a feeling he's going to be a charmer like his Daddy...

Carter and Uncle Jeff have become the best of friends! And they could easily pass as father and son. They played like little kids all night long! We didn't get many pictures of Campbell that night, and the ones we did get really aren't worth posting. My family took her with them a lot of the time so we could both go ride with Carter.

A week later we got to go back to the fair with Gran and Aunt Brookie for the Rodeo! We had so much fun eating fair food and then watching the bull riding, barrel racing, rodeo clowns and so much more! Carter was so excited to wear his cowboy hat and boots and kept them both on all night!

And finally...our rodeo princess!

Polka Dot Princess

2008-09-17T22:49:00.002-05:00

Precious baby girl...oh how you melt my heart! Today is Campbell's 6-month birthday. It really is hard to fathom that she has been here for six months. It seems like just yesterday I went for my 37-week appointment and our doctor discovered a complication and sent us straight to the hospital for induction. Before we knew it, she was here. And instantly we couldn't imagine our lives without her.

Each day seems to bring a new discovery, a new skill and a whole new meaning to the word joy! God is so good. She is sitting up on her own, and now instead of falling over, she slowly bends over more and more as if she's stretching for cheerleading practice. She's eating cereal and has now mastered two vegetables. Yeah for green beans and peas. Tomorrow we might venture on to squash. She and Carter have such a special relationship, although now that she's big enough to start reaching for things, Carter is getting to learn about sharing. She is such a happy baby, easy going and so content no matter what. Her smile couldn't be more beautiful, but what makes me fall in love with her time and again is her sweet spirit. I couldn't ask for more.

It's PeePee in the Potty!!

2008-09-17T22:43:00.003-05:00

Carter is beginning to show an interest in the potty...actually, let me clarify. Carter is beginning to show an interest in big-boy underwear. We spent a good 10 minutes in Target last week admiring the various options available for young men in his stage of life. He left quite excited to start using his the potty in order to get some Thomas underwear. I've told myself that I'm not going to push him in to using the potty...I've heard and read of far too many instances when the parent pushed and the kid just wasn't ready. So, I'm going to let him do it in his own time. Since the Target trip, he has asked to go a few times, some successful, others not so much. We did happen to catch a success on film, though! We had run out to Matt's parent's house after church last Sunday to pick up a trailer and a chain saw and Carter mentioned something about the potty. He sat down on it and decided he didn't have to. We didn't have a diaper handy, so while Matt ran out to get one I had him sit back down to wait. Well what do you know? He did it, and quite well I might add! He was so excited. He started screaming "I did it! Dat's peepee in da potty!!" Can't you tell how proud he is?!

Go Pokes!

2008-09-08T14:17:00.002-05:00

Campbell was full of Orange Pride on Saturday! Although we didn't take the kids to the football game, she was there in spirit! Carter didn't care about wearing orange, as he was more interested in dressing appropriately to play at the park with Gran and Papa!

The Wonders of a Bumbo

2008-09-04T23:18:00.002-05:00

When Carter was a baby, I saw no real need for a Bumbo. Hindsight proves I was a dumbo. (Yes, that was bad...) Our sweet friend Reese is lending us her Bumbo for Campbell to use. It has been so fun! She can join us like a big kid and just lights up when she's in it! A few weeks ago I was trying to get a few things done around the house, so I put her in it and plopped her in front of Noggin with Carter. Nothing like the Wonder Pets to save the day! Normally Carter is a busy body and won't sit still, so he wanders around from watching TV, to looking at a book, to pulling far too many toys out at once from the toy closet (formerly known as the coat closet - I love having a house with no storage!). I peeked in on them to make sure all was well and was so touched with what I saw. Carter had sat down next to Campbell so she wouldn't be alone and would lean over and either give her a kiss or tell her he loved her every so often. He is such a good brother to her and she absolutely adores him!

THE Anne...

2008-09-04T23:07:00.002-05:00

One of the greatest blessings that Matt and I have is the love and support of amazing families on both sides. How grateful we are to both be accepted and loved by our inlaws as though we were their own, and their families as well! We are fortunate to have almost everyone in town or very near, except Matt's Aunt, Uncle and Cousins in North Carolina. Oh how we love them! I can remember back in high school when I met them for the first time. Their joy was contagious and they loved to be around each other! They laugh all the time, whether they are telling jokes or old stories, and when you're with them, you can't help but join right along! Matt and I really desire to be that kind of family...where we truly love to be around each other and have a blast while we're at it!! Over the summer we had the privilege of seeing Mark, Karen and the kids at one time or another when they were in OKC visiting. Matt's cousin, Anne, spent a couple of weeks here and we had the opportunity to take her to Stillwater and walk her all around the campus, sharing with her a little bit of our Orange Pride. Carter and Campbell had such a fun time with her (along with the rest of the NC crew!) and we can't wait to see them again! [Yes, Anne, we WILL make it to NC for a visit soon!] Here is Anne holding Campbell...

Our Strong Willed Son

2008-08-27T17:02:00.003-05:00

Today was the first day of our first fall activity - a ladies Bible study I am taking part in. While there, Carter and Campbell get to play in the nursery with other kids their age. After Bible study, we went to lunch with a friend and on our way home, Carter fell asleep. Normally it's a simple process when we get home. I carry him from the car to his bed, he continues his nap, then wakes up an hour or two later ready to go. Well, today wasn't quite that easy.

He would NOT go back to sleep. I laid with him (a bad habit we started and now are trying to break) for much longer than I should have (poor Campbell was starving and making all sorts of noise in the living room) and finally drew the line in the sand and left. He flipped out. He wouldn't stay in his bed, kept throwing temper tantrums where he'd dramatically fall on the floor while flailing around, and then started being really ugly to Campbell while I was feeding her. As soon as I could get up, he was carried to his room, put in bed and told to stay there. Of course that didn't work. No sooner would I shut the door then he would open it and start the hysterical whining/crying/demands again..."Mom come way (lay) with me." This went on for far too long. After several spankings and the revoking of TV and Thomas the Train privileges for the rest of the day he still wouldn't give up. So I pulled the "Love and Logic" towel-over-the-door trick, which safely keeps him in his room so that he can't open the door. You're probably wondering why I didn't do that sooner...good question. He was mad. Yelling and screaming like there was no tomorrow. The real kicker is that I had an appointment with our insurance guy at our house. Of course Carter was still going strong when he got here. And of course he screamed the entire time he was here. Finally it got quiet in his room. After the appointment I looked under the door. And there he was...I couldn't resist snapping a picture of my little stinker.

Orange Power

2008-07-25T17:11:00.002-05:00

This picture is here for two reasons:

1) To showcase just how fabulous Campbell looks in orange. Even you Sooner fans can't disagree!! (Although some friends thought it was just hilarious to teach Carter to say "Boomer Sooner", complete with motions. It wasn't funny.)
2) To let you see how much she has grown! And, yes, I take way too long to get pictures from the camera to the computer...this picture was taken on June 20!

Definitely a Keeper...

2008-07-25T16:57:00.002-05:00

When Carter gets married, this picture will definitely make an appearance at one point or another. We were on our way home from a family get together and Carter would not take these glasses off, even after he fell asleep! He thinks he's pretty cool when he wears them. Who wouldn't agree?!

Happy Baby

2008-06-19T23:31:00.004-05:00

While I don't think this picture really looks like Campbell, I wanted to post it because it really captures her smile. We had spent the evening with Matt's family and had such a fun time. Matt's dad took this picture - he's got a gift for capturing those special moments!

Summer's Here...

2008-06-19T22:58:00.003-05:00

There is a tradition in my family fondly known as "Thompson Sundays". We go over to my parent's house and swim, hang out and eat great food. This was the first official Sunday of the season. As you can see, Carter was ready to go:

Here are two out of three of Campbell's aunts (my sister, Robyn, on the left and my brother's wife, Sarah, on the right.)
Is that not the cutest swimsuit you've ever seen? I'm sure that's partly to do with the cutie pie wearing it, right?!
Here's my happy little guy - he had so much fun swimming and playing with everyone. This picture captures his pure joy...I love my Cman!!
I know this picture seems kind of random, and I'm sure it still will after I'll explain it, but I'm going to any way. This portable travel swing has been an invaluable baby fixture at my parent's house. We first used it with Carter and now with Campbell. It allows us to have the baby outside with us in the shade while we swim and what not. Carter would periodically get out of the pool and go check on "My Baby Sister" throughout the afternoon. This particular time he was up there for quite a while. I decided I should probably check on him to make sure he wasn't traumatizing her or anything like that. What I found melted my heart...he was singing Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star to her. And she was just staring at him with the most precious look. He is such a great brother!

Lindsey Came to Visit!

2008-06-19T22:52:00.002-05:00

A few weeks ago my dear friend Lindsey was in town for some work meetings and stopped by the house on her way back to her parent's for a quick visit. What a special surprise it was! Don't you love how a few moments here and there with a true friend seem as though no time has passed since the last visit? What a blessing she is to my life! Look at how Campbell is just gazing at her...so sweet! Love you, Linds!!

Typical Friday

2008-06-19T22:30:00.004-05:00

Here are a few pictures from a typical Friday at our house. Carter loves to cuddle with Campbell each morning in our bed. (No, our kids do not sleep in bed with us, they just both end up there by the time morning comes around.) On this day, I wasn't fast enough with grabbing the camera to capture the truly sweet moments when they were both grinning and enjoying each other, but at least you will get the idea!

And here is our little girl, who is no longer little! Who would have ever guessed she was barely over 5 pounds when she was born?

She's getting really good at holding her head up - I think it helps her keep an eye on that crazy brother of hers at all times!

Our Cutie Pie

2008-05-26T07:53:00.000-05:00

A few weeks ago I was headed out the door to meet a friend for lunch. Campbell was the guest of honor and I couldn't resist capturing this moment...isn't she cute?! She's such a trooper - she lets us drag her along anywhere and is just along for the ride!

Fun with Papa

2008-05-26T07:48:00.000-05:00

A few weeks ago, it was grand central station at our house. We had electricians doing some work, Matt and I were trying to get out the door for Bible Study, Aunt Brookie was coming to babysit, and Papa stopped by to say hi. In the midst of the chaos, Carter decided it was time to start hamming it up and entertaining everyone. Sweet Campbell was just taking it all in. Papa finally got a break from the Carter Show and was taking a few minutes to hold her. Next thing we know, he walks around the corner with both kiddos. I think the smiles say it all!

The Tractor

2008-05-14T11:04:00.000-05:00

Matt's parents recently finished refurbishing Matt's John Deere tractor from when he was a little boy. They had us out to their house recently to give Carter the tractor for his birthday. He thought it was the coolest thing ever! He quickly found one of Papa's turkey decoys and hauled it around the yard.

Our Little Trooper

2008-05-14T10:59:00.000-05:00

Carter and Campbell are developing the most precious relationship right before our very eyes. She lets him fiddle with her all the time - whether it's talking to her, kissing her, poking her in the eye, throwing balls at her, or in this instance, putting jewelry on her. She just follows him with her big blue eyes and takes it all in. I came in the room after noticing how quiet they were being, and found Carter making her "pretty". And look how cute she is!! I'm smitten with this little gal!

Carter's Night-Night

2008-05-14T10:52:00.000-05:00

This cradle has been passed down for several generations in my family. It was built for my great grandfather by my great-great grandfather. It is passed to the oldest child when they have their first child. The only problem with this time around? I just recently got it...so while it will be passed to Carter some day when he has his first child, I'll have to tell him that he never slept in it as a baby. When we pulled it out of my parent's attic a few weeks ago and told him it was his cradle, he jumped right in and started pretending he was sleeping. I figure baby, toddler, 2 years old...what's the big difference any way?! I've got to get a cushion for it and then we'll use it for Campbell for naps and what not.

Home Depot Fun

2008-05-14T10:03:00.000-05:00

Carter has reached the point in life where he is no longer content to sit nicely in a cart when we're at the grocery store or some other similar place. So, when we headed to Home Depot to pick out our new washer & dryer, he was thrilled to drive the car. I couldn't resist posting this picture - it totally captures the joy our little man is filled with!!

Carter's First Dentist Appointment

2008-05-11T16:40:00.000-05:00

Here is Carter at his first Dentist appointment. I scheduled my six month check up for two weeks before Campbell's arrival, which didn't quite work since she came early. So...Matt came along and joined in the fun. I knew I couldn't handle a curious 2 year old, a newborn and getting my teeth cleaned on my own quite yet. Carter was totally interested while I was in the chair, watching and taking it all in. Next it was his turn (keep in mind that all they planned to do was count his teeth and get him used to the idea of someone looking in his mouth). They said he could stay on my lap, so here is a picture of him checking out the cool light above the chair:

It all went down hill from this point. Patty, my sweet dental hygienist, was showing him the different tools while being pelted with "What's that mean?" (Carter's way of asking "what's that?"). She simply asked him if she could count his teeth. He looked straight at her and said "NO", climbed off my lap and was ready to go. So we did just that. No sense in scarring the poor boy for life quite yet!!

A quick recap...

2008-04-25T10:46:00.000-05:00

Campbell Grace, our daughter, was born on March 17. She was about 3 weeks early and weighted a whopping 5.7 pounds and was 19 inches long. She missed sharing a birthday with her brother by 18 minutes! What are the chances of that?! She's doing great and is such a blessing to our family. We love watching her and Carter interact...he is crazy about his "Baby" and can't wait to see her each day. What we get to witness each and every day is definitely the start of a very special relationship they will have for the rest of their lives. I've learned through our Little Miss that I should never say never...I always thought I just wanted boys. What was I thinking?!

Here are a few pictures from her first weeks:

In this shot she is an hour or two old. She has grown a bunch since then, but she still looks very much the same!

This was her first bath at home. She remained completely relaxed the whole time. And yes, she looked a bit yellow those first few days...
Here she is on Easter Sunday. This was a big day for her - she got to meet the rest of our families that hadn't yet seen her. Isn't her Easter bunny cute?

Here We Go...

2008-04-25T10:17:00.000-05:00

I must admit...my track record of staying current with a blog is sorry, to say the least! But, with recent changes at our house, I'm more determined than ever to document the little moments of our lives - particularly those of Carter and Campbell. (For those of you that don't know, we've decided that I will stay at home with the kids instead of going back to work. Scary? Yes! Exciting and without a doubt what God's calling us to do for our family? Absolutely!!) So here is our new blog, where we'll share our precious blessings with all of you!