State Fair 08...Just a little late!

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

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!!

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!

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

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...

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

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.