New Games

Where not to put wooden blocks...





Playing hide-and-seek with a very unwilling participant...

My good friend Emily told me when I was pregnant that it would be fun to watch my baby as he grew up and see which things became his favorites. It really has been sweet to watch. Carter's Nana gave us a blanket for him before he was born. He usually sleeps with it... but it really needs to be washed. I had it downstairs this morning and he went nuts when he saw it... carrying it in his mouth as he crawled and burying his head in it.

Sweet days at the pool...

One of the perks of being a stay-at-home mom is being able to see friends during the day. We have had so much fun this week spending time out in the sunshine. Monday we met Megan and Allie at Forest Park for lunch and a little time on the playground.

Carter loved this big swing. He kept pulling me back to it every time we walked away.


Carter and Allie are only 3 weeks apart. Here they are on the pizza swing.


I almost lost Carter on this thing. Once you start spinning it's really hard to stop. He couldn't stop laughing.


Yesterday we headed over to IL to pick strawberries with 4 other girlfriends and 7 kids. The weather was perfect!

Shannon and Lucy looking for berries.


Carter wasn't too happy being on my back. Not a good idea to wear hoop earrings with him that close to my ears.


Sarah and Mary Ellen walking with the kids.


Kristen and Belle.


I realized when we got home that I hadn't actually taken any pictures of the strawberries. I thought this would be a cool shot of them in the sink... I didn't notice the rotten one at the top until this morning. Oh well.

Who needs a hair cut when you can just use a little hair gel?

Carter wanted to say several special Happy Birthdays this week...

Happy Birthday to Nana (May 21st)


Happy Birthday to Uncle Dave (May 21st)


Happy Birthday to Papa (May 22nd)


Happy Birthday to Daddy (May 24th)


Happy Birthday to Cousin Lexie (May 25th)


Happy Birthday to Grammy (May 28th)


Happy Birthday to Great Aunt Gail (May 28th)

We spent a good part of yesterday afternoon at the St. Louis Botanical Gardens Chinese Festival with our good friend Amanda. We watched a parade, saw several amazing performances, ate Chinese food, and let Carter play... and play... and play in the water. Thanks for a relaxing day Amanda!

I think I always end up writing about how sad I am this weekend every year. We moved to St. Louis 4 1/2 years ago with the idea that Dan would be done with Seminary in 3 or 4 years and then we would move back to the West Coast. Obviously the Lord had a different plan for us as we are still here. We love it here... but are always so sad to see good friends leave. I wanted to say a extra special congrats to our dear friends Jen and Steve. Way to go you guys!

Now for our cat story of the week. I posted last week how we need a new home for our cat Eddie. He has been staying with some friends who didn't want him anymore. I saw my friend on Tuesday and asked her to just go ahead and bring Eddie over here to Joe's Place and we would figure out what to do when life slows down a bit. She apologized and said that she actually hadn't seen him since Friday. I was a little bummed (we got him when he was a kitten 4 years ago) but figured that maybe Eddie had found himself a new home on his own. So... on Wednesday I was at our church office and decided to swing by our old house on the way home to pick up the rent from our tenant. It was strange walking up the steps to our front door and seeing a new curtain hanging in the window. She's lived there since February... but Dan is always the one to take care of anything over there. Anyways, I was feeling a little sentimental as I knocked on the door. As the woman opened the door Eddie darted up the steps and tried to run into the house. I just about fell over. Our friends who had been keeping him live a mile and a half away in a totally different neighborhood across a busy street. Our tenant said Eddie has been hanging around for the past month or so on and off. I guess he wanted to come home. I put him in the back seat of the car and drove home. Hopefully we'll be able to keep him since he stays outside 95% of the day.

Carter watching Eddie through the window.

The Gate

We tried at all costs to avoid putting a gate at the bottom of our stairs... but after finding Carter sitting on the top step with his feet dangling over the edge last week I finally broke down. He is just obsessed with climbing. He heads straight to those stairs as soon as I set him on the ground, no matter where we are in the house. I wish I had some audio for this picture of Carter shaking the gate.

This is one of those VERY rare moments where I am alone. I am always at a loss when figuring out what to do... so I thought I would post a few pictures while I try and decide which part of the house to start cleaning up... that or actually sit down and just enjoy the quiet before it gets loud again.

We hung up a swing in the backyard for Carter today. He loved it and screamed when we brought him back inside.

Dan used his skills as a former tree trimmer to get the ropes high up in the tree.


Holding on tight.


Smiling at Fred and Daddy.

Carter is so active! I know most kids are probably like this... but he just seems more active than most kids I know. This week he had his first bloody nose and bloody lip (different days). Jose' wanted to know why I didn't take a picture... I actually did consider it. Anyways... here he is with his new favorite toy... the walker. He seems to go with whatever mode of transportation is the fastest. Right now... this is it... especially on the wood floors.

It started raining...

and then it started pouring...

and then...

Daddy got me all wet!

But then he gave me a hug...

and it was all okay!

This is our amazing cat Eddie. He is looking for a new home. We can't keep him here at Joe's and we really don't want to take him to the pound. PLEASE let me know if you or someone you know is looking for a cat. He spends most of his time outside but also likes to cuddle. He is up to date on all his shots and is just a really great pet!

We really were watching him... he's just gotten so fast.

Some pics from the trip...
First of all... I have to say thanks to Sarah for introducing me to this MUST HAVE baby product (go-go babyz). It made my trip a breeze. It is a handle and wheels that attach to the back of your car seat. It was so much easier than trying to get a stroller and car seat through security on my own.

We had a great flight out to the Bay Area last Saturday. I checked the car seat at the gate and planned on holding Carter for the six hour trip. A couple minutes before they closed the door the crew brought Carter's car seat back on the plane and put it in a seat for me. Thanks Southwest!!! Carter loved watching the crew in orange vests.

We were fortunate to see Uncle Scott for a couple hours on Saturday. They practiced their growling together. Aunt Cari stayed with us an extra night.

Carter was a bit obsessed with this fur rug.

Aunt Erica and Cousin Lexie came up on Sunday.

We had an amazing day with my Grandpa and Aunt Gail at the Merry-Go-Round up in the Berkley Hills. My Grandpa used to take us here when we were kids. I think we all felt like we had stepped back in time for a couple hours.






We also spent an amazing day with "Aunt" Lisa in the city. She lives in this great apartment in the Marina district. We walked to the water and then up to Ghirardelli Square.





My Aunt picked us up in the city Wednesday night. We stopped to look at the view after we crossed the bridge. We found out later that my Grandpa was watching this same barge go out to sea from the other side of the bay.


It was a little windy and cold... but totally worth it!

At the Oakland Airport watching the planes come and go.

Thanks for a great week Grandpa and Gail!