Silly Memory for later

This is one of those things I want to write down so we don't forget!
Cameron is still such a little guy, so little in fact that towels just drown him and he trips over even baby towels with the hood as he walks from the shower to our room. So we started using dish towels and they fit perfect! It is so cute to watch him run from the shower to our house because his little buns stick out the bottom. I need to get a picture!
Also, yesterday he participated with one of his favorite TV shows, Little Einsteins, He pats his legs to get rocket started and he even said "Blast Off" with the show! Halsy and I almost died from the cuteness! He is talking more and more, even putting two words together "MORE PLEASE" "HELP MOMMY", etc. He is getting to be such a big kid! I love you Cameron boy.

Christmas is my favorite holiday

We had such a blast of a Christmas this year!
I was lucky and got most of my shopping done and presents wrapped 2 weeks before Christmas! I was only waiting for 2 presents that were to be delivered on Christmas Eve! YIKES, but they made it and all was well!
We went to the Grotto with my family on Wednesday evening and got to look at the beautiful lights and listen to a concert in a large Catholic church. the music was nice and it was packed to the hilt! I was mostly enjoyable, except that Cameron wouldn't sit in his stroller, he wanted to be carried....ARGH. He screamed and screamed until we pulled him out, and then he made no more fuss. So we all took turns and had fun.
Christmas Eve morning we got up and packed our things and headed to Eugene to be with Halsy's family for Christmas! The drive went fairly quickly and with no issues. Cameron does so much better in the car than he used to. We got to Eugene around 1pm and got unloaded. We hung out with Grandma and Papa and ate lunch. Then we played a fun game called "Nertz" or "Wackee Six", anyways it is a mix of solitaire and speed....very fun! We had the family over for Christmas Eve dinner and Dru (Halsy's mom) made her famous lasagna! We loved it, it was a fun memory to be eating her lasagna. We then played more games until kids bedtime and hit the sack a little earlier than normal.
Christmas morning we woke up and went over to Halsy's sister's house for presents around 10. It was a house full of family! Brothers, Sisters, Moms, Dads, Cousins, Nieces, Nephews! LOVED IT! We opened our presents and laughed a lot! Cameron loved his present - bugs and a book about bugs. Halsy got me a pre-natal massage! YAY and I got Halsymoney to go shopping for new shoes and a gift card to Chipotle so he can go- since I never want to go there and he does. His family has a few fun traditions, we do a name draw for all the brothers and sisters, but we also do a white elephant exchange. So we always get a good present, but then a pretty crappy one. I think this year the favorites were; pregnancy tests, Tai Bo VHS tapes, pancake mix, etc. We all get a good laugh out of it!
We ate through the entire day and played lots of games, especially when the kids were napping. We had Prime rib for dinner with baked potatos, veggies, and homemade rolls YUMMY!
Cameron had so much fun with his cousins, he would just disappear for periods of time playing downstairs! It was nice for me not to be his only source of entertainment. We headed back to his parent's house around 9pm for bedtime. Cameron was so tired! We hit the sack immediately. We woke up the next morning at 10am! I couldn't believe it, let alone I sleep that late, but Cameron has never slept that late. We had our breakfast and headed home to Portland with a little tear becasue we already missed everyone.
When we got home everyone attacked Cameron because they missed him so much. We opened presents with my family becasue we did a gift exchange too! We were spoiled rotten, especially me! We got lots of beautiful little girl things for Miss Carter, Cameron got really fun toys and books, Halsy got new socks and a sweatshirt, and I got a brand new Glider chair for my house upstairs!! I was so happy I cried, I really wanted one but knew it probably wouldn't happen. I found out after that Halsy gave up his Christmas gift so that I could have the chair! what a love! I was so thankful! I also got a cute hat, headband, sweater, and movie tickets!

All-in-all, a wonderful Christmas! Can't wait for New Years!

Bedtime Woes

Cameron started sleeping in his big boy bed a few weeks ago and has been doing well up until last week. He began this habit of crawling into our bed around 4 or 5 in the morning. This would be alright with me if he went back to bed, but he doesn't. It becomes jungle gym time with mommy as the play structure. Pulling on my ears, rolling on top of me, kicking me as he tries to get comfortable, and no personal space unused between us. I have been getting no sleep! So last night, I decided I wasn't going to do it anymore. When he got into our bed at 4:30, I was hopeful that he would just drift back to sleep so I wouldn't have to do what I was planning. But, he didn't, he started the gymnastics. I wanred him, "Cameron, if you dont lie down and go to sleep, mommy is going to put you back in your bed." "NO!", was his definate reply. So he didn't stop and I got out of bed to put him back in his. He flipped out! Crying, screaming, really mad at mommy! I had to put him back three times before he decided to try daddy's side of the bed. (All of this is made more difficult becasue his little bed is only 2 feet from ours, we only have the space to share a bedroom) Halsy had to get up and put him back a few times, then Cameron started going to the door, he did that twice and then asked for a bottle, we gave him a couple ounces and laid him in his bed and this time he stayed!! He cried again for a little while, but stayed in his bed. He then fell asleep with enough time leftover for Halsy and I to go back to bed for a couple hours before we had to get up! WHEW, what a night! Bed training is no fun.

The Name Dilemma

Halsy and I were watching Love Actually last night and one of the character's names jumped out at me! Natalie. Then Halsy said he liked it too! So I wrote it down on the list as a potential. I really like the name and I think it is beautiful.....Natalie Kate Carter, however, I don't think it is as beautiful as Katey Jane Carter. Its not the name as much as it is what it means to me. I love that she will be named after my mommy and my aunt, I love that she can be called Kate, Katey, or KJ, all three I really don't mind. I never thought that I would like the name Katey, but I REALLY do. I don't know how to convince Halsy to let me name her that. He is dead set against it! He wants to compromise and do Natalie, because I don't like his favorite....Charlotte. Also, its not that I don't like it, Charlotte is beautiful, it is just not as beautiful as Katey Jane. ARGH. I don't know what to do, we finally have just decided that we will leave the hospital with a no-named baby girl! I am just secretly hoping Halsy gives in and lets me name by daughter a beautiful name!

Christmas Tree hunt

The Morin family decided to get a real Christmas tree this year for the living room! For the past couple years we always had little ones that would destroy the ornaments and the tree itself, so we just had the fake one in the front hall. We decided that Cameron and Jackson are old enough to understand "No" and Finn doesn't even care yet!

We went to Haggs tree farm up on bald peak. This happens to be the same tree farm the my parents took me when I was 3 days old and have been coming to ever since! It was so much fun to have everyone there! It was absolutely freezing that day, so we were pretty bundled! We rode a hay trailer pulled by a major old school tractor (with I think the same driver from 1984) up the hill to where the Noble trees were. It was fun jiggling around and laughing. Jackson thought it was fun that he could see his breath when he breathed out. We go to the top and they let us out, of course mom was already freezing so she ran into the shed to get warm by the barrel stove, only to find that it was not lit yet. Brrrrrr. She was so bummed. Up the hill we hiked looking and searching for just the right tree. We found some that we liked, but I do believe the honor of tree finder goes to John. By the time we found the tree, Cameron and Finn were too cold and were pretty fussy, so Meg and I headed back to the shed in hopes of a fire. A fire we found! Oooooo it was so warm, Cameron stopped crying and we cuddled in the little shed together until the boys brought the tree down. Soon after we were joined by mom and dad in the warmth.

We got back on the rickety old hay trailer and went down to watch our tree get shaken and bundled for the ride home. We went over to the big barn for some hot chocolate and candy canes. Also, the boys had fun looking at the animals they had there! All the boys fell asleep immediately after getting into the warm cars. We had fun. Decorating commenced the next evening to Amy Grant Christmas music! It doesn't get much better than that. Merry Christmas!!

Baby moving and Name Decisions

This morning I was wakened by some moving in my belly! I don't remember Cameron ever waking me up before, but how fun it was to feel her moving (yes, I said her). It was a quiet mommy moment, how few there are!
We are having a major name dilemma at the Carter house. EVERY name that I love, Halsy hates. EVERY name that Halsy loves, I don't like or don't like as well as my names. It is so frustrating! I hope we come up with a name soon, or we might leave the hospital with a no named baby!

My list includes:
Katey Jane Carter (so I can call her Kate after my mommy), Claire (after my Grandpa who passed this year) DeLong Carter, Faye DeLong Carter, Miriam Kate Carter, Adele Kate Carter, Nora Jane Carter, Bryn DeLong Carter, and on and on. I like more old fashioned names and family names.

Halsy likes:
Charlotte Kate Carter (so he can call her Charlie), Paige, Phoebe, Ashley, Sophia, Reagan, Mikala, April, Sidney, or Logan. I can't figure out his pattern of like and dislike.

Oh well, we have been through so many baby name websites I feel like giving up and just naming her bob.

Wish us luck!

Amazing Feats

This is one of those stories you need to write down before you forget.........Cameron has a new habit of peeing on the carpet, bed, wood floor, etc. after bath time if you don't get a diaper on fast enough! I can't resist cute baby boy buns, so I usually gamble with the chances for a peek of that little naked bod! Anyways, I was in the bedroom getting his pajamas and said diaper, when Halsy starts yelling, "Honey! Honey! Cameron is peeing in his mouth!". I ran into the living room and sure enough he had managed to pee sitting criss cross applesauce, but the pee went straight up in the air and into his mouth! How this happened we don't know, but there he was licking his lips and smiling at us because I am sure the looks on our faces were hilarious. I then proceeded to clean him from head to toe and the carpet wondering how bad it was that my son just essentially drank his own pee. Apparently, its not bad for you, but I really hope this won't become a habit :) We had a good laugh and I get his diaper on a little quicker now!