Carter in Hiding

Carter has been having fun lately climbing into small spaces. Toy tubs, apothecary cabinet, buffets, kitchen cupboards you name it!

Here is the tail end of a fun moment in Hanoi. He was CRACKING UP hysterically every time he'd reach his hand out and we would kiss it. Of course it was after we stopped cracking up that we thought to grab the camera! But here is what we caught!

9 Months Old

Carter-Bear is officially 9.5 months old! We celebrated his 9 month birthday by going to Vietnam!

Here are the latest updates:

• Still crawling like crazy.
• Still pulling up.
• Three times now he has stood without holding anything...he didn't even realize it! (Dad and I freaked!!)
• 6 teeth. 2 on top, 4 on the bottom.
• 22 lbs.
• 16 airplane rides.
• First beach vacation. Vietnam.
• Talking a ton! He sounds like he is saying actual sentences. It is so crazy!
• "Ba ba ba" (This is our grandpa name for John's dad too! Ha ha!)
• "Da da." (Mama????)
• Whole arm wave. "Hello", "Goodbye", and random times because it is fun!
• Just the fingers wave. Same reasons as above.
• Still LOVES bath time!
• 2 naps (1.5-2 hours) sometimes longer.
• sleeps 7:30pm -8:30am
• Still nursing and Big-People-Food for breakfast and dinner! Sometimes snack time.

We love you little man! You are the light of our lives!

And a few pics of Carter on our trip!

{Must Do!} Bumpkin or Crack-o-lantern?

Last year a sorority sister of mine, Courtney Devine (as she is formerly known), blogged about a piece of art she received from a secret gift exchange at her church. The second I saw it I knew I would be doing the same thing with every one of my children!

This year, I had my chance!!! Here it is....

Yes, this is Carter's "Bum"! Check out that crack!

We joke that he can always fall back on plumbing with a crack like that! (It is very high.)

I'm not completely sure that I am done with it yet. I do have to touch up a black smudge I made with my hand. And I originally thought it would be more cutesy-woo but it kind of turned out more Charlie Brown-esk.

If I lived in the US I would have most likely done this on canvas. However, finding art supplies here was chore enough. So I settled with a thin canvas and had a frame made to fit. (Only because that is how you buy frames here and it just costs $3.50).

I purchased several thin canvases of the same size. I plan to do a print for every holiday of the season this year! So this frame will be filled with "Carter Art" for a while!

November: Hand Turkey

December: Foot & Hand Angel

January: Snowman

February: Hand Heart

March: ?? Is this where it ends? Ideas?

For another ADORABLE example, check out my sweet nephews' Bumpkins!

If you do it...let me know! I want to see!

{Momtog} No edits, crops or photoshop!

In my spare time/nap time, I've been trying to learn a bit more about photography. This is important to me only because I realize how quickly Carter is growing and changing. I want to be able to capture the little daily moments since we can't have a photographer follow us around all day.

I solicited advice and two trusty friends have helped out! Photographer friend, Lauren Harris and Momtog Friend, Jenni Caswell gave me a bit of insight on how to use my camera! :) Here is what I've got so far:

Family Update

You may have seen this picture on Facebook:

but I thought I would share this silly one too:

Notice it is on his leg too!

....

Next, fall is football season in Texas. So for Mid-Autumn Festival we thought we would head here:

Maybe see these people.

And have one of these! A Maroon Out Margarita along with a Dixie Chicken Burger!

Only in Shanghai! (And of course, in Texas.) We love it!!