19 Month Old Carter

Dear Carter,

You are OFFICIALLY over a year-&-a-half! You are getting so big. Everyday I just stare at you can't believe how much you are growing, changing, and how amazing you are to me. I love you more than words will ever be able to say. I have read that when you become a mom, your heart is no longer in you, but is carried around by your baby. I have to say, that is the truth. You are my heart.

You are a fun-loving, easygoing, caring little boy. You like little thrills, like climbing the highest slide at the playground, playing hide and seek, peek a boo, and Daddy chasing you around the house sends you into loud excited screams!

You are talking, but in your own language. We understand you!! For instance, when you say:

• "Car" we know it means Carter or Car. You always point to yourself, if you mean Carter!
• You use the phrase Thank you appropriately, without us prompting you! (This may be my favorite!) But is comes out as "Ga ga."
• "Knee" is how you say more!
• "Lala" is your water! But you also know that rain is water!!

You love Jesus. Or what you know of Him! We've been singing about Jesus since you were just a tiny thing. Lots of times, it was for my sanity because we'd been up together for hours each night. You LOVE to say prayers to Jesus. It goes like this: you fold your hands, say "gaga Jeez" which means Thank you Jesus. Sometimes you make us pray several times during dinner or randomly during the day. (Wow, just typing that made me realize how God is using you, now.)

You also know that Jesus gives us rain.

So you say "Lala (and point)."

I say, "that is right, that is the rain. Rain is water."

You say,"Gaga Jeez" (Thank you Jesus).

It melts my heart.

Another phrase you use appropriately, that cracks me up is "Yesssssss!" We started doing this for you as you played basketball. Every time you'd make it we'd cheer real loud. But it began turning into hours of cheering real loud. (You are pretty good!!! AND Love basketball!!) So we added "Yessssssss!" into the rotation. But now, you say it for your self and pump your arm along with it, just like us. You even do it for other things you are excited about. Like yesterday when I pulled into the playground, you yelled "Yessssssss!" And often at the playground, when you are watching a friend play, you chant "Yesssssss!" for them when they do something great, like make it down the slide!

Carter-Bear, you LOVE to play! None of our stuff from China has arrived yet. So we don't have many toys here in Calgary, just yet. We have been busy, out and about, every day since we've been here. In that time, you went from not liking the feeling grass, gravel, wood shavings, etc. to laying and rolling around in it, without a care in the world! Anything but concrete gave you shivers and you'd stand so still. I worried a bit. But you were just fine! It was all new to you about 6 weeks ago!! You try EVERYTHING on the playground and keep Mama busy!! I love to watch you play and explore. You have wonderful coordination!

Lately, you have been getting pretty quick! You have been working on running! It's still a bit of a really fast walk, with your arms pumping furiously, but you are getting faster!! Another physical skill is jumping. Oh buddy. You try so hard. You WANT to jump so bad. You practice and practice everyday. For some reason, you have found a really thick book on Shanghai and use it as your jumping-board. You stand on that book and we count. Then, you use everything you've got to give your body an upward motion. We've yet to get both feet off the ground at the same time. (There may have been once.) But you are working so hard, I know you will get it soon. Keep it up, buddy!!!

You are interested in lots of things at the moment. Trucks of any kind, tractors or construction equipment, airplanes, trains, busses, the Garbage Man is amazing to you...we can/have to watch him for about 10 minutes as he comes down the street. You love animals and are really into anything to do with them! Playgrounds, of course, you spot every single one from your car seat. You LOVE other children and are attracted to them. You will find a group of friends at the playground and jump right in to play! You also love to watch older children and learn from what they are doing. You also love to read! I love this too! You have so many books memorized. I know this because you are ready for a little something on every page, maybe you know a special animal is coming, or a certain noise that you can make, or you even stand up to act something out if you can't use your words to tell me what you mean!

Eating has changed dramatically over the past 2 months that we've left China. You must have been in a strange phase at the end of our time there. But now, you are eating tons at every meal.

Breakfast: Usually, eggs, cheese, fruit milk OR pancakes or French toast, fruit, yogurt, milk

Lunch: Usually, pb on toast, fruit, cheese maybe a veggie or meat left over from dinner.

Dinner: Whatever meat we are eating and whatever veggie we are eating. Milk too!

You sometimes still need to nurse, maybe about once ever 48 hours. But you are a baby and are growing healthily!! I think you are slowly, trying to stop. But we aren't in a rush!

You are (currently) a fabulous sleeper! I say currently, because, every mommy knows, babies live in phases. However, you are done teething, so we SHOULD be okay for a while!!! You take one 2-3 hour nap every day and sleep about 13 hours at night, 7:30-8:30. Thank the lord! Because, while you've been a good sleeper for a while, you were still waking up about once a night for a looooong time. But you were very easy to go back down.

You enjoy being a helper around the house. You like to help with the laundry, unloading the dishwasher and you even like to help with the cooking. You even helped make salad the other day by putting all of the chopped veggies in the bowl! I saw you steal a carrot, but I didn't say anything! ;)

Carter, I feel so blessed to be your mommy. You are the sunshine in your Daddy's and my life! We think about you constantly and you always bring a smile to our faces.

As I'm finishing up this letter to you, I can hear you waking up (8:38 am, Tuesday, August 16) and you are saying "no, no, no" to something. Uh oh!!! I better go grab you and smooch your face!!!

Mommy and Daddy love you so much. So much, that just saying "we love you" seems to small. Thank you for being our son! You have made our world a better place!!!

Love,

Mommy (and Daddy)