Happy Birthday Carter Bug!

Four years ago today this little person joined our life:
And changed our world forever. It is hard to believe that he is already four, especially when it seems like yesterday that he was born. Carter’s trip into this world was not easy for anyone. He was 10 days late. I was beyond miserable and grumpy and fat. I begged the doctors to induce me. They would not. We tried everything, yes everything, to get that baby out. I even resorted to taking Castor oil – not once, but twice. Seriously, I do not recommend this to anyone, it is not a pleasant experience. When I was finally induced it was with a very “hands off” nurse midwife. My labor lasted 24 hours. I pushed for almost 3 hours without an epidural, and in the end, Carter had to be suctioned out of me. He was gigantic – 9 lb. 4 oz. and had a voracious appetite. I had a difficult labor, a difficult recovery and a difficult time nursing. Carter was jaundiced and required daily weight checks and blood withdrawls for the first 10 days of his life. It was a rough first few weeks.

But Carter more than made up for his rocky entry into the world. He was the world’s most easy and content baby. He ate like a champ, he slept fantastically and was generally calm and content. He slept through the night at 4 weeks old. I think Al and I were up about 20 times that night checking to make sure he was still breathing.

Carter has always been a watcher. He loves to take in the world around him before he jumps in. He is very observant about things and can repeat the details of a situation in painstaking exactness. Carter is a natural born leader. I noticed this for the first time last year during his mom and me preschool time. Wherever we go he leads the way with other kids. His primary and preschool teachers have noticed this about him this year too. He is fiercely independent and really likes to do things on his own timetable. The first time he walked, he stood up and walked across the room without so much as a stumble. He potty trained in two days (I promise). He has just been an easy child in many aspects. He has an amazing memory, and can repeat a book back to us almost word for word after a couple readings. He is very, very, very active and loves to be outside, loves sports, loves to rough house and get dirty. He is all boy –loves trucks, cars, bugs, dirt, rocks, sticks, superheroes, and torturing his little sister. He is a total mama’s boy and loves to be snuggled and held by me (which I love). He likes to sing songs and hear stories about when we were little. He is a bit of a packrat and we are always laughing about the random collection of things we find stuffed in his drawers or backpacks and scattered throughout the house.

Anyway, words cannot describe how much we love and appreciate our Carter boy. He is a joy to have in our family and we thank God daily that he was sent to us. Today we

are enjoying the day as a family. We had a big breakfast and we are headed to Chuck E. Cheese's tonight for dinner and games (obviously, not our first choice but he LOVES that place). Big happy birthday to the second love of my life!