Thanksgiving

For Thanksgiving this year we spent it with our friends Matt & Bethany. We had such a fun time. Bethany made some really yummy food, and she also kept Carter's diet in mind - which made it so much less stressful for me. I didn't have to worry about what was in everything, and how I would pay for it tomorrow if I wasn't diligent enough. David made some really good mashed potatoes using rice milk and dairy-free/soy-free butter. He also added some other things for good measure, keeping it Carter friendly.

It wouldn't be a trip to their house without David & Matt building something. Usually they have competing structures. However, today this time they worked together to build a ramp for the kids.

However, as Bethany pointed out, it also wouldn't be a trip to their house without a head wound for Carter. You'll have to enlarge this picture, but it looks pretty bad. He fell on a cedar chest and got a good line on his cheek. One of many to come in his toddlerhood. I'm just glad it didn't get his nose, eyes, or teeth.

Day after Thanksgiving, we went to the library to see Caspar Babypants. Carter LOVES the music. However, EVERY TIME we see him in concert he looks like this:

He really does enjoy his self, but he doesn't like the crowds. All the kids jumping up and down and running in circles really bothers him. He clings to daddy's lap with a grumpy face until it is over. Once all the kids leave, he sings the songs and dances. Silly kid.

The next day we did our annual pictures with Santa. He picked the soccer ball tie I got him while I was visiting my sister in Utah.

We really tried to prep him for Santa. However, he still cried. I am so glad we got one where he is not crying though. We need to clean it up in Photoshop, but this is the rough draft:

Then we came home and decorated the tree. David surprised me by putting it up while I ran out.

This is Carter when he first saw the tree - undecorated, but lit:

We let him help hang the ornaments that were less breakable.

I am so gratefull that David's mother collected ornaments for her kids when they were little. David has an ornament for every year he is alive. It is fun to see how old some of them are. It is like walking down memory lane. When he moved out, his mother gave him his ornaments so he would have something to hang on his own tree. We have continued that tradition with Carter in the hopes that he will appreciate it as much as we do.