Family Beach trip 2011

Our annual beach trip was a really great time. We had an amazing place that we stayed at...thanks to mom and dad, and the husbands actually stayed the whole trip this time which made it very nice. Bodie and Braylen did very good for the most part....but we had our moments. We also enjoyed some cousin time but wish we had more....below is just a few pics of our trip


Carsen is ALWAYS a mess when she eats...


The Fun Slide at the Condo



Bath time with the cousins


They got along for the most part.....we love our Bodie!


The Bray side of the family....(mom's side...hence BRAYlen)


2nd Cousins Reagan and Braylen


So excited to be with each other


Playing in the sand but still isn't a fan of the ocean

I was first....

Time has gotten away from me, so I apologize for not keeping everyone updated. But I had to share something that is very special and is MUSIC to my ears. Carsen is saying "MAMA!" It is absolutely the sweetest thing in the world and she definitely is saying it with meaning....she calls me and looks at me or pats me on the leg when she is saying it......talk about MELT YOUR HEART. I had to share this....even though....I have so much other stuff to catch you all up on. I will find time another day to do that, but for now, I was FIRST....she said "MAMA" first! YAY :)


***Side note: she has said other babbling words...and sometimes dada but she has never referred to him as dada or the other babbling noises that she makes....it is all unclear but the MAMA....everything is PERFECTLY clear! :)

Carsen's 9 months update

(This is a picture before we went to celebrate the 4th of July with friends)

Yesterday we finally went to Carsen's 9mth checkup! Everything seemed great and Dr. Khan said she LOOKED FABULOUS!
She is 17lbs and 26.5 inches......she is on the smaller scale but by the looks of her you would NEVER guess that! Carsen is FULL of squeezable rolls....love her!
What I have learned about Carsen in this last month is she is becoming very independent and letting me know when she wants something or when she doesn't! She swats at a spoon in her face. She swats at you trying to wipe her nose. She grabs at anything you are eating. She grunts at you when she wants something. She screams at you when she doesn't want something! I personally feel this has all come about because she has been swatting at Braylen for the last few months.....lol!
Braylen has an attitude but certainly doesn't swat at you and can be very patient when told. Carsen on the other hand...won't have it....it she doesn't want to be pinned down she squirms and wiggles her way through. I am saying this because at the doctor yesterday...Carsen didn't want the nurse of Dr. Khan touching her. Braylen was always VERY okay with it and patient but would wimper because she didn't like it. Carsen...was basically like....UMM NO...don't touch me! Who would have thunk....that sweet little baby Carsen was going to be fiesty....dear lord...HELP! :)

(This picture is of Carsen riding on her toy and Braylen is pushing her around...they were having a blast)



(I posted this because I LOVE BRAYLEN'S hair...she has gorgeous hair that HUMIDITY LOVES....it makes her wavy curls turn into ringlets....now if only I was good with doing hair...ha)

Our FIRST road trips.....

as a family of FOUR! We hit up St. Simons for a bank conference that Grant needed to attend and he was so kind to invite his family! We had a great time and learned how to be in a hotel with us four...juggling sleep times and all.....! It was a tad bit challenging but once everyone got the hang of it, everyone worked together! Braylen LOVED playing the WHISPER game....and in fact...she wouldn't stop whispering...even when nap time was over....ha! We did A LOT of pool time, fun walks on the beach (braylen found a crab and a jellyfish), eating, working out, and hanging out with daddy and his fellow conference goers! It was a great trip and what was even better was the time we all had in the car as a family...just talking and giggling...love those moments!


From St. Simons, we made a pit stop in Cumming for the night and then headed back out to Adam and Elisabeth's house up in Cincinnati...talk about coming from the South and now to the "somewhat" North....what a haul.....jk...it actually was a great ride and the GIRLS were excellent! Just pop in DORA and Braylen will take car rides ALL DAY LONG! Carsen did great also, I would get in the back and feed her when it was time and play and talk to her while she would just ramble back to me. She also enjoyed a little baby Einstein as well......but she would usually fall asleep half way through it! So we arrived in Cincinnati late on Wednesday night (well actually Thursday morning...ha) Grant, the girls, and I took Bodie to the playground and we all played outside all morning while Elisabeth and Adam worked....it was fun! Then that night Elisabeth hosted a Scentsy party for me and her sweet neighbors came over to enjoy some YUMMY food and check out Scentsy! www.sarahschmeelk.scentsy.us It was a GREAT party and Lis got lots of good stuff since she hosted it! The boys took all the kids out to eat and to play on the playground.....I wish I had a video tape to see how it all went down...but we were told everything was under control....unhuh?



Anywho...the next day the boys played golf and Lis, the kids, and I ran errands and hung out.....then that night we all went out for dinner....it was pretty nasty weather that afternoon and evening. Saturday we hit up the Cincinnati Zoo and it was AWESOME...Braylen loved it and Bodie is a pro...considering they have season passes.....they LOVE the ZOO and we do too....can't wait to go again! Then we had lots of play time that afternoon in Bodie's pool (a birthday present my girls got him.) It was such a great trip and we love being with them.....we just hate being 7 hours away! But maybe one day, one day....that will change!








Carsen is still crawling like a champ and pulling up on things.....so not sure when the steps will come......but she is SO CUTE....sorry I have to brag....she just makes me giggle so much.....love her!

June 1st - 8 mths - and we have a...

FULL OUT CRAWLER!!!! GO CARSEN GO!!! She has been on all fours for 2 months now but she has a sister that has BLOCKED her from exploring. Last week she was on all fours but instead of being on the knees she was on her toes.....down dog position...lol! For some crazy reason she kept putting herself in that position and then crying because she couldn't get out of it. This past weekend, she started making progress on the crawling but then would belly flop. We had to work with Braylen in order for her to help us with Carsen! Yesterday was the first day she really started moving but today....she is ALL OVER THE PLACE! Time to clean up the house and get it baby proof ready AGAIN! ;) I will post a video next, haven't downloaded it yet...but wanted to document when she started crawling since things on the home front are busy these days!

** Side note: She is also pulling up on her crib rails....time to drop the bed before I go up there and find her on the floor...yikes!

New Beginnings in May

So some new things have been introduced to us or to the girls.....! Let's start with Braylen...she got her VERY FIRST MANICURE & PEDICURE! I have painted her nails and toes before but have never taken her to the shop with me to get them done. I felt like she deserved a treat so I took her with me! She was VERY hesitant at first, she didn't want the ladies touching her...so she sat in my lap...while I got my toes done (not so relaxing....ha!) But the ladies were super nice to her and she couldn't stop staring at them probably because she was VERY curious to what they were saying...considering all of them talked in another language....it was actually hilarious watching her face while she was trying to figure them out! As I finished up, the nice lady asked her again if she wanted to get her nails and toes done....and Braylen....AGREED! She LOVED it and is still talking about it and wanting to show everyone.....and it happened a week ago!








Next new thing is Carsen has ANOTHER TOOTH on the bottom! She has been teething ALOT lately but I was for sure that the top two were about to come through but it actually was the bottom one. So now she has THREE on the bottom! Funny thing is...we were out of town so it popped through while we were gone but my parents and in-laws said she was good....so I guess it didn't bother her too much! Those TWO TOP ones though...will be in the next week....they are trying to peek through....you can just see them!



And last: I need to brag on my man for a minute! Grant has lost 25-30 lbs since Christmas and we are ALL so very proud of him! He has worked SUPER hard and he isn't done yet! He has a goal and he will get there with continued hard work! So his new beginnings is wearing NEW sizes! Go Grant! Love you!

7 mths old on Easter day

Well ladies and gentlemen.....Carsen turned 7months on Easter! WOW.....we can't believe it has been 7months....she has changed so much but she is still such a little baby to us......and a sweet little baby she is.
Carsen is definitely still sitting up on her own and also rocking back and forth on all fours. I think if I gave her the opportunity she would be crawling already but I don't let her roam around on the floor too much by herself. You ask why, well she has a sister named Braylen and Braylen thinks she is Carsen's mommy and goes and picks her up, rolls her over, plays with her, just can't keep her hands off of her......hence probably why Carsen is sick 75% of the time...lol! Braylen just LOVES Carsen so much and just wants to play with her ALL DAY LONG! She could careless about anything else.....so I have to put Carsen in her jumperoo to keep Braylen away. I don't want to always keep them separated but it can get dangerous and Braylen needs to learn that she can't pick up the baby.....grrr! I am sure you can pick up on my frustrations. I feel like all I do all day long is tell Braylen to keep her hands off.....Carsen gets annoyed at times but then at other times Carsen is giggling so hard at Braylen.....oh well, right!?!
But back to Carsen for a minute, I think she is about to break skin on the top teeth....she has been showing signs of teething pretty bad.....! At this stage with Braylen.....Braylen had just broken 3 teeth on top and she was already crawling and she was about to start taking baths without the baby tub. We are definitely not there with Carsen as far as the crawling goes....she gets picked up too much to browse or explore on her own...ha! Carsen is a babbaler though...she will just go non stop and we always wonder what she is saying. She is so sweet and LOVES to be held! Her smile can light up a room.......!
She got the pleasure of spending time with Grandmommy and Granddaddy over Easter weekend, so that was a treat for all of us! Braylen clued them in on some things and couldn't keep her eyes off of Granddaddy....she would come tell us if he was sleeping (basically resting his eyes,) it was so funny! Braylen also got to read with Grandmommy and show off her SUPER reading skills....!
Easter was a fun day! We did church and then we got to go to my families house and visit, eat lunch and send Braylen on an Easter Egg hunt. It was so cute, she would find the egg, open it and go to town on the jelly beans! She was a very good Egg hunter though! Look forward to her racking up in the future!