Shrimp

I lurve SHRIMP. For real, it is one of my favs. Maybe that explains why I love Carson so much...cause he is our little shrimp! We had his 6 month appointment today and he weighs 14.4 lbs(5th%) and is 26"(30%). The DR did not seem too concerned, but she told me to feed him up to 3 solid meals/day, add olive oil to most things for more calories, and start him on meat for the protein. Apparently, my milk supply sucks (no pun intended). I feel a little bad knowing that he maybe isn't getting all he needs from me, but at the same time he seems like a really happy and content baby, so he may just be small. Who knows.

Hey may be lacking in the weight department, but he definitely isn't lacking in the cute and personality department. This kid is hilarious. He loves to rough house and get tossed up in the air, so much so that sometimes he tosses his cookies. He loves to be outside. He loves to socialize with anyone and everyone. Think how you would describe sheer JOY and that is Carson. He is soo much fun. AND, things are about to get a lot more interesting around here because he loves his hands and knees. Once the crawling starts, I have a feeling I won't be sitting still.

I have to admit, the thing I am most proud of is that he can do the plank... Momma ain't a personal trainer for nothin'! We have him on two-a-days already!

Not much else is going on around the O'Neill house. I wish we had more to report, but the weather has kept us inside and low key most days. We are anticipating warm days {I'll even take 75 degrees and sunny at this point} and cannot wait until we can return to our R&R schedule of daily pool visits. Until then, I'll continue occupying myself by sewing and reading andfeelingsorryformyself. Oh, did I say that? Yeah, I need to buck up.

Lately

We've been doing a whole lot of this:

Solids

Carson enjoyed his first bites of rice cereal on Friday. For almost a month now he has been reaching for our food and wanting bites, so we decided it was time to let him join the ranks and eat solids. He was loving the 'eating real food off a spoon' thing (if you call rice ceral REAL food}, but couldn't quite figure out just how to eat it.
He has since gotten pretty good at eating/swallowing, despite it still getting all over his face, and seems to enjoy his mealtime.
If you look very close, you can see his two little toothers...

After every bite his thumb goes in his mouth...

So long sweet smelling diapers. Bring on the stink!

seveneightnine

Call me superstitious, dorky, or just plain lame that I even notice these types of things, BUT make a wish before today is over because it's 7/8/09...

Roundup

We had big plans to go to Chicago for the 4th, but I got in a car accident last week, and $800 later, we couldn't stomach footing the bill. So, we improvised and had a "staycation" in Milwaukee.
The weather wasn't all that great until Saturday, so Friday was low key-spent mostly reading and playing with Carson at home- with a visit to our outdoor mall and dinner at 5 Guys. We topped off the night watching fireworks over Lake Michigan.


Saturday we got up and went to a Farmer's Market, hung out on the lakefront and beach, and then hit up El Ray's (a mexican grocery store) to get some goodies for dinner. Yes, we had Mexican on the 4th of July! I forgot the camera, so we have no pictures. BOO.
Although we had a great weekend at home, we were lying in bed Saturday night chatting about how we were both bummed about not going to Chicago. So, we decided to go down and spend the day there Sunday!
We started the day in the Latino district where Joel served his mission. I loved it!

Joel's House in his mission
It really felt like we were out of the US. Cart vendors with authentic food, grafitti filled walls, street vendors with games,toys,flags, jerseys etc., and mexican music blasting from all the cars. So much fun!


We then went to Hyde Park and walked around the University of Chicago campus. It was gorgeous. Almost all of the buildings were blanketed in ivy and the tree lined streets made for a quaint, serene feel. I felt studious just walking on the campus!


We finished the day at 'Taste of Chicago'. It was an absolute ZOO... not a stroller friendly place but we pushed through the crowds to get some deliciousness! We had a funnel cake, Chicago style hot dog, melt-off-the bone drenched in Sweet Baby Ray's ribs, and fried plantains with guac. I am salivating just thinking about it!



On the way home we took "Lake Drive" which runs along the coast of Lake Michigan. I highly recommend driving this if you like to gawk over houses you dream about living in one day.
All I have to say is thank goodness Carson is becoming such a good baby. He was quite the little trooper, occasionally catnapping in his stroller. We were all exhausted at the end of the day, but it was so worth the effort!

Freedom

Thank you to all of the men and women who have fought, who are fighting, and who will fight to defend our freedom in this great country.

Let Freedom Ring!

Friends

This stud and I will be hitting up the pool quite frequently this Summer. You are invited anytime. Yes, even if you don't like me very much, you can use me for the pool. You may even start to like me.
Hey, I will do anything for a "friend" these days...shameless!