Carter says {&does}

Hey guys!  I haven't fallen off the face of the Earth, believe it or not.  Tax season has finally released it's ugly grip on me and I feel like a free woman! :)  Life has been crazy and wild and blogging just fell off the list of things I could juggle there for awhile.  Thankfully, though, I am ready to get back into it with a little recap of both kids, then I will go back and do a quick family recap of the last few months as well.  I've been really into snapchat lately (username: whitnsmith), so that is a good way to follow along with us as well!  

I'm going to start my recaps with a roundup of "Carter says" and throw in a few "Carter does".  I think it is a good way to get caught up on life with him.

Instead of "I have an idea", it's "I have an idead".  Not sure where he is picking up that extra d!?  He also got a little confused about my full name.  He knows all of our family's full names {first, middle & last} but apparently he had heard Brent talking to Siri a lot in the truck, so when I asked him what my last name was, he said, "Whitney mobile".  He also calls our new backyard bird feeders "bird heaters" and I think he actually thinks they warm them up. :)

He absolutely blew my mind when we were praying one morning in the van on the way to the babysitter's house and he said "thank you Jesus for dying on the cross for me so that I can go to heaven"!!!!!  That's not normally the kind of prayer I pray, at least aloud in front of my children, so I just broke down with tears of shock and happiness.  But it turned out his babysitter had been saying that and he totally caught on!   I'm so happy to have such a great child care provider who not only takes care of my kids physically, emotionally, but also spiritually.  He has also caught on to every word of our traditional Catholic meal blessing and "now I lay me down to sleep" and can say many of the words to the "Our Father".  

Another thing he is amazing me with lately is his determination to learn his numbers and letters.  He had little to no interest at all in this just a few weeks ago, but suddenly his little brain turned on to that and he has memorized several letters and numbers, although he likes to guess many of the letters he doesn't know and just pick random letters.  It may be an F and he is guessing J, Z, K, M....clearly not getting it! He does seem to have C, T, 1 & 3 completely down, and can occasionally guess others successfully. Now when we are reading a book or see letters on anything, he is asking what they are and he is really taking it all in.  He has also learned to count on his fingers.

He has really taken a liking to certain songs.  He was super in to Mr. Misunderstood by Eric Church there for awhile.  One evening, we were playing outside and Brent had the radio on.  Carter kept asking "why aren't they playing Mr. Misunderstood?"  And his newest favorite song is Buy Me a Boat by Chris Janson.  Obsessed.  He knows pretty much every word and it is hilarious to hear him sing it.  My favorite part is "I wish I had a rich uncle that would kick the bucket and I'd be sittin' on a pile like Warren bucket" {Buffett}.  

Thankfully his addiction to the Grinch movie has subsided and he is officially Paw Patrol obsessed.  

He has been listening to his daddy a lot and has learned to compliment me in some of the sweetest ways.  He says, "you look pretty mom" all the time and usually it involves some sweet detail like my hair, or my dress, or my necklace so I know he is paying attention and it's not just rehearsed.  And he says it to his little sis a lot too and it just melts my heart.  He also has been using his manners really well (most of the time) and says "no thank you" or "yes sir". He has had some trouble with sir/mam in context, but we are working on it! :)

A few of our recent conversations:

Me-"Carter, you are such a good big brother to sissy."

Carter-"Thanks mom. You are such a good mommy to sissy." (not to him I guess)

Me-"Carter you are getting so big!"
Him-"I know, I'm gonna be a dad soon"
Me-"Oh, really, then who's the mom?"
Him-"You!"
Me-"Oh, so what is Brent?"
Him-"Grandpa!" Lol...good luck on that one! 

Me-"Carter you are going to be going to school before we know it.  I'm gonna miss you!"
Carter-"But you will be able to spend more time with sissy!"  It amazes me that is the first thing he thought of to answer that one.  He's so sweet. Sometimes.

I will be back soon with catch-up on my little miss Landry Kate...lots to report on her!