Florida - take 2

Today was much better. Well, weather-wise at least. Erin and I headed out to the outlet malls and left the men home with the kids. Petra is only 5 months old, so there haven't been many occassions where Erin has left her alone. We only went for two hours, when we came home, poor little Petra had thrown up! She was pretty lethargic and her eyes were glassy, so of course it gave Erin and Jan a scare. Only cause we're not at home, plus they had been travelling for 12+ hours the day before so they were wondering what the heck kind of bug she picked up in the airport. But she's better now, so hopefully it was just something in her tummy that she needed to get out.

The afternoon was wonderful! During Carson's nap (he's so tired these days, I'm wearing him out!) I sat outside by the pool. Then Carson joined me, we put our feet in the pool and splashed around. Then we went to the park, and out walking around the neighbourhood for a couple hours. It was super nice and Carson was loving seeing all the people, dogs, trees, and getting out and walking and pushing the stroller himself.

While the boys are still gone golfing, and Erin is putting Petra to bed I have a few minutes so, this post may be a bit longer than usual. It's so nice to have such wonderful people in my life that I can explain how I feel about anything without feeling guilty or embarassed/ashamed for feeling certain ways. As new moms, Erin and I talk quite a bit about our "new" lives. And we both have very different feelings about certain things, but it doesn't make either of us right or wrong. It's just really nice to have people who you know aren't judging you or thinking to themselves "god, how did she not love motherhood right from the beginning" even though she did. It's the same with my family and friends back home. How horrible would it be to be surrounded by people who didn't support you 100% and let you vent, rant, complain, or talk for hours about how wonderful your son is and all the little things he does that makes you laugh.

I'm the first one to admit I much prefer after the one year stage. I loved him to bits before a year and I did everything I possibly could for him, but wow, it is SO much fun now. We are communicating, he knows what I'm saying to him, I know what he's saying to me, what he wants to do....he's just into everything, walking everywhere and wanting to explore everything and anything. I love being the one to explain it to him. Tonight we were walking along and when I thought it was time to turn back, to go home and get ready for dinner, I kept calling to him to turn around and come back this way, then I stopped to think. If he's having fun and exploring something over there, why is it so important that he come to me when I want him to? I don't want to be that nagging mom - Carson come here, come this way, Carson do this, Carson do that. I was in no rush to get home (if I was in a rush then that's a different story) so who cares if we are out for 15 minutes longer then I had planned on? Who cares if he wants to sit in a parking lot and play with his car?

On a totally different note, he hates having his teeth brushed. He has three new ones coming in, so I thought maybe it was because of that. But now I can see that between his top two teeth he has what looks like a canker sore? I forgot about it until this minute, so I'm going to go google it and see what I can do for him. It's not like I can get him to gargle hot water and salt....

I always have to insert my big ol head into pictures with him..

With the miniature palm trees

The car behind him? We'd be on the other side of the park and he would see it, then he'd have to go over to it, pointing at it saying car the whole time

He likes pushing the stroller himself

Waving to the dogs

This is my favourite one (quite proud of the picture if I do say so myself) I had about two seconds to snap it before he came barreling down the slide