Amen, I mean excuse me!

So we're in church on Sunday and Carter is sitting on Scott's lap. The priest just gets done saying a prayer and it's really quite...until Carter farts really loud! The people two pews in front and behind us were cracking up and we were about half way through the next hymn before I got it together again. It was hysterical!

I know My Husband Loves Me

I know this because he tries to make me happy even when it doesn’t make him happy. Let me explain. We’ve had a leaky toilet problem in my bathroom for several months now. After draining, drying, replacing bolts and caulking SEVERAL times over the last couple of months, it still leaks. Scott even got a friend to come look at it to see if he could do anything for the sick potty. To no avail, the potty was dying and was going to have to be replaced by a younger non-leaky model.

If you’ve ever seen my bathroom, you would know it’s about the size of a shoebox, for a pair of flats at best. I can stand on the rug and touch every wall, you get the idea? Being that I have such limited space, I’ve commandeered the potty as my vanity stool. I sit on it in the mornings as I put on my make-up and dry my hair. It’s taller than a regular toilet, so it’s the perfect height for me to see everything in the mirror. You can probably see where I’m going with this.

Scott makes a trip to Lowe’s and I think to myself that I should ask him to get a tall one, just like the one that was in there. I call him, but it’s too late. He’s already purchased the potty and is heading home and it’s not tall. It can’t be that bad; I’ll just have to live it, right? So, our friend comes to install the toilet the next day. I get home from work and seriously it’s like I’m sitting at the kids table. I can’t see the mirror anymore, and my morning getting ready routine is just going to be miserable like this.

You know how you feel utterly ridiculous when you you’re trying to ride a bike that you’re too big for? That’s how I felt trying to get ready on this toilet. Needless to say, I hate it! I know Scott loves me; because even though this is going to cost more money, eat up of more of his time and be just a pain in general, he’s fixing it, for me. He’s not happy about it, but he IS fixing it. And that says a lot. How did I get such a loving, caring husband?

The Blues

I'm so sad today. I think I just need a really good cry. Which could potentially happen at any second. I know I need to update my blog with the latest happenings of the Rankin family, but I'm so unmotivated. I think the blahs started this morning when I dropped Carter off at day care. Since they are closing, all of the kids in Carter's class have already found some where else to go, so this morning I dropped him off and he was the only kid in his class. I felt so sad for him. I know now (after picking him up) that he played in the 2 year old room all day and did "pretty well". But still, this is going to be a big adjustment for the kid.

I did get a call from the new day care and they can take him the second week in August which works out pretty good I guess. But, I'm still just so sad over the closing! I know he will adjust, but I love that day care and his teacher!

Also, I found out today that Krissee and Daniel put in an offer on a condo in Pawleys Island. While I'm so happy for the two of them, this also makes me sad. Krissee has been such a great friend and is one of my best friends. She was my only friend when I moved to Columbia (although I've made great friends since being here). We have so much fun together and we got to share our pregnancies together and enjoy being at home with the babies together. It just won't be near the same not having her here. Not to mention my two God children-I'm going to miss those cute little faces like crazy. I had completely convinced myself they would be here for a while because it would take a while for their house to sell, now they have a plan and could be moving very soon. I know we can go visit and all of that, but it's just not the same as being in the same town. You just don't get to see each other near enough. I know this because I've done this before....except the last time, I was the one leaving. (which didn't make it any easier by the way)

Anyway, I'll get over it. I just need some time to be sad about it. K & D -I'm going to miss you & the kiddos so much! (Also, I hope I didn't put too much of your bizness out on the street, but it was on Facebook so I figured it was ok)

Odds and Ends for $800 Alec

Here's a bunch of random stuff that we've done over the last month or so that I wanted to share. Some, just because the pics are cute. Honestly, I don't know if I'll ever be in another picture; the camera just automatically turns to Carter. Oh well, enjoy.

One of Scott's friend is a landscaper and this amazing coy pond in his back yard, so we took Carter by one day to look at the fish.

He definitely wanted to get in the water, but I was scared one of those fish would bite his little hand off. They were crazy! (kind of like those fish who jump all over each other when you buy food out of the gumball machine thingy to feed them-like at Broadway at the Beach)

Getting mo hawks in the bath, especially when daddy is giving the bath

Visiting Uncle Sean in the hospital and swinging on his handle bar thing. He looks a little scared, but he really did like it.

Swimming with Smith and Addison in their baby pool - Although he didn't do anything but cry when he first got in because the water was too cold (never mind that Smith and Addison were playing just fine in it), but sweet sweet Krissee got some warm water to add just for Carter. He was just fine after that. We're going to have to fix this aversion to cold water before we take him on the lake!

One Birthday, Two Cakes, Lots of Kids!

This weekend we had Carter's first birthday party. We decided to keep it really simple and have cake, ice cream, and bubbles. I didn't know what to do for a one year old's party, but I thought bubbles was something that Carter and the older kids would all enjoy. I got the cake from Publix which gives you a free "smash" cake if it's a 1st birthday. Basically, it's just a small cake for the baby to play in, but it was great. Anyway, I ordered the cake, bought the ice cream and balloons, and got lots of bubbles. I bought this outfit for Carter hoping Granny would put something cute on it for his birthday and she didn't disappoint. Now, to just get it clean so he can wear it again on his actual birthday (Wednesday).

On the big day, lots of family and friends came to help Carter celebrate. We are so lucky to have such wonderful friends who would care so much about our child. We set up everything on the back porch so the kids could run around (or crawl) and we didn't have to worry too much about them. Here is Carter just strolling around with dad holding tightly to his bubble wand. Next, it was time for cake. Carter looked a little concerned when everyone started singing happy birthday to him. It was almost like, "Mom, what the heck is going on?!" We sang and then gave him his cake which took a little coaxing to get him to try at first, but once he did he was licking every finger.

Then we got to come inside to clean up. I mean, how cute is this little mouth smeared with icing?

All in all, it was a great party. That's not to say that I wasn't exhausted and in desperate need of a beer when it was over. But it was really great. I can't believe my baby is one! He's almost not a baby anymore.....so sad. Let's see, how many more years did Scott say we had to wait......

3 peas in a pod

Carter and I went over to Krissee and Daniel's the other day and Carter got to play with Smith and Addison. Playing these days is a new adventure. It's all about, I want what you have, gimme, gimme, gimme. But they are all so cute. We remembered that we took a picture of the 3 of them soon after the twins came home in the chair in the twins nursery. We thought it would be fun to see the difference 9 months down the road. Time sure does fly and these babies are growing way to fast. As you can see in the first picture, Carter looked like a giant compared to Smith and Addison, but that's all changed now. Smith and Addison have all but caught up to Carter...actually I think they are all right around the same weight give or take a pound or two.

They look like little people now, don't you think? They are going to have so much fun growing up and playing with each other.

Mother, Mom, Mamma, Mommy

This will be my first Mother’s Day as a mom, and I’m really quite excited. Having Carter was such a defining moment in my life where I realized that I was BORN to be a mom. I thought I would enjoy motherhood, but I could have never guessed that I would enjoy it this much! I love everything about it, even the not so fun stuff. Now don’t get me wrong, there are those moments when I want to scream in frustration or run out of the house, jump in my car and drive away with the music blaring. But most of the time I love every single minute. Being with Carter and seeing him grow and changed makes me so happy. If we could afford it, I would have five more! OK maybe not FIVE more, but definitely several more!

Being a mom has changed the way I look at everything…..movies, politics, news stories, music, dining out, bed time….mainly because now I automatically think how these things affect my son or I imagine myself in those situations (like with the news). When I became a mother, I thought WOW my mom and dad love me this much. It’s an amazing perspective that you’ve never had before.

I have always had a special bond with my mom. I can truly say she is my best friend (although she did not raise me as an “I want to be your best friend” kind of mom-if you know what I mean) and I can count on her for her support anytime I need a little help or encouragement. I hope that my children will grow up to love and respect me as much as I do my mother. Happy Mother’s Day to all you moms and moms-to-be out there!