Diaper Wrestling

I know that my memory of Kendall at 6 months old is not very good (which is sad since it was just 19 months ago)...but I swear that she was not nearly as challenging as Carson is at changing diapers - especially poopy ones...

Just getting down to his diaper can sometimes be a challenge in and of itself. Between him constantly kicking, then grabbing your fingers, then bending his legs so that he can get a toe in his mouth...it is normally a miracle if you can get down to the diaper quickly. Removing his dirty diaper is an experiment in calf wrestling. First you have to hold onto both legs at the ankles, then try to grab hold of each wandering hand. (Let me take a moment to say here that I know that Kendall never played with her "junk", as Jeff calls it, as much as Carson does. The minute his diaper is off of his body, either one or both hands is reaching down to tug and pull on that certain area of his body. When we are cleaning it, he has even been known to smile or giggle...is this a sign of things to come in the future??) If you don't grab a hold of each hand, then you risk having a hand dip into the poo, or grab hold of the diaper and swing (this has actually happened to me on one occasion...prior to me learning to old each hand...when he swung his diaper filled hand around, the poo inside of it then proceeded to fly through the air and land on his shirt...no kidding...). If you don't grab a hold of each ankle, then you run the risk of having his ever kicking feet land in the poo as well. So...there you are with two hands and two ankles in ONE hand, as the little body beneath you continues to wiggle and try to kick and break free. As you are struggling holding on with one hand, you must then figure out how to get a wipe (or four or five depending upon the consistency of the poo - which could be a whole other post in and of itself) and wipe away all traces of poo and pull the diaper out of arm's (and foot's) reach, and then try to get a clean diaper at least in the general vicinity of the now clean bottom. If you can make it to this point...you are normally in the clear...and just have to put his new diaper on and wrangle his clothes back on his twisting and turning and kicking little body. Thankfully, Carson is no longer peeing every time his diaper is removed...so most of the time you don't have to worry about being sprinkled on (although he still does occasionally surprise us...).

Let me tell you...I really look forward to when he is not only longer...but stronger... This must be why most women I know that have little boys end up doing most of their diaper changes on the floor by the time their sons are a year old...

Twas the morning before Christmas...

Twas the morning before Christmas
And the only one up and around
Was a sleepy headed Mommy
No one else was to be found


The child that had beckoned her
At a quarter till five
After a diaper change and an hour rocking
Was once again a sleeping child


Her husband was snug sleeping
Safe and sound in their bed
With visions of football bowl games
Being played in his head


The blue eyed blonde sprite
Who filled their days with much chatter
Was sleeping soundly in her bed
Not a pitter or a patter


Chance, the brave protector dog
Of her family of four,
Didn't even twitch a muscle
When earlier she had opened the bedroom door


"Now that my boy child
Is back to sleep with much fuss
What shall I do with this 'free' time?
A question many moms ponder I trust."


"Shall I spend it doing something
I can't do during the day
Because two little children
Demand all my attention away?"


"Shall I go back to bed
for some much needed zzz's?
Just a little more sleep would make me
Much more easy to please."


"No," she thought to herself with a laugh
"Who needs sleep to get through the day?
After a few cups of coffee
I'll be most ready to play."


"So I'll log onto my blog
And send out a cheer
To wish all my family and friends
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!"

Really? A day off??

I realized that one of the reasons I haven't been posting more regularly - is that I feel this pressure (which I put upon myself...I know) to go over anything that happened since the last time I wrote every time I post a blog. Well...all this causes is procrastination...and here we are, 2 weeks have flown by again from the last time I posted. So...if I can get to a computer to write about what happened that day or that week - I will. If I can only jump on for a minute here and there...I will. If not...oh well. One more thing off of my to-do list... :)

My parents are AWESOME!!! (and I'm not just saying that because I know they read my blog...haha) They drove down from Jacksonville today to watch the kids so that Jeff and I could get our Christmas shopping done and go to a movie. So about 10:30 this morning, Jeff and I left and brought a carefully constructed list and several valuable coupons with us. Thankfully we had gotten a lot of our shopping done on-line this year - so we didn't have too many stops to make. Plus - we found ways to combine gifts for people all at just a few stores. Unfortunately...we did have to go to the mall...uggghhhh...but including a stop for lunch around noon - we were done by 3pm. After a quick call home to make sure everything was good...we went to see a movie. ("I am Legend" starring Will Smith - pretty good - worth the price of admission - which, by the way, is ridiculous these days - $8 for a matinee/student ticket!!! I remember when a student ticket only cost $3.50!!!...but then again...I digress). So...we arrived back home around 5:30 to find two incredibly happy children and two happy grandparents...and since we were so relaxed from having the whole afternoon "off"...we all started singing "If you're happy and you know it, clap your hands"!!! haha Just kidding...

I can't believe Christmas is only a week and 3 days away. How did that happen??? Christmas this year should be fun for our family this year. Kendall is really starting to understand the whole "presents" idea...and every morning she runs into the living room to see the Christmas tree and a life-size (well...at least to her) Santa Claus. I can't wait to see her face Christmas morning with all the presents under the tree...and one very special present in the back-yard (assuming Jeff and I can figure out how to put it together on Christmas Eve that is...). Next year should be even more fun. Kendall will be 3 and Carson 18 months...I'm sure there will be lots of squeals of excitement a year from now. :)

Well - I need to get to my Christmas cards. If I stay on tract...they should actually be in the mail by Tuesday morning...keep your fingers crossed for me! haha

As I haven't posted any pictures of the kids in a while...here are a few I thought just needed to be posted!

Jeff and I LOVE this picture...Carson just happened to be starting to fuss and I snapped the picture right as he was looking at Kendall. Although this wasn't an intentional look at Kendall this time...we know that someday soon in the future - she'll be getting lots of those looks! haha

Our family on Thanksgiving Day (poor Kendall was sick - with an ear infection and croup...).

My little girl being goofy on the porch.

Our happy little guy!

Daddy and his little girl.