All About That Boy

What can I say, being a mom has been fun and exhausting!!! This boy of mine still refuses to sleep through the night and he is six months!  But he is fun and way to cute.  November was a mile stone for this boy.  He started to sit up on his own (meaning us sitting him up and him staying), getting to his hands and knees and rocking, and he also got 2 teeth.  Then of course December hits and the boy decides it's time to start moving.  He was able to scoot around right before he was six months.  He was slow so it was no big deal,  then after his six month check up he decides that he no longer wants to be slow and starts to get really good at moving.  He still isn't super fast, we can still get to things before he can, but my place is not baby proof!!!! I mean at ALL!!! So much stuff I have to do! The Dr. told us at his check up that he will more than likely be an early walker, because he is so active. He loves to stand right now, we try to sit him down and he will stiffen his legs so he can stand instead.  Once again, I am so not ready for this!!! We took him to the beach today and for the first time he got to play in the sand and water.  He LOVED it! Here are some pictures of what this Boy has been up to

 I made Carter a Christmas vest for an Ugly Sweater Party we went to

 You know how I said he likes to move, well he got himself

stuck under the couch.

 Carter's outfit for Christmas Sunday

 Christmas Morning with his toys

 He was just too cute here

 Honeymoon Island 

 He loved the water

 

At his Six Month check up

Disney and Grandma

I feel like the holidays came and went so fast!  November was kind of a busy month, well mostly the weekends.  Justin was off on Fridays so we took advantage of our season pass and went to Disney on Friday.  The first Friday was Epcots food and wine festival.  Let me just say if you are in to food, that is the time to come visit us and go to Disney.  We got to eat so many different types of food from all over the world!  Then my mom came that next week, so of course we had to take her to Disney.  Then after that my brother came with his family and went on a Disney Cruise, so we met up with them in Disney the last 2 weekends in November.  I never thought I could get Disneyed out, but I did! So December was kind of relaxing getting back to a normal schedule.

 At Hollywood Studios watching Beauty and the Beast

 We got Christmas early in Disney

 Waiting in line for Peter Pan's Flight. Carter loved it

 One of my favorites of these two

 Brother in Law Bonding Time

 One of my favorites, only because I was having a really good hair day

 

Thankful

Thankful, that's what November is all about, being thankful. I haven't been able to go to sleep lately, and I find myself awake thinking of the things I am thankful for, and every night it's the same thing, my little family. We might be small in numbers but we have a love that I wouldn't trade for the world. The best part is I have them for eternity. Best Friends Forever is really going to happen. I am married to my best friend and I get to be with him for forever and I couldn't be happier. Even listening to him snore right now, and Carter is starting to fuss and it's 1:30 in the morning, I am grateful for both of them. 

Families Are Together Forever 

Med School Life

 Justin is in his 3rd year of Med School, and I feel like we just moved to Florida! We did move from the Atlantic Coast to the Gulf Coast almost 5 months ago, so that could be why I feel like we have just moved here.  Year 3 of medical school is called rotations, where Justin gets to spend 1 month in each specialty of the medical field. The first couple moths were really hard on me, they were all long hours and only having one car and being a brand new mom didn't help.  Most of my human interaction was with a little infant who would just cry, poop, eat and sleep.  Not much for interaction for a social butterfly like me.  Most of my days were spent in tears, longing for my friends I left behind in Utah.

Justin's first rotation was OB/GYN and it wasn't too bad because I had my sister in law for most of the month and then my mom came to visit for a week.  Then in August he had internal medicine at the hospital.  that wasn't too bad but most night Justin didn't get home till 7 o'clock or later.  But at least we had the weekends and I also went to Utah for 2 weeks.  Then along came September, or the month of HELL, is what I like to call it.  September Justin started his surgery rotation... I hardly saw him! His first day on surgery was a 21 hour day, not fun for me.  Then for the rest of the month it continued to be 15 hour or more days.  One day he left at 6:30 a.m. and then didn't get home till 7 a.m. the next morning.  He got a 3 hour nap in then was back at the hospital for another 10 hours.  He has decided surgery, not matter how much money they make, is not for him.

It was really hard on me because I still didn't have any friends yet.  People would talk to me at church but that was about it.  Then, what I call the grace month, October happened!!!!! Justin was working a mile from home, went in a 9 a.m. got a 3 hour lunch then was home by 4. I was in heaven.  You might be wondering what rotation he was on, Geriatrics, God Bless The Old People!  I really needed human interaction and was very grateful for this rotation where I was able to see my husband a lot more!

We are enjoying where we are living now in Clearwater, FL and I am finally making friends.  Minus are small apartment and only having one car, we some how manage, even if that means Carter and I take Justin to work then we can at least get out for the day.  Carter is getting more fun, watching him interact with us is the best.  He is also getting much better at car rides!!!! One of us has to sit in back with him but he no longer screams bloody murder while in the car!!!!  I can't believe that Justin only has a year and half left of school, time is going by so quickly!

I am a Dope

Back in April my mother, sister and two sister in laws all signed up to do the Dopey Challenge in Disney World January 2015. The Dopey Challenge consists of 4 races, 5k, 10k, Half Marathon and a Full Marathon in 4 days for a total of 48.6 "magical miles". Am I crazy, yes, I think I am, but at least I am not alone! 

When I signed up I was 7 month pregnant and figured this would motivate me to get the baby  weight off. Well, we are almost 2 months away from the race and the farthest I have wogged (walk/jog) is 7 miles. But I have noticed a major improvement in 4 months! When I first started I was doing a 15 minute mile, I use to be able to do a 10 minute mile, I  was a little depressed about it. Taking that long to run was definitely not fun. But I stuck with it and today I did 3 miles and my average pace was 12:10. I was so proud of myself! I love seeing improvements! It also helped that a cold front came in and so the weather was perfect for a run. 

Random side note:

I was complaining tonight about it being cold and Justin told me I have been spoiled with warm weather. Yes I have and I love my warm weather! It will be a sad day when we move away from Florida! 

Sweet but a Handful

Don't let these baby blues deceive you

He looks all cute and innocent but once darkness falls, the crying starts! It's not just before bed either, he will wake up every 2 hours some nights! He was so good until he hit 3 months. What happened, you ask? Good question, if you figure it out let me know! This mamma needs/loves her sleep. I am also a cranky  sleeper, I tend to snap at Justin in the middle of the night. Example Friday night, early Saturday morning (3 a.m.) Justin was being nice and took Carter out to try to get him back to sleep. I could still hear the boy crying, so, annoyed at this point, I get out of bed and try to take Carter back, Justin  won't give Carter up and I mumble under my breath, "it's not like you get up or hear him when he cries multiple times through out the night. So just go back and sleep through all of this like you normally do." Not my shiniest of moments. I felt really bad in the morning, but I tend to snap in the middle of the night. We have been trying everything, rice cereal in his bottle, feeding him more than normal, letting him sleep in our bed, letting him cry (he can and will cry for an hour straight) you name it, we've tried it. I am praying this is going to come to an end soon. I am also hoping that my this means he will be an angel of a child when he is older! I deserve something for going a month with no sleep! 

Sunset at Indian Rocks Beach

Pic Update

Being a photographer you would think I would have millions upon millions of pictures of Carter, sadly just on my phone! So I have started to break out the good camera so I can have some nice quality pics to put on my wall.  If I could I would just have my friend Suzana take pics for me, but sadly I left her 4 hours behind in Ft. Lauderdale. The good thing is it has pushed me to take more photos.  Here are just some random ones I took tonight.

 Justin is the one who can get him to fall asleep

I wish I would have gotten a picture of Justin reading his anesthesiology book to him while he was screaming bloody murder!  

 I believe he gets this face from me and of course the only thing

I can claim that this boy got from me are his eyes!

 This is one of my favorites, Carter's face says it all!

I love when babies play with their feet and Carter has finally found his feet!

Confessions

Mommyhood has been great so far, but I have a confession, I was not a huge fan of motherhood in the very beginning. Carter will be 3 months this week and I feel like the first 2 3/4 months were really hard for me. Carter was not the easiest baby but was not a horrible on either, I think it was me adjusting to motherhood. 

I don't think the doing everything for this child just to watch him eat, sleep and poop helped at all. But he has started to respond to us when we play with him. He had his first laugh over labor day weekend and my heart just melted! He smiles all the time now and will take naps without me holding him (by far the best thing he has out grown) although he still would if I let him. I am loving being his mom right now and seeing the changes in him from month to month! 

He enjoys tummy time now as well

Didn't think I could love him any more

             ****WARING**** 

This is a sappy post about my love for my husband, if you do not like hearing sappy/cheesy live stories do not read this. And just know this will not be the last sappy love post I write.

Brad Paisley's song "Then" says it best 

"Now you're my whole life

Now you're my whole world

I just can't believe

The way I feel about you 

We'll look back someday

At this moment that we're in

And I'll look at you and say

And I thought I loved you then"

I thought I knew what love was and then I met Justin. It was September of 2011 and I Facebook stalked him after he had requested to add me as a friend. I sent him a message asking if he wanted to hang out some time and left my number. Later that night  he sent me a text, and I invited him to a movie in the park and the rest is history. It took a little bit longer for me (not too long though) to figure out just exactly how much I liked him, and when I did I fell hard and fast. I experienced true love with a guy who was madly in love with me. We got married December 30, 2011, fast I know but when it's right, it's right. 

Then six months later we moved to south Florida where he is currently attending Medical School. It's been just me and him and we have never been more in love with each other. He is my other half and I could not imagine a life with out him. He is very patient with me, and is able to put up with my weird habits. He is a strong member of our faith and makes me a better person. And I thought I knew what love was.

Then the man I love gave me the greatest gift I could ask for. He gave me a family. October 14, 2013 we found out we were going to be having a baby! 

June 12, 2014 we had our beautiful son Carter! The moment I saw Justin with tears in his eyes after he was born was priceless. Then after they take us to our room after labor I see this

 

 

Watching the Heat game with his son. And it doesn't stop there

Every time I see him holding Carter I fall in love with him over and over again. Seeing how much he loves our son and how he was during the labor with me I know he feels the same way. 

Like the song says "I thought I loved you then," every time I think I couldn't love Justin any more than I all ready do, it manages to grow more and more. I know this is not where it ends, I am looking forward to raising our children and growing old. My heart still races when we kiss. He is mine for eternity and I am grateful for the opportunity to fall in love with my husband every single day of our lives. To me this is a love of a life time and I know I will never love anyone else like the way I love him.   

  

Mommy Life

I am learning a couple if things about being a new mom, the number one thing that I have come to terms with, I will ALWAYS have spit up on me! Wether or not Carter burps after he eats, he always spits up; mostly on me, never on dad. 

The second thing I have learned, shopping  is not fun anymore. I am starting to understand the phrase "Going to the grocery store (or any store for that matter) is a vacation." Yes Carter is only 4 weeks old, but it is such a hassle to take him out of his car seat or put him in the pack or get the stroller out. So if I am with someone and we are going to more than one place, I tend to stay in the car and wait, so much easier!

Lesson number 3, do not for any reason move to a third floor apartment! I should have great arms after our lease is up. Taking a car seat and bags up 3 flights of stairs is not easy. 

Lesson number 4, it is too hot and humid in FL to take Carter out for a walk/run unless you wake up at the crack of dawn. It is also way too hot for for the beach or pool. So I am stuck in doors until he is a little older or it cools off; I think waiting for him to get older will be the one that wins.

Those are just a few things I have learned in the past 4 weeks. I am still in love with this boy and am happy to do all 4 things! 

Especially when he smiles! ❤️

Motherhood

Justin and I welcomed Carter William Christensen on June 12, 2014 at 2:50 pm. He was 20 inches long and weighed 7.7 pounds. He was 13 days early and we were shocked at how big he was! I got induced due to preeclampsia, which I was ok with being induced early! In Florida they start you on cervidil before they actually start the induction. That stays in you for 12 hours, so we started that on June 11 at 5:30 pm. They made me stay in the hospital, and of course they had me hooked up to monitors and were coking in my room about every hour, so no sleep for me! I also was so nervous to be induced, just to actually have a baby, I didn't sleep much the nights before. I was so exhausted that by the time I got the epidural I was able to fall asleep for 2 hours! That all started at 10 am and Carter came at 2:50. 

Our first family photo ❤️

I was a little confused what was going in when they placed Carter on me, I wasn't really sure he was mine. It was weird to all of a sudden have a baby on me that was mine! But I instantly fell in love with him the moment I saw him! I now know what love at first sight is.  The best part about the birth of Carter was watching Justin after he was born. He had tears in his eyes and was so happy. He really has been the best dad/husband. I was a little sad when he had to go back to school June 30, he was a greasy help.

I am so in love with these too and just can't seem to get enough of them.

Here are some photos that my friend came and took at the hospital and we did a quick newborn session before we moved

Motherhood so far has been great! I love it. Hopefully it will stay that way 😉