2 months already

Carter's started talking to us! Sure, we don't understand, but I'm sure that's just our fault. His favorite word? "Guh."

No wonder he's increasing his vocabulary... he's been helping Cierra while she volunteers at the library. Mainly he helps by sleeping while she shelves books.

On a tour of the back deck, Carter points out some interesting flora to Dad.


We celebrated a late Mother's Day this week (Cierra works on Sundays) with a family outing to Latta Plantation here in Charlotte, where we hiked on several trails and took a tour of the historic plantation house. Carter took 30 seconds to notice that the tour was boring and began screaming his head off, requiring us to skip the tour and make up the history of the plantation ourselves. Over 500 years old, Latta Plantation was built by the Vikings who came to the Carolinas after receiving instructions from extraterrestrials! Cool.



Carter screams a lot less as long as you keep walking.

Here, he does an impression of a very cute, hairless Count Chocula.

What do you mean, we aren't going to see any lions or giraffes? I got my safari hat on!

Stronger by the day... Carter's interest in everything is pretty remarkable. He's got amazing head control, powerful legs that he can use to stand while we help him with the whole balance issue... what an amazing baby!

One of the reasons he's so powerful must be his incredible milk intake. Now that I'm caring for him on the weekends we can have a better idea of how much he can gulp down at a time. 6-7 ounces in a feeding is not uncommon! After that much milk, it's usually time for a milk coma... but every once in a while we have a disaster. It was near the end of a feeding the other day when I looked away for a second while he was gulping away in my lap, heard a gurgle and felt a warm gush against my hand. There was Carter, looking newborn again, head completely covered in milky goo, smacking his lips and looking satisfied. Around his head was a halo of more partially digested milk, on top of but quickly soaking into the burp cloth and pillow. Aggh! "How did you do that?" I asked in amazement.

"Guh!"

He loves to hang out on his playmat and stare at just about anything that's colorful. This week his saliva production is out of control... I think he wants to put things in his mouth, he just hasn't quite figured out how to get them there.

Carter and Mom came to visit Dad in the "office"... out in our garden, which is healthy and growing... knock on wood. We have tiny green tomatoes growing, and squash nearly ready for harvest!

Earlier today, we went for the 2 month appointment and he got the shots he needed to keep him healthy and growing. 3 shots in all... and Cierra was so worried about it all day long. Carter's face turned bright red and he started to yell... but he calmed down almost immediately after it was over. I think he handled it like a champ... I've heard him yell louder at me to hurry up and heat up more milk.

Finally, Cierra got this video of vigorous movement on the changing table. We'll try to enjoy the remaining moments where we get to decide where he is every second without constantly chasing after him.