Giving Thanks

Happy Thanksgiving Day everyone!

I'll save a post about turkeys, traditions, and eating too much for a later day. As for today, I wanted to focus on something a little different.

You'll be interested to know that November is National Adoption Awareness month. I find it interesting that this falls in the same month as Thanksgiving. Adoption is one of the things I am MOST grateful for. I have such tender feelings as I think about how adoption has blessed my life. Many years ago I wondered if I would ever be a mother. I wondered if I would ever hold a baby in my arms and call him mine. My heart ached for this one desire. Adoption is miraculous. Truly. There have only been a few moments in my life that have been as precious and sacred as the day when a selfless woman chose to place her baby in my arms and in my life forever. Words will never be enough to describe the kind of gratitude I have for her. That kind of sacrifice and love is sacred. Tyler is blessed to have been first given to such a strong and loving mother who knew that he needed more- she knew he needed a mother AND a father. She knew he needed the blessings of the temple. I'm sure she could have raised him and done a beautiful job, and in some ways that would have been easier, but instead she chose the harder route. The route that would provide him with more blessings and more opportunities- all at the expense of her own happiness. We love her. We love adoption. It is miraculous.

My two boys are my life's greatest gifts. Both of their arrivals have taught me much about love, sacrifice, and of God's love for each of us. They are precious, and my heart sings with gratitude when I think of how blessed I am to be their mother. Many thanks on a happy day.

(on a side note, LDS family services has re-done their website. It's still in the finishing stages, but it's amazing- with contributions from yours truly. I'll keep you posted when the final product is finally launched).

I know it's been a while since my last post, but I've been a bit busy doing this:

I'm really trying to savor every moment with this little guy. I think I realize this time around how quickly he'll grow up. Plus, this time around I'm also trying to divide my time between my two little guys- not just one. The dishes sit in the sink a little longer, the laundry piles up a little higher, and dinner literally gets put on the back burner. I'm loving every minute with this little angel. There is something so precious about these new little spirits sent so recently from heaven. I love his soft, wrinkly skin. I love kissing every inch of his tiny little cheeks. I love the sound of his lips smacking when it's time to eat. I love watching his gassy smiles in his sleep. I love the smell as I nestle my nose into his neck. I love the way his face grimaces and scrunches just before he starts to cry. I'm really in heaven.



Many of you have asked how Tyler is doing as "BIG brother." He's great. Really. He is soft and gentle. He gets concerned when Robby cries and says in his cutest baby voice, "Don't cry, baby. It will be okay." He also likes to sing "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star" to calm Robby down. He is very helpful and quickly points out after he helps that he is a good big brother. I love it. He loves rubbing his cheek on Robby's head and was tickled pink when we were tucking him into bed the other night and we let Robby cuddle with him in his bed. That's not to say that we haven't had our moments, but all in all, I think Tyler is handling the adjustment beautifully.



I'll try to post more pictures, but for now, I gotta go have some cuddles.

Update

Who knew John was such a great blogger? I might have to have him contribute a post or two more often. Thanks everyone for all of your well wishes and congratulations. We appreciate your love and support.


We are one day shy of weathering our first full week as the parents of two cute kids. Here's how things have gone:




Grandma left yesterday. Tyler cried all the way home from the airport after dropping her off. He kept saying, "I weally, weally miss my grandma." I felt EXACTLY the same way. She was sooooo good to us, and we couldn't have survived without her. She cleaned, cooked, did laundry, held the baby, lifted my spirits, and entertained Tyler. She was such a good sport. She read several dozen of Tyler's favorite books, played games, watched cartoons, took trips to the park, and even let Tyler read his favorite toy catelogs in bed with her after he convinced her that it was only dark at 6:30 am because "it's cloudy today, Grandma" and not because it was way too early for him to be awake. Oh and not to mention the fact that she was a good sport and let Tyler help do her hair every day. We miss her already.




Here is a little bit more about what each of us have been up to this past week:

Tyler has discovered that he enjoys being a big brother and he is fantastic at it. My heart melts every time I see these two together. He has been good about respecting the boundaries we've set with the baby and he tries to be quite helpful. Whenever Robby is crying, he'll yell from wherever he is in the house, "Mom, the baby's crying!!!!" He loves giving Robby kisses on the head and smiles real big when it's his turn to hold the baby.







John has perfected the art of "super dad." He two does it all from moping floors to changing diapers. I'm just glad with all the added responsibilites he's had this past week, he still has a moment or two to enjoy sweet moments like this.

John has taken such good care of all of us. I am so appreciative of his gentle ways and his ability to assess our needs and meet them. I was so grateful to have him by my side during our hospital stay.

Love you, babe!


















Robby has had the endless job of keeping us entertained with his sweet cuteness. Who doesn't love simply sitting and holding a baby?

As for me, I discovered my new best friend this week.

All in all, we're doing pretty well.

Recipe for a Baby

Having been with this precious baby for 3 days, I decided to recreate the recipe that is Robby.

Base:
1 forehead -- John
2 eyes -- Carrie
1 tongue-- Carrie
1 nose -- Carrie
2 ears -- Bob*
7 lbs wrinkles

Topping:
a handful of expressions -- Bob*

sprinkle of sneezes -- John

dash of indegestion -- Carrie

In a large bowl (uterus) add ingredients and mix gently. Season with toppings liberally. Bake at 98.6 degrees for 9 months and check.

Perhaps a tender mercy recognizing Carrie’s opportunity to finally birth her own, Robby is undoubtedly hers.

* Bob is Carrie's father.

Coming Home

Yesterday we made it home from the hospital. A few more pics....

Way to go Mom!

Robert Telford Carson is born.

Robby was born yesterday afternoon (Nov. 3rd), weighing 7.0 lbs. He is doing very well (very content). Both he and Mom are still in the hospital resting.

This was an induced delivery. We arrived at the hospital at ~6:30am. Things went well with hard labor beginning at ~2:00. The doc and nursing staff were very good to us.

Robby was an uncertain name 24 hours ago; i was thinking different thoughts. However, with one look it was clear he was a "Robert." He shares his mother's eyes, nose, even the same birthmarks on eyelids and forehead. In fact, his face has the same petite shape as Carrie's face. Carrie has all the dominate genes. I'll be lucky if Robby has my same pancreas.

Tyler is a smiling and willing big brother. He wore a shirt to the hospital saying "I'm the BIG brother." He has looked forward to this event for some while now. We remember Tyler being a baby goat, grunting for food. Robby is more of a mouse. No noise during his circumcision/checkup and very little queaks otherwise.

Happy Halloween

Sorry, no explanations. I'm too busy. I need to go get ready for this thing I gotta do tomorrow...

We're having a baby!!!