carson taylor: seven months

what a crazy month!  

you handled it like a champ. graduation celebrations, a wedding, a mini vacation (your first), mother's day, baseball games, pictures - lots of pictures, bubbles, house showings, training runs, new foods.  ok, so some of those are mine. 

as i sit here typing you are fast asleep, on your side (because that's your favorite position),  and who would blame you?!  it's hard work being a baby that's learning and growing so fast that mom is overwhelmed with just how much she feels she should capture in this post.  experiences aside you've fine tuned your motor skills this month and are starting to do things with more intention meaning words, crawling, chewing are all right around the corner.  personally, i'm struggling.  i want you to stay little.  this has been my favorite age to experience to date.  

let's see if i can attempt to summarize what's happened this month.  first and foremost you are sleeping much better through the night, only waking once around 1:30 AM and then again at 6 AM like clockwork.  after a couple months of waking 3 and 4 times a night we feel like new! 

you're also so wiggly and expressive.  you've discovered your toes and recently started banging things - your left hand is the most dominant - you bang on mommy and daddy while we feed you, on your bed, in the bath, on your highchair tray.  those arms seems to flap constantly, especially when your in between toys or simply need to make some noise.  we think you like the noise and when it's loud that makes you squeal.  

as it relates to your personality it's clear that you are a social being.  you enjoy when others are around and hate being alone.  you don't need the attention of others all the time you simply like to see them and know they are there.  you are particularly captivated by allie these days. at daycare you still continue to 'chat' with the other babies and generally smile when being swept up and held by anyone.  

you are intense!  your cries, coos and yells always indicate something in particular and elevate with your level of urgency, frustration or happiness.  most of the time the latter.

your love is the best!  you've started grabbing our faces and going in for wet smooches - those open mouth kisses which are now on demand.  i simply can't get enough! 

toes!! so many toes!  10 to be exact (two webbed (sobotka trait) and 1 crooked (sorry baby that one's from yo mamma)). when you discovered your toes is was the best day.  they regularly make their way to your mouth and each time you find them it's like the first time.  

perhaps the biggest development this month has been your ability to sit unassisted.  you started out pretty wobbly, now you've nearly mastered it.  you still have moments when you topple over (see accident report below) but for the most part your are able to manage reaching for toys and toes without falling over.  the boppy has certainly come in handy for this developmental stage! 

you are still wearing some 3-6 month duds though in the last week alone we've started transitioning into 6 month outfits.  this is mostly due to the fact that you are so round!  six month clothes are still too long but they fit you perfectly around your mid section.  shorts are capris and long sleeves need rolled.  it's too cute!  according to daddy - you are 'fit', just like he was as a baby.  

i've noticed your eyes after recently getting a couple comments - they are SO blue and seem to get deeper in color by the day.  on a related note, you love wearing your sunglasses and that makes this mommy happy.  when they do go on the rims mess with your depth perception and we often find you reaching out as if to grab something then you quickly figure out its nothing when you adjust your focus. ;o) you are the cutest! 

you are eating all kinds of things.  this month alone you started eating mangoes, pears, avocado, squash, sweet potatoes, turkey and teething wafers.  you also experienced your first french fry.  your great aunt shelly would be proud! 

carson, you are our greatest blessing and i'm so fortunate to be your mommy!  stay my little boy forever, okay?! 

hard at work making mother's day gifts

chewing on yost 

first flip flop experience

grandma's show and tell

at the train park playing with grandma

giving mommy kisses

funny moment of the month: you had a couple this month but dad thought you in the jumperoo jumping for the first time won out.  finally!  after months of waiting (and barely growing) you can touch!! 

jumperoo

spring in iowa

spring in iowa for us means baseball, flowers, warm rain showers, long evening walks and this year a six month photo shoot.  here's more of libby's awesome work despite an awfully windy day and a baby who just wouldn't give it up (his smile that is). 

for this particular shoot we had fun and kept it casual by incorporating some dirt and no putting too much pressure on getting the hair perfect or buying up a bunch of new clothes.  libby met us on-site and we were done within an hour on what was my very first mother's day.  i always love that she captures the moments in candids we never knew like the one of him tugging on my hair as i carried him across the baseball field or us playing peek a boo because he just wouldn't smile for the camera.  

it's hard to believe my baby is 6 months old (even older now)!  enjoy.

kc getaway: part two

sunday morning i woke early with carson.  he ate and we played before i walked to the starbucks for some morning caffeine.  i've never minded the morning and walking downtown took me back to when i lived in dc.  in the early morning, even there, the streets were bare and the city was still.  it was always my favorite time of day!  starbucks was closed.  it didn't open for another hour.  that was fine; i decided to go back and kill time by reading and playing with carson.  when i returned he and cody were snuggled up and asleep.  sweetest moment ever - so naturally i captured it!

waiting for my hair to dry...and 'sharing' my starbucks

that day we explored the p&l and westport districts visiting the rooftop park, brgr, the garment district, city market, and the town kansas bridge....all before driving to olathe to see our nephew and his parents.  you'd think it would have been a crazy exhausting morning and afternoon but it wasn't.  it was actually pleasantly relaxed.  here are the highlights:

rooftop park - perhaps one of the city's true hidden gems this unassuming park is decently spacious and surprising quiet.  while there only two other people visited giving us an opportunity to explore at our own pace without feeling crowded or rushed.  atop a parking garage it's tucked between some of kc's tallest buildings making it an ideal location for views of the city. 

brgr -  when we walked past this place we knew we'd have to go back for lunch.  burger joints are our jam.  and this one wasn't short on options.  after several minutes of looking over the menu i settled on a massive salad and cody got a roadhouse burger with truffle fries - fries that had carson wanting more.

first french fry

the garment district - the concept: shop and sip.  this collective boutique features kc apparel and a variety of clothing for both men and women from other area stores as well as the cutest home decor and the best candles you've ever smelled!  featuring a full bar with 'bubbles' at $3 - deal and done!  i sipped a mimosa and looked around while the boys chilled on the couch.  the best part: for only $20 i got a super cute pair of sandals that will be perfect for this year's boating season.

town of kansas bridge - located in the westport district close to the city market this bridge looks over the missouri river and is the city's founding location.  according to a sign lewis and clark founded the location during their travels in 1804.  so for the rest of the weekend every place we visited was a part of the 1804 eestablishment...according to cody.  the bridge is filled with locks, significant for each who place them so we joined in the fun.  jokingly, these too, were a part of the 1804 establishment. ;o) 

nathan -after all of that we made it to uncle michael and aunt rachel's house for a short play date.  while nathan was intrigued by carson, carson was intrigued by his toes.  he discovered them recently and now they are his favorite things to play with.  the day was fabulous so we soaked up the sun in their backyard and swang 'in nathan's bathtub' - a phrase he has coined for all things 'in tandem' before heading back to our hotel.  during this visit we also managed a picture of the boys together - their first! - all was cute and cordial until carson went after nathan's shirt at the very end.  (insert laughing so hard i'm crying emoticon) it was a great visit!!  

sarpino's pizza and a luxurious bath - is it weird that we just wanted to eat pizza and drink beer in bed....at 7 PM?!  married life, with a babe.  we ordered from sarpino's which was a hotel recommendation and it did not disappoint.  between order and delivery we gave the little one a bath and carried out his bedtime routine.  we were asleep before our movie ended, around 8:45ish.

yes, my baby has knee rolls :P

roasterie cafe - before returning home on monday morning there was one more place i wanted to visit.  the roasterie.  i had wanted to checi it out ever since i saw that airplane from the interstate a few years back.  if you haven't been to this place, are in the area and are a coffee addict like me i highly recommend it!  it's the premier coffee spot in the city, primarily because of the air roasting process they use to create an exquisite cup of joe.  cody grabbed a breakfast sandwich and i enjoyed a latte with a cranberry orange score - both a dream! after that we toured around the facility and watched employees as they worked; i've always been uniquely interested in production (of anything, really!).  we snapped a few silly photos in their photo booth and then loaded up and headed north.

kc getaway: part one

we  took our first trip as a family of three this past weekend.  it was a long weekend in kansas city and it was just what we needed.  while there we explored the power & light and westport districts, watched a major league baseball game and even squeezed in a visit with our nephew.  

typically when we visit the kc area we stay with family but this time we stayed at the ambassador hotel.  we booked our trip around a braves baseball game and once the tickets were bought i put in some serious time googling places to stay, visit, and things to see in the kc area.  i was pleasantly surprised to come across the ambassador.  tucked into the heart of the p&l district it was baby friendly yet luxurious - from the marble walk in shower to the bed linen.  

with only 43 rooms the hotel is small giving it a boutique feel that compliments its high end style and romantic vibes.  the hotel is also home to reserve restaurant and lounge with amenities to satisfy.  even with a baby the entire hotel experience was relaxing allowing cody and i to reconnect and rekindle our love affair with travel and each other.  at such a reasonable rate and in a prime location i couldn't have picked one better!

this corner area of our room was perfect for those nighttime feedings

gorg!

carson (and cody) loved looking out the window

since the time we got engaged cody and i have tried to attend at least one braves baseball game each year.  given that they would be in kc again this year it was a no brainer that we'd catch one of the games.  and having a baby in tow made it a whole new experience.  although it hasn't been their best year as a team, we watched them beat the world series champs 8-0.  what a great first game for carson and a great first experience at kauffman! 

seriously the cutest braves fan!

the night was crisp and cool with temps dipping into the lower 50s.  i wasn't sure how carson (or i) would hold up but we made it through the eighth inning with ease.  thanks to a beautifully clear sky the sun kept us warm for most all of the game. carson took in the sights, the sounds, and the free ned yost bobble head (seriously the box was so wet with slobber by the time we got to our seats).  he got a royals first game certificate from guest services and made friends at every turn.  he was alert and happy for the first three innings, napped for three, and then fought sleep and flirted with the girls behind us for the other two.  i imagine that until he's much older this might be the longest stretch of any sporting event we'll manage.  

hanging with my guys and sharing this experience with carson was the best part of the entire weekend - plus it gave me an excuse to dress carson oh so adorably in the onsie my girlfriend got (thanks kinz!).  i'm so glad we made it a point to go!

 

family selfie :)