Catch-up Journal...

So sorry for such a long break in website updates…I've actually tried a couple times and was having issues with the website! I can't believe how far behind I've gotten! : )
Since my last posting…lots has happened...I'll try to catch you up. Carter was dedicated on April 13th and it was a wonderful ceremony…I, of course, cried as soon as they started playing the slideshow and continued as the pastor read his life verse and prayed that God would bless his life. We had all our family over to our house to celebrate afterwards…lunch was excellent- Hog Heaven barbeque and chicken, sides made by my mom, Nana, and Shanda. And of course a yummy Sweet & Sassy cake. Thank you to Justin Kropf for videoing the ceremony and Ron Sealy for taking pictures…the scanned pictures will be uploaded soon.
Carter rolls over as soon as you put him on his stomach now…he gets so excited and gets the biggest smile when he lands on his back…it's so cute! I added a new section of pictures to show him in action. And he said Mama for the first time on April 16th…can you believe he started talking at 5 months! A few days before the 16th he started going mmmmma…he would scrunch up his face and stick his lips out and you could tell that he was trying so hard…adorable! : ) He was saying it a lot and then on the 16th he finally said it…not as clear as you or I would say it, but it was definitely MAMA! Within the last couple days he has started saying it really clear and says it all the time. When he was going to bed last night, he started crying and saying Mama…usually I'm ok with letting him cry for a little while before he goes to bed (because I'm usually running around trying to get ready for bed and get everything ready for the next day), but it was so hard letting him lay there and cry for me…I just wanted to run upstairs and scoop him up!
His bottom teeth popped through on March 27th. Although he still occasionally has fussy teething days, there seriously hasn't been any progress, you can barely see them!
He has a favorite stuffed toy now…his taggie Lion! He loves putting his arm around it or holding onto it tight…once again, adorable! : ) He has started playing in his exersaucer more lately and seems to really like it…I'll have to post some pictures in the monthly picture section. In several of the pictures he has his arms spread out across it and is playing with one toy on one side and another toy on the opposite side…multi-tasking, he says he learned that from his Mommy! : )
He goes back for his six month shots on May 22nd…I can't believe he's almost six months old! These have been the best six months ever…Carter has brought us all so much happiness! He is also having his six month pictures at Morrison Photography on May 24th.
Matt & I celebrated our 4 year anniversary on April 24th (we had a wonderful dinner at the Melting Pot…our fave!), and Shanda & I celebrate our 27th birthday on May 16th! This Saturday, May 10th, all the ladies in our family are going out for a Mother's Day Lunch to the Chocolate Covered Strawberry Bakery & Café in Gallatin, TN (we went for the first time last year and it was fabulous). We are so excited…we love spending time together! Mother's Day is going to be so special this year…both Shanda and I were pregnant last year, so this will be our first "real" Mother's Day. I can't even describe how wonderful being a mother is…I am truly blessed, I thank God every day (multiple times) for entrusting us to raise Carter!!! I have such a desire to raise him to be a strong Christian boy! I'm reading a wonderful book right now called "That's My Son: How Moms Can Influence Boys to Become Men of Character" by Rick Johnson. One of the chapters I just finished reading described the differences between boys and girls (from how our brain develops, to our natural tendencies, and what each one struggles with)…so far it has been so enlightening…not only learning about how my son will learn, think, and communicate, but how my husband does too! I'm not too far into the book, but so far it has been great!
House Update…still for sale, unfortunately! A lady has looked at it 3 times and her agent still insists she is going to make an offer, but it hasn't happened yet. In the meantime, we lost the house on Emily Drive. A cash buyer came in and, of course, could close sooner than us. We were only slightly bummed…although we are ready to have the house sold, we know now that isn't where God wants us. We are still going to keep our house on the market (we're actually having an open house May 17th and 18th) that way when we find what we want, we can buy it. If our house sells sooner, we will just move into the Windsor Green apartments at the entrance of our subdivision. On the upside, there are still two empty lots on Emily Drive that we could possible build on…we've talked to the builder already, but want a contract on our house before we proceed. If it was meant to happen, then it will all work out…if not, then we believe God will lead us where He wants us!
Cousin Meredith update…9 months old, crawling all over the place, pulling up on everything, and gives the sweetest baby kisses! The girl is adorable and we just love her to death! Carter & Mere are going to be buds for sure…right now, she just wants to get his hair and take his toys away! : ) Shanda is working on planning her 1st Birthday party…it is going to be an event let me tell you…I won't give away the details, but it will be party for a princess, for sure! : ) Check out Mere's updates at http://www.babyjellybeans.com/web/do/site?pg=178925 (password BabyHayes).
I’m sure I've left out tons of details. I'll try to do better! : ) Thanks for checking in!