"These are a few of his favorite things..."

This Cloud B Giraffe from PBK quickly turned into Carter's "can't live without" sleep friend!  The giraffe plays soothing sounds for 25 or 45 minutes and can hook to the car seat, outside of the crib or just lay bedside him! Thanks to one of my Grandma's friends for giving this treasure to CTB!

He loves a paci but these are the BEST for car rides because mommy can easily "grab and get".  His Twinie gave him the monkey and "cupid" delivered the other on Valentine's Day!

His Granny gave him this toy, Bob the builder.  He loves to lay on his activity mat and listen to his cute little sayings and has even grabbed the red part to make the chainsaw move. Thanks Granny!

This is his activity mat! He likes to look at himself in the mirror and is grabbing and hitting the dangling animals. He gets quite a kick out of himself.

His final and most favorite thing is his daddy! Carter can't seem to get enough of RTB.  Anytime he walks in the room Carter follows him and loves to talk and play with daddy.  It definitely helps that RTB is so hands on and interactive with CTB. They are two peas in a pod!

Happy St. Patrick's Day

We had an eventful day followed by an eventful night! We woke up on Saturday morning and got ready for a fun day!  We decided to run errands before RTB's birthday celebration that night.  First we went to Batteries Plus to find a car adapter. We have found that we always need a bottle warmed up while we are running around and our other adapter wouldn't hold the voltage needed to run our regular bottle warmed from the car.  We bought a car warmer but that was a COMPLETE FAIL! It did not even warm the bottle up to room temperature after having it plugged in and warming for over 20 minutes so this was our next option. RTB went in and got one that we were told would run two desktop computers and a refrigerator! So we were confident it would warm CTB's bottles up no problem!  FAIL!  We have yet to find an adapter that works with CTB's bottle warmer in the car.  Next, we headed to Babies'R'Us to hit up their deal on diapers.  I saw my mom's best friend and her daughter who is pregnant (Congrats!) and had a little mommy convo then we were onto the next and probably most important stop...Casa Grande. We had a delicious lunch that CTB slept through and then since it was such a beautiful day decided to stroll around Short Pump. We went in our regular stores....The Limited, LOFT, Gymboree, Crazy 8s, and Pottery Barn Kids.  While in PBK, CTB let out one of his "man sounds" and I knew we had to change him before he ruined his cute little onesie that MiMi had bought him!  I spotted the bathrooms...a mens and womens.  I told RT that he should try out changing a diaper in public.  He looked nervous and said "Well they don't have changing tables in the men's bathrooms!" I laughed and told him to go check.  He peaked his head in and said "Nope! No changing table...looks like it's mommy's turn!"  Just then an employee ran by and said "For your convenience we have changing tables in the mens and womens bathrooms."  BAHAHA!! RTB had been ratted out by the meak PBK employee!! So funny!

  That night we celebrated RTB's birthday with a group of friends and had a BLAST!  CTB stayed with my aunt and cousin and did a great job! A HUGE thanks to my Sissy (aunt) and Lexi (cousin)!! CTB was worn out when we got home and loved getting to spend some QT time with them!

Back to Work

The only thing that got me through today.........

Dear Carter....... Dear God........

Dear Carter,
     I am sitting beside your crib crying while watching and listening to you sleep. I can't believe that it has been 9 weeks since you came into this world and brought me and your daddy so much joy and happiness! I have been so lucky to spend the last 63 days with you but tomorrow starts a new routine. Mommy has to go back to work and you get to spend your days with an amazing woman and two new friends! Mama Sherry is mommy's co-teacher's mommy and she is a very fun lady! You have been visiting your new friends T and J over there these past few weeks and they are really excited to start seeing you every day!
   It is so difficult to think about not spending all day with you...just Carter and mommy.  I'm so sad to leave you and know that it is going to be one of the hardest things I've had to do so far. You are the best thing that has ever happened to me...well tied with your daddy. I love you with all of my heart.

Love,

Mommy

Dear God,

   Thank you for blessing me with the most perfect baby boy. Please give me strength and peace these next 24 hours. Also, please grant my husband tolerance and the right words to comfort me when I am a total and complete mess.

Love,

Courtney 

CTB is quite the Ladies' Man

  Being on maternity leave is a FABULOUS thing!  CTB and I have gotten to spend every day bonding and cuddling together!  As much as I LOVE maternity leave I started to go a little crazy after I got the "pep back in my step" from the C-section. I like to stay on-the-go and have been known to have "ants in my pants". I decided that each day of the week CTB and I would do or go somewhere, whether is was just Target or the grocery store. And so we did, every single day since CTB was 3 weeks old we have gone at least one place (usually more than one) each day with the exception of 2 days (that will be for another post).

   In making this little "deal" with myself and CTB, we have gotten to hang out with some pretty cool people.  Of course we have visited MiMi (my mom) and Granny (RTB's mom) at work, gone to the mall and other favorite stores, and even went on our first road trip to Virginia Beach.  CTB has also had a few "dates"..... he is quite cute if I do say so myself!

CTB (4 1/2 weeks), Molly (2 years), & Will (5 months)

CTB(7 1/2 weeks) & Addi (5 months)

{their first date}

CTB (7 weeks) & Chaylie (3 months)

{their second date}

   I can't wait for more play[dates] and to watch CTB and all of these other cuties grow-up! RTB & I will definitely have our hands full when it is time for CTB to start taking girls out on dates! As far as I'm concerned though he can just steer clear of girls until he is 25....they are just trouble!

Happy Valentine's Day!!!

Valentine's Day 2012 was an exciting day for the Bevan Family.  It was RTB and I's first Valentine's Day as husband and wife and of course it was CTB's first Valentine's EVER!!  CTB and I made a yummy dinner for daddy and CTB even got a little gift from cupid! Love is definitely not something that is lacking in our house these days!

 Homemade Valentine's made by mommy and CTB

 HEARTS Pizza

 Cupcakes for Daddy

 CTB got a new paci

 Waiting for Daddy to get home!

Good thing I took a picture of CTB in this outfit early in the day because by 2pm he had a blowout and we had to completely strip down and change!

Going Back....Coming Home

 January 14, 2012..WAHOO!! After our 3 night stay at HDH it was finally time to try out this parenthood thing at home! I could hardly wait to get home with my own bed and all of MY stuff! That morning the nurse came in and asked me "What time do you want to go?"  Of course I said ASAP! She said "Ok, I will start getting your discharge papers started, pull out your staples, and let the nursery know!"  YAY!! I was so excited that within a matter of hours we were going to be going home!  I showered, got ready, packed up the room, and sat like a little girl on Christmas morning on my bed waiting for them to bring CTB to me with all of his bracelets cut off like a free man!  Well a few hours passed and I started to get antsy and impatient.  The nurse came in with CTB and told me that we were just waiting on the Pediatrician to come and discharge CTB.  Lucky us...it was a Saturday! So of course the doctor's don't come in bright and early.  So it wasn't until around 2pm that we got the all clear for both of us to go!  I thought it would never get here! I dressed CTB in his cute monogrammed onesie, khaki's, and cute monogrammed jacket. RTB and I both got him situated in his car seat. RTB went to get the car and a nurse escorted me downstairs with CTB and we were off!

 I think that RTB drove about 10 MPH on the way home.  I sat in the back with CTB and just stared at him! Finally, we pulled into the driveway and were HOME!! Luckily, my mom met us at the house to take the first pictures at home of all of us.

 Just out of the car!

 Welcome home little man!

 Finally inside and out of the car seat!

Sleeping soundly in his bassinet after a LONG, HARD day!

Now begins the real fun of parenthood where we are left to our own devices to figure everything out! SOO EXCITING and FRIGHTENING at the same time!!