Cara turn's 3... and it's a girl!

Cara's birthday was on a Thursday this year. Her actual birthday was quite uneventful. I was still trying to recover from pneunomia, and had gotten really behind on everything. I was pretty much in survival mode. But, I still managed to make her a cute outfit and take a few pictures.

 

Cara helped me make brownies for her class. Too bad they didn't turn out and I ended up having to go buy some cupcakes that morning so she would have a treat for her friends at school.

 

Cara's birthday outfit she wore to school

 

I had my 20 week ultrasound the day before Cara's birthday and I really wanted to do a gender reveal cake but the bakery by us was moving and was closed that week. So, Cephas and I went ahead and found out during the ultrasound that the baby was a girl and then I made a cake to tell my family. I was going to do it on Cara's birthday at my mom's house. However, my parents couldn't wait, so I went ahead and told them. So, the cake was really only for my sister, and she already figured it was a girl. If you can't tell the icing it a light pink color.

 

Cara got a foot massage from Aunt Terre for her birthday... she is spoiling her much too young!

Snow day and how my husband proved me wrong

So, this is a wordy post, but I feel it necessary to tell the whole story.

We got 1 big snow this year. On the day of the snow I was at a baby shower and Cephas had Cara at my parent's house. My mom was out of town with my sister, so it was only the two men and Cara. It started snowing while I was at the baby shower and one of the women kept getting picture texts from her husband of their children playing in the snow. The kids were bundled up in coats, hats, and mittens. She commented at how he is such a great father.

During this whole time I felt so bad for Cara. I was thinking she would really love playing in the snow and how she wouldn't know what she was missing out on. I knew by the time I got home it would be dark and wasn't sure if the snow would last through the next day. I also was sad because I was sick (although I didn't know it at the time I had pneunomia) ad I knew I wouldn't be able to play much with her in the snow.

Well, when I got home I was so surprised. With the help of my dad, Cephas and Cara went sledding, had a snowball fight, and drank homemade hot chocolate all while I was at the shower. I was so happy to know Cara got to enjoy the snow, and thankful that my dad was there to show Cephas since he never got to play in snow when he was a kid. The only complaint I had was they didn't take any pictures, so I took some the next morning, before it all melted.

 

Cara's favorite part was eating the snow

Cara is growing...

As Christmas came to a close and we began preparing for a new baby, Cara became less and less like a baby to me.

 

At almost 3 years old Cara got her first haircut. I brought her to a salon that specializes in naturally curly hair. I was told my the hairdresser that I was doing a good job keeping her hair healthy, and she also gave me a few tips on how to keep taking care of it as it got longer. She was very impressed that Cara sleeps with a bonnet/sleeping cap everynight. She said she has adult clients who wont do it, but it really is best for curly hair. She said Cara will only need a hair cut about once a year at this point, which is good because it was pretty expensive for a kid haircut.

 

In January, we got Cara a big girl bed and she has transitioned flawlessly to it. We kept the crib in her room for a little bit but she just said that is where the baby is going to sleep. A few weeks after she began sleeping in this bed I ran out of pull ups and decided to see if she could stay dry all night, and she did! I can now say I have a fully, fully potty trained child!

 

Cara has always been a mama's girl. When she was a baby she would cry when Cephas walked into the room. But, slowly over the last few months, she has been better about going with Cephas. Sure, she still says she doesn't want me to leave when I go to work, but she has also recently left with Cephas without any tears at all... this is a major improvement. On this day, Cara and Cephas went on a movie date together. I am so happy when they have times together, just the two of them, and it also gives me a nice break from time to time.

November and December

About 2 weeks before Thanksgiving I found out I was pregnant. Things were still up in the air about Elinam but the thought of having another baby in the house before Elinam turned 1 was scary. Thankfully for her, Elinam was able to go back home to her parents at the beginning of December.

I worked on Thanksgiving day, but the 2 days before was terribly sick with a stomach virus. I got it from Cara and Cephas had it too, but on a smaller scale. I am so thankful for my mom because she took care of Cara and Elinam on the day I was really sick.

I didn't tell my family the news of the pregnancy until Christmas Day. I was very surprised I was able to keep it a secret that long. I got a "Big Sister" shirt for Cara and she wore it to my parent's house on Christmas Day. I was already almost 12 weeks by that time.

Looking back I realize how bad I am about taking pictures... I have none from Christmas! I have accepted this part of myself but know it is a horrible thing not to document our lives, especially for Cara.

 

This was about the week before Elinam left us... she was growing so big!

 

And she was such a happy baby, always smiling

 

When Cara was sick I made her a pallet on the floor and let her watch a lot of TV and she even fell asleep for a little bit.

 

Picking out our Christmas tree

 

Making macaroni necklaces on 12/12/12

 

Gingerbread houses with Aunt Terre and Ethan

 

 

Fall and Halloween

 

We love all of the mature trees at our new house but it means we have a lot of leaves to deal with during the fall

 

But jumping in the leaves is an activity Cara would have never enjoyed at our old house... only 1 small tree in our front yard there

 

Cara's Halloween party at pre-school

 

Cara was a cat for Halloween. This was my old Halloween costume when I was 5 years old. I had to work again on Halloween this year so I took a few pictures of her in her costume ahead of time, and did the make-up because I knew that would be too much for Cephas

Fall Festival

We went to the fall festival again this year in Ft. Mill. Cara had such a good time that she still talks about it to this day. For weeks afterwards she would say "Mommy, let's go to the fall festival" several times a day.

 

Ethan and Cara riding on the cow barrell train

 

Cephas and Owen on the hay ride. It was on this wagon last year that a tree branch smacked Cara in the eye. I was so worried I called the doctor's office from the festival.

 

Picking out a pumpkin although Cara was not really interested in getting one

 

Probably the highlight for Cara was getting that butterfly painted on her face. Although she also had fun dancing to the music.

Apple Picking

We continued our tradition of apple picking this year. My sister even bought matching overalls for the kids.

 

Cara was not as excited about eating the apples as she was last year, but did eat at least 1 while we were picking

 

Elinam enjoyed apple picking from the comfort of the moby wrap

 

Cara enjoying the deck at our new house

First few days in our house

Soo, we closed on our house on a Thursday afternoon. We got the keys on Friday and with the help of my sister, I cleaned as much as I could. It was Friday night that we brought Cara over to see the house. Then, we moved on Saturday and Cephas and I spent the first night in the house but Cara stayed with my parents. On Sunday, while we were unpacking, we got a call about our niece Elinam, that we would need to take care of her for a while. Sunday night was Cara's first night in the new house. Monday was Labor Day and we got up around 6am to drive down to Atlanta to pick up Elinam. Cephas was back at work Tuesday and I was at our new house, surrounded by boxes, with a 2 year old and a newborn that we didnt know we were going to have. Then, Wednesday was Cara's first day of preschool. Needless to say, that first week was a real whirlwind. Here are some pictures of that time.

 

We didn't really know what to expect when we got to Atlanta on that day, but wanted to bring Cara with us to help her understand what was going on, didn't want to just show up at home with a baby when we had no time to talk to her or prepare her about it. So, Pop rode down with us to help with Cara if needed

 

Elinam was such a tiny baby. Only 3 days old at 5lb 7oz at birth

 

Cara's first day of pre school

 

The week we moved was also the week Cara learned to pedal her bicycle all by herself (thanks to Nana for teaching her!). I think the smooth garage floor may have helped.

 

Cara helping wash bottles. She used to love helping me wash dishes during those days. Not so much anymore...

 

Elinam was pretty much the easiest baby ever. She slept all the time and hardley ever cried. Don't let those chubby cheeks fool you though, she was teeny tiny. Everytime we went out people would comment on how little she was and how she looked like a doll. Cara even got used to saying to people, "She's a teeny tiny baby."

 

Big girl Cara with baby cousin Elinam

 

Cara loved holding Elinam, but Elinam didn't like it so much. The newness eventually wore off but Cara was so helpful and caring and thoughtful towards Elinam. She even offered to share her blanket with her on the car ride home from Atlanta. Cara loved having Elinam at our house.

Our New Home

We finally closed on our house at the end of August. Here are some pictures of us showing the house to Cara.

 

She had to bring a baby with her to show the baby the new house

 

In her new room

 

In mommy's new big tub

 

In the linen closet... Aunt Terre's idea of a good picture

 

Out to get a treat at Rita's to celebrate

 

Moving day... and we even hired movers to help, but it was so hot!

 

My sister and Owen stayed with us on our first night so she could help some with unpacking. This is Owen in the new playroom, before he could even walk

Major Catch Up

I'm really wanting to document our life on here, so I'm going back on my camera to my next set of pictures that have not been posted, and that brings us to last summer...

We were wanting to buy a bigger home but after talking with a realtor we realized we would not be able to sell our house for what we paid for it. So, with Cephas already being a landlord he suggested us renting our house and then buying another. I have to admit, I was very reluctant, but gave in to the idea since I really wanted some more space.

After getting a lease signed, our renters moved in but we had not closed on our new house, so we lived with my parents for about a month. I really enjoyed the time we were there, and could have stayed longer, but Cephas was ready for our own space. Here are some pictures from our time at my parent's house.

 

We moved out while Cara was with my mom. When she came home that night for her last night at our old house she said, "Where is my bed?" She was very sad about her room being empty and commented on every thing that was different in our house, including the curtains.

 

We went to the whitewater center for a night of music and fun.

 

Believe it or not she is folding laundry here

 

We took a trip to Wilmington to visit our friends and while there went to the children's museum

 

We went to the mall and rode the "horsies" as Cara used to call the Merry-Go-Round. Anytime I said we were going to the mall she thought it meant we would ride the horses. If we didn't ride the horses then she would tell me that we were not at the mall and she wanted to go there.

 

Here Cara is helping Pop pick vegetables from his garden.