Bifidus Regularis...

Greetings and salutations,

On the eve of one of one of the greatest dining experiences of the year (i.e. Thanksgiving), I thought I would share a bit of delight in my life. And what better medium than my world-renowned, or at least household-renowned, blog.

Now, please allow me to set the stage. Mama and Papa have been working diligently to help me to formulate entities known as "words." As you all might recognize, I seem fairly well adept at structuring these "words" in a print format. These grammatical concoctions essentially flow from my fingertips as eloquently as Dickens or Melville. Wait, probably more like Matt Christopher (But who does not love Return of the Home Run Kid or Touchdown for Tommy?). Regardless, words emanate from my fingertips far better to date than then seem to roll off my lips. Clearly I comprehend words but have yet to utter them formally...until the evening of November 22nd, 2009 that is.

Those of you accustomed to my antics realize that I love a firm, well-stated challenge. On the aforementioned hallowed evening, one was presented to me. Mama, in the midst of preparing a nighttime snack for me, presented an interesting intellectual dilemma. She, with those loving half hazel, half yellow, half green eyes peered at me and said, "Carter, do you want milk or yogurt?"

I was instantly floored, not literally but fairly close. The lactose possibilities inherent in that question were striking. Smooth, hearty goodness sent from the diary gods to quench thirst or subtle, creamy textures with hints of fruity bliss in every delectable morsel? Oh, decisions! After pondering the inquiry for what seemed like hours but was assuredly seconds, I looked at Mama, pointed toward the heavens (from which both entities are sure to have originated), and replied, "Gogurt!"

Yes, you heard it here first! The initial voyage into the world of phonics uttered by one Carter Sherman was "gogurt." Mama was excited beyond words herself (A little too ironic, and yes I really do think.). This prompted a plethora of hugs and loves and a stat page to Papa and work to share the delightful news. Needless to say, the fridge was stocked with "gogurt" on the very next day. I guess it is true what they say, hooked on yogurt worked for me!Time is short, and I must run now as their are many preparations that must be addressed in advance of the upcoming holiday. Perhaps most importantly, I am preparing for my next proclamation. I think I shall go with, "Bifidus regularis". Yet another opportunity for sponsorship...I do commercials!

Until then, I wish all of you a Happy Thanksgiving!


Carter

Someone in heaven is always looking after me...

Hawkeyes

Good evening, all. I hope that everyone is well and regrouping after the Hawkeye loss yesterday. Mama told me about it because I took a late nap and missed the finale. I did spend the majority of yesterday evening pointing at the TigerHawk on Mama's shirt. I would look at her and smile and she would say "Go Hawks!" and I would put up my arms in the touchdown sign. Mama thought this was funny so I did it over and over again. (Honestly, you would think she would get tired of it. I sure did, but I kept on doing it just for her amusement.)

Speaking of the Hawkeyes, I think that I got so wrapped up in my Airing of Grievances in the last post that I forgot to tell you about last weekend. Here goes:

So last Saturday started off swell. Mama and I got up early and let Papa sleep in a bit since he worked late the night before. When he got up, we swiftly got ready for the Hawkeye showdown verses Northwestern. Papa thought that we must first have a nice big breakfast so that we would not be too terribly hungry during the game. Mama thought that it would be really great if we could go to the local IHOP and that way I could watch the Hawkeye Express come and go with fans for the game. For those of you who don't know, the Hawkeye Express is a great train that is painted Hawkeye colors that takes spectators from just outside IHOP down to Kinnick stadium and back for a fee. I must tell you folks, I LOVE trains, and when Mama requested and was granted a "window seat", I was in heaven! There were so many Hawkeye fans milling about waiting for the next train and before I knew it...there it was! It was massive and swiftly filled up with loyal fans and quickly reversed and headed back down to Kinnick Stadium. All the while, I pointed and clapped and looked at Mama and Papa to make sure that they were taking in the wonder that was the train. Too cool! I got to see that train come and go more than once and it was fantastic each time.

Here's a picture of me watching that great train from my great seat at IHOP.

Finally, we got to go to the game. We got there toward the middle of the first quarter, but Mama and I prefer that because then we don't have to fight with traffic quite so much. It was a great game, but I got pretty tired. After the band performed at half-time (which was awesome, by the way), I fell asleep in Mama's arms. I slept through most of the third quarter and awoke just in time to watch a few more minutes of the game before we left at the beginning of the fourth quarter. Papa had to work that evening, so he stayed at the hospital, but Mama and I headed to the mall to meet Grandma Anderson and Uncle Jess at the mall.

Here's a picture of me and Papa. Mama loves this photo and I'm kind of fond of it because it clearly shows that I DO have some hair! :-)

Here's a picture of the whole family sporting the Hawkeye Black 'n Gold. Mama's very fond of this picture because it's one of the last pictures before she got her braces off!

Here's a picture of the band that truly fascinated me.

Here's Mama and I while I was sleeping during the game!

Grandma and Jess were in town so that Uncle Jess could go to a college visit in Clinton. They both were very displeased with the visit so they came back early for a little shopping. We had fun and ended up going to Bochner Chocolates for some very pretty chocolates. They forgot to get pictures of the actual chocolates, but here's a picture of the fancy box.


By the way, the Hawkeyes ended up losing their battle to Northwestern while we were at the mall. Mama didn't break the news to me until we got home--I don't think she wanted me to pout. I'm also saddened to say that the Hawks lost their battle to Ohio State yesterday as well. Oh, well. I wouldn't have remembered if they went to the Rose Bowl this year anyway. :-)

Hope everyone is well. Have a great week!

Hugs and loves.

Carter

Airing of the Grievances...

Greetings and salutations,

I finally managed to wrestle Papa away from a couple of his other titillating obligations to aide me in expressing my thoughts in this fascinating and articulate electronic medium. We have so much fun espousing thoughts and concerns over contemporary conundrums that another foray into the ol' blogosphere was long overdue. With that prelude, I would like to turn your respective attention to the fact that another (or make that a second) holiday season is upon us.

For many of you, the holiday season really means Christmas. What other conclusion might one draw? Before the ghosts and ghouls had their spirits tucked away following a frightful yet mildly entertaining Halloween excursion Christmas decorations had exploded throughout our local retailers. With my only my rudimentary educational background in the subject of history, I would think that the Native American population would be astounded at this turn of events. I mean, many contend that those who established this great nation actually stole their land in an attempt to foster our burgeoning country. At present we have (at least largely commercially) phased out the holiday based on the generosity of the Native Americans assisting the naive pilgrims. That is just a thought from the Thanksgiving kiddie table.

Anyway, another holiday whisked aside for the majesty of Christmas (which I must say I enjoy as well) is Festivus. Popular culture recalls this marvelous celebration from a 1997 episode of Seinfeld entitled "The Strike". One George Costanza is forced to recall a painful memory of a peculiar holiday seemingly created by his father in the face of a commercialized (imagine that) Christmas. Just to set the record straight, Festivus is an actual, honest-to-goodness non-denominational holiday created by the father of a writer for the show Seinfeld. For a little more scintillating background information, please feel free to visit: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Festivus.


Background aside, I fully appreciate the nuances of this celebration (at least as much as a 15 month old can). This includes the subtly that it is normally celebrated on December 23rd. However, I am pleading for leniency on this matter. My attention span (and memory for that matter) may not allow me to recall the salient issues germane to this holiday. Consequently, I have elected to commence with this holiday on November 11th. While akin to "But he started it...", I figure if Target can sell Christmas stockings on Labor Day I can start the Festivus for the rest of us a couple of weeks early.

An intricate component of Festivus entails the airing of the grievances. At the tender age of 15 months, I think "grievances" may be a bit harsh. But with that said, I do have a couple of issues that I need to get off my chest, if I may.

1. The Diaper Genie II is a fabulous invention, please do not misunderstand. But let us not kid ourselves, my room still stinks. The smell alone made Mama regift breakfast two days ago. Mama and Papa, plop that thing in your room for a night and let me know what you think.


2. Who are we kidding, Mama and Papa? I really do not care for socks at this formative stage in my life. Just let that one go...


3. I will not be eating the apples, so just give up on that one. Apple puffs, apple jacks, apple juice, applesauce, apple pie, apple fruit snacks = all wonderful options. An actual apple = forget it.


4. Would you please stop reprimanding me for putting the strainer on my head? If it is really such a nuisance, put some of those clamps on the door like you did with all the other fun stuff.
   
   
5. I politely request that you, Mama and Papa, clean your own noses out with that green bulb thing and let me know how it feels.
   
   
6. One's temperature can be taken via various orifices. Let us try something else, shall we?


7. Hey, what happened to all that Halloween candy I diligently collected anyway?


8. Chicago Bears, please pull it together. The only thing more porous than our defense is my diaper after a long evening of whole milk right before bedtime.

While cathartic, the aforementioned musings are not the only sacred portion of the festival of Festivus. There are, of course the "Feats of Strength", such as when I elect to throw my cup clear across the kitchen. But more importantly there are the "Festivus Miracles." And for all of the grievances I have aired, they all pale in comparison to the miracle for which I am most thankful. Mama continues to assist in the growth and development of my future sibling. Every night I kiss Mama's belly to greet my sibling. Now that is a true miracle, which makes Festivus truly worth celebrating.

In closing, Papa let me in on a little secret the other day. We have this bond and he throws me some pearls every now and again. Yesterday he informed me that the best thing in the entire world is an unsolicited kiss from me, especially when he comes home from work. Papa also said that the second best thing in the entire world is an unsolicited kiss from Mama, especially when he comes home from work.


Carter

Someone in heaven is always looking after me...

Favoritest thing and funniest faces!

So, believe it or not, I was true to my word this time. I'm back to wow my readers with another addition without the month plus wait. Whooo hooo! However, since I gave you so much information last time, this one will be shorter, but will still boast some pictures featuring my smiling face!

My latest and greatest favorite thing to do is to point to and kiss the baby in Mama's belly. It's chubby and funny and I love it! Mama or Papa say, "Where's the baby in Mama's belly?" and I instantly pull up her shirt point, rub, and kiss her belly. Mama is convinced that I really don't know why I am doing it, but Mama and Papa really think that its really cute. Since they give me encouragement, I just keep it up. I love it when they clap for me and say "yea baby!" There aren't any picture of me doing my latest trick, but here's a picture of Mama's belly. Enjoy!


This evening, Alice came inside for one of her house training lessons. She was kinda wild today and didn't get to stay long, but we had fun while she was in here. Here's a picture of her and I in the house together this evening.


Finally, after supper tonight, Mama had to take of my pants and shirt because I'm still pretty messy when I feed myself. I played until I got my jammers on in a onesie. This is a very special onesie that I got from Mama and Papa's friend Tarra who lives in New York right now. I actually got it around Christmastime last year, but it is just now fitting. I had a great time pointing to my belly/chest to show it off and making funny faces for the camera. Enjoy!




Hugs and loves...

Carter

Big Boy, Halloween, and more!

First and foremost, I must extend all my beloved followers a sincere apology. I know it has been a very long time since I have delighted you in the recent tales from my Crib, but by golly, I've been one busy boy! Since the last time we talked, I've been to two weddings, to Chicago, to Ankeny, to the doctor with Mama, to the doctor myself, and on a couple of fantastic Halloween excursions. Allow me to fill you in...

In the last week in September, we went to weddings on consecutive days for friends of Mama and Papa's. It consisted of a lot of riding in the car, good food, pretty clothes, kissing, and dancing. The happy couples (Callie and Dean Jensen and Calison and Andy Weiss) looked fantastic in their attire and provided a very nice evening for all of us. I of course got several looks, oohs, and ahhhs over my sleek boyish figure and designer clothes but I must admit that Grandma Anderson and Mama do the majority of my clothes shopping so I can't take much credit. Although, I must say that I do greatly appreciate all the nice duds.

This is a picture of Mama, me, our good friend Ben (a groomsmen in the Weiss wedding) and Papa.

Our next adventures took us on two trips to our beloved Wrigley Field in less that 2 weeks! Of course, I thought those trips were great. I love my Cubs and was glad that I could be there to watch the 2009 season finale. Unfortunately, they lost, but as most of us Cubs fans believe "There's always next year!" We'll see how they do. I have great hopes with the recent change of ownership to the Omaha based Ricketts clan. Good luck in the off-season Cubbies and, please don't break my heart next year!

This is a picture of Mama, Papa, and I outside the Bud Light Bleachers outside of our beloved Wrigley Field after our night game.


The next trip that I took was one with just Mama. We went to Ankeny to see Uncle Tyler and Laura's house in Ankeny. We also went to help them with wedding invitations as they recently got engaged and are getting married on New Year's Eve! I spent the day tormenting their cat Apollo and playing in their new house. It was a short visit at Mama is still feeling pretty sick because of the new baby and her worst time is in the afternoon/evening. I was okay leaving, though, because I was EXHAUSTED! All the playing really took it out of me.

So this picture has nothing to do with our Ankeny trip. Mama didn't get any pictures that day. However, this is a more recent picture of me and Alice. She's up to 90 pounds!

The next smaller trip that I took was with Mama and Papa to one of her appointments at the hospital. My new brother and sister makes her have to go to the hospital a lot for doctors appointments and although, I don't typically have to tag along (I go to daycare to play with my friends), Mama and Papa thought this trip was very important for me to attend because we saw the first pictures of my new brother or sister! He was she was just like me and VERY active. The ultrasonographer had a hard time getting the right pictures and measurements she needed because the little baby was jumping, dancing, and boogying in Mama's tummy. It was really neat to see my new brother or sister on the television screen. I just can't wait for him or her to come out and play with me!

Here's the new brother or sister!

About a week later, I ended up going to the doctor for my own visit with Papa. I was really glad that Papa could take me. We had a really good time and even though I missed Mama, I know that she was at an important work retreat. I received four shots at the doctor, including the seasonal flu shot, and even though it hurt I just cried for a few seconds and then stopped as soon as Papa gave me a big hug. Aside from the shots, I also got my weight and height checked. I am a BIG boy! I weighed in at 28 pounds 10.6 oz and was 32.3 in tall! I am in the 90th percentile for weight and 80th percentile for height--an all around big guy. That fact takes me to my next excursion.

Big boy in a super cute outfit!

On the day before Halloween, Mama and Papa and I met our next door neighbors Kate, Tim, and Graham at the North Liberty Rec center for a fun filled evening full of Halloween excitement! There was pictures, a maze, tons of fun activities, and lots of candy and goodies given out. This was not only a super fun night for me, but very important to Mama as she was going to miss Halloween trick or treating with me because of work. Anyway, back to the "big guy" info, the Rec center had many pool noodles strung from the ceiling for us kiddos to run through. Right away when I started running through them, a kid bigger than me ran smack dab into me. However, because of my utter strength, I did not fall down, get hurt, cry, or do anything other than keep on running. Our neighbor Tim and Daddy thought it was really funny that I plowed over a kid bigger than me, but what can I say...I'm just a tough dude.

Hugging one of the noddles in my chicken costume.

Finally, last night was Halloween. Papa got me all dressed and ready in my costume, video taped me for Mama and then took me on a six block excursion trick or treating for candy. And did I hit the motherload! Not only that, I got to eat my first candy last night too! Papa thought it was important for me to get some candy on Halloween since I probably won't get much more until next Halloween. Mama thought it was maybe a little unnecessary, but it sure made my night. Thanks for rooting for my sweet tooth, Papa!

Here's me being all cute in my chicken costume. I didn't mind wearing it one little bit...even the hood. I was great as long as Papa kept clucking like a chicken for me.

Well, I hope that you enjoyed all my stories of my recent excursions. I will try not to let it be so long before I compose another fun-filled blog about my daily comings and goings. However, I have said that a lot and have not been very faithful to my ever faithful readers. I apologize and I hope that you hear from me soon.

Hugs and loves...

Carter