WE LOVE OCTOBER!!!!!

October was such a great month!!!! It felt long, and there were so many beautiful weather days. October ranks right up there in my mind with June, July, and August. During the month, we had 7 play dates, 3 birthday parties, 7 preschool sessions plus a field trip, we bought 1 cottage and had 2 trips to Houghton Lake, 2 trips to the cider mill, 5 different Halloween festivities, and 5 trips to the library. Adam and I celebrated our 5th wedding anniversary. Gabrielle turned 3 1/2 this month and Carter was 4 months old. WHOA!

A few updates on Carter: He is over 16 pounds! He continues to be the sweetest baby ever. He's a really snuggly baby, and I can pretty much guarantee a big toothless grin if you were to see him in person. If you ever need a "baby fix" come visit and hold him. He is very interested in his surroundings now, so if I take him into a new room in the house or into a store or restaurant, he likes to look at everything. He also likes colorful shirts that have writing on them or sparkly jewelry. He is getting very good a grabbing, too. He likes to reach for whatever might be in  your hand. He also likes to reach into my hair and pull it:) I taught him to kiss already (something I taught Gabrielle when she was 8 months old, but I figured I'd start earlier with him) so when I say "kiss-kiss" he leans in with his drooly open mouth which are the best kind of baby kisses. Those of you who have gotten those kisses from your babies can probably attest to that! Other than that, he does all the things that a 4 month old baby should do, but most notably, he melts my heart on a daily basis!! For Halloween this year he was both a chili pepper (for Adam) and a pea pod (for me). On Halloween, I let Gabs choose and she picked the chili pepper costume. Oh well.

Now a few updates on Gabrielle: She is having a really fun time at preschool and suffered from no separation anxiety at all. When we walk into the building she wants to throw her backpack and quickly wiggle out of her coat and run down hall to her classroom. I'm glad she likes it so much! She has a lot of friends and is quite the socialite. This year for Halloween she went trick-or-treating with her friend Daniel. They are quite the pair. Even Mrs. Peckens noticed that they are buddy-buddy at school. She went rip-roaring all around his neighborhood and had a HOOT of a time. Last year she would barely say "trick-or-treat" and this year I could barely keep up with her! She has more candy than I know what to do with too! Other than that, Gabs is funny, friendly, sassy, inquisitive, moody, lovable--everything a 3 year old should be. She is making connections and has a memory like an elephant. For Halloween this year she was Sleeping Beauty.

We have lots of pics this month, and we are looking forward to the upcoming holiday season. If you have read all of this blog post, I thank you, and I hope you are well and happy.

Until next month, enjoy the moment!

COLLEEN

Four Months!

The next 7 pics are at the cottage.

 

You need to know that her shirt says "Daddy is Under My Spell!" HA!

Monster Toes

Headless Horseman 5k

Halloween Night

Can you believe she's holding a 16 lb. baby here? I can't!

Carter is 3 months old, Zoo Trip, & Preschool!

Carter now 3 months old! My little cubby is such a big boy that he pretty wears only 6 month clothing. He has the chunkiest little thighs, something Gabrielle never had, so I am enjoying all the baby fat. He is such a snuggle boy. He's happy if he's in my arms, and I am not exaggerating at all. He's so easy going. He is starting to like to play now. He has a rattle that he holds onto. He also has a ball with holes in in (love the O-Ball!!) that he hangs onto. He also likes his blue bunny and his brown and blue bear. Carter babbles as though he is having a conversation complete with hand motions and everything. It is so precious. Carter is quick to smile and laugh. When he laughs, he sticks his arms straight down in excitement. On August 23, Carter rolled over from his belly to his back! I was totally shocked. I try not to compare kids, but Gabrielle was waaaaaay older when she figured out that trick. So much for "tummy time." Carter can't stand it, so he just flips over. See picture sequence below!

We had a lot of fun this past month. We had lots of playdates/visitors with family from the area (Lily & Dean) and out of state (Grandpapa & Auntie Shaina and Jeff & Sasha.) Gabrielle got to play with her Auntie Shaina who she just adores. We went to the Detroit Zoo with cousins Amy, Olivia, Joey, & Carrie Ann. That was a fun experience. A lot of the animals were out and about, so I am glad I took my telephoto lense. We were awestruck by the polar bear swimming over our heads in the "arctic tunnel" and we got to see a tiger, seals, lemurs, and lots others.

Now that I am officially a stay-at-home mom, it has been pretty fun so far. I'm a SAHM in the summer, so it's not too different. Now that it's fall, I definitely try to stick to a better routine now that our schedule is filling up. Gabrielle is going to preschool two half days a week, a library class on Monday mornings, and will have soccer on Saturday mornings, and I joined a Moms & Tots group for social outings. So, we are just busy enough...and loving every moment! In the morning when I get to wake up with Carter and feed him and change him and get him dressed for the day, I am especially grateful for that. Having the extra time with Gabs is priceless, too.

Until next month, stay happy & healthy-
COLLEEN!

Here he is....3 Months!

The Rolling Sequence

First Day of Preschool

Carter is 2 Months!

First of all, I have a big, fun announcement....I am taking a year off work! I will not be returning to Howell Public Schools until the fall of 2012. I will be staying home with my sweet little girl and boy. It really was a no-brainer. It's a once in a lifetime opportunity. I get to have a year to see Carter from infancy to toddlerhood, and have a year with Gabrielle before she is in school.

But anyway, the real reason for this post...my chubby little cubby is 2 months old! I have mentioned this before, but Carter is the SWEETEST BABY EVER!! I just want to eat him up all day long. When he wakes up in the morning he smiles, coos, and laughs-we have complete conversations. He has a big dimple on his left cheek and his toothless grin melts my heart. BIG TIME. I love this boy. He has pretty good head control, and he likes to lay in his crib and watch his mobile or lay on his baby jungle gym and watch his octopus rattle. He's a good little sleeper, too.

Here's his stats: As of today, he weighs 13 pounds, 6 ounces. He is 23 inches long, and he has a little noggin...15 inches around. No pumpkin head for Carter. Basically, he is a chubby cubby with a little buddha belly. Mmmmmmmm. I'm just enjoying every moment. I try to hold him as much as possible or keep him wrapped to me. I can't spoil him enough.

Of course I have updates about my little darling, too. Overall, she has done remarkably well adjusting to having a sibling. She loves Carter. I can see it in her eyes and the way she genuinely smiles at him. She still refers to him as "my baby" which is so sweet. She knows how to make Carter laugh, and he thinks she is the funniest thing ever. Just by seeing their interaction now, I can tell they will be best buddies.

Gabs had a few fun firsts this month. She got icecream from the ice cream man at Jammie & Grandpop's house. She went to her first movie (Winnie the Pooh) with Grandma and me. (Super cute movie, by the way!) Gabrielle also had her first haircut before Carter's baptism. Yes, there was actually extra hair to cut!! She also got a manicure with Grandma. It was very impromptu otherwise I would have definitely had Grandma take the camera! However, there is a pic of Gabrielle giving Grandma a manicure out on the pation.

Here are a couple of funny things she has said in the past month:
While swimming at Jammie & Grandpop's pool she said she wanted to go "tiptoeing" in which she actually meant skinny dipping. So she did!

Another time at Jammie & Grandpop's house, she dropped something and said "Oh, bam!" (Phew!) I wonder if next time she'll say "bammit"!

Gabrielle is still figuring out how to change verbs around..."Mama, did we loss it?" There were a couple of funnier examples that I didn't write down like I usually do. BAM! Maybe I'll think of them.

Thanks for reading. I know this was a long one.

Enjoy the moment!

Until next month,
Colleen

Here's a few pics!

Here he is!!! What a smile!















They both have good fashion sense.


He found a comfy spot


Mani W/ Grandma

I love the BUMBO!


Carter's Baptism. Aunt Bethany & Uncle Anson are his Godparents.



Gabrielle's 1st Icecream Truck Purchase!


I call this the "Baby Catapault"


Gabrielle's 1st Movie




Gabrielle's 1st Haircut

Carter is 1 Month Old! Gabrielle's Summer Fun

Carter was one month old on July 11th. He is the sweetest little baby EVER. I love, love, love this baby stage. He's warm and snuggly. I wish I could bottle his baby smell. He is a big boy. At 2 1/2 weeks he was already over 9 pounds. He's a little chow-hound, so I am venturing to guess he is closing in on 10 pounds-although I am not really sure. He is a good sleeper, thank goodness. He still wakes up every 3-4 hours to eat, but all he does is kick his feet and lick his lips to tell me he's hungry. I'm a light sleeper... After he's fed, he falls right back asleep. During the day, he is up quite a bit more inbetween feedings. He thinks he's much older than he is because he likes to hold his head up. He also likes to watch the mobile in his crib. It's pretty cute/funny to watch his little head and eyes follow it. He seems to enjoy baths, getting his diaper changed, and watching his big sister who loves to kiss all over him. His major dislikes are getting dressed and undressed and that sleepy feeling when you just can't find the right spot. He's not so sure about being in the swing and he thinks binkies are a little weird--unlike his big sis! He also will drink from a bottle, but he has a furrowed brow the entire time like he's wondering what the heck it is, but doesn't care because he's still getting milk! Occassionally he will smile, which melts our hearts, and he has a huge dimple, which is sooooo adorable. We are looking forward to lots more smiles. We love and adore our baby boy if it isn't entirely obvious! For his monthly photos, I got some handy-dandy shirt stickers. No more old-fashioned handmade signs!

Let's see what's new with Gabrielle since the arrival of Carter...She got a super fun play structure installed in the backyard. It's pretty cool. I like to play on it. It has 2 swings, a disc swing, a trapeze bar, a rope ladder, a rock wall, a slide, and a racecar tire swing. It also has a little house at the top. Gabrielle had a camp out in the basement with Poppy. She thought that was pretty neat. She has enjoyed growing her own strawberries in the yard. I told her she did a good job growing them, and she laughed at me and said they grow by themselves. She's funny like that.


She has adjusted well to the baby, but has had a harder time with all the visitor's kids playing with her toys! I can tell that she genuinely loves Carter. She refers to him as "my baby." She smiles at him, and I catch her kissing him sometime, or just sitting by him and playing with him. It really melts my heart. She's a sweet girl--most of the time...HA

Carter, Gabrielle, & the Bunnies


The New Family of Four


In their coordinating Big Sister/Little Brother shirts


Gabs Loves Carter!


1 Month Pics




Gabrielle playing on the play structure, swimming at Jammie & Grandpop's, and having a campout with Poppy! Hooray for summer!!!!!

Welcome, Carter!

Stationery card

View the entire collection of cards.

Welcome to the World, Baby Carter!!

He's here!!

Introducing Carter Adam Sulkowski
Born June 11th, 2011 at 7:07 p.m. He weighed in at 8 lbs., 2 oz. and was 20.5 inches long. He looks like such a little boy--so handsome! We are completely delighted and totally in love with our new little man. Everyone is doing well-including big sis, Gabrielle!