I'm going to ask the Wizard for a heart, because brains don't make one happy

I've been super busy these last few weeks working on the eighth grade play, but we finished up last week, and I can now resume my normal pattern of TV watching, internet browsing, and bonbon eating. I've also been cake decorating like mad, and I've posted a few on the cake site.
Lucie was "helping" me decorate the Cars cake yesterday, and I made the mistake of getting a bit too engrossed in my work. As any parent of a toddler knows, they like to repeat things, and quite often they choose to repeat sayings that make no sense to the average adult mind. I was busy mixing up some frosting, and I heard Lucie giggling and saying, "Funny butter!" over and over. I finished the icing and looked over to see what she was so loopy about. I wish I had looked up a bit sooner, because she had picked up one of the softened sticks of margarine and squeezed it until it was spilling out of the paper and all over her hands, clothes, and the counter. Funny butter indeed. Sigh.
Josiah is doing well. He's still a big eater and a not-so-big sleeper. He is over the 80th percentile as far as his body measurements go, but he's not willing to give me more than four hours of consecutive sleep yet. On the bright side, he is starting to become a pretty jolly little guy. He was fairly fussy from about one month on, but he's pretty relaxed now that he can grab things and move around a bit. He is also constantly trying to eat his cousin whenever they lay down next to one another. Isaac has to make sure his little hands don't go anywhere near Josiah-the-Hut's mouth.
That's all for updates. Here are some pictures of the kids:

There is no doubt that it is around the family and the home that all the greatest virtues, the most dominating virtues of human society, are created,

I got really behind on posting pictures of family events, so here's a collection of pictures dating all the way back to October.

Lucie's birthday: Nana's house.

Nana made Lucie a bunch of big girl clothes and then doll clothes to match. This set was my favorite.

The previously mentioned cat/pig cake wreck.

Halloween: Lucie was a monkey. And of course the costume was made by Nana.

New baby! Josiah in the hospital.

Si's first day home

Thanksgiving: The big Carter/Glidewell celebration at Hobart Presbyterian

Lucie's Thanksgiving dress. Guess who made it.

The joint Josiah/Isaac baptism. Josiah got dunked

Josiah and his godfather- Uncle Zach

The Glidewell/Carter/Westforth after-baptism party

Christmas at Nana's house- Josiah and Auntie Kelly

Lucie loves Christmas trees!

When words become unclear, I shall focus with photographs

I realized that Lucie has about million posts that feature just her. I know she's the oldest, and she's been around longer and all that, but I don't want to get caught playing favorites. Therefore, I've decided to dedicate today's post to my nearly fifteen pound butter ball. So here's Josiah, folks.

This was the most amazing spit-up session I've ever witnessed.

I cheated a bit. Those are Lucie's legs.

Showing off those chubby thighs

Alien baby

Check me out. Jealous?

Raising children is an uncertain thing; success is reached only after a life of battle and worry

Two years in, and I'm already starting to learn some interesting lessons about parenting and expectations. Jason and I (Jason in particular) are fairly educated folk, and I think both of us have a tendency to measure success in intellectual achievement. I think both of us expected our kids to hit all of their milestones early and secretly hoped that they would show prodigy potential. Harvard graduates at 14! Composing symphonies by the age of 3! Well, thus far Lucie seems like a completely average 2-year-old; she might even be a little behind in the verbal department. I'd been feeling a bit anxious about her progress, but as I was watching her interact with Josiah the other day, I had a mini-epiphany.
I think for the first time I really understood the importance of the body of Christ being made up of a diverse group of people with a diverse group of gifts. I never really entertained the notion that our kids wouldn't have the same talents that we have (or at least value the most). I've mentioned before that I'm not naturally empathetic or nurturing, so I've never really thought of those as important attributes. Lucie, however, seems to possess those qualities in spades; she is so incredibly sweet with babies- and not just her brother. She can't see a car seat or stroller without craning her head and shrieking, "Baby!" She wants to give every baby she sees a "tiss" (kiss), and though I am constantly reminding her to be gentle, I don't think I really need to. She can easily spend an hour interacting with babies. She loves rubbing their hair, reading them books, showing them toys, holding their hands, and saying, "Hi!" in a sweet little voice. She gets really concerned when Josiah cries, and becomes totally invested in solving the problem. She runs out with blankets and diapers asking, "Cover up? Poopy diaper? Gas?" She also transfers her intense love of babies to her play. The bulk of her play time consists of wearing her baby dolls in a sling, wrapping and rewrapping them in blankets, changing thier diapers, putting them in Josiah's various pieces of baby equipment, and talking and singing to them. I feel a unexpected jolt of pride in my daughter when I see her exhbiting signs of compassion and concern for others. I even feel a little jealous that it seems to come so naturally to her, which is really strange since I used to write those gifts off as not nearly as important as those of wisdom and intellect. My daughter is a sweet, sensitive little soul, and she's teaching her callous, awkward mother how to love and nuture.
So I guess my kids won't neccessarily turn out they way I want them to, but I should thank the Lord for that! God has far more planned for them then I can ever imagine, and my expectations for them will just limit thier potential. I guess the best thing I can do is to keep the promises I made at thier baptisms- to raise them in the Lord's family, to bring them to church, to teach them prayers and creeds- and trust that God will take care of the rest.

Lucie rocking her baby Molly

The object of Lucie's affection

Picture updates

Three weeks old and still concerned.

Daddy makes a good pillow...

But Mommy makes a better one.

Best buddies!

Josiah is contemplating something really important.

Lucie and her baby.

Family stuff

I can't figure out how to take that pregnancy counter thing off of my blog.  My apologies to my loyal readers.... reader.... Sara.  I'll keep working on it.

So taking care of two kids isn't too bad thus far.  I'd like a little more play time with Lucie and a lot more sleep, but I certainly am functional, and I don't feel super overwhelmed yet, even when the littluns are screaming in stereo.  Most of my crankiness is directed at my husband, who is pretty adept at deflecting the crazy and reminding me that it's just the fatigue talking.  Lucie loves the idea of a baby in the house, and she is sweet and fairly gentle around him.  However, I think she is a little bothered by the amount of time he gets to spend in my lap, so she has taken to more passive aggressive forms of communicating her frustration.  Like peeing in the bed... and in her car seat.... and in her high chair....  I'm trying out a new sticker potty chart system, and hopefully that will curb her sudden incontinence.  She also gets really really goofy in an attempt to get our attention.  Her grandma got her a little nativity set, and she has started pouring the wise men into her play tea cups and stirring them.  I tell myself that it is some expression of creativity and just let her go with it.  

Josiah is a piece of cake thus far.  He nurses well, is already on a fairly predictable wake/sleep schedule, and his crying is easily soothed.  He also hasn't required any additional testing or doctor visits, and, aside from his third nipple, seems to be a healthy, normal baby boy.  

Finally, my first nephew and future godson was born on Nov 20th.   Isaac David was 7 pounds, 14 oz, super pink, and ALMOST as adorable as my son.  :)  This holiday season will be particularly delightful, what with all of the baby snuggling to be done.  Here are some pictures that could possibly make your face melt from cuteness overload. 

Welcome, Isaac David Carter.  You are one handsome devil.

  

Momma Junglecat.  She growls like a tigress during labor and will rip less-than-gentle nurses apart with her jaguar claws. 

The newest Papa Carter.  He is so happy, I don't think his feet touch the ground anymore.

As Lucie would say, "TWO babies!"

And the grand finale: Two snuggle bugs.  Is your face still in solid form?

From the archives...

I was a miserable blogger during my pregnancy, so here are some make-up pictures from Lucie's second birthday party.  (The Carter portion; I'll have to post the Glidewell party later since they're on Nana's camera.) 

Lucie testing out some of her new play food.

Showing off the fabulous doggie puppet made by the equally fabulous Auntie Sara.

Eating some cake.

My own personal cake wreck.  It's supposed to be monkeys and palm trees.  

Here are some pictures from today.  It snowed like crazy, so Lucie decided to run around in her new snow suit, while Josiah decided to lay around and make silly faces.

Yay, pictures!  More to come.  Lucie had a pretty amazing Halloween costume, and I made another cake disaster.  Cat or pig?  You can be the judge....