A rolling stone....

....gathers no moss. That is Finn's new saying as he is rolling over like crazy! This is definitely his new trick and he is eager to show it off constantly. If I put him down on the floor on his back, he's on his tummy before I can blink. And if I put him on his tummy for tummy-time, he rolls onto his back! I guess he is just showing me who's boss.

With my birthday quickly approaching, I had an especially old-lady moment today when I went to get a new cover for the light in the kitchen. Ours broke when a good samaritan was changing the bulbs. Apparently these are "fancy" light covers that they don't have at Lowe's or Home Depot, so I had to head to a specialty lighting store where they sell lamps for four-hundred and fifty dollars. Anyway, I wasn't feeling too good about my appearance today...I have been in utter and complete refusal to buy new pants for work ever since I bought some right before I went back and they didn't fit one week later. Sooooo, my pants choices in the morning are: 1) too big or 2) too small. The "too small" variety won't button all the way up, so when I choose these, as I did today, I have to wear a pretty frumpy shirt to hide the fact that they are only zipped and the top flaps that usually button are splayed open. My sweater today was very old and a little faded and looked like I borrowed it from my grandmother. Under it, I had on a maternity tank top that basically stretched down to my knees in the front. Not to mention that at the beginning of the day my make-up is questionable, as in "did I put mascara on both eyes or just one?", so you KNOW at the end of the day it is looking atrocious. And don't even get me started on my hair. So Finn and I go into this fru-fru lighting store and we are greeted by the cutest, perkiest little 25-year-old blond on the planet. Seriously, she was adorable. So well put together in a make-you-wanna-slap-her kind of way. Of course she could help me she said and she clicked away on her designer high heels to find my light cover. I noticed as she walked away that she had a perfect winter tan. You know, not fake looking, but just enough to look like she's been freshly sun-kissed from a tropical vacation. Her mini-skirt and hip costume jewelry would be perfect for later when she met her girlfriends for a drink downtown. Probably an apple-tini. Or wait, a cosmopolitan. She interrupted my day-dream when she returned with the cover and as she rang me up I lamented my frumpy appearance and reminisced back to when I was cool too. She sweetly offered to help me out to my car since I had the baby and all and of course as we're leaving I ram the stroller into a very expensive looking light display. Now my self-esteem is really spiraling downhill until she says "Thanks so much! Come back to see us. And your baby is soooo cute!" That fixed everything. I'm a not-cool mom! And there's nothing else I would rather be.

Tell me about it!

Every afternoon when I get home from work, Finn tells me all about his day. It is my favorite thing ever!!! Here's what he had to say today: 

Pretty awesome.  :)  

Just Incase

I know you didn't, but just incase you had any illusions that I am one of these super-mom types that has it all together, I wanted you to know that today, January 15th, I took this photo in my living room:

Yes, that is my Christmas tree and it is STILL up. At least it has been un-decorated. I was feeling slightly guilty about that fact that I haven't gotten around to getting all the cluttery Christmas stuff back up into the attic until we went to church this morning. The sermon was on investing in relationships and the title was The Blessed Life. When we sat down (after dropping Finn off at the nursery for the first time....yay for me!) I pointed to the cover of the bulletin and the sermon title and Matt said "Yep, that's what we're livin' ". Yes! We are! Who cares that the house is messy and my tree is still up. Who cares that there's a pile of laundry that Finn could literally hide in. Heck, Matt and all 3 dogs could hide in it. My mom always taught us to prioritize our lives according to what is truly important and it is NOT housework. The house will either be still dirty or dirty again, which is just annoying, so why stress about it? When I get home from the office in the afternoons I don't want to vacuum! I want to hang out with Finn. These moments are so fleeting and I won't waste them. Now don't panic and call child protective services. We aren't living in filth. We just have a lot of "non-sensical junk" as Matt calls it. In truth I'm sort of a closet hoarder so it all works out. But I think I inherited that one honestly....sorry Mom. :)

A Visit with Grandmother

I am so so so so blessed that I have 2 grandparents that are still living. In fact, all 4 of my grandparents were alive until I was in college. And because we always lived relatively close by, they were all a huge part of my life growing up. They were a constant source of joy and taught me so much. Some of my best childhood memories involve visits with my grandparents. This is what I want so much for Finn. He has lots of grandparents (and great-grandparents!) that love him so I have no doubt that there are lots of fun times in store. 

This post is about my grandmother Dora. And yes, we call her grandmother....if you've ever met her you understand that she is just so totally a "grandmother". Her poise and constant politeness no matter the situation dictate a formal name. Now this is not to say that she is stuffy or snobby. It's exactly the opposite. In all of my 30 years, I have never heard her utter a bad word or complaint about ANYONE. I mean it! Think about all the negative things you've said just today about other people! Whether it's complaining that your husband didn't take out the trash (again) or that you didn't exactly receive service with a smile at the drugstore.....she just doesn't do it. She is always sweet, always caring, always pleasant. I'm always hoping a little of her "goodness" will rub off on me. And we love love love our grandmother Dora!!! Everyone who comes in contact with her does. They can't help it! Oh, and did I mention she's 98 years old? And what a blessing that we have been able to enjoy her all these years. 

Recently she has moved out of her house into a small apartment and needless to say it has been an adjustment for her. But for the most part, in her typical style, she has handled it with grace. Finn and I went to visit her for the day last weekend and they both enjoyed spending some quality time together. I'm so glad that he has had the chance to meet such an important person to me. 

Grandmother and I...I think I kind of look like a fat Finn

Granddaddy, Grandmother, and I 

 Grandmother and Finn

It was a great visit!

3 Months!

Yep, Finn turned 3 months old the day after Christmas. UN-BE-lievable! He has some new tricks, including rolling from tummy to back (he flips over immediately when we do tummy time), rolling from back to tummy almost (he can't quite figure out how to get that arm under him), and drinking 6 ounces of milk at a time. Wow! What a big boy! His eyes are still blue and his hair sticks straight up on his head especially right after a bath. He was a lot squirmier during our photo shoot this month. And a big thanks to my mom who painted the "3" and also pointed out that it would be so much smarter to just go ahead and paint ALL the numbers as opposed to painting them one at time month by month. She's always so full of good ideas! :) Here are the pictures!

 I'm thinking very seriously....

 I had to bring out the big guns to get this smile...aka "Matt get in here and do something funny!" and it worked!

A Carpenter Christmas

This blog is a little overdue, but it has been hard to find a chunk of time to sit down and write about all the fun (and crazy traveling) that was involved with Finn's first Christmas.

The Thursday before Christmas, Dody came that afternoon and Matt came that night when he got out of school. Friday my mom came and the family was complete! Well, minus Granny who was in Orlando with my uncle, aunt, and cousins. Friday night we went to one of our favorite seafood places, The Sunbury Crab Company. It's a bit of a drive to get there, but so worth it! The food is amazing and we had the best crab stew I've ever tasted. That basically started off a holiday filled with over-eating. On Christmas eve I thought we'd try Finn in church. He lasted approximately 4 minutes, and then he and Matt spent the rest of the service in the church lobby. Oh well....at least he looked really cute! It's time for me to try him in the nursery, but I'm sort of nervous about it. Silly, since I worked in that very nursery for years before I got pregnant and know how great everyone is. But now I'm off topic....

When we got home, Matt fixed us the yummiest fish and grits dinner. I mean it was AWESOME! Here are some Christmas eve pics:

 The day started out a little lazy

 Finn in his Santa suit

 Mom in the famous "Merry Christmoose" apron....a Gaston tradition!

 Finn and Aunt Dody

 Our first family picture!

 Goodies and a note for Santa

Looks like he liked them...

Christmas day was so much fun with Finn. We always wake up early and do presents but my eyes flew open even earlier than usual with the excitement of showing Finn his gifts from Santa. I know, he has no idea what's going on, but it's been a while since Santa visited someone at our house and you KNOW how I LOVE holidays!!! Ok, hang in there with me because there are a lot of pictures but I didn't want to leave any of them out.

 Finn with his gifts from Santa

 He was so serious about looking at each of his new toys. Don't ask about the hat. My mom has a "hat obsession" and we just indulge her because we love her.  :)

 Finn with his Christmas elf

 Nana showing him his glow worm

 Dody=exhausted ~ and we didn't even let her get into the champagne this year!

 My new sparkling Tom's....thanks Dody!!!

 Myrtle got a new doggie blanket

 Matt and Myrtle are tired out from all the gifting fun

 Mom loves her new knives!

 Harvey, that's not your hat! But it looks sooooo cute on you!

 I think Santa was good to us!

 The Gaston paper crown tradition continues....

 Finn looks a little frightened. And maybe he should be. Look at how bad I look without make-up on!!!

 Nana reading Finn a favorite pop-up book

Here are my desperate attempts at a photo of all of us together. ONE of us wasn't feeling very cooperative, and I'll give you a hint: It wasn't the baby. 

 Matt looking like a convict in Attempt #1

 Matt "smiling please!!!" in Attempt #2

 Matt "not smiling like THAT" in Attempt #3

The best one I got!

The day after Christmas, we took to the road and pretty much didn't stop until New Year's day. Here's the run-down of our travels. 

Monday: To Augusta so Matt could work the next morning

Tuesday: To Greenville to see family and friends there 

Wednesday: back to Augusta to work on Thursday

Friday: To Summerville to spend New Year's with a stop in Columbia on the way

Saturday: to my dad's for a visit with them

Sunday: back to Savannah.....WHEW! 

And Finn was wonderful the whole time. He is GREAT in the car and thank goodness because we are an on-the-go family! He just alternates between looking out the window and snoozing.

I am disappointed in myself because I didn't do a great job of taking pictures the second half of the holiday vacation. You know when you are just having so much fun you forget to pick up the camera??? That was the problem! Here are a few though: 

Matt's dad and Nancy had a special dinner at their house for us. Everyone held Finn and loved on him and he really enjoyed it!

 Finn and Papa (Matt's grandfather)

 4 generations!!! And 3 of them are "William Carpenter"

Finn and cousin Ingram

Cleo had a brunch the following morning for us all to get together again and it was delicious and so sweet of her to do that. I didn't take any pictures but you'll just have to trust me that we all looked stunning.  :)

Later that day we went to visit lots of friends in Greenville that we hadn't seen in a while. It was awesome seeing the Bratton's, Padgett's, Dennis', and Holder's! Finn had his first date with Olivia Holder (Stokely and Beth's daughter). An older woman! (But only by about 2.5 weeks)

 It doesn't look like it, but she is bigger than him!

 Check out those pacifiers! 

 Olivia asked if he would be calling her for another date and Finn said he would text her. Kids these days!!! 

We stopped in Columbia to give Wilkes and Owen their Christmas presents. Wilkes was SO excited about his truck with a trailer!

 Happy 1st Birthday to sweet Owen!!! And no, those aren't his his real teeth.  :)

 "Wilkes, show me your teeth!"

Aunt Carrie

Once we made it to Summerville, I took Finn to visit my dad and Sheila. Finn really smiled and put on a show. Honestly it was the happiest I have seen my dad in years. 

For New Year's Eve we had a going away party for Michael. He is in the Air Force and is being sent to Korea for a year unaccompanied (which means Tiffany and Austin can't go). Matt stayed up all night and cooked. Brisket, boston butt, and smoked chicken....YUMMY. It was fun but also sad thinking about Michael leaving. I admire his service to our country and respect him for doing it all with a smile on his face. We could not live the life we live as Americans without people like him. Of course Tiff will miss him terribly but she's tough and will get through it. So thank you Michael, God speed, and we love you! See ya when you get home. 

Reese and Finn

This was the best holiday season I've ever had hands down. Christmas with little Finn was beyond amazing, and I'm looking forward to many more. Ringing in the new year reminded me of all the blessings that came our way in 2011. Matt asked me if anyone could have convinced me last year that I would soon be sharing my baby's first Christmas. I agreed that they couldn't have. 

My only resolution this year is to try to live in the moment and appreciate what I've been given every single day!