Deep Thoughts, by Carson Ross

Mommy's a slacker, yet again, so here it goes...

GRAVILLE & ROSS, LLC - My daddy is starting his own law firm! When I get big I am going to go to law school, too. That way I can work with him every day in our office. How fun will that be?! I'll try to stay awake as long as I possibly can tonight to get more details on Daddy's new job. Once they put me in bed, I'm toast, so no promises. (They always save their "good" conversations after I'm asleep!)


Mommy and Daddy decided to get rid of our gravel driveway and put in something I can draw chalk pictures on and cruise around on the tricycle Aunt Brooke gave me. I can't wait to wear my blue flying pig helmet! (Guess I need to learn to walk first, huh?)


I rolled over on my own today! My left shoulder always seems to get in the way, but today, I swung my leg over fast enough to flip myself onto my tummy. It was so cool! Mommy was working from home, so she got to see me do it. I saved that one just for you, Mommy! : )


Oh, and I had bronchitis and an ear infection over the weekend. Dr. Laura gave me the yummiest pink medicine to take. The only hang-up is that it makes the skin under my chin stick to my chest. Gross!


And Grammie and Paw-Paw Flesner visited me this weekend! They spoiled me rotten, or at least that's what I heard Mommy tell Daddy on Sunday night. I know now that Mommy and Daddy could actually be holding me more than they do. Paw-Paw and Grammie had me in their arms all day long except for when I was napping or "wronging" my diaper. (That's a Daddy term. He says it every time I go #2.)




...I think that's it for now.

Love,
CER

Mud Butt

So, I have this....diarrhea! Mommy thinks it's funny to call it Mud Butt. (Not funny, Mommy.) I pretty much have blown out every poopy diaper I've had for the last couple of days. I'm not sure what's worse - the smell coming from my Diaper Genie or the giant amounts of A & D ointment being smeared on my butt every hour or so.

CER

Do they look alike?

You tell me. :)

More raspberries, please.

I am biased, I know, but this is adorable! Our son is learning to take his turn!

Whoo-hoo!

Grammie & Paw-Paw,

I can't wait to see you next weekend! Remind me to show you some of my tricks: bouncing in my Jumperoo, blowing raspberries, rolling over (Okay, so I can't do this just yet, but almost!), throwing down an entire bowl of rice cereal AND an 8 ounce bottle (I'm big!), grabbing my toes...I could go on, but I don't want to spoil everything I have planned for you.

XOXO,
CER

Sonar

Do you think baby dolphins will want to play with Carson after hearing this?

Week in Review

2nd Attempt at Cereal...umm, I don't think he likes it.


Introduction to the Jumperoo...Carson definitely likes this!



"Quality time" on Work-from-Home-Wednesday...Mommy likes this!



XOXO - Happy Valentine's Day, Everyone!

Raspberry Baret

My prince can now blow raspberries!

Self-Imposed Milestones & Setbacks

Rice Cereal - 2.10.09
Guess what? I let Mommy feed me rice cereal last night. I spit out most of what she shoved in my mouth, but oh, well. Daddy was the camera man, which was probably a smart choice on his part - he was lucky enough not to get hit with the "spray" of food I shot out a couple of times. Anyway, I still ate an 8 ounce bottle after the cereal......suckers!



I have also decided to start waking up in the middle of the night. (I have been sleeping 9-10 hours uninterrupted for at least two months now, so this "new development" is really confusing Mommy and Daddy.) Two nights ago, I woke up at
3:30a and wouldn't go back to sleep until Mommy gave me a bottle. Last night I decided to wake up at 1:00a and 5:30a. And get this - they didn't come for me. What?! Get up! I cried for 20 minutes each time and nothing. I must be loosing my touch. I finally gave in and fell back to sleep on my own. How boring!

Feel the touch of a precious child...

...and know a mother's love." Move over Zac Brown Band. Meet the Nate Ross Band!



P.S. - I got tired of Cupid.
P.S.S - Amy, your "chicken fried" post inspired mine!

Doctor, Doctor, give me the news!

The Rosses are doctor-friendly this week...I have a giant band-aid on my big toe due to the removal of an ingrown toenail (How disgusting, I know. My only request to the podiatrist was: Don't you dare mess up my ability to wear OPI Red - it's a summer staple!) and Carson has three band-aids on his plump little legs due to his 4-month vaccines.

Carson's 4-Month Stats
Head Circumference - 42.3 centimeters (50%)
Weight - 16 pounds 7.5 ounces (80%)
Length - 26 inches (85%)

Thanks goodness for the 55 degree weather in the Lou this weekend - I can wear sandals and Carson can go pantless, so that our wounds can heal!

"Doctor, doctor, give me the news I've gotta bad case of lovin' you!"

Blue Man Group

The real Blue Man Group freaks me out. My blue men, however, are adorable! I took this picture this morning with my Blackberry before Nate and Carson headed off to school. Look at my boys' blue eyes - how sweet!

No More Fizz

Gone are the days of creative posts. (We can blame this on work.) I do not have enough brain cells to support PwC and Blogger. I've come to the conclusion that posting pictures and videos of my growing boy (sans clever commentary) is better than not giving family and friends a glimpse of Ross daily life. I feel like my parents need to see as many pictures as possible of Carson since they only see him once every couple of months, and my sister sees him a couple of times a year. (How did we get so spread out, Family!?!)

Bye-bye, PlayStation 3. Hello, Atari.



(This is what happens when I leave the boys alone - look at what Nate is teaching him to do while watching TV. Are you kidding me?!)


(Carson is learning new things!)

Ross House: Before and After

Work has really thrown a wrench into the machine, so to speak.

Laundry:
Used to be clean and put away
Is now dirty and all over the place

Dinner:
Used to be planned in advance and made from scratch
Is now processed and hardly nourishing

Carson's Toys:
Used to be put "in their place" after each use
Are now ticking time bombs for bare feet

Blog Posts:
Used to be creative, funny and frequent
Are now half-assed, ordinary and scarce

My Response to Personal Emails:
Used to be a day or two
Sucks - I'm not being selective; it's universal across the board.

Conversations with my Dad:
Used to be daily
Are now hit-or-miss if I'm able to pick up

Tolerance of Clutter:
I'm sorry; did you just say something? OCD Trish didn't hear you.
Is now through the roof

TV-watching:
Used to consume my evenings
Is now replaced by nightly baby chores

I could go on and on, but I won't. You get my drift!


(Neither Nate nor I went into the office today...we were snowed in!)


(Carson is learning to "smile" for the camera.)

Leasons Learned

TUESDAY - I got my butt, Carson's rump and my hubby's rear out of the house by 7:30AM, which allowed enough time for Nate and I to drop Carson off at school and grab a coffee at Panera, all before reaching work by 9:00 AM. Now, I'm fairly certain I'll have to drink even more coffee than I already do, wear extra concealer to hide my dark circles, and hold my eyelids open for pillow-talk with Nate, but all that is doable.

WEDNESDAY - I worked from home. It is not easy cranking out solid work product while entertaining your son; however, I will make this work. Seeing Carson roll over for the first time outweighs my lack of productivity while at home. (That's right - Carson rolled from his back to his tummy Wednesday afternoon!)

THURSDAY - Leaving clean clothes in the dryer for days on end until I have the time to fold them and put them away is acceptable. Spending time with my family takes precedent over a picked-up house.

FRIDAY - I no longer get up at 5:30 AM. The entire family gets up when Carson decides we should, which is normally around 6:30 AM. Nate and I spend the rest of the morning juggling what needs to be done until we're all three out of the house. Tag-teaming the morning's responsibilities makes for a more pleasant and less stressed Trish.

Heading back to work was really, really great for me. I was welcomed back with open-arms and realized just how much I missed my friends, adult conversation, work challenges, professional attire, etc. And Carson really does enjoy his "new" environment. He is certainly well on his way to winning over every adult, toddler and baby at school. What can I say, they love him!

My ability and capacity to love and care for my son (and my hubby) will not change because I'm a working mother.

The Ross Family's new routine is taking shape.

Bluto: TOGA! TOGA!

I stayed with Grandma and Grandpa on Saturday night so that Mommy and Daddy could go to their friend's wedding in Kansas City. It was their first night away from me, and from what I can tell, Mommy and Daddy did great without me! I heard Mommy say that the last time she was up at 3:00 AM was when I was a tiny, little baby and had to eat in the middle of the night.

You know that movie, Animal House? I bet that's how Mommy and Daddy acted at the reception - out of control. Thank goodness I didn't have to watch.

Snap out of it!

Yesterday was Carson's first day at school. (I decided it best to do a dry run before next Tuesday.) To my surprise, I didn't shed a tear. I dropped my baby off, along with a laundry list of Carson-isms for the head teacher, and headed out for a day of errands.

After a venti Starbucks (to raise my spirits!) and a few errands, I called to check in - Carson was just fine. When I picked him up, Miss Kim said he had the best "first day" of any baby she has ever cared for. He didn't cry or fuss one time while away from me. (Not sure how that makes me feel.) What he did do was flash a toothless grin at anyone who would look his direction.

I know the saying goes, "If Momma's not happy, no one is," but I'd like to adjust it slightly - "If Carson's happy, Momma is."

And in response to the title of this post, I have.


(Carson's ready for school!)

I love my Paw-Paw!

Paw-Paw Ite stayed with us Monday and Tuesday. Mommy and Daddy are cool, but Paw-Paw makes even better funny faces than they do. And the Itsy-Bitsy Spider song Mommy sings to me every morning is so boring compared to Paw-Paw's Donald Duck voice. How does he do that?

I really tried to hold in my "wet burps" when Paw-Paw was feeding me, but I spit up on every single shirt he brought with him. If I smell like my bottle all day long, everyone else should too, right!?!

It's too bad Grammie had to work. She really missed out!

-CER

Stigma

I wish I could blame my emotions on female hormones, but what I am feeling is flowing straight from the heart. I have sobbed at least three times this week in anticipation of sending Carson to school. I thought the sleepless nights were an adjustment; what I am going through now is far worse.

Ms. Dread is looking forward to...

When I return to work, I will miss the following:
-mornings with my very active and "chatty" son
-casually sipping coffee while watching The Today Show
-laying around in my pjs
-watching the shear joy on Carson's face as he recognizes me when I go into his
room and say, "Good morning, Sweetheart!"
-the lack of stress staying at home causes

When I return to work, I will dread the following:
-dropping Carson off at daycare so that someone else can enjoy his morning chatter
-slamming my first cup of coffee at 5:30a while the shower heats up
-convincing myself that baby spit-up is an appropriate accessory for work attire
-getting ready while my husband is the recipient of the "good morning" grin
Carson flashes as you pick him up out of his crib (I'll be jealous; I admit it.)
-the stress associated with getting myself and my child out of the house each day(Actually, I'll only do this three times a week; I plan to work from home two days a week when possible.)

When I return to work, I look forward to:
-laughing with Kim, Heather, Lisa, Tara, Kyle, etc.
-purchasing my second cup of coffee en route to work (I have missed you, Starbucks!)
-looking like pre-baby Trish
-seeing Carson smile when I enter the daycare's infant room
-thriving on the stress associated with being a wife, mommy, and professional

Don't Worry, Be Happy

Here is a little song I wrote
You might want to sing it note for note
Don't worry be happy
-Bobby McFerrin



I pulled a fast one on Mommy today - I let her tape me on her camera while I played on my mat. Little does she know that I know she'll pick me up and kiss me when I do "special" stuff. Sucker!



Something else that I like in addition to Mommy's kisses - TV! I will watch any show that's colorful with lots of action...Monday Night Football, Entertainment Tonight, Ellen, Baby Einstein videos....you get the picture. High def rocks!

-CER


(I have a great view of the TV from here.)

Duke of Earl

Mommy and Daddy and I celebrated Christmas with Daddy's family this past Sunday. Uncle Boog and Aunt Melissa were visiting from Detroit, so it was that much better with everyone there. I know Grandma was happy to have all three of her boys home...so happy that she made a really good meal for us. I didn't eat it, but I know it was good because Mommy had to unbutton her pants mid-way through the main course. Guess that means she ate too much, huh?

Here are pics of me with my family!
-CER


(Nathan Earl, Kenneth Earl & Carson Earl)


(Uncle Boog and yours truly)


(Aunt Carrie and a very cute baby - my cousin is in the picture, too.
Uncle Greg and Aunt Carrie are going to have a baby!)


(Aunt Melissa and Mommy's pride and joy)


(Grandma and a little stud)


(Uncle Creep and a big buck-a-roo)

Diarrhea

Another turd, and this one's major. Both of our deck doors leaked during a recent torrential down pour. The hardwood floors are ruined in both the breakfast area and our bedroom. Thank goodness for home owner's insurance. It will cover wood plank replacement and the re-staining of the entire first floor. I wonder if insurance will somehow cover the huge pain in the ass it will be to empty furniture from our kitchen, dining room, breakfast nook, great room, master bedroom and entry way while the sanding and re-staining are completed?

Doubt it. What a bunch of poop.

BACK

Back to the Future - this is one of my favorite movies. I may have mentioned this in one of my earlier posts...Michael J. Fox will forever be one of my first crushes. Alex P. Keaton was one cute geek!

Adam Sandler - another favorite of mine. "Back to school...back to school, to prove to Dad that I'm not a fool. I got my lunch packed up, my boots tied tight. I hope I don't get in a fight."

SIR MIX-A-LOT - ringing any bells? Don't tell me you didn't dance a time or two to "Baby Got Back" in high school. Shelley, I have two words for you - county fair.

Britney Spears - she has had one heck of a come-back , hasn't she? I am no longer embarrassed to admit that I have "Womanizer" and "Circus" on my ipod.

PwC - I'm heading back to work two weeks from today.

My reaction to work has slightly changed over the last few days. (Maybe it's the rejuvenation caused by the new year?) While I am not entirely thrilled with the idea of dropping my kid off at daycare, I know that it will be good for him to interact with other rug rats. And I can honestly say that exchanging jeans and flats for dress pants and heels will be good for me. The "fire" I used to have for professional success was nearly smothered when Carson arrived. That fire isn't necessarily a full-blown blaze these days, but it's still certainly burning.

Do You Believe in Magic

Mommy took me to The Magic House on New Year's Eve! We went with our neighbors, and it was so much fun! Well, I can't really say just how fun The Magic House is since I slept the entire time we were there, but I know that Isabelle and Jake had a great time. Maybe they'll ask me to go with them again when I'm bigger. I really want to climb on the Jack and the Beanstalk thingy and see Mommy's hair stick out while touching that giant silver ball. How does that thing work anyway?

Do you believe in magic in a young girl's heart
How the music can free her, whenever it starts
And it's magic, if the music is groovy
It makes you feel happy like an old-time movie
I'll tell you about the magic, and it'll free your soul
But it's like trying to tell a stranger 'bout rock and roll
-Lovin' Spoonful


Hello!?! How did Mommy expect me to see all that was going on with this thing over my head? No wonder I slept the entire time!


Mommy and Daddy have so much to look forward to!


Dear Favorite Neighbors,
Thanks for asking Mommy and me to go with you!
-CER

Auld Lang Syne

Ringing in 2009 brought an entirely different type of "celebration" than years past. Last year we drank apple martinis while hot-tubbing it with our friends Reece and Susan. I'm pretty sure a couple of us didn't feel 100% for an entire week after the martini madness.

This year we watched the ball drop while sitting on the couch in pjs with our wide-eyed 3-month old propped up in between us. How quickly life changes in just one year. And what the hell does "Auld Lang Syne" mean anyway?

Supersize Me

I have been fortunate enough to not have to buy Carson many clothes since he graced us with his presence. His closet is filled with gifted special occasion outfits, onsies for every day play, and sleep sacks for night. Speaking of sleep sacks, Carson isn't a fan. He kicks his feet so much at night, that by the time 6:30a calls, the "sack" is camped out above his belly. CER's daddy also happens to say, "Get that dress off of him!" ever time I put him in one, so boo to the sack.

Carson's bedtime attire of choice - footed sleepers. Wouldn't we all sleep better at night if we were bundled head to toe (literally!) in a zipped-up get-up?

Like a good Momma, I bought Carson a bunch (And by bunch, I mean ten!) of footed outfits for Christmas. Here's the problem - I washed them without trying them on Carson first.

What size would you have bought your little guy if you were in my shoes? My rationale went something like this: Carson is three months old, so buy the size that compliments his age. Naive Mommy, I am. Of course they are all too small!

My kiddo won't be eating Big Macs; he's off-the-charts big on his own!