Happy New Year (almost)! (Carter is Thirteen Weeks Old)!

A Distant Light at the End of the Tunnel

Yes, that's right: in case you haven't heard... Carter did it! He slept all the way through one night. Down at 10:30 p.m.; up at 7:30 a.m. with no waking up, crying, eating, etc. Not that we expect this to be a regular thing just yet, but it at least provides some hope that we will start getting regular sleep again in the not to distant future. I realize this isn't the most exciting thing in the world, but it is to us. Well, actually, who am I kidding: if you're still following this blog almost three months in, this is pretty exciting to you, too. -John (and Family)



"Look how well rested I am!"



"Hey, this is a private conversation; I was learning the many secrets of peanuts."

Take me to Your Leader

"I come in peace..."



"Baths are so much fun!"

It's a Christmas Miracle"

...to quote the venerable Andrew Sherwood.

Our plane was an hour and a half late out of Omaha yesterday. Yet, somehow, we made a connection in Denver that we only had 50 minutes to make -- if our plane was on time out of Omaha and into Denver. We thought that we would, hopefully, have been able to get on a later Reno flight from Denver based on later people with late running planes with a Denver connection. However, we were ready to run to the next Reno flight off our very late Omaha to Denver flight when Alicia happened to turn around when we were getting off the flight from Omaha and noticed that the flight information board said "Reno." Although no one knew, or deemed to tell us, it was impossible for us to miss our Denver to Reno flight because it used the same plane as our Omaha to Denver flight. If someone had told us, it would have made for a much less stressful first leg of the trip. We almost got off the Omaha to Denver flight because we figured, with holiday travel, we would rather get stuck in Omaha than in Denver. So, long story short, we made our Reno connection and are home after a very good Omaha visit.

In other, very fun, news, Carter rolled over for the first time today. He'd been getting close the entire Omaha trip, but didn't quite make it. We'll do our best to get video the next time he does it (just don't hold your breath -- you know how cooperative things are when you want to catch them on video).

Also, yes, I know, I was very negligent in blogging everyday while we were gone. However, you, all of Carter's faithful followers are o.k. I will try to blog regularly but you will all survive if I miss a day here and there. I will, however, try to update the Picasa albums even on days I miss blogging.

Merry Christmas! (a few days late, but, it's still Christmas -- we even celebrated our Christmas (Alicia's, Carter's, and mine) today).

-John (and Family)



Smiley Super Carter!



"Gifts??? I thought this fun paper was the gift!"



Look at all the fun stuff under the tree! (Don't forget to notice the most fun thing under the tree)!

Carter's First Christmas Eve

Carter experienced his first Christmas Eve tonight and (with help) got to open many fun presents. He thought all of them wonderful, but found the paper in which they were wrapped the most wonderful of all! :-)



Santa's little helper.

"You mean my present isn't this fun paper?!"

Carter is Official!

Today Carter was baptised in St. John's at Creighton by his First Cousin Twice Removed, Father Robert O'Connor (aka Roc, Bobby, etc.). Carter was very well behaved, sleeping through most of the ceremony and not crying for the rest of it (we're not sure at what age we'll be less than thrilled if Carter sleeps through church, but, for now, we are very happy when he does).



Carter's Mom, First Cousin Twice Removed, and Dad.

Carter getting baptised! Pictured: Fr. Roc, Mom, Dad, and Aunt Kelsy (and, of course, Carter).

Gramma Leah and Grampa Jim REALLY Love Carter

Laughing with Grandpa.



Gramma giving a bath.

Aunts and Great Aunts

Carter got to meet another great today: his Great Aunt Bonnie. He took to her right away -- even slept in her arms for about an hour.



"Great Aunt Bonnie is so snugly!"

"My Aunt Marn is hilarious!"

Carter's Future Occupation?!

We flew out to Omaha today to see Gramma Leah, Grampa Jim, and many others (Kelsy, Marnie, Millie, Bonnie -- to name a few). On Carter's very first flight, he got invited into the cockpit by the captain. He then flew us from Reno to Denver. :-)



"The Captain might need to hold my head up, but that's the only help I need."




"Rudder... check. Flaps... check. Tower, all systems are green, permission to take-off?"



"All right, Mom & Dad, you can be up here for now, but you have to be in the main cabin before we take off."

Pictures for Today

Yay! We remembered to take some. Now everyone can get their Carter fix.

O.k., o.k., You Got Us, We Weren't Very Good About Taking Pictures Today

But, here is one taken when it got time to do the blog, and it was realized that there were no pictures for the blog. :-)

Gramma Barb is Back!

Not under the best circumstances, of course, since she is staying with us a couple of days before Susan's funeral on Friday. She is happy to see Carter, and Carter is happy to see her, though.

Pictures of the Day

"Hiya!"



"I bet you want to know what I'm plannin..."

In Memory of Carter's Great Aunt (and John's Aunt) Susan

Some sad news today: Carter's Great Aunt Susan (John's Aunt) passed away. Carter got to meet her twice: once a few weeks before he was born and once when he was two months old. It is very sad that Carter will not get to know her better. It is also very sad for the rest of us.

Susan was (and is, from where she now looks down over us) a great person. I will always remember our many long and engaging conversations as that is how I knew her best: as a conversationalist. Willing to talk and listen, interested in most any topic, and knowledgeable about most everything. I will also always remember Susan for the way she took care of others. This is especially evident where, in her last years, when she was supposed to be taken care of, she was taking care of others, giving them an intelligent, well spoken voice when they could not provide their own. I wish that I knew I could face adversity half as well as she faced her adversities.

She will be dearly missed by all of us.

-John, Alicia, and Carter

Pictures of the Day!

Nothing exciting today: Carter slept through church (glory be!), ate some, slept some, played some, and fussed some.



"Mom makes me happy."



"It is mesmerizing... I'm not sure what I'm looking at, but trust me, it is."

A Baby Reunion!

Today we had a baby reunion with some classmates from the childbirth class. Only three couples (with new babies!) made it. However, we're pretty sure that Carter made some new friends.



Jonah, Brooklyn, and Carter! (All asleep, shhh)!



"What do you mean you're going to wrap me up and leave me under the tree?!"

Carter's Grown Lots

Too many choices.



Second Day Pic for Comparison.



"Look how much I've grown (done with this outfit)."



"Who wants to go to bed?! Not me!!"

Ten Weeks Old!

"I must be a present since I'm under the Christmas Tree."