Fire truck cookie!

Carter and Grant got fire truck cookies today.

Playing with Uncle Markham

Bubble wrap!

Carter and Grant like popping bubble wrap -- with their teeth...

Back at home

Carter got out of the hospital yesterday, which is great because I don't think he could have stood another hour in there. By the end, he was saying a lot of, "Mommy, door!"

He's not better yet. Each day brings progress, and today he took a big leap by eating a monstrous plate of wagon wheel pasta and peas. He had two helpings of peaches for dessert. We gave him a quick bath and then he actually asked to go to bed.

He's happy to be home, and he loves the birthday toys he got while in the hospital. So we have another adventure under our belt -- one I'd rather not repeat again.

And I consider Carter's second year of life to be officially over now. The year was amazing. Carter went from a barely walking baby who couldn't speak to a little boy who says things like "That was fun!" and "One, two, cha cha cha!" I can't wait to see what the next year brings.

Birthday in the hospital

Carter's pneumonia and fever got worse from Thursday to Saturday, and the doctor thought it was best that he be watched in the hospital for a while. We took him to the ER on Saturday and he got a blood test, a chest x-ray and a few other procedures.

He started off OK with all the poking and prodding, but that changed as the afternoon progressed. By last night, he would cry whenever a nurse walked into the room.

The doctor put him on new antibiotics to fight what is looking like a new bacterial infection in the lungs and two ear infections. The blood test showed a high white blood cell count but no evidence of an infection in the blood.

His fever was 101.6 in the first night in the hospital, which was much improved from the 103.8 I saw on Thursday night. Still, the doctor wants him to stay one more night just to be extra sure the fever is really coming down.

So Carter spent his second birthday in the hospital. Here are some pictures.



A birthday present: Mack the truck, with room for Lightning McQueen in the back.


He gets antibiotics and hydration through an IV in his arm:

Pneumonia is not fun

Carter's cold had been lingering for more than a few days, and I got concerned when his cough deepened and he started getting the chills. I took him to the doctor Thursday and learned that Carter had pneumonia and an ear infection.

The doctor sent us to the hospital to get a chest x-ray, which Carter endured surprisingly well. The x-ray chair, a rickety wooden stand with a small seat on it, looked like a medieval torture device. The nurses lifted Carter's hands above his head and wrapped a clear plastic case around his body. He was trapped in the case with his hands in the air, and whimpered while they took two digital x-rays of his chest.

The x-rays confirmed what his doctor described as "walking pneumonia." He put Carter on antibiotics and said all would clear up soon.

The next two days were a nightmare. Carter had a very high fever -- 104 degrees using the armpit thermometer, which is one degree lower than an oral thermometer -- and I was really worried. The antibiotics gave him diarrhea. He threw up Motrin. He spent his waking hours on the couch, sitting with one of his parents and watching one Pixar movie after another.

Friday was the worst day. Carter seemed delirious with the fever at one point. His eyes were half closed and he had the saddest expression on his face.

Then, quite suddenly, he seemed to snap out of it. His fever, which had been gradually decreasing all day, disappeared completely. He started playing with a new toy -- a Mater truck from his dad -- and even ate a few bites of pizza.

Even in illness, Carter kept up with his current hobby of saying one new thing a day that we've never heard before. Today's offering was, "I don't THINK so!!"

Folding laundry

Big dinner

I admit, I go overboard with Carter's meals. This is a typical one: dinosaur chicken nuggets, corn, pasta, spinach and cottage cheese.

Under the bad influence

Bozzi gives Carter another gift -- the gift of Sambuca. Fortunately, Dad drank it -- all of it -- before Carter had a chance to inspect the bottle.

Thanksgiving turkey

Cleaning out my camera...

That crazy Santa

What does Santa think about Carter?

Click here to find out!

Santa's not that bad after all

With Santa, last year and this year:



Carter didn't want to see him this year, but I told him that Santa would give him candy. That was the first time I've used the promise of candy to get Carter to do something. I'll try to use the C-word sparingly, but it's very effective!

New phrases

New things Carter has been saying:

"PBS dot org!" (Have I mentioned how much TV he watches lately?)

"Breakfast"

"Obama" (When asked who the president is)

"Pick up and deliver" (A phrase from Bob the Builder)

"One, two, cha cha cha!" (Another line from B the B)

"Heavy Carter" (when someone picks him up)

"Heavy diaper" (when he needs to be changed)

And, of course, the ongoing favorite: "Apple worm!"

Funny face

A visit from Bozzi

Carter's good friend and ardent Carter Chronicles reader Anthony Bozzi stopped by last night for dinner. He's here for his brother's wedding, and came bearing a few gifts for the little guy.

Thanks, Bozzi!

Adventures in day care

Carter started day care at My Preschool yesterday. He seemed to really like it, and I was able to sneak away when the group went into the yard to play and Carter stood on top of one of the baby slides yelling, "My turn!"

I took some pictures today before sneaking out during craft time.

Music time! The teachers played "She'll be coming 'round the mountain" and all the kids crawled around making horse sounds.


Story time! Miss Alondra reads a book.


Hug time! Carter's new best friend, Brian, really gets into the hugging.

A busy few weeks

I finally have time to post Carter's pictures after a very busy few weeks. Carter caught hand, foot and mouth disease right before we left for Phoenix for Thanksgiving. And Carter's babysitter left town quite suddenly, leaving me without help while I work during the day. Luckily, Nana was there to pick up the pieces.

Carter didn't eat or drink for four days. He slept two hours at a time. He had blisters on his tongue and the inside of his mouth. He had small red bumps on his hands, feet and diaper area. He had a constant sore throat.

Carter, Nana and I spent quite a few nights sitting in front of the television, watching the clock tick past 2 a.m, 3 a.m., then 4 a.m. As far as illnesses go, this one was one of the worst he's had. Good thing he can't get it again.

He's finally all better, and starts daycare tomorrow. I'll have more pictures from the first day.

Speaking of pictures, before Carter got sick he went and took some holiday pictures with Ava and Grant at JC Penney studios. They're super cute.