Baked Beans

This kid LOVES and I mean LOVES baked beans. Here he is signing 'more' to me while Daddy snaps a photo.
MMMMM Dad, they are so good!

Dirt...What dirt?

Reenactment from last night...
Mommy - Torin, what is world is all over your face?
T - Smirky Grin...I can't wait till the excuses (I mean words) actually come out of his mouth.
Mommy - Uh oh! You can play in the dirt, but please stop eating it. (Mommy takes Torin physically away from the dirt.)

Torin - (in baby talk) But I wasn't eating the dirt, Mom! I was just playing in it and throwing it on the patio. (sob, tear)

Mommy - Next time, T, wipe the evidence off your face first before you try to push one past Mommy. I love you my son!

"Cool Dude"

Torin loves wearing our sunglasses in the house or outside. He puts them on and we say 'cool dude' and he just laughs and laughs.
Sorry the photo is so dark. Just more proof that I need a new camera. Does anyone have a suggestion I can use to get some money out of my tight husband's wallet to get myself a new one? I love you hunny!

Go Vikings

3-0....need I say more.

Videos Sept. 2009

These will show what a day with Torin at our house is like now. Poor Cooper is so exhausted by the end of the day after this little man gets done with him. Torin absolutely loves this dog.

The Park

We went to visit Daddy at work yesterday and while he was with clients we decided to see what the park was like in his subdivision. I love the park. Mommy doesn't know what we are going to do this winter without the park and being outside as much.
Going down the slide...

Swinging high and fast...

Playing the piano under the slide...

We will miss these wonderful summer days when they disappear in the upcoming weeks. We are taking full advantage of the nice weather now.

Sunday Dinner

Last Sunday, Sean and Tracey came over and we enjoyed a delicious ham and mashed potato dinner after watching the Vikings win their first game (notice the jersey behind the bib). Needless to say, Torin is still a very good eater which we are thankful for...especially Cooper who waits somewhat patiently for Torin to drop him some food.

Yesterday is Forever Gone, but Today I will Look Ahead

When we initially started trying to conceive Torin, I told everyone we were going to try for a baby. Most of our dear friends, Kurt and Debbie, Eric and Amber, Chris and Melissa, Anne and Josh, etc. already had their first baby or one on the way. In hindsight that was a big mistake. Little did we know it'd take a year of medication, procedures, ultrasounds, and countless negative pregnancy tests for our miracle to happen. And then it did. December 9, 2007, will forever be a magical day when that test finally turned postive and 9 months later my little boy would come into the world on August 7, 2008.
We decided to start trying to give this little boy a brother or sister the second time around and keep it a secret initially because I didn't want people wondering if I was pregnant yet or wondering how to ask the questions of "How I'm doing?" To my avail, Torin hit one and everyone asks the question of when the next one is coming anyways, so what the heck.

We chose to bypass all of the crap we went through the last time and call up my WONDERFULLY AMAZING fertility specialist and get the ball rolling. I took the drugs, I had the ultrasounds, I did the procedures (exactly as we did with Torin when we got pg), spent the ridiculous amount of money it takes to get pregnant for me and yesterday.....I got yet another NEGATIVE pregnancy test. We did everything right...everything we were supposed to do, yet NEGATIVE.

Yesterday I cried...sobbed actually to my wonderful Mom and Husband for the majority of the day and night. Why me? constantly ran through my mind. When I received the negative tests before Torin, I always gave myself one day to throw a pity party for myself and then move on. I had hoped the pity party wouldn't be needed the second time around. Unfortunately, this seems to not be the case. Yesterday was my pity party and I took full advantage...as evidence by the huge bottle of wine that now sits empty on the island in the kitchen (Paul did help some with that).

My point...I needed to be able to call my family and friends yesterday to tell them what happened. I needed the support. I picked up the phone and realized I could only call my mom because I had only told her last week when my parents were visiting. I picked up the phone to call Tracey, Anne, Debbie, etc. and alas closed the lid because no one knew I began the battle again.

Will we try again this month? I don't know. I'm having difficulty wrapping my brain around the disappointment and hurt that comes with another negative test. But what I do know is, for me, my friends and family need to know what is going on because I want to have someone to call when things do work out and when they don't.

So...maybe this is my 12-step program...:)

Step 1 -Hello, my name is Carrie and for some reason God will not yet disclose to me, I struggle with getting pregnant.

Step 2 - I'm still working on bypassing step 1. But when I do, I'll let you know.

Today the pity party is over. I have a beautiful, healthy 13 month old little boy that I rocked and gave milk to this morning and thanked God for. I have a wonderful husband whom I kissed goodbye before I went to work and thanked God for.

Yesterday was the bottom, but today I look forward to great things in the future.

Happy Grandparent's Day!

Torin wants to wish all the Grandpa's and Grandma's a Happy Grandparent's Day today. He is so lucky to have the best Grandparents in the whole world.

I love you all!

Torin

Rain, Rain, Go Away...

Does the rain stop this 13 month old from standing at the window by the door crying to go outside? The answer...NO! So we obliged thinking he'd want to come back in after a minute or two since it is wet, cold, icky, etc. Again, this was not the case. He loves being outside...evidently in any weather situation. What are we going to do this winter when it gets cold? I guess we'll be investing in some heavy duty winter clothing in the near future since nothing will stop this little boy from going outside.
We're learning how to play basketball too. Dribbling is what he loves to do.

Of course with how steep our driveway is, you can often see Mommy chasing into the street after the ball.

Yes, we can pick the ball up too, but it is oh so heavy.

Run, run, run. We are so very active and busy these days.

Labor Day Weekend

Labor Day weekend was lots of fun as Grandpa and Grandma Herding came to visit and spend time with us. It was gorgeous weather so we were outside a lot. I still love the water and playing in my pool.
In fact, I love it so much that I climbed right in and didn't wait for the water to warm up first.

I also didn't wait to get my swim suit on or my swim diaper either.

We did get some sunscreen on but Grandma helped out by putting an umbrella over the pool since the sun was so bright.

It's Official...

I've graduated with my Master's Degree and I've got the diploma to prove it. Thank goodness after all the trouble I went through last summer to finish it. It feels great to have it behind me...and the increase in pay doesn't hurt either!