Carter's Second Week (and a fun week for Dawson too!)

Carter had a very busy second week!  On Saturday Carol came to visit him, and the on Sunday afternoon Kristin and Alice came by!  We also had some visits from Lolly, Pop, Uncle Logan, Nana, Grandad, Aunt Em, and Cousin Drew this week too!  On Monday morning we had family pictures, newborn pictures of Carter, and pictures of Dawson taken.  After we get the proofs, birth announcements will soon follow!  Carter and Dawson both did awesome for the photos!  Carter was awake about half of the time so we will have some newborn photos with his eyes open!  Dawson also did great!  The photographer laughed about how he could say "cheese" without moving his lips at all.  He was so good to change outfits, and I think he enjoyed having his picture taken!

Monday was also the first day that John was back at work that we were at home on our own without the help of parents, and it went really well.  Carter is pretty good about going back to sleep after being changed and eating during the night.  He is a night owl right now though since he stays wide awake until around 10:30, but he's doing great so I won't complain at all!

On Tuesday Dawson, Carter, and I were ready for some interaction so our friends the Gibsons came over for a playdate.  This was Carter's first playdate.  He ate, dozed, and spent a lot of the time in his bouncy seat in the playroom...but big brother, Dawson, enjoyed the playdate!  Dawson was so sweet in "showing off" his big brother to Charlie.  Charlie is going to be a big brother in August, so Carter will have someone closer to his age when we play with the Gibsons before too long!

On Wednesday morning, John came home from work and took Dawson to the park for a little while.  Then we all went to the library for storytime-Carter's first storytime!  Carter slept through the entire thing, but, again, big brother had fun!  On Wednesday evening, Dawson helped me give Carter a bath, and he thought it was so neat to be helping!  Carter still enjoys bath time and seems to just relax while we wash him!

Thursday morning John got up with Dawson, and Carter and I slept until 9!!  (I cannot remember the last time I slept that late, but it was SO nice!  I guess Carter and I both needed the rest.)  Dawson got to have a fun morning out with Daddy while Carter and I stayed home.  John took Dawson to Smart Toys and Books to look around and play and then to lunch at the bakery.  In the afternoon we all went to the play place in Foothills Mall, and then went to dinner at Nana and Grandad's house.

Then on Friday morning we all went back to Smart Toys and Books for a Mommy and Me art class.  Carter relaxed in his infant carrier and in Daddy's arms, while Dawson got to hear stories, make a sea turtle puppet, and make a fish aquarium!  After leaving Smart Toys and Books, we went by John's work so he could introduce Carter to his coworkers.  It turned out that it was also Take Your Child to Work Day, so it was perfect!  Dawson told everyone his name and his brother's name.  He also made sure that he clearly said, "He is MY brother."  It was sweet to see how proud he was of Carter. 

Carter is doing great!  He eats frequently, and we can tell he's growing and filling out!  He is the loudest baby I have ever been around!  I do not mean that he's loud when he cries, he's just loud all the time making noises and grunting.  He even grunts all the time in his sleep!  It's funny, and Dawson always asks why he is doing that!  Carter also has the hiccups all the time!  When I was pregnant it felt like he got the hiccups a lot and my whole stomach would "jump," and this seems to have continued now that he's out in the world!  John and I had decided we were going to follow the recommendations-like we did with Dawson-not to give infants a pacifier until they are two weeks old.  We thought he would love the pacie, but to our surprise he gagged and made horrible faces when we gave it to him.  He's starting to warm up to it a little more now, but he still doesn't just absolutely love it.  We are loving being a family of four!

Enjoy the pictures below...

All dressed up in his bouncy seat!

Carter at 8 days old wearing the

adorable tie onsie my friend, Andrea,

made!

Dawson, Carter, and Charlie at Carter's

very first playdate!

Dawson and Charlie checking on Carter!

This is what Carter did while we

were at his first storytime at the

library!

Dawson helping to give Carter a bath!

Dawson was so proud to get to help

bathe his brother!

Carter loves being in the Moby Wrap, and

I love it too because I can take Dawson out

to play and have both hands free.

Here Carter is beginning to snooze he's so

comfy!

While Carter was taking a nap, Dawson and

I planted some flower seeds in this Veggie

Tales planter from Nana and Grandad.

Dawson had to play in the dirt

for a minute before we planted

the seeds.

Carter's First Week!

Carter's first week flew by!  We came home from the hospital on Sunday, April 15th.  On Monday we took him to his first doctor's appointment, and got the report that he was a healthy baby who had only lost 9 ounces since birth! 

We also gave him his first bath at home.  He was so relaxed the entire time, until we took him out of the water.  I think he enjoyed his warm sponge bath!  Every bath we've given him since then, he has also been very happy.

This week has also consisted of a lot of "firsts," so scroll down and keep reading for more!

Mommy giving Carter his first bath at home!

Carter enjoying the relaxing sponge bath!

He loves to suck on his fingers.

One more picture of how relaxed he was

during bath!

Carter tried out his swing for about

30 seconds before decided he would

rather be held.  Dawson didn't like

the swing until he was about a month old,

so I'm hoping Carter's opinion of it will

change too!

Carter's first time on the back time gym.

He got to play with this in the playroom

while Dawson and I played farm!

More fun on the back time gym!

Carter's Uncle Logan had a busy

weekend with his senior prom

the day Carter was born, so after

we returned home from the hospital

Carter got to meet his Uncle Logan

for the first time!

Dawson loves for me to put Carter in his

bed at night for a few minutes!  Here they

were the first night!  Dawson loves his Panda

(pillow pet)-and Panda Doggie and Panda

Turtle-so we let Dawson give Carter a gift

of a "Panda Duck" (a small duck pillow

pet).  So here are our boys and their pillow

pets in Dawson's big boy bed one night!

Carter getting to hang out in big brother's bed!

On Friday, April 20th Carter was one week old.

We took him to the doctor, and SURPRISE-he was

already up past his birth weight!  He weighed in

at 8 pounds at one week old!  I knew he had been

eating a lot, but I was still surprised! 

Here you can see how he's filling out!

John and I always laugh about "the many faces

of Carter."  He has so many different expressions.

I tried to capture a few during his first week.

Here's sleepy Carter!  Look at that yawn!

Sweet Carter.

Confused Carter.

Happy Carter.

On Thursday, Carter's Great Uncle Phillip

and Great Aunt Carolyn came to meet him!

We had a few more visitors during his first week!

On Friday I decided we HAD to get

out of the house, so Dawson finally

got to do what he's been looking

forward to for months-ride in the

backseat with Carter!  Here are the

brothers in the back together for the first

time.

Also, on Friday we decided to take

our first walk in the double stroller.

Dawson has been so thrilled to use

this double stroller that Grandad

and Nanie got us.  Dawson

likes that he can sit or stand

to ride-such a big boy!  Here are our

two boys before on our walk!

Carter Wade Zorio Has Arrived!

John, Dawson, and I are excited to announce the birth of our newest family member!  Carter Wade Zorio was born on Friday, April 13th, 2012, at 7:08 am.  He weighs 7 pounds 13 ounces and is 21 inches long. 

He was born in Knoxville, Tennessee at Tennova Physicians Regional in the St. Mary's Birthing Center in room 27.  (This is the same hospital where I was born!)  Dr. Brabson delivered him. 

Carter was due on April 10th, and I was a little disappointed that the day came and went without any real sign that Carter would soon be making his debut.  On Wednesday, April 11th we went out to dinner to celebrate my sister-in-law, Emily's, birthday, and we ran a few errands that evening.  John was off work this night, and we relaxed the rest of the evening at home.  I hadn't been in bed long when I felt a contraction stronger than all the previous "practice contractions" I had been having.  I looked at the clock and it was 11pm on the dot.  After having three more that were all 9 minutes apart, I told John I was having contractions.  I encouraged John to sleep since he had worked the night before, but I got out of bed to be able to move around.  The contractions continued through the night moving decreasing from 9 to 6 minutes apart.  After they had held at 6 minutes apart for a while, they suddenly skipped to between 4 and 4 and a half minutes apart.  I let them continue like this for an hour before waking John. 

At 5am I woke John and told him I had continued to labor all night and how close the contractions were.  He was surprised I hadn't woken him sooner, but I am glad he was able to sleep after seeing how long labor lasted with Carter.  John jumped out of bed and was ready to go to the hospital immediately.  He laughed at me that while I had been in labor during the night I had made a list of things I needed him to do while I showered and got ready for the hospital. 

After my dad got to our house to stay with Dawson who was still sleeping, we left for the hospital.  After checking in at 7am I was so disappointed to learn that after 8 straight hours of contractions, I was only at 1cm.  My doctor gave me the option to stay at the hospital since my contractions were clearly showing as strong on the monitor, or he said I could go home where I could try to rest and be more comfortable.  I told him I would love to go back home! 

I spent the rest of the day continuing to have more contractions between 4 and 7 minutes apart.  The doctor had asked that I call him in the afternoon to give an update.  When I called, he asked that I come to his office.  At 3pm I went to his office after having had contractions for 16 hours, and I was again disappointed to learn I was only at 2cm. 

From monitoring me, the doctor thought things were picking up and wanted me to go to labor and delivery.  The strength and frequency of my contractions quickly picked up. 

At 11pm, after being in labor for 24 hours, I was exhausted and only 6cm.  I decided I had to have the epidural, and then I was able to relax a little.  My fear had been that it would drastically slow things down, but it didn't seem to make it any slower than it already was.

Finally at 7:08 am on Friday, April 13th, after 32 hours of labor we welcomed Carter Wade Zorio into the world!!!

John got to cut the cord, and my doctor grabbed the camera and took some of the first pictures of Carter for us!  John and I were both able to be a part of his first bath which was given in our room when he was a little over an hour old.  I was able to be up and moving around almost immediately after his birth which was awesome! 

When Carter was about 3 or 4 hours old he got to meet his excited big brother for the first time!  Dawson has loved and been so sweet with Carter!  I loved to watch them together. 

On his first day he also got to meet his Pop, Lolly, Aunt Em, Cousin Drew, Grandad, Nanie, and our friend, Lance! On his second day he got to meet our friends, Fred, Andrea, and Charlie!

On Sunday, April 15th, 2012, we came home from the hospital and have been recovering and adjusting to life with a newborn and two year old!  It has been so much fun!

Carter with John and I immediately after he

was born!  I love his expression!

The first time I held Carter immediately after

he was born!

Carter, Dr. Brabson, and me when Carter

was about 10 minutes old!

When they weighed Carter I couldn't believe

that he weighed the exact same as Dawson

at birth.  Carter was longer though! (Carter

was 21 inches and Dawson was 19.5.)

Carter's first bath in the hospital.

Our first picture as a family of four!

I had to share one more picture so you could

see Dawson's face.  He really is excited

to be a big brother!

Carter's first day!

Proud big brother!

Carter with his Lolly for the first time.

Carter with Pop for the first time.

Carter with his Aunt Emmie for the first time.

Grandad and Nanie with Carter for the first time.

Fred, Andrea, and Charlie with Carter

for the first time.

The second day Dawson came to visit

us in the hospital he left us this beautiful

message on the board in our room!

Sunday was the day we got to go home!

Before we left we took some pictures beside

our door decoration my mom made.

It is now hanging in Carter's nautical themed

nursery.  It's hard to see in the picture but the ship

is called the SS Special Delivery 4:13:12.  The

life preserver has his length. One cloud has his full

name, and the other cloud has his weight.

Carter and Daddy ready to go home!

On our way to the car to go home!

Our Pea in the Pod: Carter's 40 Week Update

I have now made it to 40 weeks, and today is Carter's due date!  Only 4-5% of babies are born on their actual due date, but oh, how we wish Carter would be one of this small percentage!  By the time I had reached Dawson's due date, he was five days old-so I've never been this pregnant before.  I'm ready to hold my baby, but he's keeping us waiting right now! 
For most of the past week, I have kept very busy-mostly just keeping up with Dawson and keeping him entertained.  I have done a ton of walking, though.  Friday we walked for about three and a half hours at the zoo, Saturday was a busy day, and then Sunday I was up and on my feet most of the day cooking or playing with Dawson. 
John thought I was overdoing it a little, so Dawson spent some time with his Lolly and Pop, and I was able to get a lot of rest on Sunday evening and Monday!  I am very thankful for John encouraging me to rest and for my parents entertaining Dawson!  It was great to be able to rest and relax, but it possibly made me slightly more impatient for Carter's arrival!  :)  It is nice though, to feel rested for the first time in a while-and know that Dawson had a blast and was entertained the entire time.  (I think we owe Pop an entire tank of gas for his John Deere mower, because that's what Dawson did the whole time! haha)  After having many very busy days and a couple restful days, I've decided that neither is going to make Carter come until he's ready. 
I still don't have any major complaints, I'm a little achy but nothing unbearable at all!  I'm also still swollen, but, no more than I have been.  Oh, and I should mention that if we thought he looked like he was low before, now he looks even lower!  Carter still likes to move around in there, so we're enjoying feeling and watching his strong movements while we wait and wait!
This morning was my 40 week appointment, and everything still looks healthy.  The doctor estimated that he is between 8 and 8.5 pounds, but this is just an estimate.  His heart rate was still great-around 148-150.  I am scheduled to go back next week for a 41 week appointment, but I'm really hoping that I'll go into labor before then! 
Hopefully this is my last picture like this with Carter!

40 Weeks Pregnant with Carter

Happy Easter!

We had a great Easter and hope everyone else did too!  To begin with Dawson got to decorate some Easter bunny cookies on Thursday evening with his Lolly and Pop!  Then on Saturday morning we went to an Easter Egg Hunt at the Greenbelt Park.  It was great!  They had a tattoo booth which Dawson loved!  He got a tattoo on his arm (originally he had requested to get it on his tummy, but changed his mind at the last minute)!  He loves tattoos right now.  After visiting the tattoo booth, he got a balloon animal dog. 

Then he was amazed by a clown who made a coin disappear and reappear for him.  Dawson got to bring the coin home, and he still talks about not knowing where the coin went.  He says he thought it went up in the sky!  Haha!  They also had popcorn which Dawson used to feed to the ducks swimming in the creek while we were there!  He thought the ducks-who just happened to be there-were a great part of the egg hunt!  There were three inflatables there also. 

After visiting the different booths and playing for a while it was time for the egg hunt!  We have been having daily egg hunts at our house with Dawson for about the past two weeks, so he knew exactly what to do.  I should also mention that during our home egg hunts Dawson loves to hide the eggs for you, and then show you where they all are as you look for them!  So funny!  Back to Saturday's egg hunt though-They did a great job of dividing the kids into age groups.  Dawson hunted eggs in the "4 and Under" group.  For all the age groups combined they had over 12,000 Easter eggs!!  Dawson filled his basket with eggs two times!  This egg hunt was great because the eggs were empty, so after the kids picked them up they turned them in at their age groups tent and got their basket packed full of candy!  This made it a lot of fun for the kids to be able to pick up the eggs at whatever pace they could without being rushed.  After Dawson filled his basket with eggs twice and got his basket full of candy he was done.  There were SO many eggs there though, that his age group still had eggs on the ground when we left!  Dawson had a blast at the egg hunt, and I'm so glad we went!

Later on Saturday we decided to dye our Easter Eggs!  Dawson was really into it this year.  We dyed 12 eggs total.  He had fun dipping them in the various colors and using the wax crayon to draw on them too.  Dawson decorated most of the eggs, but we did one with Dawson's name on it and one with Carter's name too!

On Sunday morning when we woke up the Easter bunny had visited our house!  Dawson was thrilled to get candy (including suckers, obviously), Cars 2, The Lion King, a bug box, a bug net, a toy Car from Cars, and a Cars plate.  John and I were unprepared for the questions that followed him receiving the Easter basket- "How did the bunny carry the basket?  On his tummy?  Did the bunny come to our house in a car?  How did he get in our house?  Was the Easter bunny the same bunny we saw by our garden the other night and named Mr. Snacks?"  We quickly rattled off answers, and Dawson seemed happy with our answers.  I was just surprised he thought about it so much!  He loved his Easter basket though, and he thought it was a real treat!

On Sunday morning we dressed in our Easter clothes, and Dawson was thrilled to "look like Daddy."  He didn't want to take his sports coat off, and wore it the entire time he was at church.  We went to the church we've been visiting, and Dawson did great again-no tears when we left him!  He's so funny, though, because he reports everything to us that the other kids do.  I'm just happy that he seems to be enjoying Sunday mornings at church and getting to play with some other kids.

After church we went over to my parents house for a delicious Easter lunch.  I wish I had gotten a picture, but Dawson was allowed to drink straight apple juice (we usually dilute it A LOT) out of a champagne flute.  He thought he was such a big boy drinking out of a big glass like the rest of us!  After our Easter lunch, I had planned Dawson could do an Easter Egg Hunt with his Lolly and Pop, but

Dawson just wanted to ride Pop's John Deere-so that's what he did!

Sunday evening we had Grandad, Nana, Aunt Em, and Cousin Drew over for dinner.  I cooked a turkey breast, mashed potatoes, brussel sprouts, green beans, fruit salad, and homemade rolls.  Emily made a cute Easter Bunny cake for Dawson.  Unfortunately, I didn't get a picture of it before Dawson removed it's eyes (M&Ms), tail and teeth (marshmallows), and all the other cute parts that made it look like a bunny, but it was so cute!  After dinner Dawson got to hunt some Easter eggs and play outside with everyone for a little while! 

We had a great Easter!  The only thing that could have made it better would have been if Carter had decided to come on Sunday night after all our celebrating was over!  Here are some pictures from our Easter festivities (and I apologize that they're in a weird order, I was struggling to get them uploaded normally)!

Can you tell someone looks excited to be

coloring Easter eggs?!  I had him take off

his shirt so we would not ruin any clothes.

Our finished eggs!

On Good Friday we decided to go to the

favorite exhibit was watching the excavator

and steam roller build a new exhibit!  Haha!

Here are Daddy and Dawson watching the

steam roller.

Mommy, Carter, and Dawson at the zoo.

Dawson wanted me to take a picture

of the equipment working.  Seriously,

we watched this for about 15 minutes.

Dawson riding a lion!

Our Family on Easter!

Our family again on Easter.

(I like how Dawson's leaning

his head into Carter in this one!

Sweet brothers!)

Guess who has had a lot of

Easter candy?!

Dawson on Easter.

Dawson's Easter Basket.

Digging through his loot!

Checking to see what all was in there!

Adding sprinkles to the cookies he decorated

at Lolly and Pop's house on Thursday.

And eating some sprinkles!

Dawson with his balloon animal

dog and Easter basket at the

egg hunt!

Dawson in the middle of all the other kids

finding eggs-obviously they were not too

hard to find!

Mommy and Dawson working on coloring

Easter eggs!