The Hatz Family: Carter Happenings...

Carter has been having a great time this summer!! He loves going to the pool and generally just being outside. Luckily the weather started cooperating :). Here's what Carter has been up to:

He now tinkles standing up and like a typical male forgets to put the seat back down :)
This kinda carries over from last month; but we had his preschool round up and after we left I asked if he had fun and he said, 'yeah...but I though there would be lassos'
Ever since Grandma TT passed away ~ Asking 'big' questions, talking more about God, heaven, Grandma TT and GG. He wanted to go visit GG in heaven and though Papa Dave should be able to drive there. And will out of nowhere say, 'remember Grandma TT? I miss her.'
After some challenging weeks has been the sweetest lately. Love, Love, Love! He can still have outbursts but more often than not is giving cuddles/hugs, promising to be patient and using his manners. Generally listening and following directions and trying to use his words more than screaming/crying. His attitude is directly related to how rested he is :)
Carter is having some issues with sleeping at night. On numerous occasions has come into our room and a new fun addition just yelling out for me in the middle of the night. Always scared of something...the other night he thought a giant spider was in his room. Then when night he freaked out because he thought he was coming into our room but ended up walking into his closet and didn't know where he was and Matt accidentally scared him when he found him in the closet. His crying woke Isla up...that was a fun night!!
He loves the pool! And is such a water baby. I was super surprised when one of the first things he wanted to do was jump off the board. In fact, I think that was the first thing he did! Matt and I were getting things settled and he walked over to the board (with water wings on), climbed up and jumped right in! In past years, he has taken a little while to warm up.
He has gotten really good at swimming and I am actually kicking myself that I didn't sign him up for another swim class after he passed his last one. He rarely wears his water wings now and loves to jump off the board without them and since the beginning of July has been able to swim to the side by himself. He also loves to jump into the deep end and swim back to the side by himself.
He still takes his shoes off immediately after entering the house and now even takes them off outside, which drives me crazy ~ I am always worried he will step on something sharp
His eating has gotten slightly better and I find that if I don't nag on him he eats better ~ imagine that. Similar to Isla, I am just over fighting this battle so I try to not force the issue. Neither get a dessert if dinner isn't eaten however!
He is having a little trouble sharing with Miss Isla. She totally gets in his business and it stresses him out a little. We are working on it :)
Doesn't talk about his farm as much and I don't think it is in Florida anymore...he does occasionally bring up his barn and how his pigs need to roll in mud to stay cool
He is still into all his lovies and has to bring one to Papa Dave's each morning.
His new favorite book is 'Dinotrux.' My mom took him to the library and after he found that book he wasn't interested in anything else. Everyone read it to him that day: My mom, Katie, Jo, my dad, Matt and me. And when someone wasn't reading it to him he was flipping through the pages by himself

He even fell asleep reading Dinotrux

He is really into sharks again and loves to tell me all the facts he knows about them. He is really excited to go the aquarium.
He loves the new neighborhood and all the kids to play with. Right now, he has two buddies that live on our street ~ Bruno and Jake.
Still my 'rule follower' boy. We have been having to water our grass a lot since it was sod so our sprinklers have been on. I told Carter he could run through the sprinkler the other night in his shorts and he couldn't wrap his mind around doing that. He said, 'but mom, these are my favorite shorts.' I assured him that they could be washed but he wasnt having it. He had to go inside and put swim trunks on
He tried sparklers for the first time and Katie and Ryan's house. He didn't love them and I think was just a little nervous about them. It probably didn't help that all of the adults kept saying, 'be careful, be careful.'

This is the first summer I think he really realized that his mommy had to go to work while Addison's mommy got to stay home. About a month ago I was taking a Friday off and told Carter that I only had 3 more days of work left and we started a countdown. The only problem is that I didn't clarify to Carter that I only had 3 more days of work left that week and Carter thought we were counting down my last days of work forever...it was hard breaking it to him that I did in fact have to go back to work. This working mom thing isn't easy...

The things he says:
Me: "Carter, you have got a nice tan!"
Carter: "Yeah, lots of people tell me that."

Matt: "Here's your milk. Sorry it has to be in a little cup."
Carter: "That's okay. After all I used all my big cups."

There was a tornado warning the other day while I was at work so my mom had to take the kids to the basement:
Me: "Were you scared of the storm today?"
Carter: "Yes."
Me: That's okay. Did Blue Doggie protect you?"
Carter: "No, no. I was just worried about you."

"Isla you're just a stinker pot but I love you."

Mom, did you know that there is a bullhead hammerhead shark? Can you believe it?!"

Carter came running to me from the other room and out of the blue said, "I love you, mom." He gave me a hug and quickly followed with a "Can I have a push up?" Master manipulator right there!!