Happy 1st Birthday, Clark!

Happy birthday, Clark! I cannot believe that my baby is 1 year old! It really does seem like yesterday that we were bringing him home from the hospital! He is growing up so fast! He is a happy, healthy baby and Paul and I are so thankful for all that the Lord has blessed us with.

Clark is walking, a little wobbly, but he is doing really good. He loves music and loves to dance, loves to blow bubbles and loves the vacuum cleaner. Yes, I did say vacuum cleaner. I think he may be a vacuum cleaner repairman when he grows up! He loves to push the vacuum around and likes to try to take it apart. I caught him the other day attempting to plug the vacuum in the outlet. Thank goodness for outlet covers. He will point the tv remote to the tv to try to turn it on, and when he is holding my keys, he will point them towards the car like he is trying to open the lock. He learns something new everyday. He can now also tell you what the dog says. It is really too cute.

We will be having a family birthday party tomorrow. My mom and dad came in yesterday for the big day and we are looking forward to the party.

Another Great Thanksgiving

We had another great Thanksgiving Friday night with Mimi, Grampy, the other Cutter's, the Warren Family, and the Shirley family. We had lots of good food. Most importantly, it was great to be around with all of the family.


Here is a picture of the entire family together



Here is a picture of Mimi and Grampy with all of their grandchildren.

Happy Thanksgiving

Clark had his first Thanksgiving today. I forgot to take my camera when we went to eat at Mimi and Papa Jim's house, so I had to take a few pictures of Clark when we got home. He was already dressed in his pj's, but that is ok. We had a good time with the family and had too much to eat. I hope everyone had a wonderful day.

Mr. & Mrs. John Mark Riley

Congratulations to my sister on her beautiful wedding. They are now enjoying their honeymoon at Disneyland! I wish them a long and happy life.

My little monkey

Catching up

I am behind on my blogging! We have been very busy these past few weeks. My sister is getting married this Saturday and we were getting ready to make the trip this week, so it was crazy around our house! On top of everything, Clark is walking and getting into everything!

Last Friday night, we had a family fun night at Harmon Tree farm with our church. We all had a good time. Here is Clark with his Mimi and Grampy.



Here is Clark telling his Grampy what he wants for Christmas!



We made it to Mississippi Tuesday night and we have been having a great time with my family. It is always good to come back home (especially to my mom's cooking!)

Here is Clark with his Yaya, Aunt KK and Uncle JR.







We are looking forward to Kim and John's wedding this weekend.

Caught

Clark was really quiet the other day. Needless to say, he was up to no good! He has discovered something fun. He really thinks that this is so funny!

Daddy's little helper

Clark loves gadgets! Paul was working on the vacuum cleaner the other night, and Clark thought he had to help his daddy. Needless to say, it took Paul a long time to get accomplished what he wanted to do!

First Steps

We caught Clark taking a few steps. It is a very quick video, so you have to watch carefully or you will miss it! Before long, he will be walking everywhere!

Time to eat!

Meal time around our house can be very interesting! I am really working with Clark to eat, and he is getting much better. I caught him the other day feeding Buddy when I turned my back! He is learning early!

Chocolate...mmmm

Clark had his first chocolate chip cookie the other day. He enjoyed it. He really made a big mess!

2 steps

Clark took 2 steps today! He let go of his toy and I called him to me and he took 2 steps before he fell. Wow....it will not be long now before he his walking and running everywhere! I hope I have enough energy for that!

11 months old

I cannot believe that Clark is almost a year old! These past months have gone by so fast. He is growing and getting to be a big boy! Here is what has been going on with Clark over this past month:

- Can say dada, mama, bubu (Buddy) and bye-bye
- Can blow you kisses (when he wants to)
- Can wave bye-bye
- Loves to push anything around. He loves to push his airplane around,as well as my kitchen chairs
- Can stand on his own
- Loves music....it is so funny to watch him dance
- Trying to snap his fingers
- Likes to blow on your belly and make noises
- Just started wearing shoes.....and hates them
- Puts anything and everything in his mouth
- Has 6 teeth
- LOVES the vacuum cleaner....gets excited when we vacuum!
- Has already had his first haircut
- Had his first real illness......the flu
- Had his first surgery.....tubes in ears
- Loves to play peek-a-boo
- Really enjoys being outside. When he gets fussy, we just take him outside and he gets really excited
- Enjoys swinging in his swing that his daddy put up for him
- Gets very excited when he sees Buddy when we get home in the afternoons

It is getting harder and harder to get any pictures of Clark since he is in constant motion. He is everywhere and never sits still for anything. He still is not very interested in table food, but we are making slow progress with that. He is just a very healthy, happy, and much loved little boy!

Baptism

Clark was baptised today. It was a very special day for all of us. He was so good during the baptism, I could not have been more proud of him. After church, all the family came over to our house to eat.

Halloween fun at daycare

At the hospital daycare, all the kids wear their Halloween costumes and then they parade them through the hospital. I believe that Clark was a little upset that he was having to put his costume back on!

Fall Festival

We had a fall festival at church Wednesday night. Clark had fun with his Grampy, Mimi, Aunt Abby and cousins Caroline and Hunter!

What is this?

I bought Clark's halloween costume several weeks ago, but decided to try it on and make sure it fit the other night. Needless to say, he really didn't know what to think of it. He was not too happy with my choice!

Surgery

Clark had surgery today. He had tubes put in his ears. He did really great. I am really hoping that this will help him. He has suffered so much over the past 3 months with ear infections. Everyone that has kids with tubes says that they are wonderful. I was so proud of him. He did so good!

Here he is bright and early before we left the house.




Here he is getting ready to go to surgery:

Kim & John

My sister's engagement party and shower went very well this past weekend. There was only one thing missing.......me!!! I know that everyone had a great time. I wish I could have been there.

Here is a picture of Kim and John Riley


Mom, Dad & Kim


Mom and Robbie Nichols


Mom & my sister's friend, Ben


Mom & Lyle Ward


Crazy Ben!


My dad, his sister, Harriet & her husband Tommy


Carver/Clark family


Mom and her best friend, Jan Scott


My mom and sister


Kim, John Riley and John's mom

Congratulations Kim & John

It is a very sad day around my house today. Me, Paul and Clark are suppose to be in Mississippi with my family celebrating a very special event. My sister and John Riley are getting married in November. This weekend was their engagement party and a shower for my sister. We were to leave Thursday after work and come back Monday. I was all packed and ready to go. Clark had other plans for us.

I knew something was wrong Wednesday. He was fussy. I just thought it was his ears. I was called around 11:00 by his teacher and told he had 101.1 temp and I needed to come get him. I called the doctor and she called in an antibiotic. Thursday afternoon, he was so sick that we made a trip to the doctor, where we did not get out until around 5:30. They ran flu tests, urine tests, and blood work. Nothing showed up. The doctor felt he had the flu. So, she put Clark on Tamiflu. We were to come back Friday morning. Thursday night, Clark began to run a temp of 105.1. The doctor called us around 9:30 to give us the results of his urinalysis and we talked about his fever. I was able to get it to 103 with medication and cool baths. Friday morning, I thought he was better, but I was wrong. He had a good hour. We went to the doctor and she told us she was pretty sure he had the flu and that his ears were much worse than they were the previous day. So, he had a rocephin shot. After leaving there, the ENT called and wanted to see him that day.

We proceeded to wait at the ENT office for 2 hours. Clark and I waited in the car until they called us. We finally got in to see the doctor. By then, Clark was feeling terrible and just pretty much lifeless. The ENT told us he needed tubes in his ears and wanted to know if we wanted them done right then in the office or schedule surgery. I asked how he did it in the office and he said, "I will lay that chair back, restrain him, cut a whole in his ear and slide the tubes in. It will be over quickly." I wanted to say, "Are you kidding me???" Clark had been through enough in one day and the thought of putting tubes in while he was awake was crazy! So, needless to say, we schedule surgery sometime next week.

We get home and of course is fever was 103 and remained like that all night. He wakes up this morning and had a great few hours and now he is starting to crash again. Here we go.....I thought we were over the hurdle.

I am just so sad that we cannot be there to celebrate with Kim, John and the rest of my family and friends. I know they will have a great time. I will be there with them in heart.

Congratulations Kim and John Riley......we love you both very much and are so happy for both of you!

Bad, bad ears

We went back again for a 2 week follow-up to check Clark's ears again. It was also time for his 2nd flu shot. He got his shot and did not even cry. He did so good. Then, when Dr. Webber looked into his ears and then looked at me, I knew there was trouble. He still has 2 very red ears. So, obviously after 3 months on antibiotics, it is not working. So, now we get to see an ENT for possible tubes. I believe that I am ready. I really thought he was better because he has been so happy. The doctor said that he has probably just learned to deal with them. Hopefully we can get that taken care of really soon.

Here are a few pictures that I took of Clark and Paul this weekend.

1st Haircut

Clark had his first haircut today! He did so good. They told me that he was the first child to get his haircut that did not scream. He actually laughed because it tickled his ears.

Here is a before shot.....





Here we are getting his hair cut......




Here is the final result......

10 months old

Clark is 10 months old today. He is growing so fast and everyday is a learning experience for us all. Other than catching the "daycare crud" every week, he is a healthy and happy baby. He can pull up and will walk behind anything that will move. He loves to pull up on my kitchen chairs and then push them around the house. I will find my chairs in the living room, in my bedroom, etc. It is amazing!

Clark can stand for a short time, but then falls. Pretty soon he will be taking those first few steps! He can say da-da (his favorite word), ma-ma, bu-bu (Buddy), and several other words that we really don't understand! I guess that is baby talk.

He is still not a big eater, refusing all table food. His teacher said, "Well, one thing about it, he won't be fat!" I guess one day when he decides to eat, he will. I am just not going to worry about it right now.

He is to that point where he doesn't want anyone but mama and daddy. He especially wants mama at night. He does really good at daycare and enjoys going, but anywhere else he gets upset. Once he warms up, he is good. I am hoping that he will grow out of that really fast.

He loves his dog, Buddy. Everything Buddy does is funny to him and he will laugh and laugh. They chase each other around the house and they really like to share toys. Of course, everything goes in Clark's mouth. There is nothing that he touches that he doesn't try to eat, except food!

He loves for you to throw the ball to him and will do his best to throw it back to you. Now that he knows how to throw, he tries to throw all of his toys around. I caught him the other day "dancing" to some music. It was really funny. The music on his toy would play and he would start moving up and down and laughing. When the music stopped, he would stop.

We had to put locks on our cabinets because he enjoyed pulling out all of my pots and pans. Now he gets mad when he can't open the cabinets. He is starting to show is personality. He loves to give you kisses (open mouth, sloppy, wet kisses!) and will give you the biggest smile when you smile at him.

Our lives have changed so much over the past 10 months and we have enjoyed every single minute of it!

Fun with da-da

Clark is always calling his daddy. All I hear is da-da, da-da, da-da! He loves his daddy. Paul likes to take Clark out and about often to give me some time to myself. Paul recently took Clark to Lowe's and they both had a great time. Here are a few pictures.

Look at me go!

Over the past 2 weeks, Clark has learned to pull up on his toys and walk behind them. He thinks this is so much fun. He tends to go a little too fast at times and I have to catch him and slow him down, but he is having fun. He can stand by himself now. He is a little wobbly, but he is doing good. Before long, he will be walking on his own!