The Bert Show needs to give parents a break!

I am not a big fan of the Bert show (Atlanta Morning Radio Show), I will listen occasionally when my Conservative News Talk show goes to commercial...and I ALWAYS regret it. Every time I listen, I just think to myself, these people are such pretentious, judgmental snobs! They typically are judging things they know nothing about.

Today, one of their segments really struck a cord with me. It was about parents not cleaning up after their kids in restaurants and how servers are NOT there to clean up after you and your children. Well, its not that black and white! The cast was mainly talking about parents who let their kids tear up restaurant property, open and pour out salt and pepper, make messes with the sugar and splenda, have food fights, etc...And I was in agreement with them until one parent called in and said that she makes her children behave while dining out, but doesn't clean up the food on floor (I don't clean the floor either). The Bert show cast felt like it was the parents' place to clean the floor before they left. SAY WHAT!!??? The lady asked "should I get down on my hands and knees and pick it all up?" And the Bert show cast just snarled and huffed and puffed and said Uhhh YEAH.

Seriously?????? I kept listening for the # to call in but I never heard it, I swear I had smoke coming out of my ears. Ok Bert show: babies throw food on the floor...they JUST do, its not to make the server have a bad night, and they don't know any better until they get older. When I go to a restaurant with my family, I am going to have a BREAK from cooking and cleaning Duhhh....So yes, the servers/bus boys, etc... are there to serve and clean up. And no, I will not get down on my hands and knees and pick up food off of the floor. It is hard enough to entertain your kid, to make him behave and maintain a volume level that won't bother other patrons, get your child fed, yourself fed, still entertain them while waiting for the check, etc...

Ironically, the only cast member who HAS children was out today; so the argument wasn't very balanced. Just a bunch of childless snobs beating up on parents who want to take a "break" (if you can even call dining out with kids a break) for an hour a week.

Disclaimer: Being a server is hard work, I have many friends that were servers and I respect servers greatly and am a very generous tipper. My anger in this post was towards the KNOW-Nothing Bert Show cast members and others who are annoyed when parents bring children in public...Oh the horror! Listen people, children exist and they don't always behave, they too are allowed in restaurants.. babies cry and make messes...GET OVER IT!

What's up with us?

Not too much! August has been a pretty uneventful month in the Phillips house. Between holidays, traveling and birthday parties, etc... we usually find a house project to work on. Currently we (well just Cory) are replacing the tile around the fireplace. It was an ugly black marble tile that didn't go with our brown and tan theme. So we are trying to correct it :) I will post some pics when it is finished (hopefully this weekend).

Carson is doing well in his new class, I am getting to know his teachers (in the new class) a little better and I really like them now. There are only 5 kids in this class which makes me very happy. There was also a bully that was constantly pushing down babies and biting them in this class, but after he bit Carson, he got kicked out. I was so happy to hear the news when I found out he was gone! Now, here's hoping he didn't teach my sweet boy to act like that.

Carson's vocabulary now consists of Uh-oh, Daddy, Mama (though he uses this word sparingly), Bite, Doggie, Duckie, Thank-you, and Hey. He knows what we mean when we say ball, doggie, bite, milk, passy. He no longer responds when I say "no". I now have to remove him from what he is doing wrong.

He still loves to go outside, and his new favorite thing is the slide. He wore Cory and me out the other day sliding so much. He wants to play in all the areas that make me cringe...pine straw, mine fields of dog crap, and the street. He thinks it is fun to open and close the mailbox.

We now have to strap him in his high chair b/c he can stand up in it. And he tries to climb on everything.

He still has no top teeth, where are they?????????

He won't eat cheerios or goldfish anymore, I guess he got bored with them. He feeds that ol' stuff to the dogs.

Carson will be 13 months next week.

Carson Lately

Carson was sick last week with a nasty cold, which turned into another ear infection so we were sent to the ENT and decided on getting tubes put into his ears next Tuesday. I hope it helps him, please say a prayer that the procedure goes well and that there are no complications from anesthesia, etc.....

He has really been jabbering up a storm lately, he is constantly talking and is very loud. He is getting very good at communicating to me what he wants, he will take my hand and lead me places, he will grab my hand and put it on something that he wants me to open, he pretty much just uses my hands to do what he wants accomplished. He points to everything.  He is starting to say Thank-you which sounds like "Deed - Do", and he tries to say Doggie and Duckie. He loves walking around in the yard, he gets so mad when he has to come inside. He also shakes his head no to tell me that he doesn't want to do something or that he doesn't want me to do something to him like change his diaper or give him a bite of food or his sippie cup. He even shakes his head when he is about to do something that he knows is wrong. It is so hard not to laugh at him when we are trying to discipline him.

He got his 3rd haircut last weekend, and still behaves during the cut, knock on wood. :)
He is turning into such a funny little boy! I love him so much!

This is his new scooter, he hasn't figured out how ride it yet, he really likes to put things in the front compartment.

Reading his Elmo book (upside down!)

He got some new PJ's for his birthday, and until they shrink up a bit, I have to pull the pants way up so he doesn't trip...I think he is going to be short.

He thinks he is hot stuff now that we let him roam around the driveway and the yard.

Carson is 12 1/2 months old. 

Big Boy Table

When I 1st took Carson into the Beginner room to introduce him to the new environment...they said he could join the rest of the toddlers for a snack. When I saw where he would be sitting...I thought to myself "yeah right, he won't sit there for more than 3 seconds." Boy I was wrong...he was so interested in the other kids and the food that he sat there for the entire snack time. It is amazing what he learns and will copy from other kids. For example: he naps for almost 2 hours on a floor mat at daycare, that would never happen at home!

As he sat at the tiny table that doesn't even come up to my knees, I just kept thinking how cute he was and that I had to take a picture of him there soon. Every morning I drop him off, I sit him down at the table and they serve him his breakfast and seeing him look up at me from that table is just so precious...not sure why....

Bring on the food ladies!

Too early for the camera Mom!

Things I don't want to forget

Lately when I rock Carson at night he "hums" himself to sleep..it is the sweetest thing, he did this when he was a tiny baby...not sure why he started up again, but I don't mind.

He is developing some new habits...he likes to shake his head no. Sometimes he will do it coincidentally when I ask him a a question, when I try to wipe his mouth or nose, and even sometimes while he is dancing....speaking of dancing he has started to do a little neck roll...it is the cutest thing ever.

He loves to copy us when we stomp our feet.

He has discovered how to "go limp"...every time I need to brush his hair, teeth, or redirect him from something, he just falls to the floor...drives me insane.

He now knows the the word "bite" means food, and I can always get him to come to me when I say "You want a bite"  ....this kid loves to eat.

We let him have "naked time" before his bath and he now likes to "target" things to pee on...maybe potty training won't be so bad! Yeah right!

He is doing really well in the Beginner Classroom (12-20 months age range) at daycare...he sleeps on a mat instead of a crib...it drives me crazy how he naps SO easy for daycare teachers...but refuses to be put down for naps some days at home. He is very smart :) He knows what he can get away with at home and that mama is a softie.

He is DANGEROUS...I now have to protect the dogs from him! He hit Charlie on the head with a toy the other day and I am sure it hurt her :(   She runs the other way when he walks around shaking his toys now! He also hit Daddy in a very tender area with his music mallet...that was quite funny.

He certainly does keep us laughing, and I can't get enough of him!

Carson's 1 year Check-up and Stats

At 12 months, Carson is:

• Eating just table food now, and he loves to feed himself.
• Only drinking from the sippy cup, I put all bottles away last week.
• Has 4 teeth all on bottom.
• Just moved up to size 4 diapers.
• Still in 12 month size clothing, although its getting a tiny bit snug.
• In a size 3 shoe.
• Is transitioning to the Toddler room at Daycare this week.
• Loves for us to sneak up on him and "scare" him. 
• Can walk pretty fast.
• Is figuring out the doggie door.

• Loves his doggies, especially Charlie, when she lays down, he goes and pats her on the back.
• Is obsessed with playing ball, he would be happy if balls were the only toys he had, he has gotten good at rolling and throwing balls.
• Loves to walk around the yard and room to room in the house; still enjoys his swing.
• Is enjoying figuring out how to close doors, but can't reach the knob to open them yet, so he gets frustrated when he can't get back out.
• He is very interested in the bathroom scale, toilet and bath tub. He likes to throw balls and mommies stuff into the toilet and bathtub.
• Loves when I open the dishwasher and tries to grab the dishes no matter how many times I scold him.
• LOVES music and dancing, he will even dance to the lullabies on his glow worm, and to the sound of the toilet flushing. 
• Had his first birthday party last weekend and had a great time!
• Went to the Dr. for a check up and weighed 20 lbs 7 oz and is 29.25 inches tall. 

Carson is 1 Year old!

Dear Carson,

Today at 9:21AM you turned one year old. I remember the first time I felt you move in my belly, the first time I saw you and held you, and it all feels like yesterday.

This year has flown by, you grew from a baby to a toddler overnight it seems. At one of the baby showers, a friend wrote on the card: "Get ready for more joy than your heart can handle" and I think that is the perfect way to describe being your mama.

We fell in love the moment we met you. 

You have made Daddy and me so unbelievably happy.

You are our entire world. 

We love you more than you can imagine and always will.

THE PARTY

Your 1st party was a success! You had a great time playing with your family and friends, playing with the paper and boxes that your toys came in :)  and you really enjoyed smashing and eating your birthday cake!

The party was a Dinosaur theme with baby blue and lime green colors all around:

The favors were complete with Dino goodies: Dino gummies, Dino silly bands, Dino rubber duckies, Dino stickers, etc...

The Cake table:

I made a Dinosaur nest to display a birth photo and a recent photo of you to show how much you have changed:

Your smash cake was a Dinosaur egg:

Your big cake (inspired by Tank on the Dinosaur Train PBS show, your favorite show...thanks to the Dessert Box for the yummy cakes)

I even worked your outfit into the theme!

Yummy cake, you started eating right away!

HAPPY 1ST BIRTHDAY BABY! I LOVE YOU SO MUCH!