Child Labor

Carter is my first baby.  I always tell him this.  I am constantly telling him to stop growing up, that I need him to be my baby forever.  Especially when he outgrows his pants in 2 months.  

Carter has really taken a liking to "helping."  He takes his jobs very seriously.  He has even started to tell us about his job that requires him to leave the house.  He announced to us one day that he now works in the Emergency Room as a Doctor and that he would be gone that night until 9.  He has spent a lot of time in the hospital granted, but I wouldn't trust his skills as an ER Doc.  When did my baby become old enough to hold a full time job?  Luckily his shifts at the hospital don't take him away from home too many nights a week.  He still has time to help around the house.  

He is a Jack of All trades

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Trade #1:  Shoveling Dirt

Grandpa brought a trailer of manure over one night and happened to have a kid sized shovel.  Carter spent over an hour moving dirt with his daddy and grandpa.  

 He was quite good with a shovel and managed to dump the dirt in the wheelbarrow over 97% of the time.

 After the manure was laid on the garden he grabbed a rake and carefully began to smooth the dirt.  In fact he still goes out daily and grabs the rake and does his "smoothing."

The best part about this job??  It is physically demanding and the night he shoveled for over an hour he slept in an hour longer than normal.  Hallelujah!  And then took a 2 hour nap that next afternoon.  I may require an hour of shoveling each day from him to get him to sleep like that more often!

Trade #2  Laundry

Since getting new machines that Carter can reach into, he has been eager to help transfer and load laundry.  Even better are the buttons that light up and make noises.

 Trade #3

"Hosin"  

 Carter loves to help Neil with anything that he's doing outside.  If Neil hoses off his bike, Carter hoses off his.  If Neil is fiddling with his bike rack, Carter is fiddling too.  This day Carter was helping Neil hose off the muddy car.  When I asked him what he was doing he replied "I'm hosin."  Enough said.

Trade #4 (Which happens to be my favorite)

And I quote again....

"Lawn Mowering"

 Carter picked up this old, faded Fisher Price lawn mower from my sister.  He saw it in their garage, immediately took a liking to it and played with it constantly while at their house.  Then he became his favorite person when she told him he could take the lawn mower home since her kids never played with it.
Not to worry, this toy doesn't sit around collecting dust around our house.  In fact, quite the opposite.  I'm afraid he is going to wear it right out.

He is dead serious about his need and desire to "Lawn Mower" the grass.  And wouldn't you know it, our lawn needs a good mowing 2-3 times a day.  The picture above shows Carter, in his pajamas mowing the lawn at 7 am.  He couldn't wait another minute to mow this day.  Good thing his lawn mower is silent, I doubt the neighbors would appreciate a wake up call like that.

 And this day I had just finished REAL mowing the grass and Carter came up to me and said "Mom, the lawn isn't looking too good so I'm going to lawn mower it again."  Thanks buddy.

I love to watch him lawn mower the grass.  I do really wish he could do it for us.........

You know the saying "All work and No play makes Carter a dull boy...."

So very true.  So Carter makes sure to take some time and play and be a 3 yr old boy.

 Jumping off the couch downstairs onto the beanbag is an all time favorite.  I hate the old, gross beanbag and would love to throw it away but Carter won't let me.

                                                             "To Infinity and Beyond"

He likes to be "Twins" with Jax and requests to wear the same outfit on occasion.  I bought them a couple of identical outfits, just because I thought they were cute.  Not to necessarily wear at the same time but Carter thinks it to be fun to be a Twin.

                                      
He is easy to please.  We woke up one Saturday morning to see the neighbor across the street having a garage sale.  And there on the lawn sat this picnic table. $5 later it was in our backyard with a little boy who wanted to eat anything and everything just to have an excuse to sit there.  I hope to avoid a dirty kitchen floor this summer by eating most meals outside!

                                       
He has recently taken a new found interest in our cat Kevin.  He wants to carry him around constantly while outside and calls him "Kevy Kev."

He has been saying some funny things lately.  This boy can eat and when I finally put my foot down and tell him no more food until dinner he will sweetly say "I will give you all of the monies in my money jar if you give me one more treat!"  If he owned more than 75 cents I would consider it.

After going to time-out or getting in trouble he will come and give me a hug and say "Mom are we still best friends?"  Or "Please don't ever be mad at me again Mom."  Or "Do you still love me Mommy?"  The answer to all these questions is Yes, I can't promise that, and More than Ever.

                                      
These pictures really melt my heart and show what a tender side this hardworking kid can have.  He got this stuffed monkey, named Monkey for his first Christmas.  They were inseparable for about 2 years and then Monkey kind of got booted.  Right after Jackson was born we suggested that Carter give Monkey to Jax so Jax could have company at the hospital.  Carter thought it was a great idea until he got to the hospital and the handoff time was here.  He decided that Monkey was his best friend and could not be parted with.  So Monkey re-established his role and bed sharer and best friend.  I will randomly find Carter and Monkey snuggled up together at random times and places.  Like the picture above.  They are watching a movie together.  Carter always has Monkey snuggled under his chin.

We sure love our hardworking boy.  We just wish all his "jobs" would bring in some money.  Make him start earning his keep around here.  That being said:  If you are in the market for some Shoveling, Laundry help, Hosin or Lawn Mowering please give Carter a call!