I'm TWO!

Wow! Today was Carson's 2nd Birthday! We celebrated with a Family birthday party on Sunday lunch and then an office lunch today.  On Saturday night, Grandma Margie and Mommy coached him and he was shouting "two" and holding up one finger on each hand. No repeat performance on Sunday or today, but he understood that he was the center of attention!
Carson loved his gifts of "Cars" cars, trucks, tool workbench, tractors, books and puzzles. With all the present opening, he's definitely ready for Christmas!
We had lots of family and friends there to help celebrate: Grandpa Dave, Grandma Kathy, Grandpa Jim, Grandma Margie, Uncle Bob, Aunt Julie, Cousin Ella, Aunt Christine, Uncle Dan, Cousins Chase & MacKenzie, Great-Grandpa Phil and Carolyn, Grand-Aunt and Uncle Dixie and Larry, and friends Jason, Kelly, Macey and Nolan Kent.
It's hard to believe that our lil' man is two!  Even crazier is that in less than two months he'll be a big brother! :)

Happy Halloween!

 Carson LOVED Halloween! Especially ringing doorbells and grabbing candy. He wanted to hold our hands walking down the sidewalks, but after about the third house when we started up a drive he took off running for the door!  He also had a blast handing out the Halloween Tattoos (anti-candy Dentist mommy) to all the kids that came to our house. It was a lower turnout year, around 130-150. Last year we had well over 200 trick or treaters ring our bell!Halloween 2008. Nolan and Macey Kent.Halloween 2009. How they've grown!

Carson likes his glow in the dark skeleton jammies!

Carson was a dinosaur on Friday for Trick or Treating on the Williamsburg Square with cousins Chase and MacKenzie. We forgot to get the camera out, but he was super cute in that costume, too! He didn't like to walk around much in it though, because of the big tail.

Now, back to that bowl of candy... :)

Ella's Baptism

Ella Mazzy Swanson was baptized at Hope Lutheran Church on Sunday, October 18th in Des Moines.  She did great! No tears!:)  Carson on the other hand, what a wild child! This was by far the largest church I have ever been in, it was like a religious mall. The service was held in a huge auditorium with 1,000 people. Then we went to the "chapel," that was larger than our Williamsburg Methodist (St. Paul's) church, for Ella's and 9-10 other children's baptism. Then we had lunch at PF Chang's. Carson LOVES lo mein! It was a great family day! :)

Megan, Aunt Julie, Ella, Uncle Bob, Carson, and Ben in front of the large fountain/baptism dunk tank for adults.

Side note: Above is the updated picture of my office team.

Front row: Kari Honsey, RDH; Dr. Mike Stecher, DDS; Nancy Voss, RDH.

Back: Mari Ackerman, RDA/receptionist; Kathy Grier, Office Manager/RDA; Me; Kellie Bair, RDA.

Dr. Mike started working in our office one day a week in October and now in November will be there every Tuesday and Wednesday.  We are at a busy point in the practice that we need another dentist and it is great timing to help with my approaching maternity leave. I am very excited to have a six-week, more guilt-free, family-focused maternity leave! 10 weeks left! Wow! (Baby Ticker on side bar is off by 5 days since due date is Jan. 16th and C-section date is Jan. 11th!)