The Blake Effect

I am starting this blog again because Jeff's Great Grandma Venice is the coolest Great Grandma in the world.   She lives in California and doesn't get to see her grandkids very often.  She earns the "coolest in the world" title because she's so tech savvy on her iPad.  I've been sending her email updates about the kids with pictures and realized it wouldn't take much time to upload the pictures on here so I can share them with her and with all the other family as well.

I will not be trying to catch up because that many years is impossible to tackle.  We moved shortly after our last post and then the infamous SMOKE DAMAGE happened which took a long time to recover from.  (I still have one box of shoes from the dry cleaners that hasn't been unpacked.)  Jeff should just throw it away so it doesn't taunt me anymore.  Then we suffered from what we now call The Blake Effect.  Get it?  Lake Effect?  Blake Effect?  Google lake effect if you are lost.

I got pregnant with our fabulous Blake Gordon Carlson in December.  I quickly realized I'd suffer the worst pregnancy so far with him.  I had morning (all-day) sickness the entire 9 months.  I was completely exhausted and with 4 other kids at home, our household suffered.  After he was born, he quickly let me know who was boss.  He did not sleep, eat, and smile like the first four babies.  He ate, screamed, screamed, screamed himself to sleep, and then started the cycle all over again.  We finally learned he was sensitive to lost sleep and had a hard time going to sleep.  We tried every trick to help him fall asleep but he wouldn't stay asleep for long.  We admitted defeat and laid him in his crib every time he started to get drowsy.  He sure put up some monumental fights but soon learned to soothe himself to sleep.  He now is a champion thumb-sucker just like Daddy was.  He is now 8 months old and is such a joy.  I feel like I am finally starting to get a handle on not only my daily chores but my to-do list as well.  We also suffered from annoying computer problems and broken cameras.
We now have a new computer and a new camera.  I'm ready to go!  Are you ready to follow?
I will set a goal to update once a week on Sunday.  I'm excited because a blog is just like a family scrapbook mixed with a journal.  I LOVE going back and reading some of the old posts. 

Here is Kyle signing during his school's patriotic program.

Here is Caleb with his best friend Kyler Bonney.  Kyler is only 3 but we have found out that the therapist was right.  Caleb plays best with kids older or younger than him. 

This is a horrible picture of Katie's class singing the Songs of the Armed Forces.  She was so excited that Grandpa was going to be there and that HER grandpa could stand during the Army portion.

Poor Blake is a blur but I was teary watching my Daddy stand and I had a hard time getting a decent picture.