It's Been A Year!!

How amazing! Carrie came home on Thanksgiving Eve last year... so today is officially Carrie Day!! What an amazing reminder of how God answered our prayers and brought our little miracle to us before Thanksgiving!

Last night she told me she wants Chinese food for dinner. Drew and I are going to bake her a cake and we'll all celebrate later! We are so thankful to God for giving us this little turkey... she is fun, smart and beautiful... and pretty crazy like the rest of us. Happy Thanksgiving to all of you!!!

My cowpokes! How adorable are they? We had a fun time trick or treating, but Carrie didn't have too much stamina and then we lost ours, too! Thought I'd share some photos!

Apple Pickers!

We had a great family
afternoon a few Sundays ago. We headed up to VT for an apple-picking adventure! The apples were so delicious and the scenery atop this little mountain was outstanding! We will make this a tradition; it was too great not to do it again!!

Carrie Turned Two!!!

Happy Birthday, Our Darling!

This post is two weeks late, Carrie turned two the end of September... but I just haven't had the time to sit and consider what pictures to post!

We celebrated her birthday on the 30th by going to Toys R Us. They gave Carrie a crown, a balloon and announced her birthday over the loud speaker. She was SO happy and adorable! She chose a Spiderman kickball for her gift. That is what she wanted!! Funny kid. We had a cake for her at home and gave her some presents. She insisted that I go to the car and get her "birthday hat" from Toys R Us to wear for the cake. How does she know these things??? Amazing child!

The next weekend we celebrated her birthday "fiesta style" at a mexican restaurant in NJ with family and friends. She was beautiful in her white cotton dress and red cowgirl boots. She kept the dress white for the WHOLE party and didn't spill huge amounts of salsa on it until it was time to leave! Her red boots are her FAVORITES and she even puts them on with pajamas!! Beautiful, little girl...growing up way too fast.

Thank you, Father God, for this tremendous gift!!

Happy Birthday, Nana!

Today is my grandmother's 92nd birthday! She is a very special woman and she reads this blog often. So,

HAPPY BIRTHDAY GRANDMA and NANA! WE LOVE YOU!!!!!

My grandmother has been a pillar in my life. We lived together from my birth until I was 16... we even shared a bedroom for a couple of years after my grandfather passed away as I didn't want her to be lonely! Imagine any grown woman wanting to share her bedroom with a crazy kid... we even got matching sheet sets for our twin beds :) Rainbows, butterflies... whatever I picked out. She is very special and I love her very much. I am so proud of her and how healthy she has kept herself, even in the face of a botched surgery and the complications... she kept on keeping on! She does her best to make the best of every new situation that comes her way and sets up her cozy home wherever she moves to next. She loves Jesus and leans on Him.

Grandma, thank you for all of your love and sweetness to me my whole life (which is quite long!). I pray you have a very healthy 92nd year and that we get to see you again soon! You are loved :)

How They're Doing...

Just realized I am really behind in updating this blog! The summer has been very busy so far with Vacation Bible School preparation and week, vacation with family, Dan's new job and I don't really remember what else! We have put a lot of miles on the car is all I know! We had a fun weekend in Pennsylvania with Martha, Dan and Justin... but I left the card for my camera at home and didn't get to take any pictures!! Both kids got sick recently and that wasn't too fun...thankfully it didn't last long. As you can see from these recent pics, they're happy and healthy now.

Carrie is talking up a storm!! She makes her own sentences which are anywhere from 3 to 9 words long. She climbs everything and most recently her crib. She is moving to a toddler bed now. I get to assemble that today and kiss my crib days good-bye. I'm a little sad about that, but I'm happy to see her developing and growing. She is STILL just 22 1/2 pounds. She eats well, but seems to burn everything that comes in. Skinny and long. I'm jealous :)

Drew is getting ready for first grade. He had to get new frames for his glasses yesterday since Carrie has done a number on his glasses one time too many and they finally snapped. He is so smart and has been working on addition, subtraction, multiplication, reading comprehension and more over the summer during our eye patch exercises. I'm excited to get back to a routine... but it will be hard to see him gone everyday. He and Carrie are still crazy, but getting along a little better I think.

Have a happy rest of your summer!

Four Eyes!

Well, after too much procrastination I finally brought Drewby to the eye doctor. Watching the exam process I could see the writing on the wall... and sat there wishing I had remembered to bring the coupon for glasses with me!! So, here's a pic of my cutie in his new specs! He really looks very handsome and we love his new look!! We will be living at Lenscrafters, however, since they are in constant need of adjustment. This morning, Carrie got hold of them and ... well, let's put it this way... it took a lot of work for me to make them look like glasses again!! Fun, fun :)

A Very Happy Mother's Day!

What a nice day! I woke up in the morning to a beautiful bookmark and card and "Queen for the Day" crown all made by my son... as well as a really special book he made and illustrated! So cute!!! I also got a gift certificate for some spa treatments!!! I can't wait!!!
Carrie was dedicated at church in the morning, so our parents were all here to commemorate that event and celebrate Mother's Day! We had a nice lunch at Outback and my kids must really like it there... they were both ravenous!! Here are some pictures of me & the kids!!!

TaDaa Thursday!!

Carrie swings! She didn't like it at first, then she seemed to like it, and then...she didn't like it again. But after getting on and off several times, she really began to get the hang of it! She even attempted to learn how to pump...and today was her first time ever on a swing! This kid is really smart; she watches everything. I caught her tonight attempting moves she's seen Drew doing in gymnastics, beginning with a really great pre-cartwheel stance! Unbelievable!! She's still my busy one and gets into almost everything...keeps life pretty wild around here! Thankfully she will still nap 1-2 times a day!!

First Easter Home!

No, we did not adopt another child... that little boy in the middle of our family is our nephew/cousin, Luke! He wanted to join us for some of our family photos and the camera battery died after 2 shots with him and 1 without. The without picture wasn't so great...we were all looking different ways, so here's one of our few family photos in existence!

Carrie enjoyed her first Easter egg hunt and church service. She just looked so incredibly darling both days, but I really can't say I got any fabulous shots of her in her dress. Two major first holidays with no great dress pictures :( One of these days I have to get some studio pictures done... can you believe I still haven't done that?! Happy belated Easter...He has risen indeed (especially a week later!) :))

Our Great Vacation!

We had such a blast! The long, LONG car rides weren't as bad as they could have been and we were so grateful for safe travel. We enjoyed our visits with family and friends all along the way! What a great time! You can open the slideshow below and see some of our adventures! I wish I took more pictures. If you zoom into a shot you can see it up close more and I did a few captions. Carrie seemed to really enjoy her First Vacation and more concentrated time with her Daddy!!

Make a slideshow - it's easy!

TaDaa Tuesday!

Move over Steven Tyler! I think this baby can rock it pretty well! :)
Carrie is starting to enjoy dressing herself. She can put on her own socks, she's really good at helping put shirts and diaper on, and she will try to put her own pants on. This usually results in the "mermaid style", but a funny attempt anyway!
Carrie also gets into EVERYTHING! This is her getting into the diaper bag and pulling out some props I wore for a skit at Drew's school that morning. She is so crazy.. fits right in at this house!!

TaDaa! Thursday

I know, I know... I've slipped up the last 2 weeks and didn't do my promised post! SORRY :) I've been sick on & off and just can't seem to get my act together most days. Today is no exception, but I swore to myself I would do this post today!!

Carrie is beginning to talk now!! It's so funny to hear the things she will choose to say. Here are her favorites:
"Dank oom" = Thank you, when she hands you something or you give her something
"here" when she hands you something
"Dada" to call anybody, and to refer to Dan
STILL no "mommy" or anything of the sort!!!!
"uh oh" when someone drops something
"more" just started, she's been otherwise signing it
She will also sign for "eat", "potty" and "all done".
And here's my favorite!! She loves her Valentine's Day monkey, which we've named OohOoh AhAh. She calls him "OohAhAh". SO CUTE!! There's a picture of the two of them together. Well, you can't really see the monkey because she's loving on him so much... but there's my pretty girl!!!!

First Tooth Gone Missing!

After MONTHS of looseness and at least two weeks of total wiggling...Drew has FINALLY lost his first tooth on February 13th!! Now the one that was next to it is starting to loosen up! The journey into big teeth begins! I'm so sad...my baby is really growing up! Here's a pic of the gap.
Congratulations, Drewby!!! Sorry we didn't let you eat the chocolate heart the tooth fairy left you with the quarters!! But we don't eat candy at midnight!!!

TaDaa Thursday!

Carrie can read! Or so it would seem anyway. She had enough sense to be completely insulted by this note that Drew left taped to the piano bench (which has become a parking lot of sorts for his trains, trucks and cars). Carrie happens to love trains, trucks and cars (so do I, by the way) and the poor girl gets them taken away all the time. When Mr. Drew is at school, however, she gets free reign!!
Well, Drewbs, here's what Carrie thinks of your sign :) Personally, I think it's one for the scrapbooks... I just have to figure out WHOSE scrapbook to put it in!!

The Gift of Laughter!

Funny, just last Wednesday I was telling Drew's previous teacher that I realized what is particularly different about Carrie. She doesn't laugh! Not at all, really! When tickled in the right spots, she will let out a small "Ha" or tiniest "teehee"... but NO laughing! Drew used to quiet entire diners and restaurants with his long, hysterical laughter that was way bigger than his little body. But Carrie will just smile bigger, no laughter.

Well, Saturday was my birthday and my mom, Carrie & I went with Drew to his gymnastics class. While sitting in the bleachers I was trying to keep Carrie occupied and I starting tickling her and nibbling on her. No different from other times really... except that she laughed HYSTERICALLY! I was SO excited!!! She did it repeatedly and I was so thankful for the best birthday gift she could possibly give me!

It hasn't happened again since.... so it really was a gift just for that day. Hopefully her laughter will come back as a regular part of her life, but for now I say, "Thank you, Lord! You & Carrie really made my day!!!" As did my mother-in-law for telling me I still look 30!!!! :)

TaDaa! Thursday

Okay... lots of people do special segments on certain days, so here's mine! I've done a HORRIBLE job at updating you (and keeping my own records) on Carrie's progress and milestones. This is my official record-keeper now!

Today we'll cover ambulation! Last Monday Carrie began walking back and forth between the couches in the living room. It would take her about 10 steps or more and she would sometimes fall, but she was pretty successful! Every afternoon last week she continued to practice and by Friday she could even navigate her brother's trains, etc. that get strewn across the floor everyday!! Now she's EVERYWHERE and can quickly scramble up the stairs... needless to say, it's BUSY here!!!! As you can see she's pretty darn proud of herself!!!

HAPPY DREW DAY!!! FIVE YEARS!!!

Here it is, a 50-photo slide show... we made it for Drew, but if you'd like to see it you are certainly welcomed to! It doesn't take that long to watch.
We are so grateful to our Lord for bringing us a son who was custom-made for us! We still get choked up marveling over the whole thing... how very good God is! We love you SO much, Andrew! You're the very best!!!!

Make a slideshow - it's easy!

Conversation with My Boy!

Andrew came home from school and requested his usual bowl of ice cream. This is the conversation we had as he ate:

Drew: Boys don't like kisses.

Mommy: Oh, that's silly. Of course they do!

Drew: Why do boys say they don't like kisses?

Mommy: Oh, they're just trying to be all cool or something.
Do you say that you don't like kisses, too???

Drew: Yes.

Mommy: Why do you say that??

Drew: I'm trying to pretend I'm cool, too!! (with a big ice cream smile)

Maybe you had to be there... but I thought it was priceless enough to share :)

Snow Fun!!

We did it! We finally made it outside as a family to play in the snow!! Last year the snow was either gone, too icy or the trees were too icy (dropping spears!) or just not good packing snow... we never got to build a snow anything! We are making up for it this year!
Check out our snowman, the start of our igloo and our little turkey sleeping in the "turkey roaster" sled as I have always called it! Our kids always look like their stuffed and ready for the dining room table in that thing :) We also visited the neighbors for some fun in their yard since we quickly lost Drew to them anyways! Thanks Nick, Tina, Emma & Luke! We had a GREAT time :)

Christmas Cards!

Well... if you're waiting for your Christmas card from us, KEEP WAITING!!! I may have them to you at Easter by this rate, but they WILL come!! :) DHL apparently delivered them to me on 12/23, but we were away. They were either 1) not actually left by my door, or 2) stolen from my doorstep. Either way, I've been waiting and waiting for them and still don't have them in my hot little hands!! I'm mid-investigation and hopefully will have new ones soon enough! I worked really hard on those and can't wait to get them out to you!!
Happy New Year to each of you! Thanks for reading my blog and checking in on us!! We love to hear from you and will have many exciting new things to share over the year! January 15th is Drew's 5 year homecoming date and I'm working on a special slideshow for him, which I will post! I'm also working on a "year in review" scrapbook to post as well! So, keep checking in :)