Thursday, August 30, 2007

Nana and Granddad

My grandparents have been at my house for the last couple of weeks. I love to smile, coo, and snuggle with them. I just wish they did not have to leave next week.
Here I am giving Nana big "hugs"Yum!
Granddad and I pausing in the middle of our stroll for a quick pic.Aren't I so cute???

Tuesday, August 28, 2007

Our New Flowers





WATER

It has been way too hot to play outside, so the boys have gone to the water park with Granddad and Nana these last 2 Saturdays. They love the slides and the wave pool and are able to expend their overabundance of energy from being cooped up indoors. Who won?
Can you spot Granddad walking towards Aidan who is pretty much under the water (only the top of his head is showing)?
Water gun fight!!!!!

Saturday, August 25, 2007

I'm a big boy now!!!

Luke has really become increasingly easier just this week. He is fussing less, cooing and smiling more, and most importantly napping better. At night, he continues to nurse at 9pm, fall asleep by 10 - 10:30pm, and does not awaken until sometime between 4 - 6:30am. He chows down in about 30min. and then back to bed until 9 or 9:30am. He loves to sleep on his belly (I know I'm a bad Mom), with his head turned to the left, but prefers sucking the fingers on his right hand- I really hope that this will shape his head evenly. Just in the last few days, he has discovered his left fist too, but still seems to prefer the right. He is beginning to like his bottle better (we are giving him 1 oz. per day - normally Nutramigen, but breastmilk occasionally if I have any to spare) and will take a pacie!!!! None of my other boys would even consider these options, but I wanted to be able to leave him for a date with Patrick without him screaming if I am not back in time. I just can't believe how quickly he is changing/growing up. I ABSOLUTELY LOVE the age he is at right now!!!!Look how animated he is looking at his mobile!

He loves to sit up, but only for a few minutes in his Bumbo chair!

Sleeping Like a Baby






Hands and Feet

Don't babies have the cutest hands and feet? Why is this? Adults extremities certainly can be classified is such!!! What makes everything about a baby so adorable???


Tuesday, August 21, 2007

Odds and Ends

When I first walked in I couldn't even see Luke's face, just his little feet and his hand poking out behind Sean's back. Sleeping together:)
Look at my hair!!!
Our little pudgekins looks almost like a sumo wrestler!!!

Comparison

These pics are exactly 11 days apart. Look how much he has grown!!! BTW, he hates having his hair and face washed which is why he is unhappy in the first photo. 8-8-07
8-19-07

To: Daddy......From: Luke

Dear Daddy,
I really look foward to our snuggles, especially at bedtime - no one can get me to sleep quite like you. I miss you and can't wait for you to come home. Sleeping with Daddy
Do you miss me???

Sunday, August 12, 2007

I'm Invisible - NOT

Someone posted this on a mother's board that I frequent. It brought to mind many scriptural truths and was such an encouragement to me. I just wanted to share it with each of you!!!

________________________________________________________

I'm invisible.

It all began to make sense, the blank stares, the lack of response, the way one of the kids will walk into the room while I'm on the phone and ask to be taken to the store. Inside I'm thinking, "Can't you see I'm on the phone?" Obviously not. No one can see if I'm on the phone, or cooking, or sweeping the floor, or even standing on my head in the corner, because no one can see me at all.

I'm invisible.

Some days I am only a pair of hands, nothing more: Can you fix this? Can you tie this? Can you open this? Some days I'm not a pair of hands; I'm not even a human being. I'm a clock to ask,

"What time is it?" I'm a satellite guide to answer, "What number is the Disney Channel?" I'm a car to order, "Right around 5:30, please."
I was certain that these were the hands that once held books and the eyes that studied history and the mind that graduated summa cum laude - but now they had disappeared into the peanut butter, never to be seen again.

She's going she's going . she's gone!

One night, a group of us were having dinner, celebrating the return of a friend from England. Janice had just gotten back from a fabulous trip, and she was going on and on about the hotel she stayed in. I was sitting there, looking around at the others all put together so well. It was hard not to compare and feel sorry for myself as I looked down at my out-of-style dress; it was the only thing I could find that was clean. My unwashed hair was pulled up in a banana clip and I was afraid I could actually smell peanut butter in it. I was feeling pretty pathetic, when Janice turned to me with a beautifully wrapped package, and said, "I brought you this."
It was a book on the great cathedrals of Europe. I wasn't exactly sure why she'd given it to me until I read her inscription: "To Charlotte, with admiration for the greatness of what you are building when no one sees."

In the days ahead I would read - no, devour - the book. And I would discover what would become for me, four life-changing truths, after which I could pattern my work: No one can say who built the great cathedrals - we have no record of their names. These builders gave their whole lives for a work they would never see finished. They made great sacrifices and expected no credit. The passion of their building was fueled by their faith that the eyes of God saw everything.

A legendary story in the book told of a rich man who came to visit the cathedral while it was being built, and he saw a workman carving a tiny bird on the inside of a beam. He was puzzled and asked the man, "Why are you spending so much time carving that bird into a beam that will be covered by the roof? No one will ever see it."

And the workman replied, "Because God sees."

I closed the book, feeling the missing piece fall into place. It was almost as if I heard God whispering to me, "I see you, Charlotte. I see the sacrifices you make every day, even when no one around you does. No act of kindness you've done, no sequin you've sewn on, no cupcake you've baked, is too small for me to notice and smile over. You are building a great cathedral, but you can't see right now what it will become."

At times, my invisibility feels like an affliction. But it is not a disease that is erasing my life. It is the cure for the disease of my own self-centeredness. It is the antidote to my strong, stubborn pride. I keep the right perspective when I see myself as a great builder. As one of the people who show up at a job that they will never see finished, to work on something that their name will never be on. The writer of the book went so far as to say that no cathedrals could ever be built in our lifetime because there are so few people willing to sacrifice to that degree.

When I really think about it, I don't want my son to tell the friend he's bringing home from college for Thanksgiving, "My mom gets up at 4 in the morning and bakes homemade pies, and then she hand bastes a turkey for three hours and presses all the linens for the table." That would mean I'd built a shrine or a monument to myself. I just want him to want to come home. And then, if there is anything more to say to his friend, to add, "You're gonna love it there."

As mothers, we are building great cathedrals. We cannot be seen if we're doing it right. And one day, it is very possible that the world will marvel, not only at what we have built, but at the beauty that has been added to the world by the sacrifices of invisible women.

Great Job, MOM

Pachelbel Bedtime

I found this very appropiate for all of the mommies of young children, new babies, and mommmies-to-be!!! ENJOY!!!

Monday, August 06, 2007

5 Minutes for Mom Giveaway!!!

Once again, 5 Minutes for Mom has teamed up with Best Buy for another fabulous giveaway. Make sure to visit their site and sign up for your chance to win.

Saturday, August 04, 2007

Happy 9th Birthday, Drew!!!


Yesterday, was Drew's 9th birthday. I cannot believe he is already nine - where does the time go??? For dinner, he chose to eat at King's Buffet. Dessert was Peanut Butter Pie!!
Make your wish and blow!!!
Sean, Luke, Drew, and Aidan
Just for fun - a family photograph.
Just what he wanted!!!

Built and ready for ACTION!!!

Friday, August 03, 2007

The Many Faces of Luke

Aidan and Luke

Aidan does not hold Luke quite as much as the big boys since he needs more supervision, and his arms wear out rather quickly. So as I was looking back through all of the photos, I realized I had no up-to-date pics of my two youngest sons. This has now been rectified!!!

Aidan must be doing a good job holding his baby brother, because Luke is smiling just a bit!!!

According to Aidan, this is the cute pic and of course must be included!!!

Wednesday, August 01, 2007

WE LOVE LUKE!!!

We all love holding Luke, and sometimes it is hard to share. But as you can see, we are taking turns, and he is growing up so fast. The first two pics are from 7/16 and the last one 7/23. Drew and Luke
Luke and Mommy
He is so content to just lie there with Sean!!!

Pics from July 17th

I know these are from a couple of weeks ago, but I wanted to post them anyway.My sister, Katie, snuggling with her adorable new nephew.
Grandma (my mom) and Luke hanging out together.
Luke is really checking out his Uncle Sean.
Just for fun - who is the biggest now???