three looks good on you.

dear carter jude, happy birthday. today was a great day - we celebrated YOU! this year you've taught me so.... much. you've taught me patience (gosh, i never knew i needed to grow this much!), grace, forgiveness, and that a kiss always makes an 'ouchie-wa-wa' feel that much better. you have taught me to keep laughing when life hurts, to keep my eyes closed when i or you pray and you have helped me to think about the ordinary things of life again because they're all brand new to you. You've taught me the power of curiosity and the joy of playing hard. You've taught me about pirates, toys that like to play with Andy, and so many character's names ... i know more than i ever knew i wanted to.:) You've taught me that a beautiful picture is colored only with a few crayons and scribbles. You've taught me that there's no time to waste... on to the next thing. You've taught me that you love sleep-what a beautiful rarity. I don't mean to sound cliche but i could go on and on because i haven't even scratched the surface of what you teach me. As a mom i learn so much and quite frankly learn how little i thought i knew before. Thanks for teaching me so much and for being a refining tool in my life everyday to draw me to Christ. Thanks for being my pal. Life with you is that much better. love, your momma.

the 'bubbles' party...

yesterday was absolutely perfect. i think i was just as excited about it as carter was. we had a family breakfast at egg harbor. he got a candle in his 'k-cakes' (pancakes) & he couldn't get over it... he kept saying.. again, again!


after that it was for us to complete the mission at hand.... the party.. i'd like to say & give God the glory that Luke and i didn't get in a fight while doing so... that's pretty good for having a 2 1/2 month old, 2 year old and having the thing at your house. growth is something to celebrate:)

i decided to be a bit more economical with the cake this year. so i enlisted a great & crafty friend to help me.. she made mickey & i made minnie. let's just say when i was finishing minnie at 11 p.m. i was fuming at the fact that she made it look soooo easy.


we did carter's favorite foods for the meal... the adults seemed to be rather thrilled.:)

my mother-in-law was in orlando the week before and she got these hats for the kids... totally made it come together!



my sister-in-law makes party favors... aren't they adorable... check her site out here:)


we tried a pinata... it was over the 2 year old's heads... but rather funny:)

and we had fun. i didn't get a family picture... but i did get this picture which to me makes everything worth it:)


for the past little while we have asked carter how old he is.... he immediately says 9. then we say... no, you're not gonna be nine. and he says 'not da nine, two.' and raises his 2 fingers, crossing them. i'll share it if i'm successful getting it on tape. it's so sweet:)

so, to say the least, i'm glad it's over but it was SOOOO much fun!
not da nine, TWO!
kg:)

my carter jude is two.

in a few hours carter will officially be two. about two years ago i was sweetly sleeping and awakened around 2:30 a.m.... my life forever changed. so instead of boring you with the things on my mind.... i thought i'd let some pictures tell the story.:) happy tears are streaming down my face as i look at these:)


my first look...


this was a hard season but it taught me a lot. the first two boys that i came to love.


these two are birthday buddies.


his dedication. i pray everyday he will grow up to be a man of God. jude 24 & 25.


i don't know many kids who have a passport at 7 months old. he's my world traveler.


the kid has a gift of sleeping. the apple doesn't fall too far from the tree.:)


he loves him some ava. cousin love.


mr. dreamy eyes.


his love for elmo... well that was his highlight of spring break 2010


he plays hard.


his love for food, well this describes it:)


this is just so....carter.


although getting a haircut is his least favorite thing (other than eating carrots), i was refreshingly aware of him growing up when he came home. oh my handsomeness!


he and his daddy share a bond no one can come between.


my little peanut and the big brother filling his role.


he can throw a tantrum; even when he looks adorable. i have proof;)


he loves nini.

carter, mommy loves you more than you could ever know. you're gonna have a great year!

<3 mommy kg:)

thoughts of late january

this week i saw info for the hca open house. that brings back memories...
like the memory of going to that after a grueling last day [although i didn't know it] of work as a 2nd grade teacher before i became a mom. hmm.

i woke up the morning after the open house with feet that looked like muffin tops... still. a good 7 hours of feet up, hard core rest (or as much as a 9 month pregnant lady can sleep) and the muffin tops were still there. needless to say, i went into labor less than 24 hours later...

but i also am recalling the fact that when my little carter was 8 1/2 weeks old (i think the same as reid today) i went back to work.
that day was hard... no, that's an understatement. it was SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO hard.
i knew he would be taken care of, wasn't worried about that.
i had guilt though.
i missed that little face.
did i mention that my makeup was smeared and dispicable by 7:30 a.m.... that's barely making it out the door.

those thoughts and feelings led me to a new lifestyle of staying home and trusting the Lord that he would provide. it is on the top 5 of best decisions i ever made.
i still say that if i ever had to go back to work, i would go back to teaching in a heartbeat, and that's still true.
but today i don't have to leave my kids on a daily basis to go to work and for that I am thankful.
it means sacrifice in some things & that the new charming outfit i would really like to buy often, well i often just don't go to the mall if the cash is not in my hand. but hey, i'd take being a bit out of date clothes-wise to working....

for those working moms, i give you lots (& LOTS) of credit. families all have to choose what is best for them. who knows, our situation might change... that's why i am thankful today that i am home.

but reid is 8 1/2 weeks old. its hard to believe that carter was this age when we walked into this new season.
i remember God gave me the gift of his first smile a few days before I went back... that was amazing.
I also remember telling my second graders about my lack of sleep and asked them to pray... i'm not even kidding... those kids prayed carter to sleep at night... 3 hour stretches turning into 5...hallelujah.
and one other funny memory is that at the end of the year a lot of the kids got me starbucks gift cards because they always saw coffee in my hand.... coffee & the Lord... that's what got me through.

having a 2 month old is tiring. we've accomplished two months with lack of sleep and it can be wearing on everybody and somedays, i'm not gonna lie... it seems to win.
there lies hope in the fact that my {almost} 2 year old sleeps 12 hours a night and that day should arrive sooner rather than later.... did i mention sooner?
so today, being one of the days where the tired kristen seemed to win (did i mention that's humbling to say outloud?!) i rest in this amazing promise:

God's mercies are new in the morning.... Great is his faithfulness.
amen & amen.

tired but resting in his promises,
kg:)

carter's turning two...

so of course we have to have a par-tay (as he says it).

and that means i have to make invitations.

so what are the two things he loves most? nini (candy) & mickey (who he calls bubbles)

my mind was racing on monday. nothin.

tuesday running on the treadmill... still nothin.

tuesday night looking online... and it sparked this idea:) from my brilliant (LOL) mind;)

so here it goes... (i'll keep you posted on the rest of the details;))




the supplies... whirly pops (2.99/ea... eekk! but only had 8 invites), felt .25/sheet- one sheet used, glue gun, computer paper, and double sided tape..



my sidekick, can you see his smile:)



the finished product.

carter saw these and flipped.

hoping for another great party...;)
kg

carter's in a REAL big boy room now...

so... i wanted stripes in Carter's room and this blog post totally inspired me. so we copied it:)



then, i wanted to do something along the lines of sports because he loves sports... so i saw some norman rockwell prints and realized it was perfect for the room...



he also loves books and so he needed a reading corner/area...



and for now we've got a crib in here until after the baby arrives... [i need to get a little bit of sleep people;)] but this will be replaced with a train table purchased from a garage sale by grandma... probably a birthday present:)



i'm suddenly feeling much more settled in our house now that this room has come together... hmmm. didn't know that would happen. but, loving when plans that have been a long time coming finally come together...

crazy i have a 'big boy',
kg:)

18 months old...

the life of an 18 month old is pretty ideal. i found this when i was writing out his schedule for when he was at camp and our parents were taking care of him... it consists of eating, playing, snacking, playing, sleeping, eating, playing, snacking, playing, eating, bathtime (more play) and then bedtime... no less than 12 hours of course;) sounds pretty great to me... especially when you are as loved as this little chump is, wink wink.

i took him for his 18 month check - up [just as we are going to every 6 month visits we're about to start up with a new baby:)] and we found out that he's growing up...literally!

he's in the 75th percentile for height, weight, and head circumference & he's finally begun calling me 'meme' (quite endearingly, i may add!). the poor little man had to get four shots and one finger . the biggest tragedy of it all was the fact that he had to wear a bandaid on his finger [did i mention he s feeling constrained by anything, even a bandaid... receiving a sucker at check-out was the quickest distraction i found and it worked perfectly].

i also realized after getting my glucose test yesterday and drawn that he had reason to cry about the shots. but as parents we do what's best for our children and not what's easiest, right. yet again hebrews strikes again:) (check chapter 12 verses 5-11 out).

loving being a mom,
kg:)

i think i've officially become a diaper snob.

i'm disappointed, i can only buy my child one brand of diaper. as a young mom i never thought i'd care about the 'brand name' diapers or that they had much more to offer, i'm one of those 'can never pay full price' kind of s. but i think i can honestly say it's officially happened; i can only buy the brand that starts with p and ends with s [and it rhymes with rampers]. is anyone with me?

i would probably define being a diaper snob accordingly: cannot take up to the cash register any product besides that one certain brand that keeps my child's rear in tip top shape. sound familiar, i hope i'm not the only one! grin.

this week is when i came to the end of my 'other brand' days. carter has decided to wake up around the lovely hour beginning with 6. i am blessed - i have to say - in the fact that my sweet husband leaves me in the comfort of my bed next to my snoogle while he totes carter downstairs to his toy-filled destination. but, no less i hear me-me-me and da-da-da at the hour of 6 a.m. i have made a conclusion based on scientific evidence that the cause of this early morning waking is due to wet everything.... wet shorts, HUGE wet diaper, and yes, even a wet shirt. my poor child. who would want/be able to sleep in the discomfort of everything wet on your body.

i got tempted by the brand that starts with l and ends with s. i bought the diapers for 3.99 or something which makes each diaper about 6 cents. cheap, yes. worth loosing my sleep over? no. i think you'd be proud of this shopper because i've waited until there are only two diapers left to go buy the brand that begins with p and ends with s... i haven't gone wasting these precious inventions called diapers.

but, i'm surely going to walk down the aisle at my local store and put only one brand in my cart. snobbish? maybe, but at 5 1/2 months pregnant all the sleep i can get is worth it!

signing off a diaper snob,
yours truly.

1st REAL haircut

On our trip I decided that if carter's hair could go into a mohawk... it was gettin a wee-bit too long....


so... on family fun day we took him for a haircut.... not a perfect client, but ok!:)

This is the song that never ends...

it just goes on and on my friends, someone just started singing it not knowing what it was and they continued singing it forever just because...yep, this is the lambchops song. Carter doesn't watch lambchops nor really any tv show but he has a book. it's his favorite book. he goes over to the book shelf and knows exactly which book it is. yes, watch the video and you will understand what I mean about the song that never ends. at this point it's still cute.



kg:)

The big one year check up!

Last year I watched the superbowl in a hospital bed. yep, mr. cjude was just a day old and we partied in our room that night. he still doesn't know what the superbowl is but he has taken a liking toward playing with baseballs, basketballs, and footballs.

but what's more noteworthy here is that our little man is growing! we went for his one year check up and he is on his way to being a football player...

Here's his stats:
30 3/4 inches - 75%
23 lbs. 8 oz. 50-75%
19 in. head - 90%

The doctor's first words were... wow, he's had a growth spurt. Needless to say, I'm hoping he starts walking soon so I don't break my back carrying him everywhere!;) kg

I'm not sure that a little boy could be celebrated more...

Celebrate??? we did. Like I said yesterday, Luke and I are so blessed. Our little man melts our hearts just about everyday when he smiles at us, laughs at us, plays peek-a-boo with us... this year has definitely had it's challenges but when we look at our son it gives us such a renewed perspective and love for life. thank you God for a visible picture of JOY in our lives.

Once we got back from our cruise I was bound and determined to make sure miniature love of our lives got the party of his dreams... (yeah know those he tells us about even though he has no words). yep, it pretty much started with a fun thought about cookie monster. I sent out invitations but had no ideas of what this party would hold. who did I go to?! yep... Ashley my sister-in-law (click here to see her blog!) So we sat down... got the creative juices flowing and low and behold we landed on these two sites: click here & here and we were like... NO WAY!!!! Before finding the sites we found ourselves talking in the cookie monster voice (you know what i'm talking about) and this was a moment of divine providence!

So... i will leave you with these pictures (LIVE JOY) from his party. need i say that we are so blessed to know and love the people that joined us! He is one LUCKY little boy!
these were one of my favorite projects for the party... cookie monster cups... found at one of the sites listed above.:)
our little sporting his boa and his party hat that didn't last long!:)

amazing cupcakes made at a nearby bakery!:) idea from internet!

daddy with carter during present time!:)

cake time!!!!!!!!!

our family. :)

signing off-blessed!
kg:)

The SOCK thief

Most of you might say that your dryer steals your socks... nope, not at our house. It's our son. He loves socks... but, not like normal people a.k.a. on his feet. Nope, in his mouth and off his feet. This is just one of those funny things about him. Love it even still.

This is usually how I find his feet
& this is usually how I find him... hilarious!

Happy Wednesday! kg

the life of Carter just got that more exciting...

Yep. it's true, Carter Jude MacDonald is officially crawling and pulling himself up. this kid is full of tricks. here's the latest developments:
Friday: i had given him my old cell phone to play with because he is obsessed with mine. he figured out how to turn it on (don't worry he's not a genius, it's just holding down a button) and then proceeded to call his grandma who was in Israel. Hmmm... maybe he missed her. yep, cute story.

Saturday: well, in the a.m. he decided to pull himself up in his crib and cry for us to come get him. Luke's twitter revealed this because I was still cozy and sleeping in our sweet bed. slightly disappointed yet thankful for the sleep i knew he would do this trick for me (hopefully sooner rather than later).

Sunday: after eating breakfast Carter was a bit fussy so I set him down on the rug in our family room to go make him a bottle. all of thirty seconds later he had pulled himself up by the tv stand (yes, we're dying to get a new one... so if you have one you'd like to donate (;)) feel free to). My camera was right there so I took this picture:

and then when he saw I was taking a pic (of course when my camera decided to turn off) he looked at me and smiled (as if he was working the camera). hilarious.

but... this was not all. Luke and I were chillin on the couch sunday afternoon and he picked up luke's wallet that was on the floor and decided to take out each of his cards. what was in his hands first but the debit card. smart kid, indeed. :)

(how could you resist that smile, be sure not to mark down the numbers of our card;)

thought you'd enjoy a little update on this growing little cutie of ours.