July 4th (Part Three)

After a busy two days of the pool, fireworks, s'mores, and running around town, we all took a family trip to Carowinds Amusement Park. Yes, it was scorching out, but we visited the water park for quite a while, which really broke up the day. Connor had a ton of fun on the rides this year, and Andie and Sydney made their way 301 feet in the air on the new ride: the Windseeker!

Best buds:

Such a good big cousin to Connor: 

Father's Day 2012

Connor and I have a special somebody to be very thankful for: his daddy, and my husband. Tom wears many hats in this family, and we love him to pieces. Whether it's giving piggy back rides, running around the house, playing hide-and-seek, or spending an extra 5 minutes in Connor's bedroom at the end of the day, Tom is a father and husband to be admired. I can only hope and pray that my lil' guy grows up to be just like my big guy. 

After a long day of work, Tom comes home with more energy than I can muster these days, and takes over playtime, bath time, and bedtime without blinking an eye. And, after Connor is down for the count, Tom is there to help me relax and cater to my ever-growing belly. I thank God everyday for the blessed life I have, and a lot of that has to do with the man in my life who is both my husband and best friend. 

We love you, Tommy Boy, and can't wait to celebrate many more Father's Day's with you as a family of 4! 

New Bike

Connor got a new bike for his birthday (thanks, Grannie). He's still trying to get the hang of it, but is doing a fairly great job. It's been so hot out here that we haven't been able to practice much because, well, I just might melt, but he looks cute so far!

Checking the tires...

Connor is 3!

Connor turned 3 a couple of weeks ago. His construction party was super fun. He seemed quite impressed by his dump truck cake, which made me happy:

Connor loved having all of his friends over for water play. He greeted them at the door with a big smile on his face and sometimes with a hug.  

Grannie was here to visit too!

It was a great day. Happy birthday, lil' man. We love you very much and are so proud of the little boy you are turning into. 

A couple of days later, it was off to the doctor for a check-up. She was quite impressed by the muscles in his legs and said he is growing well. He is now 38 inches tall, and that means he can ride the bigger rides at Carowinds this year! Connor's love of cars, trucks, and books is still as strong as ever. He even bought a ride-on excavator with his "spending" money saved in his piggy bank. It is going to come in very handy in the sandbox Tom is building him for his birthday present! 

Love you little buddy! 

Big Boy Room!

I am so happy to be writing this post. As much as I thought I would be saddened by the fact that Connor is no longer in his crib (or sleep sack: yes, we kept him in a sleep sack until now), I love his big boy room! It is so much fun and unique to him. Connor loves construction vehicles, so we thought it only right to outfit his room in such decor. However, I wanted it to be tasteful and something he can grow into, so voila! Here it is!!

Turning his bed down for sleepy time. 

Connor did amazing his first night in the bed! We are so proud of him. Just when I think an adjustment such as this (or potty training) is going to take days or even weeks to get accustomed to, Lil' C delights us with is flexibility. I think I get more nervous about change than he does! 

When Tom went in to get him this morning, Connor didn't even want to get out of bed! That's what I'm talking about! Let's hope this is one novelty that doesn't wear off. 

A special thanks to Mimi and Papa for this wonderful early birthday present, that is all the decor of Connor's room!  We are so grateful. 

Strawberry Fields Forever

Connor and I spent the morning together, and went strawberry picking! We had a ton of fun trying to find the most red and juicy looking berries to add to our basket. Of course, Connor thought the green ones were funny, so he put some of those in there too. We then went back to the farm's market and ate fresh, homemade strawberry ice cream! I think one of the best thing about having a child (besides nap time ;)) are the little moments; picking strawberries in a sunny field, while making lifelong memories. I love ya kid!!

The Most Memorable Easter

This Easter was all about eggs  cupcakes!! Tom and I decided to wait five days from our 19-week ultrasound until this past Easter Sunday to find out if we were having a boy or girl. My friend, April, knew what we were having, and made cupcakes with a big colored dollop in the middle. It was a really fun way to find out. We thank God for such amazing friends like Scott and April, who are more like our NC family.

Not only did we have to wait almost a week, we also didn't have dessert until 5:00pm that night! Talk about a long day, huh? Good thing we had lots to do to keep us busy. Our day started out with a fantastic church service and then a church Egg Hunt for the kiddos. Then, it was lunch and nap time. Our guests arrived around 3 and we did another egg hung for Connor and Alice. They were excited to find all the colorful eggs with candy and money inside. 

 And, baby Ruby was our Easter Egg Hunt spectator. 

After all the Easter festivities, dinner was consumed, and guests arrived for the unveiling of the pink or blue cupcakes. I've never seen Tom take such a big bite of a baked good in my life! haha...I think he was in shock as he finished all the cake in his mouth while staring at the PINK dollop in the middle...haha!

 I was jumping for joy...a baby girl!

Baby girl, 

We can't wait to see what you look like and to finally agree on a name for you that you will enjoy and love through life. We know you will look up to your big brother, Connor, with adoration and love because, well, he is pretty amazing. He can't wait to teach you how to talk, walk, and play with trucks. Oh, you have so much to bring to this family. We look forward to the day we get to hold you, our little baby girl, in our arms and welcome you to this loveable, goofy, and silly family. 

XOXO, 

Mommy :)