life is beautiful

a weekend full of graces

September 23, 2015celebrations, cousins, sister

“baptism is God’s most beautiful and magnificent gift. . . .we call it gift, grace, anointing, enlightenment, garment of immortality, bath of rebirth, seal, and most precious gift. it is called gift because it is conferred on those who bring nothing of their own; grace since it is given even to the guilty; baptism because sin is buried in the water; anointing for it is priestly and royal as are those who are anointed; enlightenment because it radiates light; clothing since it veils our shame; bath because it washes; and seal as it is our guard and the sign of God’s Lordship.^{10″ CCC 1216}

what a wonderful weekend this was for our family. anna kate was welcomed into our faith september 5, 2015. our lord blessed us with family and friends who helped make this weekend so special. my best way to share how special of a weekend this was … is through pictures. thank you so much to everyone who traveled to be apart of her first sacrament. it was so beautiful. i really just wanted soak up every minute i could. and that i did … i also took a gazillion photos. 🙂

{missing our sister kindle 🙁 }

anna kate frances you are fearfully and wonderfully made… and you are a perfect fit for this family!

xxoo

{ one month }

September 15, 2015{photography}, firsts, sister

yeah this went way too fast. i still don’t understand how pregnancy seems to crawlllll by…and then the moment you see their sweet face you can’t slow anything down. sweet girl you’ve been a joy this first month. you love to eat. you spit up insanely. i am very thankful we have less carpet in this new house. you have been waking up about 2 am and 5 am and maybe squeeze in a little 7 am squirming session. you are very serious for the camera. no one has seen the few smiles and “coos” you have given me. i’ll just consider it our little girl time/secret. the boys are madly in love with you just as we are.

love you baby girl!

xxoo

birth announcement

September 15, 2015{photography}, celebrations, kids, sister

in case you didn’t know…

anna kate frances

7 . 30 . 2015

welcomed home with love from daddy, mama and big brothers jack and samuel

and one little out take for kicks and giggles…

we tried…

xxoo

weekend in pictures…

August 24, 2015dada, kids, sister

xxoo

round here…

August 24, 2015kids, sister, summer

we are getting use to the new normal…

it’s full of cuddles and kisses and some scream fests in the evening…

but these faces trump the evening scream fests so…. it’s all good 🙂

jack had his check up with the dentist for that wiggly tooth. so far things are going okay and we will check back again in another month. i am so thankful for the good news. i am also thankful that i survived a dentist trip in the late afternoon with all three babes…

little miss these weeks are going by fast and i’m loving the new normal 🙂

xxoo

{thirty something}

August 24, 2015celebrations, dada

oh to top a hobbit birthday, i don’t think it was possible this year. however, the birthday boy requested an avenger birthday party and his boys were oh so excited to help out with that theme..

happy birthday {belated post} to my love! you are our everything and we are so blessed to celebrate another year with you!

you are our real super hero!

and you’re the most handsome 31 year old i ever did meet…

xxoo

we get by with a little help …

August 24, 2015firsts, summer, well checks

granny came to stay with us last week! she spoiled us all. she helped us make our first trip to the grocery store and even let mama and daddy have a lunch date 🙂 after anna kate’s first doctor visit.

anna kate, at two weeks old you weighed in at 7lbs 13 ounces. you are a great nurser and spit up like crazy, even more so than jack did. {which means a lot} you had your first vaccine and blood work done.. mama and daddy did not like having to watch you do those things 🙁 we enjoyed a yummy lunch at coopers barbecue afterwards to celebrated daddy’s birthday a little early.

you got your first piece of mail this week 🙂

i’m not too sure you were happy that the boys asked about your band-aid… you had been poked and prodded enough that morning 🙂

thank you so much granny for all of your help! we enjoyed the visit and the extra helping hands! {especially making my floors so lively 😉 } what a treat!

as always come back soon! we love you!

xxoo

{one week}

August 11, 2015firsts, sister

of pure sweetness…

a great nurser, a loud sleeper and a perfect cuddle bug.

we love our anna kate!

{or as samuel says ‘anna cake’}

xxoo

spoiled much?

August 11, 2015celebrations, firsts

our time adjusting at home has been so special. the boys are head over heals in love with their sister…

dana made the trip up for your one week birthday anna kate! your cousin camryn flew all the way from north carolina too! it was such a great visit. the minor hiccup we had during our first week at home was the first day daddy went back to work. i had to call him to come home and take jack to the emergency room. big brothers had a major collision and we thought jack might be losing a few of his teeth. prayers are powerful and god is good. he still has his front tooth it just changed it’s look a little …

it was such a wonderful visit! we can’t wait till they join us again! having family this helpful and caring is a beautiful thing!

xxoo

anna kate’s arrival

August 11, 2015celebrations, firsts, kids, sister

we were as ready as we could be. the day before we had a planned induction, nana arrived at the house. we got the boys their hair cuts and enjoyed a lunch together. i knew things were going to be happening so fast i was almost to nervous to eat. granny and dana joined us at the house that evening and all enjoyed staring at me, in hopes i would go into labor. i knew it would be happening on its own soon. i did not feel so well. by the time we called it a night i was timing contractions 10 minutes apart. i tried to sleep through them for a few hours and realized i couldn’t handle them much more. i didn’t want to be in too much pain before getting to the hospital. i woke richard up and we started our trip to the hospital 2 hours prior to check in time for our induction. by the time we arrived to sign papers, i knew there was no need for any induction. i could barely sign my name at one point. the hospital decided to give me the room they had ready for me but were a little sluggish on getting the iv and blood work done. i still am not sure why they had to wait because no matter what i was going to have the baby, and probably pretty soon. the contractions were getting to the point i was making the frowny face of the number 9 or 10 on the chart. the epidural finally arrived and oh did it feel like such relief. not even 5 minutes after the relief arrived i was a 10 and ready. i was so wore out i just waited till the doctor was ready. the practice push didn’t even happen. she arrived during one last contraction.

beautiful and perfect in every way…

the boys had been waiting out in the waiting room since before the sun rose that morning…

it was a very long night and a fast and furious morning. i think it was a lot for samuel to take in. being up so early and seeing me with everyone afterwards was almost too much for this little guy. it broke this mama’s heart to see him so emotional. everyone wanted to help him but he only wanted mama. {which wasn’t very easy}

they moved us to our new room while anna kate got her first bath…

gramps drove up just for the afternoon to meet his 20th grandbaby! 🙂

checking out that new clean hair!

after all the excitement everyone said their emotional goodbyes and daddy and samuel stayed with mama for the afternoon… i was so relieved when big brother got a nap in.