big girl beds

When Madison was 17 months old we transferred her to a toddler bed.  I felt completely comfortable that she was ready for that transition, although the underlying reason was that I needed the crib for Carson.  The pediatrician recommended a solid 3 months in between each child sleeping in the crib so there would be no "Why is he stealing my bed" drama. 

17 months old
 



This is how she slept often :)

Now looking at my 17 month old son I can NOT imagine putting him in a toddler bed.  I do believe the whole girls are quicker and on some occasion more mature at this young age has been true in our home.  Carson would be climbing and throwing and torturing every object in his room.  I seriously would never want to even attempt it!  That plus so many more differences are noted on almost a daily basis between boys and girls. 

The white blanket and the blue puppy blanket are his favorites

He still sucks his thumb to fall asleep.  My sweet boy.  I love him so much.

madison {isms}

"What are you doing Madison?"

"I just breathing air" {as she sits on the toilet}


Happy Birthday to a beautiful little lady :)

Pout Face

great post!

I could not have said this any better.  Being parents of toddlers is hard, like I will do anything for a small moment of peace hard.  As I type I have one kid hanging at on my leg, crying to be picked up allowing him to bang as hard as he can on the keyboard and the other yelling "I want to watch a movie."  Life in a nutshell. 

Check out this amazing perspective:

Things I Said My Children Would Never Do

snow, snow, snow

happy 30th old lady

When I was younger and thought about getting older {which was the ripe age of 25} I never imagined when you do get older, you don't feel like you are older.  A confusing mix of "what?!, I am thirty?!"  or "I don't feel a day older than 21!" {until you spend some time with those young pups} or "I remember when 30 sounded so old."  All these thoughts join forces into my harsh reality.

I am 30.

I am a nurse who saves peoples lives {SCARY!!}

I am a wife.

I am a mother of 2... TWO!!!

All these accomplishments were for when I got old {aka 25}.

Now, I am all these people, and much more.  I feel blessed that I can say this.  My life has always been wanting that but never understanding what that reality would be.

Ben and I were talking about how our lives are not what we had thought it would be but so so much better.  A wonderful marriage, two beautiful children and living with our family and friends surrounding us. 

Thank you God!

Cheers to being 30!! 

I enjoyed a DELICIOUS lunch with my family at Great Wall.  You know that place that brings a flood of memories; Great Wall is my place. 

I would meet my mom once to twice a week for lunch, picking up one order of Sweet and Sour Chicken, driving to her work and splitting the lunch special.  Truly, one of my favorite, every day memories.  It is funny how later in life you appreciate small moments like that much more than when you were in it.  Now, thinking about Madison visiting with me, having lunch with me, wanting to call me 5 times a day {which I did!} makes me happy.  I just hope I can be a great mom like my own!

Okay, back to the real post.  Great Wall Lunch.  Delicious.  Sweet and Sour Chicken.  Not sharing this time around.

And a Baptism course.  Yes, of all days that was the only day for the next month.  Thanks to Mary we were able to attend but soon after all came down with the flu bug.  The most horrible bug to date.

I also had a little celebration the weekend before with the Stewarts.  Ben made a cake, invited the family over and enjoyed Ham and Potato Soup I had made.

she is almost 13! {at least that is what she thinks!}

Our little Madison is a blossoming young girl, watching, learning and growing from all her experiences and interactions with our new surroundings. 

The moment I found out I was pregnant I was breathless.  We were going to bring this beautiful baby into our loves.  Now although she is no longer a baby I still feel breathless.  She holds my heart in her hands every moment of every day.

This sweet {and devilish} little lady has amazed me.  I am going to have a proud momma moment and do a bit of bragging.

Our Madison can:

* Say her alphabet

* Identify 21 of the 26 letters

* Count to 20 {but she does miss 15 every once and awhile}

* Point and count objects

* Identify the numbers 1-5

* Cut with minimal to no help

* Paint like Picasso

* Sing like Demi Lovato's "Let it Go" from the movie Frozen{her new favorite} or like Ariel from the Little Mermaid "Aaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh" over and over

* Quote "Oh my Gosh, Oh my Gosh" from Little Mermaid 9,260,956 times a day {I know you are jealous and wish you could hear her that many times!}

* She can throw one heck of a tantrum {I can sense your jealousy ;) }

There are advancements and improvements every.single.day but the one I cherish the most is her love and kindness to her brother.

Just the other day we were all sitting on Madison's big full size bed {yes, that happened too!} and reading books.  Her and Carson were both laying day {fighting for the same space on my lap} when Madison turns, puts her arms around Carson and says, "Brother I just hold you and love you."  My heart could have completely exploded. 

Those moments of endearment are one of the many reasons staying home has helped the relationship not only with the children and I but with each, as brother and sister. 

Our little lady is loving, sweet and so kind.  We love her to pieces!!

carson's baptism

"For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ." 
Galatians 3:27

Just a bit of background on Catholic Baptism:

Baptism is the one sacrament that all Christian denominations share in common. In the Catholic Church, infants are baptized to welcome them into the Catholic faith and to free them from the original sin they were born with.

"Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life." 
Romans 6:3

To the Catholic Church, original sin isn’t a personal sin of the unborn, but a sin transmitted from generation to generation by birth. All men and women are born with original sin, and only Baptism can wash it away. Baptism can be regarded as a vaccine against sin.

 

 

 

The ritual of baptism in the Catholic Church

Baptisms in the Catholic Church usually take place on Sundays, during the parish mass or in the early afternoon after all the Masses are over. In most cases, the parish priest or deacon administers the sacrament, anointing the person being baptized with oils, and pouring blessed water over the child or adult’s head not just once but three times.

"John appeared, baptizing in the wilderness and proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins." 
Mark 1:4

In the eyes of the Catholic Church, any Baptism that uses water and the invocation of the Holy Trinity as in “I baptize you in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,” is a valid sacrament.

 

 

 

A person being baptized in the Catholic Church is expected to dress in white to symbolize purity of faith and the cleansing power of Baptism. The white garment symbolizes the white garments Jesus wore when he was placed in the tomb after his death on Good Friday. An infant may wear a baptismal gown handed down for generations; an adult typically puts on a full-length white gown known as an alb.

Now to the amazing and moving moment when Carson was Baptized into the Catholic Church.

As you can tell he did not enjoy the baptismal moment what-so-ever.  Poor guy could not even look at the priest after that without getting a frown on his face. 

During Baptism, blessed oil or chrism is marked on the forehead and chest of the person being baptized in the sign of the cross. This symbolizes receiving the gifts of the Holy Spirit.

Even though most children being baptized wear a white gown or outfit, they also receive another white garment during the ceremony, which signifies “putting on Christ.” Both children received garments hand-embroidered with a cross by someone in the parish. The personalized touch always reminds us that the white garment was a welcome gift from a member of our parish family.

The baptismal candle is lit from the Easter candle and reminds both the baptized, parents and godparents to be light for the world and Carson's faith.

And the celebration that followed...