Audrey Caroline

I have had alot of you ask "How do You know Audrey"?  Well, I don't.  

While "blog surfing" a few weeks ago I stumbled upon Angie's Blog about her daughter, Audrey Caroline.  I wouldn't say "stumble" because I truly believe God led me to her blog.  Her story, more importantly her love  and trust in God even during her families darkest hour moved me to tears.  I placed her blog link "Audrey" under my friends and family because she felt like a friend after reading her story.  She is an amazing writer, but more so her spirit just jumps into your heart...you are captivated by her...God is surely using her for his purpose.  I urge you, if you have 20min to give, please sit down and read her story. When you click on "Audrey" it will take you to her blog. But you need to hear her story from the beginning.  On the left hand side bar is a link that will take you to the beginning. Click there. 

If after reading that you don't want to read more, then thats fine. But at least read that. 

I"m also attaching a link from her post Titled :  Mourning and Dancing, Jan. 9,09.  

I will give you fair warning, the video is about death. But I tell you, my friends, I have never in my life witnessed death such as this. The love, grace, and faith in God is unwavering and I was humbled by how Angie and her family chose to handle this sad time.  The video isn't long, but how they act will stay in your heart forever.  Once you click below, scroll down to the Jan 9,09 post(very close to the bottom of the page) and you will see the video,titled:Sweet Audrey Girl. Just press play.  This video is proof that God exist. He is a living spirit within us all, if we choose to let him in. Video click HERE   I hope you are as moved and as touched and as humbled as I was after watching this.  Finding Angie's Blog was a real "eye opener" for me.  It truly forced me to reflect upon where I am in my own personal Walk with God, and how I can deepen my relationship, because honestly, the video is a tangible gift that we as humans can "SEE" that with His love in our hearts and soul in our bodies we can handle even the darkest of hours. I hope you are as moved as I have been.

Slingin Around!

Trey and I have been practicing with our Baby Bjorn and our sling!  He is not a real fan of either so at night when we are cooking dinner I place him in one or the other for about 10minutes and let him just "test the waters".....We were at a party on Saturday and this baby who was about 4months was as cozy as could be wrapped up in his sling...AHHHH to be hands free! We are workin' on it, aren't we buddy?  

Rub a Dub Dub!

Last night, Daddy gave Trey a bath.  It is amazing how far we have come! No screaming or crying and I think he might have even enjoyed his bath!  He sure is getting big! 

From Bottega+Blahnik to Baby+Colic.....

So today is "THE" day.  I'm officially 30 and of the many sweet cards my Hubby and Son gave me one line in them rings loud "Babe, your entering Cougar territory"...now I won't spill the beans on what the rest of the card says because although its quite funny and witty, its personal and Michael would probably prefer I didn't share!!!! However, as Trey and I were sitting in the parking lot at Target this morning...with the car running and the AC on full blast...I know, I'm trying my best to "GO GREEN" but he was hungry and wanted to eat RIGHT THEN...so I hopped in the back seat and let the feeding frenzy begin, I started to think about what I expected my 30th Birthday to look like, feel like, and be like.  

If you had asked me a year or so ago about my 30th Birthday this is probably what I would have said: " I would like a BIG party, with all my friends and family. I want it outside, in the evening and I want the atmosphere to feel ''Casual Chic"....  Lots of good food, superb drinks(yes, Ira the Bartender would certainly be on duty!) and a fantastic band, I hadn't decided way back then if I wanted country or something else....I would probably have had a spa day before the BIG party and maybe even my makeup done!  

Now fast forward a year plus:  

I am sitting on my 30th Birthday in the Target parking lot with my new beautiful baby eating like he's a piglet at a trough..can't get it down fast enough! I'm makeupless,(these days I'm lucky to get some lipgloss on) in need of eyebrow help and OMG is that my upper lip hair WOW...., 

My hair is thrown into what look liked to me at home "a sexy, thrown together in a Rachel Bilson type way Bun, but as i'm looking in the rear view mirror its unfortunately nothing of the sorts and actually looks more like a mass of hair on top of my head with a ratty pinch clip holding the some what oily pieces of my hair together...hmmmm....I swear it looked better at home....

As to that band I would have had play at my party, I'm currently listening to the same old tune that Trey's swing plays OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN(It seesm to help his colic and reflux)!And that "Casual Chic" looks more like the maternity dresses I'm STILL wearing to hide the pooch NO ONE told me I would still have!!!

I'm thinking about all this when my beautiful son, my Gift on Rent From God,looks up at me and SMILES. And right then and there I realize, that what I'm doing on my 30th Birthday is exactly what I want to be doing. It isn't a party, and I'm not decked out from head to toe in a  sassy new Birthday outfit BUT I am however as happy as I have ever been and so completely content that I couldn't imagine a more perfectly wonderful, completely fulfilling Birthday Gift as my son and his SMILES:::: from him to me on my Birthday.

Thank You, Trey, for Mommy's Perfect Birthday Gift!  I will treasure you always.

And Well, sure, I still love Birthday Parties but there's always: 31........

 

A Happy Nursery!

I have been following the blog: meandwee.blogspot.com for a while now. I really enjoy Megan's writing ,her witty thoughts and enjoy seeing her amazing creativity.  Anyhow...I love her nursery. The colors are so cheerful! Look closely at the dresser...she actually glued seagrass to some off the drawers: how nifty!

Click HERE to view!

Happy Monday!

The Urban Market

This morning we trekked out to the wet and muddy fields with all the other "Bargain Hunters" seeking goods and knick knacks for our homes! We even ran into our good friends, Robert and Michelle, who got to meet Trey for the first time!  Trey was a real trooper while Mommy and Daddy looked around.

Anyhow, there were lots and lots of goodies but nothing that we were looking for, although I did purchase 2 turquoise pots for a whopping $35 each. I see them all over town for the upwards of $250 so I would say thats a "Steal"!!!  This color is hard to find, so I snatched them up quickly.

While Trey is napping I decided to check out one of my most favorite Home Decor Bloggers, cotedetexas!  WOW!  There is nothing "urban market'ish" about her lastest entry.  The house she features on her latesest post is just beautiful and I can't' imagine trying to decorate a house of that stature!  Kudos to the Houston designer, Maria Tracy!  I love all the small details placed in this home: notice how Tracy incorporated the tile throughout the house...unfortunately those "Small" Details come with a very "Large'' pricetag....Bargain Hunters Beware: No steals here!  OUCH!

 Ahhh...but its always fun to look and get ideas....to view click  HERE

Birthday Shoutout!!!!

HOLY MOLY....I HEARD ADDIE IS TURNING ONE!!!!!!

Lookout World, Addison is Turning One!!! 

Our dear friend Addie is having her First Birthday at the End of May!! We are so excited for her and want to wish her a day full of fun!  Trey and I worked real hard on  Addie's Birthday Card Photoshoot!!! Below is a sweet poem I found.

HAPPY FIRST BIRTHDAY, ADDISON!!!!

“As You Turn One” 
Cheryl Wray

Time flies fast when you’re nearing one, 
So much to learn, so much fun. 
Peek-a-boo, learning to talk, 
Eating it all, learning to walk. 
Loving to laugh and giggle and play, 
Enjoying every moment of every day. 
But while you innocently watch each day go by, 
You’re unaware of the sighs we sigh . . . 
For you’re growing up too fast for us. 
We’ve seen it before and we know you must. 
Soon you’ll be two, then three, then ten, 
And we’ll look at you and wonder and say, “When?” 
When did she grow up? How can this be? 
Wasn’t it yesterday she looked up at me . . . 
And reached for my arms . . . 
And smiled that sweet smile . . . 
And we prayed, 
“Keep her little for still a little while.”

"Treasure the "Doings" in Life; Not the "Getting Done's"

While perusing blogs I enjoy reading I stumbled across this article. So for all the mommy's, soon to be mommy's, will be a mommy someday and for the mommy's whose babies are all grown up::::::


Raising Children by Anna Quindlen, Newsweek Columnist and Author

All my babies are gone now. I say this not in sorrow but in disbelief.I take great satisfaction in what I have today: three almost-adults, two taller than I am, one closing in fast.Three people who read the same books I do and have learned not to be afraid of disagreeing with me in their opinion of them, who sometimes tell vulgar jokes that make me laugh until I choke and cry, who need razor blades and shower gel and privacy, who want to keep their doors closed more than I like.Who, miraculously, go to the bathroom, zip up their jackets and move food from plate to mouth all by themselves. Like the trick soap I bought for the bathroom with a rubber ducky at its center, the baby is buried deep within each, barely discernible except through the unreliable haze of the past.Everything in all the books I once poured over is finished for me now. Penelope Leach., T. Berry Brazelton., Dr. Spock. The ones on sibling rivalry and sleeping through the night and early-childhood education, all grown obsolete. Along with Goodnight Moon, and Where the Wild Things Are, they are battered, spotted, well used. But I suspect that if you flipped the pages, dust would rise like memories. What those books taught me, and finally what the women on the playground, and the well-meaning relations -- well what they taught me was that they couldn't really teach me very much at all.Raising children is presented at first as a true-false test, then becomes multiple choice, until finally, far along, you realize that it is an endless essay. No one knows anything.One child responds well to positive reinforcement, another can be managed only with a stern voice and a timeout. One child is toilet trained at 3, his sibling at 2.When my first child was born, parents were told to put baby to bed on his belly so that he would not choke on his own spit-up. By the time my last arrived, babies were put down on their backs because of research on sudden infant death syndrome.To a new parent this ever-shifting certainty is terrifying, and then soothing. Eventually you must learn to trust yourself. Eventually the research will follow.I remember 15 years ago pouring over one of Dr. Brazelton's wonderful books on child development, in which he describes three different sorts of infants: average, quiet, and active. I was looking for a sub-quiet codicil for an 18-month old who did not walk. Was there something wrong with his fat little legs? Was there something wrong with his tiny little mind? Was he developmentally delayed, physically challenged? Was I insane? Last year he went to China. Next year he goes to college. He can talk just fine. He can walk, too.Every part of raising children is humbling, too. Believe me, mistakes were made.They have all been enshrined in the "Remember-When-Mom-Did " Hall of Fame.The outbursts, the temper tantrums, the bad language, mine, not theirs.The times the baby fell off the bed.The times I arrived late for preschool pickup.The nightmare sleepover. The horrible summer camp.The day when the youngest came barreling out of the classroom with a 98 on her geography test, and I responded, "What did you get wrong?" (She insisted I include that.) The time I ordered food at the McDonald's drive-through speaker and then drove away without picking it up from the window. (They all insisted I include that.) I did not allow them to watch the Simpsons for the first two seasons. What was I thinking?But the biggest mistake I made is the one that most of us make while doing this. I did not live in the moment enough. This is particularly clear now that the moment is gone, captured only in photographs. There is one picture of the three of them, sitting in the grass on a quilt in the shadow of the swing set on a summer day, ages 6, 4 and 1.And I wish I could remember what we ate, and what we talked about, and how they sounded, and how they looked when they slept that night.I wish I had not been in such a hurry to get on to the next thing: dinner, bath, book, bed. I wish I had treasured the doing a little more and the getting it done a little less.Even today I'm not sure what worked and what didn't, what was me and what was simply life. When they were very small, I suppose I thought someday they would become who they were because of what I'd done. Now I suspect they simply grew into their true selves because they demanded in a thousand ways that I back off and let them be. The books said to be relaxed and I was often tense, matter-of-fact and I was sometimes over the top.And look how it all turned out. I wound up with the three people I like best in the world who have done more than anyone to excavate my essential humanity.That's what the books never told me. I was bound and determined to learn from the experts. It just took me awhile to figure out who the experts were.

On My Back!

We finally did it...well at least for 30minutes! When I came downstairs from a much needed nap, Maria our Nanny, had Trey on his back and comfortably asleep! She has the magic touch and we are so grateful to have her here in our home helping out!! So I tip toed around him to capture a few pictures and well, I got 3 and then "BOOM"those beautiful eyes popped right open! Oh Well! At least we are making good progress!

Mothers Day 2009

Hugs and Kisses from Grama!!!!
ls
Dear Trey,
I had a wonderful First Mother's Day. You are my most precious gift, and I am blessed to have you, my sweet little boy, in my life. I praise God for "loaning" you to us and we will do our very best to raise you in His likeness. Thank you for the beautiful photo book that you and Daddy made for me. I will treasure it for all of time.
Love,
Mommy

My Girls!

To kick off Mother's Day Weekend my sister, my mom and myself got to spend time together and visit!  It was def. a hot day but the pool cooled us off!

MJC III

Here is a picture of Michael when he was a baby(at 3months).  Can you tell that Trey is his Daddy's Baby? More pictures to compare soon! Stay tuned! 

Hat Happy!

Michael and I loved receiving this hat as a gift this week....and we couldn't wait to see Trey in it...well it lasted on his head all of two seconds!!!!!

Trying out my "BACK"

I know we have said this before,but our little guy loves his swing! We have two very nice, cozy bassinetts that he simply hasn't wanted to use!! So last week our sweet Nanny, Maria, and I decided now was as good a time as any to start trying to ease out of the swing and onto his "BACK"!!! And yes, I know the outfit it too big...its a 6month, but Maria loves to dress him and I don't have the heart to tell her its too big, because she just loves him no matter what he's wearing!!!!!

Chillin Poolside

"SPIT HAPPENS".....

Hanging with YaYa






YaYa, Carrie, Chloe and Casey came to Houston and we went to The Houstonian for a fun day by the pool! At first Trey took a leisurely nap and then he was up and ready to play!! It was a nice day, overcast, so not too sunny, and we enjoyed a cool breeze. We are going to have so much fun when Trey is old enough to jump in!!!!