Snowstorms and Birthdays

I guess you have to anticipate that if you have a December birthday... you may also have a snowstorm birthday. When your mom, and your auntie Chrissy, and your Nana and Papa run around making cakes, and casseroles, and cheese trays... and dad helps as mom ridiculously cleans the house. Sometimes just by walking behind you and telling you to stop making a mess. That it may just be too snowy. But, you are turning 3. And everyone just wants to celebrate the awesome little guy you are. So, even if mom and dad ate their share of birthday cake x3, and Nana and Papa had to shovel to get out the front door, they all came to celebrate you.

So it snowed. A lot. But, again you are 3... and it was perfect. You loved being sung Happy Birthday. You blew out every candle. And your cousin Robert drove all the way from Boston to give you a Thomas train.

Then when mom thought we were getting tired... way before bed... we piled in the car for Chuckie-E-Cheese. 

And just like that... you are three.

December Blessings

Whoa. It is mid-December.

Snow has fallen, Reed is a week away from 3! and just like that life went in fast forward. On this day, 3 years ago the OB told me Reed's birth date. I was 2 weeks away from my due date, and they decided that on December 20th he should arrive. (I still had a pretty crazy week ahead... have I told you about the time I slipped on ice, 9-months pregnant in front of the liquor store holding 6 bottles of wine for Ray's co-workers? and then cried. and then needed to be carried to my car? No? I didn't? Well, that will be a great story for later.)

December has been a month full of blessings for our family. We have definitely had some bad days... I drove into a parked car and needed thousands of dollars of work, a diagnosis for my on-going pain came, and someone threw up on me while I was out to dinner! Yuck. But, these trials are nothing compared to blessings.

We found an amazing new pediatrician... (Just in time for croup.)

We hung out with the Walsh's when mommy had to work. Seriously, did I tell you how amazing my cousin Chrissy is?!

We relaxed (and didn't fight) while enjoying our Sundays with Nana and Papa.

We fell asleep early.

We watched the snow fall. And sweet daddy made sure all the paths and cars were clear.

I was given the most beautiful paper clip holder ever. Seriously, it is the most beautiful thing I think I have ever received from Madelyn.

A SURPRISE! came in the mail. The most beautiful necklace all the way from South Carolina. (I don't think I have taken it off yet.)

And then an amazing offer of heating wood for our fireplace from my most crafty aunt on the North Shore. And a Papa who graciously took us to breakfast before hauling it to New Hampshire for us.

We have each other. From Virginia, to New Hampshire, Minnesota to Massachusetts, South Carolina to Michigan, and all the way to California. We have this network of amazing people all over that care for us, love us, and guide us. We are blessed.

...It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...

...at Nana and Papa's!

And a surprise Elfina showed up!

Thanksgiving! The whirlwind.

What a fun day. We began with breakfast with the Cawleys, rounded out with appetizers and dinner with Nana and Papa, birthdays with Hannah, and dessert with Grandma and Grandpa. Fun, Fun, Fun!

I was too busy stuffing my face to get pictures. Here are a couple.

I am always reminded how grateful I am to have the family we have, the love we share, and how blessed we truly are.

End of November Happenings

We waited at doctor's appointments...

We visited Santa with cousins!

We ate turkey with friends.

Then we were trapped outside for being too loud...

and we visited the Indian Museum with school.

November has been fun! 

(I left out hit a parked car, vomited while daddy was away, and hit the terrible twos/threes.)

Fall 2016 Photos

No matter how we feel about our weight, our ever emerging wrinkles, our attitude...I have always said... we need to capture it. We need to capture this moment.

The photo studio we go to, did...