Showing posts with label family. Show all posts
Showing posts with label family. Show all posts

Friday, July 1

Fam Photos

Please make your way to Click Chick's blog
to see the sneak-peek of our first official family photo shoot.
You maybe might just fall in love with my friend Kara's beautiful eye for photography. As you will see, she is very talented!

Saturday, January 1

Holiday Hoorah

Who knew the season would be more challenging on Chris and me than any of the years before?
Okay, okay, I can almost hear the guffaws of laughter coming from all of you readers with chicos/kiddos/little ones.
The joke was certainly on us for thinking otherwise!
This year, the parties were not about visiting so much.
They were about strategic planning of arrivals and departures in order to have the most enjoyable time as a family.
All that careful planning went straight out the window
since our Little Mister is going through
some not-so-outward changes and it's making him outwardly frazzled.

"They're lying! I am perfectly peaceful, people!
Oh, and by the way, present bows are AWESOME!
They are plastic, after all.
And don't listen to my mom and dad. They're cranky and need a nap."
(He didn't even make notice of the bow on his head. I think baldies appreciate just about anything to cover their cabezas.)
So, it's been a busy-fulll few weeks and, I must say, I am thankful it has wrapped up!
Between Ajay working on cutting another tooth and being on the verge of walking,
there has been an upheaval in his napping routine.
All of you friends and family witnessed an unfamiliar Ajay.
Not to fret, though. He's worked out a few growing pains and is taking "regular" naps again and
is behaving in his peaceful, chill-baby manner ;-)
(Please check back here soon for a more detailed Ajay-update.)

Christmas Day was all planned out to spend with my "second family."
So Chris and I had our first family Christmas together on Friday, Christmas Eve,
shortly after Little Mister went to sleep for the night.


We got BIG gifts for each other this year:
For her: A Gorgeous-Giant-Grunty-Bunty-Boy!!! Framed!


For Him: A whole mouthful of Romolo's sponge candy!!!

...He said this didn't hurt... yikes.


You know, my favorite of all Chris' gifts to me is my brand new 4th generation, 32 gig iPod Touch.
It's got a built-in camera and HD video camera.
Chris says his favorite gift of all that came from me is his black and grey plaid,
Merino wool winter coat.
Each of us agree that those were the most fun to give to each other.

Our favorite gift that Ajay received is
a push toy walker that also converts to a pull toy wagon
from Chris' parents (Grandma and Paps).
Thanks guys!

What was your favorite gift to give and favorite one to receive?


So, Christmas Day was lovely with my "second family," Pastor Jim and Pam (Poppy and Nana).
They have always been my close friends and loving mentors.
So, in all the meanings of the word, we are family.
We were really blessed to be able to spend time with all of the Dumont's, but had to leave too soon.
A continuation is in the plans this week, but nonetheless,
we were still blessed with a few fun things for Ajay to enjoy.

When we first arrived there, Ajay went on an adventure!
"I will conquer this fire by carefully scaling the hearth. Next, I will shimmy across the chaise. Then a strategic dismount and I'm off to inspect all the wrappings and unwrappings!"
"Nana & Poppy's place has proven to be perfect grounds for this Little Explorer!"

Later, we took a break to break the binding of a cool board-book for the boy who loves a good story.
"Remember, Ajay, books are for reading, not eating..."

"Hey! What's that?!"
"Look mom! There's a baby on here!"
After much shaking, flipping, and crawling over,
Ajay settled in to closely examine the box with a picture of a baby.
(I love this one with Chris in the background drawing on the doodle pad!)
"Don't you know that the gift boxes and wrapping paper are the most important part
of a baby's first Christmas? Well, if you didn't, now you do."
;-)


On Sunday, after church and Ajay's one and a half hour nap,
we had another party at my mom and step-dad's (Granny and Grandpa)
with approximately 900 people attending.
Well, maybe it was just 30 people or so,
but it was still pretty chaotic even without tending to a fussy baby!
Personally, I could have done better with my attitude in handling Ajay,
so I'm sorry to all who saw my frustrated face
instead of my "this isn't bothering me" face :-D

Christmas Weekend + Growing Baby + Tired Momma = Wit's End

(We don't have any photos on our camera for this party,
although the ones I saw turned out well.
We'll have to get those from you, Granny)


For the finale of our Christmas festivities, we went to Chris' parent's home
(postponed until Grandma was feeling better).
It was truly a blessing watching (sister and brother in laws) Stephanie and Thoai's children show such genuine love and interest in Ajay's well-being and entertainment!
Temple, London, and baby Anne called for him and crawled around with him.
They showed him different objects to calm him and gave lots of pats on the head.
They even rough-housed with him.
We were enjoying these precious moments so much that we only took a couple photographs.
What a blessed time we had on New Year's Day with them all too.
Again, Ajay was greeted with warm, loving affection,
especially from Anne, who held his face in hands and pulled him in for a couple baby kisses.
We will always treasure that moment!
Thank you to all for your generosity to our family this year!
Blessings of Joy in 2011 to you all!


Saturday, October 30

Thrilled, I'm sure

...to be at the park.
...to be feeling the wind in his single strand of hair.
...to be tasting the wind.
you'd never know it if you were expecting a smile,
but trust me.
he's on top of the world, his world,
in the big boy swing.

Saturday, March 13

Uncle & Bud

What's better than having a nice swing into spring with a good buddy?

Wednesday, February 24

Baby Blessing-Way

This most special occasion was designed and planned and carried out by sisters Bree, Brook, Kaylan, and my mom. There was nothing traditional about it. It was not a shower of baby gifts and games played with toilet paper, but a time to bless and pray over us and our little Mo-to-be. Although a few did bring some lovely things for Mo-mer, which we are very thankful for, the main focus was on fellowshipping with one another and sharing words of wisdom and encouragement with Chris and me. The main area of blessing was for Mo's cloth diapers. God is always faithful and through the lovely women who are invested in our family, we were able to purchase the only diapers we will ever need!!Well, I just told you we didn't play any games. It turns out that my very in-tune, very adorable, very capable midwife, Jen Bozza (caringforwomenmidwifery.com) brought a treasure that I will always cherish, but is mainly for me to wear or have nearby during the labor and birth. She explained the gift to us while holding a bag of beautiful and unique glass beads. Each of my friends and family chose a bead that they loved and spoke a word of hope or blessing over it so I could reflect on them on Mo's birth day.
Jen started off the bead ceremony with a hope for trust...
Now I really did try to retain each and every word spoken over the beads, but I am drawing a blank for some of them. Help me out and leave your comments so I can remember!Mom's bead for the miracle of God's work in me (and?)...
Miss Pam's pink bead hopes for a girl-Mo and memories to be made with our baby...
Banana's bead for minimal discomfort...and "good luck with those cloth diapers!"
And Bree's for a good night's rest before labor day...
Brook's bead for courage and to call her "as soon as I go into labor"...
On a large side note...
Here's what my little niece and nephews, the Monde's cats, and our bunnies have to look up to (37 weeks!)...
Bonnie and Kaylan's beads of blessing...
Stephanie's prayer for abundant breast milk!...
Yeah, that's a good one!
Joni's bead for no fear and
Ashley's prayer for joy in motherhood...
Ginny's blue bead for blue eyes...
Marianne's moment of sentimentality in praying for Mo's purity...
My nieces' blessings...Receiving so much genuine love, support, and prayers from you all is the best gift! Thank you for being wholly invested in our family!