Praying for the Lawrensons

If you stumble onto my blog, please take a minute to check www.cfhusband.blogspot.com (which you more than likely already have).
This family is such an encouragement and inspiration. Nate blogs about being a husband to Tricia, who has Cystic Fibrosis. While waiting for a double lung transplant, that can extend her life, they found out they were unexpectedly pregnant. Their miracle baby, Gwenyth came very early and both Mama and baby are now in the hospital at Duke, just on down the road from us! Tricia is waiting for her new lungs (hopefully any day) and tiny Gwenyth is in the NICU. Please lift this family up in prayer.
"And all things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive" Matthew 21:22

Kennedy's Spring Break

This past week was Kennedy's Spring Break.
We kicked it off by letting her stay up after the babies went to sleep. Jordan took Kennedy to the gas station to pick out a soda and an ice cream bar (her request!) while I put the babies down. Then the 3 of us got sleeping bags out and watched Nancy Drew. We enjoyed our snacks which included sunflower seeds-a first for Kennedy which she loved-or the process anyway. It was so much fun. We love our alone time with our oldest baby.
During the week she got to do a lot of special things like get a Happy Meal with a Princess necklace toy, get candy at Wal Mart, we had a pizza party, we also had an ice cream party, she baked chocolate chip cookies with Mama and got to use heart and rabbit shape cookie cutters, and then Saturday night got to stay up late again with Daddy and Mama to watch The Kid's Choice Awards. We enjoyed having her home all week.
But today she was so excited to go back to school!

THE WORST HAS HAPPENED!!!

Well, to a blogger, anyway! Our camera broke-I don't know how we'll go on until it's fixed!!
Our lens is broken, so we are taking it in to a camera shop tomorrow to see the extent of the damages. We're hoping it's minimal-aka-a cheap fix!
Until then, my precious darlings' days will have to go unphotographed. I'll have to do slides or pictures of what I already have.
Until then....

Jackson-22 Months

Jackson - 22 Months - 3.25.08

My baby boy, you are 22 months old today! All that makes me think is that in 2 months you will be 2. You are such a special part of our family and we all just adore you.

*We can always hear you say during the day, "Hey, what are you doing here?" This is how you ask what we are doing!

*You have this deep voice you use from time to time that makes us laugh.

&You still love Go Diego Go, Dora the Explorer (which you call Dora & Boots), Blue's Clue, and The Wiggles.

*Your favorite (and only) movie you watch is The Incredibles.

*You have a new found love of books and are constantly bringing me one to read.

*You love taking a bath.

*You love bubbles.

*You still love cars, trucks, school buses, motorcycles, boats, helicopters, and airplanes. Even bicycles.

*You love riding in your wagon on our family walks.

*You love to play with Kennedy.

*You love to hug and kiss on Chandler who you mainly call "Baby".

*You sometimes say to your sisters "Never do it again!"

*You love animals.

*You are very independent and will say "I do it" or "I hold it"

*You like to say "NO!"

*You mind very well.

*If I ever say "Ouch" you always say, "K, mom?"

*At nap time and bedtime you'll say "Up" (because you want to get up) before going to sleep.

*When I say "Don't do that-you hear me?" You say "Hear me" instead of "Hear you"

*You love to color and ask to everyday.

*You love to draw on your Doodle.

*Everyday when Daddy walks in the door from work you yell "Daddy home"

*You can identify a triangle, circle and a square. And, you can count from 1-14!

*You are in a "in love with Mama" stage and always wants a kiss from me or want to kiss me (which I adore).

*This past month Papa, Gigi & Kyle came to visit

*This past month you had your 2nd Easter

*You weigh 27 pounds

*You like to roar and when you're asked if you are a lion, you'll answer "No, I'm a tiger" (or dinosaur or monster-whatever you don't ask).

*You are a picky eater, still don't like meat, but you are a good eater.

*Your favorite food is pizza

*Your favorite snack is peanut butter in a spoon.

*Your favorite thing to drink is chocolate milk and water.

*You fall off to sleep if I rub through your hair when you're sleepy.

*You are a fearless daredevil and ALL boy YET....................................

*You are scared too death of the car wash, vacuum, hairdryer, bare feet in grass or sand?!

*You are also sensitive and tender hearted.

Your daily schedule consists of:

Waking up around 7AM

Watching The Wiggles while you drink your milk

Breakfast 7:30/8AM

Leave at 8:15 to take Kennedy to school (If it's a school day) or watch your favorite cartoons

Watch Go Diego Go 9:30AM

Play in the Toy room 10-11AM

Leave to get Kennedy from School (if it's a school day) 11:15AM

Lunch 11/11:30 non school days; 12 school days

Nap 12:30-2:30 non school days; 1-3 school days

Color, Play, etc 3-5PM

Dinner 5/ 5:30PM

Monday & Wednesdays Gold's gym playroom 5:30-6:30

Family time

Bath 7PM

Watch Go Diego Go 7:30PM

Bedtime 8PM

You are my dream come true-a son I've always dreamed of having. Happy 22 months, my sweet baby boy. All my heart, Mama

Easter Outfits

This year I got to do something I've always wanted to do-get matching brother/sisters outfits for the kids! We loved spending Saturday evening and then again this evening taking their pictures in their Easter clothes. They were champs!

Egg Hunt

We had our outdoor Easter Egg Hunt this afternoon. These were prize eggs left by the Easter Bunny filled with candy and 1 had a $1 bill in it! This was very exciting to both Kennedy and Jackson! They had so much fun and the weather was perfect! And, we did this more than once, too! Chandler Grace enjoyed sitting in the clover and biting on her eggs!

Easter Morning

Easter morning found that the Easter Bunny had left Easter baskets! Kennedy got a Disney Princess Easter basket, Jackson got a soccer ball Easter basket, and Chandler Grace got an Easter basket with a Gloworm. Even Daddy got one-with beef jerky, sunflower seeds, a milky way, a chocolate bunny, and the DVD Major League.
The kids sat at the table and ate their candy while waiting on Grandma's Cinnamon Rolls. The only day it is okay to have candy before breakfast!
After breakfast (and candy) the kids hunted Easter eggs inside while it was still cool outside. They had a ball-we did it over and over again. This was a very special Easter since it was Chandler Grace's first!

Dyeing Easter Eggs

Part of our Easter tradition, as it is for many, includes dyeing Easter eggs the night before Easter. Kennedy and Jackson had fun-(Daddy and Mama did, too!) but, we had to stop Jackson from crushing all of the eggs! So, he just watched for the most part. Chandler Grace enjoyed watching, too. Kennedy's favorite thing was to multi-color the eggs. We started with 36 eggs, but had 3 casualties. Anyway, a lot of eggs and a lot of fun!

The Easter Bunny

We took the kids to the mall today to have their picture taken with the Easter Bunny. This was Chandler Grace's first time, Jackson's second, and Kennedy's fifth! We were a little worried about Jackson and Chandler Grace's reaction this year to the Easter Bunny, but they did great. The longer Chandler Grace sat there, the more she smiled! Of course, we didn't worry at all about Kennedy!
No tears, so we considered it a success!

More 9 month pics...

Look at that pout-looks just like Jackson!

Happy baby!

These were 2 of the shots I liked, too. Hard to choose!

Chandler Grace's 9 month picture

Just the girls headed to the mall on Sunday. Me, Gigi and Kennedy took Chandler Grace to have her 9 month picture taken. It was special Gigi got to be there!

Mama's St. Patrick's Day Birthday Celebration

It was so great to see Papa, Gigi and Uncle Kyle. We spent our time visiting, playing with the kids, eating too much good food/snacks (of course we had to get Tony's Pizza!),watching Dan In Real Life, Bee Movie, and mostly playing Wii!! It was special that they came for my 32nd birthday!
We all enjoyed Poppa's Hot Dogs (a local favorite) for lunch and had my birthday party that afternoon when the babies woke up from their nap. This year, Jordan baked my birthday cake-which was so sweet of him AND delicious. He and Kennedy decorated with green cups, plates and even a green tablecloth that everyone signed! They hung a "Happy Birthday" banner, too! Kennedy wrapped her present for me all by herself and wrote my name on the card. She got me a little gum ball machine! (She picked it out herself!)
I got a large crock pot from Jordan and the kids, the first 3 seasons of Friends on DVD from Kyle, and a silver ring and digital photo frame from my parents.
After the party Jordan and I got ready for our date! One of the highlights for us was getting to go out for dinner on my birthday! We went to Mickey & Mooch and it was fabulous. We enjoyed lump crab and crab soup for appetisers along with salad and bread. For dinner we both had steaks. Jordan got the Charleston grits with his filet and I got mashed potatos with mine. We shared the 7 layer chocolate mousse cake for dessert. It was so huge, we had some to bring home. The most special part of the evening was during dinner when Jordan gave me a new wedding band. It was so romantic. The one from our wedding no longer fits, so I've been without one since I was pregnant with Jackson. I've hated how bare I've felt without it. So, that was the best present I could've gotten. Totally surprised! It was a great birthday.
My life at 32 is all I'd hoped it would be, and I am so thankful for all of the blessings in my life. I hope this will be the best year yet!

It's Today, It's Today!

Papa, Gigi, Kyle & Hoover are coming to visit for my birthday! They will get in tonight and stay until Tuesday. We can't wait for them to be here. As a special treat, they are keeping all 3 kids while Jordan takes me out for my birthday Monday night. He already has reservations at Mickey and Mooch and we can't wait!
We are all so starved for family time and can't wait for all of us to be together!

Chandler Grace - 9 Months Old

March 11th, our baby is 9 months old! Hard to believe that she can stand on her own, dance, eat some solids (honeybun, bread, etc.), tries to climb the stairs, Cries for Jordan to hold her as soon as he gets in the door from work, content to play by herself, cries if Kennedy or Jackson cries, loves to be clapped for, makes all kinds of sounds-clicks her tongue, cruises the furniture, is happy alone until she sees Mama or Daddy, goes and stays happily in the kids room at the gym, can hold bottle by herself, ticklish-especially at her neck, sits and watches Blue's Clues, had her first boo-boo, got a new car seat, cut 2nd tooth, smiles and acts shy when she hears us say "Chandler Grace" or "No" to get on to her (usually for touching the TV)Chandler Grace is gentle, quiet and content. She is a real sweetheart!

Chandler Grace Stands!

While she has been attempting this (by holding on to something and letting go with a small pause before falling) for the past few weeks, Thursday, March 6th, was the first real stand! It happened while I was at the Carolina Kids Sale. Then again on Saturday, I saw it, but Jordan was running. But, Jordan and I got to witness it together on Sunday more than once, so it was very special.

We couldn't believe it-and before 9 months! Earlier than her big sister and big brother, by the way.

She seems to be flying through all of these milestones. So exciting and kind of sad, too. This is our baby-can't she just stay that way? I guess not. But, no matter how big she gets, she will always be our baby girl.

Elefun

Last night, after dinner, I went to the Carolina Kids Sale (400 + consigners) and found Elefun the Elephant for $8! Better than the 20 something it is new! I couldn't wait to get home and show the kids!
They were so excited. We were, too! So, we played when I got home with it around 6:30 until time for baths before bed.
The object is to catch the most butterflies in your net. Kennedy really loved it and just laughed the whole time she played. Jackson opted to go around and pick up the ones that landed on the floor! It was a lot of fun! Another game to add to the collection!

Chandler Grace's 1st Boo-Boo

Well, we all knew it would happen, still....

Wednesday afternoon, Chandler Grace was climbing onto the bean bag while I was putting batteries into our remote. I looked up, and there she went- head first over the bean bag into the glass shelf of our TV stand. It left a mark on her forehead. Aww, poor baby! I hate it when they get hurt. Hard to know some things you just can't protect them from. Anyway, we survived our first boo-boo, and what I'm sure will be the first of many more to come!

Chandler Grace's Leap Day Tooth!

Chandler Grace cut her 2nd tooth, Saturday, February 29th! A leap day tooth. That morning I rubbed my finger in her mouth to check, and sure enough, there it was! I meant to, but failed to post this last weekend. Hey, 2nd, but important! Congratulations, Chandler Grace! In a little while, we won't be able to keep up with them.

Family Night

Family Night has been a tradition in our family since Kennedy was about 14 months old. We usually have it on the weekend, and usually get or make something fun together for dinner and dessert. Then we usually do something ALL OF US together. Most of the time we watch a DVD together on a pallet in the floor complete with popcorn. Now that Kennedy is older we have more options.
We got the game Whack a Mole while at Toys R Us in Concord on Sunday. We went over after getting Chandler Grace's car seat at the Babies R Us across the street. We let Kennedy and Jackson run around and play with the toys. They had a blast. Then we ate at the KFC/Taco Bell and headed back to Mooresville.
We thought it would be fun to start a collection of games to have for family night. This is our first kid game and we all had great fun playing it. The 4 of us played and Chandler Grace even hit at the moles with the mallet! I'm having the time of my life with the kids. They are so much fun - it's like Christmas for me and Jordan with them everyday. Nothin' like it!

Chandler Grace's New Car Seat

Chandler Grace got a new car seat last night at Babies R Us. She's long since outgrown her infant carrier. Of course, it is pink and brown for our baby girl. She looks so adorable in it and seems much happier. This particular car seat can be used for all of the stages and up to 100 pounds, so that will be the last one we have to buy for her. It was kind of sad taking the infant carrier out. It's been almost 2 years that we've HAD to use it. After Jordan installed the new car seat (while still in the parking lot) he sat the old one in the seat next to her and said, "So, that's what it would look like with 4!!" We had a good laugh.

We just have to laugh at how we have crossed over from the infertile couple to the overly fertile one! After 7 un-pregnant years, full of tests, procedures, surgeries, failed fertility treatments-people hurting for/with us, praying for us, people feeling bad to share that they were pregnant, which we hated for them-to us, a baby was always good news! Especially from someone else who had struggled with infertility. It was like scoring one for the team and it gave us hope! We just can't believe how God has blessed us.

These past 8 months have been the longest anyone at Jordan's office has seen me NOT pregnant. I was pregnant when we moved here and then again just 4 months after giving birth to Jackson. They starting teasing Jordan right after we had Chandler Grace that I will be pregnant again this year. (Sorry guys!) But, oh how we so enjoy hearing that. Such a beautiful victory for us. Everytime I tell my brother, "Guess what" or anything of that nature, he always says, "You're pregnant!"
NO, I'm not! But, I've gotta say, it is much better on this side of the fence. We are very blessed at all 3 of our miracles! And now, all 3 are in "big baby" car seats or "big kid" booster seats!

Mama and Kennedy's Month

Saturday was officially March, so Kennedy and I took our turn and went out for our special outing together!

No dainty food for us Harr girls-we went to Longhorn Steakhouse and both got steaks! And, my daughter made the excellent choice of the Chocolate Stampede for desert. The food wasn't my favorite part of the lunch, but our conversation. We were talking about how glad we are that we were together, and not apart. Kennedy told me she is glad she isn't with a different mom, and if she was, she'd be so sad and would come and find me. I told her I would be sad, too. And how amazing it is that God went through all he did to bring us together. She said she remembered seeing my eyes at the hospital and that they were full of love! (Aww! It melted my heart when she said that! How sweet. And exactly like my Kennedy). It was if we both really got how blessed we were to be there enjoying lunch together on our special mother/daughter day. I will always remember that.

After lunch, we headed for "The Big Theatres" as Kennedy calls it! We played video games while waiting to see The Spiderwick Chronicles. I have to say it was a great movie! A little scary at times, but great. It was such a great day and I'm already longing for my turn with her again in May!