Baby Grant

We recently took a trip over to my friend Brittney's house to see their newest addition, baby Grant! He was born on May 4th and mommy and baby are both doing great! His big sister, Anna, is very sweet with him and is a very proud big sister! She was so gentle with Grant. We are so happy for Mike, Brittney & Anna. Grant is adorable!! CONGRATULATIONS!

This is the "Proud BIG Sibling" club!! Anna (big sister to baby Grant), Claire (big sister to baby Anna) and Landon (big brother to baby Olivia)!

Brittney & Grant!

A cute group picture!

Grant & Olivia- just a few weeks apart in age!

Visiting with Family

On Sunday, we drove to Columbus to see Ben's cousin Curt, his wife Sue and their kids, Sophie & Charlie. They live in LA, but were in the area for a reunion at Ohio University, their alma mater. We hadn't seen them since we visited them in California several years ago. It was nice visiting with them and seeing their two beautiful children. Sophie will be 6 in July and Charlie will be 1 next month. We call Claire & Sophie "birthday buddies" because they both share July 16th as their birthday! This also happens to be their Great Grandpa Cutting's birthday as well!! How neat! Claire had so much fun playing with Sophie outside that day. Sophie was exceptionally sweet with Claire and really seemed to have fun playing with Claire despite the age difference. We wish they lived closer because they are so much fun! I guess we will just have to find an excuse to go out to LA to visit them there!!

Sophie & her mommy Sue!

Sue & Curt

Grammy holding little Charlie! He is such a cutie!

Daddy & Claire eating the fabulous food!

I love this sweet picture of Sophie & Claire on the swing!! What a cute cousin picture!

Please Pray

This morning I found out some horrible news. My favorite Christian recording artist, Steven Curtis Chapman, lost his 5 year old daughter in a terrible accident. She was struck by a car that her older brother was driving and subsequently died at the hospital from her injuries. Maria was adopted by the Chapman's as an infant from China. They also have two other girls they adopted from China and have three biological children. Steven has been such an encouragement to me over the years. I just love his music and feel such a connection to him and his family. He and his wife Mary Beth have raised so much awareness about adoption and have an organization called Shaohannah's Hope. The mission statement is "mobilizing the body of Christ to care for orphans". Please pray for their family right now (especially their son) as they deal with this horrific loss. I can't even imagine. I have been so sad this morning. It really puts things in perspective for me. As I laid my girls down for their naps today I rocked each of them to sleep (which I don't normally do!), but I just realized you don't know how much time any of us have here on this earth. These precious moments we spend with our children and each other are fleeting. I held my girls close and smelled their hair and touched their soft skin and tried to soak it all in.

I pray that the Lord holds the Chapman family tightly right at this moment.

Walk For Life

We had a super busy weekend, but a fun one! On Saturday morning we went to the Walk For Life. This was a fundraiser for the Miami Valley Women's Center. This is such a wonderful Christian organization that gives help to women that are considering abortion or counseling to those that have already had an abortion. They help women find answers with issues surrounding unplanned pregnancies, abortion, and many other life issues. I love that we have this organization in our area and we are committed to supporting them. They have many women (and unfortunately girls) that come in thinking they are at the abortion center in Kettering on Stroop Road (one of the few clinics that preform late term abortions/partial birth abortions). One of the Miami Valley Women's Centers three area offices is on Stroop Road as well. They have been able to save many babies because of this Divine mix up! We believe strongly in the sanctity of life and believe that every baby has the right to live. I want to help be a voice for these precious babies that have no voice. Please pray for me right now. I really feel led to volunteer my time & services to the Miami Valley Women's Center. I feel that as a neonatal nurse and mother of two I have a lot to offer and what better way to give than to help these women and babies in need. Please pray that if it's God's will that I be involved with this organization that He will open the door and allow things to fall into place! If you would like to visit the Miami Women's Centers website, the link is... http://www.womenscenter.org. Please consider donating to this very worthwhile cause and please keep them in your prayers. They are truly doing the Lord's work!

Grammy & Grandpa went on the walk with us! It was a beautiful morning and there was a great turn out!

The city of Kettering had one of its fire trucks on display. Claire loves trucks and sirens right now, but didn't really want any part in sitting in the truck!

Happy Anna in the stroller! Now that I have my own children I feel even stronger in my conviction against abortion. Can you imagine the world without this precious face!

I found this great Biblical argument against abortion and wanted to share it.

Psalm 139:13-16 paints a graphic picture of the intimate involvement of God with a preborn person. God created David's "inmost being," not at birth, but BEFORE birth. David says to his Creator, "You knit me together in my mother's womb." Each person, regardless of his parentage of handicap, has not been manufactured on a cosmic assembly line, but has been personally knitted together by God in the womb. All the days of his life have been planned out by God before any have come to be (Psalm 139:16).

New Swing Set

On Saturday Ben finished up putting together a swing set for Claire & Anna. We decided to just get a cheapie because we will probably only need it for a couple years. I don't think Claire could've been more excited if we got the most expensive swing set available! We actually took some video of Claire as she saw the swing set for the first time. It was so cute. She ran to it saying "swing, swing, swing". I told her to thank Daddy for getting her the swing set and she must have said "thank you Daddy" a hundred times. It was so sweet! I took some video of that too! She was so excited! PRICELESS!

Claire loves "big girl" swings!

She used the baby swing for her doll. She kept pointing to the baby swing saying "baby Anna swing"! Also, Claire's hair is long enough for a pony tail now! Ben I think she looks so grown up with her hair back!

Our girls in their swings!

Daddy putting on some finishing touches!

These pictures were taken in the evening after Claire had her bath. She cried to go back outside to swing! She also insisted on wearing this little tutu ballerina outfit Grammy gave her earlier that day. I didn't let her sleep in it because I hadn't washed it, but she seemed to enjoy playing outside in it! What a girlie girl!!

Going down her slide all by herself! She climbs up the steps and slides down. Such a big girl!

Playing on the glider. She was hesitant of it at first, but really liked it once she gave it a try!

Claire made her own monkey bar! She had a lot fun swinging from it!!

Just a pretty shot of Sophie in the grass! She loves the nice weather too!

LOVE my Feet!

Tonight when I was changing Anna into her pajamas, she grabbed her foot and put it in her mouth. She has been very close recently, but tonight she literally put her foot in her mouth! I had Ben run and get the camera for me. I remember loving this stage of infancy with Claire and I love it with Anna, too. She is really starting to show her little personality. It's kind of like at around 4 months they realize there is more to life than eating, sleeping & pooping! We are having so much fun with our girls. Claire is a blast right now as well. She talks all the time and she says just about everything. I can honestly say that we are having the time of our lives!! Parenthood is the BEST!! Love it, love it, love it!!!!!

"Are you really going to take a picture of me eating my foot???"

Yep... I sure am!

"YUMMY!"

Life's pretty good!

Isn't their flexibility amazing!!

After I took away her feet so I could dress her, she amused herself with the teddy bear Nuna gave her that plays music! Look at her smiling at it!

I guess if Anna can't put her foot in her mouth, she'll put her bear in her mouth! She is pretty easy to please!!

Visiting Olivia!

On Wednesday we went over to see baby Olivia. She was born three weeks ago and is cute as a button! I am so very happy for Deanna, Brian & Landon! Deanna and I have been friends for almost a decade now. We met working together in the NICU and hit it off from the start. We have been through so many life stages together. It has been so much fun to watch our families grow! It's still hard for me to believe that we are both mother's of two children. I love that our kids are friends and I know they always will be! Congratulations Deanna... Olivia is such a sweet gift!

What a funny face! Isn't she adorable?!?!

Deanna & her girl!

The clan!

Olivia, Landon, Claire & Anna

Look how gargantuan Anna looks next to little Olivia.

Play time!

Claire loves babies and Olivia was no exception!

Landon & Claire hugging!

Landon looking at his new "ABC" book that Grammy got for him. Big brother's need gifts too!

I just wanted to show this picture of Landon & Claire when Claire was just a week old (Landon was 7 months old). I love that we have a similar picture of Anna & Olivia. I remember Deanna & I talking about how Landon looked so big in comparison to Claire. Look at her bird legs!!

Anna's Baby Dedication

Sunday was a very special day for us. We dedicated Anna to the Lord at church. It was a great way to celebrate Mother's Day. Also, last Mother's Day was when we told our family we were pregnant with Anna, so it seemed fitting that we had her dedicated then!

As I mentioned when we dedicated Claire, baby dedication is similar to the Catholics christening of babies. At our church it is more for the parents than the babies though. The church prays for the parents that they raise their children to grow in the knowledge and truth of the Lord. Please pray for us that we can teach & lead Anna to know and understand the love our Lord has for her and that one day she will give her heart to Jesus! That is truly my hearts prayer for her.
Most of our family was able to come to witness the special event and after church we went out to eat to celebrate. Thanks to those that were there to support us and Anna! I will post more close up pictures of Anna with her beautiful gown Grammy bought for her when I take her 5 month quilt pictures next week!

Mommy & Daddy with Anna. Anna is wearing the hat that Grammy made for her. It is actually two hankies she stitched together to make a little hat. When she gets married she is suppose to clip the stitches so she can have a hankie to take down the aisle with her. The other hankie is for me (I'm sure I will need it, too!). How special is that? Grammy wrote Anna a beautiful note to explain the hat. This is something I know Anna will always treasure!

Our family!

I felt bad I didn't get a picture of Papa with Anna and this is the only picture I have of him!

Anna's cake and the insert from the church bulletin.

The cake was beautiful and delicious! It has the verse that we picked out for Anna. Psalm 139:14 I am fearfully and wonderfully made. We also put this verse on her baby announcement.

Nuna, Mommy & Claire

Nuna, Papa & Anna

Grammy & Anna

Great Grandma McDowell & Anna

Aunt Beth & Anna

My very good friend, Deanna and her husband Brian had their adorable baby Olivia dedicated as well. Landon is the proud big brother! Aren't they a beautiful family!

I also wanted to take this opportunity to thank both of our mother's for all they do for us. They are both always willing to babysit, dog sit, or do just about anything we ask of them. You both are very selfless women and I know a lot of times we don't take the time to let you know how much we love you and appreciate all you do for us. THANK YOU and we love you so much!! Happy Mother's Day!