The Harrison Family

Alaina's First Birthday Tea Party

2011-08-09T15:26:00.006-04:00

Alaina's First Year

2011-08-09T15:23:00.001-04:00

Make a video - it's fun, easy and free!
www.onetruemedia.com

10 Months

2011-06-06T23:21:00.003-04:00

My Laina Lee is 10 months old today. We've hit so many milestones this past month!

Alaina has mastered crawling and is now pulling up on whatever she can get those little hands on. Her first few teeth have FINALLY come through. Two on the bottom and I just noticed yesterday that she has one breaking through on the top also.

She loves to eat table food and seems to be just about done with baby food. I still nurse her and probably will for the next 15 years. Ha! I've attempted weaning her by offering milk/formula but she's not interested in that one bit. I wouldn't trade this bonding experience for anything BUT y'all this mama is tired. I'm sure I'll cry once it's all over. I try to remind myself there will be a day when she'll slam her bedroom door in my face and tell me to leave her alone. I do love it that she wants and needs me so much right now.

Alaina goes to bed in her crib with no problem but she just doesn't like to stay there all night. I've spoiled her big time by putting her in the bed with me in the middle of the night. She expects this now and will throw a fit if she wakes up and doesn't get to snuggle with her mama. It's my own fault and I know what I have to do to fix it. I just hope I can put forth the energy it'll require. Most nights I'm just too tired to care. Garrett was the same way at this age and now sleeps so well. I'm hoping she does the same.

She's rotten I tell ya!

I can't believe her birthday is only 2 months away. Aunt MiMi and I are already throwing around party ideas. This little girl has been such a joy and blessing to me. I am so grateful and honored to be her mommy.

P.S. On a different note...BIG ANNOUNCEMENT!

I'm going to be an AUNT!

My brother TJ and sister-in-law Brandi are expecting their first child early next year. We are all so excited!!

Paci Free

2011-06-01T09:38:00.002-04:00

Garrett has recently kicked his habit and is no longer tied down to his paci. We are all so proud of him! The transition wasn't bad and after only a week he doesn't even mention it. I am grateful for the comfort they provided my little man but happy to finally say goodbye.

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The Most Wonderful Time of the Year

2011-04-30T23:08:00.005-04:00

Today was the first time she saw the waves...

and the first time she touched the sand.
It's official...she LOVES it!

With all this beautiful weather, the Harrison's can't resist heading down to the beach to put our toes in the sand and smell that salty sea air.

Somebody couldn't be happier about it either.

Happy Easter

2011-04-25T22:24:00.002-04:00

Special Day

2011-03-03T16:47:00.007-05:00

My Blue Eyed Babies

2011-02-28T11:09:00.006-05:00

Photos by the Awesome Laura Vandiford

It's All Over Now

2011-02-20T23:46:00.002-05:00

For the past year and a half (ever since Garrett's been walking) I've been dodging and zooming past fast food play areas with all my might. I know, I know...how mean of me to deprive my boy of all that fun! Well, I had my reasons. #1 He's the worst eater IN THE WORLD. He's so easily distracted at restaurants as it is, if he knew a jungle gym was a few feet away, I'd never get any food in him. #2 No matter how long I let him play, 30 minutes, an hour or even longer, I know I'll be dragging him away screaming crying. When we are out running errands, I just don't want make time for that. #3 Oh the germs! I try to not think about it, I know he can't live in a bubble but, y'all, those things are nasty!

Well, this past weekend at Chick-fil-a, he started asking questions. What were those kids doing and how can I get in on that action?!?! As we were leaving, there wasn't anyone playing, we were not in any hurry, and since I had Justin with me, I caved.

He. LOVED. It.

I knew he would. That child played so hard he was sweating when we left. It was fun watching him climb and play. It reminded me of all the fun I had as a kid diving into the balls at Cherry's (anyone else remember that??) I know this was one of those isolated incidents though. Next time there will be 50 other kids to trample him, he'll find used gum and put it in his mouth, and I'll look like a child abuser as I drag him back to the car. But this time, THIS TIME, it was fun.

Daddy instructing him how to climb to the top

"I see you mama!!"

"I do it again!!"

6 Months

2011-02-11T23:45:00.006-05:00

My baby girl is 6-months-old! She's growing like a weed and getting sweeter with each passing day. We are all so in love with this little girl. I couldn't imagine life without her in it. Alaina is now sitting up on her own and eating a wide variety of baby foods. She hasn't turned her nose up at any food I've offered her so I'm keeping my fingers crossed that she'll be my eater (unlike her big brother). We are still waiting for some teeth to pop through. I check her gums every day because I know it wont be long.

Here are a few photos taken over the past month:

Sink bath fun

Sweet rolls and dimples

My little Valentine

Enjoying the pretty weather

Smallest hospital gown ever :(

Yucky stomach bug sent us to urgent care. Luckily, no dehydration or fever.

My real live baby doll

Always smiling

Don't Run on Tile Floors While Wearing Socks

2011-01-19T21:40:00.004-05:00

Today while visiting Uncle Corey, Hayden and baby Smith, Garrett slipped on the tile floor and hit his mouth, busting up his poor little lip. There was lots of blood and tears shed but we survived the drama and I think he's going to be okay. His lip is very sore but after a cup of chocolate milk and two York Peppermint Patties,

I was able to get a little smile out of him.

A Busy Four Years for the Harrison Brothers

2011-01-14T16:43:00.009-05:00

Corey and Justin...

2007

Corey, Justin and Garrett...

2008
Corey, Justin, Garrett and Hayden...
2009
Corey, Justin, Garrett, Hayden and Alaina...
2010
(didn't have a pic with Hayden)
Corey, Justin, Garrett, Hayden, Alaina and Smith...
2011

Umm, wait a minute...does this mean it's my turn again?!?!

Snow Day 2011

2011-01-11T08:54:00.002-05:00

This is what we woke up to yesterday morning here in Hampstead!

I can't remember the last time I've seen this much snow!
It was so pretty! Garrett didn't care for the snow at all last year. This year, he LOVED it! After playing in it for a bit, I had to drag him back in the house. He didn't care how cold it was!Alaina liked it too!

So now that I've seen it fall, tasted it on my tongue, taken some cute pictures...it can all go away please!!

5-Months-Old

2011-01-06T13:44:00.004-05:00

My sweet Alaina is 5-months-old today.

She's officially moved into her room, sleeping in her big girl crib and out of the bassinet beside my bed. I miss having her at arms stretch but everyone is sleeping better this way.

This past month we've started feeding her baby cereal and food. She wasn't too sure at first...

but now she's gobbling it up!
Alaina witnessed her first snow fall this past month.
She also had her first visit from Santa. She was a very good girl!

Alaina is almost sitting up on her own and we're waiting to see teeth break through any day now. Sooner than later hopefully. Those teeth are a pain for us all!

I'm having so much fun with my little doll baby and looking forward to what the the next 5 months have in store for us!

Two Years and Five Months Ago...

2010-12-12T22:44:00.005-05:00

This little boy changed my life forever. I never knew what real exhaustion felt like, what heart wrenching worry felt like, or what unconditional "I'd step in front of a moving vehicle to save you" love felt like until he came along.

He loves to be held and snuggled. He'll come to me several times during the day with arms stretched out and say, "Hold you me, Mama, hold you me."

He loves Curious George, Toy Story 3, and his pacies. He's most happy riding in his daddy's "truck" and playing outside. He's the best sleeper and the worst eater.

He drives me completely bonkers and makes my heart bust out of my chest like the Grinch on a daily basis. I love watching him grow and learn about this world he lives in. He makes me so proud. I feel so lucky and blessed to be his mother.

My Sweet Garrett,

You are worth every wrinkle, stretch mark and gray hair. As long as I have the ability to lift my arms, I will always, ALWAYS "hold you me". I love you my sweet baby boy.

Mama

Merry Christmas 2010

2010-12-09T13:46:00.002-05:00

Along with losing all this baby weight and weaning Garrett from his paci (fat chance), I'm hoping to pick back up on my blogging in 2011. Don't give up on me just yet!

Happy Holidays from the Harrison's!

(Photos by Laura Vandiford)

Having Some Fun With My Doll Baby

2010-11-12T12:32:00.003-05:00

Just In Time For Our 7th Anniversary...

2010-10-29T16:28:00.005-04:00

My wedding rings are fixed and back on my finger where they belong. The jeweler did such a good job, you would never even know they had to be cut off my finger.*

*The title I first published this post under made absolutely no sense. Once I realized it, I was walking around twitching and wincing so I had to change it. Apparently, my brain wasn't working when I typed it. Ha!

Happy Fall Y'all!

2010-10-13T18:01:00.003-04:00

Meet My Photographer

2010-10-05T18:06:00.008-04:00

Ahhh yes, good ole 1999. I'm the young chick in the middle. Do you see the fella kneeling down to my right? (my right, your left) Well, his name is Matthew Vandiford. He was one of the 3 guys I graduated high school with. Yes, I said 3. Anyway, he's a great guy. He's funny, handsome, smart, accomplished. I always liked Matthew in school and I'd say I like him even more now.

Why, you ask?...

Because he married this gem! (Laura, I stole this pic off your blog...I hope that's ok!) Laura and I became friends through Matthew and our mutual friend, Leslie. She and I have lots in common and I'm so happy to have her friendship.

Way to go Matthew!

Laura is a pharmacist, wife to Matthew, and mother to Gracie. She has also become quite the photographer since we've met. She's awesome behind a camera and, since we're friends, I get to take advantage of her skills.

Lucky, I know.

Here are just a few of the pics she took of my babies:

I appreciate you taking the time to do this for me, Laura. It amazes me how you do all that you do and still find time to do such awesome favors for your friends. Thank you so much!!

Alaina Month 1

2010-09-16T11:50:00.000-04:00

These past 6 weeks have flown by so fast! Life as mother of two doesn't allow me a whole lot of free time. As much as I love scrapbooking and blogging, right now I'd just rather use my free time napping. Hopefully I'll get back to blogging regularly. Hopefully.

Alaina is such an easy baby. She's very content and not nearly as high maintenance as Garrett was when he was an infant. She likes to sleep in the baby swing and just chill on a blanket on the floor. Garrett would NEVER do that. If he wasn't in my arms 24/7 he was crying.

Breastfeeding is going well...great actually. That makes me very happy. We aren't on much of a schedule right now but since I'm staying home with her, I don't feel much pressure to get her on one. She likes to graze all throughout the day but then she'll give me 4-5 hour stretches at night. I'm not complaining.

Alaina has started smiling. It melts my heart. Garrett LOVES her so much. He's a good big brother and helps me out so much. I feel so blessed. I have to pinch myself all the time. I'm looking forward to all the milestones Alaina will be reaching and trying to savor every minute.

Here are a few random pics throughout her first month of life:

Introducing Alaina Lee Harrison!

2010-08-11T11:03:00.003-04:00

After 12 hours of labor and 5 minutes of pushing, Alaina Lee Harrison was born on her due date, August 6, 2010 at 11:10 am. She weighed 9 lbs, 9 oz and is 20 inches long.

I'd say 8 lbs of it is in her cheeks :)

We are all so in love with our new addition including big brother Garrett who loves kissing his little sister all the time.

1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10-11-12-13-14-15-16-17-18-19-20-21-22-23-24-25-26-27-28-29...30!!!

2010-08-02T09:35:00.000-04:00

This beautiful man...my husband, best friend, protector, provider, the father of my children...turns 30-years-old today. I've been lucky enough to share 8 of those years with him.

Justin,

We love you so much and hope that your day is special.

Happy Birthday to the greatest man I know!

Love,

Angie, Garrett, and Alaina (if she ever decides to come on out!)

Alaina Owes Me BIG Time

2010-07-20T19:43:00.005-04:00

I forgot just how much a summertime baby makes me swell. I put off removing my rings because I love wearing them so much. Then it was too late. Nothing could make them budge. I tried to ignore the throbs. I dismissed the pain. My finger was going numb.

I had to get them off.

I know these are broken rings not a broken marriage but, when I got back in my car after having this done, I sure cried like it was.

Garrett Turns Two!

2010-07-17T21:29:00.003-04:00

My baby boy turned two-years-old this past Thursday. We kept it low key and celebrated with an evening of fun and games at Chuck E. Cheese's. He had a blast!
Happy Birthday Garrett! We love you very much!

Ready For Baby

2010-07-08T22:15:00.005-04:00

Our baby's room is ready... her clothes are washed and clean...My body is extremely swollen...
I can't even remove my rings.The hospital bag is packed...
we've prepared Garrett the best we know how...
FOUR more weeks seems like an eternity

when you feel as big as a cow!

We are down to a few short weeks before Alaina's arrival. Please help me pray for a healthy delivery and a smooth transition from family of 3 to family of 4.

To My Babies Daddy

2010-06-25T00:06:00.006-04:00

Justin,

Even though this post is a few days late, Garrett and I couldn't pass up the opportunity to praise and honor you just a little. Thank you for being such a good daddy. Thank you for working so hard while you're on the road and sometimes even harder when you're here at home. I hope one day you can relax and take some time for yourself...maybe even before retirement.

Garrett and I love you so very much. I know Garrett loves me too but he makes it very clear on a daily basis who his "favorite" is. I want you to know I'm okay with that.

I'm looking forward to what these next few weeks bring our way. It's sure to be crazy here at the Harrison home with our new addition but please know while I'm a basket case, pulling my hair out and running off of zero sleep, I really couldn't be happier. Not just because I've been blessed with two precious children but because they came from you.

Happy Father's Day. We love you!

- Angie and Garrett (and Alaina too)

Happy Father's Day to my daddy too! Thank you for loving us kids so much. I love you Toby C.!

Harrison Home Improvement: Front Entryway

2010-05-27T21:50:00.006-04:00

When our realtor walked us through our new house last year, I loved most everything about it...everything but the front entryway. It's always seemed uninviting and just plain ugly to me.

Boring. Yuck. Yawn.

So, we decided to spruce it up a bit. Justin kicked things off by installing a new glass storm door. I love being able to open my front door now and let some afternoon sunlight in.

Then we thought we'd put his tile saw to good use and tile over that ugly concrete. He couldn't have done it without Garrett's help, that's for sure.

I'm so happy with the results! The slate tile adds a little color and the entryway doesn't seem so blah to me anymore.

Before/After

Whatcha think?

Grateful

2010-05-16T20:57:00.004-04:00

I think sometimes I spend more time asking God for things I think I need rather than thanking Him for what He's already given me.

I am truly blessed. Thank you Lord!

All Because I'm a Mother

2010-05-10T23:00:00.001-04:00

This past Friday, I dropped my son off at my daddy's so Justin and I could head to Charlotte, NC for a mini Mother's Day getaway. It was my first night away from Garrett. I knew he was is good hands, spending the night with my mama, but it still occasionally put a lump in my throat at the thought of him waking up needing me. I handled it pretty well until I saw this cute little boy in Subway on our way to Charlotte. I teared right up and cried a little as I ate my sub. Justin just laughed at me. I'm pregnant and I just couldn't help it.

Anyway, what in the world brought us to Charlotte, NC you ask? Well, back in late 2007, I was on the computer one night bored, visiting random sites and blogs. By chance I stumbled across this blog written by Ree Drummond, "The Pioneer Woman". I clicked on the link to her blog and have been doing so every single day since then. I love her. Her life is so fascinating to me. She loves to cook and blog about cooking. Recently, she took some of her favorite recipes and compiled them into a cookbook titled, "The Pioneer Woman Cooks". Her blog is very popular and has a huge following which has turned her into quite the celebrity. When her cookbook was released, she appeared on several talk shows such as Good Morning America, The Bonnie Hunt Show, and The View to promote the book. As a way to reach out to her fans, she's been visiting several states on a book signing tour. This past Friday she was in Charlotte, NC. Do you see where I'm going with this?

I GOT TO MEET THE PIONEER WOMAN!!!

My precious husband drove 4 and a half hours, sacrificed some of his hotel points, and waited with me in a bookstore in Charlotte from 5:30 pm to almost 10 pm just so I could have my photo taken with Ree and get her to sign my cookbook. He's. The. Best.

The book signing started at 6 pm. There was an enormous crowd of about 500 people. Ree kicked it off by speaking to the audience and answering a few questions about her blog and her cookbook.I was a little nervous about the thought of waiting in a long line being 6 months pregnant and all but it turned out to be much more pleasant than that. As each person entered the bookstore, they organized everyone into groups of 25, giving each group a letter, starting with letter A and working down the alphabet. I was in group N. They called each group over a microphone when it was time for them to line up and get their book signed. So, even though I knew I had a nice wait ahead of me, I was at least able to grab a comfy seat along with a few books and magazines to read while I waited to be called on.

Okay, so listen. Do you see this man? His mama should have named him, Justin "Patience" Harrison. There was nothing - I mean nothing - about this trip to Charlotte for him to get excited over. I know he was bored out of his mind and would have rather been elsewhere but he never showed it...not even once. He smiled knowing he'd be spending his whole evening in that bookstore waiting around, he brought me magazines so I wouldn't lose my seat, and when my pregnant belly started growling, he gladly walked down the mall to bring me back a big pretzel and some honey mustard dipping sauce. He's a good man. The best, actually.

Around 8 pm, the pretzel had worn off and we were starving. Luckily, there were some nice restaurants in walking distance from the bookstore. With the long wait, we were able to go eat dinner and still make it back in time to get my book signed. I gave one of the girls waiting in the bookstore my cell phone number and she actually text me every so often updating me on what letter group was being called. Wasn't that nice of her?

So, after reading Ree's blog every single day for the past 2 and a half years, I sorta felt like I already knew her. I was really excited and a little nervous when I finally go my chance to meet her face to face.

She was very sweet and friendly. Justin walked with me to snap some photos and as I was getting up to leave, she told me it looked like I had some great support, motioning over to Justin.

She has no idea.

Meeting The Pioneer Woman was such a fun experience. It was so unlike me to do something like this and I'll treasure these memories always. Looking back on it now, meeting Ree was great but it wasn't the highlight of my trip. The time I got to spend with the most loving, giving, and unselfish person I know is what made this trip so unforgettable.

Thank you, Justin, for such a wonderful Mother's Day gift. You, Garrett, and Alaina are my reason for living. I love you all very much!

Sigh of Relief

2010-05-04T14:15:00.008-04:00

As our doctor was going over the results of our baby's 19 week anatomy ultrasound, she mentioned that two small cysts were discovered on our baby's brain. Before we could panic, worry, stress, or act alarmed, she went to great lengths to calm our nerves and assure us that this wasn't uncommon at all, lots of babies have them, and most of the time they resolve on their own before the baby is even born. However, the cysts could be associated with a couple different syndromes/birth defects and because they saw them on the scan, they had to inform us. So, to get a better look at these cysts, my doctor referred us to Maternal and Fetal Medicine where they could get a clearer image on a more high tech ultrasound machine.

The first appointment was scheduled for the following week. The cysts were present but everything else measured normal and looked perfect. I spoke with one of the doctors before I left and what she reported was very comforting and reassuring.

Because the cysts were still visible, the doctor wanted me to come back for one more ultrasound a few weeks later. That appointment was scheduled for today. Before she even started the scan, the technician told me she bet the cysts weren't even there and, thankfully, she was right! The cysts resolved/disappeared and everything looked perfect. Alaina is started to pack on some body fat now weighing in at approximately 2 lbs, 5 oz. After all the painting/decorating I've been doing in her room lately, I needed a little more reassurance that this baby is indeed a "she". I asked the tech if she would mind double checking to make sure the baby was "still a girl".

Thank you Lord for a healthy report. Thank you Lord for taking those little cysts away. Thank you Lord that she is a girl and I don't have to paint over those pink walls!

"Da"

2010-04-28T12:56:00.005-04:00

Garrett is well aware now when Justin is away from home. Just a few months ago, we could wave by to daddy, watch him leave, and Garrett wouldn't think a thing of it. Then, several weeks ago, Garrett started randomly asking where "Da" was. He'd point to photos of Justin around the house and repeat "Da...Da...Da!" I'll be folding Justin's clothes and Garrett will point to Justin's shorts and shirts and yell "Da!"

It's obvious now, when Justin comes home, Garrett is a notably different child. He doesn't sleep well like he normally does. He wakes up really early, fights naps and bed time all because he's so scared he's going to miss out on daddy time. When Justin's home Garrett doesn't want me at all. He's Justin's shadow, glued to him everywhere he goes. Don't get me wrong, this doesn't bother me one single bit. I love it. I just always keep thinking in the back of my mind that another departure day is right around the corner when we'll watch daddy pull out of the driveway, Garrett will cry, and I'll have to explain 200 times a day for the following week that daddy is at work and he'll be back in a few days.

Stealing a Kiss

2010-04-18T22:05:00.005-04:00

It's impossible to resist her sweet cheeks...or when she sits on her blanket and kicks those chubby legs a hundred miles an hour...or when she claps at Moose on TV...or when she grins and giggles at Garrett...

We just love her :)

Easter 2010

2010-04-05T21:31:00.003-04:00

Harrison family Easter egg hunt

Easter Morning at Grandma LaVerne's house

The bunny brought Alaina something too :)

Easter egg hunt at Aunt Mindy's house

My Children

2010-03-31T21:40:00.001-04:00

Our New Ride

2010-03-27T22:47:00.002-04:00

Justin drove to Wilmington Thursday morning in the good ole Buick Century and came back that afternoon with our brand new car! It's a 2010 Toyota Camry and I love it!

Pregnancy Weeks 5-20

2010-03-23T21:21:00.003-04:00

I document just about everything. Partly because I'm extremely sentimental and partly because I'm one of those obsessive scrapbookers who saves EVERYTHING to glue in a book for fear of forgetting some precious memory. I get it honest. My daddy was always taking pictures of us kids growing up and my mama saved every scrap of memory she could cram into our keepsake boxes. She even saved my umbilical cord stump. You heard right...an almost 30-year-old cord stump is in my baby scrapbook. What...is that weird or something?

I took photos like these during Garrett's pregnancy also. I love to compare them. I've gotten much bigger - much faster this go round.

Week 5 - I'm just a glowing, excited newly pregnant lady.
Week 10 - I'm using all my might to hold back tears and vomit.
Week 15 - I'm starting to feel much more human and like myself.
Week 20 - This girl's feeling good and eating everything in sight! Justin says my belly button will be gone by Friday. I hope he's wrong!

20 weeks down, 20 more to go!

Her Name

2010-03-16T11:55:00.004-04:00

I like names with meaning, family names especially. When we found out that we're having a baby girl, Justin asked me to come up with a list of five names. He's nice like that, leaving the hard part up to me. So, I got to work. I had a few names already in mind but was having a difficult time coming up with any more that I could actually consider using. I think I knew deep down her name was already decided. It was the name I kept coming back to over and over again. It's so sweet, pure and innocent sounding to me. When I was a little girl, this was the name I liked to always pretend my daughter's name was. I named one of my favorite baby dolls this name too. The middle name needed no consideration. I knew I wanted it to be special. I wanted it to stand for something I love very much. The name we have chosen for our daughter is:

Alaina Lee Harrison

"Lee" is in honor of my best friend and sister, Mindy Lee. Precious, attractive and peaceful are a few meanings I've found for the name "Alaina".

I love having a name for her. This isn't just a baby I'm pregnant with anymore and it's not just my baby girl either. It's Alaina Lee Harrison, my second child, my daughter.

Sugar and Spice and Everything Nice!

2010-03-12T14:57:00.002-05:00

We're having a GIRL!

This is hard to distinguish but the three little white lines that the arrow is pointing to are girl parts :)

Pink or Blue?

2010-03-11T11:42:00.002-05:00

Tomorrow morning I'm scheduled to have our baby's anatomy ultrasound. I'm very anxious to see and hear that Harrison baby #2 is growing and developing just as he/she should.

I'm also excited to find out what the baby's gender is. Everyone has asked me what we'd like to have and, honestly, I can't choose. A girl would be so much fun. Doll babies, ruffles, hair bows etc. I'd have my little friend to play dress up with, have tea parties with, and someone to pass along all my girl stuff to that I've been saving all these years. A boy would be such a blessing too. I know little boys and their needs. I'd get to reuse all of Garrett's precious baby clothes and all the little boy stuff. I'd also be thrilled to give Garrett a brother. I see how close Justin and Corey are and I'd love to provide my son with a best friend. I'm so glad the choice isn't left up to me!

So, what do you think...

Will it be a little Angie or another little Justin?

TEAM PINK or TEAM BLUE?

Happy Birthday to My Mother-in-law!

2010-03-03T10:47:00.002-05:00

Ms. Marilyn,

I just wanted to wish you a happy, happy birthday today! Thank you for being such a supportive and loving mother, mother-in-law, and grandmother. I am so grateful and consider myself very lucky to have such a great relationship with my husband's mother. I know that I can always count on you and that means so much. We love you very much and hope you have a great day!

Love,

Justin, Angie, Garrett and Baby #2

P.S. I hate to ask you this but will you do me a favor and please use your birthday wish on warmer weather? I need sunshine, flowers, birds chirping, green grass, and short sleeves ASAP! Thanks! I'll owe you one!

Butterflies In My Belly

2010-02-18T21:39:00.002-05:00

After a few days of scratching my head and wondering "Could it really be?", I'm totally convinced I feel baby #2 moving around in here! Every now and then, I feel these tiny little flutters and thumps that will stop me dead in my tracks hoping so badly to feel it again. It's by far my favorite part of pregnancy.

I first felt Garrett moving around week 18. I've read it's not uncommon to feel the second baby move sooner.

It's also not uncommon to look like you are 25 weeks pregnant when you are actually only 16 weeks pregnant the second time around. At least that's what I'm telling myself. I lost 6 lbs in the first few months of this pregnancy due to all the nausea and vomiting. At my last check up, I was shocked to see that I've only gained 4 of the 6 lbs back so far. My belly seems so big...along with my appetite.

I am feeling SO much better these days. I am only taking half of a Zofran a day.

Garrett either thinks the baby is in my belly button or IS my belly button. Either way it's the cutest thing when he sees my belly, spits out his paci, and kisses my belly button. I hope I can get it on camera!

Right now I'm counting down the days til the ultrasound. I am dying to know the gender so I can get started on the nursery.

Only 3 more weeks!

Fun In the Snow

2010-02-15T10:37:00.003-05:00

Happy Valentine's Day

2010-02-14T11:29:00.007-05:00

For the past eight years, I've been lucky enough to call this man my Valentine. He's. The. Best. He's the milk to my cookie, the cheese to my macaroni, the chocolate to my strawberry. Speaking of chocolate strawberries, that's just what I made for my Valentine this year.

I found these beauties in February at Wal Mart, of all places. I bought three different types of chocolate to dip them in.

White chocolate...

milk chocolate...
and Justin's favorite...dark chocolate.
I drizzled the leftover melted chocolate on the strawberries to make 'em look fancy.
They were almost too pretty to eat!

I did say almost too pretty to eat.

Justin,
Happy Valentine's Day!

Thank you for such a fun and special weekend.

I wish I could have you to myself all day today but, luckily, I have Garrett and the box of Whitman's chocolates you bought me here to keep me company.

You are the greatest man and I am so honored to be your Valentine.

I love you,

Angie

Second Trimester

2010-02-05T13:32:00.005-05:00

Today I am 14 weeks pregnant. I have officially enter my second trimester. I had a OBGYN appointment scheduled for today but had to reschedule for next week due to a very sick little boy. So far, this pregnancy hasn't been much different from Garrett's. The nausea/vomiting is getting better with each passing week. I still throw up first thing EVERY morning. I did that the whole nine months during Garrett's pregnancy so I think I can handle it.

I'd have to say my favorite thing about this pregnancy so far is being able to hear the baby's heartbeat whenever I want. Jamie purchased a fetal Doppler during her pregnancy with Hayden and graciously allowed me borrow it. I'm obsessed with it! It's so comforting and reassuring to be able to turn it on and listen to that sweet, sweet sound. Thanks again Jamie!

As of week 14, the baby is now about 3.5 inches long and weighs about 1.5 ounces. My belly is definitely pooching out much quicker this time around. My abdominal muscles just aren't as tight after giving birth to Garrett. Yeah...it's all his fault. It had nothing to do with the FORTY POUNDS I packed on during that pregnancy.

Please continue to keep our family in your prayers.

One trimester down, two to go!

Look What I Know!

2010-02-04T12:14:00.007-05:00

I've been trying to get this on video for months now but every time I get out the camera, Garrett loses concentration and just wants to grab at my camera. It finally dawned on me to do it while he's in the tub where there's plenty of distractions.

I know he's practically out of view in the first few seconds. I was just doing my best to respect and protect his privacy :)

Danger is His Middle Name

2010-01-26T18:22:00.003-05:00

Garrett is going through this climbing stage where I can't keep him off or out of anything. He's fearless. I'm afraid he's going to break a bone or really hurt himself. I'm constantly finding him in situations like this...

Apparently TV is better when you can watch it on top of the kitchen table. I can't tell you how many times he's fallen between those chairs. He'll cry and then do it all over again.
This is one of the worsts.

It takes him .2 seconds to get from the couch to the top of this bar.

Then there's this little trick. I'm just trying to figure out where he comes up with this stuff. It all happened over night. Like he was plotting and scheming for the perfect opportunity to try it out.

Last but not least, there's the bathroom climbing trick. This one drives me INSANE! He starts by tossing everything in the bottom drawer out onto the floor. I don't know why but he does it every time.
He pulls the top drawer out and starts to climb.

Basically, I can't use any of my bathroom drawers. I've been putting all my "important" stuff in the top drawer but, as you can see, he can reach that now.

I want all you mommies out there who have little ones who are not walking yet to breathe a big sigh of relief. Then I want you to brace yourself because once they do start walking, this is what you have to look forward to!

P.S. All these photos were taken in the same day. Notice how he starts off fully dressed and is down to just a diaper in the last photo. That's another trick he's learned...how to undress himself. Oh yeah, you guessed it...I LOVE it when he does that!

Just Really Missing Him

2010-01-18T21:28:00.006-05:00

I've known Justin's busy time of year was coming. We've been bracing ourselves for all the time away from home and traveling he'd be doing. I've been preparing myself to suck it up and take on all the responsibilities at home like a big girl.

Well, it's the third week in January and I'm over this already! It's not just the extra help with Garrett and chores around the house that I miss. I just really miss my husband and my friend!

I'd love to throw a fit, cry, and stomp my feet for this to end and Justin just come home to me. The problem is, I already did that...that's why Justin has this job and we're back home in NC.

So, suck it up I must. This is just a chapter of our life. One of the not so interesting chapters. The kind you want to just skim through and flip on over to where the story gets real good.

Like this:

Angie awoke, feeling completely refreshed with no signs of morning sickness. She found Garrett in the living room, picking up his toys and folding a pile of laundry that was left on the couch. Then, there was a knock at the door. It was Justin. He was home early! Angie opened the door to see her lover standing there with his gorgeous grin, a box of Whitman Sampler chocolates in one hand and a winning lottery ticket in the other...

Counting down the seconds till you return. Love you Justin!

Hayden Keeping it Real

2010-01-04T21:38:00.004-05:00

Since Jamie's been too busy keeping my kid for me this week to catch up on her own blog, I thought I'd post this cute video clip of Hayden. She's getting so growny, sitting up like a big girl, laughing and giggling so much. In no time she'll be up walking around, pulling the oven door open, and throwing dish towels on the floor like Garrett does when he's over at their house.

In this video, she's right where she wants to be...in her mama's lap. She's a mama's girl for sure! They're BFFs and that's basically the point Hayden's trying to make in this clip.

Vomit, Throw-up, Nausea, Puke etc.

2009-12-31T12:28:00.002-05:00

I'd like to state for the record how truly blessed and happy I am that God has seen fit to place another little angel in our care. The changes taking place inside my body right now are nothing short of a miracle. This is exactly what I wanted and God didn't hesitate or make me wait long at all for this little miracle to take place. I know there are many women who would gladly trade places with me and this fact is something that I don't take lightly.

Now, having said that...

I feel so bad. I thought this pregnancy was going to be different. I thought maybe - just maybe - I wouldn't be sick this time. I exercised. I ate healthy foods. I tried prepping my body mentally and physically to feel good.

No such luck.

I am in the throes of morning sickness and it's about to kick my butt. Everything stinks. Everything makes me nauseous. You know the sweet smell of your child's neck? That smell that makes you grab your baby, bury your nose in his neck, and just sniff and squeeze him???? THAT SMELL makes me sick right now. The nauseous feeling I get from foods and cologne I can deal with but THAT SMELL, well, I've cried over that one.

Thank you, Lord, for this pregnancy.

Please ease this morning sickness so I can sniff my Garrett's neck.

Amen.

Fake Surprise vs Real Surprise

2009-12-26T21:05:00.003-05:00

My sister threw herself a surprise birthday party this year. Why, you ask? Basically, because she's cool like that. As soon as I found out I was expecting baby #2, I knew this occasion would be the perfect time to tell her. A REAL surprise for her FAKE surprise birthday party.

Video 1: Fake Surprise

Video 2: Real Surprise

BIG NEWS

2009-12-18T14:20:00.005-05:00

We are very excited to announce that our family will be growing by one next year! Baby Harrison #2 is due August 6, 2010. Please pray for our new little one on the way and his/her mama because morning sickness is about to get the best of her!

Happy Birthday Sister!

2009-12-15T20:02:00.005-05:00

I'd have to say, the greatest Christmas present I've ever received came to me December 1983. My parents gave me a real live baby doll, my little sister, Mindy.

Not only did my parents give me a baby to love and play with, they gave me my truest, best, greatest, #1 friend forever.
No one knows me like this girl does and I know she's always got my back.

She's been there for me through the break-ups, hook-ups, or when I've just needed to vent. We share so many of the same interests and passions yet we are also SO very different.

I know she loves me and will always tell it like it is.

Thank you Lord for giving me Mindy.

Without her my life would be so empty.

Mindy,

This world would be a less colorful and exciting place without you in it.

I am so happy and blessed to have you as my sister and friend.

I love you more than you'll ever know.

Happy Birthday!

Love,

Ang.

St. Nick

2009-12-13T20:07:00.005-05:00

We took Garrett to see Santa this past Saturday. I didn't know how Garrett would react to the jolly old elf but after a few minutes he warmed right up and Santa was even able to get a smile out of my boy. Justin and I had been out and about all afternoon and for some reason neglected to change our son's extremely wet diaper. It wasn't until after this photo shoot that we looked down at his stroller seat and then at the back of his pants to see a soaking wet mess.

Oh well, sorry Santa!

The Stockings Were Hung by the Chimney With Care

2009-12-07T12:10:00.003-05:00

I decided to get crafty and make Christmas stocking this year. My mom did the same for us many years ago and it was always so special to me.

I'm such a beginner with my sewing machine. I wanted to give up and throw them away several times. I pushed through, finishing them anyway. I had them monogrammed and added a little trim.

They're far from perfect but I'm happy with them just the same.

(Don't look too close...haha!)

Cousins

2009-12-07T11:51:00.003-05:00

Garrett: "Hayden, wave to the camera like this."

Hayden: "Nope. I don't want to."

Garrett: "Come on, Hayden! See how I'm waving? Do it like this."

Hayden: "Okay, fine. You mean like this?"

Garrett: "Umm, yeah...that's great. Point taken."

Sweetness

Gingerbread House

2009-11-30T20:51:00.003-05:00

I thought it would be fun to construct a gingerbread house this holiday season. I've never done it before so while Sierra was over at the house, I decided to put her to work as my assistant.

Oh, the gingerbread dough smelled soooo good! It took all I had not to shove a big ole hunk of it right in my mouth. Have I ever told you about my strange love and weakness for dough? Biscuit dough, cookie dough, cake batter, cornbread batter, any kind of dough, any kind of batter...I love it all. I know it may sound nasty but I've eaten that stuff all my life. My mama tried to stop me by telling me it would give me worms. Do you think that stopped me? HA! Ask my husband. He thinks I've lost my mind when he walks into the kitchen and sees me with a mouth full of biscuit dough. Anyway...moving on.

I found a basic gingerbread house template on the Internet and used it to cut out all the pieces.

After baking the gingerbread, I let it sit over night on the counter so it would be nice and hard when it was time to construct our house.

Once the house was standing (after a few bumps and hiccups), Mrs. Marilyn, Sierra, and I had so much fun adding all the extras. Let me tell ya, the creativity was a flowing in that kitchen! We were squealing and giggling like little girls over our ideas.Garrett wanted to get his hands on that house some kinda bad! He spent most of his time down by our feet like a little vulture waiting for any candy that we dropped.

A little "snow" on top for the finishing touch.

Isn't it darling?!?!

We had a blast putting this gingerbread house together. However, I have asked my mother-in-law to pop me upside my head if I try to attempt this again next year. Whew!

New Moon

2009-11-30T12:23:00.002-05:00

Saturday afternoon, Sierra and I donned our Twilight shirts, howled at the moon, and then headed over to Wilmington to catch the matinee viewing of New Moon, the second instalment of the Twilight saga. She and I are both "Twihards" and there's no one else I'd rather experience the movie with than her. She understands the drama between Bella, Edward, and Jacob. She understands how awesome vampires and werewolves are.

She and I see eye to eye on these matters.

I can't wait til the next movie.

Sierra, next time let's wear glitter so we sparkle. YEAH!

Pumpkin Roll

2009-11-19T11:18:00.009-05:00

We love pumpkin desserts, especially this time of year. Pumpkin pie is definitely Justin's favorite but I'd say pumpkin roll is a close second. It has a cream cheese filling and a bit more sugar than the pumpkin pie but, hey, it's the holidays!

Cake Ingredients:

3 eggs, 1 cup granulated sugar, 2/3 cup pumpkin (canned or fresh), 3/4 cup all purpose flour, 1 tsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp nutmeg, 2 tsp cinnamon

Mix eggs and sugar well; add pumpkin.
I like to give my dry ingredients a good sift to get out any lumps.
Fold in dry ingredients.
(Please notice the lovely scar on my right wrist.
You can read about that story here.)
Pour onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. I find this works better than just a greased cookie sheet.
Bake at 375 degrees for 15 minutes.
Once it's baked and warm right out of the oven, loosen from parchment paper, lay on towel, and roll it up. Set it aside until it's cooled completely.

Filling Ingredients:
1 8 oz. cream cheese (room temperature), 4 tbs butter (room temperature), 1 cup powder sugar, 1tsp vanilla

Mix together filling ingredients; add vanilla.

Unroll cooked pumpkin roll and spread on all that glorious, delicious filling.

Roll it up as tight as possible, wrap in parchment paper and foil, then place pumpkin roll into the freezer.

I serve it right out of the freezer. We find that texture more appealing than room temperature. Sometimes I sift a little powdered sugar on top to make it all perdy but since it already has 2 cups of sugar in it, I opted to skip those extra calories ;)

YUMMY!

He Likes a Little Hush Puppy With His Butter

2009-11-15T23:23:00.001-05:00

Thank You

2009-11-11T11:45:00.005-05:00

I would just like to say thank you to all our veterans past and present who have served our wonderful country. There's one United States Marine I'm especially proud of today who was recently awarded Rookie Recruiter of the Year. It was none other than my big brother, Staff Sergeant Toby J. Cascioli!

I am so very proud of you and honored to have you as a brother. I love you Chee-Chay!

Happy Veteran's Day!

Six Years

2009-11-04T19:18:00.006-05:00

Justin and I celebrated our 6th year of marriage this past Sunday.

Mindy kept Garrett for us so we could have lunch together. We wanted to try some place new, something romantic. When lunch time rolled around, it was rainy, cold, and we were starving. At that moment, we weren't feeling very adventurous. So, we went to good ole Outback Steakhouse. It never disappoints.
After lunch, we rode to the mall so I could pick out my gift :)

Before heading back, we stopped at Cold Stone for a sweet treat.

Justin,

I feel so very lucky

to have you in my life.

I've never been more happy

than the day I became your wife.

Garrett is the proof

on how well we work together.

I thank God every single day

that you'll be in my life forever.

Happy Anniversary!

Love,

Angie

Pumpkin Carving

2009-11-04T12:39:00.004-05:00

Believe it or not, I've never carved a pumpkin. I'm sure my parents carved pumpkins with us kids growing up but I can't remember ever doing it on my own. Garrett and I thought his pumpkin needed a little personality so we decided to give it a shot.

I drew on the face and Garrett scooped out the seeds. Well, he "helped" me scoop out the seeds.
I tried getting him to stick his hand down in there to pull all that stringy mush and seeds out. HE DID NOT LIKE THAT STUFF ON HIS HANDS!

Garrett loved "talking" to his pumpkin once he was completed and all lit up.

I had so much fun doing this with my boy. I think we'll have to make it a tradition.

Garrett-O-Lantern 2009

Pumpkin Patch

2009-11-04T12:19:00.002-05:00

Justin and I thought it would be fun to take Garrett to the pumpkin patch this year so he could pick out his own pumpkin.

He loves balls and anything that resembles them so he had a blast walking around touching and picking up all the pumpkins.

I liked the itty bitty pumpkins. They were so cute and I thought Garrett would like them also because he could easily hold them. I was wrong.

Daddy knew better. Garrett much preferred the bigger pumpkins.

Garrett says, "Ahh yes, THIS is the one!"

Success

2009-10-25T19:59:00.003-04:00

The pumpkin pie is all gone and so is my man. He left this morning around 10:30 am and will return late Friday night. We've got a fun filled weekend planned with Mindy's Halloween party Saturday night and then our 6th wedding anniversary Sunday...just gotta make it through this week. I'm going to start it off by taking Garrett to the Pediatrician tomorrow morning for his 15 month well check-up and to get his flu shot.

Say a little prayer that it all goes well!

Have a good week everyone!

Fresh Pumpkin Pie

2009-10-23T22:43:00.008-04:00

Justin has been away from his home (and wifey and son) all week. He'll be flying home late tonight and then leaving again on Sunday afternoon to fly back to Minneapolis, MN to work another full week away from home. I want his weekend home to be relaxing and rejuvenating so I asked him one night last week, "What is something special I can have waiting for you when you get home?" He said, "I think I'd like you to make me a pumpkin pie."

I said, "Done."

I've made plenty of pumpkin pies in my 6 years of marriage cause hubby loves 'em. I always buy canned pumpkin but today Food Lion was completely sold out. However, they did have a display set up of Pie Pumpkins. I picked one up and thought, "How hard can it be?" Turns out, not hard at all. I'll show you.

Ingredients: 3/4 cup sugar, 1/2 tsp salt, 1 tsp ground cinnamon, 1/2 tsp ground ginger, 1/4 tsp ground cloves, 2 large eggs, 1 can evaporated milk, 2 cups Pie Pumpkin, 1 unbaked deep dish pie shell.
The fresh pumpkin just has a few more steps than the canned pumpkin. Start by cutting the pumpkin in half.
Then scoop out all the seeds and stringy membranes.
(I picked out and saved the seeds so I can bake them later for another yummy treat.)
Place the pumpkin halves in a shallow baking dish. Fill the dish about 1/4 with water to keep the pumpkin moist. Cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees for about an hour.
You want the pumpkin to be fork tender, like this.
Scoop out the pumpkin, leaving the skin. It's really soft so you can mash it up with a spoon or spatula. I didn't get a picture of this step because Garrett wanted to "help" so I had to hold him. I let the pumpkin cool for a bit before adding the rest of the ingredients. I didn't want the eggs to scramble from adding them to hot pumpkin. Once it's cooled to room temperature, go ahead and add everything except the evaporated milk. I like to use a whisk instead of a mixer. The pumpkin is pureed and it just seems ridiculous to drag out the mixer for this. Add the evaporated milk gradually into the pumpkin mixture. I whisk with one hand and pour with the other.
Now you need to prep the pie shell. If you buy a frozen pie shell, there isn't much preparation. Just pull it out of the freezer so it can thaw. I have a pie dish so I buy the roll out pie crust. (Corey, it was Grandma Harrison's) With that crust, just roll it out and use your fingers to crimp the edges so it's all pretty.

Pour the pumpkin mixture into the pie shell. I usually have a small amount left over. In the past, I tried using every last drop but it would always overflow and make a mess. Sometimes it's a little foamy/bubbly on top. I use my spatula to pop the big bubbles, give it a little shake, and let it sit for a minute so it can settle. Go ahead and stick that bad boy in the oven for 15 minutes at 425 degrees. Then reduce the temperature to 350 degrees and bake for another 45 minutes.

You'll know it's done when you give it a little shake, there isn't a whole lot of jiggle in the middle. You could also insert a toothpick in the middle and if it comes out clean, it's done. I use the shake method because sometimes that itty bitty hole from the toothpick will form into a huge crack right down the middle of the pie once it cools.

Justin's got about a day and a half to eat this pie. I have no doubt the majority of it will be gone by tomorrow evening. I hope it tastes as good as it smells. I'll let you know tomorrow!

A Cool Place To Play

2009-10-22T22:22:00.002-04:00

If Garrett is near the fridge any time I open one of the doors, I can count on him pushing my legs aside so he can scoot in and take a seat. If it's the freezer side, he'll usually grab something and try to open it or just throw it on the floor. Like a frozen fish stick he grabbed one day and sucked/chewed on it until it was a soggy, nasty mess. If the fridge side is open, he likes to play with all the condiments by rearranging them or just setting them on the kitchen floor.

Daddy always tells him, "It cost us money every time those doors open". I'd probably get spanked if daddy knew just how often I let Garrett entertain himself inside the fridge while I'm cooking or cleaning the kitchen.

You do what you gotta do, right?

Wordless Wednesday

2009-10-21T22:43:00.003-04:00

Cascioli Pride

2009-10-19T21:55:00.009-04:00

I know how much my son resembles his daddy and I'm totally okay with that. I mean, that is a big reason why I married him in the first place...I wanted his babies. Garrett has his daddy's blue eyes, his ears, feet, and sometimes I can even see Justin in Garrett's expressions. I can't tell you the times I've had strangers come up to us or pass by us in public and say things like, "There's no doubt who that baby's daddy is!" or "Wow, he looks just-like-his-daddy!" or "There aint no denying he's your son!" Isn't that sweet and special? It's all great and fine and dandy. HOWEVER, he is my baby too. It was no easy task carrying that little man around INSIDE OF MY BODY for nine months and then bringing him into this world by pushing him OUT OF MY BODY. I really don't think it's too much to ask that the little stinker at least look like he belongs to me!

So, I did a little searching and dug up some proof that Garrett is my biological child after all. You look at these photos and then try and tell me he doesn't look just like his mama!

Well, at least a little bit...right?

Seriously, how cute is this?

Ice Cream Etiquette and Germs-A-Plenty

2009-10-18T21:41:00.003-04:00

Ice cream scooper...what's that? Ohhh! You're talking about that utensil used to scoop a serving of ice cream out of the carton to be placed in a bowl and eaten by an individual person. Yeah, umm, we don't do it like that at our house.

P.S. Don't be scared to come over and eat our food. We don't drink out of the milk carton and I don't lick the spoon while I cook. You just might want to bring your own ice cream :)

He'll Try ALMOST Anything

2009-10-15T23:23:00.002-04:00

It's rare that Justin or I ever get to eat or drink anything in Garrett's presence without giving him a taste. He thinks he's entitled to whatever we have regardless if he's just eaten or not even hungry. He may not like everything we let him try but he will usually at least sample it. There is one thing that he just can't bring himself to try...coffee. Justin is one of those anytime-of-the-day coffee drinkers. He loves the stuff and he drinks it black. Yuck. I can tolerate the smell of it in the morning but I've never liked the taste. Anyway, whenever Garrett sees his daddy sipping from his mug, he'll walk over and act like he wants a sip. He put his lips up to the edge of the mug but as soon as his little nose gets a whiff of that strong brew, he changes his mind real quick.

See for yourself. His reaction makes me laugh so hard!

Sunny Day Sweepin' the Clouds Away...

2009-10-14T20:43:00.002-04:00

He's naked.

He's naked in the sink.
He's naked in the sink watching Sesame Street.

You don't even know how entertaining this was to my child today. Justin unloaded the dishwasher while I cleaned the kitchen and got started on laundry. I feel an after lunch tradition coming on.

Visiting Carrollton, GA

2009-10-01T17:53:00.004-04:00

Justin was scheduled to work at our old office in Carrollton this past Monday. I thought it would be fun to visit our old town (and Hobby Lobby) so Garrett and I joined him. EIGHT HOURS IS A LONG DRIVE TO MAKE WITH AN ACTIVE 14-MONTH-OLD! We took our time getting there for Garrett's sake. We were all relieved to finally check into our hotel and get in the bed. I figured since we had a king size bed we could all sleep together so I didn't bother setting up Garrett's pack-n-play. After thirty minutes of getting kicked in the face, ribs, and head, we were regretting that decision. I was so excited to see my old coworkers and friends! Dr. Brundrett treated us all to lunch at the Irish Pub, one of our favorite restaurants. I always have such a good time with them.

Before we left, I just had to drive by our old house. I teared right up as soon as I saw it. It seemed weird not to be able to pull into that driveway and go inside.

We had planned on leaving bright and early Tuesday morning to head back home but Justin ended up working on Tuesday so we got a late start on our 500 mile drive back to Hampstead. On top of that, Garrett picked up a virus so he had a fever and didn't feel good AT ALL. I think we've finally decided Garrett isn't cut out for these long road trips.

Over all, we had a great time and I'm glad we had the opportunity to visit our old home and a few of our favorite places.

Garrett's 1st Haircut

2009-09-22T12:15:00.005-04:00

We've been debating for weeks whether or not we should cut Garrett's hair. As precious as those waves and curls are on the back of his head, all the scraggly long strands hanging in his face and over his ears were starting to drive me crazy! I tried trimming just the long strands but it only made it worse. So, since Justin was in need of a trim himself, we decided to take Garrett along so he could get his first real haircut.

When my brother was little, my parents would take him to the Grifton Barber Shop for Mr. Jimmy Williams to cut his hair. I always loved going to watch him zip through TJ's shaggy hair with his clippers and brush the little hair clippings off of his client's shoulders with that huge brush. I thought it would be very nostalgic to take my little boy there for his first haircut.

I came prepared with a sucker to hopefully distract Garrett from this intimidating experience. Justin got his hair cut first so Garrett could watch and see that it wasn't scary. When it was Garrett's turn, Justin stood next to him to help hold him still. I stood back to capture the big moment and catch all the sweet, precious hair clippings falling from my baby's head to save for his baby book.

Garrett did pretty good for the first few minutes. Then he started to get a little overwhelmed with all the hands on him holding him down.
I thought for a minute we would have to stop and leave with only half of his hair cut but Mr. Jimmy's a pro and he was able to coax Garrett through the whole ordeal.

I was very proud of my little man. He did better than I expected and his new cut is SO stinkin cute! Justin and I can't help but smile at his big boy haircut. We walked into that barber shop with our baby and walked out with our little boy. (sniff, sniff)

She's a Teenager Today

2009-09-16T15:56:00.007-04:00

Seven years ago, after only a few weeks of dating, Justin decided it was time I meet his mom and sister. I remember pulling up in their driveway when Justin looked at me and said, "My sister is really shy. Don't be offended if she doesn't speak to you." We got out of the car and walked up to the porch. All of a sudden the back door swung open and this confident little girl with beautiful long hair skipped out, put her hands on her hips and said, "I know who you are. You're Angie." I've loved her ever since.

When we first met, Sierra was 5-years-old...going on 25. That little girl would always tell it like it is. She'd roll her eyes and cross those arms...DIVA!

Three things I learned very early on about Sierra:

She hated food. At dinner time, there would be drama...you could count on it.
She loved to argue and that child wasn't backing down even if she knew she was wrong. I can hear her and Mrs. Marilyn now...oh boy!
She's a charmer. If she wanted something bad enough, she knew just how to get it...especially from her big brother's.

Justin and I spent many evenings over at their house while we were dating. We would play bored games, have a barbie fashion show, or just hang out in Sierra's room while she'd boss Justin around. The 16 years age difference between them didn't mean a thing to her. She was like a little mama ordering him around.
When we ate dinner at their house, Sierra would always sit right next to me. One evening, after only a few months of dating, Sierra looked over at my plate and loudly exclaimed, "WOW, you really were hungry." I wanted to die. I remember one night we were playing with Sierra and Justin, poor thing, had this huge zit on his forehead. Sierra looked at him and scolded, "Justin, mama says you shouldn't scratch mosquito bites or they will never heal." He and I were crying we were laughing so hard. She just kept this serious look on her face and kept saying, "I'm serious!"

When Justin and I moved to Georgia, I missed our visits over there so much. Justin and I always tried to see her when we came home for vacations and holidays. Every time we came home she seemed to have grown and mature so much.It seems like we just celebrated her 10th birthday.Now she's in the 8th grade taking high school algebra classes. Did I mention that she's smarter than me?Sierra is now an aunt.I am going to blink my eyes and Garrett will be begging for Aunt Sierra to come pick him up to take him out because she's cooler than me.
Sierra,

Happy 13th Birthday! We love you very much. You are growing up to be such a smart and talented girl. We are so proud of you!

Love,

Justin, Angie, and Garrett

Oh...one more thing...

HAHAHAHAHAHA!

This is for that comment you made about my big plate of food 7 years ago. Ok, now we're even.

Our Night With Sweet Cheeks

2009-09-13T17:22:00.005-04:00

As much as we enjoy going out to eat with Corey and Jamie, the last time we all went out together we realized it was way more work than it was fun. We are so busy tending to our children, we find ourselves rushing and hurrying through the meal so we can just get our babies back home. For months now we've talked about how we should take turns keeping each other's kid so we could have a date night with our spouse every once and a while. Finally instead of just talking the talk, we actually did it. I told Jamie and Corey to pick a night this weekend to go out and Justin and I would keep Hayden for them.

Hayden is such a sweety pie. When she was first born, she looked exactly like Jamie. Then one day she morphed into Corey Harrison wrapped in these big, juicy, irresistible, squishy cheeks. Justin and I both loved squeezing on her last night. The only person who wasn't thrilled about Hayden's visit was Garrett. It's not that he doesn't love his cousin, he just didn't like watching his mama hug and love on another baby. He was very jealous. I told Justin, if we are ever going to have another baby, we need to keep her more often so Garrett can get use to it.

Hayden was no trouble at all. Her demands are simple...hold me, feed me, and get out of my way so I can see the TV.

We had lots of fun.

Hayden and I watched Garrett play outside for a bit.

Then Uncle Justin held Hayden so she could watch football.
My baby never would eat baby food for me. I couldn't get the spoon to Hayden's mouth fast enough! She's telling Uncle Justin all about her good meal.

If this doesn't make you smile, I don't know what will.

Weekend at Mindy's

2009-08-31T20:26:00.006-04:00

Justin's job as a LSS (Lab Support Specialist) sends him to Affordable Denture labs all over America to fill in and help out on a temporary basis. Some work assignments are only for a day or two. I like those...a lot. Most commonly, there are the assignments that keep him away a whole week. I have gotten to the point where I can accept these whole week assignments like a big girl and manage to be productive and stay sane all week with Garrett by myself. Now, when he gets assignments like the one he's on now, I can't even pretend to hid my disappointment/anxiety/frustration/sadness. It has only happened one other time since he started this job where he's been away for a full two weeks without coming home on the weekend. He's been in Yakima, Washington for the past 8 days and wont return for another 5 days. IT SUCKS. I miss him terribly and I know he misses us since he's there all by himself. I am counting down the seconds til he returns.

So, to try and pass the time more quickly, I decided to spend the weekend with my sister. Every time I make that drive to her house I thank God for sending us back to NC. After the 8 hour drive we had living in Georgia, the 2 hours it takes me to get to Mindy's is like a trip to the grocery store.

We had a great visit. Garrett helped Mindy clean out and organize her pantry Saturday night. While she was busy emptying out the shelves, he decided to dump her bread on the floor and then sit down and eat a few slices.

Uncle TJ E. took Garrett for a ride around the yard on his new four wheeler. Sunday was our daddy's 59th birthday so Mindy baked him a red velvet cake, his favorite.

TJ and Brandi came over Sunday evening to help us celebrate daddy's birthday. Happy Birthday, Poppy Toby! We love you very much!

Happy Birthday Brother!

2009-08-24T20:25:00.004-04:00

Yesterday was TJ's 30th Birthday. T-H-I-R-T-Y! I can remember my 10th birthday like it was yesterday and he's turned 10 THREE times! He could actually retire from the USMC in 9 years.

Oh man, he's so OLD!

To celebrate this grand occasion, his lovely wife, Brandi, cooked up a wonderful meal for the whole family and a carrot cake that was to die for! It was a great day with the family and I look forward to celebrating MANY more birthdays with big brother!

Love you, T!

Daddy's gonna be home all week...

2009-08-16T20:27:00.004-04:00

and we're loving every second of it!

Visiting Charlotte, NC

2009-08-08T11:37:00.005-04:00

Justin was scheduled to work in Charlotte, NC this past Friday and since it wasn't an extremely long drive, Garrett and I decided to join him. Garrett loved all the amenities that the hotel had to offer. He especially loved the extra rolls of toilet paper that were easily accessible to him. Sometimes at home I'll turn our small trashcans over so Garrett can beat on them like a drum. (Whatever it takes to entertain him, right?) Anyway, he spotted this little trashcan in our hotel room and within seconds had it turned upside down so he could play the drum. We didn't bring his pack-n-play with us because we were only staying one night and he's just about too long for it anyway. So, when we checked into the hotel and discovered our room had two queen beds, we had to make the tough decision as to where wiggle worm would sleep.

Since daddy had to get up and work the next morning, I bit the bullet and slept with little feet kicking me in my face and ribs. On our way back home, we stopped at a farmers market that sold homemade ice cream. I was a nice trip but it was good to get back home where that wild child could sleep in his own bed!

A Walk on the Beach

2009-08-06T11:07:00.002-04:00

Father and son watching the birds.

We can't go to the beach without him plopping down in the water.

That's one sandy little boy!

Daddy helped rinse him off.

Happy Birthday Garrett's Daddy!

2009-08-02T22:04:00.005-04:00

29 years ago, on this day, my mother-in-law gave birth to my best friend, protector, provider, the father of my son.

Happy Birthday, Justin! Garrett and I love you very much!

Enjoy this last year of your 20's...cause next year you'll be an

old man!

Bye-Bye Bottles

2009-07-27T10:44:00.005-04:00

This past Friday I prepared Garrett his last bottle of formula. As much aggravation as all that measuring and mixing can be, I was a little sad about this stage ending.

I tried offering Garrett whole milk in his bottle but he didn't seem to like it. His formula was always at room temperature and the whole milk is just so cold. I think the difference was throwing him off. So, I offered it to him in a sippy cup instead. He gulped it right down. No more bottles?!?! I wasn't prepared for this! I look at all those bottles in my cabinet and I just can't bare to get rid of them. Over night my tiny baby has turned into such a big boy!

Something tells me weaning him from a pacifier is going to be a whole different story.

"Go ahead, mama, just try and take one of these out of my hand. You'll be drawing back a nub."

10 Minutes

2009-07-22T13:57:00.004-04:00

That's how long it takes us to get from our house to the beach. Sierra stayed with me all last week and told me it had been two years since she had walked on the beach. So I said to her, "Girl, grab your hat, we're going right now!" We hopped in the car, crossed the draw bridge, and had our feet in the sand in no time.

My boy loves a seashell. He's just like his mama. He loves the water too. What was suppose to be a short walk on the beach turned into a soaking wet baby with sand in his hair and diaper. He had to be stripped down and hosed off before getting back in the car.

Pediatrician Visit in the Morning, Urgent Care Visit in the Evening

2009-07-20T22:07:00.011-04:00

I woke up this morning around 8 am, realizing that my baby slept all the way through the night and was still sound asleep in his crib like such a big boy. He's been sleeping good like that for weeks now and it has made his mommy and daddy so very happy! I got up and dressed, hurrying to be done before Garrett woke up. He was still snoozing away but I had to wake him because he had his 12 month check up today. I gave G a bath, we ate breakfast, and were off to the Pediatrician's office. I LOVE his new Pediatrician, by the way. He's so laid back, sweet, and gentle. Garrett weighed in at 22 lbs 10 oz. He measured 30 and a quarter inches. His check up was great. I have officially bought my last container of formula and from now on he'll be drinking whole milk. He did have to get 4 vaccinations and his big toe pricked. He took it like a man though. He's tough like his daddy.

Anyway, after his appointment, we headed back home. Garrett fell asleep in the car so when we got back home, I laid him back down in his crib. I opened my front door and to my surprise, the most wonderful package ever was sitting at my doorstep...my modem! YAY, after 2 whole months without Internet my wait is finally over! In no time at all I was hooked up and surfing the web. I thought to myself, WOW, THIS DAY COULDN'T GET ANY BETTER!

Oh, I was right. It was all down hill from there.

Around 5:30 pm, I decided to empty my dishwasher. Garrett was at my heels as usual, whining to be held. I was handing him cups and whisks and big spoons to distract him so I could finish. I was just about done when I saw one of my new Pampered Chef spoons stuck in the bottom of the dish washer. I dug it out and found that the handle was melted from being stuck down there. Oh man, I hate that! So, I got a serrated knife and started scraping away at the melted, disfigured part. STUPID. REAL STUPID. The knife slipped and sliced me right in my wrist. It happened so fast. There was so much blood. I couldn't see the wound because the blood was everywhere. I panicked. Oh no, what do I do?!?! I'm alone with Garrett...has it punctured a main artery...should I call 911...am I going to die?!?! Then I remembered my new neighbor across the street is an Intensive Care nurse. I've met her husband but hadn't been introduced to her yet. It didn't matter...I didn't know what else to do...it was my only option. I wrapped a kitchen towel around my gaping wound, grabbed Garrett, and took off running across the street to my neighbor's house. Thank God she was home! I rang the doorbell and when she answered, I started crying as I showed her the cut on my wrist. She escorted me in and applied pressure to get the bleeding to stop. I was so scared. It looked so bad. I remember a quiet moment in between my sobs when I looked at her and said, "I'm Angie, it's nice to finally meet you."

She was so nice and helpful. Her name is Tara and I love her. I'm her new best friend and she doesn't even know it. I really don't know what I would have done if she hadn't of been home. Once she got the bleeding to stop, she took a look and said I probably should get stitches since the TENDON IS EXPOSED. It makes me queasy just thinking about it. She offered to drive me to Urgent Care but since the bleeding was under control, I felt like I could make it there on my own.

On the way to Urgent Care, all I could think about was how stupid I was. There I was alone with my baby. What if it had of been worse?? What if I had of passed out?? Garrett was very cooperative throughout the whole ordeal. When we got to Urgent Care, he sat on the floor and played with their nasty, germy toys. At that moment, I didn't care. My wrist was slit and my tendon was showing.

The first thing the nurse did once she called me back was ask me to step up on the scale. Oh great. As if this day couldn't possibly get any worse. Let's just see how fat I am while we're at it! The doctor made sure I could wiggle all my fingers. Then I got 4 stitches and a Tetanus shot. Garrett got 3 Powerpuff Girl stickers. I go back in one week to have my stitches removed.

Melted Pampered Chef Spoon - $12.50

Bloody Dish Towel - $5

Urgent Care Copay - $50

The scar I'll forever have across my wrist - priceless

Garrett's 1st Birthday Party

2009-07-20T21:19:00.006-04:00

Justin and I wanted to do something different for Garrett's 1st birthday and since we now live near the coast, we thought it would be nice to have a big fish fry. Justin and I got up early the day of the party to purchase some fresh shrimp in Topsail. We bought 10 pounds of shrimp...that, my friend, is A LOT of shrimp. Especially when you have to de-head it, peel it, and de-vein it...all the day of the party. Whew!

There was only one man I knew who was experienced enough to cook this much seafood for this many people...my daddy. He's the fish fryer master. My precious brother-in-law was there to lend a hand also. Thanks TJ!

Mindy came over the night before to help me decorate the garage for the party.

She also made Garrett's birthday cake. She is hands down the most creative person I know. I am so lucky to have her at my disposal. I love you, Min!

Seriously, how cute was this cake?!?!

The Birthday boy was center of attention.

All of our parents and siblings were there minus my brother, TJ.

When we sat down to eat, I teared up looking around at that table filled with the people we love most in this world.

All Garrett wanted to do was open presents.It was like Christmas! That boy racked up!This expression is priceless."Hmmm, I think we'll watch this movie tonight."Then it was time for the birthday cake.First he just patted it a little.Then he took a taste.
"Oh yeah, this is good."

As expected, it was everywhere. There was plenty packed up into his nostrils also.The party was a success and the birthday boy was happy. It was wonderful getting all the family together. Now that it's over, I plan on doing absolutely nothing for the next few months. I'm exhausted!

Garrett's 1st Birthday

2009-07-20T13:22:00.006-04:00

For Garrett's 1st birthday, Justin and I decided to throw him a big party inviting all of our parents and siblings and planned it for the Saturday following his birthday. Justin had to be out of town for Garrett's actual birthday but I just couldn't let the day go uncelebrated. Justin's sister, Sierra, was staying with me the whole week so we decided to take him to Chuck E. Cheese's to celebrate his big day. Aunt Jamie and cousin Hayden came along too.

We kicked the day off with a ride in his brand new car seat. Now that Garrett is a year old and weighs over 20 pounds, he can ride facing forward. What a big boy!! Garrett and his best buddy, Hayden, at Chuck E. Cheese's.

Mommy and her Birthday Boy

Happy Birthday to you...

I think he was more excited about having a plate to play with than the brownie and candle.

Yummy brownie!

Try mine, Aunt Jamie!

Hayden said "no thanks" to pizza and brownie. She'd rather have her milk.

Presents!

"Mama, ummm, there's a big mouse sitting next to me."Aunt Sierra helped him win some tickets.

He had so much fun!

Before we left, Garrett cashed in his tickets and picked out his prize.

Happy Birthday Garrett!

2009-07-14T19:52:00.006-04:00

Twelve months ago today, after 26 hours of labor on my part (thank you very much), Justin and I welcomed our son, Garrett, into this world. He has brought us so much joy, worry, laughter, stress, happiness, tears, and most of all a love that can not be measured with words. Since that day, Justin has gained a many of gray hairs and I have gained...well....a many of extra pounds.

He's so worth it.

Month 1

Month 2

Month 3

Month 4

Month 5

Month 6

Month 7

Month 8

Month 9

Month 10

Month 11

Month 12

Dinner With Friends

2009-07-06T17:39:00.012-04:00

This past Father's Day weekend, Justin and I invited some of our friends over for dinner. This was the first time most of them had seen our new home. I planned the dinner to celebrate and honor all the fathers. Justin, unfortunately, was going to be out of town on Father's Day so we celebrated this day instead.

This is Corey, Jamie, and baby Hayden. Corey is such a good daddy. I love watching him stress and worry over Hayden. He loves his girls so much and it's obvious he only wants the best for them both.
This is Cliff, Heather, and little Reagan. Cliff is a good daddy too. I know he feels lucky to be surrounded by beautiful women all day. Seriously, Heather is just as skinny now as she was before she had Reagan. Don't tell her but she kinda makes me sick over it. Garrett and Reagan don't know it yet but they love each other and will probably get married one day :) Well, if the whole falling in love and marriage thing never happens, I am sure they will at least be good friends.
This is Mrs. Justin Howell. I could kick myself for not getting her new hubby in the photo. Garrett loved Courtney instantly. She's a teacher and it's very obvious that children are drawn to her.
Okay...I know this photo kinda comes out of nowhere but I promise I have a reason for posting it. Try to pull your attention away from the swollen preggy lady and focus on the drapes hanging by the window in the background.
(I know it's difficult because those bellies are mesmerizing.)
Anyway, I loved these curtains because they match all my living room decor but I wasn't able to use them in the new house. So....
Justin made me cornices for my windows and I used the old curtain fabric to cover them. I was also able to make two throw pillows for my couch...all thanks to my new sewing machine.

Cliff, sorry I posted this picture of you with your mouth half open. You were joking on my lack of Internet access so I figure we are even now, ok?
Now, where were we? Oh yeah, do you see these girls? They washed all the dishes for me after dinner. I just love 'em.
After a great evening with our friends, Reagan decided it was time to call it a night. This picture is my favorite. Hayden is drunk on milk, Garrett is confused and a little scared, and Reagan has had enough visiting for one day.

It was a wonderful evening and I look forward to doing it again!

Our Newest Family Member

2009-07-06T15:28:00.007-04:00

On June 2nd, Corey and Jamie welcomed their new baby into the world, Hayden Reese Harrison. She is a miniature Jamie and as sweet as can be. Garrett didn't know what to think of her at first but I think she's starting to grow on him. He mostly just stares and points at her.

I can't believe my big boy was ever this tiny. Garrett seems so big to me now compared to Hayden. His hands and feet look HUGE next to her small delicate fingers and toes.Justin was out of town when Hayden was born and didn't get to meet her until the following weekend. It was so sweet to see him holding such a tiny baby again. Sweet little babies like Hayden have strange powers over me. They make me think crazy thoughts like how I'd like to throw up for nine months straight and survive on two hours of sleep again.

Someone get me out of this trance I'm under!Take a good look at those Harrison brothers. It was just yesterday they were wearing their Wolf pack and Tar heel jerseys, shooting some b-ball, and trading ball cards. Now they think in ounces, talk in sweet high voices, and wipe stinky butts. Aww! I love it.
I love having Jamie and Hayden close by so we can visit and take the babies out together. Garrett and Hayden entertain each other in the back seat by playing "I Spy" and screaming "Are we there yet?!" over and over.

This was Hayden's first dine-in experience. As you can tell, it was a very memorable moment for both Garrett and Hayden. He seems thrilled to be there.Garrett loves accompanying us girls wherever we go. He keeps us out of trouble and steals Hayden's paci when we aren't looking. He's always a big help when we go over to see Hayden. He never breaks things or pulls stuff out of Jamie's cabinets. No way.
I am sure as they grow older Garrett and Hayden will be best buddies. Garrett is such a handful at times and I can only imagine what kind of trouble he will be getting into with his little sidekick Hayden.

Our Big Move from Georgia to NC

2009-07-05T20:21:00.007-04:00

First of all, I know how behind this blog entry is. I've had every intention of catching up as soon as we were connected to the Internet at home. It seems that is NEVER going to happen because Charter Cable is playing mind games with us. So, in the meantime, I'll try and catch up a little over here at Corey and Jamie's house.

Do you see this man moving those boxes? He has the strength of Superman and the stamina of a race horse. Seriously, from 2 pm till 11 pm he worked nonstop on moving all our belongings out of the house, up our steep driveway, and onto the moving truck.

Basically, he's awesome.

There wasn't much I could do other than keep Garrett out of daddy's way.

Once we arrived in Hampstead, Corey helped Justin get everything off the truck and into our new house.

God love him.Mindy came over to help out too but, since she's so skinny, all she could lift was this piece of glass. Thanks anyway, sis.

Jamie was only 10 days away from welcoming little Hayden into the world so she took it easy and kept Garrett company.

They're best buds :)

My mom came by the next day to help watch Garrett and give her opinion on where to place things. Thanks mama!

Yeah, so this is what we found on our patio the first morning after waking up in our new home. YIKES.Was it a sign? A bad omen perhaps?
"Ye who kill the new home snake will be destitute of high speed Internet access."

Crap. I knew we shouldn't have killed that snake.

Our New Home

2009-06-21T23:36:00.004-04:00

The boxes are unpacked and everything is in it's place. We've met our neighbors and have started hunting a new church. I feel like I can get to Wal-Mart with out GPS so I'd say

we are finally "home". Except for one thing...I AM STILL WITHOUT INTERNET!!! There has been so much drama over when or how or if we can even get it...blah, blah, blah. We are scheduled to have everything installed/hooked up this Wednesday.

Keep your fingers crossed.

I came home (Pitt County) today for Father's Day and am staying the night at Mindy's. Garrett is asleep so I thought I would take advantage and post a few pictures. I am so behind. So much has been going on that I want to share. I turned 28...we took Garrett to the beach and pool for the first time...I have a sweet baby niece that loves me and says I am her favorite babysitter...Garrett is WALKING! Don't you worry though. You will be able to read all about it as soon as Mr. Internet comes to my house.

So far, I really love Hampstead. We are a short drive to whatever we want or need. The beach, shopping, and Corey and Jamie are only about 10 minutes away.

This is our new home. I. Love. It. It's a new home with 3 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms. We have a finished bonus room above the garage that is perfect for our out of town guest...we've already put it to good use!

Check back in later this week for more posts...that is IF we get our Internet hooked up!

Garrett's Daddy

2009-06-21T16:45:00.010-04:00

Justin,

I can never express in words how much I appreciate all that you do for us. You are such a wonderful husband to me and daddy to our little boy. I honestly don't know what I would have done those first months of Garrett's life without you. We were new parents, scared to death, so sleep deprived, and ALL BY OURSELVES. Thank you for waking 2 and 3 times a night to feed Garrett his bottle while I sat next to you on the floor pumping for his next meal. You knew how important it was to me for him to drink my milk and instead of complaining and begging me to stop you helped me and supported me. You will never know how much I appreciated that. Thank you for all the nights you would take our little boy from his exhausted mama and let him fall asleep on your chest so we could get a few hours of sleep. Thank you for sharing your bed part of the night even now with our little stinker because his mama has spoiled him by letting him sleep with her while his daddy is away. ( I really am going to work on that) Thank you for the sacrifices you have made to get us back closer to our friends and family. I have always felt like the desires and wishes of your family have always been your top priority and I want you to know how grateful I am for that. You are such a caring, loving, and giving man. I love you so much and thank God for blessing me with you.

Happy Father's Day!

Love,

Angie

We're Home

2009-06-05T15:44:00.002-04:00

Hey everyone! Remember me? With the big move behind us, we are now working hard at making our new house HOME. We are still without cable and my beloved Internet. I am going through major withdrawals! I have tons of photos of the move, new house, and our new little niece, Hayden, to post and will do so as soon as our Internet is up and running. Hopefully that will be soon!

Goodbye, Georgia

2009-05-17T14:20:00.009-04:00

I've been praying for the opportunity to move back to North Carolina ever since the day we pulled up to our new apartment and started unloading our few belongings from the biggest moving truck ever to exist. As excited as I was to be Justin's new bride and move away with him to this new exciting town, I always knew our life in Georgia would be temporary. When our son came along this past July, I knew it was time to move. It takes a village to raise a child and our village is 500 miles away in Eastern North Carolina.

We have just purchased a new home in Hampstead, NC and we'll be moving in less than a week. With our time in Georgia limited, I've found myself reminiscing on these past five and a half years and all of our favorite places that we will surely miss.

I feel a few proper goodbyes are in order.

Goodbye, Carrollton Affordable Dentures. You are the sole reason for us moving to Georgia. It was just a few months after we moved to Georgia that I lucked up and was hired on as a dental assistant. Justin and I rode to work together in the morning and left together in the evening. It was perfect. We made some great friends working in this office and I will always think of the years working here with Justin as some of the greatest years of our life.

Goodbye, Wildwood Apartments. I loved living here. This is where Justin and I lived the first eight months of our marriage. We had no responsibilities. Our life was so easy and carefree!

Adios, El Ranchito. This is probably our favorite restaurant here in Georgia. It's close by our home and the food is always good. When I was pregnant, my mouth would drool at just the thought of their enchiladas. I'll never forget the time during my last month of pregnancy when they had to adjust the booth seat for me just so my big belly would fit behind the table.

True story.
Goodbye, Villa Rica Wal-Mart. I love this Wal-Mart (except the pharmacy). I feel like we are always here. It's so clean and organized. I don't even have to buy Garrett's baby formula at the tobacco check out aisle like you do in Greenville...seriously, what's the deal with that?!?! Farewell, Hobby Lobby. I will miss you most of all. This store is awesome. They have the neatest stuff and the greatest scrapbooking selection. I think the closest one I'll be to in North Carolina is in Fayetteville.

Goodbye, Tanner Medical Center. This is where my son entered into the world. I can hardly drive by without getting a lump in my throat.

Lastly, Goodbye, 155 Wesley Mill Drive. This is where Justin and I poured our blood, sweat, and tears into home renovation projects. It's where I brought my brand new little baby home from the hospital. I love this house. I will always love this house. We have made so many great memories living here.

I am so excited about this next chapter in our lives. We are so confident that Hampstead, NC is where we are suppose to live and raise our family. Please remember us this Thursday morning when we head out to make that long journey to NC. Justin will be driving the U-haul and I'll be following behind him with Garrett. We are scheduled to move in our new home on Friday. I'll post pictures of the new house as soon as possible!

Spaghetti Dinner

2009-05-13T14:42:00.003-04:00

Garrett loves table food...baby food, not so much. Anything mommy and daddy eats, Garrett wants. If he sees us eating, he comes scooting over, spits his paci out, and opens his mouth like a baby bird so we will give him a taste of whatever we have. Last night we gave Garrett spaghetti for the first time.

There was probably more in his highchair and on the floor than what he ate but he sure loved it!

Mother's Day

2009-05-10T18:40:00.012-04:00

My fellas treated me like such a queen this Mother's Day. Justin kicked of the celebration last night by taking on all parental duties so I could go to bed early.

(I had taken a Tylenol PM and was a walking zombie by 8:30 pm.)

Justin and Garrett let me sleep in this morning and when I walked into the living room, there was a card and gift waiting for me.

Garrett signed the card :)
OH BOY! You just wait and see the crafty projects I get to do now with my new sewing machine! Mama, I'll never need your help with another throw pillow again!!!
My baby boy and I posed outside for a mother and son photo.

Mother's Day 2008

Justin treated me to lunch at Cracker Barrel.

It was such a nice day!

Justin, thank you for making me feel so special and loved. I wouldn't be the mother I am if you were not here to help me and support me. I love you!

He Loves a Bath

2009-05-08T22:37:00.005-04:00

Sometimes when Garrett can't be pleased and I'm at my wits end, I strip him down and put him in the tub.

He loves it.
His favorite game is pulling himself up on the edge of the tub and then letting go so he falls down and makes a big splash.
Sometimes I just sit there and let him play til his hands turn pruny.

There's nothing better than a fresh baby after a long day of playing :)

Good News

2009-05-05T10:01:00.003-04:00

As most of you know, Justin and I accepted an offer on our home in Georgia a few weeks ago. We are scheduled to close on May 20th and will be moving back to our beloved Eastern North Carolina on the 22nd.

MORE GOOD NEWS!! We have found our new home! After much consideration, Justin and I decided Hampstead, NC is where we want to live and plant our roots. Justin's brother and sister-in-law live there and our home is about 5 miles away from them and only a few more miles from the beach! Hampstead is only about an hour and a half drive to the rest of our family. We are so excited to be moving back closer to our family and friends. Please pray that we have a safe move and that I can get this house packed up! It's not an easy thing to do with a 9-month-old :)

Pictures of our new house to come soon!!

Grandparents

2009-04-29T14:43:00.003-04:00

Playing with Grandma Marilyn

Visiting Poppy Jerry at his shop in Kinston
Swinging with Grandma Vernie
Catching a ride on Poppy Toby