4 Months

It's been a great 4 months sweet Claire!

July 4th, Dentist, Splasheville

It has been a fun summer! We were all a little bummed when we got back from Minnesota-- it was just soooo fun being with everyone. Thankfully, we had July 4th to look forward to! McLean loved the fireworks and playing with all the other children. Claire did well too! She slept in my arms through the fireworks.

The girls: Pam, me, Loren, and Jayme

Little Miss Claire sporting one of her July 4th outfits

McLean had his first visit to the dentist. He has been with me before, but this was his first trip to have his teeth "checked and counted." He was a little apprehensive and wouldn't get in the chair without sitting in my lap. So, most of the exam took place in my lap :) I did get a picture of him sitting by himself for a brief moment!

What would a trip be to the dentist without visiting the bakery afterwards? My dad always took us to the bakery after our visits to the dentist as children. My parents went with us to the dentist and we went to the bakery afterwards. McLean got a purple smiley face sugar cookie. We came home, napped, and then headed downtown to the new "Splasheville"--which are fountains in front of the court house designed for water play. There were a lot of children there and it was 91 degrees at 5:00. McLean was apprehensive at first, but warmed up as the night went on. He never ran through the water, but did splash by putting his hands in. Maybe he will be more comfortable next time!

Mimi held Claire the whole time--I actually ended up getting in with McLean!

McLean running toward the fountains--ready to splash in his favorite Toy Story swim shorts!

McLean and Papa surveying the scene before entering the "splash zone"

Mr. and Mrs. Brian Whiteside

Blogger is not my friend right now. I don't know why, but the pictures are out of order and it won't let me move them. I have saved it several times and tried to work on it again, and it's just not cooperating! So, here are the pictures from the wedding in no particular order. We had a fantastic trip to Minnesota! The farmland was beautiful! You could see farms for miles and miles. The children did GREAT traveling and McLean really enjoyed staying in the hotel. Needless to say, we were all a bit sad about leaving. Porter-Ann was a beautiful bride and my brother was handsome himself. She wore 2 beautiful dresses on the wedding day. Here gown for the ceremony was short and she wore the cutest blue high heels! That evening she wore a beautiful long gown! Everything was beautiful! They are the sweetest couple and I am so thankful for a sister-in-law! The weather was interesting for sure! We had to evacuate the rehearsal dinner for a tornado! The weather was warm and sunny during the outdoor ceremony and was followed by a beautiful thunderstorm during the dinner reception that evening.

Mom and Dad at Wood Lake on Thursday night for the picnic.




Homewood

McLean running through the field at Wood Lake.

The Barn--this is where the lunch and dinner reception were held on Saturday.

Uncle Greg and Aunt Sonya helping out with Claire at the rehearsal dinner on Friday--before the tornado! We could not have done it without all of the help from aunts, uncles, and friends. Greg and Sonya kept McLean busy and entertained and held Claire quite a bit too!

Our family at the rehearsal dinner--the winds were starting to pick up in this picture.

Porter-Ann and I

Sweet Claire in the pack-n-play. She did incredible sleeping. She would even sleep while we were all in the room with the tv on!

Kevin and McLean sharing ice cream in the hotel room on our last night there.

The John Deere tractor dealership. Can you spot McLean?

Brian and I at the evening reception

Porter-Ann and I at the evening reception

I am so sad that I didn't get any at the wedding ceremony. I left my camera in the room :( We were also doing good just to get everyone dressed, ready, and Claire fed in time for the ceremony!

Rewind

I'm trying to play catch-up to re-cap the past few weeks. The pictures are not in the best order, but here they are. McLean went to his first VBS right before we left for Minnesota. The theme was Buckaroo Roundup. We went to kick-off on Sunday and he attended on Monday.

Hard work pays off! Brian and Porter-Ann gave McLean a tomato plant and the cutest frog watering can. He has been pretty diligent in taking care of it. Sometimes he asks if he can just go sit outside and watch it grow. We have lots of tomatoes now and many are ready to eat! They are delicious!

Taking a hay ride at the kick-off for the Buckaroo Round-Up VBS

Claire hanging out in the stroller--it was really hot!

3 Months Old

Oh My Goodness! I could just eat her up! We are celebrating the 3 month mark today! It has been hard for me to capture her smile by photo. She is becoming much more interactive these days. She smiles, coos, holds her head up, and is grabbing at toys. So. Much. Fun!!!! She has also started "squealing" when McLean gets too close or is in her face--pretty much most of the time. Bless his heart--he really does mean well and is absolutely crazy about her.

A smile
The more "serious--I'm checking you out" look

In her bed--Have I mentioned that it's her favorite place. I didn't really know that babies could like their bed! What a surprise. McLean was NEVER a fan of the crib!

Claire looks a little nervous, and McLean is enjoying every minute!

Busy Spring

We have been so busy this spring and summer. We are adjusting to life with a baby and feel so blessed by our little girl--especially since we are getting more sleep these days. We didn't realize how easy life had become with McLean. However, Claire adds even more sweetness and fullness to our family! Kevin had promised McLean a camping trip. Claire and I went along to document the trip by taking photos. When we got there, Kevin and McLean set the tent up and McLean immediately put Buzz and Woody in the tent! He was so excited about them going camping with him. After the tent was set up we got the food out for dinner. McLean said, "Hey Dad- aren't we supposed to eat the marshmallows first?" Too funny! After a quick dinner, the rain clouds dumped a huge storm. Claire and I saw that as the perfect opportunity to head to our nice dry home. The boys stuck it out and roasted marshmallows, played in the creek, and went for a walk. They had a super time.

McLean insisted on wearing his "Birthday Boy" shirt on the camping trip.

Buzz and Woody ready to camp.

My mom, Claire, and I headed to Greensboro for Porter-Ann's wedding showers. I can't believe that my brother is getting married so soon. Also, he got a great catch!! We are super excited about her becoming part of our family!

An added bonus to the trip was that we got to stay with my brother-in-law and sister-in-law, Mike and Sarah. They live in a beautiful place in Summerfield. Sarah is an amazing cook and provided yummy meals throughout the weekend. We so enjoyed getting to see them as well! Our Claire went to stay with "Gramma Claire", for whom she is named, during one of the showers. I tried to upload a picutre of that, but it didn't work. I will try again later. Now, we are packing and preparing for our trip to Minnesota for the wedding! We are looking forward to the wedding festivities!

Happy Birthday Sweet Love!

"He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus."

Philippians 1:6

Kevin, you are an amazing husband, father, and friend! We are all so blessed by you and what you do for our family! I love sharing life with you and consider it a privilege to celebrate your birthday!

Busy Spring

Whew--it has been a busy spring and start of the summer! Between having a new baby and preparing for my brother's wedding in Minnesota we have been busy! We are loving life with the addition of our new baby girl--especially since we are getting pretty good sleep these days! Kevin took McLean on his first camping trip recently. Claire and I went to take pictures and eat with them. As soon as we set out the food, McLean said,"Dad aren't we supposed to eat those marshmallows first?" Too funny! We ate quickly and then the rain started. Thankfully, Kevin had already set the tent up. Claire and I saw that as the perfect opportunity to escape to our dry home. The boys stuck it out, roasted marshmallows, and played in the creek.

McLean was the most excited about bringing Buzz and Woody. He put them in the tent right after Kevin set it up!

We had a bird build a nest on our outdoor cabinet--right by the can of paint that needed to be thrown away! Here is the mama bird and one of the baby birds. I got to watch the other baby bird take it's first flight off the deck! So sweet! We have another bird here now and are waiting to see if there are any babies. This is my sweet soon-to-be sister-in-law, Porter-Ann. This was taken at one of her showers. My mom, Claire, and I made a girl's trip to Greensboro last weekend for the wedding showers.

We stayed with my brother-in-law and sister-in-law, Mike and Sarah, in Summerfield for the weekend. Can I just say that Sarah is a wonderful cook and we enjoyed wonderful hospitality. It's always fun to visit with them!

This is our Claire meeting Kevin's sweet grandmother Claire for whom she is named! Gramma kept Claire for us while we went to one of the showers. Now it's time for us to finish working on the packing details for our trip!