I'm such a nerd!

In the past couple months my desire to obtain Photoshop for my Mac has become almost unbearable! ;) Today while searching the internet in hopes of finding a deal on it, I came across Adobe's website where you can download a free 30 day trial version. It's been on my computer for less than 3 hours and I'm already hooked!

One of the things I have been desperate to do is to make my own photo cards. I absolutely LOVE them and really wanted to do one for Chloe's birth announcement but they are so stinkin' expensive to have made. Well, with a little tinkering around, here's what I came up with...



Chances are this won't be the announcement everyone receives in the mail, but even if it is, I still can't help but share my creation! ;)

Goodbye Summer!

It's snowing.

Photo Fun!

This morning while getting Chloe dressed I started to think about how it seemed like just yesterday that I was doing the same with Bella. After a bit of reminiscing in my mind, I decided to dig out a few pictures of Bella at 3 months old. It was so much fun to look back on those days. She has grown so fast and sometimes I forget just how special it was becoming a family of 3.

Here are 2 pictures...one of Bella and one of Chloe...both 3 months old.

Okay, I've just spent way too much time trying to get them to post side by side, so this is going to have to do... ;)

Roley Poley!

At 3 months and 1 week old, Chloe rolled over for the first time today! :) She's been getting close, so I wasn't too surprised, but it was still very exciting to see her finally get all the way over. Of course as soon as she landed on her tummy and realized she was stuck there, she started to holler. ;) I will try my best to get a few pictures of her doing her new trick, but for now, you will just have to take my word for it! :)

Chloe Faith

I've been working diligently on this slide show for quite some time. Now that it's finally finished and ready to share, I have to admit that I'm experiencing a whole range of emotions.

I can't quite seem to accurately describe what I feel as I watch this video and reflect over the last 3 years of our life. There was always this amazing juxtaposition of emotions as we became increasingly aware of what a true blessing Bella was in our life and at the same time, how desperately we desired to have another child. It was as different as night and day, yet somehow the two fit together in a way that I can't really describe. It's the perfect picture of God's faithfulness in the darkest of times (whatever the situation may be) and we will forever be grateful for those really tough times because without them, we wouldn't have our precious miracle baby, Chloe Faith.

the|rock church

The local News and Review did an article on our church and I thought I would share it...

A Few Good People

3 Months!

I'm finding it hard to believe that Chloe is 3 months old today, but none-the-less, it's true! She is such a sweet little girl and continues to amaze people with her calm and happy demeanor. I'm constantly getting comments about what a "good baby" she is, and I have to say, she really is! :)

In the last week or so she has figured out how to grab her toys. It's so neat to watch her learn the most basic of things like how to use her hands. She has also gotten more and more responsive over the last few weeks. She just lights up when people talk to her. She is finding her voice and loves to mimic the sounds that we make. If you talk to her and pause, she will "talk" back...it's just too precious! And just because she loves her mommy so much she has been sleeping 7-8 hours straight for the last week!

I'll stop bragging now and share a couple pictures I took today... ;)

My long lost friend!

SLEEP!! :)

Chloe slept for 8 hours straight last night (9 p.m. to 5 a.m.)! After nursing her to sleep I put her in her swing while Andy and I hung out downstairs. I decided to go to bed at 10:30 and Andy was going to stay up to finish watching a movie he started. I went up to bed and quickly fell asleep and the next thing I knew I woke up and realized that I was still in bed alone. I looked at the clock and it was 3 in the morning. I couldn't believe Chloe hadn't woken up to eat and actually wondered downstairs to check on her. I found Andy sleeping on the couch and Chloe swinging away in her swing. I quickly sneaked back upstairs and fell back to sleep. It was a full 2 hours later that Andy woke me up asking me to take Chloe (he had come to bed at 4 and she had slept with him in bed for an hour). She ate and fell back asleep until 7:00!

I'm sure it was a fluke, but whatever it was I'll take it! It's amazing how good I feel after 6 1/2 hours of uninterrupted sleep!

Kindergarten!

Well, it's official...Bella is in Kindergarten! This is a day that she has been anxiously awaiting for some time and she was more than thrilled when it finally arrived!

There's not a whole lot I have to say about it, other than I simply cannot believe that this day is actually here. I know it sounds cliche, but I swear it seems like yesterday that I was looking at her for the very first time. As hard as it is to see her growing so fast, we find so much joy in watching the little girl she has become. She is such a joy to have around and is constantly making us smile. Her excitement for life is contagious, and I'm just so proud to be her mom!

Here are a couple pictures from this morning...