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Friday, April 30, 2010

4 months old!





Stella Ross was officially 4 months old on April 25th, but we had the dreaded doctor visit yesterday. Stella Ross is a big girl. The doctor said she is the size of a 6-8 month old and in the 96% for both height and weight! She is 26 in. long and 16 lbs. 10oz! She is a little bigger than Rafe at 4 months and now he doesn't have an ounce of fat on him.

Over the past month she has really started to love her crib. She takes much longer naps and sleeps from 8:00-7:00 each night. How wonderful is that? Her favorite place to go is Panera Bread! I don't know what it is about that place, but if she is fussy and we eat there she immediately becomes a very happy girl! She is really starting to interact with her toys more and enjoying her exersaucer. Her favorite person, by far, is her big brother!! I love to hear her "talk" to him.
This next month we are going to introduce Stella Ross to solid foods. I have a feeling this girl is going to like them! I'll keep you posted!!

Thursday, April 29, 2010

Fatherly Love

So, Rafe is the absolute BEST at stalling to get into bed every night. He comes up with excuse after excuse to get out of being tucked in. Once we finally leave his room we know we will see him again in about 5 minutes. It really is quite funny. Every night he gets out of bed for various reasons: trimming his fingernails (something he hates to have done any other time!), needing to tell us "just one more thing!" or to tell us how much he loves us. I mean how could we really get upset at that??!! One night this week I heard Rafe's door open so I met him on the stairs. I said, "What's wrong buddy?" and he replied that he needed to tell me something. He said, "I was just wondering? When can we go back to S&S?" I mean he must have really been DESPERATE to get out of bed!!

Tonight after tucking Rafe into bed we heard his little feet tip-toeing down the steps a few minutes later. Cory met him at the stairs and took him back to bed. When he was leaving his room again Cory said to Rafe, "You know how much I love you right? Always remember how much Daddy loves you. You're my boy." Rafe so lovingly replied, "Well, your breath stinks!" How sweet is that!?

Talent Show

Can't wait for Stella Ross to do this! Cory and I had fun watching this again!! Rafe had just turned four. He would be WAY too embarrassed to do this now!

We have a "talent show" most nights at our house before bed. Rafe is quite entertaining on the dance floor. Here are some of his moves tonight! (he takes after his daddy!)

*You might want to pause the music at the bottom of the page*

Thursday, April 22, 2010

Emptiness


I have not been able to officially post about the loss of Buck because I am still so emotional about him. However tonight the kids are in bed, Cory is at a softball game and the extremely quiet house made me really miss him. I will never be able to describe how incredibly special Buck was to me and my family. He was by far the best companion anyone could ever ask for. I have been around dogs my whole life but Buck was FAR superior to anything I have ever had. He never met a stranger and nobody ever forgot him. I will always remember coming home from college and meeting my new puppy for the first time. Since my dad and I raise dogs and show them there is always a possibility of a dog just "not working out." This was the case with Buck. My dad had already made arrangements to send Buck back to Nebraska until I came home and got one glimpse of him. It was not his looks that got me, but his personality, and he has had me for 12 years since. Buck then became MY dog and my best friend in every sense of the word.

Cory is not the animal lover that I am, but he knew by marrying me I came as a package with Buck. So, when we moved into our first little house Buck became an inside dog at the age of five. He had never been so happy. Even now when I ride by that house I think about all of the crazy things Buck used to do there and it just makes me laugh. We had some great memories. When Rafe was born he graciously took a back seat for a while and NEVER showed any signs of jealousy. He loved Rafe just as much as we did. Three years later we moved to Charleston and once again Buck made the transition more easily than us. I can still see him now running 100 miles an hour into our chair and almost tipping it over to get in it before one of us did. We moved two more times after that and Buck was always right there with us smiling.

Six months ago Buck's little body starting getting tired. I knew the time was coming but I was in total denial that my 12 year old dog was trying to say goodbye. I wanted him to greet me every time the door opened, I wanted him to run from Rafe when he chased him with the dump truck, I wanted to feed him his favorite popcorn snack, I wanted to see him sitting by our dinner table waiting on crumbs to fall, I wanted to take him for a ride in the car liked he loved to do, I wanted to see him curled up on his favorite pillow, I wanted him to curl up on the couch with me, I wanted him to meet Stella Ross.

Unfortunately two days after bringing Stella Ross home from the hospital we had to say goodbye to Buck. What an emotional weekend that was for all of us. We welcomed our sweet little girl to our family on Friday and lost our precious Buck on Sunday. I think this unselfish dog knew exactly what he was doing. He held on until Stella Ross could get here because he knew how hard it would have been to move on without him other wise.

Rafe is already talking about getting a new puppy and I know it won't be long before we have a new addition to our family, but it won't be Buck. Buck is one of a kind and he will NEVER be forgotten. We love you Buck!

Sprinkler Fun!

Rafe INSISTED on running through the sprinklers this afternoon. We water the grass and bathe Rafe at the same time these days!! Today he decided after he was completely soaked to put his raincoat on and use the umbrella to "fight the water" with! I love this boy!

Stella had the best seat for the show



Monday, April 19, 2010

Stella Ross's Baptism

We could not have picked a more beautiful day to celebrate the life and Baptism of our precious Stella Ross than yesterday. It was absolutely perfect! Stella Ross was surrounded by family and friends and I am so appreciative to everyone who witnessed this special occasion. Thank you, also to Pop, Gram, Nana and Papa for the delicious brunch.










Gram and Margaret checking out Stella Ross's
gorgeous gown made by a precious 90 year old lady!

Rafe and Wiiliam before church

My precious friend, Amy - also known as
my "baby whisperer"!




"Enough already!"

Aunt Debbie and sweet cousin Tucker

Tuesday, April 13, 2010

My Happy Heart

One year ago tomorrow I became the happiest person in the world. I learned that in 9 short months Cory and I would go from having one child to being a family of four. Wow, what a year it has been!! Adding another child to our family was something I had prayed about for so long and I was beyond ecstatic to find out it was finally coming true. Being a mom to my two precious children is the most rewarding job in the world. I was once told, "Having a child gives life new meaning" and that is so true. I am SO blessed and thank God every day for giving me these sweet babies.

Rafe 5 1/2 years Stella Ross 15 weeks




**Here is Stella Ross's newest trick (sorry about the foot at the end of the video!!)

Tuesday, April 6, 2010

Is it REALLY Spring!

We are really enjoying this summer, I mean, spring weather. What are we going to do in July??!!





Easter 2010

Rafe and Gram's Easter Bunny cake
Rafe's Easter basket
Stella Ross's Easter basket


Loving her Jenny Jump Up!!






Rafe and Garfield

Our first family of four picture on Easter



Cory helping Rafe do his dart tag


Rafe and Nicolas

Papa, Stella Ross and Daddy

All the cousins, Stella Ross was DONE!

Loving her tu tu!!