Boating

Back in February at our birth class, we were blessed to meet another navy couple who have turned into good friends.  Yesterday they took us out on their boat for some fun on Saratoga Lake.  We took our babies which was an adventure trying to keep them out of the sun.  Luckily most of their bodies where covered by the massive baby life jackets.  I went tubing and Tony went knee boarding.  It had been a while since I'd been tubing, but I remembered real quick- keep your mouth shut or you will be drinking lake water.

Monica's first swimsuit.

She'll grow into it . . .?

After boating we came back to our house for a yummy BBQ.  Thanks to Breanna and Chris for the fun day!

Tired baby.

More pictures from the past couple days.  It's been in the 80s for a week now, we are on the hunt for an air conditioner.

This is her fuss face.  I can't take it seriously because it's so cute.





Happy Birthday Husband!

Yesterday was Tony's birthday.  We started our celebration with a special birthday breakfast of biscuits and gravy and eggs.  Then we went to our town's Memorial Day parade.  I had more fun watching Monica "watch" the parade than the parade itself.  Note the "she'll grow into it hat."  I did tear up when watching the old veterans proudly marching.   I am so grateful for current and past military service members and all their sacrifices for our freedoms.  We remember you! 

Happy Birthday Daddy!

That's right, we dressed our kid to match our furniture.

Then we went home, packed a picnic lunch and headed to the Saratoga Battlefield.  It's only about 45 minutes from the house and has nice hiking, biking and driving throughout the historic landscape.  Their visitors center was nice with interactive maps and a video to set the stage for the battles.  All the pictures we took there didn't come out because mommy hasn't quite learned how to properly use our new camera. :o(
It was super sunny and warm and Monica's too young to be in the sun that much so we just did the driving tour, but I'm looking forward to going hiking and biking in there. 

We came home and got dressed up and went out for a nice Italian dinner.  Monica was super baby and let mommy and daddy enjoy a nice leisurely dinner.  I'm grateful for the wonderful day of celebration.  Love you super husband!

Who's the pretty girl in the mirror there?

We hung a mirror from her play mat.  She normally smiles at herself. 

This one looks like she's not sure who that baby is!

Tummy time!

Her hands fight with each other to be the one in the mouth.  Then she gets frustrated when they prevented her from just munching on something.

She really can't decide which finger is best, but she might be my daughter after all.

For two nights in a row she slept for 7 hours straight!  But then she started a napping strike during the day.  Guess you can't have it both ways. :o)

Faces, Hair and Bouncers

She really likes the bouncer, happily hanging with mom in the kitchen.

Monica hasn't quite figured out which finger is the best so she just munches on all of them.

Umm, mom, I'm done with the photo session.

She woke up this way, thought it looked cool, so we kept it. 

Yes, she's in the same outfit for a second day. 

The problem is me.

I am so frustrated with the members of the Church!  I think we must be the most uneducated church out there.  I mean, if you profess to believe something, shouldn't you know WHAT you believe and WHY you believe it?  I am so sick of the lukewarm!  Priests, Sisters and laity all teaching and doing whatever they feel instead of educating themselves and others about the beauty that is our faith.  People trying to turn God into who they want Him to be instead of working to turn themselves into who God wants them to be.  Do people think they will stand before the Lord at the end of their earthly lives and He'll say, "Oh, it's okay that you never bothered to learn about me, build a relationship with me, and serve my people?"  No, He'll say, "Why didn't you love me with all your heart, mind and soul and love your neighbor as yourself?" 

Mass has been such a challenge for me (for longer than I want to admit).  Not because of my wonderful daughter, she still allows us to enjoy Mass.  But that's the problem, I am not enjoying Mass!  I am constantly distracted by bad liturgies, bad homilies, bad music, REALLY bad music, bad ushers, announcements between the Liturgy of the Word and the Liturgy of the Eucharist and parents allowing their kids to play video games during Mass!  Seriously people!  The Lord has given us the most beautiful and complete form of worship and we butcher it every week.  So I spend Mass being annoyed, frustrated and sometimes downright angry and I waste the time for reflection, prayer and grace that I am given.  The problem is clearly me.  My soul is the one not seeking the Lord with all my heart, mind and soul.  My heart is the one harden to hearing the Holy Spirit's message to me and seeing Christ in others.  I am the weak one.  The Lord didn't die for perfect sheep.  He died for us 'no matter how hard we try (or don't try) and don't get it right' sheep.  He is truly the GOOD SHEPHERD.  His job is probably more like herding cats rather than sheep.

Dearest patient Jesus, please please please help me to not waste any of my life with a hardened heart.  Please help me not be distracted and to see the grace that showers from heaven during Mass.

If anyone has any words of wisdom I would really appreciate it.  I have been praying about this for a long time and I am not getting any better.  Praise the Lord for loving us as we are and constantly calling us to holiness.

2 month checkup

Monica had her 2 month checkup yesterday.  Here are her stats:

15 3/4 inches head circumference - 60th percentile

10 lbs 11 oz (up 3 lbs from birth) - 50th percentile

23 1/2 inches long (up 2 1/2 from birth) - 92nd percentile

Volleyball or Basketball player I wonder? :o)

She also got some vaccines.  I was a bigger baby than she, cried my eyes out!  I hated seeing my little girl in pain.  I guess this is just the start of true parenting: doing things for your kids because it's good for them even if they don't like it.  Lord give ME the strength for the other shots to come!  She has been a trooper, one longer bit of screaming in the evening and waking up a little fussy, but she really handled it like a champ.  I love my little angel!

Great Deal

Something happened with Blogger and I have to repost yesterdays posts.  I'm not complaining- blogger is free.

I got this playmat at a local thrift store for $2!  It makes her seem so old already.  She randomly flails on it.  She doesn't seem to impressed with the mirror that distorts the reflection like a circus fun house mirror.

I was at the store the other day and someone said, "Oh, what a cute baby!  How old is HE?"  My thought was: Really? Which of the purple butterfly outfit, pink burp cloth or red and pink blanket confirmed your guess that the baby was a boy?

Warning: Cuteness Overload

An Individual

Mom sucked her thumb.

Dad sucked his pointer finger knuckle.

Daughter found her own style.  Rock on baby!

Best Birthday!

Sorry for the short blogging break.  It was Tony's four day weekend, my birthday

and I joined facebook (gasp)! 

It finally turned to spring around here and it was 80 and really humid for two days which meant a nakie and sleepy baby.  But it also meant lots of outside time!  We've been taking walks, meeting neighbors and soaking in that good vitamin D.

For my birthday yesterday, Tony cooked me a yummy breakfast of eggs, corn beef hash (looks and smells like dog food, but I promise it's good), and cinnamon rolls.  Then he watched Monica so I could go couponing without her (trust me, it's a present- it takes twice as long with her).  When I got back, we went to lunch at an Indian buffet (yum yum) and Tony gave me a beautiful diamond and sapphire necklace!  I was so surprised and felt very special.   

Then we came back and played frisbee and football outside.  Yes . . .football . . ., Tony is attempting to teach me to throw and catch a football, I'm up to about 60% success right now.  Then he watched Monica again so I could go to a workout class at the gym.  When I got home, he had baked a surprise cake for me (so much for the burned calories at the gym) and then made me dinner!  To wrap up the day we watched some Alias.  It was a great great day, all thanks to my wonderful husband!