Oh, Baby!

One of the mommies from playgroup, Miss Stacey, welcomed her second bundle of joy to the world last Friday. Stacey is Matney's mommy. You may remember Matney from this post a while back. Well, today I was lucky enough to go visit Matney and meet her little sister, Miss Halle Kate. Oh, Baby! What a cutie pie! I got some quality cuddling time in with the little lady while she napped. I really could have sat there holding her all day long.

I didn't get any pictures of Halle today, but Stacey sent me this precious picture of Halle wearing a bow headband that a bought for her. Does it get any cuter? If there is a little girl in my future, rest assured she will be donning a bow very similar to this one every day of her life!

Congratulations Heald Family!!!

Halle Kate

Let Them Eat Pasta

Like most women, I enjoy my carbs. Yesterday, I was craving some pasta. While Charlie had his afternoon snack, I made myself come yummy pasta to munch on. Charlie kept pointing to my bowl, so I decided to let him try a little bite. Mr. Independent wanted no part of Mommy trying to feed him. I wanted to see what he would do with a tray full of spaghetti. Not only did he enjoy it, but he also made quite a mess. I had a great time giggling as he tried very hard to get the noodles into his mouth and couldn't resist grabbing the camera.

My Boys

I try very hard to limit Charlie's TV watching. Most days, he does not watch any TV. But, he does have a favorite nursery rhyme series that comes free with our cable service. It is called Baby Genius, and he LOVES it. If he is having a meltdown or I need to get dinner ready, Baby Genius is always there to save the day. The shows are about 10 minutes each, and they are just long enough to help him forget what got him upset or let me get something done around the house.

I took this picture the other night when Charlie was having a not so great night. He and Nick looked to cute cuddling together on the couch. I love my boys very much, and I am so grateful for moments like these when I can sit back and appreciate all of my blessings.

Aren't they cute?

We're Back in Action

We got our loaner camera today (thanks again Mom and Dad), so I decided to take it out on a test run this afternoon. Charlie, Samson, and I spent about an hour and a half outside after Charlie's nap. We walked down our street for a little bit, and Charlie loved chasing after Samson. Charlie also helped me do some lawn work in the front yard. Then we spent some time relaxing on the deck. I love this mild spring weather, but my allergies were killing me. Charlie seemed to be okay, but I couldn't stop sneezing and rubbing me eyes.

Taking the Swiffer Sweeper for a walk

"Mommy, let my pup up."

This picture is totally unrelated to our outdoor adventures, but it was too cute not to include. Charlie pulled out an old Valentine's card from Grandma today. It is musical, and he must have opened it a hundred times to hear it. In this picture, he was pressing the card up to his face and grooving to the tunes. Boy, do I love this kid!

I Have a Confession...

I lost our camera this weekend. I am on the verge of tears as I type this. My camera was a gift from my parents a few years ago, and I loved it. Fortunately, I had just saved all of my April pictures to the computer, but I did lose dozens of pictures from our trip to the zoo, Nicole's shower, and Mother's Day. I just can't believe I actually lost it. I never lose things, but I am pretty sure it is gone for good.

My birthday is in September, so I am going to wait until then to get a new one for the family. Don't worry! There will still be plenty of pictures for the blog because my parents have generously offered to lend us their camera. Thanks Mom and Dad!!!!

Since I am in the market for a new camera suddenly, I was hoping to get your help. I would like to upgrade from the point and shot camera to a nicer one that shoots multiple frames per second, is good for action shots, and has different lens options. If you have a camera like this that you LOVE or know of a great camera, please share what type it is in the comment section or send me an e-mail at lindsayuga2@aol.com. I have a few months to shop around, but I would love to hear some first-hand recommendations as well.

Thanks in advance for your help!

You will notice that there is a lot of salad eating this week. Nick and I are competing to see who can lose the most weight in the next 4 weeks. Wish me luck!

Monday: Hamburger Helper with salad

Tuesday: Charlie and I will be eating with some of my girlfriends.

Wednesday: Frozen Meal and salad

Thursday: Rotisserie Chicken with broccoli and brown rice

Friday: Egg Pie and Salad

Saturday: Grilled Cheese Stuffed Turkey Burgers and salad

Sunday: Grilled Chicken with steamed veggies and brown rice

April Pictures are Posted in the Album

I just realized that I forgot to post our April pictures. Sorry. I am surprised that no one reminded me. I get phone calls and e-mails if I go a week without posting on the blog. Our fans must be slacking :o)

Say What?!?!

Charlie has yet to say his first word. I had high hopes for "mama" as my Mother's Day gift from him. No such luck. He does babble ALL of the time, so I feel like we are getting close. Here is one of our favorite types of babble caught on tape.

Rub-A-Dub-Dub

One baby in the tub...

Bet you did not know how much fun bath time can be!

I'm One Lucky Mommy

My second Mother's Day would have been perfect if Charlie had been feeling better. The poor little man had a fever and just was not feeling like himself. Nick and I decided to take turns visiting our families so that one of us could stay at home with him all day. It worked out very well. My day started with a yummy breakfast cooked by my hubby. Then, Nick went for a picnic lunch to help Michelle celebrate Mother's Day. I headed over to my parents' house for an early dinner. It was really nice because it was my parents, my brother, and me. It has been a long time since it has just been the four of us. After dinner, I was even able to talk my mom into taking some pictures. All in all, it was a relaxing day, and I felt very loved.

Normally, Nick and I are not big on getting gifts for each other. We have not done anniversary, birthday, or Christmas gifts in a long time. I guess we both feel like we can go out and get something for ourselves if we really want or need it. Plus, we would much rather save the money that we would have spent on each other so that we can spend it on our family and friends. So, you can imagine my surprise when Nick informed me earlier in the week that my Mother's Day gift was on the way. I felt bad because I had already ordered some things for myself for our upcoming beach trip (see below). Well, the anticipation was killing me, and I would not leave Nick alone about the gift. I tried to guess what it was almost every night. On Saturday, he gave in and presented me with my gift. I am happy to announce that I am the proud owner of a Dyson vacuum cleaner. As soon as Charlie was asleep, I took my new toy for a spin around the house. Oh my, can you say disgusting? I was going to take a picture of the crud that came up off of my floors, but then I thought you might never want to come over. It was pretty impressive, and I am thrilled with my Dyson. Way to go, Nick!

Here are some of the goodies that I ordered for myself - matching, monogrammed beach towels and a family beach bag. My parents bought us nice beach chairs to match.

Charlie even got a mini version of our beach chairs from Grandma and Grandpa.

Mom, Adam, and me

Mommy and her sick baby...look at that SAD face!

Menu for the week of 5/11

So, last week I spent a lot of time on the couch feeling miserable, and now Charlie is sick. It is so sad to watch the little man when he doesn't feel well. He is napping right now, so I am quickly trying to put together my grocery list for the week. I have to say, I am pretty excited about some of the recipes that I found.

Monday: Grilled Chicken Spinach Salad (chicken, spinach, turkey bacon, cherry tomatoes, avocado, and hard boiled egg whites)

Tuesday: Nick is going to a baseball game for work, so I will be on my own.

Wednesday: Black Bean and Corn Quesadilla with Mexican Rice

Thursday: Rotisserie Chicken with steamed broccoli and whole wheat pasta

Friday: Avocado and Cranberry Mustard Turkey Wraps

Saturday: My sister-in-law's bachelorette party. I will be eating at Cheesecake Factory, and the boys are on their own.

Sunday: Breakfast for dinner - eggs, turkey sausage, and fresh sliced tomatoes

Happy Mother's Day

I wish all of the moms out there a Happy Mother's Day! You deserve this day of recognition and many more. I hope your loved ones are taking good care of you today!

Menu for the Week of 5/4

My busy weekend caught up with me, and I now have a head cold. I tried to convince myself that it was just allergies at first, but I have finally admitted defeat. I feel very yucky, and the rain is not helping. I am feeling very lazy, so all of my recipes are super easy. Also, two of our meals from last week will be carried over to this week. Our weekend was too busy for Mama to be in the kitchen. We ended up eating out Friday and Saturday.

Monday: Chicken Stir Fry over brown rice

Tuesday: Nick has a work dinner, so I am on my own. Translation: I will probably have cereal for dinner...aren't you jealous???

Wednesday: Bertolli Skillet Meal from last week

Thursday: Taco Chili in the Slow Cooker with salad

Friday: Leftover Taco Chili (even better the 2nd day)

Saturday: Apricot Barbecue Chicken on the grill with steamed green beans and brown rice

Sunday: Grilled Portobello Mushrooms with steamed broccoli and fruit salad

Ballooooons!

WARNING: Balloons can cause extreme excitability, squealing, and laughter in small children. See below...

One, Zoo, Three...This is the Place for Me!

We spent the day at Zoo Atlanta with our friends, Joe and Diana, and their two kids, Kailey and Zackery. It was the perfect day for the zoo. The temperature was just right, and it was not too crowded. All of the animals were out, and we saw some really neat exhibits. Charlie was very interested in everything and had a great time pointing at all of the animals. We were there for a little over four hours because we were all enjoying our day at the zoo so much.

Everything was great...with one exception. We decided to take the kids on a fun train ride around the zoo. We were so wrong. The train was in desperate need of a little oil. It was so squeaky that is scared all three kiddos. They were all terrified and cried until the train pulled into the station. Poor babies! Next time, we will visit the carousel instead :o)

Here are just a few of the MANY pictures from today.

Catching some ZZZs before the next exhibit

Watching elephants with Daddy. This was one of Charlie's favorite animals.

Holding hands with a Zackery at lunch.

Kailey was so brave at the petting zoo. Isn't she such a big girl?

Before the worst train ride EVER!

Chillin' at the petting zoo with Mr. Goat

Diana and Zackery

Mommy and Charlie resting outside of the Reptile House

Look at my ferocious lion cub!

Nicole's 2nd Baby Shower

Me and my preggo :o)

The food

Mom did a beautiful job with the flowers.

The cake

Lots of pink and green

The favors

Nicole and her goodies

Look at how tiny that outfit is!

My mom and I had the pleasure of hosting a shower for my best friend, Nicole, on Saturday. Mom and I had WAY too much fun decorating the house in pink and green for the shower. Nicole looked beautiful, and it was another great day to help her celebrate Sawyer's upcoming arrival.