life as a larson: March 2010

Tuesday, March 23, 2010

I Heart Charlotte

TWO YEARS AGO TODAY, WE BECAME PARENTS. IT IS HARD TO PUT INTO WORDS HOW OUR LIVES HAVE CHANGED. NO ONE CAN PREPARE YOU FOR THE AMOUNT OF LOVE AND PURE JOY YOU WILL EXPERIENCE AS A PARENT UNTIL YOU LOOK INTO THE EYES OF YOUR VERY OWN CHILD FOR THE FIRST TIME. ON MARCH 23, 2008, WE SET EYES ON OUR SWEET CHARLOTTE MARIE AND LIFE AS WE KNEW IT CHANGED FOREVER. HER ENERGY, SPIRIT, INQUISITIVE NATURE, CHARISMA, SWEET VOICE AND HEARTY LAUGH FILL OUR HOME AND HEARTS WITH IMMENSE JOY AND LOVE EACH DAY. HER BIG PERSONALITY, SOCIAL NATURE, HUMOR, BRIGHT EYES, LONG NARRATIVES, AND SWEET AFFECTION MAKE OUR LIVES RICHER AND IT IS DIFFICULT TO REMEMBER LIFE BEFORE OUR LITTLE LADY ARRIVED. WE ARE THANKFUL TO THE LORD FOR HIS PERFECT TIMING IN BLESSING US WITH CHARLOTTE AND FOR HIS WATCHFUL CARE OVER HER YOUNG LIFE. OUR PRAYER IS THE SHE WOULD GROW INTO A YOUNG GIRL WHO LOVES HER CREATOR WITH ALL HER HEART. WE THANK YOU FOR ALL OF YOUR SUPPORT OVER THE PAST TWO YEARS AND FOR THE LOVE THAT YOU HAVE FOR OUR PRECIOUS LITTLE LADY.

CHARLOTTE MARIE, WE LOVE YOU MORE EACH DAY AND PRAISE GOD FOR YOUR LIFE AND GREAT SPIRIT! YOU ARE A BLESSING TO MOMMY, DADDY AND BABY JOEY.

XOXO

WE HAVE WAITED FOR YOU FOR SO LONG LITTLE ONE. WELCOME LITTLE GIRL!

TURNING ONE

BECOMING A BIG SISTER

MARCH 23, 2010

PANCAKE BREAKFAST WITH THE FAMILY

HAPPY 2ND BIRTHDAY, SWEET GIRL!

Monday, March 22, 2010

March Madness Weekend

MARCH MADNESS WEEKEND 2010

THE OPENING WEEKEND OF THE NCAA TOURNAMENT IN OUR HOME IS CONSIDERED (ONE OF) THE MOST WONDERFUL TIMES OF THE YEAR. WITH BRACKETS FILLED OUT, WE HEAD TO MILWAUKEE FOR A WEEKEND FULL OF HOOPS, GREAT FOOD, AND FELLOWSHIP WITH FAMILY AND FRIENDS. THE TRADITION STARTED SEVERAL YEARS AGO WITH JEFF AND A FEW BUDDIES AND HAS SINCE GONE ON TO INCLUDE GIRLFRIENDS, WHO BECAME FIANCES AND THEN WIVES. LAST YEAR CHILDREN WERE ADDED TO THE MIX AND THIS YEAR THE CHILDREN ALMOST OUT NUMBERED THE PARENTS! OH, HOW THINGS HAVE CHANGED IN JUST TWO YEARS. WHILE WE MAY NO LONGER BE ABLE TO GIVE THE TOURNAMENT OUR UNDIVIDED ATTENTION, THE WEEKEND HAS TAKEN ON NEW MEANING AS WE CELEBRATE NOT ONLY COLLEGE BASKETBALL, BUT THE TENDER BLESSINGS OF OUR CHILDREN AND CLOSE FRIENDSHIPS!

SWEET ELLIE AND JOEY SET EYES ON EACH OTHER FOR THE FIRST TIME!

MY MAN, ROBBIE LIVINGSTON (CHAR'S FUTURE MAN.)

LITTLE JOE TAKES IN THE ACTION.

AUNTIE DAWNIE AND JOEY

JEFF AND HIS GODSON, RYAN, ENJOY THE GAMES.

LITTLE LUKE ASKS TO JOIN THE BIG KIDS FOR BATH TIME.

"COME ON IN, LUKE! THE MORE THE MERRIER!"

THINGS START TO GET NUTS IN THE BATH!

"OH ROBBIE, YOU CRACK ME UP!"

BEST BUDS.

WE HOPE THEY DO NOT MIND THESE PICTURES WHEN THEY'RE 18.

"UM, MOMMY, COULD YOU PLEASE LEAVE US BE FOR A MOMENT."

"THIS WAS THE BEST DAY!"

"ROBBIE!"

GETTING READY FOR THE BIG BUCKY BIRTHDAY BASH.

RIGHT AFTER JOEY WAS BORN, JEFF TOOK CHARLOTTE TO BARNES AND NOBLE FOR A BOOK SIGNING WITH BUCKY BADGER. THAT DAY HONESTLY CHANGED CHARLOTTE'S LIFE. EVER SINCE CHAR CANNOT STOP TALKING ABOUT BUCKY. SHE MENTIONS HIM TO STRANGERS IN GROCERY STORES, SHE TALKS ABOUT HIM FIRST THING EACH MORNING, AND REQUESTS HER BUCKY DOLL IN BED EACH NIGHT. LAST WEEK, WE EVEN PURCHASED A LITTLE BUCKY STICKER FOR OUR CAR WINDOW. SHE TALKS TO IT WHILE I DRIVE! WITH HER INTENSE AFFECTION FOR BUCKY IT SEEMED LIKE THE OBVIOUS CHOICE IN THEME FOR HER BIRTHDAY.

MORNING OF THE BIG DAY

CHAR KEEPS HERSELF HYDRATED.

EVEN THOUGH SHE WOKE UP WITH A LITTLE COLD, SHE PUT ON HER GAME FACE.

PROUD PAPA. WISCONSIN PRIDE.

BADGER FANS!

COUSIN KENDALL, GETS INTO THE FESTIVITIES!

THE BIRTHDAY GIRL EAGERLY AWAITS HER GUESTS.

OUR SWEET BIRTHDAY GIRL.

DANCING AROUND IN HER TUTU (A TAD OVER THE TOP, BUT I KNEW SHE WOULD JUST LOOK PRECIOUS IN IT); HOWEVER, SHE WAS NOT AS ENTHUSIASTIC ABOUT THE OUTFIT. EACH TIME WE ASKED HER TO PUT IT ON, WE WERE MET WITH A DECIDED "NO!"

IT TOOK SEVERAL MINUTES OF MOMMY, MIMI AND AUNTIE CAJOLING HER TO PUT IT ON. THE RESULT WAS ONE CUTE BIRTHDAY GIRL!