life as a larson

Friday, June 4, 2010

Hard to Say Good-bye

THIS PAST WEEK OUR DEAR FRIENDS THE STACEYS MOVED BACK TO ARKANSAS AFTER COMPLETING THEIR RESIDENCY AT UW HOSPITALS. WE BECAME FAST FRIENDS WITH THEM AFTER MOVING HERE TO BEGIN JEFF'S RESIDENCY. HEATH AND JEFF FIRST HIT IT OFF, BOTH BEING PLASTIC SURGERY RESIDENTS. ADRIANA AND I SOON BONDED OVER BOOKS, A LOVE OF RESTAURANTS, CHILDREN AND THE REST THEY SAY IS HISTORY. OVER THE PAST FOUR YEARS WE HAVE GONE ON TWO FAMILY VACATIONS TO DESTIN, FL, VACATIONED AS COUPLES IN LAS VEGAS, WENT ON A VARIETY OF SMALL ROAD TRIPS TO MILWAUKEE AND CHICAGO, HAD BACKYARD BBQS AND ATE COUNTLESS MEXICAN MEALS TOGETHER. EVEN MORE SPECIAL THE STACEYS HAVE SUPPORTED US AS WE BECAME NEW PARENTS TO CHARLOTTE AND JOSEPH, AND WE WERE ABLE TO REJOICE WITH THEM AS WHITMAN AND MARY VIRGINIA (FRATERNAL TWINS) CAME INTO THIS WORLD ON MARCH 31, 2010. WE WILL MISS THESE SPECIAL FRIENDS SO MUCH. MADISON JUST WON'T BE THE SAME WITHOUT THEM! WE THANK THE LORD FOR ALLOWING US TO MEET THEM DURING OUR TIME HERE AND FOR CULTIVATING SUCH A SPECIAL BOND BETWEEN US.

"YOU HAD ME AT HELLO."

ADRI AND ANNALISE WERE AMONG CHARLOTTE'S FIRST VISITORS, AND HAVE PLAYED A SIGNIFICANT ROLE IN HER YOUNG LIFE. NOT TO MENTION KEEPING OUR DAUGHTER CLOTHED IN SUCH FASHIONABLE OUTFITS; MOST OF CHAR'S CLOTHES ARE BEAUTIFUL HAND-ME-DOWNS FROM LISE. EACH MORNING, CHAR PROUDLY ANNOUNCES "LISE CLOTHES" OR "LISE SHOES." :)

DADDY LOOK-A-LIKES

THIS PICTURE IS ONE OF OUR FAVS. IT WAS TAKEN OUTSIDE ONE OF OUR FAVORITE MEXICAN RESTAURANTS. BOTH GIRLS BEAR A STRONG RESEMBLANCE TO THEIR FATHERS.

LAST DAYS IN MADISON
WATCHING THE GIRL'S RELATIONSHIP OVER THE PAST FOUR YEARS HAS BEEN VERY SPECIAL. IT HAS GONE IN STAGES, FROM ANNALISE ADORING CHARLOTTE AS AN INFANT, TO CHARLOTTE BEING OLD ENOUGH TO CHASE ANNALISE AROUND THE HOUSE. WE LOVE TO HEAR THESE GIRLS GIGGLE TOGETHER!

MOVING DAY
A QUICK GOOD-BYE BEFORE OUR FRIENDS SET OUT ON A LONG TRIP DOWN SOUTH. WE WILL NEVER FORGET OPENING THE FRONT DOOR TO A SAD FOUR-YEAR-OLD AS SHE ANNOUNCED SHE WAS LEAVING MADISON TO MOVE TO ARKANSAS. I'M VERY THANKFUL TO HAVE CAUGHT THEIR DEPARTURE HUG!

WE LOVE YOU HEATH, ADRI, LISE, MARY VIRGINIA AND WHIT! WE CAN'T WAIT TO VISIT YOUR NEW HOME.

Thursday, June 3, 2010

One Cute Kid

JOEY AND I SPENT SOME TIME OUTDOORS FOR A MINI PHOTO SESSION. HE IS QUITE EASY TO PHOTOGRAPH AS HE IS ALWAYS WILLING TO GIVE ME SWEET SMILES.

WHAT A LITTLE DUDE!

Wheaton BBQ

WE ARE BEYOND THRILLED WHEN WE ARE ABLE TO GET OUR BELLITO/LARSON/LIVINGSTON CREW TOGETHER. THIS PAST MONTH, THE LIVINGSTONS GRACIOUSLY OFFERED TO HOST OUR EVER GROWING FAMILIES FOR A "FAMILY" BBQ. THESE DEAR FRIENDS ARE AN EXTENSION OF OUR FAMILY AND IT IS ALWAYS GREAT FUN TO WATCH THE JOYFUL MADNESS UNFOLD AS OUR CHILDREN INTERACT WITH ONE ANOTHER. GOOD FOOD, GREAT CONVERSATION, BEAUTIFUL BABIES, AND BEST FRIENDS MAKE FOR A ROCKIN' GOOD TIME!

JUST AN HOUR IN, AND CHAR NEEDS TIME TO REHYDRATE AND GET MENTALLY FOCUSED FOR THE DAY.

ROBBIE INTRODUCES CHAR TO HIS LARGE COLLECTION OF TRAINS. ALWAYS THE GRACIOUS HOST, HE ALLOWS CHARLOTTE TO QUICKLY TAKE OVER THE TRAIN SET. HE WILL MAKE A FINE BOYFRIEND ONE DAY.

DAPPER ROBBIE

IMPRESSED BY HER SAND SKILLS.

LUKE AND RY-GUY SHOWING OFF THEIR NEW SKILLS.

"I KNOW THERE IS A PLANE UP THERE SOMEWHERE."

"CAN YOU BELIEVE WE ARE FITTING FOUR KIDS AROUND THIS SAND TABLE, AND WE ARE ALL PLAYING PEACEFULLY?!"

A ROMANCE UNFOLDS...

JOEY AND ELLIE WERE ABLE TO SPEND SOME QUALITY AND QUIET TIME TOGETHER. THERE AFFECTION FOR EACH OTHER IS OBVIOUS.
I THINK JOEY IS ABOUT TO WHISPER SOMETHING SWEET IN ELLIE'S EAR.

"ELLIE, YOU CAN LOVE A YOUNGER MAN, RIGHT?"

TAKING A MUCH NEEDED BREAK.

OUR LITTLE MAN

ROUND THREE...

RY-GUY (I THINK) LOOKING TO HANG WITH THE DADS.

CHARLOTTE PINS RYAN DOWN TO OFFER HIM SOME LOVE(?)

CHARLOTTE IS NOT YET VERSED IN THE WAYS OF A LADY - LET THE GENTLEMAN MAKE THE FIRST MOVE.

WHAT A BLESSING THESE FAMILIES ARE TO US!

Wednesday, May 19, 2010

Joey is 6 months old!

THIS BOY COULD NOT BE SWEETER!

THIS HAPPENS TO BE ONE OF MY FAVORITE AGES, AND JOEY IS NOT DISAPPOINTING US. HE CONTINUES TO BE A VERY CALM BABY AND ENJOYS WATCHING THINGS GO ON AROUND HIM. WE CAN TAKE HIM ANYWHERE AS HE IS CONTENT TO SIT IN HIS CAR SEAT OR IN OUR LAPS WHILE TAKING IN THE WORLD AROUND HIM. HE READILY SMILES AND COOS FOR JUST ABOUT ANYONE WHO STOPS BY TO ADMIRE HIM. HE IS A BIG FAN OF HIS VOICE AND USES IT OFTEN, ESPECIALLY WHEN HIS SISTER IS AROUND. THIS PAST WEEK HE STARTED TO PRODUCE HIS FIRST VOWEL SOUNDS - "DA" "BA" "PA". IN ADDITION, HE ENJOYS SITTING UP ON HIS OWN AND PLAYING WITH TOYS. OF COURSE, EVERYTHING GOES DIRECTLY INTO HIS MOUTH! HE ALSO GOT HIS FIRST TASTE OF RICE CEREAL. WHILE HE WAS MORE THAN READY TO EMBRACE THE SPOON, I BELIEVE HE WAS LET DOWN BY THE BLAND TASTE OF THE FOOD. THE LOOK ON HIS FACE WAS PRICELESS. I'M SURE HE WAS THINKING, "THIS IS WHAT I'VE WAITED SO LONG FOR?!" I KNOW HE WILL BE A MIGHTY EATER AS WE PRESENT HIM WITH MORE SATISFYING OPTIONS. HE HAS BEEN SLEEPING THROUGH THE NIGHT FOR THE PAST MONTH AND A HALF, AND CONTINUES TO TAKE WONDERFUL NAPS. AND WHILE HE IS AN EARLY BIRD, WAKING AT 6:15 MOST DAYS, MEETING HIS SWEET GAZE AND SMILE IS THE PERFECT WAY TO JUMP START MY DAY - THAT AND A CUP OF COFFEE!

CHAR, ALWAYS EAGER TO GET IN ON THE ACTION.

WE LOVE YOU, LITTLE MAN!

Big Girl Sheets

THIS MONTH WE DECIDED TO SPRUCE UP CHARLOTTE'S BED. EVEN THOUGH SHE HAS NOT OFFICIALLY TRANSITIONED TO A TODDLER BED, I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE FUN TO GIVE HER BED A MAKEOVER. WE WERE GOING FOR MODERN COMFORT WITH A TOUCH OF SOPHISTICATION.

CHARLOTTE AND I ENJOYED SHOPPING AT OUR BELOVED SUPER TARGET STORE IN SEARCH OF THE PERFECT SHEETS. WE WERE THRILLED WITH OUR FIND - NATURE INSPIRED SHEETS. SHE LOVED HER NEW BLANKET SO MUCH, SHE LAID DOWN IN THE CART RESTING HER HEAD ON IT FOR THE REMAINDER OF OUR SHOPPING TRIP. WE RACED HOME TO MAKE UP HER BED AND SHE COULD NOT WAIT TO JUMP IN! SHE WAS ESPECIALLY PLEASED SHOWING THEM OFF TO DADDY UPON HIS ARRIVAL HOME. IT'S THE LITTLE THINGS IN LIFE THAT MAKE THIS LITTLE LADY SMILE!

READY FOR HER NAP, IN SPITE OF THE FACT THAT IT IS 10 AM.

WE HOPE YOUR BED MAKES YOU FEEL THIS HAPPY AND CONTENT!

HAILA/LARSON FUN

JUDE, JULIET, JOEY & CHARLOTTE

IT IS ALWAYS A SPECIAL TIME WHEN WE ARE ABLE TO GET OUR FAMILIES TOGETHER, ESPECIALLY NOW THAT JUDE AND CHARLOTTE PLAY TOGETHER. THEY LOVE TO CALL OUT EACH OTHER'S NAMES AND CHASE EACH OTHER AROUND THE HOUSE. JULIET AND JOEY ARE FOUR MONTHS APART IN AGE, BUT AS YOU CAN SEE JOEY ALREADY HAS A FEW POUNDS ON HER. WE LOVE OUR DEAR FRIENDS AND CANNOT WAIT TO SPEND MORE TIME WITH THEM!