May Days

May has been a busy month for our family!


We started off the month going strawberry picking.  We thought as much as Carli loves strawberries, she would really like to pick them.  When we got there, Carli helped for a bit.  She would only pick them when one of us pointed them out.  She liked carrying the bucket more than picking them off the bush. (May 2)

"I take it."

proud little girl

And she's outta there!

Next up was a quick trip to school to see the chicks that hatched in Ms. Mabe's classroom.  Carli really thought they were cute.  (May 3)

Carli tried to kiss the chick

We had to stop at the playground

 

She looks so big in this picture!

That weekend brought the Spring Folly to town.  Carli liked walking around and seeing all the people and events.  She thought the fire truck was cute.  She wanted to ride the train...

...until the train took off from the "station" without Mommy!  They had to stop the train to get her off.

But a quick stop at Cake and All Things Yummy made it all better!

We did a short trial at potty training.  After three times with Carli getting upset a bit each time, we decided to wait a bit and try again.


Funny what toddlers can learn if they want. When my brother was here just two weeks ago, every animal said "meow". Now she can tell you a dog, duck, chicken, cow, pig (sometimes), and yesterday learned that a rooster says "cock-a-doodle-doo."  She even knows that strange sound that a deer makes when it is running away.  Austin taught her that one.


The month ended with a family cookout to celebrate Austin's upcoming graduation.

PHEW...what a busy month!

"Ice Pease"

Tonight, Joe was in the mood for Mexican. This doesn't happen often, so I quickly agreed! Since we are having unseasonable weather today, (the high temperature was 83 today) we decided to eat on the patio.

Shortly after getting there, Carli was excited to be eating chips. She really loves them! She probably ate 10 of them.

After finishing her chips, Carli began to find things to amuse her. She played with chips and the straws. Then she saw my glass of iced tea. "Ice pease."

I gave her a piece of ice, thinking she wanted to eat it like she usually does. Nope. She figured out it was something fun to play with. Every few seconds, it would slip out of her hands and fall through the cracks in the table. Then it was "Ice pease" again. She would play with it for a few minutes, before losing it again into the cracks.

"Ice pease." This happened over and over. Carli entertained herself with ice for 20 minutes or so. It was fun to watch her as she discovered that if she held it long enough, it would begin to melt away.

Austin is 18!

March 1st was Austin's 18th birthday. On Saurday, the 3rd, we surprised him with a party at the Piney Grove Fire Station (where else?). The guys there were great, taking him on a wild goose hunt so we could all gather together and surprise him.

Here are just a few pictures to document the big event:

Joe Turns 50!

Yesterday, Joe turned a milestone in his life, he became 50. Many friends and family came to help him celebrate. Carli even learned the word "fifty" and would say "Daddy fifty" if you said it first. We worked on "Happy Birthday" but that was just too much.

Thank you to everyone who helped him celebrate! And Happy Birthday My Love! I hope we have a lot more to celebrate!

WBFJ

On Carli's birthday, Joe and I were day sponsors for our radio station, WBFJ. We were entitled to a quick blurb about Carli on her special day. Here is what was said:

Carli Elizabeth Laws

As we celebrate today your second birthday, we remember the events surrounding your birth.

December 2009 started out normal-getting ready for Christmas. Then on December 10^th, we got a call from our adoption agency wanting to give our profile to a birthmother. It didn’t take long for us to say yes. Then we waited and waited, didn’t sleep, and still waited. A week later, we found out she had chosen us. Then the real waiting began. And so did a lot of preparation!

Again, we waited and waited, and still didn’t get much sleep. Every night, we counted down the days until your due date. Then on January 8^th Misty called that her water had broken and you were on your way. We made our way to the airport for the long flight to Arizona. That night, we were able to meet you and hold you, our beautiful little girl.

Carli, you are the light of our lives. You bring so much joy to all of us. We pray you continue to laugh, grow, and explore everything around you. May God continue to bless you in everything you do. We love you.

Mommy, Daddy, and Austin

Carli Turns Two!!!

Can you believe it? Our little princess has turned two.

The day started with cupcakes in Sunday School. Carli brought plenty to share. White funfetti cupcakes with white icing and an Elmo on top. She even was able to share with others since there were so many left over.

Lunch was at her favorite place to eat...McDonalds! She loves the french fries there and was able to play (or "pay" as she says) when she was done. She even acccomplished two hurdles while there: she climbed into the car all by herself and climbed on top of the turtle.

After a good nap, Carli met everyone at the church for her party. The theme...ELMO of course! I think she was a little overwhelmed at all of her family being there when she arrived. She laughed, ran to me, and then saw her Elmo on the table, swiping him off.

Then it was time for cake. The face in the picture is priceless. Carli seems to be saying, "Mine, all mine!" After two candles were lit, Carli (with a little help) blew out her candles. But when they were out, Carli was a little upset. I don't think she liked that the candles were out, or maybe it was that Daddy had helped her do it.
Carli really enjoyed the cake! She used her hand, and her mouth, to enjoy every drop. She was a wonderful, gooey mess when she was done.

After her snack, was her favorite part, presents. We were curious to see how she would do since she loved opening gifts at Christmas. She wasn't as wild, but she did enjoy opening them. Among her gifts were: building blocks, an Elmo hat and backpack, books, clothes, and more. Of course, she sat right down and began to read the books.

The only thing missing on the day, was "Aussie," her big brother, whom Carli loves with all her heart.

After all was said and done, Carli was a wild one running around the house. Guess that is what you get with a beautiful two year old girl who has been pumped with a cupcake early in the morning, cake and ice cream at her party, and all of her family around who love her very much. Joe and I are so blessed to have her in our lives. We can't imagine our lives without her in it. Carli, so you are so loved!

Carli's Two Year Old Photo Shoot

December 30th, Carli had her own photo shoot on location at the Fourth of July Park in Kernersville, to take her two year old pictures. Joe and I didn't want to do the in-studio pictures that are so posed. So we decided to have them done at the park. Joe commented, "You know she won't be still for any of them, right?" That was perfect. We wanted shots of Carli doing what she does best...playing and having fun.

After contacting Jordan McGee, a colleague of mine at a different school, we headed to the park. It was a beautiful day, a little chilly, but nothing like normal for late December. Carli had a blast playing in the park and letting Jordan get great shots of her. Below are just a sample.