McCarthy Family Reunion & Beach Vacation

Well, I've been away for a week now, because we spent the past week in St. Augustine, FL on vacation and attending a three day family reunion for the McCarthy side of the family. It was a great weekend. Weston put his toes in the sand for the first time, and we enjoyed spending time away from the office. The family loved on Weston, and Ms. Mary at daycare said all he wanted to do was be held yesterday. Oops...I don't think he got put down all weekend. Gram & Gramps especially enjoyed spending time and loving on the little man. It was a fun and enjoyable time for all of us!

We came back from the trip to a not so nice surprise...our upstairs air condition went out, so we are crossing our fingers that the AC guy can make it out this afternoon to take a look. For now, we are sleeping downstairs on the couch and Weston is in his Pack & Play downstairs. It's a steamy 98 degrees upstairs.

Weston also turned 5 months old since I last posted, and I have some photos to upload from his 5 month photo shoot. For now, I'll leave you with some photos of our beach vacation...

Our little family before Dinner on Saturday night

Mommy & Little Man

Daddy & Weston playing in the sand

So sweet...

Playing on the deck as the sun goes down...what a nice night!

Please let me have some, Daddy...just a little!

Father & Son

Getting ready to fall asleep in my arms after a LONG beach and pool filled morning!

Lounging on the Beach

Floating in the pool...he loves it!

Wearing dad's shades...I think I need a pair like this!

Taking a play break before we get back on the road to finish the final leg of the drive home!

Look Mom, I can drive too...

Hanging out with 2nd Cousin, Tyler

Happy Father's Day

What is a Dad?
A dad is someone who
wants to catch you before you fall
but instead picks you up,
brushes you off,
and lets you try again.

A dad is someone who
wants to keep you from making mistakes
but instead lets you find your own way,
even though his heart breaks in silence
when you get hurt.

A dad is someone who
holds you when you cry,
scolds you when you break the rules,
shines with pride when you succeed,
and has faith in you even when you fail...

Weston has an amazing dad who loves him and plays with him, kisses and hugs him, takes naps and teaches him. His love is unconditional, and we couldn't be more blessed to have Grant as a father and husband.

Grant never stops...he wakes in the middle of the night, if Weston decides he needs to get up, he comforts Weston when he's in tears, he calms him and he bathes him every night. He feeds him, and I know he is looking forward to teaching him and helping him grow into a wonderful, young man. Thank you for being a wonderful father and role model for our son! We love you!

Four Months

Weston,

It's been another really busy month at the Harvey household, and you've experienced so many "firsts" this month. You attended your first Rehearsal, Rehearsal Dinner and Wedding in Dallas, GA. Your daddy was in the wedding, and you were such a good boy throughout the entire ceremony. You even let Mommy & Daddy hang out until 9:30 PM even though it was way past your bedtime.

You also spent the night at Papa Jay & Grandma Harvey's house with your daddy while I was at a Bachelorette party. They said you had a lot of fun while I was away, but I sure did miss you! You met your friend Griffin this month, and you also got to go to the Cox Family Reunion at FDR State Park in Pine Mountain, GA. You are SO loved, and they passed you around the entire afternoon.

You have changed so much again this month, and I really can't believe it. You smile and you play so well independently in your Exersaucer. You like to play by yourself, and you don't always like to be held. You are a very independent little man. You LOVE swimming! You went to the pool over Memorial Day weekend with your two friends, Emma and Emma. :)

You've also learned to sit unassisted this month, and it's SO cute! You love to sit and play with a toy in front of you. Everyone keeps telling us how great you are doing, because you are already sitting up by yourself. We are hoping that the sitting will help round out your head since currently the back is pretty flat. You are also sleeping on your side or stomach at night, and you rarely sleep on your back anymore. You curl up and have one hand over your face when you are sleeping on your side, and it's so sweet.

Here are your four month statistics and milestones:

• 16 lb. 13 oz. We are still exclusively BF'ing, and we haven't yet had to supplement with formula. You are a chubby, healthy little boy!
• 25.5 inches
• Still in Size 3 Diapers
• Wearing mostly 6-9 month clothes, but you still wear some 6 month clothes and also wear 9 month clothes.
• Your coordination is improving, and you love playing with toys that makes noise still! You are now reaching and grabbing for toys!
• You are still sleeping through the night. You go to sleep between 6:30 and 7:00 PM now, and you sleep until 6:30 AM. Though the past few nights, you've woken up in the middle of the night with gas. The past two mornings when we've gotten you up, you've had a dirty diaper, so it looks like you were uncomfortable!
• You still like to go to sleep on time, but you are getting better. You've allowed mommy and daddy to continue our weekly ritual of going to Mexican for dinner on Sunday nights. It's been fun!
• You still don't like to be held when you are falling asleep or tired. You want us to leave you alone and put you down, so you can fall asleep on your own, but you have let me hold you when you've been tired a little more lately.
• You still put EVERYTHING in your mouth! You put your hands in your mouth, our hands in your mouth, your keys, burp cloth, etc. If it's nearby, you want to eat it.
• You always try to "eat" Mommy's shoulder...you are too funny, but I will be holding you, and you'll start gnawing on my shoulder, but you don't do it to anyone else, only Mommy.
• You no longer fit into your Bumbo seat...your legs are too big, and I've tried SO hard. I tried pushing you into it, and you screamed at me, because it really hurt. I don't think I'll try that again unless your legs thin out a little bit!
• Since you are sitting up, we've gotten rid of your infant bathtub. You didn't like it anyways, because you like to splash so much, so we moved you to the Duck tub, and you love it, because you sit up so well, and you can splash the water around you. It's too cute. Bath time is still your favorite time of the day!

One Year Ago Today...well, actually Tuesday

One year ago on May 18th, 2009, I was driving to Mississippi for work, and I just felt off...I was exhausted. I had to stop six times, once per hour, to just get out and walk around, because I couldn't keep my eyes opened. I was having this strange cramping sensation where I felt shooting pains, and I just feel funny all day long.

Later that evening after this continually nagging feeling of something not being quite right, I went to the local Kroger, picked up a pregnancy test and immediately went back to my hotel room. I took the test right away, and I instantly saw the words PREGNANT on the test. I couldn't believe it. I was in complete shock, and I think I had a panic attack. I called my mom to ask her if pregnancy tests could be wrong, and I cried, because we had just gotten married only two weeks before, and I wasn't sure that I was quite ready for this. I then called Grant, and I finally told him. I think I hurt his feelings, because I called my mom first, and I regret that I didn't call my husband, my best friend first, but in a moment of panic, I wasn't thinking. I think I ended up taking more than TEN tests, just to be sure it was right! :)

Ready or not...we began our journey of nurturing and preparing for Weston. Our lives forever changed in that instant, and we'll never be the same. God blessed us with this perfect gift who was four months old yesterday, and we are beyond grateful for our son. He is beautiful and perfect in our eyes. He is the light of our lives, and I can't get enough of his love. I love that he relies on me for his every need, and I can provide for him. I never knew or imagined the love that a parent has for a child. It's the greatest gift and the most rewarding job that I've ever had the pleasure of having. Though Weston wasn't planned, and we were newlyweds facing the surprise of our lives, I know that this is what God had planned for us, and now, I couldn't imagine our lives any other way. Only one word can describe it...PERFECT!

Weston Chews on Everything

In the past few weeks or so, Weston has started putting everything in his mouth and gnawing on whatever it is that gets in there. We've had to be really careful what he has access to or what's sitting next to him on the floor or couch, because if he can pick it up, it's going straight into his mouth.

Last night at the dinner table, he had a teething ring that he was chewing on, and he was making all kinds of noises, so Grant decided to talk to him and video tape the whole thing. He's too much fun, and he's really getting such a little personality! :)

Three Months

Weston,

It's been a busy month, and I'm writing this letter when you're almost four months old rather than three months old, but I promise I'll do better next month, and I'll write the letter before you are almost five months.

Again, I can't believe that so much time has already passed...it seems like just yesterday you were born, and we were in the hospital watching you in amazement. Now, you have your own little personality, and it's quite entertaining.

We love your smiles and the way that you now laugh out loud when something is funny. You regularly laugh at the dog, and it makes us smile that you enjoy him so much. You LOVE your Daddy now, and he is so happy and proud. In the prior months, you only wanted your mommy, and I was the only one of us who could calm you; however, now, you love hanging out with Daddy, and you are content to watch him and hang out with him. He's thrilled and can't wait to be your "best friend" as you grow older.

You are sleeping through the night, and it's been such a blessing. You usually go to sleep between 7:00 PM and 7:30 PM, and you've stopped crying when we put you in your crib at night. You typically sleep until I come to get you up in the morning, and Mommy and Daddy are much more rested. We love this phase, and we know that it will only continue to get better as time passes!

Here are your three month statistics and milestones:

• Not sure how much you weigh now, but at almost three months, you weighed 15 lbs. 7 oz. We are still exclusively BF'ing, and we haven't yet had to supplement with formula. You are a chubby, healthy little boy!
  
• Around 24-25 inches, but we aren't sure, because you move so much that we can't get a good measurement.
  
• Moved up from Size 2 to Size 3 diapers
  
• Wearing some 3-6 Month clothes, but the majority of your clothes are 6 months, and you are wearing some 6-9 or 9 month outfits, as well.
  
• You are playing with toys, and you LOVE your keys. We have one set of keys for the car and Miss Mary's, and we have one set to keep at home. You LOVE that they make noise. Anything that makes noise, you are crazy about!
  
• You no longer cry at bedtime. We can lay you down and you look around for a few minutes and then finally fall asleep. I also see you wake up in the video monitor, and you don't cry anymore. You just look around and then go back to sleep! When I get you in the mornings, you are sometimes awake and looking around, but not usually crying.
  
• You like to go to sleep on time...you don't like to stay up late! You cry and scream until we let you go to sleep. We sometimes have to leave if we are out late, because you get upset.
• You don't like to be held when you are falling asleep or tired. You want us to leave you alone and put you down, so you can fall asleep on your own. Needless to say, there is no rocking you to sleep. :)
• You put EVERYTHING in your mouth! You put your hands in your mouth, our hands in your mouth, your keys, burp cloth, etc. If it's nearby, you want to eat it.
  
• You watch Mommy & Daddy eat. We sit you in your highchair when we eat dinner every night and you just watch us as we eat our food. You'll definitely be ready to eat when it's time! :)
  

Love, Mom

Life has been busy...

...and we'll be back soon, but in the meantime, I'll leave you guys with this!

Here is one of the photo's from Weston's 3 Month photo session last Thursday afternoon! We love our little man! :)