As of lately...where has the time gone??

Looking back I realized that I forgot to blog about a lot of events!! I guess I was just so excited for Carter's 3 month pictures, that I forgot to post anything else BUT those! Ha! Or maybe it's because I don't want to admit that one BIG thing happened.....me turning the big THREE-OH! Ewww!!! No it really isn't that bad. I don't mind saying that I'm 30. I had a great birthday. David and my friends and family made it very special for me.

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Last year I ran a half marathon (London's Run) for the first time on my 29th birthday. Well this year, I thought I'd make it a yearly tradition and run it every year for every year that I turn "older"! I guess to prove that age ain't nothin but a number! :) I signed up for the half marathon really late but was still determined to get my training in quick and be ready for it come January 28th. Well, I didn't train enough so I bumped it down to the 10k. Christina ran the half marathon this year. It was fun to see her there!

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For my actual birthday, David surprised me with family and friends and we all had cake and icecream. It was great to have everyone there! Love my family and friends so much!

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For my birthday "date", David took me to the top of the new casino where there is a yummy fancy restaurant called Orange Sky. It overlooks the valley. It was beautiful!

And SUPER delicious!!!

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Out of order but these were my friends who came to my surprise birthday get together!

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Now onto other things....starting with our princess Kylee Alexa!

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She lost both her front teeth last month! One came out in January and the other came out at the end of February. She was so excited to be just like her other friends and to sing..."All I want for Christmas is my two front teeth". She cracks me up!

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Our sweet girl is also excelling in school! She makes us so proud. Top of her class for reading and most all other subjects. This was "Ticky the Robot" that she made for an at-home project. She was very proud of him!

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Kylee is also excelling in her gymnastics group. She got moved up a level last month. She is now doing more stuff on the balance beam, uneven bars, and doing more floor exercises like front and back walk-overs. She loves it!

We are so proud of our Kylee girl. She is so smart, funny, athletic, beautiful and the best big sister ever! She starts soccer this week so we are excited to see how she does with that. She can't wait!

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Onto our handsome prince....Carter Aaron!

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He turned 4 months old this month....on the 7th. He is such a ray of light and makes our days brighter and happier. He is discovering new things every day and loves exploring his surroundings. We just love him so much and can't get enough of our little man!

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Now for Daddy.....

He is such a hard worker. He is excelling at his job and great new things are happening for him at work. Currently, during the month of March, he is working EVERYDAY! The days he isn't working his regular shift, he is picking up spring training baseball games. It's great and easy money, but we miss our Daddy! The time we get to spend with him lately is valued and precious!

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He still finds time to spend quality time with his babes! Melts my heart!!

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And of course he finds some time for himself....playing video games! Or should I say..."spending quality time with his son"! Haha!

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Now for me...all I can say is that I have recommitted myself to my workouts again. I was a gym hog before Carter came but once we got him, I didn't want to do anything but hold and kiss him all day long. I got comfortable and ate anything and everything! But I don't regret one second of it. But last month I was ready to get back into gear. With Carter on a pretty good napping schedule, I decided to take advantage and workout again. I feel great! David took me to Road Runner in Tempe for my birthday present, where they did some tests on me and fit me for the perfect insoles and shoes. I love them! Great way to get me started and back on track to a healthier lifestyle!

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Kylee even likes running on the treadmill! She thinks it's a game. One day she will realize it's torture!! Haha! Jk...I actually really love it! But I prefer the fresh outside air when I can.

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And of course, my life always revolves around these two amazing little angels. They are truly best friends and love each other more than anyone. Sad to say...but I'm pretty sure they love each other more than me and David. But that's ok! As long as they know that we love them more than anyone....they can love each other the same.

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I love my boos!

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As always....life is PEWFECT!

3 months old!

This beautiful little man is 3 months old today and I can't believe it! Everyday we have with him makes for the best day ever. We love him so much and he absolutely is the light of our little family. He is growing so much everyday and learning new things daily. Here are some of the things that our Carter does now at 3 months:

*Smiles and coo's all the time! His personality is really shining through!

*Loves to be around people....always happinest and most calm when he is around people (such a social butterfly)

*Just started drooling like CRAZY! Thinking he might be starting the early stages of teething

*Drinks 6 ounces every 4-5 hours

*Sleep through the night (9pm - 9am)

*Loves to play pat-a-cake

*Loves to eat his hands!! He is chewing on them non-stop, which makes him drool even more. And also makes us believe that he is definitely teething!

*Losing more hair, which makes Momma sad! But he still has a good amount of curls on top of his head and I refuse to shave it!

*Loves cuddle time with his blankie and binkie.

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Oh sweet boy....there are no words to describe just how much your family loves you. We are so thankful everyday for you and thank our Father in Heaven everyday that we get to be blessed with you in our lives forever. We love you so much!

Christmas

We had a wonderful Christmas this year! Santa definitely came to our house and treated us very well. Our best present of all was of course this little angel right here....

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My Grandma Montez and Aunt Queenie came over from California, so it was fun to celebrate Christmas morning with them. We opened our presents at home and then drove to Natalie's house to celebrate the rest of our day with our entire family. Carter had so much fun "opening" his presents...

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Of course Kylee did too!

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This is a little out of order but Kylee had her Christmas party at school last week too. Thank you Olivia for watching Carter boy so I could help celebrate with my girly girl! We had so much fun!

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We took Kylee and Carter to see Santa and to look at some crazy lights around a couple different neighborhoods. Daddy and Carter stayed in the car while Kylee and I walked around. It was a tad bit cold and Carter was sleeping. But we still had so much fun as a family!

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This should be a picture with Kylee and Carter sitting on Santa's lap, but we didn't feel like paying $30 for ONE picture!!! When did Santa become so expensive? Geez! We waited in line for 40 minutes just so they could sit on his lap and tell him what they wanted for Christmas. Good enough I guess!

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After celebrating Christmas day at Natalie's house with all our family, we drove to El Centro to spend some time with David's family....and to make one more VERY special visit with Carter's birth Mom.

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We went on a hike to the Salton Sea. Definitely a Grandma Deede tradition when we are all there! Carter was super excited to go on his first "hike"....

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And the highlight of our trip.....visiting with our amazing birth Mother! It was such a great visit and made us so happy to see her and Carter together again! We love her dearly and are forever so thankful for her and for her strength, courage, and willingness to follow the spirit and share sweet Carter baby with us. We love her and her family and are so thankful for the amazing relationship and bond that we have with them! We never knew adoption could be this wonderful!We truly are all brothers and sisters and are guided and directed by our Father in Heaven. He loves us all and I know that we will all be together, happy, as one big family in paradise!

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We are looking forward to the new year and for all the exciting new things that we will experience together as a family of four! We can't wait to move back to our house in Queen Creek and to pick up where we left off with our ward family, dear friends, neighbors, and family. Life is amazingly sweet and I'm so thankful to be on this journey of life with the ones I love the most! Happy holidays everyone!

Carter update

Our sweet angel has changed so much! He is 6 weeks old today and is getting so big and changing everyday. He is smiling like crazy now and is really starting to show his personality. He coo's from time to time and just loves to be held! Here are some of the milestones he is making at 6 weeks old:

*Sleeping almost through the night (a solid 6-7 hours, and then another 3 after his middle of the night feeding)

*Loves his swing!

*Eating anywhere from 4-6 ounces each bottle

*LOVES to be on his tummy

*Starting to coo and smile!

*Knows voices and turns to find them

*LOVES his sissy! He lights up everytime she holds him and talks to him

Here are some pictures of just Carter boy!

Pictures with Carter and Mommy

Pictures with Carter and Daddy

Pictures of Kylee and Carter (best friends)!

Life is so amazing! I had two showers...one in Queen Creek and one in Peoria. I had so much fun seeing everyone I love and miss so much. Carter is such a loved little boy!! We absolutely can't get enough of him and he makes us smile daily. Sweet Kylee girl is in heaven with her new baby. If she had it her way, she would never put him down. Seeing them together lights up my life and brings me more joy than I ever could have imagined. I just love my sweet little family!!!

Carter Aaron Pew

A month ago to the day I posted my "pre-Carter" post....now he is here with us and somedays I still can't believe it. I have a more "intimate" blog that I journal in so I don't want to go into details of placement, his birth, etc....but I will post lots of pictures and summarize events that occur in our lives from here on out.

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Carter Aaron Pew was born on 11/7/11. It was the most amazing Monday of my life! He came out weighing a healthy 9 pounds and was 21 inches long. He came out perfectly perfect and the most beautiful baby boy ever! We couldn't believe this perfect little angel was our son!

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Here is the first picture I took of him in the hospital. He was just 8 hours old and perfectly fresh and gorgeous. He felt perfect and warm in my arms and he instantly filled that void that had been missing for the past 5 years. We were instantly in love!!

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After he was born, we stayed in El Centro with David's parents until we were able to take him home with us to Arizona. Here is a picture of him on Grandma Deede's lap...looking all perfect and beautiful as ever!

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Napping on Daddy's lap while we play card games. He just melts into our chest and in our arms! Oh I love him so much!!

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A week after Carter was born, we were given the ok to leave the state and take him home to AZ! Getting that phone call was like waking up on Christmas morning. I was so excited!!! We were finally going to start our adventure as a family of four!!

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We have now been home for a week and a half and every second has been pure bliss. He is such a good baby! He eats very well, sleeps really well (hasn't given us too many rough nights so far), and he is so alert and happy when he is awake. He is almost smiling!! Oh he is just perfect!

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These pictures pretty much sum up what I have been yearning to have for my family for the past 5 years. Kylee absolutely ADORES and loves her baby brother. She loves reading to him, holding up his musical and flashing toys for him when he is sad, feeding him, helping me with anything I need for him, and much much more. She is in heaven with her new brother!

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While in California, Natalie came down and took newborn photos of Carter. They came out absolutely amazing!!! He did such a good job and cooperated so well. These are just two of many shots. I'll be sure to post the rest later!

Words can't express what Carter has been for our family and for me personally. He lights up our everyday lives and reminds us everyday of how much our Father in Heaven loves us and is aware of us. We are beyond blessed to have him as a part of our family and can't wait for the day when we can be sealed to him for all time and eternity. We love him so much and we absolutely love our sweet birth mother! This has been the most spiritual experience ever for our family. It has strengthened us in multiple ways and brought us closer than I could ever have imagined. Carter completes our family!! He is our pride and joy and we can't get enough of him!

Pre-Carter post...

As I'm sitting here this morning reflecting on everything that has happened in the past 6 months....and thinking about what is about to happen in the next few days, I can't help but express some feelings for journaling purposes.

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Today is Tuesday (3 days before we make our way to California to await the arrival of Carter Aaron Pew). I've been busy making sure Kylee will be taken care of, rides are arranged for her activities, play dates are set, clothes washed, outfits arranged, notes and letters from us written out for her to read every morning.......tears of realizing how much I'm going to miss her while we are gone, and how much I'm going to miss the one-on-one time we have had for the past 6 years. Nothing can compare to the excitement we feel as a family to be bringing Carter into our home and lives for eternity....NOTHING!! But the realization of things changing around here is starting to show. Kylee is extremely clingy to me and doesn't want me to leave her room after we say our nightly prayers. She seems to only want me lately for everything. She has said that she doesn't want to go to school and just wants to stay home and have a Mommy-daughter day. She hears me say...."Kylee, you can do 'this or that' by yourself....you don't need me to do it for you. You are a big girl. Once Carter comes, I won't be able to help you with these little things all the time". (Given these "little things" are small tasks such as hanging up her towel after her shower, helping her clean her room, organizing her book shelf, etc). These are things she needs to do herself anyway. She has been spoiled her whole life because Mommy has been able to be there for every little tiny detail in her life. But despite her moments of sadness, she is the most excited little girl to be a big sister soon. She wants to help with every little thing, and she will be the best helper I could ever ask for. She is going to love Carter more than she can imagine.

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My heart is already open and has loved Carter from day one. I never imagined what sharing my heart and love with two children could possibly be like. But I now understand that it is possible and very real. Kylee will always be my baby and I am so thankful for the 6 years I have had to give her 100% of all I have. I will continue to give her all that I have, but now I'm going to be giving all I have to sweet Carter boy too.....so even though the love will be the same, things are going to be changing.

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As I think about what it's going to be like in California and all that is going to be taking place, I can't help but be extremely overwhelmed with the spirit, with gladness, with pure joy.....but yet with such a heavy heart for our sweet birth mother. I love her more than words can express. She has changed my life in more ways than one. To me, she is the most amazing woman in the world! She knows what she is doing is the right thing to do for both her and for Carter. It will make both their lives better in the end. But that doesn't mean it doesn't hurt. She loves Carter more than words can say. I'm so thankful his birth mother and I have such a unique and strong bond so that I can always have amazing and wonderful stories and examples to share with him as he grows up. He will know that he was loved from the second he was created and that he has more people that love him than most people do here on this earth. He is such a lucky little man! I love that he will never have to question where he came from. He will always know that his birth Mom is the most amazing woman who loves him more than anything.

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I never expected our adoption journey to end this way. If I could have planned and written it out the way I wanted it to be, I never could have dreamed of something this wonderful and absolutely perfect. Saying that I feel lucky and blessed, doesn't even begin to describe what I'm feeling. And I know those feelings are going to be magnified 1,000% once I hold Carter in my arms. Oh he is going to be so absolutely perfect in every way!

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With so many emotions running through me, I don't feel like I'm making sense as I write it all out. But with each passing hour that brings us closer to our baby boy, I can't help but get these feelings out of me and on "paper". It helps me relax a little and to just breathe and take one moment at a time. I know that what David and I are about to experience is going to be the most spiritual experience of our lives. I know that all things are possible through our Savior Jesus Christ and I know that He will strengthen our birth mother through this process and that He will help us through this transition as well. I love my little family!

So happy!

I woke up this morning with so much gratitude. Maybe it was because of the amazing messages I heard at conference this weekend. All I know is that I have an amazing life filled with more blessings that I can count. I don't feel deserving of most of them. Somehow I was lucky enough to be born into the church and raised in an amazing family with siblings that I consider to be my best friends. I have supportive, loving parents who have solid testimonies of the gospel. I have an amazing group of friends who kept me grounded and "on the straight and narrow path" during my crazy teenage years.....and who are still my closest friends! I have made new friends throughout my life who have made an impact on my life in more ways than one whom I love dearly. I was blessed with many talents that I'm so thankful for and am happy to share those talents with others. I have coached the most amazing girls throughout the past 10 years and find great joy watching those girls excel. I have been blessed with the most amazing callings, especially with the youth and I find even greater joy watching those young women and sweet primary children grow and develop in the gospel....and in life! All these blessings and more have made me who I am today and I wouldn't change a thing. But the most amazing blessing in my life is my sweet little family, who is still in the process of growing.

I don't know what I did to deserve such an amazing man. I could never say enough about him and how good he is to me. He is the best father I could ask for and he works so hard to support our family....physically, emotionally, and spiritually. I thank my Heavenly Father everyday for him. I also thank my Father in Heaven for the family that came with David. I LOVE my Mother-in-law more than I could say. And all of his family has blessed our lives in so many ways and I love every single one of them!

How we got blessed with the most perfect daughter is beyond me! She was sent to us to be our angel and to teach us, guide us, and keep us focused on what life is all about. She makes us smile everyday and she gives us hope for our future. I don't know what I did to deserve her. She is so beautiful inside and out and impresses me daily with the things she is learning and can do.

I was blessed......YES BLESSED......with the trial of infertility after Kylee was born. This was always my biggest fear growing up when I was young because all I ever wanted to be was a mother. After we got pregnant with Kylee right away, I thought my fear was just that.....fear! But little did I know that it was going to be my reality. I didn't embrace it or want to accept it. I always had hope that something would work. I had many MANY ups and downs with it. But thankfully I was blessed with unshakable faith. Another amazing blessing that Heavenly Father somehow saw that I was deserving of. This faith has literally carried me through this trial. And just when I was about to give up, I was yet AGAIN blessed beyond my belief.

How I got so lucky to be getting this amazing TRUE angel will always be beyond me. Adoption was always something I talked about when I was young too. I would say...."as soon as I'm done having kids, I want to adopt a baby....just because". Little did I know that this would be my reality as well....but not JUST BECAUSE. This is the amazing way that Heavenly Father intended for me and David to expand our family. I embraced and accepted it, relying heavily on that faith I was blessed with. It was hard....it was extremely emotional. But somehow through it all, I was yet again blessed beyond belief with the most amazing birth mother who was going to be giving us her precious angel. Again....I can't stop thinking to myself "how did I get so lucky"? And by "lucky", I mean blessed.

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This is why my heart is full of gratitude this morning. I woke up thinking about my life and how I got to where I am today. And because of everything I just said, I will forever be eternally grateful to my Father in Heaven because I know that none of this could have been possible without Him.

The thing that I'm most grateful for.........to have the knowledge that I am a daughter of my Father in Heaven and he loves me and wants me to be happy. With this knowledge, anything is possible!