Watch Me Grow

Each month, my goal is to update this blog with a new monthy picture of Abbey so friends and family can watch her grow! The first picture is her newborn picture...September 25, 2010. The second picture is her 1 month old picture....still sleeping a lot during the day, but opening her eyes now and then. Month 2 she started smiling and showing her dimple! Month 3 she is holding her head up, is very alert and loves to smile!

First Flight

For the boys' birthday present, we decided to give them their first airplane ride. The pilot down the road gave them about an hour ride around Charlotte...landing at the Monroe Airport and also doing a flyby before landing. The loved having the headsets on, talking to Daddy and the pilot, seeing the sites in Charlotte, and doing the flyby. We wanted to get them up in the air before they were too big; we're hoping to take flying lessons as a family if this is something that the boys want to persue in a few years!

Five Years Big!

The boys enjoyed trying to read their cards this year and opening their gifts. Josh Tester made the train cake for the boys...something they were really looking forward to! We celebrated their birthday after Thanksgiving Dinner....that's been the tradition for the last few years. For their actual birth date, we went out to dinner at Azteca with Tickle Grandpa and Grandma (one of the boys' favorite restaurants.)
It's hard to believe that you are five years old already! I'm so thankful for the huge blessing that you are to us! It's been a joy being your parents and watching you grow! We pray that you will continue to know God and grow in Him! We love you Nathan and Seth!

Family Time!

Our Family Time has changed since Abbey joined us in September...Jeff has done double duty going to work and coming home to his second job--taking care of the boys and sometimes Abbey while I make a quick dinner. Then it's some play time and off to bed for the boys. Abbey is not yet sleeping through the night, so we usually crash when the boys do. Despite the extra work, having a new baby is a HUGE blessing!!! Here is a snapshot of one of those rare moments where the boys are sitting still and we are just able to enjoy hanging out with each other in our home.

October Fun

Nathan and Grandma

The Tractor and Wagon ride was exiciting for the boys!

Looking for pumpkins
Daddy helps Seth pick a pumpkin out
The boys picked out their pumpkins and then we headed in for some snacks at the general store and some time on the silo slides. This is an annual event for our family; we have enjoyed going to Riverbend Farms since the boys were 11 months old!

Abbey joins in the fun too!

Big Brothers!

Nathan giving Abbey a bottle

Seth takes a turn.

I love this picture of the boys and Abbey.
Big Beautiful Blue Eyes.

Nathan and Seth love their sister! They are so good with giving her a bottle, getting her passie, singing her a song and giving her random kisses. They are real body guards...watching out for her when she's around other people. It's been a blessing to have two good helpers.

At the Hospital

Here is Jeff falling in love all over again with his baby girl!

Here is Anya from the Ukraine. What a God-thing that she and her family were in the States when Abbey was born. We are so glad that she could come visit and hold Abbey and that we have this amazing story to tell Abbey when she is older!
Mom brought Grandma and Grandpa Seefried to see Abbey...love that my family is so close by now!

Here are tickle Grandpa and Grandma with Abbey. They were wonderful with taking care of the boys while we were at the hospital!

Abbey Marie Anya is here!

Little Abbey Marie is here! Born September 25th at 11:19pm, weighing 6bls 2oz and 19 inches long. Such a little miracle for us! Welcome to the world, Abbey! We love you so much!

School is in Session!

Here are the boys on the first day of Homeschool co-op 2010. They wanted to bring Peep and Happy with them! The second pic is of the boys on the UNCC botanical gardens field trip....one day before delivering Abbey. The boys are sitting right by a venus fly-trap grouping; they are so fascinated with how a bug can be trapped inside a plant!

My Love

I can't believe that we've been married for almost 9 years! Time spent with my best friend and the love of my life has flown by! Here we are at the beach on our date night. We always go to Lakeview Restaurant and eat on the veranda. It's so pretty watching the boats come in and out of the waterway and the food is great! Grandpa and Grandma are watching the boys for us so that we can enjoy some time together and a walk on the beach afterwards. This is a special time for Jeff and me....about 1 week before delivery! Hard to put into words how much I love Jeff!

Visiting the Aquarium

Grandpa and the boys check out the crocodiles. The boys really loved seeing the fish!

Here's the rare albino alligator! Nemo's home.....can you find him?

The acquarium was a great educational experience; especially after the charter fishing trip where the boys caught some spanish mackeral and got to see grandma catch a hammer head shark! Jeff almost caught a sting ray, but the line snapped. Now most of the boys' imaginative play is consumed with going on a boat and catching some fish! So fun!

playing at the beach

Seth getting water for a sand castle

Nathan loves playing in the sand.......and more playing in the sand...

Mini Golf Fun

Wednesday we spent most of the day in Myrtle walking around the Boardwalk and the going through the different shops. We ate at Friendlys and had some icecream, then took the boys mini golfing~a tradition on our family vacation to the beach. This time, the boys picked a pirate-themed course. Love Seth's expressions when he saw the pirate in the shop! The boys really enjoy golfing and it was a great outing with Grandpa and Grandma.

Presents for Dad and Super Heroes

The boys absolutely could NOT wait to be at Sunset Beach! The first night we were there, they ran into the room and grabbed Daddy's birthday present and wanted him to open it. Jeff's birthday was at the end of the week, but we ended up celebrating spontaneously that night. The boys used the tissue paper from Grandpa and Grandma's present as a cape and "special hat" to pretend that they were super heroes as they ran around the vacation house.