We got Abraham a fishing game for Christmas. It was a bit hard for him (and for us to do!)

He gave up and put the rod aside. Decided it was easier to use his hands to get the fish out!

Our Rocker Boy!

(and NO we did NOT teach him the faces he is making... he's a natural!)

After Christmas at our place, we went to my mom's for lunch and for more present opening. We were blessed to be able to share the day with my Aunt Hazel, Pap, Pat (Pap's fiancee) and my Uncle Scott. They came down from PA to spend Christmas with us. It was so nice to be together, altho my heart was missing my sweet Nanny and Moses.

Pat, Pap and Aunt Hazel

Opening presents with Uncle Socky

More presents!!

Cousin love!!

Michael picked this cool Batman car for Alex for Christmas and then showed them how to make a ramp in the hallway for it to jump. A total kid at heart! Alex loved running it over the ramp... at one point Chloe laid down in the hallway and put the cardboard over her so the car would "run over her!"

Ahh.. can you feel the love!!??

Abraham says "NO MORE PICTURES!!"

We opened Christmas presents from Gramie and Grandpa as well as Grandma Kay and all Abraham's aunts and uncles first. Then Abraham tore into the ones from us! He got great books and some clothes, DVD's and cars... but the two favorite gifts were the keyboard from Gramie and Grandpa (piano if you ask him!) and his Rockin' guitar from us. What were we thinking?? He definitely has Michael's affinity for anything musical! My dad nearly bought him a kid sized drum set -- wouldn't that have been great?? NOT!! :)

I think that Pappa enjoyed the keyboard as much as Abraham did! The best thing about the keyboard is you can plug in headphones and no one else has to hear the noise!! :)

Abraham "shaking his bom-bom"!

A happy family on Christmas day -- we all got something we wanted for Christmas!

My wonderful sweet men

Christmas at HOME!!

This year we opted to stay home for Christmas. Even though it meant not seeing Michael's family (and we did miss them!) being HOME for Christmas, not having to drive so far, waking up in our own beds and having Christmas morning just the 3 of us was wonderful!!

We were able to go to Christmas Eve service at church and were blessed by the Scripture read and the songs sung. Abraham was entranced by the candles at the end!

Kari and I -- aren't we a good looking pair?? :)

Merry Christmas!

No need for Chrismas gifts...

There was really no need for Christmas gifts this year... the box that Gramie sent the gifts in was present enough -- for us all! :) Thanks Gramie :)

Making cookies -- of sorts...

So, today was supposed to be a baking day. I had it in my head to make Heath cookies for Michael to take to the guys at the fly fishing store as well as make chocolate chip cookies. Things did not go as planned. Abraham and I had a good time putting together the dough for the chocolate chip ones - and that, I guess, was what the day was all about... because it certainly wasn't about the cookies!!

They turned out horrible!! I'm so embarassed by how badly they turned out... I'd take a picture but no thanks! They were flat and stuck to the cookie tray. I did it all correctly -- the only thing that I can think of is that there is something wrong with my trays. Grrr...

Luckily, some of the Heath cookies were still good enough for Michael to take tomorrow. But as for the rest, well I gave up on them about 9 pm tonight -- after starting at 11 this morning.

I'm definitely ready to throw in the towel on today and go to bed!! :)

My sweet boy and me

Abraham kept wanting to put his fingers in the bowl of dough while I was mixing! He apparently didn't get that the spinning beaters would take his tiny fingers off!! :)



Just like his momma - gotta lick the beaters!!

New Addition to the Mc Andrew Household

It finally happened... the Schmidts talked the Mc Andrews into getting a puppy for the kids. After nearly a year of asking for a puppy, Alex and Chloe are now proud owners of Quincy - a dog they rescued from a puppy mill in Ohio. He is an adorable cockapoo with a sweet disposition. They just got him last weekend and Kari says that they haven't left his side! He is just a puppy and is still "learning the rules"! It will take some time but it will come. Abraham of course, had to get in on the puppy as well! (I think I beat my sister to the punch with blogging about the whole thing first! Make sure you check our her blog to see new pics too!)

My silly boy decided to get IN the cage and pretend to be the puppy! What an imagination!! :)

Weekend in PA

Back a few weekends ago, Mom, Abraham and I took off on a Friday and went to PA to visit my relatives. We hadn't seen them for a good while and I didn't know if they would be able to come for Christmas. It was important to me to go and spend some time with my Pappy, Great Aunt Hazel and Uncle Scott. It was great for Abraham too, because he got all the attention, which trust me he soaked up! Scott's girlfriend, Tracy, was around all weekend too and Abraham was quite taken with her. We had a great time with them, visiting. My Aunt Hazel is 97 years old yet she shopped with us on Saturday for 4 hours, without missing a beat! She amazes me. My Pappy is so-so. Not always in the best state, physically or mentally. But still my sweet Pappy! And Scott.. well, we just show our love by bugging each other all day, every day! But I love him dearly as well!
These are just a few shots of our time with them.

Scott decided that since he loved cars as a kid, that Abraham needed some Matchbox cars! 3 packs and 30 cars later, Abraham (and Scott!) were in heaven!!

Thanks Uncle Scott!

They lined all the cars up and identified each of them... between Scott and Abraham they got them all right!

Hugging on Tracy - trying to get away from Scott!

Reading with Tracy



Abraham's view of Scott -- he had the camera all weekend! I'm shocked that this one came out! :)

Abraham with Great-great Aunt Hazel

Four Generations -- Pappy, my Mom, Me and Abraham -- what a legacy!

My Uncle Socky and me :)

My Pappy, Abraham and I :)

My Great Aunt Hazel, Abraham and me

Christmas decorating

Getting a Christmas tree is always an issue in our home... mainly because Michael hates getting the tree holder out and making the tree stand straight and figuring out the lights. Other than that he doesn't have to do ANYTHING!! Big Baby! :) We hit Lowes for an inexpensive tree -- I refused to pay $50 for a tree. When Abraham gets older we'll go and cut one at a farm.. until then, Lowes will do!!

Abraham thought he'd try and help Daddy -- yea that didn't go over too well!

Abraham and I decorated the tree together and he was a great helper. We were making memories for sure! He insisted on putting a good many ornaments on the top of the tree, which meant I had to pick him up to do so. That was great fun for him... as was crawling under the tree to put the heavy ones on the bottom stronger branches.

When we were done he proclaimed, "That is a beautiful tree Mommy!"

Last year, my parents bought us a small tree in memory of Moses. I wanted to do the same thing this year, too. (They got us a beautiful pointsettia this time.) Abraham and I decorated this one for Moses with some smaller ornaments. If you ask Abraham how many trees we have, he'll say TWO - one for Moses and the BIG one for me!!

Moses' Christmas tree

Christmas decorating - the pointsettia in the window was from my parents.

Our beautiful Christmas tree -- there is something relaxing about turning off the lights and just looking at the tree! Ahhh...

I am blessed!

Remembering Moses

Tiny hands and feet touching lives

Remembering...

Three years ago yesterday, Michael and I faced one of the hardest days of our married lives. We had to release Moses back into the hands of our Heavenly Father. The days between him being at GBMC and being transferred to Hopkins seem like a blur at times -- other times I can see it clear as a bell in my mind's eye. I remember how my heart practically stopped when they called for the crash carts... I remember how I felt completely helpless to fix my sweet boy... I remember the long drive to Hopkins and all the time I had to think about the "what if's"... I remember the heart ache of telling the doctors it was okay to let him go... but I also remember the incredible, amazing peace that both Michael and I felt after he was gone from this earth... I remember that Moses finally looked healthy, without any struggles.

I took the afternoon off of work today and drove up to Darlington to spend some time with Moses. It was so cold and windy -- reminded me of the day we laid him to rest. Just being there brought a rush of emotions that I haven't really let myself feel until the past year or so. I think that I am finally coming to grips with the loss and my emotions. And that is a good thing.

Abraham got a balloon at dinner and on the way home, out of the clear blue without me saying anything about Moses, told me that he wanted to send his balloon to Moses. I had him repeat what he said just to make sure! He again said Moses needed his balloon. So he did -- and called to Moses as we watched the balloon drift towards the sky. I imagine the older he gets, he may feel that there is something missing.

So today I remember the sweet boy who I had the privilege to carry for 7 months -- and the blessing to hold in my arms for 1 month. He touched so many lives in his short life. That is the legacy he leaves behind.

Moses - 1 day before Hopkins