Whew...FINALLY!!!

Well, I have finally gotten all caught up with pictures and videos. I promised a few weeks ago that I was going to get caught up on here and on our picture/video site. Well, I have finally finished with both. I have been doing really good on here lately, but I still hadn't gotten to the pictures and videos. But, as of last night, I had all of our recent pictures done and I left the computer open all night uploading videos. I have just gotten all of those except one onto the shutterfly site. The only one left has been giving me some trouble, but it should be up soon. There are 10...soon to be 11...new videos and a bunch of new pictures. So, enjoy!!! (By the way, you can reach that site HERE or through the link towards the bottom of this page labeled "Our picture site")

DREW

Dear Drew,

It has recently hit me just how much you have grown and changed and turned into such a big boy! I am not sure why all of a sudden I am noticing this because clearly you aren't a tiny baby anymore. But, this past week after picking you up from pre-school, I realized how real it is that you are growing up so very quickly.

I can still remember the day I found out you were on your way. It really does seem like just yesterday that you were simply known as "Zippy the Zygote", a name we gave you within hours of finding out you were in your Mommy's tummy. I swear, there couldn't have been a more excited Aunt-to-be on the face of the earth. When I turned over the placecard at the dinner table that said "Aunt Brie", revealing the big surprise, I jumped up and started screaming in excitement! In fact, I was so excited that I couldn't even finish my dinner...my favorite meal, no less, Prime Rib (made by your very own Pappers, by the way!). For the next 8 months, we waited in anticipation of your arrival. The morning of your birth, I can remember waiting very impatiently for the news that you had come into the world. Then, my phone rang...It's a BOY! Drew Richard, 7lbs 5ozs, 19.5in! I thought that the news that you were finally here would be enough. But, then the very impatient waiting got even worse, because now all I wanted was to see a picture of this beautiful boy that was my first nephew! Technology wasn't quite where it is today, so a picture message from a cell phone wasn't possible. I had to wait for your Daddy to get home and upload some pictures. Boy did that wait seem like forever!

Then, the pictures just weren't enough! I needed to get my hands on you and cuddle with you. 3 weeks after you were born, your Uncle Randy and I drove up to Pittsburgh from NC to meet you for the first time. As we got closer, we fought about who would get to hold you first. When we arrived late that night, it was such a blessing that your Mommy let you stay up (well, really you slept, we watched you sleep) with us for a few hours while she and your Daddy got some much needed rest. You were quite the little snuggle bug, that is for sure! (as you can see below, your Uncle Randy won the argument over who would hold you first!)

A few months after you were born, we found out we would be having a little cousin for you. During our Easter trip to Charleson in 2007, you predicted that the baby in my belly would be a boy. Somehow, even though you were only 8 months old, we were convinced you knew right from the beginning that your cousin was indeed a boy. Everytime we asked you, "Drew, is the baby a boy or a girl?", your response was "ba ba ba ba ba", which we took to mean "Boy!" You knew all along that our little baby would be your bestfriend!
I have enjoyed watching you grow and watching you learn so many new things over the past 3.5 years! It is amazing to me that the little baby you once were has turned into such a smart big boy. Every time I am with you, you are always cracking me up with your silly comments and your funny jokes. I can't get over how inquisitive you are...always asking questions and always wanting to know how the world works. Your enthusiasm for learning and understanding everything around you is uncanny. When I picked you up from pre-school last week (on rainbow day) and I saw your bright shining face, so excited to share your day with me, it hit me just how quickly time has flown by. I wanted to bottle you up and freeze time, even if only for a few minutes. But, alas, the closest I could get to freezing time was to snap a picture.

I thank God that he has blessed me with the best nephew ever! And, I thank you, Drew, for loving me and for just being you. You always know how to brighten my day and bring a smile to my face. I love you to the moon and back!

Congratulations Uncle Mike and Mo-Mo!!!

Uncle Mike proposed to his girlfriend, Meredith (or "Mo-Mo" as Owen calls her), today!!! It was a very special occasion and we were so lucky to be a part of their day. It started this morning when Mike woke Meredith up and gave her a card which was her first clue on a scavenger hunt all over Zelienople and Cranberry. She had about 8 different stops with 20 clues total and it took her about 2 hours to complete. Our house was one of her stops and Owen and I helped her find all of her clues that Mike had placed here. Randy's role was to shuttle people from the Park and Ride in Zelie back to Mike & Meredith's house (so that there wouldn't be cars at their house giving it away that we were ALL waiting). You see, everyone who was part of the scavenger hunt ended up back at their house to witness the proposal and celebrate with them. Before Meredith ever left their house, she said she knew he would be proposing. But, what she didn't know was that everyone who had been part of it would be there at the end. Our house was the last stop of the people that would actually be present for the big moment. From here, she went to her workplace where she found her final clue that led her back to their house. So, as soon as she pulled out of our driveway, Owen and I had to high-tail it to their house (after getting our coats on and making sure she was really gone) and we got there just in the nick of time because she literally pulled in about 1 minute after we did. As she drove up, everyone except Mike was waiting at the top of the driveway in a line. Mike was standing behind all of us in a suit and tie. We all parted and then she saw him. By that time, he was already crying. It was so unbelievably sweet. I am such a sap for these things. We are so happy for them and so excited that we were there to share in this ever-so-happy time in their lives! And, for the record, Meredith says she is NOT changing her name!!! Because, you know, Mike's last name is Meredith, meaning her name would be Meredith Meredith! She swears it isn't happening. Although, I think it is pretty cool :) Anyway, here is the video and a few pictures (they are all pretty blurry from trying to capture every moment and not being able to wait for the shutter on my camera that we have had for 2.5 years and I have yet to figure out all of the settings...that could be a whole other post for sure!).

This is at our house...Meredith was to deliver a rose to each person and take a picture of them with the rose. As you can see, Owen was not cooperating (he just wanted to play with the rose)

Almost time...she should be arriving any second

She's here!!!!

"What are all of you doing here? I just saw you!"

He is crying already and trying to get himself together...so sweet!

"Will You Marry Me?"

She said, "YES!" Time for the ring :)

Yippee!!!!

The happy, newly engaged couple!

A closeup of the bling!

Luca and his Mommy

Another picture of the ring...BEAUTIFUL!!!

Owen LOVES his Uncle Mike! He was so excited, though I am sure he really didn't understand what just happened.

Owen's Room

So, Owen's room has had a flower border and yellow walls since we moved in OVER a year ago!!! What were we waiting for, you might ask? Well, we were just waiting for him to get moved into his big boy bed because, you see, it can't be a complete big boy room with a "baby bed" still in there! As soon as we took the crib out, I was ready to get the room done. But, we haven't had a chance to get it done until now. Yesterday, Grammy and Pappers kept Owen at their house so that we could get in there and knock it out without him being under our noses and getting in the way. With a little teamwork, we were able to get the border down and the walls painted in about 4 hours. Today, we hung his pictures and valances, so it is all DONE!! The very talented Aunt Amy is going to make something else for his walls, but we have yet to decide what that might be! I am pretty excited about the way it turned out...

The Coopers' visit

We had such an awesome time with the Coopers while they were in town. Owen and Bella seem to still be continuing their long-distance relationship and they still have such a good time together. It always seems when they are together that they have never been apart. We always say that we would love it if they could be together forever...you know, like boyfriend/girlfriend, husband/wife? If only parents could actually arrange such a thing...wouldn't that just be perfect? Anyway, we tried to fit in as much as possible while they were in town. They got in late Sunday evening, so we just spent that night catching up and deciding what our week would be like. Randy had to work all week, but was able to be around in the evenings and was even able to play a round of golf with Will one day. As is always the case, we had a great time and really enjoyed their time here, but parting Friday morning was really hard...I really do hate that part of our visits together :(

What did we do while they were in town? Well...
(not necessarily in the right order because I am having a hard time remembering what we did on what days)

• Lilliput Playhomes for the kiddos to play (and for Will to see what Amy wants him to build...hint hint)
• Log Cabin Inn---yes, we had JUST been with my parents and yes, it is THAT good!!
• Amy and I took the kids to the Carnegie Science Center
• Golf for the guys
• A pizza dinner
• An Easter Egg Hunt in the yard
• An evening walk to our neighborhood playground with the kiddos in the wagon
• Lots of playtime outside because the weather was amazing
• Pittsburgh Pirates game
• Shopping at the outlets in the rain for the ladies and the kiddos
• 2 trips to Simply Yogurt (Amy LOVED it as much as I do!)
• Randy's famous wings for dinner (that takes us back to when we were neighbors and had them literally EVERY weekend!)
  
  And, here are some pictures from the week...
  
  

Fun times at Lilliput

Check out Owen's shirt...Amy made that!! In fact, that is the very project she was working on when Bella stepped on the needle! The shirt says "Ask Me, I Know Everything"

Log Cabin for dinner

Us :)

Walking out of the Log Cabin Inn with their backpacks in tow...too cute!

Checking out the train display at the Science Center

Watching one of the robots at the Science Center...this is coming a long way for Owen, who wouldn't even look at this same robot last time we were there!

Peeking in on the turtles at the Science Center

Playing at the water table

Our Easter Egg hunt

Silly kiddos climbing up the slide backwards

An obligatory bath picture! We have a picture like this at all different stages :)

One last goodnight kiss ♥

Easter weekend 2010

Owen and Papa checking out the water at McConnell's Mill

Kisses from Daddy

Yep, I carried him on our entire hike through the woods...what a workout!

A few of my favorite pictures that G-Ma took after church on Saturday night...seriously, I know I am biased, but could he BE any cuter???

A VERY windy picture with G-Ma and Papa

The Easter Bunny came!!!

All dressed up again on Easter morning...blowing bubbles with Gabriella

Kisses for "Yeya" (O's pronounciation of her name)

Just a cute picture of the 2 buddies :)

Family Shot...he was the only one dressed up, oh well!

What a handsome little guy, huh?

Another family shot

Riding Drew's bike. Yes, I know he doesn't have a helmet...there were none!

Working really hard at riding that bike...check out the tongue :)

An Easter Egg hunt at Grammy & Pappers house

Searching in the trees

Grammy and Pappers with 3 of their favorite little ones