Catching up

So, We have had a lot going on since I last posted. So, instead of writing a whole bunch I just posted a lot of pictures. Starting with Simon recieving his GED so he can continue onto college next year. Kaitlynn's second birthday (and her monkey cake that I made), the kids in the sun, enjoying the zoo, Grandma's 87th birthday, my nephew's 1st birthday (big in the Korean culture) and our house 2310 Alexis Ave. Which, we are soon to finish (hoping in the next three weeks). Life has been difficult, but we are so excited for all the blessings that have been placed in our life. Sydney is already trying to walk and is not yet eight months. Kaitlynn is becoming al little chatter box. Life is good. We are so looking forward to the exciting adventure of being in our own home and doing all the fun things we can together. we love our little chitlins and the joy that they bring into our life!

For Mum and Dad! :)

So this is just a short post for our mummy and daddy in England! Well, I suppose that it is for everyone we love in England. we were going to post some videos....and still will do, but it is taking forever, so at the moment I am just going to put up these few pics. The house of course and two of the kids at the park! Yeah, the weather is getting so nice!!!! :) Anyway, we love you all and are working hard here with all the things we are doing. So, enjoy the short post and the videos/pictures! :) The McCarthy Clan xoxo

GERMS!

All I can say is.......MY GOSH! I suppose that this time of year is synonymous with germs, but sheesh. My kiddies have been sick for the past three and a half weeks! It all started out with Kaitlynn contracting pink eye (or conjuncitvitis) from some little person in nursery. Then, she got an ear infection. After which, she came down with a really nasty cold (coughing, runny nose etc.) and now has a rash, which is the side affect of being so sick for so long; her body is just fighting her I guess. And now we are back to another ear infection! seriously. Not to mention that poor little Syd, who has only been in this world just a little under two months caught the pink eye and now the nasty cold as well as also having an ear infection! PLEASE. Two sick babies is NOt cool.

Needless to say, this is more of a venting post I suppose. But sitting here at 11p.m. I guess I just needed to write it out. I must admit, however, that I am truly grateful for the advances in medicine. Antibiotics are a wonderful thing. Glad that I have them so my little ones can get over the nasty bugs that are wrecking their little bodies right now. And I am grateful that they are not any sicker than what they already are.

However, I am really looking forward to spring/summer time! Can't wait for the warm weather, the sunshine and mostly...the lack of sickness running around!!! GAH.

Funny little girl!

The past few days Kaitlynn has been doing things that were SO cute! She is growing up so much and her quirky, silly personality is coming out like crazy. The sweet, loving side of her personality is also just exploding like crazy and I think Sydney is helping that! :) For Christmas, mom and dad bought her a baby doll and every time I nurse or console Sydney she walks over to wherever her doll is, picks it up, hugs, kisses and loves it completely. And lucky me, I just happened to catch a few snapshots of her loving her baby. (which in all reality, she loves to do with Sydney) I love to see how much Kaitlynn loves her brother. She is just such a sweet little girl, I am grateful everyday for having her in my life!

Another funny thing happened as well, and I think this was a great example of Kaitlynn's determination and desire to have more independence. She has been learning how to use a spoon and fork more lately and is loving it. She is not super proficient in it, but enjoys doing it (finally). However, like many kids, she still prefers using her hands when she eats. So, yesterday I gave her a bowl of cold cereal for breakfast and handed her her spoon so she could eat. Well, the mean progressed as such: she started eating with her spoon, then she got bored with that after about ten minutes and began eating her cereal with her fingers. Then, I think she realized she wasn't getting the full meal (meaning the milk included with her cereal) by just using her fingers, so she proceeded to pour the milk and cereal out on her highchair tray. From there she started to put her face directly into the milk and cereal on the tray and slurp up the milk! I started laughing when I saw her cute little face (and hair) drenched and dripping with milk.

When she realized I was giggling at what she was doing she started doing git more, of course, and then also decided that she could splash the milk as well and it was just as fun. Needless to say, there were puddles of milk all over the floor and she was aboslutely covered in milk and cereal. But, hey, I know she enjoyed breakfast far more than if I had sat and helped her eat with her spoon (like a "regular" person). This little girl loves to be crazy and it just makes me laugh the enjoyment that she gets out of the little things in life, like pouring out her cereal and slurping up the milk! :)

This little girl loves to be crazy and it just makes me laugh the enjoyment that she gets out of the little things in life, like pouring out her cereal and slurping up the milk! :) Our family is just really blessed to have the two little people that we do in our family! I love my kids so much and I can't wait to see how Sydney continues to grow and interact with his big sister!

Sydney's blessing

I can't believe that my little man is already a month old! Seriously, the older I get the faster time goes by, I am sure of it! Well, Sydney was blessed in church on Sunday (the 13th), what a nice Valentine's gift eh? Simon did a beautiful job with the blessing. It was short, but so sweet and beautiful. The sad thing is that we didn't get a chance to take a photo of Si, Kaitlynn and I with Sydney. With many of my family members here it was so crazy, we were lucky to get a picture of Sydney in his blessing suit! I do have to say that I am so grateful for my family! It was fantastic to be able to share the special time with all of them. Although, Kaitlynn ended up with an ear infection that she caught from one of the other kids.....Sunday night was so fun...staying up all night with a crying little girl. Wow. Nevertheless, it was a fantastic weekend!

Our family

There are some things in life that my little girl cannot get enough of, and that is kisses! I don't mind a little bit, its hard not to want a kiss off such a beautiful, sweet little girl! And my goodness, does she love kissing her new little brother. She is always so concerned about him, especially when he cries. She has to walk over to wherever he is and stroke his head and give him a kiss and wait around until he is calm, just to make sure everything is okay! ;) it just amazes me how in tune she is with how he is feeling. She tries to be soft with Sydney, but you know, a little girl who is not quite two is not going to have the ability to restrain sometimes from just whacking and poking. But its good that she also gives him space. Although she loves to hug and kiss her brother, Kaitlynn is really good about making sure she has time for herself and plays with her toys and leaves him to do what he does best....sleep. :)

And speaking of sleep, Syd (as everyone is calling him)....does SO WELL at night! He generally only wakes up one to, maybe, two times a night! Which is phenomenal for a baby who is not quite a month old.....wow, has it already been almost a month?! And is already weighs nearly if not exactly eleven pounds! He is also already fitting into some 3-6 month baby clothes. WOW! But its fun to have such a pudge as compared to my little miss. :) As is the case, we could never imagine our little family without Sydney. Both times we have been blessed with these babies I have been amazed at how much more complete our family feels. And admittedly, that is strange for me. I never really realized how much children can enrich our lives. And I must admit I am SO happy to have them...even though they may drive me crazy sometimes. :) Simon, of course, is just so ecstatic to have son! He loves both of his girls beyond words, but it was such a thrill for him to finally have a son. Must be the testosterone thing. You know what I am talking about, the idea of sharing time shooting guns, doing scouting and all the rest?! Yeah, he is pretty happy. In fact, we are both pretty happy.

We love our little babes and are so thankful for their health and joyful personalities. Kaitlynn is doing so well with things like walking!! She has totally decided that she loves to walk and is all over the house all the time. And I love it! And she loves it! She is talking alot more too. I mean we have communicated wonderfully up to now (I have been teaching her simple sign language and she says a few things) but she has taken off with talking as well. Its crazy, and i love seeing her grow. She loves reading her books and playing games and you know, for that

I am so grateful. She is such a smart, sweet happy girl. She loves spending time with her daddy too. Man, she loves him. Of course, daddies are always good at playing games and being silly. Simon especially. :) He is so good with kids. And he is so good at helping with them too. Thank goodness for such a wonderful, loving hubby as him. My life is so much better becuase of it.

Our house is coming along nicely. Our foreman says that if our group keeps working as fast as we are we could be in by JULY! I am so looking forward to that prospect! As much as I love my parents, it will be nice to have our own space and be enjoying our new home with our little family. Things are good and I am really thankful for all our blessings. Life is good and I must admit that it must all lead back to marrying the right man in the right place at the right time. Who ever would have thought that I would be blessed with two beautiful children and a husband that loves and adores all of us and works his bum off to make sure that we are taken care of. I love Simon so much. I hope you all enjoy seeing how the kiddies are growing and really, how beautiful they are! :) (I am not bias at all!!!)