The N.C. Zoo

Sunday morning we were up and getting ready to head out to church. I checked the weather to see what it was suppose to be, and it said high 80's to low 90's...cloudy and low-humidity. Well, you can't really ask for better weather that that around here right now. So we decided to do a make up Zoo trip. We had originally planned to go last weekend since we could not go home for the 4th. But Sophia was so so so so sick...that we spent the entire 4 day weekend and a couple more days stuck inside. Anyway the zoo was so much fun!! Sophia LOVED all the animals and would wave hello and blow them kisses as she said goodbye to them. I was still a tad warm and quite swollen by the time all was said and done. I did get quite a few sympathy glances and some comments about how miserable I must be, or how sorry people felt for me. I guess I look like I am about to pop! I had a great time and I am glad we got to do this with Sophia before her little sister arrives!! Only 6 or 7 weeks left!!

Sophia hanging over the rail...wanting to hug the alligator...can you see it's head sticking out of the water?

We are not sure what she was doing here...she kept looking down and smiling and singing to herself.

Sophia with Andrew and the elephant sculpture.

Sophia and the two elephants.

love and kisses.

Sophia's Big Girl Room

Since we are getting the nursery together for our youngest daughter....we needed to get Soph's room all ready for her! Sophia has been out of her crib for a couple months, and doing an amazing job in her big girl bed!! She had no problems with the adjustment, I think it is due to the fact that her big girl bed is ADORABLE (pink leather!).

Anyway, we have been working hard to get her room all set up...so I thought I would share the finished product! enjoy!

I will try and get pictures of the nursery up soon...it's almost done!!

kisses and love!

Sophia Out and About

Here are some pictures I have taken on my cell phone over the past couple of months.

Drinking my Smoothie from Smoothie King

Wondering why I want it back!

Driving the shopping cart at BJ's

Helping Mommy at the grocery store!

Watching Sesame Street

Love and Kisses

To Our Dads!!!

I think it is safe to say that Andrew and I are both very blessed in the father department. We both grew up with caring, loving, supportive and all around great dads. We also consider ourselves very blessed to have married into each others families.

I love my father in law and am so thankful for the influence he had/ has on Andrew's life. I know that part of the reason that Andrew is such an amazing dad and husband is because he grew up with David as an example.

And Andrew is thankful to have my dad as his father in law. He appreciates the love and support that my dad gave me growing up and the traits that have made me the woman I am today. It is also where I get my oh so witty sense of humor :)

We would both like to wish our fathers a VERY HAPPY FATHERS DAY!!! We wish we could celebrate with you, but we love you and appreciate the men that you are.

WE LOVE YOU BOTH!!!

Abby and Andrew

Happy Father's Day Andrew!!

Husband Appreciation week has ended...and today we celebrate Andrew as a Daddy!!! Which is also one of the things I appreciate most about my husband. He is an AMAZING father... I am continually amazed at the love, sacrifice, compassion and understanding he has with Sophia. It is so much fun to watch Soph run to the door everyday when she hears his car pull in yelling "Daddy!!! Daddy!!!". She loves to run to him and gives him HUGE hugs the moment he steps foot in our house.

When Sophia was born, Andrew held her first as they were cleaning her off and getting her all checked out. The first moment he held her she wrapped her little fingers around his pinky and I think it is safe to say that it has been like that ever since. They are quite the little duo...Daddy and his little girl :)

Here are some pics from this morning before church...

Sophia is trying to "do" Andrew's hair, by putting rubber bands in it.

Still trying to get his hair just right.

love them :)

Happy Fathers Day!!!...love your little girls :)

Husband Appreciation Week Day #5

I am drawn to his brain...hee hee!

I appreciate Andrew's brain. My husband is a nerd...a real one and I LOVE IT!!! He is a very very smart man, and I think it's HOT! I love the way his mind can compute all these different things, I love that he loves to learn, I love that he can add numbers in his head (big numbers). I love that he went to a smarty kids school and that his SAT scores were UNREAL.

But what I love most about his brain is his discernment and wisdom...he is a wise man, he makes wise choices in the way he leads our family and the way he lives his life!

Today is a good one!! For his treat today there was a card with two tickets to go see Star Trek tonight!! I hired the babysitter and we are going on a date!! WHOOO-HOOO. Now before you say that this is not "for" Andrew...did you read the part about Star Trek :)

Love you hub's looking forward to tonight!

xoxox

Husband Appreciation Week Day #4

My best friend

I appreciate Andrew because he truly is my best friend. I think that I really take that for granted some times. There is no one that I would rather spend time with than him. I look forward to his coming home everyday, and miss him while he is gone. He is really the one who's opinion I cherish most, whose guidance I seek and whose encouragement I hold dear.

I love to hang out with him...watch TV, nap, run errands, play with Sophia, go on a date, vacation... Everything is just way more fun if he is around. He understands me better than anyone, and is my biggest fan. I know how blessed I am to have such a true friend in my husband!

Since I slipped up yesterday morning, there were homemade chocolate chip cookies when he got home. And a card and M&M's waiting in his car this morning.

Dinner tonight is Mexican lasagna (soft for those braces).

Love you Andrew... have a great day!

Husband Appreciation Week Day #3

I appreciate Andrew because he leads by example. He does not ask anything of me or Sophia that he does not implement in his own life.

Today I kinda dropped the ball...I wasn't feeling so great this morning and didn't put his card and treat in his car before he left :( So I guess he can get it when he gets home.

Andrew did get his braces on yesterday...and he looks so CUTE!!! I promise I will post some pictures for all to see!

Love you hunks...hope you have a happy day!

Husband Appreciation Week Day #2

I appreciate Andrew because he is so thoughtful and always strives to make me happy :)

This picture was taken our first Christmas as a married couple. I had told Andrew while we were dating that I had always wanted to see New York during Christmas time...I wanted to go ice skating, see the window displays, go to the Rockettes Christmas Spectacular, see a show, etc.!

So for our first Christmas Andrew took me to New York so that I could do it all!!!

This is just one of the millions of example's of my hunky's thoughtfulness!

Andrew's little treat for the day is a "Braces Survival Kit" complete with extra strength Tylenol, travel toothbrush and toothpaste, chap stick and brace safe gum. Not quite as exciting as his favorite candy...but hopefully helpful!

His special dinner tonight will be a smoothie from Smoothie King and Malt-O-Meal.

love you hunks!!

Husband Appreciation Week, Riesen and Braces

I appreciate Andrew because he makes life more fun no matter what we are doing.

Now you might be thinking that this is a rather random title...and it does seem like that at first; but the truth is that they are all connected to my hubby!

I was thinking about Father's Day coming up this weekend, and what Sophia was going to give her Daddy. That got me thinking about the fact that Sophia really does not know how blessed she is to have Andrew as her Daddy. She doesn't yet understand the full amount of love, sacrifice, training, prayer and fun that Andrew puts into her life on a daily basis.

Anyway that made me start thinking how blessed I am to have Andrew as Sophia's daddy...i.e. MY HUSBAND!!! So I decided that the week leading up to Father's Day will now be HUSBAND APPRECIATION WEEK in the Bains household.

Now I am not exactly sure how this will go, since I just made it up yesterday afternoon...but so far it consists of his favorite meals for dinner (gumbo kicked it off last night, shrimp po-boys will be tonight). And little notes and special treats for him through-out the week.

This leads me to my next point in the title..Riesen...so last night I went out to the store and bought one of Andrew's favorite candy and a card. Then I put them in his car and he found them on his way to work. Not a huge deal, but hopefully he feels a little extra love coming his way!

Which leads me to my third point...I might not have picked the best week to do all these fun little treats since my handsome hubby will be getting BRACES tomorrow!!! That's right...full braces, top and bottom!! This is why I gave him the sticky, chewy candy today...tomorrow he can't have it. I personally think that Andrew with braces is going to be pretty dang hot!! I am going to pretend that we are high school sweethearts...(is that too much info?)

Anyway...I love you hubby and I hope you enjoy your week!!!

love and kisses!