my beautiful boy...

is six weeks old today!

It's really hard to find time to blog these days!
But we are alive and well!
Enjoying each moment and each day!

Southern Living...

if you read the magazine and need to renew...
if you need a good gift to give someone...
if you have always wanted a subscription but have never gotten one...

Amazon.com has a ONE year subscription for $5.00!!!
This price is good until next Saturday!

living vicariously

and dreaming about the day when I can sew and
make stuff again.

UCreate

Craft Gossip

Two awesome sites with tons of awesome tutorials,
patterns and ideas.

My sewing and crafting folders under my favorites are filling up!

Oh to dream...

those sweet little feet...

came straight from his momma.

the space between the big toe and the second toe.

Lauren said you could park a car between them.

he's already ready for flip-flops!

my precious husband...

so, the post-pregnancy hormones are calming down
but, they still rage at moments.
and friday afternoon was one of those moments.
i was sitting at home with rowan.
i was tired.
he wouldn't take a nap.
he wanted to nurse. and nurse. and nurse. and nurse.
i wanted to cry. and cry. and cry. and cry.
but, i didn't.
I texted alan and told him i was so tired.
just wanted a short nap.
and how i was feeling a little frustrated
i asked him when he is coming home.
he told me around 3:00.
it was 1:00 at the time.
thank goodness.
2 more hours.
so fast forward to 4:00.
rowan has finally fallen asleep on my stomach.
i am snoozing too.
alan walks in.
gives us both a kiss.
he hands me a card.
a sweet, precious card.
i cry.
he is so in tune with me.
he knows just the right things to do for me.
he had tucked a gift certificate for a manicure
and pedicure in there too.
and he offered to take me and
watch rowan while i was in there.

thank you Lord, for my precious husband!

Rowan's birth announcement!

why i am excited about Christmas...

- Rowan's 1st Christmas!
- Decorating Rowan's Christmas tree!
- All of Rowan's 1st Christmas outfits we bought last year before
we even knew he was a boy!
- We get to decorate this year because we have the apartment!
I have already pictured the tree in front of the

windows in the sunroom!
- Rowan's Christmas photo shoot with the same

photographer who did his newborn shoot.
-Christmas cards. Love getting them!

Can't wait to send them!
- My family drew names this year.

Something we have never done before.
- Baking lots of goodies for our neighbors, family,

friends and co-workers!
- Trying to spend less and focus more on the

true meaning of Christmas! Jesus!
- Picking out wrapping paper and ribbon at Hobby Lobby.
- Spending time wrapping presents.
- Maggie comes home again! :)

Not that I am wishing our lives away...I am just a big anticipator!
At Hobby Lobby last week they had tons of Christmas stuff out.
I am not one to be like "Why are they already putting that stuff out?".
I am one who goes down each aisle taking it all in.
Dreaming, creating, and picturing things as I walk around.
I am the one who carefully picked out five ornaments for Rowan's tree
and slipped them in my buggy!

I can't wait for Christmas!
134 days left!

happy things today!

- doing a survey and receiving a FREE Route 44 drink from Sonic!

- putting Rowan's birth announcements in the mail.

I will share them here once everyone has had a chance to get theirs!

- a happy baby boy!

- getting us unpacked from the weekend.

- taking a shower while Rowan snoozed in his bouncy seat.

- looking forward to Kylie and Tara's visit tomorrow.

- almost done with thank you notes to people since Rowan has been born.

- baking Ooey Gooey Butter Bars.

- my daily chat with momma to check in.

- looking over at my boys while I type this...Rowan is asleep in Alan's arms.

- thinking about our Christmas cards for this year. :) Can't wait!

And here is the recipe for the delicious bars...
I'm not claiming that they are healthy!
Yum-Yum!

Ooey Gooey Butter Bars

1 (18.25-ounce) box yellow cake mix
1 egg
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted

1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
2 eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 (16-ounce) box confectioners' sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 13x9x2-inch baking pan.
In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine cake mix, egg, and butter and mix well. Pat into the bottom of prepared pan and set aside.
Still using an electric mixer, beat cream cheese until smooth; add eggs and vanilla. Dump in confectioners' sugar and beat well. Reduce speed of mixer and slowly pour in butter. Mix well.
Pour filling onto cake mixture and spread evenly. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes. Don't be afraid to make a judgment call on the cooking time, because oven temperatures can vary. You want the center to be a little gooey, so don't bake it past that point!
Remove from oven and allow to cool completely. Cut into squares.

so not pretty...

We all had a rough day yesterday and a rough
night last night!
Little man wanted to scream his little head off
and not tell us why!!! :)
I think he is even a little hoarse today.
Thank goodness today is already proving to be
a much better day!

He's still precious though!

be still...

Our house still hasn't sold...be still.

It's time for Rowan to eat again...be still.

We are living in the apt. for at least 6 months...be still.

We have been blessed with everything and more than

we need to care for Rowan...be still.

We have found a church we want to join...be still.

Our beautiful son has finally arrived...be still.

God provides for us daily...be still.

It's three in the morning and I'm awake...be still.

I'm bored...be still.

I'm lonely...be still.

I wonder why sometimes...be still.

Be still and know that I am God" (Psalm 46:10)

How often do we rush through our day, worried about our own agenda's?

How often do we worry and stress about where God has us for a time?

How often do we grow frustrated with our circumstances?

How often do we forget how much God has blessed us, and how

he provides perfectly for our needs and even our wants?

How often do we go to God in pure thanksgiving instead of in selfish want?

How often do we focus on ourselves rather than the needs of those around us?

How often do we want to rush the ones around us, rather than truly enjoy who they are?

The other day while riding around in the car

with Alan and Rowan,

Alan asked me why I thought our house hasn't sold.

I just replied, "I think God just wants us to be still".

It was like a lightbulb went off for both of us.

Just be still.

look at my cheeks...

or "jawls" as Daddy calls them!

I'm 15 days old today!

two weeks old...

We had our two week check up for Rowan yesterday!

He weighs 7.14 and is 21 inches long.

He has gained almost a pound in ONE week,

and grown an inch in two weeks.

They truly grow too fast!

Also, I just want to praise my sweet husband publicly...
I have known for 4+ years that I have a jewel of a husband.

Because I just know and people tell me that all the time.

He is sweet, patient, selfless, sensitive, gentle, and so, so much more.

If you read my blog regularly or if you know Alan you know

exactly what I am talking about.

Bringing a baby into this world with him by my side was amazing.

Watching him cuddle and talk to our little boy is indescribable.

The way he tends to us is phenomenal.

I love sitting back watching him with Rowan.

He is a great husband and now a wonderful daddy to Rowan.

May I never take for granted...him, or our marriage.

I love you Boo!

pre-occupied...

with this precious face.

i am in the process of writing Rowan's birth story...

but i have to keep stopping to take care of this little one...

he is growing so fast.

two weeks old tomorrow.

his little face is filling out.

he has been so much more alert in the past few days.

i love the little faces he makes at me.

can't wait to introduce him to his great-grandparents

in Alabama this weekend.

can't get enough of his sweetness.

one day soon maybe I'll finish his story.

newborn photo shoot

The complete gallery is up...

Click on the link below.

Go to client proofs.

Enter the access code: sing0729.

Click "continue to gallery".

Click on "click here to watch slideshow of these photos".

http://aliciamcdonald.com/index2.php?v=v1

What are your favorites?

Help me decide which ones to order...

I took the photo above...what's a post without a picture!