memorial weekend with the cartwrights!

This post is long overdue. We had such a wonderful time with Nate's parents over Memorial weekend.  It was their first time meeting little Adelie. I thought it was so sweet to watch them with her. We had a fun filled weekend with them....delicious dinner at Redstone, Adelie's first Twins baseball game (so so so fun!!!!!), Adelie's first movie (How to Train Your Dragon...a must see! I loved it!!!), bocce ball, putt-putt at the sculpture garden/putt-putt place, icecream cones by Lake Minnetonka (a treat from the putt-putt losers...thanks, Jim!), and lots of good conversation & laughter.

My favorite part of the weekend was the Twins game. Adelie's first baseball game couldn't have been any cooler...perfect sunny day at the new ballpark, great seats, Joe Mauer's autograph...and a spot on the jumbotron!! I really hope Adelie is a sports fan, because Nate & I both LOVE sports so much! She sure loves watching sports on tv - maybe she just likes the colors and lights, but she seems to be a sports fan at heart already. She was so cute at the Twins game. She wore a little Twins onesie that I made for her..and she was loving all the action! She spent most of the game just looking around at all the people & out at the field. It was really adorable. We were lucky to get some amazing tickets to the game & had perfect seats (9 rows up, right behind home plate!!!!). The view was incredible! And....Joe Mauer signed Adelie's sock before the game!!!! Obviously we would have had him sign something else if we had thought ahead...but, it was pretty funny having him sign her sock! During the 7th or 8th inning, our little cutie pie made her debut at Target Field on the high-definition jumbotron!!!! Nate was holding Adelie & they zoomed in on them for awhile...and the crowd went wild!!!!! Lots of cheers for my two sweethearts! It was so great! So fun. Best baseball game. Ever. So much fun!!!!

We really had a fantastic weekend with Nate's parents. We are both so lucky to have great parents. I consider it such a blessing to be surrounded by such strong family members. Nate and I both have awesome siblings who are such special friends to us. I am especially grateful to have wonderful parents. Being a parent myself now, I realize how amazing motherhood is, and also how much work it is to be a good parent. I am so grateful for my wonderful parents and also to be blessed with such amazing in laws. I love getting to know them better and spending time with them. They are so much fun to be with and both are such kind people. Can't wait to see them again in Ohio in July.

We love you, Jim & Alice. Thank you for making the trip up here & for the wonderful weekend!

overly ambitious??

Day 2 of marathon training complete!! 4 months to go! I registered for the Twin Cities 2010 Marathon! I'm super excited for it. I know it's going to be difficult to get into shape for it, but I'm looking forward to the challenge. I really love the whole marathon experience and am excited to participate in one more! Twin Cities Marathon is beautiful...a great course & wonderful fans...should be fantastic!

I love running with little Adelie! It's definitely harder to run with a stroller, but I love seeing her smiling face ahead of me. It keeps me happy!!I usually struggle to stick with a training program, but I will NEED to follow a strict training plan for this one. I'm really looking forward to this challenge, and am grateful my husband let me chase after this goal! I'm pretty sure he thinks I'm crazy! ha!

so in love.

It's been a really great month of May. I love the springtime!! I love living in Minnesota and being surrounded by beautiful lakes and green grass and green trees. I love how alive everything is in the spring and early summer. Beautifully refreshing! I love watching baseball with my husband. I love the bright sunsets in the spring & summer. I love the warm, fresh air. I love sleeping with my windows open...and most of all, I love all the moments I've shared this spring with my daughter. I fall more & more in love with Adelie each day. I can't really explain in words how much I love her. She is so precious and pure. She makes my heart melt when she smiles. She has such a soft, sweet spirit. I just adore her. I've loved this spring so much because I've been able to spend it with my little Adelie. Life is so much more exciting with her. I love all the moments we share each day. Being a mom is wonderful. It's so fulfilling and rewarding. I feel so much gratitude each day for Adelie. I feel so blessed to be her mom.

I could go on & on about how much I adore this little bundle of love...she brings so much joy to my life. I love Adelie and I love my husband. I am a lucky girl.

we are getting so excited to see our wonderful family next week!! we're really happy for emily & clayton, and we are so excited for everyone to meet this little sugarplum!! can't wait to see you all. we love you all tons & miss you like crazy!

in love with little adelie

happy easter

we hope you all had a wonderful easter sunday. we had a great first easter together as a family. here are a few photos from our weekend - I made adelie a homemade bunny for her easter basket. nate & I dyed a few easter eggs...and we spent the weekend loving our little lady!

easter is a very special holiday & we hope you were all able to enjoy it.

happy easter! love, the cartwrights

Xs & Os from daddy

video: Adelie & shaggy monkey

loving life

I had no idea how exciting and rewarding parenthood would be. Ive said it many times since Adelie was born: I had no idea my capacity to love could be so great. I just adore her. I love everything about her. She's such a sweet baby, and I feel so blessed to be her mom. The two of us have been loving the sunshine the past couple of days. We go for a walk everyday. It's so refreshing, and I love our time together. While on our walk today, I heard a funny sucking noise and when I looked down at Adelie, I saw her SUCKING HER THUMB!!!! Silly girl! She's 2 1/2 weeks and sucking her thumb already! I was laughing so hard. I captured a few funny pictures on my iphone (not the best quality...or the best pictures...but you can see how funny this moment was!).

Also, we took some silly photos with a couple stuffed animals today. The cute bunny is mine (was a gift from Nate in my Easter basket a few years ago...it's my favorite stuffed animal) - and the crazy looking monkey is Nate's stuffed animal from when he was little. It's a little shaggy but Adelie didn't seem to mind.

I'm excited to make her Easter basket this weekend. I love being a mom.

our little jellybean

Heather & Ryan said that Adelie looks like a little jelly bean in this photo! I love it!! We have this picture in her nursery, and it makes me laugh when I think of the little jelly bean. It's a cute nickname for her. I think she likes it too! Our little Adelie, the jelly bean!

I was feeling crafty tonight & was hoping for an Ohio State victory (for my husband)...so, little Adelie was a Buckeye cheerleader tonight, with this little onesie I made for her. Nate loved it. So cute!

eyes open!!!

Adelie Ella

Adelie Ella is 1 week old today! I can't believe how amazing this past week has been. It's been the most incredible time of our lives. Nate and I are so happy, and are so in love with our daughter. I never knew my capacity to love could be so great. I love everything about Adelie. She is the sweetest little girl.

Giving birth was the most painful & difficult (and most rewarding) experience of my life. Nothing compares to it. I had no idea how incredible the experience would be. It was amazing. Nate was a wonderful support. He was so loving and took such good care of me, and made me feel loved. He is an amazing father too. Adelie just adores him. He's so good with her. I never knew I could fall in love with him more than I was - but, watching him with her makes me love him so much more.

My heart has been so full of love this past week. I have never felt such great joy and gratitude. I am so grateful for a loving, supportive husband, who is already an amazing father. And, I am so grateful for a beautiful daughter. I love her sweetness. I love her cute button nose, and little cherry lips. I love her little fingers and toes, and her soft blonde hair. There have been so many beautiful, precious moments this past week. I absolutely love watching Adelie sleep, and watching her look up at Nate, and seeing her little lips pucker up, and watching her wake up. These moments have made my life feel so enriched. Life has never been so wonderful. I had no idea how beautiful and powerful parenthood would be.

I am so grateful for Adelie Ella. She has brought such happiness and love to our family.

she's on her way!!!

we are at the hospital, anxiously awaiting the baby's arrival. progress has been a little slow so far - not too much action, but the baby should be here sometime today, since leanna's water broke at 11:20 last night. we are so excited to meet our little baby girl. we will keep you posted!!

read the chalkboard.

I was really hoping the little baby girl would arrive today. Sadly, it's now 5:00 and I don't think she'll be sharing a march 14th birthday with grandpa miller. positive thinking! positive thinking! (hence, the chalkboard message.) I actually am very happy right now, and feeling very positive about it all.

Highlight from this weekend: I made the baby girl's first toy: a hand sewn giraffe! So cute & fun!! It took me the entire afternoon/early evening yesterday (which was perfect, because we watched basketball all weekend long!!!!). It turned out really great. I love it. Such a cheerful little toy. It's now packed in the hospital bag for the little lady...hope she likes it! oh p.s. I repacked my hospital bag today - wishful thinking, I guess. my bag has been packed for so long now, that I thought if I repacked it with a purpose, the little lady would get the hint!! :)

Just got off the phone with Grandma & Grandpa Miller - I wish they were here with us to enjoy this time. They seem so excited for us. Grandpa told dad a funny story: Grandma & Grandpa went to the hospital for a checkup with one of their babies (my uncle Joe). The doctor told them that the baby would arrive within 3 hours...."and a month later Joe was born!!!!" hahahahaha!!!!!! Definitely made me laugh. 

Today's been good so far. I woke up with a bad cold this morning (hadn't slept after 3 am)  - had a really sore throat and stuffed up, and crying to Nate because I didn't want to be sick going into labor. I decided to stay home all morning & catch up on some rest...loaded up on vitamin C & mint tea...and I'm happy to say I'm starting to feel better now. Nate & I got outside for a wonderful walk together this afternoon. It's been the prettiest day of the year so far. It's about 55/60 degrees & sunny!!! We had a great time walking together (ok, confession: I even ran a little...not much, but I just wanted to feel alive!) I even beat Nate running (**note: he was running backwards & we were racing to a mailbox, and he slowed down at the end a little prematurely, thinking we had passed the finish line...so, I won!). It was fun racing him! It felt so good! ha. 

Oh, I posted the picture above of the sign because it's my favorite of Nate's contributions to the nursery - I think it's absolutely adorable...and I can't wait till we can share lots of memories together as a family!

Anyway, that's today's update. I hope the little chickadee comes soon!