Lauren Grace Boutique

It's been forever since I blogged- like FOREVER but just want everyone that does take the time to follow our lives that we appreciate it.

I tend to have three minutes a day to get on the Internet so that is why the blogging has came to a screeching halt. I am busy with my babies and that my friend is the best busy there can be. I love every thing about this time in my life. I love learning more about my husband as we grow and mature. I love parenting these two precious children of ours more than anything in the world. I never in my wildest imagination thought that Motherhood would be this sweet.

Also, and this is coming far off this topic but I have a lady that I order the cutest onesie's and burp clothes from and she just started making hats. The hats can be decorated with different colors or sport teams. I am contemplating getting a MIZZOU one from her before football season starts. Her blog is Lauren Grace Boutique go check it out, you won't be disappointed.

Photo Card

View the entire collection of cards.

Silly Antics

Things I am thinking today:


Gosh I love this peace and quiet- I need to start getting up earlier than Grace all the time to enjoy myself like this.

I can't wait until Grace and I go get some pancakes today.

I really need to start thinking what I want to do as far as my maternity leave goes- 6- 8- or 10 weeks.

I really love Easter and love seeing things in the store to get ready for it.

I wish Gracie would just pee pee on the potty.

That's all folks for today.

Where has the time gone

It seems just like yesterday that I found out that I was pregnant and now I only have a few more weeks left- YIKES!!! We have been really getting into gear getting ready for Caleb's arrival. We put together the swing, bassinet, dug out the car seat, packed the diaper bag, etc. so we are slowly but surely getting there. I still need to get Jamie to pick up the bed and put it together but that is the last thing that needs to be done. Wish us luck as we finish all the details in preparing for his arrival. We couldn't be anymore excited and blessed. I joke around that I wish I was having a girl but I really do feel blessed beyond beliefs just to have this opportunity to be a Mom again and can't wait to meet my son.

Winter Blues

Man am I behind.......................

It has been a long winter over here at the Starck home. We have had a few major snow storms, freezing cold temperatures, and two tornadoes. I am so ready for Spring that I can taste it. Grace went sledding this winter for the first time ever. To say that she enjoyed sledding would be an understatement. I took her myself one afternoon and she was silent on the way down the hill and then after she realized we stopped she just laid back in that sled and belly laughed. I thought to myself this is what being a parent is all about, spending time with your children and really enjoying it, because in that second my heart was so full it could have fell to the ground. Then after a few more trips down the hill I thought to myself "what am I thinking I am seven months pregnant and one wrong bump I could break my water" LOL and that was then end of sledding that day. The next sledding trips for Grace were courtesy of my little brothers. All I had to do was bundle her up real good and they did all the hard work- walking up and down the hills to send her in a state of enjoyment.

We did several indoor activities this Winter. We played over at my friend Angie's house quite frequently. Grace is in love with Luke and Jacob and could stay over there all day if we could. We went to the indoor mall playgrounds a few times, Chuck E Cheeses, and Magic House. All in all, my little girl is one cool chick. She sure knows how to take it easy on you because she tolerated being cooped up in the home better than any child I could imagine. She was making me proud turning into such a little home body the last couple of weeks.

Now, I am going to try to make the best of the next few weeks. I plan on taking Grace to the Zoo, Magic House, and Botanical Gardens at least once each place and to the park next door several times. I want to savior each and every second of the next few weeks spending time with just her because after Caleb gets here things will be different. I love that I waited these few years in between to have children so I was able to do such special things with Grace.

New Year's 2011

New Year-New Us

I am not setting any resolutions this year because I am not all that good at following through with them, and with Caleb coming, I know I am going to be one crazy, busy woman.

We do have some big plans this year though: just to enjoy life and enjoy our babies everyday. I mean really enjoy them; like play more, laugh more, do crafts together, go to the pool and playground, just live like they could be taken away from us at any given minute.

If you ask my husband our goal of 2011 is to pay off my car and my big student loan and save for our next home. I agree those things are vital but just a small part of what 2011 will be about. It just seems like life lately is so surreal to me, just when I think that it can't get any better it does--and in a big way.

I hope to all of you that follow this blog have a great year that brings you many blessings.

Christmas 2010

Christmas this year was wonderful!! It was by far the best Christmas of my life. I think my heart melted a million times watching the excitement on my little girl's face, and that my friend is priceless. She had been talking about Santa and really looking forward to Christmas so I know this year was no let down for her. She had a little list that she would rattle off to anyone that wanted to listen.

Christmas Eve-

We went over to my parent's house and it was quiet, calm, and just plain nice. We had yummy appetizers that we enjoyed. We walked in and my mom had all the presents under the tree and Gracie didn't even bother them. When it came time to open up presents she was so excited. She screamed out "Thank You", "Happy Birthday to me", and belted out Jingle Bells pretty frequently. It was funny to see how the dynamics in my family have changed because everyone was enjoying watching Grace get so excited that they all waited to open presents until after she was done. After my sister wheeled out her little baby stroller you would have thought we gave her the moon!!!

Christmas Day-

Christmas Eve night we told Grace that when she woke up that she could run down the hallway to see what all Santa brought her. We woke her up and she looked at us and said "Is it time for me to run down the hallway". Is that not about the cutest thing you ever heard? She opened up all her presents and played with them all morning. It was so rewarding and worth every ounce of energy that I put into the holidays by watching Grace that morning.

That afternoon we headed over to Jamie's Grandmother's house and celebrated with his family. Grace hasn't been around his family all that much and I was hoping that she wouldn't act too shy, but she did at first and then warmed up to them. Grace was loving on her Daddy at her house and being as cute as can be. It is a shame how much people can miss out on someone growing up so fast.

Later in the evening, we headed to my Aunt Jackie's. Grace was once again a perfect little girl. We had many compliments that they couldn't believe how good she was for as late as it was and how wonderful she was when everyone was opening up gifts. She got some GOOD stuff over there. One gift was a steel shopping cart that she wheeled around for the rest of the evening. I couldn't get enough of my little family that day.

This family thing that I got going on is a good thing. I love watching Jamie with Grace and I love watching Grace with Jamie. I thought I loved my life before the last few years but man I didn't know what I was missing!!!! I look at this year and think about how much more exciting it will be next year with little Caleb.

Exciting, Exciting, Exciting

Boy are we getting excited over here for Christmas. Grace has been talking about Santa like crazy. We have asked her what she wants Santa to bring her if she keeps on being a good girl and she keeps on saying, "toys". We took her to Santa's Magical Kingdom to look at some Christmas lights last night and she LOVED them. Her little face kept on taking my breath away. You drive through the park in your car to see the lights and we had to wait in line for about forty minutes. Grace bopped her head to the music, pointed her little fingers at things she saw, and talked like crazy about it. We didn't get out of the car to see Santa because the lines were so long and it was so cold but it was so fun to see Grace so excited.

I tell you it is pure magic to see the excitement in your child's face. Knowing that she is seeing and understanding things for the first time. It even makes me emotional seeing Jamie interact with her when she is excited like this. I can't get enough of it. We will probably hit up every Christmas light exhibit in the Metro St. Louis area in the next month!! We talked about baby Jesus last night when we saw him in the manger and she kept on talking about our friend's baby named Jacob-she was totally confused. I can't wait until she starts to realize the real reason behind the season. I am so grateful for what God has given us this last year, we are blessed and feel so fortunate for these blessings.

Fall into me........

I love Fall like I love my child!!!! It is the best time of the year-crisp air, leaves turning bright orange and red, the smell of bonfires, pumpkin patches, Halloween costumes, coats, and tights on little girls.

I know I am eons behind on blogging but wanted to get caught up and let everyone know what we have been up to. We took Grace to Eckert's Pumpkin Patch and she had a great time. We forced her to ride a little carnival ride and she was so stubborn that she wanted to enjoy it but wouldn't let herself it was so funny. We walked around and had a great time as a family.

We took her trick-or-treating for Halloween. She was a little 50's girls. I didn't really get a good picture of her because she was too busy wanting to get lots of candy and wanted to play with her cousins. My Mom always makes chili and a spread to go with it. It seems like I can't get enough of chili lately.

On a sad note, Jamie's sweet, sweet Grandma Starck passed away this month. She was so special to him and played such an important part in his life. She let him stay in her home and made a home for him multiple times. At her funeral, so many people said such wonderful things about her that I found it inspiring. Like a woman that anyone would be lucky to be anything like.

Love is.................

Love is knowing that you have a healthy baby growing inside you.........
Love is knowing that you have been given such a wonderful gift from God........
Love is knowing that you child is going to have the honor of being a big sister..............
Love is knowing that you get to see your husband become a father to another child.........
Love is knowing that you have been so blessed that you can hardly catch your breath..........

I don't know what I have done in this life to deserve such blessings but life is good, SO GOOD!!!! We are having another baby for those of you that don't know. We found out this week that it is a boy. We just continue to pray for the safety and health of this child.

I lay awake at night sometimes wondering what my plan is in life-what God has in store for me. I still don't know, but in the meantime will continue to just love what I have. I see so many other women that are good people that would give anything to be a mother and struggle with infertility and such and my heart breaks for them. I just feel so incredibly lucky that God has just gave me so much and feel so fortunate. I will continue to pray for those women out there that want to become mothers that God soon blesses them.

My husband is over the moon with excitement with the news that we are having a boy. He will make such a great dad to a boy. He is so wonderful with Gracie that I sometimes feel inadequate. He has exceeded any expectations that I had for him as a parent. I feel lucky to be his counterpart in life.

Oh baby!!!!

We had a small baby shower for Angie and Jen at Krieger's a few weeks back. Kim is a waitress there and had everything set up before we got there. We all had a great time eating and catching up. They both got some really great gifts and I loved watching them open their presents. I love all things baby!! Grace was a really good girl and ate and played good. Here are a few pictures from that afternoon.

Part two of Summer Vacation

So when we figured out that we weren't going back to Sesame Place, we decided that we would head to the beach. Jamie came up with Virgina Beach and I didn't mind trying it out. We left our hotel at like 6am that morning and made it to the beach by 1ish.

We checked into our hotel and then headed to the beach. Jamie and I set up our area and then got into the ocean. Grace was scared of the ocean and played it safe by playing in the sand. Jamie and I on the other hand had sooooo much fun in the water letting the waves crash into us. It was exhilarating. We laughed so hard!!! At one time, Jamie was holding Grace to show her that there was nothing to be scared of and took her out to where his knees were touching and then somehow a BIG wave came rolling in and crashed right into them and Jamie fell over with Grace in his arms. They both came up after the tide broke looking like drowned rats. Grace had this look on her face like-you two are crazy! I didn't want to get in this water before and then you basically drowned me. Get me out of here!!! So for the rest of the vacation Grace played it safe and played right next to us in the sand.

We checked out the boardwalk and it was AWESOME. Everything you could need was along it. They had the neat little vendors selling hot dogs, ice cream, soda, etc. as you walked by. Grace passed out in her stroller as we walked. We walked the entire length of the boardwalk and were so tired by the time we got back to the hotel. We took naps and then got ready for dinner. We walked to dinner that night. We picked a restaurant on the boardwalk. It was so neat to be able to walk to dinner and eat right there on the ocean. I put this little pink dress on Grace with little pigtails in her hair and she looked so cute!!! Everyone walking by was telling us that she was so darling and I have to admit I couldn't have agreed more!! I loved Virgina Beach like no other. Probably one of my very favorite vacations to date.

The next day we did the same. We walked to lunch from our hotel and then headed to the beach. One really neat thing about the beach was that they had these playgrounds right on the sand. Jamie got all cozy on the beach blanket and Grace bolted to the playground, and that, my friend was where I had to spend my afternoon. She had sooooo much fun that day playing on the playground. Seriously who came up with that idea-pure genius!!!

There was an Air Force base in Virginia Beach and they constantly take the airplanes out to practice. Grace didn't know what an airplane was before the trip and is now an airplane aficionado. She got such a kick out of pointing to them and screaming "airplane". We only heard that a hundred times-it was so cute!

On the way home from Virginia Beach we were on a mission to find a Chick-fil-a because I had never eaten there and they have a play place for Grace. It was not a disappointment!!! Grace however, was too scared to play in the play place. Another time, perhaps!!

Enjoy the pictures!!!