Thank you to Auntie Christy, Auntie Cindy & Cousin Lacey

Cindy & Christy bought Samantha a gift card to Build-A-Bear which is one of Samma's favorite places to be! Between her gift card from her aunties and her cousin Lacey, Samantha had an absolute blast at build-a-bear. Lacey came over and took Samma to the mall for a special "girls" shopping day and they went to Build-A-Bear and built "Zack" her penguin. She also bought him a few outfits, shoes, roller skates, and a Halloween Costume (he's a mummy).......so a big Thank you to her aunties who just made her day out that much more special because as she says, "I have been wanting to go to build-a-bear for a long, long, time"........

Here she is with a photo of her creation, plus all the loot to go with him! Thanks for putting a smile on her face this week!

Thank you Uncle Robin & Auntie Scott!

First of all, let me say that Samantha had so much fun correcting me when I said Uncle Robin & Auntie Scott.....

Samantha was so very excited that her godmother sent her money so she could get something she really wanted....a hermit crab. So we go to the mall, and we bought a cage and some food and two hermit crabs because she couldn't decide. So we got "hermit" (the orange one with the pirate face) and "Shrek" (the "gi-normous" almost the size of a baseball hermit crab)...see photo above..... And then the unthinkable happened. Poor lil "hermit" died the first night we got him. Samantha was devastated and crying so I told her we'd bring him back and get a new one. As she was mourning, she picked up Shrek and let out a screech. He was holding onto her middle finger, dangling, as she was hysterical asking him "why, why would you do this to me" and sobbing uncontrollably.

Long story short, we went back to the mall and gave them "hermit" back and she also returned "shrek" the psycho crab. So we came home with two new "small" crabs named "spongebob" and "della bella"....we just gave them a water bath and they well, happy as, ahem clams. HA HA.

Happy Birthday Samantha Carsyn

Happy Birthday to my first baby girl, Samantha

It was about this time 6 years ago that I started having contractions. I figured this was my second time around so I would just wait the contractions out and let Brian get some sleep. I was up all night long laboring every 5-7 minutes and finally, around 4 a.m., I woke him up as they were getting really intense and I was tired. Really tired. So we get up, make coffee, and call my parents at about 5:15 a.m. or so. I remember them coming on over, us leaving, hitting every bump in the road all the way to Mass General Hospital. She was my quickest labor, but the pain was so intense I remembering throwing up most of the time. Then I remember them telling me she was here! It was girl! Wow. Now I was lucky enough to have one of each. I remember cuddling her, holding her, not wanting anyone else near her. My first beautiful baby girl. Samantha Carsyn Welch weighing in at 8 lbs. 13 oz., 20 inches long on September 25, 2001 at 10:56 a.m. I remember our eyes connecting. That was the very instant that I felt such sweet bliss. Happy 6th Birthday to my "Lola girl" my little dolly, my baby girl. I love you always & forever.
I hope you have such a sweet and happy day.

Belated Birthday Bliss

Here are a few photos of Natalie opening her new shoes that Auntie Diane and Uncle Tony bought her for her birthday. That girl ripped open the package with a bit of help from her siblings and of course, tried to eat the package. When she realized they were shoes, well, she just wore those out all day long! She loves them! She cried when we took them off.

Thank you so much Auntie Diane and Uncle T. She is definitely a girlie girl and loves shoes just like her momma and sister, Della.

She loved the snack cup of well........anything that has to do with food, well, she's all for it!

We finally started "letters"

We have finally hit "4th" grade....the grade where we actually receive letter grades instead of check marks, check pluses, etc. We now get letters!!!! So here is Brendan, holding up his first test grade of the year - an "A"........we could not be any prouder of our son. Not only is he handsome and sweet, but he's intelligent too. Congratulations on your first "A" of the year Brendan. We are soooooooooooo very very proud of you. Love ya. Muah.

My photogenic babies!

Here is a quick shot that the local newspaper printed of the girls in their red/white/blue dress up gear while commemorating 9/11. Brendan & Samma's school wanted the kids to dress up so we dressed them all in kerchiefs (except for Brendan because he's too cool) and also put them in t-shirts that we made remembering our heroes for the day. We also went to our local fire station and brought cookies for the fireman (per Samantha's request) and the girls could not have been any more photogenic that day! Talk about making a momma proud!