Giggling babies always sound gorgeous!!

Aunty Katie came to visit, she found Ace's giggle button!!!

Well Fed Bubba! The Plunket Nurse Visits

We had a visit from the Plunket nurse today. She weighed and measured Ace. Its been 3 weeks since her last visit, in that time Ace has put on two pounds! (900 grams) 

He now weighs 14lb 2 oz (6.4kg) He measures 24 1/2 " (62 cm) long.

The nurse was impressed by how active, alert and vocal he is and said over all he's a bonny healthy thriving baby.... 

of course!!!

Ace's singing debut... a duet with Mummy...

Ace has well and truly found his voice today... singing along with me.... ha ha! He may look like his daddy, but he gets his voice from me! 

Without further ado ..... Ladies and Gentlemen, put your hands together for Ace Monroe, with a rousing rendition of "You Are My Sunshine"

Camera Magnet

It is amazing how easy it is to want to photograph every smile, every little expression when you have a bubba in the house... 

I have given in... 

Here's some more Ace eye candy, after all, every mummy thinks their baby is the cutest in the world, why would I be any different???

Two Months Old

This little man, is now 2 months old!

It's been the longest, fastest, most terrifying yet exhilarating two months of my life..... and we have survived.... more than surviving, we are doing just fine!

Ace really is a treat, he hardly ever cries, he doesn't do a lot of sleeping, but is so engaging while he's awake, his smiles can make you forget the fact you are mooching by on 5 hours broken sleep.

He is very active, and spends most of his time waving his arms and legs, smiling and cooing. 

Bright colors, patterns and people are his favorite things. He will drop everything to have a chat with anyone who takes time to engage him. 

He is beginning to copy Shawn with the word "Hello". Ace always makes me giggle when he tries to copy daddy... he gets such a look of concentration!

I can't begin to tell you what an amazing daddy Shawn is, he truly is fantastic, Ace is already a daddy's boy! 

Shawn is also an amazing support to me, he has made me feel like we are really doing this "together". 

Banana, Coconut and Yogurt Muffins

I needed to use up some bananas and top up the baking tin so I whipped up a batch of these: 

Banana, Coconut and Yogurt Muffins

Dry Ingredients:

½ C Sugar

1 Cup Shredded Coconut

2 C Flour

½ tsp Salt

2 tsp Baking Powder

1 tsp ground Ginger

Wet Ingredients:

300g yogurt

1 Egg

¼ C Oil

2 Bananas chopped

½ C Milk

Method:

1. Pre heat oven to 205 deg C

2. Grease muffin tins, or line with cup cake liners

3. Combine the dry ingredients in a mixing bowl

4. In another bowl, combine the wet ingredients.

5. Mix the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Don’t over mix.

6. Place batter in the muffin tins

7. Bake for 25 mins or until golden.

YUM!!

49 Star USA flag... finally framed and on the wall!

Shawn got this flag from his teacher, at Thomas Claggett Middle School, Maryland, USA in 1982. 

The reason it's special, is because it only has 49 Stars instead of 50. It was valid for a year between July 4th 1959 and July 4th 1960 when Hawaii was added as the 50th State. 

We finally had it framed, he's been carrying it around all over the world for the last 30 years... now it finally has a home on the wall opposite Shawn's Military Wall of Fame in our hall way!

Ace Monroe Carrigan Arrives!

On the 21st of August 2012, Ace Monroe Carrigan was born by caesarean Section, at Whangarei Base Hospital, weighing 9lb 5oz. (4220g)

When he was born, both Shawn and I cried. 

I cried out of relief that Ace had arrived alive (you never stop worrying about stillbirth once it's already happened to you before) and Shawn cried for joy- he said that the feeling was better than his first flight- and if you know Shawn, you'll know that's a pretty big statement!

He was gorgeous from the second he was born, with a shock of copper coloured hair 

He is such a darling and I love him so much. He's my "beauty for ashes"

(Isaiah 61:3)

9 Months ... the countdown to Ace's arrival

Here are a collection of photos that show my 9 month journey to Ace's arrival. 

25 weeks and 30 weeks

35 weeks and 40 weeks 

 

 20 week scan

 

32 weeks gestation 3D scan

We have a fence!!!!

We have been wanting to fence our yard for some time, so that our dog Mac can run about outside at his leisure, without having to chase him down the road or having to rescue the postman from being licked to death. 

 My little brother is a builder, and so he and Shawn attacked the project with gusto.... 

Here are some photos of the progress.

Its so exciting to finally have the yard enclosed!!!!!