Shelby the Snail

She’s sweet and sassy, a sight to be seen. Her name is Shelby and she’s the queen.The queen of fashion in every way.She’s full of laughter and ready to play!

$26.00

http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=6864720

New Blog Address

Please visit our new blog at: http://www.cgharv.com/blog/

We try to update daily so visit often!

Thanks- Garrett and Carly

Back in action...

Garrett and I are horrible bloggers. It seems that we get caught up in the day to day affairs and forget how much fun it is to share stories and pictures. So, for the past 3 months, we have been M.I.A. No updates, no pictures. In an attempt to play catch-up, here are some of the events that have taken place since our last post…

March 8, 2008- Will and Kristen got married in Alma, Georgia in one of the sweetest ceremonies ever. Garrett and I are so happy for them! Kristen has been busy cooking, attending school, and whipping Will’s bachelor pad into shape. We're looking forward to visiting the newlyweds this summer.

March 14, 2008- Our dear friends Jay and Alina, and their little girl Brenley, came up from Columbia, SC to visit. We met Jay and Alina when we moved to Lowell, Massachusetts. They were the property managers of our apartment. Interestingly enough, they got married a week before Garrett and I, and had a baby a few weeks after Mary Reese’s arrival. Jay and Alina are amongst the few friends that we have stayed in touch with throughout our travels. We always look forward to getting together them. During their visit, we ate at one of our favorite diners and then headed to Veritas Vineyards to catch up on old times. The weekend was so much fun and we can hardly wait for the next visit.

March 21, 2008- I completed my 12 weeks of student teaching and became an official “stay at home mom”. While I will miss the kids at school, I know that MR and I are going to have so much fun together!




March 26, 2008- Mary Reese said her first word…Dada. Ok, I must admit, I was a little bothered that her first word was not mama, but seeing G’s face light up when she says his name made it worthwhile!

April 10-13, 2008- Many of our family members came to town to celebrate Mary Reese’s baptism. On Friday afternoon, Danette, Wiby, Hannah, Brantley, and Anne arrived. The weather was perfect, so we spent the afternoon visiting and relaxing at King Family Vineyard in Crozet, Virginia. Later that evening, mom and dad came over for a quick visit. On Saturday, we were headed to Veritas Vineyards. This time we were joined by my mom, dad, Julie, Bill, Hendley, Trent, Danette, Wiby, Hannah, Brantley and Anne. Once again, the weather was perfect! On Sunday, we had a brunch at our house and then headed to church to get MR baptized. Mary Reese wore a beautiful Strasburg gown that Gran C had purchased for her and a silver cross necklace that Meme and Papa gave her. She was absolutely precious! As Reverend Jones walked her up and down the church isle, I couldn’t help but reflect on all of our blessings. The ceremony was a special reminder of all that God has in store for our little girl. Thank you to all of our family for being with Mary Reese as she begins her journey with God!

Ladies Night...

Who would have thought a husband-less Valentines Day could be so fun? Poor Garrett had to work late on Thursday, so MR and I decided to make the best of our time together. After making a footprint Valentine card and heart shaped sugar cookies for Daddy, we decided to pamper ourselves at our less than posh, in-home spa. I enjoyed a much needed deep conditioning treatment while MR relaxed in a warm bath of lavender scented water. Later that evening, we caught up on our celebrity gossip and watched our favorite American Idol contestants compete for a spot in the top 24! While our Valentines Day may have lacked fine dining, flowers, and gourmet chocolates, MR and I found that a quiet evening at home can be just as pleasing.

~carly

This is how we roll

Another busy week. Last Sunday, Mary Reese had her first serving of vegetables. Peas to be exact. Unlike her mom, she seems to enjoy her vegies. Next week we will move on to a different green vegetable and maybe even a fruit.

Evidently the peas were just what she needed. For weeks she's been rolling onto her side, only to be stuck in place by her lower arm. By Wednesday, she had mastered the technique of rolling from her back to her stomach. We couldn't be more proud...it's the little things.

One more first for the week. It was the first time Car was able to get enough of Mary Reese's hair together to hold a bow. I think this is more of a milestone for mom than for our little girl.

g

Spring Fever

This may be a bold and somewhat arrogant statement. Who am I to tell the rest of the world they're wrong??? But I think I'll do it anyway...

I believe that the holiday calendar is out of synch with Mother Nature’s seasonal calendar for one holiday – Christmas. The weeks of cold weather, combined with the tease of spring we got last weekend have led me to this conclusion. Christmas and spring are just too far apart.

Now don’t get me wrong, I love cold weather, and I really love the snow. I love to ski. I love to watch Sadie get excited and run around in huge circles kicking up snow in every direction. But after a while, you get tired of having to put on several layers of clothes just to walk outside. If you live in an old house like we do, you get tired of the wind blowing right through it. If you have gas heat, you get tired of having astronomical bills each month even though your house never seems to get any warmer.

Ideally, everyone wants a white Christmas. It's both a song and a movie for a reason. But once Christmas is over, there's really nothing to look forward to, except spring. Imagine a world where Christmas is the grand finale of winter. The anticipation builds throughout the cold days and nights, leading up to the climactic celebration with family and friends. You no longer open the last present or attend the last party thinking I can’t believe it’s over. Knowing that spring, with all its energy and color is just around the corner, carries you through the last few days of winter.

Examples of holidays that work:

• Memorial Day – spring is in full effect and summer is coming soon.
• Fourth of July – summertime, the beach, grilling, fireworks
• Labor Day – last chance for a “summer” vacation
• Thanksgiving – food, family, football, and fall

We actually had our first taste of warm weather last weekend. Looking back, it really wasn’t that warm. But for some reason, Car and I got a little carried away and decided to welcome the weather with some of our spring attire. After dressing Mary Reese in a pink, short-sleeved dress, we had no choice but to follow her lead. I was sporting shorts and flip-flops before I came to my senses and realized that 60 degrees isn’t that warm when the wind chill is 10-15 degrees cooler. Nevertheless, we wanted to share some of our “spring” pictures with all of you.

g

"spring" time on the porch

A week with Gran C and Big Daddy

Mary Reese was quite busy last week. Not only did she celebrate her four month birthday, but she also got to spend the week with her grandparents. Big Daddy had a conference here for work and Gran C came along for the ride to hang out with the grand girls.

On Saturday, we enjoyed some of Bill's burgers while Mary Reese experienced her first bite of cereal. Car came prepared with a silver spoon and the very same bowl that was used for her first meal. Unfortunately, Mary Reese was not that impressed by the effort. After a few bites --- well, sips of mush, she decided cereal was not her thing. We didn't quite have our proportions down yet, and let's just say it was runny. We're still working on the mix, and she's still trying to decide if she likes it.

Gran C and Big Daddy went to church with us the next day and Mary Reese had yet another first, attending the church nursery. We dropped her off in a pretty, white dress and picked her up in a green burrito. I thought I could swaddle...

After the service, MR had to endure another round of cereal and a 30 minute photo shoot. We just couldn't resist snapping a few pictures before changing her. She was patient at first, but soon realized she could use that pretty dress to hide form the camera (as you can see below).

A few days later, she went to the doctor for her four month shots. Car's efforts to continue breast feeding while student teaching were validated...Mary Reese weighed in at a healthy 15 pounds and 12 ounces. She is now 25 1/2" long and is in the 90th percentile for her height, weight, and head size.

By mid week, we were all looking forward to a relaxing weekend of family and food. Unfortunately, it was not to be. On Thursday night, I became the first one to fall victim to a horrible stomach flu. That's right, Mr. Mom found his kryptonite. Within hours, Carly joined me in misery. After a long night, we confirmed that Julie, Max, and Bill also shared in our pain. Gran C was the only adult left standing. The girls dodged the worst of it, simply sleeping the day away with their parents.

Gran C was gracious enough to make a grocery run for her ailing kin, studiously driving up in her green, cable-knit sweater. Her look was deceiving. When Car opened the door, she was greeted with Soulja Boy Crank That kickin' on the cd player. For those of you that may not know, the Bulldawgs made Crank That a household standard this past football season. Especially at the Blackout. By far one of the funnest games I've ever been to. I still get chills watching the video.

Our readers in Georgia might have been safe given the distance between our sick house and their own homes, but this bug had legs. Gran C became victim number six shortly after arriving home. In case you weren't counting, that's six for six... Any weight we might have gained from the meals Gran C put together all week was easly lost in half the time.

g

Mary Reese's first snow

We got our first good snow of the season earlier today. It started piling up around 8:00 this morning. Looking for any possible excuse to stay home with Mary Reese, I decided to work from home. Not to be outdone, Car was able to make it home early after they closed the schools for the day. Mary Reese enjoyed having her parents home on a school day and got to spend a little time outside in her snow gear.

More pictures from the snow day on our pictures page.

g

Mr. Mom back in action

Mr. Mom was back in action this weekend with both girls out of commission. Car was hit by a 48 hour bug Friday night, just in time for the weekend...which she spent in bed. Mary Reese wasn't feeling well either and had a decent fever. Lucky for them, a trained professional was on the job to make them as comfortable as possible.

g

From G-care to Daycare

Mary Reese enjoyed a full day of G-Care while we finalized our childcare plans Monday. We had found a nice place for her thanks to a little help from a friend, but still needed to check it out. After taking a look around yesterday afternoon, we decided to give it a try. I always thought it was hard to find a decent place to board Sadie, but childcare requires a whole new level of trust. As you can see from the first picture, MR wasn't worried about the transition at all.

In fact, she laughed at me when I told her that I was

taking her to an unfamiliar place to leave her with complete strangers.

Note the look of concern when she realized I wasn't kidding...

"You're going to come get me at the end of the day, right???"

Waiting on Santa

Car and I heard that Santa was going to be in Richmond last weekend, so we packed up MR and hit the road. Of course, the man from the North Pole wasn't the only reason we made the trip. We were also craving some of the finest food from the Far East -- P.F. Chang's. After our standard meal of Lettuce Wraps, Mongolian Beef, and Pork Fried Rice, we were on a mission to find Santa.

The first challenge was finding a parking spot. After circling for 10 minutes, it was clear I was going to have to make the sacrifice. I dropped Car and MR off at the mall entrance and told them I'd catch up. I found a spot on the other side of the mall and hustled to find my girls.

We finally found Santa around 3:45pm. Unfortunately, he was minutes away from his afternoon break. One of his elves assured us that he would be back in action by 4:15. Just after 4:00, we heard a rumor that he would be gone until at least 4:45. Car confirmed this with the elves. We were in a fix. As most of you know, timing is everything with a baby. Especially a breast-fed baby.

We had a decision to make. Mary Reese was due to eat at 4:30. This meant that Car had to either whip it out in the Food Court or go to the car to pump. She chose the latter. Now remember that I dropped her off and she didn't know where I ended up parking. It's common knowledge that my dear wife is directionally challenged. However, her mission was clear and there was no way we were abandoning our position at the front of the line. She had 30 minutes to find the car, do the deed, and get back in time to introduce MR to Santa.

With some excellent directions from me, Car found the Honda in 5 minutes flat. While she was doing her thing, MR and I watched the line grow longer by the minute. I knew we had made the right decision when I saw the line was over 150 feet long. The holiday spirit was clearly in the air as kids became rambunctious and parents began to lose their patience. Mary Reese, who was starving at this point, was a ticking time bomb. I knew she could unleash her fury at any minute. Fortunately for her and everyone else in the Food Court, Car showed up just in time. We still had 10 minutes to spare.

I fed Mary Reese and listened to Car's adventures running through the mall with a bottle of breast milk. You know Car, and you know she was kickin' some heels. As if running in heels isn't hard enough, she was also wearing a pair of stretch jeans that by this point, were quite stretched. Needless to say, when they came down, they almost brought her down with them. Huffing and puffing, she managed to jerk them up with her free hand and barely broke stride.

All in all, MR's first encounter with Santa was a success! He was quite patient while we did our best to direct MR's attention to the camera. Despite the "deer in the headlights" expression, she was comfortable in his lap, and perhaps even a little fond of the man in red.

c & g



The infamous stretch jeans

In case you wanted to know what your
first grade teacher looked like as a kid.

Getting ready for a bath

Mary Reese's first babysitters

It was just a matter of time before the real world appeared and made us climb down from our cloud. Car had to return to the classroom as part of her masters program and complete 70 hours (2 full school weeks) of observation. While exploring childcare options, we learned a few things that they should tell all new parents -- to summarize, finding good childcare is hard. We always thought it was tough to find a nice place to board Sadie, but that's nothing compared to this. Did you know that most places require contracts these days? Evidently day care and cell phone providers have something in common. None of them are even close to perfect and they resort to legal instruments and financial penalties to keep you from going to their competitor every time you're dissatisfied with their service.

Lucky for us, our family stepped in to help us out. Mom and Wiby flew up the Sunday after Thanksgiving to look after MR the first week. Unfortunately, Wiby was sick as a dog all week and wound up spending more time in our guest bedroom than he would care to remember. The next week, MR was off to "Building Blocks" under the watchful eye of Aunt Julie. In typical Harrell fashion, Car coined the nickname "Building Blocks" for Julie's babysitting service. Julie had her hands full with the cousins, but I think everyone enjoyed the week together.

Thanks to our family, Car was able to enjoy her time back in the classroom. Now we just have to figure out the plan for spring semester. Car will be doing her student teaching for 12 weeks in a first grade classroom. Any volunteers?

g

Thanksgiving by the numbers

We had a good trip home for Thanksgiving. Mary Reese made it down to Eastman and Waycross for the first time and had a chance to meet a lot of you. Looking back on the pictures, it's obvious that we need to take more pictures during gatherings, especially family shots. Below is a summary of our Thanksgiving by the numbers, along with a few pictures.

1467.....Miles driven
132.......Hours away from home
33.........Nearest I-85 exit in Charlotte when we passed Lauren and her family headed to D.C.
28.........Hours in the car
27.........Family members Mary Reese met (almost one per hour driven)
6...........Days on the road
4...........States traveled

Three weary travelers

One cute little pilgrim

Three generations...MR meets Mema

Two bushels of oysters roasted

One doting cousin

Two oyster shuckers

One proud grandfather

One tired, but still cute, little girl