A Visit from Grandma and Grandpa Anderson!

Anna got to meet her other set of grandparents!  Gary and Vickie flew over for a week earlier this month to visit, and for Vickie, meet Anna for the very first time.  (Gary was able to meet Anna when she was three weeks old while he was over here for business in March.)  We spent the week hanging out and enjoying each others company.  We also spent two days over in Wales and toured Anglesey and Caernarfon.  We stayed the night at one of the oldest inns in Wales - the Black Boy Inn (Buoy) Inn and toured the castle there.  The inn dates back to the 1500's and the castle dates to the 1200's!  Very neat!  Also, Vickie - who is a huge fan of Harry Potter - Gary, and Dave drove down to London one day to tour the Warner Brothers studios where the films were shot. Anna and I stayed home as it would have been a really long day for her, but Vickie had the most amazing time and was raving all about it!  =)

As always, the week flew by in a flash and before we knew it, it was time for them to head back to the States.  It's always so great having friends and family visit - it's a little piece of home right here in England.  But, it does make it hard when they leave.  

Here are some pics from the week:

 Also, Anna really started smiling while Gary and Vickie were here - and Vickie was able to capture her on her camera!  Adorable!!

Happy Mother's Day!!

I feel so incredibly blessed to be a new mom and I can't stop thinking about how much more of an appreciation I have for my mom on this special day.  You read so much to prepare yourself for motherhood and you talk to every woman out there who is a mother to get their take on motherhood.  But to be honest, nothing can prepare you for this amazing new role except to experience it for yourself.  I appreciate all of those women who have given me advice and their tried and true versions of what's "right" or what worked for them, but the best advice I think any new mom should receive is this: it's the hardest job in the world and yet the best and most amazing thing in the world to experience, so take the sleep deprivation in stride, enjoy every second, and heed any and all motherly advice because anything goes!  

I have reflected a lot on myself as a new mother and my husband and I as new parents, and I always go back to my own childhood and my mom, and it got me thinking about what made and makes my mom so great.  It wasn't her cooking, it wasn't her need to give equal attention to us triplets and our little sister, and it wasn't about her trying to get us to like her.  What made my mom a great mom was her ability to love us each unconditionally, in the most unbiased way.  She made sure to teach us and love us and to just enjoy each of us fully despite our faults and shortcomings and our different interests and personalities.  She loved all four of us no matter what and that's all that mattered.

Mom and I have shared a lot over the years and she is my go to person for everything.  Mom has always been there for me - through everything - she always makes me feel better when I am down and she always lends a listening ear and encourages me to strive to be the best.  She is the rock in our family and without her, I don't know what we would do.   

It's crazy to think that just a short year ago, Dave and I were trying for a baby, and now, a year on and 10 weeks in, we are the parents to the most amazing little girl in the entire world.  I have never felt such a love for someone and such joy and amazement in my life.  I cannot imagine my life being more full and so full of love now that I am a mom. I now know what my parents felt and what their parents felt and I honestly can't think of a greater joy.

As a new mom, I hope to uphold this new role and title, to the best of my ability and I am honored and grateful to now join the class of women who are lucky enough and blessed to be called "Mom." Mom - I hope you know that you are loved and appreciated more than words can say, and more than you could ever know.  I love you today, and every day and I hope one day, I can be at least half the woman, mother and friend you have been to me.  Happy Mothers Day to the best mom a daughter could ever hope for!  I love you Mom!

Happy 5th Anniversary!!!!

Happy 5th Anniversary to my amazing husband, David - the man of my dreams, the love of my life and my best friend.  Thank you for your unconditional love, support, and encouragement and for the greatest gift I have ever received, our daughter, Anna.  You make me smile today, and every day.  Here is to another amazing five years, and many, many more. 

Love always, your wife,
Sarah

Anna: 2 months old!

Anna is two months old already!  Like I said in her one month post, I don't know where the time has gone!  Anna has grown so much already and I see changes in her every day.  She is "talking" up a storm these days and is starting to smile!  (That's my favorite!)  Anna is getting better and better at holding her head up and pushing herself up when she's on her tummy.  

She had her 8 week check up this week and she now weighs 9lbs., 7 oz.!  She has also grown 4 cm in length and is now wearing more and more of her 3 month sized clothes.  She had her first round of vaccines - or as the Brits say, "jabs."  She did really well considering getting shots in both legs and only had a mild fever for about a day.  

We are currently in the process of applying for a British Visa for Anna so we can do some traveling this summer.  Cross your fingers for a smooth process!  Four more months until we move home - can't wait for everyone to meet our little sweetheart!

(For comparison purposes, here is Anna at one month!  As you can see, she's growing and changing a lot!)