The Holeman Trio

Merry Christmas from The Holemans

2011-12-21T14:09:00.005-06:00

Madilyn is 2 years - 9 months old and so much fun! She is the biggest blessing either Pete or I could've ever asked for. We are really looking forward to Santa coming this year and experiencing that with our sweet little girl since this is really the first year she seems to understand what's going on. She keeps asking me "is it Sunday yet?" because she knows she can't open any of the gifts until then. Cute little stinker!

We have experienced our own share of ups and downs recently and many others have experienced their own tragedies. It is so hard to go through these trials at all muchless during this time of year. This is something I stumbled upon this week that I wanted to share: Faith never knows where it is being led, but it loves and knows the One who is leading.

I hope everyone has a very Merry Christmas and always remember Jesus is the reason for the season!

Much love, Carrie

"Baby" girl turns TWO

2011-04-08T12:57:00.008-05:00

It is completely surreal to me that my "baby" girl turned TWO on March 30th!! We had a girly monkey themed birthday party the weekend before and everyone really seemed to have a great time (see pictures below) We had lots of family and close friends to come celebrate with us and we are so thankful for all of them! Thanks to Pete's hard work we were able to get her swing set put together on time and she absolutely loves it! Just about every day as we pull in the driveway Madilyn hollars out "my swiiiiiiiing set" which reinforces how thrilled she really is to have her very own swing set. As I'm typing this I realized I don't have a swing set picture to attach so I will do that later!

We had our 'parents as teachers' meeting this week...this is an amazing program through the Petal School District where our parent educator comes to our house to provide educational information for parents and toys/books for Madilyn to use each month. Since this was Madilyn's 2 year mark Mrs. Teresa did an evaluation of her and she met all of the criteria. Yay! Something I'm still amazed by is Madilyn's speech. The average 2 year old is supposed to be able to combine 2-3 word sentences and Madilyn is up to some 8-9 word sentences which is more like a 3 year old. By no means is she perfect but I'm excited to think we have a little smarty on our hands. I was also told at her 2 year doctor's visit that not only is she very healthy but she is the size of an average 3 1/2 year old - yikes! Maybe she'll be a smart, tall, athletic, muscian ?? :)

Madilyn continues to be the biggest blessing of my life! I can't thank God enough for giving me the privilege to be her mother and raise her up in a loving christian home. She has beautiful light red curly hair, a smile that melts my heart and a laugh that is very contagious! She gives the best hugs and kisses in the world. I tend to lean towards her being a daddy's girl but we definitely have our special bond too! Recently she's started asking me to hold her hand while we are riding in the car which is so precious to me! Now I'll get into the things she likes....she is alot like both of us because she loves to eat! Although she loves her share of chicken strips and french fries I am still amazed at how she will try (and usually likes) most anything we feed her! She loves to sing songs, play in the bubble bath, cook in her kitchen, color, watch her favorite cartoons and most of all she loves to play outside. I'm sure she would stay outside all night if we would let her but thanks to the lovely Mississippi mosquitoes that won't be happening! Of course there are days where I think "is this what the terrible 2's are like?" but for the most part she is a fun daily adventure and I cherish every moment I spend with her!!

Encouragement

2010-11-02T14:37:00.003-05:00

Today I'm needing some extra encouragement and this is what I found...

"God always answers our prayers. Either He changes the circumstances, or He supplies sufficient power to overcome them."

Thank you God for loving me and always providing my every need!

Playing catch up

2010-10-31T20:25:00.010-05:00

Cute pic of Madilyn trying to sneak into my purse :)

Fun group shot after a BIG win over Gulfport!

This time of year is always incredibly busy for us because of football season and it's proven to be even busier now that Madilyn has gotten so big (19 months old yesterday to be exact)!!

Football is going really well this year and it looks like Petal will be in the playoffs which start in a few weeks. Pete continues to love his job which is such a praise! The new stadium and facility is amazing so I'm incredibly proud of and for him!!

Madilyn is a handful...literally! At her 18 month check-up she was 99% in height and weight. She is growing up so much faster than I could've ever imagined. Most of the time she is the sweetest/funniest little girl but she can definitely show her attitude on occasion. She says so many words now that I can't even keep count. She loves books, music, playing outside and still eats like a champ. Although she loves her share of junk food I'm definitely happy two of her favorites are grapes and apples!!

I'm still on the job hunt and continuing to seek God's guidance as I know he always provides my every need.

It's football time in Petal!!

2010-09-10T13:46:00.004-05:00

After Petal defeats Oak Grove (first time in 10 years!)
Say cheeeeeese!!

Showing her Panther Pride

Painting I made for Pete's new office

17 Months Going On 17 Years!

2010-08-30T12:39:00.008-05:00

Madilyn is 17 months old today and so much fun! Everyone kept telling me how fast time would fly and I believe it now. Time has already gone by so fast and before we know it she'll be a teenager...scary!

I'm not sure what her weight/height are this month. She's still a terrific eater but she's so much more active lately so I'm curious to see if she's gained or lost weight?! She has tried (and liked) every food we've given her - even brussels sprouts from her daddy = YUCK! I'm so thrilled she isn't a picky eater although she definitely loves her share of chicken nuggets, french fries and pizza!!!

She is talking ALOT and by alot I mean non-stop. ha. I am totally loving it though. It seems like she learns a several new words each week which is so exciting. Last week she learned momma is Carrie and daddy is Pete which is totally halarious to hear her say!

While daddy is in full swing with football that means Madilyn and I get lots of quality time! Some days can be challenging but most of the time we have a total blast together. I think the sweetest part of it all is her running across the house screaming "daddy" when he gets home every day. I know Pete loves every minute of it!

Updated pictures of Madilyn coming soon...

June and July

2010-07-31T16:43:00.011-05:00

The last few months have been very busy for us but also exciting! At the end of June I fulfilled one of my dreams of seeing Sting in concert. He performed with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and together they put on an Amazing show!! Although I can't remember the last time he performed nearby, Pete and I had numerous discussions about how we didn't need to spend "that kind of money" to see Sting and came to the conclusion that we shouldn't go. WELL, a few days before the show a friend of mine found out she couldn't go so she offered me her tickets for about 1/3 of the original price. Needless to say I was super excited we didn't already have plans so I jumped at the opportunity to go! Pete was such a good sport about going with me since I know it's not really his style of music! (See pics below)

July began with our wonderful beach vacation to Gulf Shores (lots of pics in the blog below). What a great way to start out the month! The following weekend we went to Yazoo City and

Indianola to visit several family and friends. Lots of people had not even met Madilyn yet so it was a very busy weekend!

The next week was my birthday and Pete & I took an over night trip to NOLA to see Michael Buble' in concert. It was my 2nd show but it was another great one! Pete actually got us a room @ Le Pavillion which is where we stayed on our wedding night. What a sweetie!! The next morning we had Cafe Du Monde and walked around downtown so I could shoot some pics. The rest of my day off was spent at home with Madilyn so it was perfect!!

Last weekend was our FIVE year anniversary! We had a nice dinner out and after we put Madilyn to bed we enjoyed a movie and desserts I made for us. A perfect way to celebrate! I truly feel that God picked the perfect man for me. I'm so grateful he's my best friend, husband and father of my child. I look forward to many many more years together!!

Summer Vacation in Gulf Shores

2010-07-31T15:26:00.014-05:00

Pete, Madilyn, Ms. Holeman and I spent several days in Gulf Shores at the beginning of July. We did see some oil here & there but that didn't stop us from enjoying our family vacation!! Madilyn enjoyed some play time in the sand but she mostly preferred pool time with daddy every evening!

We had lots of relaxation time in our room, fun time at the beach/pool, did a little shopping (all for Madilyn of course!), tried several different restaurants for our dinners out and enjoyed the firework show for the 4th. Overall a very enjoyable vacation and some much needed time away :)

Family shot on the balcony

I sure do love this little girl!

*Cutie pie*

Having a blast in the pool with daddy!

In my 4th of July dress

Fireworks

She loves her daddy!!

Always stealing mommy's chair

One of my favs

Summer

2010-06-29T13:36:00.008-05:00

Two of the best ways to cellebrate summer:watermelon

swimming

Pete and I are loving the adventures of being parents. Although it is incredibly hot it has been so nice to enjoy being outside with Madilyn! She absolutely LOVED her first watermelon and we let her play in her pool at least once a week. She has a total blast!! I'll try to post some videos of her in action. These two sweet pictures will have to do for now :)

Tomorrow (6/30) she will be 15 months old and I cannot believe it. We don't go for her check-up for several more weeks but I'm guessing she's around 26 lbs and such a great eater. So far she has eaten everything we've given her except cooked carrots. Not sure why she doesn't like them but I don't either! I love that she actually prefers raisins and fruits over everything else. What a blessing she's not picky like her momma!! She got four BIG teeth within the last few weeks which was a much bigger challenge than the eight front teeth...poor thing! She is saying several words now: momma, daddy, mawmaw, pawpaw, pup pup, sassy (dog @ daycare), bubbles, cracker, pool, milk, no no, hey, bye bye, several animal sounds, etc. She lights up when her daddy walks in the room but she also loves to cuddle up with momma. She still loves her bath time and sleeps through the night. She gives hugs/kisses and even blows us kisses when we're leaving. I charish every minute I'm with her and miss her every minute I'm away from her. I am so grateful God has given me the best husband and sweetest baby girl. I am blessed!!

2010-06-07T08:15:00.002-05:00

Happy 30th Birthday to Pete!!!

Party Pics

2010-04-01T12:16:00.008-05:00

Welcome to Madilyn's 1st Birthday!

amazing cake by Red Maple

proud parents...sleepy girl

we can't believe she's really ONE

not the greatest pic but you get the idea ;) wasn't so sure @ first but then she literally dove in

AFTER
getting all cleaned up

the percussion set mommy picked out...of course last gift...cozy coupe - she LOVED it!!!
birthday photo shoot
sweet profile
riding in style
seriously mommy?

Happy Birthday Madilyn!!!

2010-03-30T12:04:00.006-05:00

I cannot believe it has already been a year since Madilyn was born. I remember that morning like it was yesterday! What an incredible gift God has given us! I can honestly say that being a mother is the most rewarding task God could ever bless me with and not a day goes by that I don't thank him for this privelege.

Madilyn Lea Holeman: born 3/30/09 @ 9:14 am weighing 6lb, 10oz and being 19.5 inches.

Today:
-weighs around 23 lbs
-loves to eat...hasn't turned down any foods we've given her so far *not picky like me
-getting her 7th tooth
-talks sooo much and still loves to entertain us by dancing :)
-would play in the bath tub all night if we would let her
-loves being outside so we are super excited about the spring weather!!

Birthday party pics from Saturday to follow in the next few days...

Where does the time go?

2010-02-25T12:32:00.011-06:00

It is surreal to me that Madilyn is almost 11 months old and I'm already trying to plan her first birthday! Pete and I cherish every moment we spend with her and she truly makes us happier than we could've ever imagined. I'm so thankful God has given us the opportunity to be parents to such a special little girl.

She has changed so much in these last few months. It took over 8 months for her to ever get a tooth and now she has SIX. With those six teeth also came lots of fun table foods which she absolutely loves!! No more baby food which means we have started cooking more nutritious meals for all of us so we can make sure she gets plenty of veggies.

She crawls around constantly, she loves to walk around holding onto the couch and her new favorite thing is DANCING. At first it was a little "booty shake" here and there when her musical turtle would play but now she dances all the time and loves every minute of it. Of course Pete and I laugh every single time! How incredible to see her smiling and dancing and of course making sure mommy & daddy are watching!! She even seems to be on beat so maybe she'll take after me and have a love for music :)

holiday favs

2010-01-26T08:39:00.004-06:00

2010 Cotton Bowl - Dallas, TX

Playing with Pawpaw

Cousins - Haylee & Jackson

Ticklish!

Bubba & Granny

Merry Christmas from Madilyn :)

2009-12-23T09:03:00.001-06:00

Snow in MS

2009-12-15T08:42:00.003-06:00

Thanksgiving

2009-12-01T08:52:00.004-06:00

I can't even begin to name all of the things I'm thankful for but I can say one of God's greatest blessings to us is Madilyn. Not only have we watched her grow a ton over the last 8 months but she has had several changes just over the Thanksgiving holiday...she's army crawling, pulling up and now her first tooth is finally peeking through. We are blessed beyond measures with the experience of parenthood! We continue to thank God for this blessing and seek his guidance to be the best parents we can possibly be. God is so good!

Spending time with Pawpaw

2009-11-13T13:30:00.008-06:00

I'm not sure who enjoyed this more??

Halloween

2009-11-01T20:22:00.005-06:00

October

2009-10-27T11:21:00.016-05:00

Sweet Potatoes!!

Mommy's happy girl!

Granny came to visit :)

Madilyn shows off her Petal outfit!

Snuggled up with mommy @ the game!

Mitchell Farms - Pumpking Patch

Mmmomma

2009-10-20T11:50:00.007-05:00

Sounds like "momma" to me! Of course she has only done this when she's been tired/fussy AND when Pete isn't at home so I recorded it last night for proof :)

6 months old!

2009-10-04T21:41:00.008-05:00

We spent some time in Slidell during Labor Day weekend since Pete was able to have a little extra time off...which is very rare during football season! Although he is an Ole Miss fan we did "allow" Madilyn to wear her LSU onesie for the day since it was a gift from Bubba & Granny.

Madilyn is very active and so much fun! She is rolling over a ton and scooting a good bit but not crawling just yet. She is still a drooling machine and gnaws on everything but no sign of any teeth yet. She still loves bath time too so I tend to take lots of pictures during that time (2nd picture). She had her 6 month check- up last week which was so sad to watch but thankfully she was her normal fun self after she took a long afternoon nap! The doctor confirmed she's eating and growing really well. She now weighs 18 lb, 14 oz and is 26 5/8 inches. He also gave us the go ahead to start spoon feeding her so we've been trying out rice cereal the last few days.

I still can't believe she's already 6 months old. These have been the absolute best 6 months of my life!! "Light of dad's life" (photo 3) is also very true!!!

I was hoping to take Madilyn to most of the football games but the rain has prevented us from doing that, however, she did really well at the game on Friday night which is where she wore her adoreable red/white polka dotted outfit.

The last picture was actually after church today. Pete had already gone to work so I decided to do a quick photoshoot just b/c I thought she looked so sweet in her houndstooth dress :)

We thank God each day for blessing our lives so much by giving us the opportunity to be parents to such a precious baby girl.

These are several of my favorite pictures from the last month or so:

Peek-a-boo

2009-10-02T07:41:00.004-05:00

Jump Jump Jump

2009-09-23T09:47:00.008-05:00

In the beginning she didn't quite know what to do with this but I would say she has the hang of it now :)

Giggle Girl

2009-09-07T18:08:00.003-05:00

Madilyn enjoying some daddy time after the Ole Miss game.

Big events = Big emotions

2009-08-06T10:33:00.003-05:00

Madilyn is growing up way too fast! I cherish every minute I get to spend with her and it amazes me how I can love her more and more every day!

This past Sunday we had her dedication at church. We honor God for blessing our lives with her! She did really well for the dedication and seemed to enjoy the lunch with family & friends at our house afterwards. She is such a sweet baby!

Monday was a big day for Madilyn and I...first day of daycare! I knew this day had to come but I was still unprepared as I drove to work in tears!! Each day is getting a little better as I know she's in good hands (and right around the corner). It's also encouraging to walk in to pick her up everyday and see her playing with a huge smile on her face.

Alot of things happening to keep us busy but we wouldn't trade it for the world. Thank you God for continuing to bless us everyday!!

Summer Vacation & Update

2009-07-24T07:33:00.019-05:00

So we packed up (what felt like the entire house) to take a trip to Destin last week but we had an amazing time. Although Madilyn is still a little young to fully enjoy the beach, she was a joy to have there with us, as always! I wanted to post several pictures from the week so everyone can see how much she's growing & changing.

She loved laying in the beach pack-n-play the Reynolds let us borrow (as you can see in pic #1). She wasn't a big fan of the bikini OR the hat but I couldn't resist a photo! She loves the game of peek-a-boo with her MiMi and seemed to enjoy her first time in a big pool. Overall she's just a wonderful and happy baby so I am constantly snapping pictures!!

I was also fortunate enough to celebrate my birthday while in Destin and my sweet hubby suprised me with dinner reservations so MiMi kept Madilyn so we could have a date. So sweet!!

This week was also very eventful...on Wednesday, Madilyn had her 4 month check up, which we are thankful is over! Poor baby turned purple she cried so hard after getting those shots, it was heart-breaking for mommy & daddy to watch! On a good note, we did find out not only has she gained alot of weight but she's grown alot as well which is wonderful, so at 16.5 weeks she weighs 16.2 lbs and is 26 1/8 inches long - wow! Also, yesterday Pete & I celebrated our 4 year anniversary. I can honestly say these last 4 years have been the most incredible years of my life. I am so thankful that God has blessed me with such an amazing man to be my best friend, my husband and the sweet daddy he is to Madilyn. I look forward to many, many more years of love and laughter with Pete by my side!!

time flies

2009-07-01T11:45:00.010-05:00

I cannot believe Madilyn was 3 months old yesterday! Everyone was right...time flies after they're born!! We are having a blast getting to talk and play with her. Her little personality is really starting to shine! The butterfly in the pictures is something I got her before she was born and just introduced to her last week and she LOVES it. It's soft, has crackly wings and even plays music so the 3-n-1 toy is perfect for her. She's not quite ready to pull the cord to make it sing but she loves to hang on to it...especially while she's sleeping. It has been so amazing to have her come to work with me these last few months. I love being able to watch her sleep, hear her play/talk and hold her during my lunch breaks!! :)

Who knew something so tiny could bring so much joy and love. What a blessing from God!!

Father's Day

2009-06-21T20:48:00.002-05:00

God has truly blessed me with two amazing men in my life. I was raised by one and I'm married to one. I look forward to watching Pete raise Madilyn and bless her life like my father did mine.

COLDPLAY

2009-06-10T19:59:00.011-05:00

Althought it was our first time to leave Madilyn overnight, which was VERY hard, we did have an amazing time in New Olreans!

We had dinner at Hard Rock, enjoyed a four hour concert featuring Howling Bells, Snow Patrol and COLDPLAY and to top it all off we were able to get a full night of sleep which felt incredible!!

A night to remember...

Happy Birthday Pete

2009-06-07T19:38:00.003-05:00

I want to wish Pete a very happy birthday. He's my best friend, the love of my life and he father of our precious baby girl. I'm so grateful for him and everything that he means to me!

Nine Weeks Old

2009-06-01T10:25:00.003-05:00

It's so hard to believe Madilyn is already 9 weeks old. Everyone was right...time FLIES even more after they are born so I'm trying to cherish every moment we spend together! I love her more & more each day and feel honored to be her mommy. She is now smiling and cooing a good bit which is so exciting.

This weekend was her first shopping experience and her first time out to dinner with us and she did great with both. Although we'd love a little more sleep @ night, we honestly couldn't ask for a better baby. She's our angel!!

The past few weeks

2009-05-15T13:20:00.005-05:00

Well we've had an eventful past few weeks so I wanted to share a few pictures...a four generation photograph with my grandmother, mom, myself and Madilyn, a photograph of sweet Madilyn asleep on her great aunt Nancy's hand and a photograph of us celebrating my brother's graduation!!

My grandmother, aunt Nancy and aunt Lori traveled down from Virginia to help us celebrate Adam's graduation from nursing school AND of course came to meet Madilyn too!

Yesterday was a BIG day for Madilyn - she survived her shots and so did I! She weighed 10lb. 6oz, 22 3/8 inches at 6.5 weeks old so we're thankful for a healthy and growing baby girl!!

I also started back to work this week so that's been a big challenge!!

Photoshoot - 1 month old

2009-05-03T12:14:00.005-05:00

I thought time flew by while I was pregnant but it flies by even quicker these days! This last month has been the most challenging and rewarding time of my life and I thank God for blessing us with Madilyn every day!! She basically eats, sleeps and poops ALOT but I could stare at her all day long and never get enough. We've been able to catch a glimpse of her smiling but only in her sleep...wonder what she's dreaming about at such a young age?! Although she spends everyday with me, she perks up when her daddy walks in the door every afternoon. It's so sweet that she already notices the sound of his voice and loves it when he talks to her. I'm so lucky to have such a sweet husband and father to our child. I can't wait to see what is in store for us during the next month :)

The BEST Easter Ever!

2009-04-13T14:07:00.005-05:00

2009-04-04T11:59:00.008-05:00

Madilyn Lea Holeman

March 30, 2009 @ 9:14 a.m.

6 lbs, 10 oz and 19.5 inches

Coming soon...

2009-03-24T10:22:00.002-05:00

It looks like our little girl is stubborn already, remaining breech throughout the whole process...so it looks like we'll welcome her into the world on Monday, March 30 by c-section!

Maternity Pics @ 35.5 weeks

2009-03-10T07:38:00.008-05:00

2009-03-05T15:25:00.003-06:00

Another shower...even more blessings!

So blessed!

2009-02-25T11:54:00.008-06:00

God has truly blessed me by allowing me to have some of the most amazing people in my life and it definitely showed at Madilyn's baby shower this weekend...not only did I have the most wonderful hostesses but I also had a great amount of guests! We got lots of great things for Madilyn so now the 6 week countdown begins...

Madilyn's room

2009-02-10T09:10:00.004-06:00

We're so excited about the nursery for our little Madilyn...less than 8 weeks!!

Less than 10 weeks left ...

2009-01-30T13:35:00.004-06:00

Christmas in the new house!

2008-12-30T16:43:00.003-06:00

Well we managed to move into our new home the weekend RIGHT before Christmas...it was a challenge but also a huge blessing! Since we had a Christmas event every day last week we're obviously still unpacking and getting settled in.

Today helped with that process since we closed on our old home. Great timing for us and a great house to have in our memories forever!

*This picture is me @ 25.5 weeks and Pete's favorite so I thought I would share it with everyone*

Let the moving begin...

2008-12-17T08:40:00.000-06:00

We're starting the moving process this week. We hope to have alot done by Christmas but luckily we have a few weeks to get settled in since the closing on our other home isn't until the end of the month. God's timing couldn't be more perfect for us...yet another blessing he has given us!

Although I am extremely overwhelmed with joy to move into our new home, I am also a little sad to move away from our "first" home. We have had 3.5 years of amazing memories there but now it's time to make new memories at our new location!

2008-11-20T14:57:00.001-06:00

How excited do we look!? :) Yesterday we both took the morning off to spend together. We started our day out by having an exciting ultrasound @ the doctor's office. Not only did we find out our baby is very active and healthy...we now know we're having a little GIRL!!! Below is the side profile of our baby girl with her hand on her head...

2008-11-20T14:50:00.000-06:00

This is the front porch of our new home taken at the beginning of October. The inside has come a LONG way and we're still hopeful to move in next month. What an amazing blessing to be moving into a new home while expecting a new baby. God is too good!!