BABY GIRL MCDONALD
April 14th at 5:54am, Jesse and I met our healthy baby girl (via c-section) weighing 8 pounds, 7 ounces and 20 1/4 inches long!
When it came time to choose a name for our baby girl, I wanted to be sure to name our daughter after a woman I have known practically my entire life and who is very dear to my heart. My parents have known Marion (and Otto) long before I was born. When my entire family was involved in a horrific car accident in the Netherlands, they temporarily "adopted" me while everyone else recovered in the hospital. From little girl, to young woman, to wife, and now mother, Marion (and Otto) has been a constant in my life.
Now as silly as this is going to sound to the ENTIRE universe, all of our children's name's end in "en": Gwen, Quinten, and Bowen. I wanted to keep the "theme" going, so with a small twist in the name, Maren Grace McDonald became official! I can't wait for them to meet this fall!
MAREN GRACE - 1 MONTH
MAREN GRACE - 2 MONTHS
MAREN GRACE - 3 MONTHS
BAPTISM
Maren was baptized June 25th at St. Anne's in Gilbert, Arizona.
Her godparents are (Unky) Kevin and (Aunt Jelly) Jessie Leigh McDonald.
QUINTEN
We decided to start Quinten in some "preschool" classes a few days a week so that he could have some social interaction while we all adjusted to having a new baby around. He LOVES it (sigh of relief)! He truly is such a wonderful kid! He constantly entertains us (yes, he's trying to use my breast pump). He loves helping me cook and taking Maren's "diaper caterpillar" out to the trash. And he enjoys spending time with his cousin Mackenzie.
Jesse, along with two other dads and each of their sons, went on their first Father-Son weekend camping trip! Hopefully this will continue on as a tradition because the boys had a blast (minus the torrential downpour the first night)!
GWEN
First pair of glasses, another lost tooth, a new Notre Dame back brace, Easter Egg decorating, Vacation Bible School with Aunt Diana, swimming with dad, Wild West summer school, and sitting up long enough by herself for me to get a picture are just a few of the good things that have happened for Gwen!
I thank God everyday for sending Cassie our way! She's AMAZING (with all of our children) and I truly would be lost without her help!
PINETOP, ARIZONA
8 years and counting...this trip is never going to get old! It's so nice to detach from the face paced world we live and just be. Home town parades, fresh clean air, fishing, shooting, board games, books, hiking, and lounging around with the people you love...
....it just doesn't get any better.
