playdate with a purpose

Last week I hosted the first "playdate with a purpose" at a park that is about 1 mile from my house. The goal for these playdates is to connect with other moms in the community, build friendships with them and be there for them whenever the time is needed. I had a really fun time and was able to connect with a lot of moms. I'm praying that these moms that come will see the light of Jesus shining through me how I love on my daughter and live out my life. I am just trying to send the message out to all these moms that The Jesus died for them, and if hanging out with them will help them realize this, I am all for it! :)

The vision of these "playdates with a purpose" came from a sweet friend of mine Jenna, after reading the book by Helen Lee called Missional Mom. I am almost done reading it, and it is soooo good! you can get it here off amazon. It just has helped me to realize that serving the Lord is my top priority in life, and being a mom comes after that. It is great motivation on loving the Lord and putting Him first, and being a great mom.

I made these cute cards to invite other moms who were at the park and encourage them to come. My friend Julie, who was with me made cookies to pass out as a welcoming invitation! She made the best cookies and brownies!!!

This is Maggie Claire {in the white} with her sweet new friend Allie {in the blue}. They were so cute swinging together! I went to school with Allie's mom, Lindsay, and was very excited that she was able to come. I think we are already building a great community here! :)

Here is my sweet baby girl playing on the slide, She seriously had the best time climbing up that slide! Thankfully my mom came and helped me with her while I was able to pass out some cards/cookies and invite some other moms who were at the park to come back to the playdate!!!

Our next playdate will be held on October 26th at 11:30, wannamaker park playground, and we are doing a little costume party for all the little kiddos. This will be another excuse for Mags to dress up in her adorable cupcake costume that we got her! umm... cuteness!!! :)

If any of you are in the Charleston area and would love to come to any of our playdates here is a list below of all the ones that a group of my friends from Seacoast Church are offering! Also, if you have any questions please feel free to email me hilarysurratt@gmail.com

Last Wednesday at 11:30 a.m. – Wannamaker Park
2nd Monday at 11:00 a.m. – Park Circle
2nd Tuesday at 11:30 a.m. – Park West Playground
1st Tuesday at 10:30 a.m. – Park West Playground
2nd Thursday at 11:30 a.m. – Pirate Park on Daniel Island
1st Tuesday at 11:00 a.m. – Hibben Playground in Belle Hall
1st Monday at 5:00 p.m. – The Gates, Dunes West

"Train up a child in the way he should go, Even when he is old he will not depart from it." Proverbs 22:6

miscellany monday in may!

I had a fabulous 1st mother's day. I have the cutest, happiest baby around town, so this momma is happy! :) Here is us yesterday: me, Maggie Claire, and my mom! I am so blessed to have a super mom who I love and can hang out with all the time. Maggie Claire loves her too! :) We got my mom a handstamped charm necklace with the grandkids names on it. I got it from the silver sunshine shop on etsy! I love her stuff, I would love to get a necklace for myself now! :)

My adorable friend Brittany graduated from college this weekend, and I was able to make her some sparkle garland for her party! Congrats Birttany! Here's the sparkle garland for my friend brittany sparkle! {Everyone knows her by sparkle b/c she loves glitter like nobodies business!} You can follow her on twitter @sparklespice. I love her!

This is what my house looks like after every weekend. We are in Mount Pleasant{about 20 min from where we live} about 75% of the weekend, which means I am always carrying stuff in and out of the house, and by the time I get home on Sunday afternoon, I just want to put it all down and crash on the couch. so this is what my house looks like every monday morning! haha- and it still looks like this and it's almost 3pm! I better get to cleaning b/c my mom is coming over to watch Maggie Claire tonight, and I need to cook some food to take to small group!

Happy Monday everyone! Link on up with other Miscellany Monday posts!

More post coming this week on Maggie turning 7 months, paint bake & create relaunching, and MC getting spoiled by her grandparents from California!!! :)

5 months

Maggie Claire, you are 5 months old!

{March 7, 2010}

My sweet Maggie Claire! You light up our life more than what's possible. We love you so much and are so so so so so blessed! You are getting funnier every day and your dad and I love it! We take videos of you all the time so that we will remember what you like like that this age. You can check out all the videos here. You are very much independent, at such a young age!

5 month stats:

15 pounds 7 ounces

26.5 inches

things that Maggie Claire does right now:

• Tried carrots for the first time and LOVED them!
• Still exclusively breastfed {never had any formula}
• Today at church MC held her bottle BY HERSELF for the first time. My mom was feeding her and she insisted! This was a huge shocker, and too funny!
• Sleeps 9-10 hours straight at night
• has rolled over about 5 times total, but still doesn't seem interested in it.
• Her feet & hands are her favorite toys, but she also likes her sophie the giraffe, violet the dog, the singing hippo, and other little toys she can grab & put in her mouth!
• Still loves her paci & mommy does too, because it helps her go to sleep. ha!
• She is most likely found in the outside swing on the porch, in the jumperoo, or lying on the floor on a blanket playing with her feet!
• Sleeps in her crib at home, the pack-n-play at anyone else's house, and the swing at church
• loves her new little friend that I'm nannying, who is 10 months older than her!
• wears a size 2 diaper
• loves being outside... {I'm so thankful it's warming up so we can be outside!}
• loves to splash in the bath water! This past week we put the baby float on the tub, so she could sit up in it! You can see that picture here.
• She sleeps with a blanket in one hand, a lovie in the other, her glow seahorse playing, and a sound machine. As you can tell, we're all about the sleep props! ha! When we go places where she needs to nap, we put it all in her "nap bag." Oh yes, she also sleeps in the aden & anais sleep sack. We have the fish & flower one & they are wonderful!
• She started wearing hair bows without the headband!!! {I am in love}

I am probably missing so much more, but she is just a doll baby! Here are a few funny pictures that we got of her! She makes some funny faces! Especially when she gets excited about her giraffe!

For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

Jeremiah 29:11

the golden year.

Today is my golden birthday. I honestly had no idea what a golden birthday was until a few days ago. All I know is that I have been looking forward to this birthday for years! I am 24 years old on the 24th! This is such a special birthday for me because this is my first birthday of being a mom. I couldn't have asked for a better birthday present this year, because Maggie Claire is the best present I've ever had! :)

Today we went to lunch and did a little shopping with some birthday gift cards that I got and now Maggie Claire is napping before we head over to Mike's parents tonight. What an awesome birthday it has already been spending it with our little family!

Happy 24th Birthday to me! :)

november first.

hello november!

This is my absolute favorite month of the year, and not only because it's my birthday month, but I am just in love with the weather! Plus we are getting ready for all of the holiday festivities beginning with {my birthday is the day before thanksgiving} Thanksgiving and then coming soon there after... Christmas! I have already been looking at the Christmas decorations at Target and Walmart! hehe. Oh yes, and I remembered that I bought a mini pink Christmas tree last year before I even knew I was pregnant, and I can't wait to put it up in MC's room!

And now for some pictures of maggie claire... don't you just love the jean skirt?!?!

On Friday was Rocktoberfest {fall festival} at our church, and I dressed MC up as a ballerina. My friend Allison gave me this bathing suit with a tutu attached at one of my baby showers for MC, and I put a long sleeve shirt & leggings on underneath it for the festival, and there is her halloween costume! {It's really a 9 month suit, so there is room to grow for next summer} She was the cutest ballerina there...

My nephew Jack was a firefighter, and Tate was a dalmatian! They were so cute together! oh, and Tate... he was just too adorable... every time I would look at him I would just giggle because of how cute he looked in his dalmatian costume!

Me & my little ballerina!

Maggie Claire got to meet her aunt Brittainy this weekend too! It was Brittainy's birthday this weekend, so she came home from school in Florida to see everyone, celebrate her birthday, and meet maggie claire! {Brittainy is Mike's sister}

That's just about all the excitement going on around here! It's kinda crazy being a SAHM because there is so much to be done around the house... the laundry is piling up, there is baby stuff every where, there are dishes that need to be cleaned & put away, but all I have energy to do while MC is napping is sit on the couch in my pjs at 3:30 in the afternoon and blog. Well, at least I did take a shower today! :)

happy Monday everyone!

3 weeks old

Today my sweet baby girl is three weeks old, and I just can't believe it! She is already growing up so fast, and I just can't get enough of her! I seriously could {and I do} just kiss those sweet cheeks all day long! Her cuteness makes up for having to get up multiple times throughout the night to feed her! hehe.

I took this picture of her today, and I just love it! The sweet bracelet and all! :)

I'm thinking this should be her birth announcement picture, what do you think??

Earlier this week we went for her 2 week checkup, and I am such a proud momma!

MC weighed 9 pounds 5 ounces and is now 21.5 inches!

She gained over 2 pounds in 2 weeks and grew 2 inches.

I guess I'm producing some high calorie milk! :)