Santa Baby

Hope you all had a beautiful Christmas! We began our fun with Christmas Eve Eve in DeWitt--Christmas Eve was on the East side of the state for two separate parties---and Christmas Day was here in the morning and Holland at night. It was great to spend time with family even though our visits seemed too short.

Unfortunately Daniel was not feeling very well for his first Christmas. For a few days, he seemed to be a bit under the weather--we realized he had a fever in the afternoon on Christmas Day (so Daniel and Matt stayed home and didn't make it to Holland with me that night). It was the right thing to do because we got him in to see the doc this morning and realized that he had a double ear infection! Poor little boy. He started taking an antibiotic this morning and seemed to be doing a lot better by this evening already.

Our picture with Santa was taken Thanksgiving weekend in the mall. Gracie and Daniel did great! They didn't smile, but they didn't cry either. ;)

Waiting for Santa

We are very excited that Christmas is only 5 days away! It is the last day of school for me tomorrow--then we can enjoy a long two weeks of vacation!

Happy Anniversary to Us!

Five years! We celebrated together with dinner out, Starbucks, and Christmas shopping. Thanks Matthew and Kelly, for watching Daniel! :)

Our Baby is Eight Months!

Daniel turned eight months on the 30th! He is growing like a weed! I am guessing that he weighs about 20 lbs right now. Our poor little buddy recently got over a bad cold. He had his first fever over the weekend, but recovered pretty quickly from it all (we still managed to get a smile in the above picture with a temperature!). Hopefully this means that he will be healthy for his first Christmas! Here are some of the things that Daniel has been up to:

• He is rolling like crazy--he sleeps on his belly once in a while now.
  
• Supports himself very well while standing--he even stands without support for a second or two!
  
• No interest in crawling--we are guessing that he might skip this all together...we'll see!
  
• He has 8 teeth and really hasn't been upset about teething either! (his bottom 2 teeth came at about 4 1/2 mos., the top ones around 6 mos., and the next 4 came within the last few weeks)
• Can palm a baseball! Dad is very proud.
  
• Happy, happy, happy...giggles a lot...and all smiles!
  
• He does also have a very serious side though--he really thinks about things and studies new people and objects.
  
• Very ticklish--armpits, neck, back, sides, thighs
• Favorite sound to make is "ga"
• He also likes to babble with other consonant sounds.
• He chews and drools on everything!
• He is wearing 12 month clothing (a few 9 mo. things that run big and some 18 mo that run small)
• Sleep: bedtime at about 7:00 pm--wakes up between 6:00 and 7:00 am. Takes 2 naps a day. About 1 1/2 hours in the morning and about the same or even a little more in the afternoon! It is not always the same everyday, but he has gotten a whole lot more predictable as time goes on. Daniel didn't sleep very well last week because his nose was so stuffed---I think we are getting back on track again though!
• Food! Daniel has 3 meals of solids each day (fruits (2x), veggies (2x), cereal (2x), meat/poultry (1x)) and he has 4 meals of mommy milk each day! He eats very well---probably why he is growing in front of our eyes... He is also drinking water from a sippy or a real cup!
• Daniel is just a joy to be around--we are really looking forward to Christmas! We'll get to show him off to our friends and family! ;)

...some recent pictures---what a fun time of year!

Daniel's first Christmas tree!

Gracie & Daniel cozy in their carseats

some giggles before bathtime

sitting in the rocking chair that Great-grandpa Sikkel (87) used as a child

having some fun with our Mac photo booth

hangin' with cousin Tryg

Go Blue!

Happy Halloween!

We had a fun week. Daniel turned 7 months on Tuesday. We had an eventful Wednesday for Halloween. The babes and I visited Kelly at her school in the afternoon. Daniel sported his camo and hunter's orange. Gracie was a pink bunny. We had my parents, Scott, and my grandparents over for a bowl of chili in the evening. The rain kept some of the trick-or-treaters inside, but it was still fun to see the few that came all dressed up! On Thursday, Kelly and I took the kids in for their flu shots. We thought we would do a weight-check while we were there--Daniel is about 19 pounds! No wonder it is getting so difficult to hold him for extended periods of time.

Our Little Pumpkin

A few weeks ago, we took Daniel to a pumpkin patch--we sipped on some cider and enjoyed a sunny autumn day!

Home Sweet Home

Our new house is beginning to feel like home. We still have a very long to-do list and boxes to unpack, but it is going to be a great place for our family! We have a couple of guest bedrooms, so we would love visitors any time!

Big News!

Wow, this has been a busy couple of weeks! Daniel is now sitting up! He still tips over once in a while, but he does a pretty good job! He skipped the rolling over phase--he has done it a few times, but doesn't seem to have much interest in perfecting this skill--instead he will roll on his side and stop there while he is playing on the floor or in his crib. We celebrated his 1/2 birthday on Sunday with a half birthday cake (Daniel didn't get any--he'll have to wait another 6 months before he can eat cake). It's hard to believe that our little man is 6 months old!

Matt is recovering quickly from knee surgery. He is officially off of his crutches and is walking around very well! He got a great report from his PT today. She is impressed with how strong and flexible his knee looks!

Today was a happy day for our family! We closed on our new house! It's official! After 9 months of being out of a home, this feels really good! Since the house has been empty for quite some time, we are able to get into it immediately. We'll be moving in this weekend.

I'll send more pictures soon!

Wanna see some photos?

Sorry! I meant to post some pictures along with my previous update! Here they are! Hope everyone is having a great week! Happy (almost) Friday!

End of summer/Early Fall Photos
Jocelyn turns 30!

The Latest...

Our lives have gotten very busy here these past few weeks, so I haven't updated in a while! Sadly, the summer months (and my maternity leave) came to an end and school has begun! We fit in one last busy weekend away over Labor Day weekend. Matt and I took Daniel up to Higgins on that Thursday night--Daniel and I left on Friday afternoon--we drove to Omena to visit Kelli Scarlett, then spent the night in Suttons Bay in cherryland with the Gregory family. From there we drove to Big Star Lake to spend the rest of the weekend with the Tanis family. Matt stayed at Higgins for the weekend with the guys (from DeWitt).

The start of school went pretty smoothly, especially since Kelly and I are sharing childcare duties. It really couldn't be a better set up. Daniel has the best babysitter in town each morning, then I have the pleasure of watching Daniel and Gracie in the afternoon! I think we are all still getting in the groove and figuring out nap schedules, etc., but it has been really great so far!

Last weekend we were able to visit our friends in Ann Arbor. The Edin's put on their annual Michigan-football-game-day party. It was an extra special day because we helped Jocelyn celebrate her 30th birthday! Great to see everyone there!


On Sunday, we started Daniel on rice cereal. He wasn't so sure at first, but he seemed to warm up to it the next day. He is still trying to get the hang of it--seems like half of it dribbles out of his mouth yet.

This weekend was a little different...I think it was the first one in a while that we stayed here in GR! Matt had his ACL surgery on Thursday. Everything went great and we can see quite an improvement even a few days later. He has a follow-up appt. in about a week, then some intense therapy begins!

Yesterday Daniel and I went to the Fredrick Meijer Gardens with Sarah and the twins. It was nice to get some fresh air and hang out with our friends! Matt was content here at the apt. watching Michigan finally kick some booty!

These next few weeks will be busy, but I'll try to stay on top of the updates. Hope everyone is doing well! Happy Fall!

Daniel and I went to Big Star for the weekend and spent some time with my parents. It was a chilly weekend--felt nice compared to these 90 degree, humid days we have had lately.

When we got home on Sunday, Matt put together Daniel's exersaucer and jumperoo! He really seems to like them! I wasn't sure if he was ready yet, but we're glad we took them out of storage. It is great entertainment for us to watch him in the jumperoo--he LOVES it! We are really enjoying this stage--he smiles often, giggles, and loves to 'talk' to us. He continues to grow like a weed and he has been sleeping great (11-12 hours!). Life is good.

My mom and I stopped by April's house for a visit on Wednesday. It was nice to see them again. Laney is growing, but she is still so tiny--Daniel has her beat by about 10 lbs.:)! What a difference a few months can make.

More photos of the past week...

Weekend in Pentwater

It was a beautiful weekend in Pentwater--we spent time with some of our best friends, enjoyed a few hot, summer days as we relaxed in the cottage, on the beach, and in Lake Michigan. Ahhh... Our hosts (Lisa & Dan) couldn't have planned things better--we got to see some great sunsets, fireworks, and even a meteor shower! Awesome. If only we had more time together...

Our photos...

Other big news: Daniel is getting his first two teeth this week! We got home on Sunday and I realized they had actually started to come through! It is very cute when he smiles. :)

Beach Picnic

On Wednesday night, we celebrated mom & dad's 35th wedding anniversary! We enjoyed a summer evening at the beach in Holland. There was good food, family, and a pretty painted sky to end the evening. Congrats mom & dad!

Photos of the evening...
Scott's photo album of the evening...

our not so little man

Daniel had his 4 month well-baby appointment today. We were happy to get a great report. It was fun to finally see how much he has grown! Our little man is not so little--he gained exactly 4 pounds since the last appointment--this puts him at 15 lbs. 11 oz.! He was really brave too--4 more shots today--we dressed him in his 'tough guy' onesie for the occasion. He was a little fussy this afternoon, and went to bed early. Poor little buddy. I'm sure he'll be back to normal tomorrow.

Summer Fun

Busy Busy. I am excited to share with you lots pictures from the past few weeks. Sarah & Chris' twins, Carter & Clara, turned 1 year old on July 11. Daniel attended his first wedding for Dave & Holli Schoonover. We spent more lazy days at both cottages. Daniel went to his first baseball game. And we welcomed into the world our friend, Laney Elizabeth Borchert. April and Chris had their baby on July 27. She is a honey and SO tiny next to Daniel. She weighed 5 lbs. 9 oz at birth. My guess is that Daniel is around 16 lbs.! We'll find out for sure tomorrow!

Enjoy the photos. They are in separate albums so you can pick and choose the ones you'd like to see! Happy summer!

1st Birthday Party
Dave & Holli's wedding
Big Star Lake
Higgins Lake
Laney/Baseball

Daniel is 4 months old!

The little man turned 4 months on Monday! Where does the time go? He is a happy, smiley, giggly guy. He is starting to reach out and grab things that interest him now. It's really fun to watch him concentrate on something, then try to get it! His hands are constantly in his mouth, and the drool doesn't stop flowing. So cute. We have our 4 month doc appointment next week Tuesday, so I'll be able to report on that then. I am guessing that he has put on more than a few pounds since the 2 month check-up. This boy is growing like crazy! Guess that's a good thing...

I know I seem to be completely behind on pictures and many of you have been so kind to remind me--that's good, keep me on my toes. One of the reasons, is that we have been SO busy! We are trying to soak up every last drop of summer which means that our weeks are crammed with fun things. The other reason is that I am still in between computers--some photos on the old, and others on the new. The new comptuer is goofing me up a little--Jocelyn, I need your expert advice. Why doesn't my full toolbar come up on my blogger? I don't have near the amount of buttons as before. The one I especially need is the 'link' button. Where did it go?

Ah well, I'll get this thing down again soon. Hope you all are doing well. I'll have about a thousand pictures to post very soon. :)

4th of July

Whew! I'm back! We enjoyed an entire week of rest and relaxation with family during the week of the 4th. It began at Big Star Lake with the Tanis family. I stayed Monday and Tuesday while Matt was working in GR. That way Daniel and I could enjoy a couple more days at the cottage and we were able to see our friends, the Oshinski's, who used to own the cottage next door to us. They were in town from California for the week!

My parents and Scott brought Daniel and me to Higgins on the 4th. They hung out there for a little while before heading back to Big Star. We had the annual 4th of July Smith family reunion (Matt's mom's side) at Higgins. This year we added 3 new babies to the family! As you will see in the photos, we enjoyed taking lots of pictures of them together.

We are heading to Bay City in a couple of hours for a wedding today (good family friends of the Kleins). I will post the pictures we take in a couple of days! Have a great weekend!


Big Star Lake photos

Higgins Lake photos

Slacker!

I'll have pictures posted very soon! Sorry I am a little behind. We have been pretty busy lately! AND, I am in between computers. I have upgraded to a new Mac! Now I just have to figure out how to use it. Thanks for your patience! Stay tuned...

Hangin' at Higgins

It was a lazy, summer weekend at Higgins. We enjoyed some hot, sunny weather with the Klein fam. The babes had fun too--they both got up at 5:30 on Saturday morning, so we headed out for an early morning walk together. It has been great to have them together so much!

more PHOTOS...

Daddy Day!

It was fun to celebrate Matt's first Father's Day! We had a nice day in DeWitt with family!

More PHOTOS of the day...

April's Baby Shower

On Saturday morning, we showered April with 'good things' to help prepare for baby Borchert--it was a fun celebration of life with family and friends. April is looking cute and pregnant--it won't be long before the little lady is here! Jennifer is looking great too!--the cousins will only be days apart! Very fun.

Friday night we went to Ryan & Jill's for dinner. The guys were working hard on the underground sprinkling! It'll be nice when that project is complete.

PHOTOS of the shower & Friday...

Daniel Lately

Each day is new and exciting with our little Daniel. He is doing great! Maybe I am a little biased, but I've got to say he is a great little guy. He is smiling so much more, he can keep eye contact for a very long time, he is curious about his surroundings, and he even has a little bit of a giggle now and then. He was 12 pounds last week when we weighed him. And the other good news is that he is starting to sleep through the night! We have had about a week now where Daniel has slept 7-8 hours at a time! He is such a little lover!

Here are some more PHOTOS of Daniel lately...

Trygve Turns One!

Jill & Ryan threw a great party last weekend to celebrate Tryg's first year of life! It was full of family, friends, and good food!

MORE PICS...

Curious George

We do like to read the 'Curious George' stories, but it's Daniel who is so curious in this picture. He is fascinated by trees! This was us on a walk last night. Daniel was in the Baby Bjorn. It all started a couple of weeks ago--each time we went outside, his cute little face turned up toward the trees. He loves them!

Two months!

Daniel turned two months yesterday! We went to the doctor for a check-up and his shots. I think it was harder on me than him. The pokes scared him and he cried really hard for a few mintues, but then he calmed down and slept on the way home. When we got back he gave me a really cute grin to say he was okay.

His check-up went very well! He is growing...a lot! His heart sounds great and he is a strong little boy! He now weighs 11 lbs. 11 oz. and he is 23 inches long (60th percentile for both)! He is really smiling and he loves to coo--we have daily 'conversations' now. :)

We took some pictures for his two month birthday. Some are before the appointment and you'll notice a few from after--he has band-aids on his cute little thighs.

Click here for more PHOTOS...

Memorial Day Weekend

It is always nice to have a long weekend--Matt and I packed up our little man and headed up to Big Star Lake for Friday and Saturday. We spent some time with my parents and Scott. Then we drove to Higgins Lake for Sunday and Monday. Matt's parents and Kelly and Gracie were there--Matthew P. was farther north with their usual Memorial Day group of friends--it was a little early to have Gracie in a tent--maybe next year. Daniel did quite well adapting to each place. I think his sleep was thrown off just a little though--he is definitely catching up today--he has been sleeping for most of it! Hope tonight goes okay. ;)

MEMORIAL DAY photos

Cousin, Cousin

Daniel and Gracie enjoyed hanging out together at Higgins this past weekend. Daniel hasn't quite caught up in size yet, but I'm sure it will happen before we know it! Daniel is packing on the pounds!

PHOTOS from the past week...

Happy Mother's Day!

...and a happy day it was! We actually spent two days celebrating. Saturday was in DeWitt with Matt's mom and grandma (and lots of babies!). Sunday was in Holland with my mom and grandmas. How exciting for me to celebrate this day as a mother too! My little man surprised me with a very cute card and an awesome gift on Sunday morning. He is such a thoughtful guy already--must get it from his dad. ;)

DeWitt photos...

Holland photos...

We're seeing more smiley moments from Daniel. I had to go to school today for a few meetings. I was late for my afternoon appointment because I had a hard time walking out the door--Daniel had the biggest grin on his face--how can you leave that? I think I am going to be in for a shock when August rolls around and I have to be gone every morning. Good thing Auntie Kelly will be taking care of him! That will put my mind at ease. We can tell he is growing daily. I would guess that he is pushing 10 lbs. by now!