Delaney's First Halloween

Delaney celebrated her first Halloween as a little mouse. Big sister Maddie picked out the costume. First she said they would both be mermaids, but once she saw this outfit, that was it. I couldn't even get her to switch to Pooh or Mickey Mouse. She just kept saying, "Delaney will be a gray mouse." And so it was...
D had a great time trick or treating (visiting people), and next year will probably be far more interesting for her. We'll have to mark the occasion at Auntie Sherry's again so she can have the real candy-begging experience! We can't wait...
Mousie face on her hood...

Play Ball!

I'm learning new skills and growing everyday. I'm really working hard to roll over and sit up, but everyone needs time for play too. Playing with Maddie is my favorite game, but holding on to her yellow ball is fun too. Usually if something hits one hand, I reach for it with the other. I don't always hang on to it for long, but I'm working on it!

Artisan Fair

As if we hadn't been having enough fun all week, today we headed to the annual Artisan Fair at the historic village. Here's my first picture with the camp sign. My Great-Grandpa Leo hangs out in this building, showing off some of the artifacts.

Grandma Mary gives her soap-making demonstration. She's the first stop we make. She said maybe next year, Maddie & I should wear pioneer dresses too.

We can always find Great-Gommie in this resort cabin. Maddie & I got to have our pictures taken with her.

We also took a tour of the dam -- my first. We really went over so Maddie could play at the park.

Down At the County Fair

We went to the fair all five nights, and Maddie had tons of fun. I pretty much slept through it all. Hey, it was cold, and I was all snug in my stroller which was moving a lot! I was awake enough one night to watch some animals in the Kiddie Barn. Dolly the donkey looks as tired as felt most nights. I can't wait until next year when I can ride ponies and eat some fair food too!

My First Boat Ride

We had a birthday dinner for Grandma G. It was a pleasant evening so we were on the deck at Aunt Karen & Aunt Dan's. This is how I was most of the meal. And then...


Some wiseacre decided a pontoon ride would be fun. Can you figure out my opinion of the lifejacket?
As long as I was held just right, I could look like this. Mostly, I stuck with the look from the previous photo.
All the people who WERE enjoying themselves... Maddie was of course in charge of driving with some help from Aunt Dan. The Birthday Grandma & Boppa plus Colter hung out on the big seat.
Daddy & Aunt Karen made sure I at least got to eat. Star was busy checking for animals and people to talk to as we passed docks. Shockingly, Mom & Auntie Sherry were too busy with their cameras to end up in my pictures...

What's Wrong With This Picture?

Here's my big sister, Maddie, at three-months-old...

and here's me...

where the heck is all my hair?!?

Lordy, Lordy, It's Someone's Birthday!

Happy birthday, Auntie Sherry! She celebrates a milestone birthday today. Since she makes me sleep in this grape box, I may just have to tell everyone just how old she is! Okay, so the box is just a joke, but one that won't last much longer. I'm really starting to fill it up.

My First 4th of July

Daddy decided since Grandma Mary would be hosting our family 4th of July party/remembrance of my Great-Great Grandpa Cecil's birthday, he could make ribs. Friday afternoon we went to her house so Daddy (with help from my cousin Gunnar) could get things smoked without having to start at 5:00 AM! Mommy made sure I wore my pretty outfit from Auntie Jenny for her. I did my very best poses and runway sit...

First order of business on Saturday was to get me dressed to match my big sister and cousin. We looked good. And took some pictures early before Daniel & Maddie got dirty. Moms seem to be really interested in the "before" picture of dressed up kids.

Daddy slept just like this with Maddie on her first 4th. Well, he really did sleep by her. He was faking it in this photo, but I was fast asleep!

I was the last counted of 42 people in attendance. Actually, I was sleeping in my car seat off in the corner, so they forgot to count me . Last born, last counted... but I made them pay for it by being plenty loud the rest of the day.

I'm not a big fan of crowds or too many people in face just yet, so the day was plenty long for me. I was irritable by the end of the day, but Uncle Brian walked around with me and sang in a deep voice that really made me calm. I didn't even wake up after we got home!

On Grandma G's Birthday

...I just wanted to wish her a very special day, and send along some words that make me think of her:


Grandma always made you feel she had been waiting to see just you all day and now the day was complete. ~Marcy DeMaree


P.S. Notice my outfit. I'm getting ready to go to Canada too!

Playtime is Fun!

In addition to the guys that hang out on my bouncy chair, I have these other friends that sometimes join me on my swing. I really enjoy playing now!

All friends, toys, parents, and otherwise immediately become chopped liver if I notice my big sister in the room. I think Maddie is the greatest, and can't wait until I can dance and play with her.

42 Years Together...

In honor of Boppa and Grandma's anniversary, I found this quote for them...

"Every oak tree started out as a couple of nuts that stood their ground."

*Yawn* And now back to my nap.
Just kidding...only one of them is a nut.



To love and be loved is to feel the sun from both sides. ~ Viscott

I Know It's His Birthday

...but did they have to let Aunt Dan hold me? Just kidding. He's does a good job and deals pretty well with my screaming. Plus Mom, Auntie Karen, and two Grandmas were close by... in case I needed any help!

Happy, Happy Birthday

HAPPY BIRTHDAY

AUNT DAN!

I owned the world that hour as I rode over it. Free of the earth, free of the mountains, free of the clouds... Charles Lindbergh

HAPPY BIRTHDAY

UNCLE BRIAN!!

Sometimes life's so much cooler when you just don't know any better and all the painful lessons have not hammered your head open yet. ~ Anthony Kiedis

Just a few words that made me think of them...

To My Daddy, Boppa, and Great-Grandpa

He didn't tell me how to live; he lived, and let me watch him do it. ~Clarence Budington Kelland

Are we not like two volumes of one book? ~Marceline Desbordes-Valmore

The best place to be when you're sad is Grandpa's lap.

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY!

My Two-month Check

Shots. Today I learned about shots. Could have lived without that. It's made me a bit cranky and doubly squeaky. Anyway, on to the better parts of the day.

I'm now up to 10 pounds! That puts me in the 25th percentile for my age. My height has increased by 1-1/4 inches, landing me in the 15th percentile. Mom says the weight that makes me disproportionate must be all in my cheeks.

Yeah, and those shots...three of them today. When you have tiny legs, it's a bad thing. Maddie never reacted much to shots, but she always had meaty thighs. I'm not so lucky. I hated each shot, the Taz bandaids, and so far the following six hours.

It was a good thing Mom was along, because Daddy was not dealing well with my shots. He has needle issues, and has only been alone with Maddie for shots twice. He said he felt each poke, and cringed with me. Maybe next time we could just give him the shots!

Look At What I Can Do...

I prefer to keep my head up whenever possible. One can survey the room so much better that way, though I'm not yet an expert on turning it too much.

I've been perfecting this talent for a while now, so in a few days, I'll have no issues left. After all, I am freakishly strong like Daddy (and Maddie).

Do I Look Amused?

It's been established that I display the family sense of humor already, but I'm not laughing right now. First Mom makes me wear this nightdress with the mildly embarrassing Pooh mittens for hands. Then my ever loving big sister decides I have to wear the Pooh slippers too?!? Big sisters. At least she also gave me Panda to snuggle. Mom and Maddie kept saying how cute I looked, but I'm not sure I'm as into Pooh as they are. At least not yet...

Laughing With Dad

Let's face it, sometimes a daddy can be very funny! So far, laughing is my favorite hobby.

My Special Day

We celebrated my baptism today! I have the honor of being the first baptism in our newly built church. Mom says it's even more special because she and Daddy were married in the old church, Mad was baptized in the summer church, and now I was in the new church; we've covered all the buildings!

I slept peacefully in Daddy's arms through most of the ceremony. Not even having water poured on me bothered me too much.

Daddy's sister, Aunt Jenny and one of Mom's favorite brothers-in-law, Uncle John stood up as my Godparents. My cousin, Daniel, came to check things out for a little while.

This little light of mine...

My pretty white "shirt."

Me with my older cousin, Gunnar. Maddie & Daniel and Daniel think he's pretty cool, so he must be!

My big sister was very excited to hear that I needed lots of help eating my cake.

Me and my big sis in what she calls our "dancing dresses." I can't wait until I'm big enough to dance with her. We'll be singing, "I know you. I danced with you once upon a dream..."

Here I am with my Godparents.

It was a long, tiring day, but very worth it!

Thanks to Auntie Karen for taking pictures with Mom's camera and letting me wear her pink sweater. Anyone else with photos can send them to Mom in raw format.

Smiling is Fun!

Okay, so technically, this photo was taken on the first of June, but we didn't get it on here right away...Mom was probably Facebook farming or something. Can you believe how cute I am? Mom says I look a lot like Maddie in her early smiling days.

Mommy's Girls

How Mommy helped them sit...

Maddie's adjustment. Quite the proud big sister!

Baby Tweety

Ever since she saw this outfit, my big sister has been wanting to see me in it. Well, at least once she found out it wouldn't fit her. Mom let her pick my clothes the other day, so, of course, I'm Tweety. But, did she have to make me wear the hat?

Mom says I should get used to it... that's life as the younger sibling. At least Mad gave me a nice kiss and many smiles.

My One-Month Exam

After starting out as a little 6-pound 13-ounce baby then dropping to just 6-pounds only 4 days later, I'm now outgrowing clothes at 8-pounds 5-ounces!

For those who didn't hear the story: within an hour of my birth, Mom & Daddy were proud to learn that I was going to be a good eater. Ha! I showed them. After two more strong feeding sessions, I decided to be a sleeper instead. For the rest of the time in the hospital, I barely ate. It continued after we first went home too. Mom stayed up all night the first two nights home, worrying about me. Everyone had told her it was okay; I was new, and needed my sleep. By the time we went to the doctor, Mom & Daddy both were a little scared to see my weight. I had lost 13-ounces, so the doctor told Mom & Daddy some tricks to try to get some food in me so I wouldn't lose any more. The tricks didn't work so well for them, but luckily my personal baby nurse (Auntie Sherry) was close by with some ideas that worked better for me. When I got weighed two days later, I had put on 4 ounces. The following week, it was 5 more. Everyone was very happy, but still thought I would be a slow grower.

Ha! Got them again. Nobody expected me to quite as big as I was at my 1-month visit, but I knew I could do it!

Aren't We Cute?!?

Here I am, just hanging with my daddy. People say I look like him. Not such a bad thing, eh?