A DAY IN THE PARK

Mommy and I went to Colorado over the weekend to see Cousin Becky, Mariah, Bella, and Brielle. It was so beautiful there. We were able to play outside at the park with no hat and coat! We went to the park to play. I had fun on the slide and the swing.

OUR LITTLE PUMPKIN

I had a really fun afternoon, Mommy and Daddy took me to the Anoka County Farm to get some Pumpkins. It was a beautiful sunny day, but a bit windy. I really did not like the wind in my face, but I absolutely LOVED riding in the wagaon as we went out to find our Pumpkins. Mommy let me pick out my own; when I found one I liked, I tried to eat it!

Mommy & Daddy tell me we are going to carve the Pumpkins in a couple of weeks. I am not sure what that means, but when I find out, I will let you all know.

LITTLE FISHY!!!

I started Swim Lessons this week. It was so much fun. I was not so sure about getting dunked under the water, but I was very brave and I never cried! We played lots of games and we sang super fun songs while we were swimming. Mommy and Daddy were so proud of me. Mostly they thought I looked so CUTE in my swim suit.

Zoo Baby!

Mommy and I went to Como Park Zoo. Wow, what a place! It was a really busy day a the zoo, I have never seen so many strollers in my seven months. We saw all kinds of animals, Lions, Tigers, Seals, Monkeys and my favorite, the Fish and the Butterflies! It was so fun. Mommy even had a butterfly land on her shoulder.

Mommy promised me a ride on the carousel, but I was so tired from all of the excitement of the zoo, I fell asleep before we could go for a ride. Maybe I will get to ride the carousel next time.

SIX MONTHS OLD!

Believe it or not, I am six months old already! I have been really busy trying new things and I am growing like a weed. I eat lots of food now, even though I still do not have any teeth. I am not picky so I eat pretty much what ever my Mommy and Daddy feed me. I LOVE Bananas, and Peas are ishy. Sometimes Mommy mixes in rice with the peas and that makes them a little better.

I can sit all by myself now too! It is great to be able to sit up and play with my friends at School. I am working on building my muscles so I can crawl soon. Mommy is not ready for me to crawl because she says I will get into everything. Just wait and see, I will get into more than everything!

I am really excited as I am spending three days with Grandpa Bruce and Grandma Tammy this weekend. I am sure I will get whatever I want and I will have a super fun time playing with Grandpa and Grandma. I hope my cousins Brennan and Mason can come over an play too. Maybe even Austin, Ashley and Joe will come see me.

WOULD YOU EAT THIS???

I was soooo hungry, so Mommy and Daddy thought they would feed me some Rice Cereal. Are you kidding? Do you think they would eat this stuff? They gave it to me three days in a row and it was ishy and mushy every time. On the fourth day, they put yummy bananas in it. Now it tastes really good and I actually "chew" and swallow it. I even make noises and smile so Mommy and Daddy know how much I like it when they mix bananas in. Now I get to have cereal and bananas every night before I go to bed. Mommy says that after my next visit to the Doctor, I can have veggies too. What ever they are, I hope they taste as good as bananas. Mommy says bananas are her favorite too. I can understand why :)

TP TROUBLE!

Oh, Oh, Mason is in BIG trouble! When Auntie Heidi was in the shower, Mason decided to play with the toilet paper. He pulled it all off of the roll and even tried to eat it. I am sure he had a lot of fun.

I will probably try it some day when I get bigger. Mommy puts me in the bouncy chair when she takes a shower too, but she refuses to put me close to the toilet paper. I guess I will have to wait until I am big enough to get at it myself, because it looks like a lot of fun :)

I CAN FLY!

I went on my first airplane ride this weekend. Well, actually four (two out and two back). Mommy said I was a perfect travel companion because I was so happy and never cried even once.

Mommy and I went to see Mommy's cousin Becky because she was getting married. The wedding was very beautiful as it was in (Great) Auntie Linda's back yard. Mostly I just had fun playing with my cousins Bella, Brielle, and Mariah. Brielle and I played so hard we had to take a little rest.

We had a really fun time and I cannot wait to go back to see all my girls (and Jason) very soon!

WATCH ME GROW!

I am four months old today. Seems like the time just flies...I must be having fun. Actually, I am having a super fun time as I have hit many milestones since you last seen me with my bear. I go to daycare at Mommy's work. It is very, very busy and I am very tired when I get home, so I sleep through the night...usually about nine hours. I have begun to giggle....it is so cute! I also rolled over for the first time on Sunday afternoon. Mommy and Daddy thought it was pretty cool, but I decided to tease them and I have not done it since.

Mommy told me now that I am four months old, I will have to have shots next week. I am not really looking forward to them. Hopefully Mommy will not cry as much this time :) I know Mommy is looking forward to finding out how much I weigh and how long I am..not sure why it is such a big deal! I just grow and then I get more clothes...every girls dream!

I am looking to seeing you all very soon.

First Day of School (Daycare)

I started school today and Mommy went back to work full-time. I had a very busy day! My teachers Becky and Brandee read books to me, I spent time looking in the mirror at myself, I had tummy time and I had fun playing in the bouncy chair. I am really proud of Mommy too, as she only came down to check on me one time today...she does not know it, but I saw a few aligator tears run down her cheek when she left me this morning. Really Mommy....I will be just fine :)

I only took a few cat naps today (school was so fun, I wanted to be up to see what was going on), so I was really tired when I got home. I was in bed fast asleep by 8:00. I am sure tomorrow will be just as fun. Have a great week!

BUMBO BABY!

Greetings All! I am getting so big and strong. I can sit up now with the assistance of my Bumbo. I really like this little chair. I am already 3 & 1/2 months old, and sleeping through the night. Once in a while I like to wake up just to keep Mommy and Daddy on their toes, but for the most part, I am sleeping eight to nine hours a night.

I have also found my voice. I especially like to talk and coo in the morning when I wake up. Mommy thinks it is so cute she tries to video it all of the time. I don't really like the video camera so usually I do not cooperate :)

We hope you are all doing well and enjoying the beautiful spring weather.

THREE MONTHS OLD!

Yippee....here it is, me and my silly bear! I am growing bigger than the bear! I now weigh 12lbs. 6oz. and I am 22" long.

My Mommy has gotten a bit behind on my Blog. I guess I am keeping her pretty busy. She is back to work full time now. She works at home, but says I will be going to school in a couple of weeks when she goes back to the office. I am not sure what school is, but Mommy says I will make lots of friends there.

The Gang's All Here

Finally, my Cousin Brennan James Shafer arrived. He was born on April 8th. He shares a birthday with my Daddy. We were all able to be together for the first time on my Baptism Day, April 19th. Mommy says we look like the AT&T Commercial, not sure what that means, but ok...It was quite the spectical getting this picture of us. Mason kept trying to eat my hand. He has two teeth now and wants to put everything, I mean everything in his mouth. Even his feet! I would try that, but my belly gets in the way :) besides, I just figured out I can put my hands in my mouth. Anyway, we had a great time and I can't wait to see the boys again at Mason's Baptism. Before you know it, I will be bossing those boys around like it is nobody's business.

My Baptism Day - April 19, 2009

I was Baptized today. What a wonderful day it was. I am now part of the family of God; He loves me, and He will guide and protect me all of my days.

The Baptism ceremony was nice and I was able to share the day with most of my family and extended family. My God Parents are my Uncle Frank and Aunt Mary. I looked especially precious in my Baptismal Gown.

My First Easter

Happy Easter Everyone! I had a very eventful day on my First Easter. We went to Mass at 7:30 and then my Big Brother Chris helped me find my Easter Basket. The Easter Bunny was very good to me. We had lots of company today for Easter Dinner. It was a bit too much for me, so I slept a majority of the afternoon while everyone here ate lots and lots of food and candy. I think my Mommy ate the most candy. She has been on a suger high all day! I hope all of you had a great Easter.

April 8th, What a Day!

Today is my Daddy's birthday. HAPPY BIRTHDAY DADDY! He and Mommy will be celebrating without me. I can't believe it. Oh well...I am sure I will have fun playing with Alissa.

But...that is not the big news. My cousin Brennan James Shafer ws born today. He weighs 7 pounds, 8 ounces and is 20" long. That is almost as tall as I am! Both he and Auntie Amanda are doing well, but very, very tired. As soon as Mommy gets over her silly cold, we are going to go vist. For now we wish Auntie Amanda and Uncle Bill the best of luck. I am so excited to have another cousin. I can't wait to boss those boys around!

Two Months Old!

Greetings everyone! Based on the picture you see of me and that silly bear, I am now two months old and growing by leaps and bounds. Tomorrow I go in for my two month Well Baby check up. Mommy is guessing I weigh about 9 1/2 pounds. It will be fun to see if she is close. I am kind of scared to get all of my shots, but Mommy says it will only hurt for a minute. Easy for her to say. It must be bad, because Daddy says he does not want to be there to watch..this too shall pass.

It has been a busy month. I had my first trip and sleep over at Grandpa Bruce and Grandma Tammy's on March 21st. It was great to be there. Everyone spoiled me and I just loved hanging out with my cousins Joe, Ashley and Austin. I can't wait to see them again hopefully next time my cousin Mason and my new cousin Baby S will be there too. Well, maybe not Baby S, as he is not supposed to make is appearance until April 26th. Mommy is secretly hoping he will wait until April 30th to be born..hmm..I wonder why. Also happening this month, I have learned to smile and coo. I have the cutest smile ever! Mommy went back to work last week, so I have a new friend playing with me in the afternoons. Her name is Alyssa and she is really nice to me.

Well everyone, I hope you are having a nice spring. I cannot wait until it gets warmer so Mommy and Daddy will take me outside for walks. I will talk to you all very soon.

Tired of Waiting

I am so tired of waiting for spring. It seems the weather has been a bit warmer the last two days, but I hear from Belinda Jensen it is going to get snowy and cold this weekend.

In this picture, I am cuddling with Daddy on the couch. It is our "bonding" time. Usually we both fall asleep. I guess that is what "bonding" is.

I am looking forward to seeing all my realatives this weekend when we go to my Auntie Amanda's baby shower. There are so many of them to spoil me!

One Month Old Today!

Look at me, I am getting so big! My mommy decided to take my picture with this silly bear. She said she is going to do this every month so everyone can see how much I have grown. Isn't she smart!

I am feeling much better these days and I think I am fully recovered from my bout with RSV. My mom is a freak and still makes everyone wash their hands before they touch me. She will probably do this until I am five.

I still like to party all night, so if you are ever bored, stop on in or drop my Mommy an email. Also, she is addicted to Facebook so that is what you will usually find her doing from 2-5AM when I am wide awake. Sleeping at night is overrated!

Happy Valentine's Day

Happy (Belated) Valentine's Day! We hope all of you had the opportunity to spend time with those you love. We had a very special Valentine's Day as it was McKenna's first! She received lots of Valentine's and a new outfit from her Auntie Linda! McKenna even managed to get her Mommy a bouquet of Red, Pink, and White Roses. She is a smart little girl for only being three weeks old! (She takes after her Mommy!)

We have been very blessed to have her in our lives and we are cherishing each and every moment with her. She already has her daddy wrapped around her little finger. Who would have guessed?????

We Are Home (Again)!

We are back home from the hospital. On Tuesday, McKenna was diagnosed with RSV. This is a nasty virus that presents itself as a cold. It can be especially hard on preemies, so we were admitted to the hospital for observation. McKenna was hooked up to monitor her Respirations, Heart Rate and Oxygen Levels. It was a VERY long two days in the hospital, and if I never have to hear those monitors beep again, it will be too soon.

While she still has RSV, she is getting better. The Pediatrician was impressed with her progress and as long as she keeps eating well, we will be able to stay home. We will have to go back to the clinic tomorrow as well as Tuesday for follow up.

It was heart wrenching to see her hooked up and wired, but worse is when she has her coughing spells and there is nothing we can do to help her. I feel fortunate and grateful that we were in for monitoring, and not for more serious treatment. We pray that McKenna continues to get better every day so we can have visitors again soon.

Isn't She Cute???

Hi Everyone,
McKenna is a week old today! Everyone told me that becoming a parent would bring joy beyond words. I honestly cannot express the joy and love I have in my heart for this precious gift we have been given. I feel so grateful to have been blessed with McKenna and I am truly trying to enjoy every second of it...yes, every second...even the sleepless nights. She seems to be a bit confused or is part cat as she is not into sleeping during the night. We try to use this as our mommy daughter bonding time and cuddle on the couch and watch night time TV. It is amazing what one could buy off of infomercials. If you need to get rich quick, lose weight, sell your house, or treat your acne, just give me a call...I can share with you the phone number or website needed to solve all of life's problems :).
For those of you who have expressed the desire to visit, we are up to visitors now, so just give us a call when you are ready. We are looking forward to seeing you.

It's a GIRL!!!!

McKenna Clare Hull has arrived! On January 27th at 10:31PM, we were blessed with the birth of our beautiful daughter. She surprised us by arriving four weeks early. She weighed 5lbs 3oz and is 17 3/4" long. She is just perfect (I know, we are biased), and doing great. We will post more pictures after we get some rest!

SHOWERED WTIH LOVE

I have to say that we have the most wonderful family and friends anyone could hope for. We are so greatful for all you do for us. Over the last two Sundays my wonderful Sister and Sister-in-laws hosted Baby Showers for me. I cannot express the gratitude I feel towards each and everyone of you that have been sharing this wonderful journey with us. All of the gifts we received are wonderful and we cannot wait to put them all to use. Love you all!

Baby It's Cold Outside

Greetings Everyone! Brrrr....it is cold outside. May be a good thing I am pregnant right now. I have a little bit of extra insulation to keep me warm. We are now at 34 weeks and counting, and the baby bump is getting bigger by the hour! Luckily I am still feeling pretty good, but it is becoming difficult to sit for any period of time. The baby thinks my ribs are monkey bars so it gets a bit uncomfortable.

We hope everyone is having a good start to the new year. Our start has been very busy; Vince spent the weekend painting. The nursery is now painted and he also painted our master bath. Next weekend there will be furniture (crib and changing table) to put together. I am sure Vince is wondering if he will ever get a weekend to rest! Not many of those weekends left. While we are on the countdown for the baby, I am sure Vince is also on the countdown to his annual golf trip to Laughlin this spring with the guys. It will be a well deserved trip.