Playing games on new year's day
Luke and Maddie
The VanDeGrift men
Grandpa, Luke, and Grandma
Fun at OMSI
With grandpa and grandma
The whole family
Saturday, January 10, 2009
A Visit From Grandma and Grandpa
Grandpa and Grandma VanDeGrift came to visit Luke to celebrate his first birthday. While they were here, we had Luke's party with family and friends (see earlier post). We also celebrated new year's day at Wayne and Sharon's house, took a trip to OMSI with Luke's Godparents, and went to at UP basketball game. Tom and I also had a chance to take an afternoon date to the musical "The Color Purple" while grandma and grandpa babysat for us. Here are a few pictures from their visit with us.
Playing games on new year's day
Luke and Maddie
The VanDeGrift men
Grandpa, Luke, and Grandma
Fun at OMSI
With grandpa and grandma
The whole family
Playing games on new year's day
Luke and Maddie
The VanDeGrift men
Grandpa, Luke, and Grandma
Fun at OMSI
With grandpa and grandma
The whole family
Sunday, January 4, 2009
Luke's first birthday
Wow, a year has passed so quickly for our family. We had no idea how much love we could have for such a little person. Luke celebrated his first birthday on December 31 with several relatives and friends. Tom's parents even came from Michigan to visit Luke for his birthday. Luke was an almost perfect host for the party ... having a ball with everyone who came and staying awake for most of the party (started at 4 PM, the last guests left around 10 PM). Not a surprise to us, Luke enjoyed his birthday cupcake very much.
While we reflect on a wonderful first year as parents, I am reminded of several things that I love about Luke (bacon bits)...
10. His shimmy shake after he goes #2
9. His determination to accomplish tasks
8. His bath time squeals
7. His love for learning
6. His babbling (dadadada, mamamama, babababa)
5. His clapping (he loves to clap and starts clapping if you say "good job" to him)
4. His hair (it usually points everywhere)
3. His love for people
2. His belly laugh
1. His tooth-filled smile
I also celebrated a year of nursing Luke - we both made it for the full year without needing to supplement. Now, our challenge is to get Luke to like cow's milk. Enjoy a few pictures from his first birthday party.
Having cupcakes and ice cream
Eating the birthday cupcake
Opening presents
Luke's new tunnel
Mark, Anna, and Luke
Playing a game
While we reflect on a wonderful first year as parents, I am reminded of several things that I love about Luke (bacon bits)...
10. His shimmy shake after he goes #2
9. His determination to accomplish tasks
8. His bath time squeals
7. His love for learning
6. His babbling (dadadada, mamamama, babababa)
5. His clapping (he loves to clap and starts clapping if you say "good job" to him)
4. His hair (it usually points everywhere)
3. His love for people
2. His belly laugh
1. His tooth-filled smile
I also celebrated a year of nursing Luke - we both made it for the full year without needing to supplement. Now, our challenge is to get Luke to like cow's milk. Enjoy a few pictures from his first birthday party.
Having cupcakes and ice cream
Eating the birthday cupcake
Opening presents
Luke's new tunnel
Mark, Anna, and Luke
Playing a game
A White Christmas
Well, the "snow lay on the ground and the stars shone bright" through Christmas in Portland. Consequently, Luke experienced his first white Christmas on his first Christmas! Our Christmas celebrations got rearranged a bit due to the road conditions. We had originally planned to be at my uncle Paul and aunt Vickie's house/barn for Christmas Eve, but the roads were still a bit scary, so our family postponed the celebration until Saturday, the 27th. We had an impromptu Christmas Eve dinner with our neighbors (Jen, Phil, and Kyle). I was impressed that Luke did not play with their Christmas tree ornaments, but he did try to open Phil's Christmas presents.
We celebrated Christmas day with my brother's family, which was a lot of fun for all of us. We ate well and opened gifts with the kiddies. Mark was very excited about Christmas. Luke and Madeline had no idea what was happening. In fact, Luke was most interested in wrapping paper and shiny bows. We had an exciting drive to my brother's house ... we got stuck outside their house and we got stuck a block from our house on the way home. The main streets and freeways were clear by Christmas day, but the residential streets had not been plowed, so they had icy grooves.
On the 27th, we had a wonderful family gathering at my uncle and aunt's party barn. Because the party was postponed, my cousin Andrew, his wife Melody, and Melody's mom June could join us; it was so much fun to visit with Andrew and Melody again. Luke was well-behaved the entire afternoon, even sleeping at the right time so I could coordinate games and the white elephant gift exchange. Oh what fun it was to be with my family for a fantastic Christmas celebration. We'll see if they ever let me be the entertainment coordinator again... they call me "cruise director Tammy". (I suppose my college students might say the same thing :)).
Christmas Eve at Kyle's House
Luke likes Mark's remote-controlled airplane
The cousins - Luke, Maddie, and Mark
Luke helped Grandma open gifts
Anca and Maddie
George and Maddie
Where are your clothes, Luke?
Family Picture
George, Maddie, and Luke
Luke likes the tractor
Christmas Portrait
The extended family
We celebrated Christmas day with my brother's family, which was a lot of fun for all of us. We ate well and opened gifts with the kiddies. Mark was very excited about Christmas. Luke and Madeline had no idea what was happening. In fact, Luke was most interested in wrapping paper and shiny bows. We had an exciting drive to my brother's house ... we got stuck outside their house and we got stuck a block from our house on the way home. The main streets and freeways were clear by Christmas day, but the residential streets had not been plowed, so they had icy grooves.
On the 27th, we had a wonderful family gathering at my uncle and aunt's party barn. Because the party was postponed, my cousin Andrew, his wife Melody, and Melody's mom June could join us; it was so much fun to visit with Andrew and Melody again. Luke was well-behaved the entire afternoon, even sleeping at the right time so I could coordinate games and the white elephant gift exchange. Oh what fun it was to be with my family for a fantastic Christmas celebration. We'll see if they ever let me be the entertainment coordinator again... they call me "cruise director Tammy". (I suppose my college students might say the same thing :)).
Christmas Eve at Kyle's House
Luke likes Mark's remote-controlled airplane
The cousins - Luke, Maddie, and Mark
Luke helped Grandma open gifts
Anca and Maddie
George and Maddie
Where are your clothes, Luke?
Family Picture
George, Maddie, and Luke
Luke likes the tractor
Christmas Portrait
The extended family
Brrr. it's cold
When we had about a foot of snow on the ground, we took Luke outside and plopped him down on the cold stuff. He definitely does not enjoy the feeling of snow ...
Our street
Tammy and Luke in the back yard
In the snow
Brrr...it's cold
Our street
Tammy and Luke in the back yard
In the snow
Brrr...it's cold
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