Zoku

Aunt Kate got us a Zoku Popsicle maker for Christmas.  It is really cool.
This is a pumpkin pie pop.  But there are lots of fun ones to try it freezes super fast and I think they feel really good on Jackie's sore gums.
Thanks Kate!

So much Christmas Excitement that there has just been no time to write.  But what a wonderful Christmas it was, time with all the families, great food, fun gifts and a good time had by all.  And you have not stopped walking.  You still have no balance on your own so someone has to hold your hand but then your off making laps walking everywhere you can go.  It's darn cute but since you have not yet figured out how to crawl you can not get to objects to pull yourself up and get going on your own so there is some frustration there.  And another tooth or maybe even two more are on their way in so it has been a few fussy days and nights.  But there are still more parties to come so for now I must be done typing to do a little cleaning before you wake up.

Children's Museum

 Adam had the day off so we took Jacqueline to the Children's Museum today.  I think she liked it but I think she will like it even more in a year or so. I may have to get  a membership then.  It was a great family fun day.

Christmas, not the way I planned

There is something about special events they never go quite the way you mean them to.  This Christmas Great Grandpa Ed is sick and so is Grandpa Dann, Aunt Sharon and several others in the Stouten Family so no extended Stouten family party.  It seems sad because we all see each other so little it would be nice to see Tom and Steve & Tiff and the kids but I really am glad not to worry about Jacqueline getting the flu. Tonight was our Christmas with just Adam, Jacqueline and I but that too was not the way we planned Adam got stuck working late and Jacqueline never took an afternoon nap so by the time he got home she was a little crabby but oh well what can you say except those are some of the memories.  And it was fun anyway, here are the best photos of the day.

Amaze Me

You never stop amazing or surprising me. Today holding my hands you walked down the hall.  I like you being stuck where I put you, it has been so nice to to have to baby proof everything or worry about you getting into things.  At least right now you are limited in where you can go because you still don't crawl so unless you can reach the furniture you still can not walk anywhere. I am sure it will not be long and we will have to worry about what all you get into.  I guess your daddy and I will be spending his Christmas Days off finding a baby gate and trying to childproof the house.

Holiday Fun (Photo Overload)

 So the first two pictures show all those who participated in the ugly sweater competition, (Uncle Gary wore an ugly U of M sweater and so in this pic he is showing his true color, Green and White.  And the top photo is Kelly, winner of the ugly competition with her prize a snuggie.

 

Jacqueline practicing walking.

 

Jacqueline and Grandpa, Check out those elf shoes.

 

Isaiah and his new Piggy Bank.

 

Yeah for the ELF.

 

Jacqueline looking sleepy with Aunt Fran.  This party may have been just too much to take because as sleepy as she is  now little peanut dose not want to go to bed.

More photos on shutterfly if you want to see more.

Santa Photos

Refusing to smile with mouth open and show off the little tooth poking through at the bottom of your mouth but it's there, just barley through the gums.  Yeah tooth.

8 month photo

Great Grandparents

  

Just saying Hi to Aunt Kelly.  

Singing Little Bunny Foo Foo

 

Great-Grandpa Ed.

Great-Grandpa Ed moved to his new house this weekend out at RayBrook.  It is good to have him out of the house and somewhere where his meals and things will be taken care of.  I would talk about Jean but Grandma Audrey used to say if you don't have anything nice to say then you shouldn't say anything at all.  So all I can say is it is nice she is gone.  I hope we will be able to go visit Grandpa Ed often.  I have a lot of memories of visiting Grandma Great Kate.    Jacqueline you are so lucky you have Great Grandpa Ed (my dad's dad)and you have Great Grandpa Lloyd and Great Grandma Norma (your dad's dad's parents). The picture on the right is of you and Great-Grandma Norma from this summer. 

So thinking of Great Grandparents I want to share a Grandma Great Kate story with you. When I was young, I think around five I remember visiting Grandma Great and sitting at her desk/ vanity.  While I sat there I looked through the top drawers while the adults talked.  They were filled with fancy glittering jewelry.  And as a kid I remember thinking that Grandma Great must have been some kind of Dutch Princess in order to own so much expensive jewelry. I don't remember exactly when I learned the truth that most of it was costume jewelry and not the Dutch Crown Jewels but even when I knew better I still liked to sit at her vanity and look through the little boxes of costume Jewelry.  My favorite was a little purple butterfly broach.  I don't know exactly what happened to Grandma Great Kate's butterfly broach but I have told your dad if we ever find one just like it in an antique store we are buying it because it brings back such fond memories of Grandma. Purple Butterflys and Wilhelmina peppermints will always make me think of Grandma Great Kate.  I wonder what will you think of when you look back some day and remember Grandpa Ed, Grandpa Lloyd and Grandma Norma.

You make me SMILE!

 

Sometimes I get to busy...

I worry about cleaning the house, and keeping up on school work and paperwork, trying to cook and be crafty and do ten million things at once.  I get lost in all these silly things even though they do not matter.  Then when I stop and think about what is important I realize none of these things matter, and what I really need to do is focus on you. 

You make me smile.