Surprise Visit!!

I had the loveliest surprise this past weekend - my mom, sister and nephew flew in to Tucson for the weekend to visit before the new baby arrives! Apparently most of the people around me had colluded together to pull it off, and they were totally successful! What should have given it away? Perhaps that my hubby declined to golf with his men's league at his favorite course, or that he spent that Saturday doing chores at home while I was out galavanting with Michael, or that a few people who had been trying to make plans with me for that same weekend mysteriously couldn't get their plans to work out...

Regardless, it was such an awesome surprise and it made me feel so special! It felt like a birthday weekend in February! Ask me to tell you the story of the Grandma Kleckner style baby shower sometime and you'll understand even more why it was a special visit for me. :O)))))))

We also got some great pictures while they were here. Rulon's almost 7 months old now, and he's getting to be such a big boy already. It's hard to believe Amy became a mom just last June. We got out Michael's baby bouncer for Rulon to use, and Michael promptly plopped himself into it and proceeded to play in it for a long time!




We finally got Rulon in it, and he seemed quite at home.






Lunchtime for the little guy!




Perhaps just as exciting as having my family out to visit was being able to pop the tandem seat on our new Super Stroller and load both boys in for a walk - I was so thrilled! I'm a little biased (Who me? No!) but I'm conviced I have the coolest stroller ever.






Finally, we got some great family pictures of Grandma, the two mommies and the two kiddos.








What a treat to have the three of them here, it was really a nice time.

Cell Phone Snapshots

One of my favorite things to do these days is snap fun pictures of Michael to send to Dan while he's at work. I figure they're a fun treat for him to get in his inbox! I thought they might be fun to check out here as well. :O) I must admit these pictures look way better on my phone than online but they're still fun!

These first two pictures are from our trip to Laughlin last November.






This picture is the first bathtub picture I sent Dan of the kiddo.




Michael loves to try on daddy's hats, he thinks he's very grown-up!




Here's a cute grinning picture...




Here's some snaps of trying something new at home, not necessarily an approved activity!








Michael was trying out new ways to play at Bookman's.






These are shots from the second week in February:








These were from Friday, February 10 at the Tucson Children's Museum. Michael really loved the police motorcycle!

Michael's Growing Up - Part 2

Pictures from 2005, when he started getting so big! Looking back on these pictures years from now when he's going to prom and wanting to borrow dad's car to go on a date, I'm sure we'll think he was so little but right now he seems so big.


More tummy time at five months.


Six months old, not so sure he likes these baths yet!


Cute as a bug, ready to experience Sea World with his buddy Davis.


Playing in his new playcenter, eight months old and wanting to stand up already!


This was the last day that Michael's mobile was attached to his crib, because he figured out at nine months old that he could stand up in the crib and yank it down. What fun it is to make mischief!


Learning how to wave hello at ten months (haven't got it quite right yet - palm the other way, kiddo!).


Loves to play with Daddy's golf balls (they're the perfect size!).


Playing in the tub - baths are fun now!


Look at what Red Envelope delivered - a year old baby!


Michael loves his sweater that Grandma Gayle made.


Helping in the kitchen, fourteen months old.


Playing in the back yard, Christmas time, 2005. Yes, short sleeves for Christmas in Arizona!

Michael's Growing Up - Part 1

I'll just admit up front that I'm pinching a fun idea from our friend Brooke. Brooke and Joe take a picture of their son, Brandon, every month and post the pictures online so everyone can see how Brandon's getting bigger all the time! We haven't been quite as diligent, but if I dig through the gazillion pictures we've taken of Michael I can find a good record of how he's gotten bigger too. Thanks for the great idea, Brooke!

These are his first few months in 2004.


Our little burrito, bundled up in the hospital the day he was born.


About one month old, propped up in the corner of the chair.


Our little pepper, dressed up for his first Halloween!


Napping on his tummy at three months old.


Four months old, learning to pick up his head and having fun doing it!


Michael's first Christmas, trying on his new santa hat.

A New Home on the Web!

Well, here we are - a new home on the web! After moving from Earthlink we're going to give it a try at Blogger.com and see how posting our family updates and new pictures goes here. It's been a while since we've had news online for all our friends and family to check out.

If you're here, you probably know that Michael is a year and 5 months already (!) and we have a baby girl due at the end of March - only 8 weeks from now!! Yikes! We're excited and nervous and anxious and thrilled - it's been one fun roller coaster ride so far. Keep checking back for new postings - we're planning to post lots of pictures and updates as life keeps flying by. Ta ta!