Ekern family

Paging Dr. Eli...

2011-02-21T12:30:00.000-08:00

Here is Dr. Eli on Christmas morning at nana and grandpa's house! Santa delivered a doctor kit! As he enters this amazing stage in childhood of creative play the doctor kit continues to bring pure joy in our home!

FuN iN tHe SuN...

2010-05-30T10:00:00.000-07:00

Here are a few favorite recent pictures of our little guy and a few funny stories! Hope you enjoy!! My Uncle Ox's Car is soooooo great!

That was an amazing popsicle!

My auntie LyLy and I hanging out...

Cute pout face...

Mom and I hanging out in the sun!

Sandy feet...

cute...

very cute...

My nana and I walking on the dock...

Peeking out...

May 10th

While getting ready for bed, Elias was almost asleep when he decided it was time to get up and look at the clock and say, "It's 47 mom, time to get up!"

May 11th
Elias goes into his bedroom and stands next to his growth chart and then stands back and looks at it and says, "I'm 24 mom"

May 11th

Car conversation:

Eli: "Where's daddy?"

Mom: "Daddy's at work."

Eli: "Daddy golfing at work?" (He thinks this is what daddy does at work after seeing a small putting green at Chris' office)

Mom: "Well, no daddy is working on the computer at his office."

Eli: "I want to go see daddy at work."

Mom: "Well, tomorrow we get to drive by daddy's work on our way to Brainerd."

Eli: "Lucky dog."

May 24th

After waking up from a nap Eli walks over to the door and says, "I'm going to Target mom, see you later."

New favorite Eli phrases:

"Holy Moly"

"Oh Bummer"

"I'm okay"

"All better"

"Oh darnit"

I love you Ox's Car

2010-05-20T13:09:00.000-07:00

Eli's 2nd Birthday - Grandpa & Nana Vogt's

2010-05-06T10:39:00.000-07:00

Conversations with Eli...

2010-04-30T12:28:00.000-07:00

Elias and Addie last fall....now they both look so different and grown up!Kiss from Brinnon...one of my many girlfriends!Easter egg hunt at nana and grandpa's!Painting together!My little artist!Minnows...oh, the deep love of minnows!!Matching hats with Avery!First ice-fishing experience!Although I've enjoyed not having internet at home for many reasons, I have missed being able to share the life of our little guy...our 2 year old who has grown....oh so much...oh so fast! I've been writing things down to share and let me tell you my friends, there is so much to share! Here are just a few of the many new milestones of our little boy! (but he will tell you he is a "big boy" now)

One of the huge changes has been that we can now have full on conversations with Eli...conversations that make sense! It is so sweet how he expresses himself...asks questions...and makes comments!

While driving in the car:

Eli: "I see horses mama!"

Mom: "Do you see the horses?"

Eli: "I saw a whole bunch of horses mama!"

While playing with Addie(also 2 years old) in our little play kitchen:

Eli: "What are you doing Addie?"

Addie: "I'm doing the dishes Eli."

Eli: "You doing the dishes?"

Addie: "Yes, I'm doing the dishes."

While having a movement (which is a big event):

Eli: "pooping mama....pooping mama...POOPING MAMA!"

Mom: "Mama will hold you."

Eli: "Oh my gosh!" "Oh my gosh!"

Questions, comments, and concerns from Eli:

"You want to play basketball mama?"

"Let's go to Fairbault and get minnows dada!"

"Eli needs a snack."

"Can I have some please?"

A few months ago, Elias started singing....and continues to sing a ton! He sings many songs, like "twinkle, twinkle", "jingle bells", "old mcdonald", many songs from music class...and the list goes on. But I will never forget the day (about 2 months ago) that he sang the ABC's from beginning to end. I cried!

This spring we've continued our ECFE class "toddling toddlers" and we've joined an art class in St. Paul called "Art with Ellen"...he loves it! He absolutely loves going to Addies house three mornings a week...which has been such a blessing! But most of all we've enjoyed being home playing outside, going to the park and having play dates with friends!

I have to end this blog now because I'm running out of time...but I'm looking forward to sharing more as Elias continues to grow. It is my goal to share more often! And, we LOVE reading updates from you all!

HAPPY MAY DAY!!!!!!

Happy Holidays!

2009-12-29T08:42:00.000-08:00

Wishing you all a very happy new year...a year filled with love and laughter! Our little guy sure is filling our lives with love and laughter as he continues to blossom at this toddler stage. It is hard to believe that he will be 2 in just three months. The best way to describe him right now is that he is still a little peanut with big boy attributes. The words that come out of him surprise us daily...he is starting to say things like:
"wait a minute" (and using this in context)
"dada doing?, mama doing?" (wondering where we are and what we are doing)
"Eli do it" (independence...independence)
"mama hold you" (mama hold me please)...although I sure do wish he could hold me too!
"monsters be still", (from the book "where the wild things are"...he is very curious about monsters)
"I'm gonna get you" (he loves being chased and hiding)
Just a few minutes ago he said "more water in there" because his water cup was empty...
And my latest favorite is his snuggling...or "nuggling". He snuggles with his hockey blanket and tries to bunch it up under his chin...it is too cute!

We just joined a gymnastics class called "tiny tumblers", which he loves. Learning to do a somersault has been a highlight "somersault mama", and we can't forget the "jumpa jumpa" on the trampoline!
Here are a few pictures from November and December of our little "big" boy!

The four red-heads...Raine, Eli, Brian and Ian

The fishermen...Eli loved touching the Walleye's eyes!

Cousins...

Grace and Eli

Sister Ski on the beautiful trails near our parents home....

New rocking horse...

Music concert on Christmas morning....can you find Eli?

Happy New Year!! Love and Hugs....

Kathy Ekern

2009-11-30T13:56:00.000-08:00

Mom,
It has been exactly 19 years since you left this world… I wanted to let you know that your family misses you, and we hope you are doing well in your next journey. I’m sure you have been watching over your two grandsons, Elias and Liam, and know that they are happy and healthy toddlers. Although they will not have the fortune to meet you face to face, be sure they will know about you; what type of person you were, and what you meant to this family. We talk about you often, and think about you even more. I know that you would absolutely love the boys, and would enjoy every moment of being a “Nana”.

I miss you. I love you.

Chris

walking and talking...

2009-10-17T09:46:00.000-07:00

Yeah...finally, a blog entry! We are very excited to share an update of our little guy...so much change has happened in four months. Elias is such a joy...each day brings new adventures as he has entered the "toddler" stage. As Chris and I started to write our blog entry idea "a day with Elias", we literally ended up with pages and pages of stories, memories, etc. So, we decided to share just a few of the many moments we are truly enjoying at this time in our little sweetie pies life. To begin, here are a few summertime photos and updates...(pics taken by auntie Sal!...with a few iphone pics) Mom and Elias in Northfield...

Elias walking at Big Woods State Park...

Exploring Sal and Tim's new yard and sandy beach at White Sand Lake...

Mom and Eli enjoying the sunset on Gull Lake...

Bubbles...I love bubbles!

Anyone need a ride??

I love my Mikko....

Getting our feet wet on White Earth Lake...

Mikko's famous dock jump....

Learning to walk....

Swimming with Dad....

mmmmmm...popsicle!!

Elias is walking/running all over! My latest favorite moment with him is taking him to the grocery store where he gets his own little cart and shops next to mama...putting all kinds of goodies in his cart!! It is too cute!!!

We are really enjoying his many words...he was an early talker and continues to be a little chatter box! Here are some of our many favorite Eli words and phrases...

*waking up to our natural alarm clock "hi dada", "hi mama", "no Mikko, NO"

*"happy boy" usually means he wants to listen to his favorite song "happy song"...he LOVES music, dancing, playing instruments and his music class "Music Together"

*anything to do with hockey and fishing..."hockey tick"(hockey stick), "hockey putt"(hockey puck), "hockey boop"(hockey book), "bobber boop" (fishing book)

*"paper-bip" (paper-clip)....he loves small things he can study and hold for hours!!

*his communication words..."hi", "more", "up", "open", "all done", and his favorite "more nigh nigh more" (more milkies)

*"Mikko come", "hi Mauwa" (hi Marla)....he loves Mikko and Marla

*"bumpa" (grandpa), "nana" (grandma)

*"dada beer"...his new favorite thing to do is go to the fridge to get dada a beer and bring it to him...and then returns to the kitchen for the froggy bottle opener

*he loves reading stories and can name and point to many animals and other pictures, which has been so fun to observe

*when we put on his shoes and socks we will say "one sock" and he continues with "two sock"..."one shoe...two shoe"

A few of his favorite foods: peanut butter toast, yogurt, tuna melts, Annies mac-n-cheese with black beans, pizza, fruit, all kinds of snacks and of course ice cream "I neen" with dada!

I truly feel like we could go on and on....as many of you know who have little ones! We just adore being parents to such a sweetie pie. I sometimes cannot believe we created him....he is the love of our lives!!

Love and hugs to you all...

Up North

2009-06-16T18:18:00.001-07:00

This past weekend, we traveled up north for our first family camping adventure! We camped at Bear Head State Park (near Ely)...a beautiful campground nestled in the thick forest on Bear Head lake. Despite trying to escape the mosquitos and the occational rain, both Chris and I agree that our experience was absolutely wonderful and memorable. We loved being in the wilderness... listening and feeling the earth...and sharing this passion with Elias, who was a true camp trooper! Here are many pictures we wanted to share of the beauty we experienced... The first few days of our trip it rained off and on...our only escape was the car! Elias loved to play "driver"...hours of fun!

And when the skies were clear, we spent time on the lake!

Mikko's graduation photo. He has learned to stay in the boat and not jump out after anything he thinks is a ball! Congratulations Mikko!! He actually was a wonderful camper too!!

Daddy showing Eli a worm!!

Tired boys!

Campfires...love them!

The morning of our last day...it was gorgeous!

Helping take down the tent...

Bye Bye camping adventure...bye bye mosquitos!!

Elias standing on his own!! This is his new trick...and he thinks it is so great! He just giggles the entire time!

I think we have a gymnast on our hands!!!

Sending our love and giggles...

Swinging Streaker...

2009-05-20T06:01:00.000-07:00

Here's our little swinging streaker...naked in the sunshine. Eli loves the swing we hung from a tree in our yard and loves to be naked!

Oh, what have I discovered down below...hmmm, something very interesting!! :)

Here is a little video of our peanut starting to walk with his little walker... (thank you Courtney...we see why this was a favorite of Brinnon's). He now walks all over the house with this fun toy and has started crawling up the stairs...it's a whole new world!

Happy Birthday Sweet Love!

2009-04-15T17:16:00.000-07:00

Our sweet love turned one on April 10th....it was a beautiful and emotional day filled with sweet memories as I thought about how much we've all grown in one year. My heart was filled with so many emotions thinking back to that beautiful moment when Elias was born. Our dear friend Amanda, who shared this moment with us, gave us a precious gift on Eli's first birthday...
our birth story. We are forever greatful for this beautiful gift of our story...thank you Amanda!

We celebrated Eli turning one this past weekend with family and friends on a beautiful sunny spring day! Here are a few (okay a lot) of pictures from the birthday party and easter...thank you to all who helped bring this day together...and thanks to Sal for these great photos!!

Happy Birthday sweet stinkle toes....we love you so much!

The Vogt clan on Easter Sunday...we sure are growing!!

Thank you uncle Tim for the hockey helmet...it's just my size!

The goofy goobers hunting easter eggs...

Nana and Grandpa loving stinkle toes....

It's my birthday party....yahoo!

One of my favorite pictures of our peanut...so cute!

Mama and Eli opening gifts...

Mama with all the yummy food...

hmmmm, not so sure what to do with this yummy cake...

Auntie Gigi and cousin Liam helped celebrate too....

Our easter birdies...

Pictures and clothes from Eli's birth... he was so tiny!

Eli at a year old: (oh so much that we don't want to forget...here are just a few of the many things that make us smile!)

*4 teeth (two on top and bottom)
*17.5 lbs, 28 in.

*Crawling all over and faster each day

*Pulls himself to standing position and goes from standing to sitting over and over

*Loves to be outside and could spend hours on the back patio studying rocks and sticks

*Eats all kinds of food

*Loves to snuggle

*Has some really sweet dance moves

*Loves to be chased when we say "I'm gonna get you!"

*Points at everything (sometimes points and yells at Mikko)
*Loves his furry friends

*Is very ticklish and has the sweetest giggle

A few of his many words:

mama, dada, hockey="ha", kitty="kee", ball, nana (for nana and banana), star="dar", puppy="bup"

Stinker toe who loves the outdoors...

2009-03-18T07:09:00.000-07:00

"As a child, one has that magical capacity to move among the many eras of the earth; to see the land as an animal does; to experience the sky from the perspective of a flower or a bee; to feel the earth quiver and breathe beneath us; to know a hundred different smells of mud and listen unself- consciously to the soughing of the trees." ~Valerie Andrews, A Passion for this Earth

This past week has brought some amazing weather and now we are patiently waiting for the leaves and flowers to blossom! We are truly looking forward to this spring with our little stinker toe who absolutely loves to be outside...in the warmth of a spring day or the freezing cold of winter, he just loves it. We can't wait to watch him discover and explore the world around him as the earth begins to unfold! I have a feeling he will be eating some bugs this spring as he has discovered a passion for the ladybugs that live in our house!:)
Here are a few random pictures from the past month... Mama and Eli on a ski...

On a hike in the arb with papa. Eli loves to ride in his backpack and look out at the world!

Little stinker toe loves to have his feet free of those things we call "socks". Really though, he does not allow socks on his feet...they go into his mouth the second we put them on. I love this picture...his sweet little toes all full of dirt! That's our little stink toe!!

Oh so happy!!

These pictures are from last weekend at daddy's hockey tournament in Somerset, WI. I think we have a little hockey fan on our hands!

Capturing memories...

2009-03-05T20:38:00.000-08:00

When Elias was a few months old, I remember feeling so overwhelmed with how quickly our little peanut was changing and how I was going to capture and document all of the "firsts" that were blossoming daily. I've always dreamt of being an avid journal writer and what a great time to start right? But really, how could we possibly forget these milestones...they will for sure stay written in our minds forever! Well, I've learned how fast the months drift away...how the memories we felt would be so clear forever do fade and that I will continue to strive to write in a journal.:) I've also learned that these feelings will continue to be present and that we will remember the specific moments, like the first time we held our little miracle, that are instilled in us forever and the rest will be captured through photos, videos and our blog...yes indeed, the blog has become a journal, a techno-journal! I am truly greatful to have documented some of the many memories through our blog. My sister Sally discovered something fabulous that I want to share...you can make your blog into a book through blurb.com. I believe it's called blog to book where you basically insert the words and photos already present into thier numerous layout options. We have a book of our blog from the first few months that Sal put together for us and I look at it daily... I love having a hard copy and can't wait to create the other chapters to have as a keepsake.

Our little boy is only a few days from turning 11 months old, which means he is almost a year old...what?... and mom and dad are having a hard time believing this. Just this week he has learned to crawl on his knees, clap his hands and play peek-a-boo. He is starting to repeat some words and is really absorbing his world...and everything that goes into his mouth! He is watching, listening and doing everything! Oh, it is so much fun!! I love this stage...every stage brings new worries and adventures as we watch him become a little person with personality and understanding. Here are a few captured moments...

Elias has found a love for hockey through his papa. Chris took him out on the ice at the Rhino tourney a few weeks ago and Eli absolutely loved skating with dad. He has a little hockey stick that has become his favorite toy which you will see in the video!

My buddy August...he is four months old and I love him!

Did we mention peanut grew a tooth? Yep, it's a snaggle tooth!!

Thank you Grandpa John for the MN Gophers outfit!

Crawling...

Favorite toy...hockey stick! This was the first gift we recieved in the hospital from uncle Tim autie LyLy and the kids.

And here he is crawling to get his hockey stick...look for a dog who is longing for attention..poor Mikko!

Happy Valentines Day!

2009-02-13T09:37:00.001-08:00

Sending big hugs and kisses to you...

It's a new year!

2009-01-25T08:47:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year! We hope this note finds you well and enjoying the start of a new year. We've had a wonderful holiday season with family, friends and our little peanut. Elias is now 9 1/2 months and has grown so much...both physically and developmentally. He is now 10 inches longer than he was at birth (27 inches) and 17 lbs! As we look back at pictures from his birth, we are amazed at his growth...and thankful we have a healthy little guy. He is loving solid foods and drinking from a cup...this has been so fun to watch him explore the art of eating! Although he is eating some foods, he still gets most of his nutrition from momma...which we both still love! His vocabulary is growing daily. One of our favorite times of the day is waking in the morning to our natural alarm clock...babbles from Eli. It is truly so sweet and he gets soooooo excited to talk to us and tell us about his dreams. He must dream a lot about ma ma, da da, dursch, ki ki, gersh, etc....and whatever he dreams about must be funny because he is a giggly little boy! Even though he gets so excited to see mom and dad in the morning, he is even more excited to go find Mikko and Marla...who have become his best buds! Another favorite time of our day is storytime. He LOVES touch and feel books, especially the bumpy parts where he takes his little finger and scratches the bumps! Speaking of his little finger, he has been pointing at pictures, noses and eyes, and the teeniest tiniest pieces of "things" on our floor. Little specs we had no idea existed. Each day I am amazed at his learning and how his coordination and fine motor skills have changed. Chris and I have been saying to eachother a lot lately "Our little boy is becoming a BIG little boy"...as we watch him start to crawl and pull himself up on things! Here are some pictures of him standing holding onto his wooden box toy...

He loves to sit and play, play, play...

And then pull himself to a standing position!

Hanging out with cousin Aaron who teaches him all kinds of big boy tricks!

Not only does he love to play with boxes, he also loves to sit in them!

Daddy is so fun to play with...he gets SO excited when dad comes home from work and just loves him up...

Sharing toys with his best buddy Mikko!

Bye Bye from Mr. Blue Eyes! Love and Hugs to you all!!!

Ho! hO! Ho! MeRrY cHrIsTmAs!

2008-12-18T12:35:00.000-08:00

Big boy moves!!

2008-12-05T07:35:00.000-08:00

Our little peanut has some new big boy moves....he now sits up on his own for a few minutes before slowing falling to the side. It is so fun to see him grow and change!

Oh, such a cute sad face...

Nana loving Eli...

Peek-a-boo....

Strings and paper...a few of his favorite toys!

Just hanging out...

Grandpa loving Eli...

DiApEr HaTs and PaiNtiNg...

2008-11-26T13:13:00.000-08:00

"These people we call children are intended by the pattern of the universe to play, to have time to simply be, to grow at their own pace, to have fun, to be loved and cherished, and to be free to enjoy and use their gift of imagination."

~Win and Bill SweetIntroducing...our little munchkin friends, Jacob (Jake, 5 yrs), Isabelle (Izzy, 4 yrs), and Andrew (Drew-man, 2 yrs). These are the wonderful children that I care for three days a week. I feel truly blessed to have found this amazing family who happened to be looking for a nanny part-time and are very accepting of Elias being with his mommy. (I've added their family blog to my list) Jake, Izzy and Drew are wonderful children who have become such an amazing addition to our lives. Elias loves to watch them play and they adore him to pieces. It continues to be an amazing journey to care for these little people we call children...

Packer Week

2008-11-04T11:21:00.000-08:00

In honor of the Vikings vs. Packers game this weekend, I thought I would hack in to the blogsite again and post some of my most memorable moments of this great rivalry.

1) I remember when the Vikes absolutely spanked the Pack back in 1998 at Lambeau Field, when Randy Moss was a rookie.

2) I remember in 1999, I believe, when Brett Favre floated a pass directly to big time free agent acquisition, Chris Dishman, only to bounce off his chest and into the waiting arms of Antonio Freeman for a game winning touchdown.

3) I remember when Randy Moss "mooned" the drunken, angry, blaze-orange wearing Packer fans at Lambeau Field, in a playoff victory for the Vikes a few years ago.

4) I remember the Pack beating the Vikings the last five times the teams have played each other.

5) The most memorable moment I have came just recently, when I realized that my brother-in-law Phil has decided to mold his young son into a Packer backer. I was thinking about this realization today, wondering why someone would choose this path. I believe the decision can only be made out of pure love for his child. He is only trying to spare Liam from the pain and suffering that every Viking fan has had to endure in the past 50 years of their existance. Good job Phil... you are proving to me, and everybody else that you are a true family man! Myself... not the case. I have decided to take the alternate route, with the risk of exposing my son to years of disappointment and failure, in hopes that the Vikings can someday reach the promised land. Below are pictures of the cousins... Liam is decked out in his Brett Favre dinasaur jr. halloween costume, and Eli is showing his colors with his Adrian Peterson authentic replica mini-me dinasaur costume.

It also got me thinking... Maybe this will someday result in a good matchup of rookie sensations, in the year 2031 when the Green Bay Packers, led by strong safety Liam Berndt (rookie - Notre Dame) face the Minnesota Vikings led by left-handed QB Eli Ekern (rookie-Michigan) at the Fannie Mae/Freddie Mac Metrodome in Minneapolis.

One can dream.......

Brett Favre

Adrian Peterson

tRiCk-Or-TrEaT

2008-11-01T14:08:00.001-07:00

GRRRRrrrrrrr....scary purple dragon!!

Last weekend Elias went to his first pumpkin carving party as a pumpkin!

Momma and scary purple dragon!!

Our little pumpkin!

Goofy Monster!!

Our friends Amanda and Avery stopped by for some tricks and treats! Avery was a little farmer...so cute!

Our neighbor biked to work (8 mile commute) with Herman the skeleton on the back of his tandom!

Milestones....

2008-10-19T13:09:00.001-07:00

This leaf is so great!!
Hmmmm...I wonder if I should eat it? (He sure tried!)
Where's Eli?
Such a big boy!!

On October 10th our little peanut turned 6 months old! We can hardly believe how much he's grown physically and developmentally in just 6 months. Our little peanut is not so little anymore as he reached 15 lbs a few weeks ago! This means he's quadrupled in size!! When Elias was first born, it was hard to imagine him at six months or even one month as we were taking it day by day trying to figure it all out. Now I have a hard time remembering him as a newborn and the days seem to fly by.

Elias has had some big milestones happen in the past few weeks. One being his ambition to move! He now rolls from back to stomach and stomach to back until he rolls to where he wants to be or until he reaches that toy in his sight! It is too cute and so fun to see him concentrate so intently! As I write this blog, he has managed to roll himself under the couch!!

He loves to study things, the latest being spoons and tags(and leaves)...he loves tags! Now I know why "taggies" where invented! He smiles and giggles at his familiar surroundings, especially when he sees Mikko and Marla and when Daddy comes home from work! He's in love with his Papa!! He also admires and has learned so much from his new friends...Jake, Izzy and Drew...the children I nanny for. I will introduce these wonderful children in my next blog as I have some cute pictures to share!!

Another huge and wonderful, maybe even miraculous milestone...Eli finally falls asleep in the car and is content for longer periods of time in his carseat! phew!! All I can say is PHEW!!

I know so many of you reading this can relate to these small (but so big!) milestones! It continues to amaze us how absorbant and aware these little creatures are and how quickly they change! We love all the updates on your little ones!!

Sending our love to you all...

Angie and Chris - Two Year Anniversary

2008-10-07T13:29:00.000-07:00

October 7th... our 2nd anniversary! I cannot believe it's already been 2 years since Angie and I tied the knot. I feel so blessed to be married to such an amazing, beautiful and caring person such as Angie. All of our friends know what type of person she is, but I get to spend every day with her... how I got so lucky, I have no idea.

All right... sorry about all the mushy stuff.

Ang, please don't be mad at me, or embarrassed that I hacked into our blog and posted this... I just wanted to make sure you know I'm thinking about you. You are an amazing person, and a wonderful mommy to our son.

Happy Anniversary Ang... I LOVE YOU!

Love, Chris

It's that time of year...

2008-09-30T18:01:00.001-07:00

Fall is here! The trees are beautiful, the air is cool and crisp and I have the desire to make soup. Yes indeed...it's that time of year! You know, time to start thinking about Christmas!!! I know, I know, it's only October...HAPPY OCTOBER!!...but seriously, Christmas is just around the corner and we should all be prepared. Don't be afraid to get out the music and start plotting and planning where to put your Christmas village(ours consists of a bar, church and coffee shop!). Oh, I'm just so excited for Christmas this year...well every year, but this year especially! With Elias in our lives, holidays have a deeper meaning. I'm so excited to share with him the holiday spirit...that magical feeling on Christmas morning! Our little boy will be almost 9 months at Christmas...how fun! How unbelievable that he will be 6 months in just a few days. He is definitely absorbing the world around him and changing daily! He is a little giggle monster and sometimes just a monster! :) We are in love with our little pumpkin! Here are some pictures of our little one and the beauty that surrounds us here in Northfield.

Weekend Adventures...

2008-09-14T17:36:00.000-07:00

Here are a few pictures from the weekend! Thinking of you all and sending our love... Smiling at autie RaRa at the barn dance...
Eli in his new Peru hat from our friend Sarah who traveled to Peru last Spring...thank you Sarah!

Mikko giving kisses to his best buddy!!
Just chilling out in my new chair...the Bumbo!
Mikko giving more love...

Daddy and Eli on the giant swing at the barn party!!

Mr. Giggles

2008-09-12T06:19:00.000-07:00

So, I've sat down at the computer about five times today to write a blog entry. My goal today was to write a longer than normal entry....as I have so much to share! The reality is, I am currently writing with one hand, Elias sleeping in the other. Will I get to share my deep thoughts today? NOPE! Tomorrow?? Probably not. One of these days I will get to it...just like I will get to those dishes and piles of laundry! :) Being able to hold my little peanut as he sleeps in my arms is so worth it...so much more important to me. This time with him, this moment, is now and will not be here forever! And the dishes, laundry and computer will! As a new mom, "patience" has a whole new meaning.

Speaking of treasuring the moment, we finally captured a glimpse of Elias having a giggle attack and we finally figured out how to download videos! It seems that every time we bring out the camera for one of those precious moments, Elias stops whatever he's doing because he is so intrigued by this amazing contraption with lights and buttons. Enjoy watching "Mr. Giggles"!!

Looking back....

2008-08-22T11:16:00.000-07:00

Chris holding Elias in his first days of life...he was so little! And here they are now...Elias is about 4 months in this photo and pure chunk!

We love to look back at the first weeks of Elias' life and talk about the journey...the tears and laughter, the worries and joys, the growth as new parents and our complete amazement of our little boy! He was such a peanut...Here are some pictures comparing Elias in his early weeks of life to now!!

I remember my sisiter Sally and I getting so excited to put him in his new chair...we just giggled as he barely fit in one corner. Now look at him...he is almost too big!!
Cousin Liam and Elias a day after Liam was born. (Elias was about 5 weeks old) And here they are already having beers together!

Four Months Old...

2008-08-06T06:53:00.000-07:00

Hello Everyone! I'm loving being a four month old!! I'm starting to really notice my environment. I love to watch Mikko and Marla (Mikko really enjoys licking my hands and face!), grab for fun things like my daddy's nose and laugh when mommy and daddy talk to me! I love to put things in my mouth...anything that's near really, but mostly my hands! Oh, and I LOVE to be outside and watch the leaves on the trees blow in the wind. I'm a curious little boy!

Is that my mommy talking to me? Oh yes, it is....hey mom!

Oh, that was soooo funny!!!!!!! We had a fun weekend with the Renney family and the Bartz family! Here's a picture of dad and I along with one of my girlfriends, Lydia with her daddy! She's so cute and fills her diaper just like me AND spits up like I do too! We have SO much in common...
And here is another one of my girlfriends, Brinnon with her mommy too!! I can't wait to walk and talk like Brinnon!! Even though she's older, I still have a huge crush! I think it's her eyes...

Naked in the sunshine....

2008-07-29T07:07:00.000-07:00

Oh, there's just nothing like it...a baby butt!! As you can see, Elias is growing some new rolls...everywhere! We are guessing he is around 12ish pounds and is growing to be a long boy...tall like his daddy! His eyes are blue...very blue! His eyelashes are long and his lips...oh so kissable! We are in love with his feet...for some reason they just get us everytime. He is very vocal...sometimes sounding like a seagull (which is the cue for...I'm tired mom!...NOW!!). He has started to "giggle"...the first time was when I was changing his clothes and diaper...who new this could be so fun! And then we really heard him giggle while Grandpa John was talking to him!!And, Elias has rolled over! (a trick Nana taught him!) For now, he rolls from his stomach to his back! He's not so sure what to think when his world turns upside down! We continue to be amazed by our little peanut, who is changing and growing so much...so fast! Don't you just want to squeeze that cute baby butt...

Let there be sunshine...

2008-07-12T07:21:00.001-07:00

"It humbled my ego and stretched my soul.

It awakened me to eternity. It made me know my own humanity,

my own morality, my own limits.

It gave me whatever crumbs of wisdom I posses today."

~Erica Jong (American writer and poet)

This quote has so much meaning during this amazing journey in our lives, raising our sweet little boy. In so many ways, we feel awakened, stretched and humbled by our little one.

We were able to spend some time up north in Detroit Lakes and White Earth lake. Here are some photos of our adventures...

"Let there be sunshine.

Let there be blue skies.

Let there be mama.

Let there be me."

~Old Russian folk song

Nana and Grandpa with their grandchildren... Our family...
"Hey cousin Liam, do you see what I see?"

My first boat ride...

Hangin' out with Daddy...
Eli and Great Grandma Vogt...
My sweet Aunties...
The proud Grandpa's...

My ZaNy CousiNs...tHe GoOfY gOoBeRs!

2008-06-10T14:06:00.000-07:00

Here they are...my zany cousins! From left to right (Will-2yrs, Grace-4yrs, Aaron-10yrs, Elias-8weeks, Ian-6yrs, and Raine-7yrs) We had a fun day with all the cousins at our house while we celebrated Will's 2nd birthday!
Here we are on a walk in the arb...trying out the baby bjorn! The forest was beautiful, lush and green! Elias slept the entire walk all snuggled in on mommy!!
Elias has started to SMILE!! This has been SO FUN!! He usually smiles in his sleep or when he has gas, but just this week he has been smiling at us! Oh my goodness...there is nothing like it.

Updates on our little peanut...

2008-06-04T07:06:00.001-07:00

A few weeks ago we found that our little peanut had a hernia that needed to be fixed. On Monday, Elias had surgery at Children's hospital in Minneapolis. All went really well and we are home nurturing our little one as he recovers. He is doing so well and seems to be bouncing back really quickly. Below is a picture from the hospital. We were really pleased with the enviroment and staff at Children's...Elias was in good hands!Mikko snuggled up next to Elias... Mikko sure loves this little one and has done really well adjusting to our new family member.
Elias is now 8 lbs 5 oz. He is growing so fast and changing every day. Here he is sleeping away. He makes the cutest faces while asleep...from giggling with a huge smile to a frown to all kinds of little noises that are so sweet.

Bath time with Mommy! Elias loves to be in water...

Handsome little guy...many people say he looks like Daddy.

2008-05-21T06:23:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone! We hope you are all doing well and enjoying the spring weather...yeah, it's finally here! Here are some updated pictures of our little peanut...
Elias is so in love with his Daddy! Look at my chunky cheeks...
Introducing my new buddy...cousin LIAM DANIEL BERNDT! Liam was born on May 17th...We are so excited for Jenn and Phil and their new bundle of love!
Just chillin' in my jogging suit!
All bundled up for a walk in the Chariot!

Four Weeks Old!

2008-05-07T14:55:00.000-07:00

We can hardly believe it...our little peanut is already 4 weeks old! And he is growing...almost 6 pounds! We cherish every moment with him as we watch him grow and change. Elias and I spend our days bonding...breastfeeding, cuddling, changing diapers, reading books, going for walks in the sling, visiting with friends and family, and waiting for Daddy to come home! We sure love when Daddy comes home to be with us!! Elias becomes more aware of his surroundings daily. He looks around and loves when we talk to him. He is discovering his hands and becoming very strong. He is the biggest love muffin!! We have numerous nicknames for him...scuddles, peanut, peanut butter, butter ball, love muffin, and little man! Oh, we are so in love!!

In love!

2008-04-24T10:52:00.000-07:00

"There aren't words yet invented to define the emotions a mother feels as she cuddles her newborn child." ~Janet Leigh
As I sit and write this blog, it is hard to find words to describe the feelings we have for this little miracle. Chris and I are so in love with him and feel so blessed he is here and doing well! Elias is already two weeks old...still a peanut, but eating, sleeping and pooping like a champ! He is so sweet and full of life! Here are some pictures of Elias with Grandparents and Aunties and Uncles! Chris and I are so thankful for our wonderful families...Thank you so much for all your love and support and help during these first few weeks!! And also, thank you to our friends who have called and e-mailed...your love and support means so much to us!

Auntie gigi (Jenn)visiting in the hospital...soon Elias will meet his cousin, baby Berndt! We are very excited for you Jenn and Phil...

Auntie Sarah holding Elias the first few days we were home! Thanks for all your help Sarah!! Auntie Sally holding Elias...thank you Sally for all your help!!

My first time in my new chair!
My first outing with mommy! (that's our home in the background)
Dreaming about milkies!
Uncle Ox with Elias at one day old!

Dreaming about more milkies!

Dad and Mom loving me! Can you see my dimple chin? I got this from my Daddy's side!

Grandpa John (Ekern) holding his first grandchild!
Nana and Grandpa (Vogt) admiring Elias, their sixth grandchild!

Welcome to the world... Elias Julian Ekern!

2008-04-14T10:23:00.000-07:00

We have finally settled on a name for our little one... Elias (pronounced e-LIE-us) Julian Ekern! Since the day we layed eyes on him, we thought he looked like a kid that needed a name that started with an "E". Mom loves Elias, and Dad loves Eli... So everybody is happy! His middle name is given to him after his Great Grandpa Julian Ekern.

Little Eli and Mom are doing great... The only minor problem was his low blood sugar, but they hooked him up to an I.V. with sugar water (you can see the wrap around his hand in one of the pictures) and he is starting to overcome this problem. He should be fine! The nurses are taking excellent care of Eli and Mom (and Dad) and we're hoping everybody can come home soon!

Here are some more pictures of the little peanut...

It's a boy!

2008-04-11T14:15:00.000-07:00

We are pleased to announce the birth of our baby boy!

Born: April 10, 2008 - 4:34pm
Name: To be determined
Nickname: Peanut
Weight: 3 lbs 15 oz
Length: 17 inches

Baby Ekern came a couple weeks early, and was just a little squirt... but he has no complications and is recovering along with Mommy in the hospital.

Note: Blog entry was done by Dad, so it's not very creative and was completed in record fast time. Updates will be made by Mom when she is released from the hospital!

Sisters...

2008-04-06T06:47:00.000-07:00

Sisters..."like branches on a tree we grow in different directions, yet our roots remain as one. Each of our lives will always be a special part of the other."

~author unknown

Sarah, Sally and Angie at

"Blue Monday" in Northfield

April 3rd, 2008

A few weeks ago we recieved a call from sister Sarah with some wonderful news...after living in Colorado for 11 years, they were moving back to Minnesota!! Her husband accepted a job at the REI in Maple Grove!! A few weeks later they packed up their car with their two boys...Aaron and Raine, two dogs...Ceres and Chloe, and two cats...Otzy and Kiara and headed for the land of 10,ooo lakes!!

There is just nothing like having family close by! Just last week, Sally (who lives in Rochester) and Sarah were able to come to Northfield for the day... we had a great time! We laughed and talked and drank coffee and ate food and gossiped...you know, we just did our sister thing! :) I feel so blessed and fortunate to have such amazing people in my life. The love and support we share with eachother is deep, like roots on a tree!

As Chris and I start our family, we really appreciate and cherish this love and support from family and friends. We are so thankful! We just can't wait to have our little one grow with all of you as a part of his or her life... what a lucky little one! :)

Spring has begun and baby E will be here soon!!

2008-04-04T10:55:00.000-07:00

Happy April!! We hope this note finds you all well and ready for spring! Today was a beautiful day. Spring has begun!! Only three more weeks until our little one's due date. Being off my feet has been a blessing and my appointments have been going really well. So, baby E will come when ready!! I sure do wish I knew when this would be! :)

Here are some photos from Easter. My parents were able to come for the weekend and help out with house projects. Here is a picture of my Dad, Tim and Chris working on the laundry room! I am greatful for this since I have a feeling I will be spending more time here after baby is born. Sally, Tim and the kiddos also came for the day. This is how these three cuties showed up at our house...two bunnies and a flower!! It was a wonderful Easter!

Last weekend, we were able to spend some time with some close friends and their little ones!! Here are a few pictures of Court and Kel's little one...Brinnon! She is so sweet and stylin' in her winter hat. Mikko also fell in love with her as he anxiously waited for her to drop the toy so it could become his. He actually was very patient and gentle with her.
Here is little Avery and Brinnon in a sea of books! They are so sweet together!!

The little one's room! It has been so much fun nesting and getting ready for this little person to enter our world! Here are a few pictures of the baby's room...a work in progress. It was so much fun to paint the tree with birds. We have a bird/nature theme going on...so fun! I could just spend hours in this room imagining what is to come!

The belly cast! Here is a cast of my belly(and boobs!!)! Thank you Courtney for helping with this creation! What an amazing time that I will treasure forever. Pregnancy is beautiful!!

34 weeks and growing!

2008-03-20T09:21:00.000-07:00

"Everything grows rounder and wider and weirder, and I sit in the middle of it all and wonder who in the world you will turn out to be." ~Carrie Fisher

Here we are at 33 weeks! I was talking to my friend Courtney about how all of a sudden when you become pregnant you start to live your life in weeks. She informed me that this is how it is after baby is born too! It's so true...weeks become precious! Right now, I feel each day is precious. I was put on bed rest last week and when things like this happen, you really start to feel that each day this baby is growing inside is truly a miracle! All is well, just needed to slow down. Our midwife said, "you need to be on the couch and become a fatty!" I have to say, being away from work is a whole new world. I feel I can actually focus on baby now and take care of this little one. We've been doing lots of bonding...each time I feel movement, which is quite often, I am reminded of this amazing time and that I truly need to treasure it! Chris and I are preparing for birth...taking amazing classes...talking with wonderful, supportive people...and just really taking it all in! We are aware that there is so much we cannot prepare for...but, it sure has been fun to anticipate this little one entering our lives. We cannot wait to meet him/her!

Pictures to share...

2008-03-04T18:35:00.001-08:00

Hello Everyone! We hope this message finds you all well and healthy! Here are a few pictures of some fun happenings in our life...

First, Mikko and Marla fell in love! Okay, not really...but we do think they snuggle like this during the day when we are gone. We've witnessed Mikko cleaning Marla's fur. She just takes it all in until he gets too close...and then she starts boxing him. We've been wondering how they will do when we bring our little one home...well, that will be a whole blog entry I'm sure!

Another fun happening was a baby shower!

Cousins to be! Baby Ekern and Baby Berndt are only a few weeks apart! We are very excited to have cousins so close in age!!

Many thanks to Mom and Sal for planning such a wonderful day!!

One of our favorite things to do is go for walks in the arb with our good friends Amanda and Avery! Avery will be a year on April 19th! He is growing and changing so much.

I have to say I was very excited to turn 30! It is a year to feel blessed...becoming a mother!! Here is a picture of my mother and my sister...who is also an amazing mother! We were all able to celebrate together!

And of course, here are my boys...the men of my life! Chris and Mikko snuggling!!

Hugs to you all!!!

bAbY eKeRn...

2008-01-28T14:24:00.000-08:00

"It's the state of being pregnant, as if you're weaving a house for your child out of your own body, and it takes all your energy, all your attention." ~Hilma Wolitzer

Here's baby Ekern at 27 weeks! We are ending trimester two and beginning trimester three!! I remember in the first trimester thinking this stage seemed so far away...and here it is. I have to say that every stage of pregnancy has been amazing in it's own way. The second trimester has been the best...feeling so good, full of energy (until about 7pm..:)) and just really healthy! Growing a baby has been the healthiest part of my life...the most amazing journey. I love this little one inside so incredibly much.

"It was the tiniest thing I ever decided to put my whole life into." ~Terri Guillemets

Baby E on a Ski...

2008-01-21T16:42:00.000-08:00

Santa Patty gave us a new camera for Christmas! We are so very excited to share some pictures we have been taking!!

It has been a wonderful winter for cross-country skiing! We finally have a snowy winter where we can play outside... We are fortunate to have these amazing trails, the Carleton Arboretum, about 2 minutes away from our house!! Mikko absolutely loves to run free in the woods (and jump and lick everyone he sees)... and baby Ekern loves to ski!!!

A few weekends ago, we went to one of our favorite places...DULUTH...to see our good friends Courtney, Kel and Baby Brinnon!

Just take a look at this beautiful little girl.

Chris and I are both in love with her. She is about 6 months old and at a really fun stage where she just smiles and smiles! It is truly wonderful and inspiring to see our friends as parents!

Mikko also fell in love...with Eddie!! (Court and Kel's dog)

Baby Ekern is doing really well. We have so much to share and will send more belly pictures in our next blog. I have really enjoyed pregnancy...I truly LOVE IT!

Happy New Year!!

2008-01-02T17:27:00.000-08:00

Mikko and Marla (Marla ready to attack!)

Happy New Year! We hope your holidays were filled with love and laughter and good food! We were able to spend most of the holiday in Detroit Lakes with family and friends...so much fun!

Here's a picture of Ian, Gracie, Ang and Will (Sal and Tim's kiddos) in a winter wonderland at Mom and Dad's! It was so fun to spend time with the little ones...they sure do keep the Christmas spirit alive!

The trees were so beautiful for many of the days we were home!

Baby Ekern is doing really well...

as you can see from the picture,

we are almost 24 weeks along!! hee hee

Sending our love and hugs...we will keep in touch and send more photos!! (of the real growing belly!:)

bAbY hEaRtBeAt AnD bAbY kIcKs!

2007-11-29T17:57:00.000-08:00

Hello Everyone! We hope this message finds you all well...
It has been awhile since our last blog entry and so much has happened!

Baby bean at 18 weeks!

We have been able to see our little one a few times now. The first time we were able to see our little bean was amazing...we felt that this was for real and not just a dream we were having! Our little bean literally looked like a kidney bean with a little flicker...the heartbeat!!

"A mother's joy begins when new life is stirring inside... when a tiny heartbeat is heard for the very first time."-- Author Unknown

And then....
Our Kidney Bean has Arms and Legs!! Our second ultrasound was a huge surprise...this little bean transformed into a little person, with arms and legs! Chris and I just stared at the screen as this little person bounced all over, moving it's teeny tiny arms and legs and then...WAVED AT US! Well, we would like to believe that it was a wave. We had so much fun watching this amazing event that Chris asked if we could take the ultrasound machine home with us! hee hee...

“It was the tiniest thing I ever decided to put my whole life into.”~ Terri Guillemets

And now...
Baby is 19 weeks old and I can feel little flutters, or baby movements, inside. I just LOVE IT!!!! Every moment of this journey has been and continues to be amazing!! We are so blessed that baby is doing well with lots of healthy growth inside!!
We are thinking of you all and we will keep in touch!!
Love and Hugs...The Ekern family

A little bean...

2007-10-15T18:57:00.000-07:00

“Making the decision to have a child is momentous. It is to decide forever to have your heart go walking around outside your body." ~Elizabeth Stone

We are very excited to announce that we're having a baby!! A little Ekern has been planted...is sprouting... and will enter the world when spring arrives (around April 26th)!

This amazing journey continues to be the most beautiful part of our lives. We are thankful that everything so far is going well and our little bean is healthy!

These first months of pregnancy have brought feelings of complete bliss and fear, along with many questions. But more than ever, it has brought feelings of excitement to become parents and start our family!

"The moment a child is born, a mother is also born." ~Rajneesh

We wanted to begin our journal with some pictures of Chris and I as little ones with our amazing mothers...

Mother Patty and Angela

February, 1978

Mother Kathy and Christopher

August, 1975

"Pregnancy is an important rite of passage for a woman, and it deserves to be celebrated. You are joining your mother, her mother, her mother, and so on...in creating life."

~The Pregnancy Book