It's that time of year...

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...

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

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....

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...

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....

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...

"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...