The Wave

Well Sophie has begun to wave. She does a mix of opening and closing her fingers and waving her hand back and forth. It's really quite cute. I can't believe how big she's getting. She's already 7 months old! Where has the time gone?!? Tim told me last night that she has 2 more teeth. I couldn't believe that, I had to look and sure enough... They are not the top middle two, but the ones on each side of the middle two.

Well here is a clip of her waving:

Memorial Day

Yesterday was Memorial Day. A day where we pause and remember all the men and women who served/serve our country. Two people that I thought of yesterday were my grandpa and father-in-law. My grandpa Lichtenwalter was a Master Sargent in the Army and served in the Philippines, WW1, WW2 & the war at the Mexican Border. My father-in-law was a Sargent in the Air Force and was stationed state side. Both of these men are no longer with us.

There are many of you who have family and friends that have or are serving now. I know there are other members of my family who have served and some who are still active. Our thoughts & prayers are certanly with those who are still serving.

Yesterday was also a day to spend with family and friends. Cooking out, eating, relaxing, playing, and for some of the brave ones ~ swimming. Swimming in a fast moving river in May in Michigan. Some people are just plain crazy. I can only say, I'm glad that Ethan was napping & Sophie's too little. But here you have to see to believe:

This was also Snickers first time swimming in the river. She didn't like it very much at all.

And here we have Sophie relaxing at the end of the day with grandma.

Fun in the Sun

Time to get outside and feel the sun on our faces, the grass between our toes, the dirt and bugs on our hands (maybe even in the mouth). Time to hang from the trees, chase your younger siblings and the dog, or be chased by them. Time to enjoy and smile :)

Yes, that's her growling. She also does that when she's eating and want's another bite.

And last but not least.....One of my favorite monkey's in a tree.

Sitting Up

Sophie will be 7 months in just a few days and she has already mastered the art of sitting up. Without looking at Merrick's baby book, I don't remember how old he was when he first sat up, but I do remember Ethan's. He sat up by himself on his 6 mo. birthdate (which is also my birthday).

Sophie was able to do it just after her 6 mo. birthdate. Here are some photo's of her sitting pretty.

On the News

Merrick was asked to play in a fundraising basketball game recently. He was on a team of about 20 players (he was the youngest), playing for Mid Michigan Community Action Agency. They played against 9&10 News members, there were only 7 or 8 of them. It was a fun game to watch.

If you want to view some footage of the fun check this out:

http://www.9and10news.com/category/story/?id=134067

Merrick appears 5 or 6 times in this video

MMCAA had about 4 5-man teams and they each got a lot of play time. One of the men on Merrick's 5-man team was MI Representive Tim Moore. There were also 2 gentlemen from our church on his team and a gentleman that Tim & I graduated with.


It was a good game the 9&10 News did an excelent job for having fewer people and a couple of serious injuries. 9&10 won the game by 1 point (55 -56). It was a close and very exciting game. Here are some shots of the game:


Merrick facing off with Jim Lehocky, Meteorologist

MMCAA Walk 4 Warmth Superstars

warming up before the game

Merrick in the front moving in to block Jodi Hathaway, News Anchor. To the left is Meteorologist Tom O'Hare. Behind him is Aaron Warner, from CCF. Standing in front of the 9&10 banner is State Rep. Tim Moore.

Splish Splash.....

Bath time is one of Ethan's favorite times. He loves to play in the water. He will lay down and try to swim or sit and splash us all. He has figured out that some bath toys have holes in the bottom that will suck the water in and when you squeeze them the water will squirt out. He thinks this is great fun.

Well, this evening we added a new item to bath time....Sophie. He thought that was cool. They splashed each other and he even shared some of his bath toys and tried to "feed" her bath water with his shovel. Merrick was even able to snap some photo's and get a mini movie with the camera. They had a blast and the floor got washed.

The video is a little jumpy. Merrick tried to get a good one and this is probably his 4th or 5th try, and at this point Sophie really needs to be rinsed off. But it was fun and now both kids have the wonderful fresh-bathed-baby smell. And even more important, both kids are now sleeping. Something I should be doing also.....

THE TEENAGER

Sounds like the title of a horror movie, doesn't it? One of those no-don't-open-that-door-quit-running-thru-the-forrest-don't-trip-and-look-back kinda horror movies. Alas, it is not a horror movie (that I know of) it is reality...

My baby went and did it...My oldest baby turned into a teenager on May 2nd.













It's so weird to think about him as a teen. He's still my little boy. But he's no longer in training pants (thankfully, or that would be a little embarrassing). Now he's shaving, and has a girlfriend (not that he's old enough to date, but he likes to call her his girlfriend), and is getting taller, and talking with a somewhat deeper voice. There are times I want my baby back, and then there are times when I'm glad that he's growing up.

To celebrate his turning 13, Tim & I took Merrick to see Ironman. It was an awsome movie and we all enjoyed it very much. The next day, Merrick had a couple of friends over to celebrate. They played X-Box, ate lots of pizza, and had a wonderful time. He wanted to know if he could have another birthday the next weekend, and then the one after that and so on. I told him no, I couldn't afford to be any older.

So it's official, my oldest child is a teenager. What an adventure we have ahead of us!

Give a dog a bath....

Here's something fun for everyone.

Bath time...

for the dog.

If only giving her a bath was a short as this clip. I had bathed Ethan before her (this is after their puddle hopping, see the Spring entry), then her and then myself. Dog's shed A LOT when bathed. Ethan tried to help give Snickers a bath, that was fun...

First Foods

Sophie (who is now a little over 6 months) started on cereal at the end of March. She did very well with it and enjoyed it so much, she would pull your hand closer just to get it in her mouth faster...
Well, we waited until after she had turned 6 months to start some baby food. We started with bananas. I know, you're supposed to start with veggies first (blah, blah, blah). Well we started with fruit (because as we all know, we're a household full of fruitcakes anyway). Her reaction was not as expected....

I am glad to say that after her first introduction to bananas, she did gobble it up during her next feeding. She also likes sweet potatoes, applesauce, peas and pears.

Spring!!!

We wait all winter for Spring to arrive. And then it get's here, with all it's rain, and last minuet snow, and cold-warm-cold again days. But that one perfect warm rain with the sun and warm air right after is what pulls us all out of our hibernation den's into the first puddles of Spring.

That's right puddles. What would Spring be without puddles? Those big, wet, muddy water pits that just beg to be jumped in, walked thru, and bathed in (bird's & babies alike). So as I did, enjoy these first puddles of Spring with me.....