The Daniels in Geneva

Holidays - Come & Gone

2012-01-12T20:56:00.003-06:00

Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years snuck up and flew by us this year. We tried in vain for an adorable Christmas card photo (above) and ended up sending out a collage of sorts. We did manage to squeeze in some festive fun around home, including a trip to see Santa Clause in Geneva (another photo op gone wrong) and, below, Zoo Lights @ Lincoln Park Zoo.
Then it was off to Western New York to spend Christmas at Nana & Papa's, joined by cousins from Michigan and lots of area family/friends.
Here are just a sampling of the happy surprises awaiting Linnea & T on Christmas morning.
Once home, it was off again to Rockford for Daniels Family Christmas over New Year's weekend.
Again, a small sampling of the seasonal joy...
Now it's on to 2012 and preparations for Baby Sister's arrival in just 5 short weeks. Wow!

Halloween 2011

2011-11-01T14:35:00.004-05:00

Thomas the Firefighter and Linnea the Dinosaur had a fabulous Halloween...

They trick-or-treated with Evan the Fire Dog and Elle the Butterfly.
Earlier in the weekend, we got away to Galena, IL with Nana & Papa. More pics to come but the above was too cute not to share right away - Linnea's first canoe outing with Daddy.

The Rest of the Summer... and Early Fall

2011-10-04T20:31:00.004-05:00

Highlights of the rest of the summer included a visit from Zander (& baby brother Sebastian... and their parents) and an accompanying visit to the Chicago Children's Museum (note the view, above). That's Linnea in the hard hat above and T relishing the waterworks below.
August brought a trek to Western New York to see family, a high point of which was a raspberry-picking foray at Brown's Berry Patch on Lake Ontario.

With the onset of fall came Linnea's first day of preschool (below)...
as well as a few camp-outs with Daddy (and campfire dinners including T & Mommy).
Other autumnal delights have included some "hikes" with Daddy (below)...
and last weekend's first apple orchard/pumpkin patch outing.

Summer of 2011 - So Far

2011-07-24T20:43:00.002-05:00

Picking up where we left off... summer kicked off Memorial Day with the annual Geneva parade...
and accompanying candy booty.
Above, some special time with Aunt Aimee & Uncle B; below, a visit from the Ferenczis - Mommy's college roommate, her husband and their four girls (three pictured). Ryan, Jason & T were greatly outnumbered.

Above & below are a trip to Swedish Days in Geneva...
and last but not least, that staple of American childhood Julys - swimming lessons.

Easter with Cousins & Friends

2011-05-18T19:52:00.003-05:00

We were blessed to have cousins Kelsey & Evan (and their folks, along with Nana & Papa) at our house this year for Easter. Above are Easter preparations; below is the actual day. Nothing tastier than Easter candy on the bathroom floor, right?

The Andersons hosted their annual egg hunt again this year. T's eggs were all empty and he didn't care one bit.
Linnea, on the other hand, gathered quite the booty and enjoyed the process thoroughly.

Thomas' Baptism

2011-05-18T19:46:00.002-05:00

T-Man was baptized (finally - I know; we had to join the church first... long story) on Sunday, May 1st.
We were all much more joyful than this photo reflects; between T's squirming and our attentiveness to what the pastor was saying, we didn't really get any fabulous shots of the four of us up there.
Above, the actual act; below, Thomas' glare at the pastor after the fact - priceless.
Thomas Charles, may you indeed grow in the nurture and admonition of the Lord and may we, as your parents and family, be used of God to help you become a man after His own heart.

Hawaii '11

2011-05-17T21:11:00.004-05:00

We braved our first transoceanic trip as a foursome for Spring Break 2011 in Kauai with Ryan's folks and siblings. Despite RSV for Thomas and an ear infection for Linnea, we made some great memories and had some good times. The Hyatt's koi pond was popular (above), as was their daily parrot show (below).

For a little my-how-time-flies perspective, scroll back in our blog to the January 2009 entry when Linnea made the trip at the same age as Thomas pictured above; what a difference a couple years makes?!?!

T-Man Turns One

2011-04-06T21:47:00.004-05:00

In addition to the milestone of "first haircut" pictured above, Thomas achieved the important feat of reaching one year old last month.

Unlike his sister, who wouldn't deign to touch her first birthday cake (my, how things have changed in two short years!?!), T dove right in.
His buddy Evan and his big sister Elle came over to help us mark the occasion since a family party was postponed a couple days pending our arrival in Kaua'i for Spring Break (photos to follow)...

Yes, he is holding a Baby Blackberry. What can I say? We were flying for 10 hours the next day and it was just too tempting to pass up.

The Big 0-3: The Party

2011-03-09T20:35:00.002-06:00

A week AFTER the actual day, Linnea had her third birthday party - a camping theme, complete with hot dog/s'more roasting, an indoor tent, a bug hunt and fishing in the bathtub (see below).

Above, you can see that Minnie Pearl enjoyed opening gifts, including a globe from Gramma & Grampa ("Can I spin it? Can I spin it?"). Below is T-Man and his buddy Evan - just bein' cute...

And of course, we didn't think to take any pictures of the decorations (starry night sky, in case it's not obvious) until the next morning.

The Big 0-3: The Day

2011-03-09T20:14:00.002-06:00

On the actual DAY of Linnea's third birthday (Sunday, February 27th), we spent the morning enjoying gifts from Mom & Dad (t-ball set pictured above was HUGE hit - no pun intended) and out-of-town family, followed by a mini-cake of sorts...
and a trip to the Brookfield Zoo (cold and gray; silver lining - we had the place to ourselves).

SNOW!

2011-02-08T19:33:00.003-06:00

So we got a little snow last week....

T didn't venture out, given his height limitations and all, so here's one of him just hangin' inside...
I'm not sure what's cutest - the personalized cup, the Osh Kosh B'Gosh gear or those eyes???

Christmas in Rockford

2011-01-03T20:38:00.002-06:00

Christmas 2010 was celebrated joyfully in Rockford with Gramma & Grampa, Aunt Aimee & Uncle B. Linnea carefully explored her stocking first thing...
and T (in matching p.j.'s - thank you, Nana) just enjoyed the wrappings and the bows.
Linnea opened many popular gifts, including Pooh (above) direct from Disney World compliments of Aunt Aimee (Tigger belongs to T - technically).
Baking a birthday cake for Jesus with Gramma was a perfect ending to a great day. Thankfully, this watched cake did eventually bake...

Thanksgiving 2010

2010-12-09T19:38:00.002-06:00

We were blessed to host Nana & Papa along with Aunt Nanci, Uncle Andrew and cousins Evan & Kelsey for Thanksgiving at our house this year.
Linnea & Thomas were in Seventh Heaven with older, wiser cousins (who can read to them!) around. Mom & Dad were pretty happy, too.
Thomas celebrated his first Thanksgiving with a big ol' bowl of rice cereal and some pureed turkey.
The older kids enjoyed some turkey they could actually chew and other fixings... nothing like sipping milk by candlelight, right?
A fun time was had by all... now on to Christmas!

Halloween - A Month Late

2010-11-16T19:35:00.003-06:00

Linnea the Lady Bug celebrated Halloween with her friend Elle the Butterfly this year. Much fun was had by all...
Obviously?
Little brothers Evan the Monkey and Thomas the Tiger even got in on the action. How much cuteness can one couch hold - I mean, really?

Fall Fun

2010-11-16T19:31:00.003-06:00

So we got back from North Carolina and fall had come while we were gone. For Daddy & Linnea, this meant - for better and for worse - leaves leaves leaves...
In other fall news, T sprouted two teeth...
and an ever-deepening love for Maya (obviously not reciprocal in its depth).
And Linnea has been working hard on potty training. As you can see, when you've gotta go, you've gotta go... even if it's in the midst of riding your tricycle.

Fun in the North Carolina Sun

2010-10-12T19:42:00.002-05:00

This past week, our family got away to the Outer Banks of North Carolina for Nikki's cousin Heather's wedding. Above and below, a Daniels family day trip to some giant sand dunes in Kitty Hawk. Is this a cool dude or what???
One of the highlights of the week for Linnea was plenty of COUSINS! Below some beach fun with Cousin Lucy (Mommy's cousin Holly's oldest)...
Watching the bridal party's entrance at the reception with Cousin Jack, son to Aunt Aline & Uncle Mike and just under 2 years her senior....
And below, getting goofy with Cousin Chris - Jack's brother with a mere 3 months on Linnea.
All in all, a fun week was had by all... but it's also good to be Home Sweet Home :).

Flower Girl Extraordinaire

2010-10-12T19:38:00.002-05:00

Last month Linnea got the special treat of being Ryan's cousin Betsy's flower girl. She was adorable and did a VERY good job... she was very serious about her task.
As you can see, she was not ALL business that day. In fact, weddings seem to bring out the "party girl" in our girl.
Mommy has finally found a willing dance partner!

Catching up...

2010-09-22T19:47:00.003-05:00

Some highlights of the last few months: Ryan's 34th birthday celebration (above)....
and the two Thomas Daniels clowning around at said party.
Linnea got a special treat over Labor Day in the form of a visit to Grampa's airplane.
She got to "fly it" on her own...
and with her trusty co-pilot, Bunny.
Meanwhile, Thomas is loving his bouncer-thingy (thanks, Walter clan, for the loaner)...
not entirely sure about his Baby Bjorn (look at that thing - ick - can you tell it's gotten good use by both of our colicky newborns?)...
and definitely NOT a fan of his swing.
Last but not least, Linnea is a HUGE fan of the dress-up clothes Mommy found at a toy resale last weekend. And yes, for those that are wondering, we DID go to Target in this get-up - minus the feather-boa-tiara and one of the two scepters, of course. A mother has got to have limits, you know...

August Already???

2010-08-04T19:42:00.003-05:00

The summer seems to be flying by. Our kids are growing like weeds and to be honest, our weeds are growing like crazy, too. Life's been a bit... full? Lawn care falls pretty low on the list.
Linnea's had some fun "big girl" experiences this summer, including a merry-go-round ride at Swedish Days with Daddy and graduation from crib to big-girl bed. So proud.
Thomas is making some strides of his own, including rolling over and an ever-growing list of non-human holders that Mommy & Daddy cross their fingers will be as popular as they are...
As you can see, we often strike out.

Pure Summer Bliss

2010-06-22T09:10:00.001-05:00

ABCs

2010-06-17T16:22:00.001-05:00

Summer 2010 - So Far

2010-06-15T19:53:00.004-05:00

Linnea and Thomas continue to grow and thrive, and are thoroughly enjoying the summer already.

Above and below are some shots of Nana & Papa's visit over Memorial Day. Thankfully, Nana stayed on to help a few weeks after that, as well.

Above and below here, we've also enjoyed several trips to Gramma & Grampa's house this summer.
Linnea's learning how to play with her little brother; not sure how to read his expression and determine what he thinks of this???
Below are Linnea and her friend Elle taking in Linnea's first parade on Memorial Day.
Oh, and did we mention that Thomas still has colic?
Happy Summer, All!

Smiles

2010-05-06T12:31:00.003-05:00

So this is what makes it all worth it - their smiles. Sure, we've got colic/acid reflux, the Terrible Two's, Mommy in physical therapy from too much Baby Bjorn-wearing, Daddy not showering until after noon each day, and just a general lack of sleep (and housekeeping!) overall... but we've also got two amazing kids and these heart-melting smiles. So it's all good.

Still Out Here...

2010-04-13T08:47:00.002-05:00

Thomas is nearing three weeks old on Thursday and what a three weeks it has been! We survived the departure of Nana & Papa, the onset of acid reflux for Thomas, the stomach flu for Linnea and Mommy... life's been interesting, to say the least :).
Mommy & Thomas had to stay home from church on Easter but Daddy & Linnea made it out, Easter bonnet and all.
We are exhausted and sleep-deprived, but blessed beyond all we could ask or imagine. Your well-wishes and prayers are all greatly appreciated and we look forward to getting back to each of you... sometime before the kids start school?!?!?

And Baby Makes Four

2010-03-31T19:25:00.002-05:00

We were blessed to bring Thomas home from the hospital on Saturday morning and have the chance to finally introduce him to his proud Big Sister Linnea (and Maya, of course).
Although she hasn't felt this ecstatic about his presence every moment, she has taken to him quite nicely and often asks "Where'd Thomas go?" (to which the answer, 99% of the time, is "He's sleeping.").
He does manage to wake up every now and then, though, and we thoroughly enjoy his "quiet, alert time" - a sharp contrast to his sister's "not-so-quiet alert time" :).

Introducing Thomas Charles

2010-03-26T13:38:00.002-05:00

It's official - the Daniels in Geneva expanded by one as of 1:26 p.m. on Thursday, March 25th. Thomas Charles Daniels (named for both grandfathers) is pictured here and is our wonderful blessing from God, weighing in at 9 lbs, 4 oz and 21 1/2 inches long.
As of right now, we are all still resting at the hospital but looking forward to heading home and introducing Thomas to his big sister tomorrow.
Thanks for all of your love, thoughts and prayers over these last weeks and months. We are grateful to God for the blessing of Thomas and for each and every one of you.

Such a Big Girl

2010-03-09T07:37:00.004-06:00

Gramma & Grampa gave Linnea a trip to the photographer for her birthday so after several false starts (including a cancellation in light of an ER trip), we finally got her there Saturday. She opted for two different looks - her "party dress" (also a gift from Gramma & Grampa) and her "George Monkey" ensemble.

The Big 0-2

2010-03-06T19:31:00.004-06:00

Linnea turned two on February 27th and the next day she had her long-awaited "George Monkey party" (note hats). She was just thrilled hosting Gramma & Grampa, Great-Gramma, Aunt Aimee & Uncle B for the big event.

Above and below are several extremely popular gifts - a shovel & rake from Uncle B and a Radio Flyer wagon (complete with a seat for Baby Brother, currently being warmed by a new stuffed monkey from Great-Gramma) from Nana & Papa.
She loved it so much she convinced her father and uncle to take her on a late-February stroll in the thing.

First Haircut

2010-03-06T19:19:00.001-06:00

Life Since Christmas

2010-01-26T19:42:00.002-06:00

In the weeks since Christmas, despite the post-holiday letdown, there have been some high points. These include a very popular hand-me-down from a family at our church - namely, the purple car pictured above (note George Monkey; he is still quite popular).
Another highlight was the purchase of her first potty chair (no, she is not potty trained, but she certainly does think this novelty is a thrill).
And other than that, life is pretty much status quo... for now. Stay tuned for more excitement in the next seven weeks or so as we prepare for the arrival of Baby Brother!

Christmas @ Gramma & Grampa's

2010-01-26T19:38:00.004-06:00

Over New Year's, we celebrated Christmas with Daddy's side of the family in Illinois. Some highlights from that weekend are pictured here. Above, an Elmo microwave as demonstrated by Aunt Aimee...
A dr. kit (yes, apparently all drs. wear glasses?)
And her very first dollhouse!

Christmas @ Nana & Papa's

2010-01-26T19:33:00.002-06:00

This Christmas was Linnea's first celebrating with Mommy's side of the family in New York. Above and below are shots of some of her favorite Christmas gifts - a stuffed "George Monkey" (a.k.a. Curious George) and an indoor playtent from Nana & Papa.
Below are shots of her favorite parts of the trip, though - love and adoration for her cousins Evan (age 10) and Kelsey (age 8).

PS - Yes, we did dress her while we were away; it is sheer coincidence that she is in her pajamas in all of these shots. I swear.

Christmas Card Attempts

2010-01-26T19:30:00.003-06:00

Those of you who received our Christmas card may have noticed that the photo of Linnea was rather "autumnal" in nature. This series of pictures should explain quite clearly why that was...

Her poor father even tried on a completely different day, hoping her mood would have changed enough to allow for that one perfect shot...
Alas, it was not meant to be.

Annual Apple Orchard Trip

2009-11-01T19:56:00.002-06:00

This afternoon was our annual Edwards Apple Orchard outing with the Scholtens girls.
Above with Carina & Anna busily eating - I mean, picking - apples...
Below, a highlight of the day - Linnea's first horsey ride. She didn't even mind the smell.

Halloween

2009-11-01T19:50:00.003-06:00

Linnea the Bunny Rabbit hopped around the Rockford area visiting family this Halloween. Above, trick-or-treating at Great-Gramma Branca's and below, visiting Cousin Hunter (a.k.a. Elmo).
Below, you can see that Hunter's playroom was as big a hit as any candy obtained on this outing...

The Last Three Months

2009-11-01T19:44:00.003-06:00

I'll spare you the excuses for the three-month absence and just get to the photos... Above, a Labor Day weekend visit from cousins Jack & Chris, along with Aunt Aline & Uncle Mike. Below, a visit later that month from Great-Gramma (not pictured) and Great-Grampa Daniels from Minneapolis.
Below, a mid-October trip to Michigan to see Cousin Evan's football game and visit the pumpkin patch.
"Driving" the tractor with Cousin Kelsey...
Despite all of these visits and visitors, still bonding daily with good ol' Maya :).

Summer Fun Continues

2009-07-28T20:18:00.002-05:00

Linnea has taken in many exotic locales so far this summer, but she remains a big fan of her very own backyard lagoon (above).
Above and below, she relishes her first trip to the Jersey Shore of the Midwest - Door County, Wisconsin. Aunt Aimee let us join her for an extended weekend getaway and a fun time was had by all.
These next two were taken the following weekend in Galena, Illinois, on the aforementioned retreat with the Scholtens (Bill and Anna pictured below) and the Mylers (Bennett pictured in previous post).

Next up - cousin Katie's wedding in Rockford this coming weekend and Linnea's first slumber party the following weekend at Gramma & Grampa Daniels (while Mommy & Daddy get away to celebrate their 10th wedding anniversary)!

Stealing from other people's blogs

2009-07-20T12:38:00.006-05:00

We have gotten so ridiculously behind in getting pictures off of our camera that I am resorting to stealing photos off of other people's blogs - of my own child?!?!?!? Above is the handiwork of Ryan's cousin Leah, taken at his other cousin Krista's wedding in Minnesota last month.

And this one is compliments of our friends Drew and Renate, parents of Bennett (cutie in the background dutifully munching mac-n-cheese). We got away to Galena with them and our friends the Scholtens last weekend. All told, there were 6 adults and 5 kids under 5. It was great.

Please do stay tuned (if you're the faithful sort) and I will make it my personal goal to download pics from some other great weekends so far this summer, including Door County w/Aunt Aimee and 4th of July at Gramma & Grampa's. Hopefully I'll get to this before the snow flies!

Summer Fun @ Gramma & Grampa's

2009-06-19T10:43:00.003-05:00

Linnea's been blessed with two weekends at Gramma & Grampa's house so far this summer, and thoroughly enjoys soaking up the sun around their beautiful pool.

The onesie above reads, "What happens at Gramma's stays at Gramma's."

She even has a cache of toys that wait for her there - a favorite of which is the Radio Flyer wagon pictured above from Great-Gramma Branca. She loves to rattle it all around the house carrying an assortment of random objects.

And try as they might to fatten her up, even at Gramma and Grampa's house, she remains a devoted fan of her favorite food - fruit of any kind. She actually seems to survive on the stuff. It's somewhat of a medical miracle.

First Trip to the Zoo

2009-05-19T19:20:00.000-05:00

Linnea's Park

2009-05-11T14:55:00.002-05:00

Kitty-corner from our house is a park that Linnea has only recently discovered. She can see it from the bay window in the dining room and has taken to standing there, signing "please" repeatedly - and with vigor.

The expression on her face above could be interpreted positively or negatively, I suppose, but trust me - she LOVES the slide. It inspires excitement rivaled only by balloons at Trader Joe's and/or books of any kind.

New Game

2009-05-10T10:30:00.003-05:00

Linnea is in a stage where she likes to play with the shoes Mommy & Daddy leave by the door.
Poor Maya.

Playin' around

2009-04-27T08:10:00.006-05:00

Linnea spent some time at her little friend Elle's house last week while Mommy went to an appointment, and Elle's mommy was kind enough to snap these adorable pictures for us.

If you look closely below, you'll see the book is in Russian.... what a genius!Gotta love the strut...

Easter Egg "Hunt"

2009-04-14T13:25:00.003-05:00

Okay, so "hunt" might be a bit of an overstatement. Last weekend, Linnea and her little friend Elle wandered around Elle's backyard for a bit and managed to pick up an Easter egg or two here and there. There was a whole lot of coaching/coaxing involved, and they were equally as intrigued by the grass blades as they were by the eggs, but it was an attempt, nonetheless.She looks excited here not because of the candy inside (actually, Elle's mommy Tatiana, below, had filled them with various organic cereals and animal crackers) but because the egg makes a neat sound when she shakes it.

Here she is enjoying a dry Cheerio... a 13-month-old's version of a Peep???

Soon to follow - actual Easter and the **cutest** little dress-up outfit ever...

Big Girl Chair

2009-03-17T20:36:00.004-05:00

Gramma and Grampa gave Linnea this fabulous "big girl chair" for her birthday last month and as you can see, she takes her new role as "resident big girl" very seriously.
Here's another shot of her enjoying it. And yes, that is a tear in her eye. That's because moments before, as her father tried valiantly to get a picture of her sitting, she decided to do the opposite and ended up taking a spill.
This may seem sadistic, but I had to post it because I thought it was just so precious and honestly, how often do you think to snap a photo of these moments?

A Weekend with Nana & Papa

2009-03-12T17:01:00.002-05:00

Linnea was in 7th Heaven this past weekend during a visit from her Nana and Papa from New York. Above and below, note the mutual adoration.

Everything just seemed more **fun** with them around... even mundane tasks like getting ready for bathtime.

Another nice perk of having Nana around is that we actually get some photos with all three of us in them - well, four, if you count Maya-in-mid-escape.

The Big O-1

2009-03-10T08:13:00.002-05:00

Linnea celebrated her first birthday on February 27th with Gramma and Grampa Daniels, Aunt Aimee and Uncle B.

We were all shocked she actually left the festive "I'm One" hat (courtesy of Gramma) on???

Here she is with her puppy dog cake, lovingly made from scratch by Mommy. As you can see below, it was largely a wasted effort - she was NOT a fan.

She WAS a fan, however, of her new toys and gifts... and the attention of a whole room full of adoring family, of course.

Busy Few Months

2009-03-03T19:05:00.002-06:00

Apologies for the long lag in posts... actually not sure if anyone even checks our blog anymore??? But in case you do, here's a recap of what Linnea's been up to since our last post. Above, note she has been busy growing her hair out. Below, discovering her very own little "corner fort" for stuffed animals in her room.
Here you will see she has learned to read... okay, just kidding:
But here (for real) you'll see she HAS learned how to walk!
Stay tuned for first birthday pictures!

Linnea's First Christmas

2009-01-13T20:11:00.003-06:00

Linnea's first Christmas Eve was spent with the Branca clan at the traditional pasta feast at Great-Gramma Branca's in Rockford. Closest to Linnea in age is Hunter, barely a year old and another adorable blondie.
Christmas morning found us at Gramma and Grampa Daniels with gifts galore. Above she's pictured in her Li'l Swede bib from Uncle B and below, opening her blocks from Gramma & Grampa (a huge hit with both Linnea AND, unfortunately, Maya).
Below she's showing Gramma the cool calendar she gave her - of herself, of course. Have we mentioned how embarrassingly excited Linnea gets to see photos of herself? It's awkward.
As predicted, the bows and wrapping paper probably ranked as Linnea's favorite things under the tree this year. If only her tastes would stay so simple...

Mele Kalikimaka

2009-01-06T22:15:00.006-06:00

Linnea had a memorable first Christmas in Rockford, followed the very next day by a trip with the Daniels clan to beautiful Kauai. Although it took us nearly two days to get there (long story), it was well worth the trip. Above she's pictured with Mommy on the deck of our condo - that's Hanalei Bay and Bali Hai (yes, from South Pacific) in the background.
Above, she's at the lagoon, trying out her first ukelele with Aunt Aimee. Below, she's admiring the handiwork of Uncle B on a larger (albeit still very Hawaiian) stringed instrument.
Despite the sleep traumas of the four-hour time change, Linnea still managed to soak up some sun (well covered in SPF 45, of course) and enjoy her very first departure from the continental U.S. Aloha!

Dedication Sunday

2008-12-16T13:52:00.002-06:00

The Sunday right after Thanksgiving, we took advantage of having both sides of the family in town and dedicated Linnea in our church's Sunday morning service. It was an important day because Mommy & Daddy publicly committed to raise Linnea in a Christian home... and also because she got to wear her first hair bow :).

Pastor Carr did the dedication, and Linnea cooperated quite nicely while he held her during the prayer. She got restless in the last 30 seconds or so, but he is a father of 5 so he knew enough to give her a paper bulletin to play with to pacify her.

Afterwards, we came home and had lunch with all four of her grandparents, Great-Gramma Branca, Aunt Aimee and Uncle Brett. She even got to open some nice mementos of the occasion. She was actually quite into it - boads well for Christmas :).

Thanksgiving 2008

2008-12-16T13:46:00.002-06:00

Linnea was just tickled pink to have Mommy's side of the family in town for Thanksgiving this year. Above she is pictured with PAPA (capitalized in attempt to capture the sound of her yelling it every time someone else said it to her).

Here she is with Cousin Kelsey - her only female cousin - shortly after her arrival (along with the rest of her family) from north-central Michigan.

And here she is with her eldest cousin, Evan - already helping to shape and mold her young mind.

We exchanged Christmas gifts with Nana and Papa while they were here and Linnea was the recipient of her very first baby doll - a huge favorite. She kisses her regularly.

All in all, it was a wonderful holiday - a great lead-in to other holidays to come. We just hope she resists the thoughts that are clearly going through her mind in the photo above and lets the Christmas tree stay safe until Christmas!

A Particularly Photogenic Fall Day

2008-11-13T19:35:00.002-06:00

Halloween - 2 Weeks Late...

2008-11-13T19:34:00.004-06:00

Visiting the Minnesotan Kin

2008-11-06T19:53:00.002-06:00

Okay, these pictures are a month old (what can I say?), but last month Linnea finally made it up to the Twin Cities to visit her northern kin. Above she is pictured with Great-Gramma Daniels, her birthday partner. On February 27th next year, Linnea will turn 1 and Great-Gramma will turn 90.
Above here, Linnea is banging on the table with second-cousin-once-removed (is that what you call Ryan's cousin's baby?) Autumn, 3 1/2 months her senior and completely ADORABLE.
And here she is waving (which she did - NONSTOP - all weekend) with second cousin Krista (Ryan's cousin).
All in all, it was a short but sweet weekend and we were all glad to reconnect with the Minnesotan branch of the family. And no, it wasn't just because of the amazing Swedish pancakes.

Nana & Papa's Visit... and My First Fever

2008-11-01T11:42:00.002-05:00

Last weekend Nana & Papa came for a visit and for the first few days, everything was great. Linnea re-bonded with them quite nicely (above), we took a beautiful fall walk along the Fox River (below; nothing particularly exciting was happening - Linnea's kind of become a chronic clapper?)...
... we went out for lunch (note the "big girl" highchair - she's so mature)...
... Linnea showed them all her crawling/exploring abilities...
And then - she got sick :(. Her first throat infection and fever of 103. After a few rough days (and nights), though, she was back to her old self. Of course, by then, Nana and Papa had gone home. But Linnea was grateful they were there when she needed them (picture below provided as illustration) and looks forward to a fun time together again at Thanksgiving!

Fall Fun with Future Friends

2008-10-02T15:15:00.003-05:00

Sunday Linnea had her first opportunity to hang out with what we hope will be several future friends - Bennett (2 months, center) and Elissa (3 months, right). Mommy & Daddy got the chance to reconnect not-so-new friends (their parents & older siblings)... all in the wonderful context of Edwards Apple Orchard.
Above is the Scholtens clan - Anna & Carina with Bill & Denise (the birthday girl; she got cider donuts instead of cake).
And here are Bennett's folks - Renate & Drew (photos courtesy of them - except this one, obviously).
Linnea had a fabulous day and hopes that it was the first of many fun outings with pretty much the only people she knows on earth who are younger than her :).

Last Day of "Summer"

2008-10-01T15:11:00.001-05:00

Saturday was what we've figured was probably the last summer-like day of the year - sunny and low 80s. So we seized the day with Aunt Aimee and had a picnic along the river, took a nice walk into town and, of course, got Graham's ice cream.

Afternoon on Her Own

2008-09-29T14:35:00.003-05:00

Linnea is getting to be such a big girl these days that when Mommy had a meeting at North Park on Friday (preparation for teaching a course there online next semester), Linnea went along & hung out with Mommy's friend & former colleague Sue (who is a grandmother and, therefore, had lots of fun toys).She & Sue made the rounds on campus to meet some of Mommy's other former colleagues, and she even came home with some North Park souvenirs to boot.

Thanks for a fun afternoon, Gramma Sue!

New Tricks

2008-09-25T17:11:00.002-05:00

She'll be 7 months on Saturday and with age comes wisdom. In Linnea's case, that means new abilities like swinging in the park across the street...
... eating solid foods (albeit without a whole lot of enthusiasm - we're hoping she's a bigger fan of veggies and fruits than the cereals she's tried thus far)...
... and waving (although not always on command, and sometimes, when no one's looking, simply at herself?).

Lake Tahoe

2008-09-09T21:14:00.004-05:00

We were blessed with a wonderful week of vacation last week in Lake Tahoe, CA/NV. Ryan took all kinds of amazing scenery shots. If you want to see them, email him. I'm just going to post the Linnea-shots :).
We did a lot of hiking - nothing extreme, since we had fragile cargo this time, but fun all the same. As you can see above and below, the cargo enjoyed the treks, as well.
Yes, this pinecone is indeed almost twice the size of Linnea's head.

Lake Tahoe - Part II

2008-09-09T21:09:00.002-05:00

Linnea took her first gondola ride at the Heavenly Ski Resort. Below is another stab at a family photo (again, no luck in getting you-know-who to actually look at the camera).
The sun is crazy-intense out there, so Gramma & Grampa got her some nice sunglasses that she kept on just long enough to snap this photo...
All in all, it was a very eventful week and much for a six-month-old mind to process.

Daddy's New Toy

2008-08-21T09:11:00.002-05:00

Tuesday was Ryan's 32nd birthday and he got a new toy from his folks - a digital SLR camera. I didn't think it was possible, but since then, Linnea has become the object of even MORE pictures than before!
This is her "scooting" position - not really a commando crawl (no elbows involved; more hands) and definitely not a full-fledged crawl (no knees involved; kind of toes?), but somehow, she gets where she wants to go now. Mommy & Daddy are going to have to get much more dilligent with the vacuum now...

So much for the Back-to-Sleep Campaign...

2008-08-11T08:27:00.002-05:00

And we wonder why she wakes up

every morning with slightly

brushburned knees?

Unrequited Love

2008-08-06T16:25:00.002-05:00

Linnea's latest source of glee and delight is our dog, Maya. Although Maya tolerates her just fine, the animation you see on Maya's face in these photos pretty much sums up her attitude toward her new admirer.
She'll give Linnea a tolerant sniff here and there, but that's about as far as it goes.
You can almost see it running through Linnea's head already: "How much longer until I can ride this thing?"

Chicken pox

2008-07-23T07:24:00.004-05:00

It all started with what we thought was a bug bite last Monday. Three days later, it was joined by other "bug bites" and we went to the dr. to find out what sort of rash this was...
Poor baby! She seems to have stopped developing new spots and is now in the scabbing-over phase. Overall, considering she's not quite 5 months old and can't understand any of this, she is handling it quite well (see below).

Cousins & Uncles & Aunts - Oh My!

2008-07-10T08:34:00.003-05:00

Linnea spent last week with Mommy's side of the family. Above she's pictured with her Nana & Papa and all four of her cousins - from left to right, Evan (9), Jack (2), Chris (7 months), and Kelsey (7).
As you can see, she got a kick out of them (pictured above with Aunt Aline & Jack, below with Daddy & Kelsey).
She even got to meet some SECOND cousins, like Lucy (below) - Mommy's cousin Holly's two-year-old (going on 20, incidentally).
And last but not least, a photo that pertains to nothing but is SO DARN CUTE!

A Busy Month

2008-07-09T16:18:00.002-05:00

Linnea has had a very busy month since our last post. Stay tuned for pictures from trips to Sheboygan with the Daniels, Philadelphia for cousin Christopher's baptism, and Buffalo to visit Nana & Papa's house for the first time. In the meantime, here are a few random shots of activities that have been keeping her busy. Above, one of her favorites - sucking on her toes. Below, another popular pastime - her ExerSaucer from Gramma & Grampa (note the joy).
She took her first swim last weekend in Grampa's pool (precious swim outfit courtesy of Aunt Sally).
And last but not least, her highlight this last month was meeting family. Below, her introduction to cousin Christopher, three months her senior and already beloved kin.
More trip photos to follow, I promise. Why is getting from camera to computer so challenging for us?

Bonding with Aunt Nanci

2008-06-10T12:02:00.003-05:00

My sister Nanci took the train out from Michigan last week and spent four days bonding with her new niece. As you can see below, they really hit off :).

Thanks, Cousins Evan & Kelsey, for lending your mommy out for a few days!

Happy Girl!

2008-06-06T07:49:00.002-05:00

No truly "new" news to report, but I couldn't resist posting these shots of our happy girl. We are loving every one of these wonderful smiles...
Below is Linnea giving her form of a "kiss." It consists of a wrinkled nose, a wide-open mouth, and sometimes a snort for emphasis.
And below is Mommy returning the favor... and someone else watching in the background who doesn't find Linnea quite as captivating as the rest of us. The look on her canine face says it all. Poor Maya.

The Three Month Miracle

2008-05-30T15:07:00.002-05:00

Everybody told us that things would improve at three months but at the time, it was utterly unbelievable - that it could be true AND that we could survive that long. But Linnea was three months old on Wednesday (May 27th) and it's amazing. This is a whole new ballgame!

Here she is performing one of her new tricks - standing unassisted (by a human, that is - the couch is rather integral to the process, obviously).
And here she is expressing her utter joy and delight at the ultimate gift we can give her - turning on the living room ceiling fan. She's the fan's biggest fan.
Last but not least in this veritable showcase of Linnea-stunts (and yes, BTW, we do realize she looks like a boy in this outfit :)), the amazing feat of not only GRASPING an object, but purposefully bringing it to her mouth so that she can attempt to devour it like she does her fist/fingers/thumb on a regular basis.

And do you want to know the most exciting part about this post? I am typing it while Linnea naps... in her CRIB! It is, indeed, a miracle.

Nana & Papa Visit

2008-05-16T17:28:00.002-05:00

Nana & Papa came from NY for a week this month to help out (yes - again :)). It was a wonderful blessing and we all enjoyed it - especially Linnea. Above she is spending some quality time with Papa, watching the leaves blow in the wind. Captivating stuff.
She's a newly converted fan of her bouncy seat these days. We are ecstatic that she has taken to some sort of non-human holding device. May the trend continue!
This is the cutest hat ever that one of Mommy's co-workers from North Park found at the Sweden Shop. Doesn't really pertain to the topic, but just had to post it. Too funny!
Thanks for a great week, Nana & Papa! We miss you already!

Mother's Day 2008

2008-05-16T17:15:00.002-05:00

Linnea decided to get all dressed up in honor of her mommy's first Mother's Day as a mommy. She got to celebrate not only with me, but also her Gramma and her Nana (as well as Grampa, Aunt Aimee, Uncle Brett, Papa, and her dad).

Another "first" of the day was Linnea's first outing to a restaurant. We ventured to Egg Harbor for brunch (nice and loud, plus extremely fast service) and she did quite well. Spent most of the time as pictured above - it's a miracle she didn't come home with maple syrup on her head.

She smiles!

2008-04-18T12:49:00.002-05:00

Well, despite all the trials and tribulations of colic/acid reflux/whatever it is that troubles her much of the time, our little girl is thriving and growing - and even smiling! We have good days and we have bad days, and smiles like these make the bad days infinitely more bearable.
Last but not least, a photo of Linnea doing what she has basically been doing most all week long - napping on Nana. A huge THANK YOU to our wonderful families who have swooped in to support us through these last loooong weeks - Gramma & Grampa, Nana, Aunt Aimee, Aunt Nanci/Uncle Andrew/Cousins Kelsey & Evan have all come to lend a hand, as well as friends and church family members, and we are more grateful than we can ever express.

A Rough Few Weeks

2008-04-04T08:33:00.002-05:00

Apologies once again for the long lag between posts... this time, the excuse is actually legitimate. For those of you who haven't heard, we've had a rough last few weeks here. Shortly after our last post, Linnea was diagnosed with colic. Shortly thereafter, as the symptoms seemed to be increasing and pointing to more than just standard colic, we began treatment for acid reflux. At this point, we are honestly not sure what the issue is (could be either or both). All we know is that our little girl has been miserable these last few weeks and it has been painful for all of us.

We go back to the pediatrician on Tuesday the 8th for a re-check to see if the acid reflux medicine is working or not. Please pray with us that it is/does so that Linnea can have some relief - and we all could get some rest!

Apologies also for the lack of a photo with this one. Things haven't exactly been "picture perfect" as of late, but we hope to get back into the picture-taking business soon. Please stay tuned!

Linnea at Almost-Three-Weeks

2008-03-18T10:14:00.002-05:00

So here they are, finally - some updated photos of Linnea. Enough medical reports... we know this is all anybody really cares to see :).

Cardiologist Update

2008-03-16T11:50:00.002-05:00

Apologies for the long delay in updating this since Linnea's Friday cardiologist appointment - it has been a full weekend! And double-apologies for posting with no photos - will have to wait until Ryan is here :).

The word from the dr. is good. Linnea does have a functional heart murmur, but they are not concerned about it at this point and simply want to do another round of tests when she is one year old to check up on it. They did do an echocardiogram and found a small hole between the top two sections of her heart, but this is something most babies have at this age, apparently, so they will follow-up with that in a year, as well.

Best news of the app't was that she now weighs 9lbs 7oz. So in the two weeks since she left the hospital, she has gained 1lb 12oz. Her cheeks are filling out and she now officially has a double-chin - this is good!

I promise I'll ask Ryan to post some photos very soon!

Spring is Here?

2008-03-13T17:21:00.003-05:00

Today Linnea took her first walk since it was 55 degrees and seemed (?) like spring. As you can see above, she found the experience thoroughly stimulating. She slept the whole time.

We have survived almost one full week of "just the three of us," although we've had lots of wonderful and welcome help from our church family (thanks for the meals!) as well as Gramma and Aunt Aimee. They came over and did the lion's share of the Linnea-holding yesterday - what a blessing!

Tomorrow we're off to the cardiologist so we'll try to post something tomorrow night re: how it goes. Thanks for all the thoughts and prayers!

One Week Down

2008-03-07T14:41:00.003-06:00

This is a great shot of Linnea and her daddy. It is symbolic of our goal this week (achieving simultaneous sleep!) and also a great way to highlight one of Mommy's favorite traits about the two of them - their matching lips!

Linnea has been blessed with a good number of visitors already this week. One of her most faithful fans thus far is her Aunt Aimee, pictured here. Obviously the admiration is mutual.

On the purely informational front (no pictures), Linnea had a follow-up dr. app't today. She is gaining weight well (8 lbs 13 oz, although that's with a diaper and having just eaten :)), which is great. Unfortunately, the dr.'s are detecting a slight heart murmur so she has a follow-up app't with a cardiologist next Friday, but they are hopeful, as are we, that it will be something just to watch and not a source of problems.

Nana and Papa leave tomorrow morning, so pray for us as we take the next step toward "normalcy." We are so grateful for all of their help this week and are glad that they get to stop in Ann Arbor en route home for a few days to see Cousins Kelsey and Evan (and Aunt Nanci and Uncle Andrew).

Settling In

2008-03-04T10:46:00.003-06:00

Linnea is adjusting quite well to her new home... enjoying lots of eating and sleeping, but also a fair amount of alert time (first two photos). She is also adjusting to her daddy's "paparazzi-esque" presence with the camera/camcorder. As you can see (third photo), the one struggling the most with the adjustment seems to be Maya!

2008-03-02T14:09:00.002-06:00

Linnea is home, safe and sound, and already exploring her new world (when she's not eating or sleeping, of course). Her Gramma & Grampa Daniels, Aunt Aimee & Uncle Brett brought dinner over last night so she attended her first dinner party, of sorts. She is truly loved already.

2008-02-29T09:19:00.002-06:00

Day Two, and getting ready to head home from the hospital! Nana & Papa Woodard will meet us there and relieve Gramma Daniels, who's been faithfully taking care of the house and Maya for us. We are truly blessed!

2008-02-28T10:59:00.002-06:00

Introducing Linnea Grace Daniels! Born Wednesday, February 27th at 3:51 p.m., she weighs 8lbs 1oz and is 21" long. She is a healthy little champ and we love her sooooo much! More to come...