7 Months Old!

And he is growing up so fast!

Daniel started to “wave” this week!

We had a great Memorial Day weekend. Lots of time outside!

He went swimming for the first time!

We had dinner on the deck with Granny, Jed, Aunt Lisa and Uncle Nathan this week.

He is eating three meals of solids a day.

And check this out!!!!!

First words?! :D Yes, I cried happy tears!

Sorry about the bad camera work – when Daniel sees the camera he wants to grab it.

I was trying to be sneaky!

Happy Birthday Daddy

Guess how much I love you?!

We've been through a lot already, but I will always be your little boy.

Thank you for taking such good care of me and Mommy.

We both love you very much.

XXOO,

Daniel

Scooter!

He’s moving all around the floor – on his back! I don’t have a picture yet – I’ll try to get one soon. He is sitting up on his own for a few seconds at a time and very good at rolling from his tummy to his back.

Last Wednesday we saw the pediatrician. His stats: 14 lbs 13 oz (between the 5th – 10th percentile) 26 ½ inches long (50th) and his head was 46 cm… (90th!!). He’s going to be so smart :D

His weight concerned the doctor. He encouraged me to change his feeding routine and push more solids. Since the green beans fiasco, Daniel has had carrots (loves!), sweet peas (doesn’t really like), squash, sweet potatoes and peaches. We’re going to try prunes tomorrow – yum!

If you’ve been following this blog from the beginning, you know that we had Daniel Baptized the night before his surgery. This past Sunday we had a “public Baptism” of Daniel at our church.

We had amazing support from our family and friends! Grandparents, great-grandparents, aunts and uncles and great aunts and uncles, cousins and more!

Andy was able to address the congregation and thank them for all their prayers.

It was Nama’s birthday on Sunday too – we had a full (but fun) house! Cousin Maddie even helped feed Daniel dinner.
Yesterday I went to a lunch for work. It was a “hat party.” Shana and I got creative with our hats. Thanks to her influencing the judges… I won the prize for most creative hat! Of course, I owe all the credit to Daniel. I had decorated the hat with pictures of him!

We are so cute...

Happy Mother's Day

No surprise, this is my best Mother’s Day ever! Daniel is such a blessing! After two years of infertility, tests and treatments, God gave us charge of this little person.

First, an update on Josh – his unit has moved!! They are out of imminent danger and are getting some much needed rest. He has been on the phone all weekend and sounds so much better. Thank you so much for your prayers.

Last week Tuesday, I took Daniel to vote with me. There were three ladies working in the precinct and I was the only voter there at the time. None of them said a word to me about Daniel – didn’t even acknowledge him. An hour later, Andy took him to the same precinct and all three women gushed over him! So a lesson to all us women – gush over the baby when it’s with Mommy too! :D

It was a very busy, but very fun weekend! Andy ran the Riverbank Run (15.5 miles!) on Saturday. Daniel and I went out to support him.

That night we drove to Lansing for a party for Jessie. She graduated from law school! We met so many people that said that they had been watching this blog and praying for us. It was great! However, Daniel is at this point where he cries when he goes into the arms of people he doesn’t know. I don’t want him to be that way – I want everyone to be able to enjoy holding him and hugging him!

Today was great, except Daniel woke up at 6:02 am… I like 7:00 am. But, it gave me a couple more hours before church to play with my baby and get pampered by my hubby!

Prayer Request

My brother Josh was able to call the family last night for the first time in three weeks. He hadn't showered in two weeks. No, he is not a college slob, he is a hero.

Josh is stationed in Iraq - in Sadr City. He is on the front line - it doesn't get any closer than where he is.

He has seen violence and death - way too much of both. His good friend and work-out partner received a very serious head wound recently. Josh ran beside the stretcher, helping to hold in his friend's brains. I'm sorry, I know that is gruesome - but he is only 20 years old...

You can read stories about the war - about the politics, violence and death, but you don't really know the human side of the story until you talk to a soldier. Josh says that his biggest fear is that he might never come home.

Please pray that God's angels surround our military men and women. Please pray for an end to the fighting. Please pray that Josh is able to finish out this tour of duty, come home safely and never, ever have to go back there...

(He is the one on the right)