The Clarks

Big Girl with a Belly Laugh

2010-01-28T19:48:00.000-08:00

Steve and I have been working on trying to get Hannah to be a little more independent when it comes to feeding herself. She is great using her hands, but we are trying to get her to be a little more "lady-like," using her silverware. Some nights are better than others. This happened to be a really good night. She was so impressed with herself! Listen for her belly laugh!

Where's Hannah?

2010-01-28T18:48:00.000-08:00

I'm sorry...I just can't stop myself! These videos are just too much! Hopefully it gives you a little glimpse of our little munchkin and how much fun she is! She loves to play peek-a-boo! This is her doing it with the kids at the dinner table!

Mrs. Potato Head and her Jewels

2010-01-28T18:34:00.000-08:00

This video is of Hannah wearing her "pretties!" (a.k.a. her Mr. Potato Head Glasses and her gold necklace)

Tinkerbell in Action

2010-01-28T18:16:00.000-08:00

Here is a video of Hannah in her Tinkerbell outfit. Mom is a little obsessed, can you tell?

Twirling Tinkerbell

2010-01-28T18:05:00.001-08:00

Introducing Tinkerbell!!!!

We got Hannah this tinkerbell costume for dress up after Halloween and gave it to her for Christmas. She just recently has gotten into wanting to put it on at least once or twice a day. At first she didn't really know what to do once she put it on, but now she's getting the hang of it. She twirls around the kitchen like a little ballerina, sometimes jumping and turning trying to admire her own wings.

I just couldn't help but put up a few of these pictures...

This past week she decided that she would spruce up the outfit a little bit more and start accessorizing with her Mr. Potato Head glasses. A great addition to the outfit if I do say so myself! (I just hope people don't say she gets her style from her mother!) Can you tell by the look on her face how proud of herself she was?

Tinkerbell jumps, did you know that?

Wonderful Winter Happenings!

2010-01-28T17:29:00.000-08:00

We have been busy since the New Year has begun! Hannah is almost 18 months old now! She is becoming very independent and starting to explore a bit more with her words. I'm sure I understand her better than most since I spend more time with her but she says things like basketball, turtle, bubble, puppy, baby, along with her usual animal noises and train sound. She surprises me with something new every day! I've actually begun journaling because I'm so afraid I'm going to forget some of these precious moments!

Here is a glimpse at some of the things we've been doing...

This picture was taken yesterday at the Strong Muesum of Play. My cousin Ian and his wife Kate brought their two kids out to play at the museum with Hannah. They had so much fun! This is them sitting on the stairs on Sesame Street!

Hannah LOVES her Mr. Potato Head that she got from the Pechler's at Christmas. There are always pieces scattered about on the floor and most often when we go anywhere there are pieces in her hand along for the ride! My favorite is when she wears these glasses. And I want you to know, she doesn't just put them on for the picture. She puts them on and will leave them on for 5-10 minutes at a time. You can tell she thinks she's big stuff when she's got them on! Too funny!
One other really fun thing we got to do was meet the family in Syracuse for Disney on Ice. Grandma and Papa Elmer got everyone tickets for Christmas. It was a great way to get all the kids together! You can probably tell from Josh's hat that it was about Nemo! Thanks Grandma and Papa for a wonderful evening together!

This is another classic of Hannah. Whether we are on our way out the door or just playing at home, she LOVES wearing winter hat and mittens. These ones happen to be mine, so they are a little big, but she doesn't mind one bit! It's great because I never have to argue with her about putting them on. Normally she asks before I even think about it!

This was Hannah's first experience with Play-dough. Santa brought her some at Christmas. She only attempted to eat it a number of times, so overall I didn't think that was too bad. We didn't do as much molding, squishing, or sculpting as I thought we would. She more than anything just wanted to keep changing colors before we could get any farther than taking it out of the container. Hopefully we can make some progress there as we play with it more!

She is giving us her "cheese" face here. So cute, huh?

Christmas in Lancaster, PA

2010-01-28T17:10:00.000-08:00

Part of our Christmas celebrations was a wonderful couple of days down in Lancaster, PA where we met up with Steve's mom and dad and his sister's family. This was the first time the kids got to see each other since the summer. What a reunion! It is so much fun watching them interact and play together. It's like they've never been apart! We don't get to see a lot of one another, so we cherish any time we get! I kind of put the pictures in backwards order, but you still get the idea....

Here are the kids ready and waiting to go to "Sight and Sound" to see "The Miracle of Christmas" show. They LOVED it! (And so did we!)

The first couple of days we were there the kids got to do a lot of swimming! I wouldn't say Hannah loved it, but she was comfortable getting in with Gram. (Gram is such a good sport! She was hoping to not have to get in!)
This picture was taken minutes after we all got together at the hotel. So happy to be together!

Thanks Gram and Gramps for a WONDERFUL weekend together! Wonderful memories made that will never be forgotten!

Christmas Morning!

2010-01-20T12:46:00.001-08:00

This is the first time we all spent Christmas at my sister's house in Farmington, NY. Nonie and Papa came to spend Christmas Eve and Christmas day with us. It's so neat to see our family traditions and memories being carried through to our children. While we could smell the delicious cinnamon rolls (Aunt Ann's recipe), the kids had to wait at the top of the steps until Papa told them they could come down. They loved this! He sure knows how to drag it out!

Here is what Santa brought for Christmas morning! Set up beautifully...before the kids got to it!

Hannah looking to see what Santa put in her stocking!

We had a very relaxing day, spending most of it in our pj's. We then enjoyed a WONDERFUL dinner made by my mom. We decided to dress up a little bit for dinner and to get a family picture in front of the tree!

Gram and Gramps stopped by a few days before Christmas. Hannah was able to open a few of her presents, one of them being a brand new bike! She LOVED it! I'm sure we will get a lot of use out of this come Spring time. For now we are making tracks in Shannon's kitchen and living room!

Christmas Fun

2010-01-20T12:30:00.000-08:00

Right before Christmas we went to the Strong Museum of Play for cookies and caroling with Santa. Here is Hannah in front of the Christmas tree while we were waiting to sit on Santa's lap.

And this is how close we got to Santa's lap. While we were in line she kept saying she was going to sit on his lap, and yes she was going to be brave and then....she cried like crazy when we got close to him! She reached out to snatch the Christmas duck from Santa, but that's as close as she got! We tried. Maybe next year!
Here is one of Hannah's favorite parts! SNACK! The museum provided great snacks and punch for the families.

Before we left Hannah rode the carousel with Daddy for the first time. She loved sitting on the horse...and then it started moving going up and down. That was all of that - She wanted off! So Hannah and Daddy enjoyed standing on the carousel until it stopped!

Here is a picture I forgot to put up in the last batch...Hannah helped Nonie decorate her Christmas tree too!

Getting ready for Christmas (and other things)

2010-01-20T12:17:00.000-08:00

This was the first year that we cut down our own tree. The Pechlers are pretty experienced with this, so we just kind of tagged along and put in our input on which tree we thought would be best. When it came to cutting it down, everyone took a turn to help (with the exception of me and Shannon.) Hannah even helped daddy while he took his turn!

Hannah really enjoyed walking like a big girl through the trail of trees.

We decided to make it a day of Christmas and went to Fairport to see Santa arrive on the fire truck. We enjoyed some warm hot chocolate while we waited in the very COLD weather for the sleigh ride. (It's almost impossible to get her to smile on cue!)

Hannah had a lot of fun with the boxes from all the Christmas decorations. Kori and Kasy got pretty tired out pushing her around!

This has nothing to do with Christmas...We just finally have hair to make a mohawk! Well, sort of...Isn't she adorable? Love that smile!

26 Weeks

2010-01-20T12:14:00.001-08:00

I know, I know...we are way beyond 26 weeks now, but I'm a little behind. Just wanted you to see the progress! Here is our little buddy, growing quickly! (It's amazing how much faster the time goes the second time through...)

Buying a House!

2010-01-15T11:50:00.001-08:00

Most of you know that once we moved to Farmington and got settled in we began looking for a house. It has been so wonderful living with Shannon, Arnie, Kori, and Kasy, but we knew that at some point we would need to move into our own space. Our goal is to be settled into a home by the time the baby comes in March. We had an offer accepted on a house in Gananda, a planned community, in the town of Walworth. Last week we received our committment letter and are now waiting to hear on a closing date. I am trying to stay calm as they tell us it won't be until the end of January, knowing that there is some work that needs to be done on the house before we can even begin to move in. If you know me, you know that I am super organized and love to have everything in just the right place. So....I'm DYING to get in there and get us organized! Feel free to check out this link to the house and see some of the pictures. Keep in mind as you look at the pictures that we need to replace ALL of the carpet, repaint ALL of the ceilings and walls, and then have a list of other things we would like to do...It's a cute little house, and we can't wait to be homeowners. Enjoy the pictures!

http://homesteadnet.com/advancedsearchresults.asp?mls=926788&mode=view

November Fun!

2010-01-15T11:34:00.000-08:00

I apologize that it has been so long since we've posted pictures. I'll try to catch you up on what has been going on here the past couple of months!

Here is a picture of Hannah from one afternoon when we decided to use chocolate pudding as finger paint. Let's just say she's a little too much like her mommy...playing was fun, but eating it was much better!

We took Kori and Kasy with us to the Strong Muesum of Play. That membership was one of the best purchases we've made since we've been out here! We get a lot of use out of it. It's amazing to see how in just a matter of weeks Hannah discovers new ways to play with the same things when we go. She sure loved having her big cousins to show around there! Here they are in Big Bird's nest!

Here she is doing "writing" crafts with Daddy!

She loves to shop at Wegmans. She goes around and thinks very hard about what she wants in her grocery cart. Once it gets too full, she even puts stuff back so she can continue shopping!

Here is a picture of me when I was 22 weeks along with baby #2! Let's just say things have changed since then...

No wonder we love it!

2009-11-12T17:46:00.000-08:00

This just gives you a little glimpse of the fun we get to have every day living with Shannon, Arnie and the kids. I think Hannah's going to have a tough time being away from her cousins when we eventually make the move out! Here she is being made into a "Hannah Sausage." (This is something Shannon and Arnie used to do with Kori and Kasy when they were babies!)

The Best Laugh Ever!

2009-11-12T17:28:00.000-08:00

This is the laugh that melts my heart. There is nothing like hearing your daughter laugh with such joy! Here is Hannah having some great fun with her cousins Kori and Kasy!

Our Sugarland Girl

2009-11-11T18:10:00.000-08:00

Steve got me the "Sugarland" live CD/DVD for my birthday. Hannah has found one song in particular to be her favorite. It is called "All I Want to Do." She is so darn cute when she sings along and dances to the DVD. It's dark and difficult to see, but you can get the idea! Wouldn't Sugarland be so proud?

Happy Halloween!

2009-11-11T17:23:00.001-08:00

Here is our Little Pumpkin! She hopped right into the costume, no problem at all! She even wore the hat all night long too!

Here she is trick-or-treating at her first house!

After visiting a few houses she was ready to ride. She wouldn't let go of that Twix bar though!

I knew she was chewing on the wrapper...little did I know, she got it opened and managed to eat the ENTIRE candy bar! Boy was she happy...and MESSY!

It sure was a chilly Halloween. She stayed bundled in her stroller when she wasn't trick-or-treating! Brrrr!!! What a fun night it was!

Strong Museum of Play

2009-11-11T17:09:00.001-08:00

Hannah and I took our first trip to the Strong Museum of Play in Rochester. What a blast! We were there for 2 hours and only saw two displays! She had so much fun playing!

Here she is playing at the "sand" table. Excpet it wasn't sand! It was little plastic beads! So cool!

She was determined to figure out a way to get the balls out of here!
Hannah loves playing with balls, whether they are small or twice her size! (I think her daddy might be in luck. She seems like she's going to have to be an athlete!) She loved rolling the balls down the little tracks!

These were doors that had animals for each letter of the alphabet. After each one she opened you could hear her go "OOoohhh!!! And then she would look at me and point to them, like "See Mommy?"

Here she is driving in Elmo's Taxi. It took a little convincing to get her in there! She warmed up to the idea though and drove all over town!

We ended up getting a year family pass to the Strong Museum of Play because Hannah enjoyed it so much. I have a feeling we will be spending many winter days there!

Fall Fun

2009-11-11T16:59:00.001-08:00

Here are some pictures from what we've been doing this fall! A little random, but still shows you how Hannah is growing!

Here we are in the corn maze at Wickham Farms. We spent the afternoon there with Shannon and the kids enjoying the maze, mini golf, and great snacks!

Hannah helped mommy blow out the candles on her birthday cake!
She was big enough to help Papa with the leaves this year! She didn't really care to jump in them at all, but helping her cousins sure was a hit!

Our big girl at 14 months old

Using a Spoon!

2009-10-22T11:56:00.000-07:00

Just a warning...you guys are in BIG trouble now that I have figured out how to put videos on our blog!

Hannah has been doing some very "Big Girl" things lately! She just seems like she is growing up way too fast! I thought some of you might enjoy watching her eat her breakfast all by herself!

RIT vs Colgate

2009-10-21T08:22:00.001-07:00

A friend of ours is the assistant coach at Colgate. We found out that they were playing against RIT at the Blue Cross Arena in Rochester. He so generously got us tickets so that we could go and watch them! I wasn't sure how Hannah would do since the game didn't even start until 7:00p.m. She did AMAZING! This video gives you a little glimpse as to how much fun she had! She was a cheering fool! Thanks for a great night out Jason! We had a blast! Colgate played an awesome game!

5K Pit Run

2009-10-13T14:02:00.001-07:00

Steve completed his first 5k!! Yeah! His friend Matt had been asking him for years to do this with him, but because of his work schedule he was never able to.

This is a picture of the guys before they started. See how happy and rested they are?

Hannah was there to cheer daddy on in the beginning of the race!

Here's my honey finishing the race! We were so proud of him!

Hannah telling daddy what a good job he did!

They still look happy here at the end of the race, just not quite as rested!

Great job guys!

Naples Grape Festival

2009-10-13T13:52:00.001-07:00

For the last couple of years we have gone to Naples' Grape Festival! This year it was exciting to know we weren't hours away from home. Both of our parents came along with us and my sister's family. We had so much fun trying the delicious grapes. Think a grape pie is gross? Think again! Steve was able to meet up with an old friend from Houghton College that he hadn't seen in 14 years, whose mother happens to be one of the most well known grape pie makers in the area! We walked away with a pie that was absolutely delicious! We were grateful for the grape pie, but even more grateful for the new found friendship we have made with this couple! They have been a blessing to us already!

For those of you who haven't seen it yet, Hannah is walking! She LOVES walking while holding hands with people. She's such a big girl!

(I'm realizing I never posted the big event on the blog. She took her first steps around her 1st Birthday but it wasn't for another month or so that she really took off on her own!)

Apple Picking

2009-10-13T13:43:00.000-07:00

We have had the chance to do many fun things since we've moved here to Farmington! One of the best Fall activities...APPLE PICKING!! We had so much fun going through the fields and rows of trees picking just the right ones!

Hannah seemed to enjoy it, but I have to say, she enjoyed eating her apple a whole lot more. The best part...if she dropped it, she could just get another one!

She did help us pick apples a little bit, but was SURE that her apple didn't get too far away from her!

Beginning of Chapter Two!

2009-10-12T17:41:00.001-07:00

My sister Shannon and her husband Arnie so graciously opened their home to us when we decided to make the move to Farmington, NY. (I think they are nuts!!) The transiton has gone well for everyone! Steve is adjusting to a new job and doing a lot of work to learn everything about "United Professional Advisors." Hannah has moved right in and acts like she has been living here all along. The pictures I posted show you a few of her favorite things about living at Aunt Shannon and Uncle Arnie's house. She LOVES to play pretend in the kitchen that her cousin Kori used to play with. You can also find her terrorizing the cats throughout most of the day. Poor Periwinkle has been very patient with Hannah! She is very gentle with her though and loves petting her. She also loves playing with her cousins! There is always someone to entertain around here and always someone to entertain Hannah which is great for Mommy!We are so grateful to Shannon and Arnie for opening their home to us. It is such a blessing!

Chapter One Ends at Camp-of-the-Woods

2009-10-12T17:21:00.001-07:00

I must apologize for taking such a long break from our blog. I guess you can say we've been a little busy! As most of you know, Steve finished out his contract at Camp-of-the-Woods in September. We decided that after a wonderful 4 years together at COTW (a total of almost 7 years for Steve) that it was time to begin another chapter somewhere else. It was a difficult decision because we would be leaving many wonderful friends behind. COTW was a wonderful place for us to begin our journey together, but now we are excited to see where the Lord leads us in the next chapter of our lives!

I thought I would show just a few pictures of our time right before we left. One of the most exciting things was a visit by a bear in our driveway. (I took this picture from our front porch!) I had been waiting 4 years to get this picture! Isn't he cute?

I couldn't help but add one of Hannah's favorite things about summer -Golf cart rides with Daddy! She looked forward to this every day! Let's just say our family drew a little attention when we were together on the golf cart!

Then there was moving day! We couldn't have done it without the help of so many friends and family. Steve's mom, Paula, came and stayed with us for a number of days while we did the last minute packing. What a blessing! She occupied Hannah while we were distracted by other things. What a huge help that was!
Here is Hannah standing the doorway watching daddy as he packed our 26 foot truck! (And yes! It was filled to the brim!)

Hannah was a good helper at checking to make sure we didn't forget anything!

We couldn't help but take a photo of us in front of our first house! So many wonderful memories that will never be forgotten!

Beach Baby!

2009-08-11T08:02:00.001-07:00

We spent about 10 days in Destin, Florida with my mom and dad, and the Pechler family. We have been wishing for warm weather here and boy did we get it in Florida! It was HOT! We spent most days down by the beach floating in the waves! Here are some pictures from our trip!

Hannah was the life of the party each night at the dinner table! She knows how to make every one laugh!

Kori and Kasy were great at entertaining her down at the beach! They made her all sorts of sand, water, and seaweed buckets to play in! What great cousins!

Kori even snorkeled to find some shells for Hannah to play with in her water bucket.

I was surprised at how much Hannah loved the ocean! She wasn't afraid of the waves at all! It didn't matter if she was in your arms or in her float, she was all giggles! I think she even liked the taste of salt water! YUCK!

We were so grateful to Aunt Beverly and Mike for opening their beach house to us! We always have a great time with them when we visit! They sure do know how to make someone relax on vacation! Thank you to you both!

Hannah's 1st Birthday!

2009-08-11T07:51:00.001-07:00

We were in Destin, Florida with Nonie and Papa's friends Aunt Beverly, Mike, and Delaney on Hannah's first birthday. Even though we already had a birthday party for her back in Rome, we couldn't resist but to celebrate the big day!

This time around Hannah knew the singing was for her and was clapping right along! She still didn't quite get how to blow the candles out...maybe by birthday #2?

The one thing she had figure out was how to eat a piece of birthday cake. Actually, she had no trouble with that at all! Look how sweet! She knows her mommy loves chocolate just as much as she does! What a sweetheart!

Look at that face! That plate was completely empty by the time she was done. Not a crumb left! As long as she had chocolate cake in front of her, she let me leave the silly hat on her! As soon as the cake was gone...off with the hat!

Beach Baby!

2009-06-26T17:52:00.001-07:00

Hannah and I had our first day down at the beach here at Camp-of-the-Woods! It was such a beautiful day! I wasn't sure how Hannah would like it because she doesn't normally like to be hot. Well, lets just say she LOVED it!
I know it looks like she is ready to burst into tears in this picture, but she is actually laughing hysterically after splashing herself in the face with water! She was so cute to watch.

When I put her toes in the water she wanted to just keep on walking out further. I had to turn her around....so far no fear! So she settled for sitting in the water and playing. It gave me hope that we may be able to enjoy many days down at the beach this summer! Bring on the warm weather!

I couldn't resist!

2009-06-19T12:10:00.000-07:00

I just couldn't help it...This might be our best family picture yet! This was taken by our friend Cecil last night at the Luau camp had to thank the preseason staff for their hard work!

Too Cute For Words

2009-06-16T13:15:00.000-07:00

Here are some pictures taken over the last two months. These just show you a little bit of our sweet baby girl who makes us laugh all day long!

That tongue is always out!

She has found some new interesting ways to sleep! We think it's adorable!

There's that tongue again!

Going for a wagon ride around Delta Lake Camp with Gramps!

This is her funny face that she and Daddy make at the dinner table together. Precious, huh?

10 Month Update

2009-06-16T12:56:00.001-07:00

This past month has been full of many changes in Hannah. One day you can't believe what she's doing and the next day she surprises you with something new again! She has mastered crawling and is now really starting to walk around holding on to things. (It's amazing what a little one can find to get themselves into!) One thing we quickly discovered is that she doesn't like to be told "no". She sticks her bottom lip out and lets it quiver right before she starts crying. It's the most pathetic/sweet thing I've ever seen! Now that she stands up on things all by herself she thinks she is so great! Often times when I go in to get her after her nap, this is what I find...

(Who can resist taking a picture of that sweet smile? *sigh* I just love her to pieces!)

Since she's been pulling herself up on things lately we knew she was ready for a toy to walk behind. We couldn't resist this adorable stroller. She already had the baby for it (which we didn't have with us when she first tried it), so it was just perfect! When she got up behind it and took her first few steps, oh boy, was she excited with herself. She was squealing and laughing like you wouldn't believe! How precious is she? I think she'll be walking before we know it!
Her newest accomplishment is signing "please" when she wants something (especially when it has to do with food). It only took her one night of practice before she could do it on her own. Steve and I were both shocked at how quickly she picked it up! I'm hoping to continue more signing with her. So far she can do 3 signs! She is showing us throughout the last couple of weeks that she wants less to do with baby food and more to do with people food. If she can feed it to herself, she LOVES it! I'm bracing myself for lots of sweeping and lots of scrubbing! Here she is for the first time with a hole banana! What a mess!

Everyone told me before Hannah was born that she was going to grow up too fast and to enjoy every minute of it. I didn't have a clue how quickly they meant. It's so amazing to see her personality evolve and watching her explore and grow every day. I just never realized that my precious baby would grow up this fast! I wish I could figure out a way to slow it down...

In Their Glory!

2009-06-16T12:46:00.001-07:00

Here are Nonie and Papa with their three grandkids. Kori (9), Kasy (8), and Hannah (9 months). We were at the "BlueBell Festival" in Farmington, NY. They just light right up when any of these three are around! And they all love it when Nonie and Papa are around!

Daddy's Cheerleader

2009-06-16T12:39:00.000-07:00

Okay, this post is just for Daddy! I knew he'd be disappointed if this one didn't make it on here. He is starting early to get Hannah to cheer for the Yankees and the Tar Heels. He was so happy this night when she sat on his lap and watched the baseball game with him. Even if it was just for a couple of minutes! Aren't they adorable?

Crawling and such...

2009-06-16T12:31:00.000-07:00

Yeah! Hannah has finally figured out how to get herself around. She had been scooching her way around but wasn't really crawling. (She had her own way of doing things.) Around 9 1/2 months she started pulling herself up on things and moving around on all fours. She is so funny to watch! Here she is trying her hardest to get to her ball!

One day as I was folding laundry she was determined to get my water. I set it on the floor between the couch and the table thinking she might forget about it. How wrong I was! This is how she finally figured out how to get to it when mommy wasn't looking. What a stinker! I'm noticing quickly that she's a smart little girl!

9 Month Update

2009-05-07T11:28:00.000-07:00

Our baby girl is 9 months old already! So hard to believe! She now weighs in at 18lbs 13oz and is 28 inches long. Tooth #5 and #6 just came through the other day. She is growing more curious every day trying to do new things. She has recently discovered that standing by the couch is great! She gets very frustrated when she tries to pull herself up on her own and can't do it. So far she has done it once on her own, but I only noticed as she was tipping over crying for help! (What a terrible mother!) If you are anywhere nearby, she expects that you help her get where she wants to be instead of doing it on her own. She isn't crawling yet, but loves scooting backwards across the kitchen and dinning room floor. It's pretty hysterical to watch! She also started grooving to music. When she's playing with her toys and something with music goes off, you can see her rock her head back and forth. It's adorable! If I can figure out how to put video on here, I'll show you! My most favorite thing is when she shows you love by giving hugs and kisses. She is such a sweetheart! We love her to pieces and enjoy watching her discover new things every day.

Family Vacation

2009-04-17T11:54:00.000-07:00

We were so blessed to be able to take this family vacation to Florida together. We had the chance to make many memories with Gram and Gramps, Alyson, Jon and the kids, and also meet friends of the family. We were sad to see the trip come to an end, but we have many wonderful memories from the week. Here are a few more highlights of the trip!

Our last day in Florida we had the opportunity to meet Grams friend Beth (her roommate from Houghton College) and her husband Mike. They have been friends for 40 years! We had a wonderful visit over lunch at the Cracker Barrel. We've heard so much about Mike and Beth and finally have faces to put with the names! Thanks for driving all that way to meet us! We appreciated it!

We took Hannah back to Gemini Springs to walk around and swing on the swings. As we were walking around we were admiring this sign and quickly noticed that they weren't lying! Look in the background...yeah, I don't even like looking at the picture! We were too close for my liking!

Hannah enjoyed the swings! It was cute to see her kicking her feet and clapping her hands. I think we'll be spending a lot of time on the swings at camp this summer!

This time Daddy got to go swimming at the pool with us! Hannah was able to try out the ladybug that her cousin Sarah passed down to her! She didn't mind being held, but really enjoyed it when she could float around and splash by herself! Nonie and Papa...we'll be in your pool this summer for sure!

Family Vacation - Daytona Beach

2009-04-17T08:56:00.001-07:00

On Friday of our vacation we spent the afternoon at Daytona Beach. This was the first trip to the ocean that we could actually put our feet in the water and enjoy the warmth of the sun. Hannah isn't a huge fan of the sun, so she spent a bit of time under the canopy chair playing with her toys. She enjoyed people watching while chewing on her toys helping her fourth tooth come through! Can you believe it? 81/2 months old and 4 teeth already! What a big girl!

She experiemented with the sand a little bit....and yes, even tasted it during the two seconds mommy took her eyes off her! I wouldn't say it's the meal of choice, but I do think I'll need to be on better guard next time!

She splashed in the water with Daddy. She was a little cautious of the water, not really too sure what to think. I think if it was warmer she would have enjoyed it a bit more.

I couldn't resist with this one! Aren't her little feet just the cutest? It was a great day at the beach!

Family Vacation - Steve's Birthday

2009-04-17T08:31:00.001-07:00

For Steve's birthday this year we were visiting his family in DeBary, Florida. Since we were only 45 minutes from Orlando, we decided to spend his birthday in Disney World. We had such a great day! His mom and dad decided to come and share the experience with us. It was great to have them there. It worked out great because Gramps wanted to ride the rides with us while Gram and Hannah had some bonding time walking around and looking at the THOUSANDS of people who were also there! Hannah did get to go on "It's a Small World" and the "Winnie the Pooh" ride. She loved them! (We don't have a better family picture because every time we were in front of the castle, Hannah was asleep. So, she's there with us, but asleep in the stroller!)

Hannah loved the train ride that went around the park. I thought it was so cute how she was holding on! That's my girl - being safe! We won't show the pictures of Gram and Gramps sleeping on the train ride! Heehee! :)

While we were waiting for the parade to start, Hannah made friends with Noah from South Carolina! He let her borrow his ears for a little while...they were cute playing together!

Hannah made it through the entire day with NO problem! This is a picture of her and Daddy watching the Spectromagic parade. You can see it in her eyes how much she enjoyed looking at the spectacular lights!

This is us on the ferry boat back to our car at about 10:30p.m. She took 3 short naps throughout the day in her stroller and still managed to leave with a smile on her face. We know she won't remember a single thing, but Daddy and I sure enjoyed making the memory with her! Happy Birthday Daddy!

Happy Easter!

2009-04-17T08:13:00.000-07:00

We had a very special Easter this year...We were able to spend a wonderful weekend with my family to celebrate Palm Sunday. We had a great day with the entire family having great food, conversation, and tons of laughs playing games! It was neat to see Hannah playing with her cousins all by herself. She is getting big enough that I can leave her to play with the older cousins. They are great babysitters already! Here are a couple pictures of Hannah on Palm Sunday.

Checking out what the Easter Bunny gave her in her Easter basket!

On Easter Sunday we were back in DeBary, Florida with Steve's family. Hannah got the chance to have an Easter egg hunt with her Wells' cousins.

Of course, we don't get to have all the cousins together too often so we had to have a mini photo shoot. As you can see, the parents were more excited about it than the kids were...precious memories!

Promise of Spring!

2009-04-17T08:01:00.000-07:00

As you can imagine, we are more than ready to get rid of our snow here in Speculator! Winter has been long enough if you ask me! We've had a few days of beautiful weather and sunshine and decided to finally get out of the house!

This was Hannah's first trip to the town park. She did some swinging and even went down the slide with Daddy! And YES! We are swinging over snow. A little desperate would you say? *sigh*

We've also been trying to go for walks in the evening. This night was still a little chilly, but a pefect night for Hannah to wear her North Carolina Tar Heels Winter Outfit. (She wore it for daddy's sake!) He's trying so hard to make her a Carolina fan already! This was the first time Hannah used the backpack. She seemed to enjoy looking around and having a little more freedom! We can't wait for the warm weather!!

7 months old

2009-02-26T13:52:00.001-08:00

Hannah is still 27 inches and weighs 16lbs 8oz. She is getting really strong and is doing a great job at sitting up. We still prop pillows around her though, just in case! She had been doing a GREAT job eating her solid foods until she came down with bronchitis! Yuck! Now we have been set back just a bit...we are hoping to see improvements as she gets better. Our other big news is that Hannah FINALLY rolled over for the first time yesterday, but mommy missed it! I could have cried! I put her on her belly in her room to play and when I came back she was flat on her back smiling at me! You think I could get her to do it again? Yeah right! I haven't seen another roll yet, but maybe soon!

We also had a wonderful visit with Shannon, Kori and Kasy to finish off their school vacation! We had lots of fun playing in the gym, playing games at home, and ice skating. They were both such a help with Hannah. Kori loved dressing her and feeding her. Mommy sure appreciated the extra help! Here are the 3 musketeers! They are so fun to have together. I can only imagine what it is going to be like as Hannah gets older and can really play with them!

Daddy's Little Girl

2009-02-26T13:42:00.000-08:00

While we were in Florida I had the chance to look through some photo albums and came upon this picture of Steve when he was little. Everyone always said that Hannah looks like her daddy. Take a look and see what you think...I couldn't believe it!

More Florida Pictures

2009-02-26T13:27:00.001-08:00

Here are some more pictures that I couldn't fit on the last post...Hope you enjoy!

This is at Gemini Springs on Valentine's Day. Gram gave each grandchild one of these bears!

Here's Gramps with Hannah at Downtown Disney! He was thrilled to push her around the entire time we were there!

There's just something about a baby in a cute hat! Darling!

Hannah was all tired out from our trip...Here she is asleep on the plane. She was a WONDERFUL traveler! What a trooper!

What a Surprise!

2009-02-26T13:09:00.001-08:00

On February 9th we decided to give Gram a great surprise! (Everyone was in on it except for Gram...) I took Hannah on her first plane ride down to Florida to spend a week at Gram and Gramps house! I wish I could show everyone the video of Gram's face when she came home from grocery shopping and saw Hannah sitting in the high chair in their dining room. It was priceless! That was just the perfect moment to the beginning of a fabulous week! The weather was absolutely beautiful! Let's just say I think Hannah would be happy being a Florida baby. (Mommy didn't mind the sunshine either!) We did a little bit of everything while we were there. We relaxed at home, enjoyed some baking - both doing and eating, did some shopping, went out to eat, took Hannah swimming for the first time, went to see the manatee's at Blue Springs, had a wonderful picnic lunch on Valentine's day with all of the Wells' family and then an hour of Go Kart riding (what a blast that was!), visited with Steve's cousins Laura, Walter, and Zachary Hopkins, strolled around Downtown Disney, experienced DeBary Hall, and so much more! We sure do appreciate everything that Gram and Gramps did to allow us to be there for 1 1/2 weeks! (And also Steve for allowing his girls to be gone so long. It wasn't the same without him...) It was a trip to remember, that's for sure! Here are a few of my favorite pictures from our trip.

6 Months Old!

2009-02-26T12:58:00.001-08:00

Sad to say we don't have too many pictures from Hannah's 6th month as we lost our camera for a while! (But don't worry, we found it so there are many more to come!) However, we aren't short of news, that's for sure! Hannah now has 2 teeth on the bottom and has started to eat solid foods. And of course, she not only loves to sleep like her mommy, she loves to eat like her too! She hasn't seemed to despise any food so far. Steve had the chance to take her to this months appointment since I was substitute teaching. Boy was it an experience! Hannah weighs 6lbs 3 oz and is 27 in. long! The doctor thought the nurse made a mistake in measuring her, but it's true! She grew 2 inches in the last month! Daddy didn't enjoy watching her get shots. I think they both cried! It's hard to believe we have reached some of these milestone already, but it is such a joy to be with Hannah every day and watch her grow! She makes me laugh all day long!

5 Month Update

2009-01-22T08:14:00.001-08:00

Well, since we are approaching the 6 month point, I thought it was about time I give you the 5 month update! Hannah continues to be a healthy growing girl - thank the Lord! She is 16lbs 1 oz. and is 25 inches long. You can see in this picture how long she is! She has so much personality and is so much fun to play with during the day! Oh! And daddy discovered her first tooth that came through on Jan. 3rd! It hasn't seemed to bother her too much! We are doing MUCH better with our cereal and are getting to the point where mommy and daddy don't have to stand on their heads to get her to laugh and open her mouth to eat! (That was exhausting!)

She continues to be a very happy baby just smiling the day away!
The cutest thing in the last month or so is that she has discovered her feet! She finds them to be a great toy and its great for mommy because they are always around! It's fun to watch her get them as close to her mouth as she can...that belly gets in the way though!

Hannah hasn't quite figured out how to roll over yet. This picture shows about how close she gets and then she gives up. Too much work I guess! That's alright...I'd like to keep her little as long as I can! She'll do it when she's ready and we least expect it! We do have a lot of fun playing "rough" on the bed though. She likes to try to sit up on her own and fall down. She thinks thats a great deal of fun! We get lots of giggle out of her then.

She has also become quite a blanky girl when it's bed time. As soon as you cover her up she draws the blankets right up to her face. Sometimes when we go in to check on her, her face is covered completely. (That gives us a bit of a heart attack...) She just likes to be cozy like her mommy!

Happy New Year!

2009-01-10T18:53:00.000-08:00

Happy 2009! Here we are at Camp-of-the-Woods with the horses giving sleigh rides! It was such a beautiful day to start off the new year!

Not only was it a great start to the New Year, but it also meant that Hannah was 5 months old! Hard to believe! She's getting too big too fast! We wish all of our family and friends could be here with us to watch her grow. She has been such a blessing to our family! We look forward to all the joy she will bring us in 2009!

Hannah's Dedication

2009-01-10T18:48:00.000-08:00

What a beautiful day December 28th, 2008 was! We were able to have Hannah dedicated to the Lord by Pastor Foye at North Country Bible Fellowship here in Speculator! It was such a blessing to have both of our parents (Nonie & Papa, and Gram & Gramps) here for that experience with us! It is our prayer that Hannah will see God's love for her through our actions and that she will come to know the Lord at an early age.

Christmas in Rome!

2009-01-10T18:38:00.001-08:00

After our long drive back from Delaware we had a little bit of time to spend with the Elmer side of the family before Christmas day was over. It wasn't quite the same as spending Christmas together, but it sure was nice having a little bit of time. The best part was that Grandma Elmer cooked a great dinner the next day so we could all spend a little extra time together! Here's Hannah with Aunt Robie!

And of course, Hannah and her Great Papa! There's something about those Papa's and their little girls!

Merry Christmas!

2009-01-10T14:16:00.000-08:00

Look how Happy she was on Christmas morning! Here she is in her Baby's 1st Chrismast pj's! We got up early to head over to Middie-Mom and Porky Pop's house to meet everyone for Christmas!

Gram has Hannah in front of the bear tree that is put up each year. The tree is decorated with somewhere around 100 bears!
After having the traditional Christmas breakfeast of Middie-Mom's chipped beef with gravy and Auntie Ann's cinnamon buns, we sat together and read the Christmas story. Then it was craziness as everyone opened their presents! Here is Hannah opening her first gift with Daddy. (Actually, it was the only gift she was awake for!)

See! I told you it was craziness! But absolute fun, of course!

We even had a little time to play with some of the new toys before we had to get back on the road to head home. We have some wonderful Christmas memories of Hannah's 1st Christmas!

Christmas Eve in Delaware

2009-01-10T13:56:00.001-08:00

This was our year to spend Christmas in Delaware with Steve's family. It's great to have everyone together! Hannah got to spend some precious time with her family that she doesn't get to see too often. Here she is with her Great Auntie Ann. They have so much fun singing together!

One of the best parts of Christmas in Delaware is that all of Steve's family travels from Florida, so that means Hannah gets to spend time with all of her cousins, Caleb, Rachel, Jacob, and Sarah. We were happy we could get them all to sit still for one picture! It was so great to see them playing together. Sarah just loves to walk around saying "Baby Han!"
Aunt Linda and Uncle Harrison have been celebrating Christmas Eve at their house for 30 years with friends and family invited. Here we are as a family in front of their Christmas tree! We are so glad Hannah is now part of the family traditions!

Aunt Linda and Uncle Harrison gave Hannah this adorable reindeer for Christmas. Hannah was entertained by it all night...even when we got back to the hotel room! I think she could tell it was Christmas Eve!

2009-01-10T13:51:00.000-08:00

For some reason I couldn't fit this one on the last post, but I couldn't leave it out! Here is Hannah helping Kori and Kasy make buckeye balls! One of our favorites!

What a Vacation!

2009-01-10T13:30:00.000-08:00

The week before Christmas we had the chance to spend a week at my sister's house out in Farmington, New York. It was such a blast to have a long period of time to hang out, relax, and get in the spirit of Christmas! We made LOTS of cookies while we were together (and ate our fair share too!) and Hannah was so excited to be a helper. Look at her...she's just like her Mama! She loves her chocolate!

While we were there, we decided to give Hannah a taste of a carrot. She pretty much sucked on it like a pacifier, but really seemed to like it! Aunt Shannon also helped her practice eating her cereal. It was a little hard for her to get the hang of it!
Uncle Arn was a hit too! Hannah loves to play rough and tough...as you can see from the smile on her face (and if you could only hear her squeal) Uncle Arns one handed throw was one of her favorites while we were there!

We had the chance to celebrate an early Christmas with Hannah's Nonie, Papa, Great Papa and Grandma Wilson and the Pechlers. We had a wonderful day together and Hannah was showered with hugs and kisses from her Great Grandma Wilson! She just couldn't get enough!

We couldn't help but dress Hannah in this adorable dress that was passed down from her big cousin Sarah! Isn't she adorable?

We had an incredible week together and are looking forward to another visit out to Farmington again- Hopefully sometime soon! We miss you all already!

Big Girl Food!!

2008-12-04T16:44:00.000-08:00

Sadly for mommy and daddy, yesterday was Hannah's first day of trying cereal. (We feel like the time is going too fast and she shouldn't be eating food yet!) For the first attempt, I wouldn't say it was horrible! It did feel like a little bit of a lost cause as I would scoop and rescoop it into her mouth as she continuously spit it back out! I have no idea how much of it she actually ate! Today was the second attempt and I'm struggling to tell whether she doesn't like that she doesn't know how to eat it, or if she doesn't like the taste. We ended up choking and crying over it this time. Everyone say a prayer that it goes better next time!

4 Month Update

2008-12-04T10:34:00.000-08:00

We just went to the doctor yesterday for Hannah's 4 month checkup. (And yes, we had more shots...always a sad day for mommy!) She now weighs 14 lbs 6 1/2 oz and is 24 1/2 in.! She's always been a very happy girl but is really starting to laugh at different things and even herself! Her smile can light up a room! Here is a picture that just shows how big she is getting!

Daddy's Favorite!

2008-12-04T10:31:00.000-08:00

I know we've mentioned before that Hannah loves to watch TV, and that Steve thinks it's great...but I wanted to show you the evidence. He's trying to turn her into a sports fan! (Go UNC!!!)

Adorable!

2008-12-04T10:28:00.000-08:00

I was never a big fan of headbands, but isn't she just darling? I couldn't help but share the picture!

Bumbo Chairs Are Awesome!

2008-12-04T10:24:00.001-08:00

Hannah is already big enough to sit in her "Bumbo Chair." Can you believe it? She loves to sit in it while I'm cooking dinner and be mommy's helper! She's so proud of herself, can you tell?

A Visit to PA

2008-11-10T12:14:00.001-08:00

We had the opportunity to stop in Pennsylvania to visit Aunt Judy and Uncle Carl. While we were there, Jeff and Susie stopped by with their two girls Ava and Sara. Sara is exactly 1 month older than Hannah. Which girl is bigger? Yes, ours is definately the chubby one! It was great to watch them coo, drool, and talk at eachother!

We needed to get Ava in the picture with the girls! Look how they are all holding hands! Aren't they just precious!

3 Month Update

2008-11-10T12:06:00.001-08:00

Hannah was 3 months old on November 1st. When we went to the doctors this month she weighed 13 lbs 7 oz. and is 24 inches long. She sure is growing! She is doing so much talking now, experimenting with her voice! I think one of the best sounds is her giggle! She loves to laugh at herself in the mirror. She is so alert and aware of what is going on around her. If there is a TV nearby, she finds it! Daddy thinks its the best that Hannah loves to watch TV! (She's so much like her dad!) She's still LOVES to suck on her hands and isn't crazy about the pacifier. This picture shows one of the first time she figured out how to suck her fingers and not her whole fist! Isn't she cute? As I'm sure you can see from the pictures, she is getting more fun every day! I'm just crazy about her!

Wedding Celebrations!

2008-11-10T11:46:00.000-08:00

This past weekend we traveled down to Delaware for Steve's cousin's wedding. While we were there, Hannah was able to see her Aunt Alyson and cousin's Jacob and Sarah. This was the first time they have seen Hannah since she was 2 weeks old. They couldn't believe how much she had grown. They enjoyed playing with her. I think Sarah enjoys the fact that she is no longer the baby girl of the family!

While we were there, Hannah dressed in her leopard print outfit, just for her Middie-Mom! (Middie-Mom loves anything with leopard print on it!) They looked adorable together!
This is Hannah with Steve's cousin Christine. This was the first time they met! (This trip was the first time most of Steve's family met Hannah.)

This was Hannah's 3rd wedding in 3 months! She was a trooper through all of the evening. Everyone "oohed" and "aahed" over how adorable she was. She enjoyed kicking around on the floor to the music!

This picture was taken right after Hannah had her first dance with mommy and daddy! She finally got so tired out that she fell right to sleep in my arms! It was such a beautiful day!

Happy Halloween!

2008-11-10T11:32:00.001-08:00

To prepare for Halloween we cleaned out a pumpkin and put our "Little Pumpkin" inside. Isn't she darling? (Thanks for the idea Aunt Shannon and Uncle Arnie!) At first Hannah didn't mind...

Then she decided she had had enough! (I think this one is my favorite!)

For Hannah's 1st Halloween, we were lucky enough to have the opportunity to go trick-or-treating with our family in Rome, N.Y. Hannah was able to begin the same tradition that mommy had every year of trick-or-treating with her cousins. Her Gram bought her this adorable costume! Don't let the pictures fool you however...on Halloween she was pretty much a stem, as she is not so fond of the flower petal hat! (The things parents do to their children!)

A Visit From Gram!

2008-10-09T17:42:00.001-07:00

Hannah had a very special visit from her Gram! She came all the way from Florida to stay with us for 6 days! Gram couldn't believe how smiley and chatty Hannah is for being 10 weeks old! They had lots of time to talk and share their stories! We enjoyed having her here with us!

Hannah also got to meet her Great Grandparents (Middie-Mom and Porky Pop) and her Great Auntie Ann for the first time.

Here she is with her Middie-Mom!

Porky Pop sure was taken with Hannah!

Auntie Ann couldn't get enough of her either!

Happy Fall!!

Here are some fun fall pictures that we took of Hannah while Gram was here! We hope you enjoy the pictures of our "Little Pumpkin" as much as we do!

Napels Grape Festival

2008-10-01T17:11:00.001-07:00

This weekend we went to the "Grape Festival" in Napels with the Pechlers and Nonie & Papa. We walked around and saw crafts and ate all sorts of fair food, and sampled all the grape juice!

We got to see Aunt Shannon and Uncle Arnie's brand new house that is beautiful! Hannah's favorite part was taking her baths in Aunt Shannon's special bathtub!
She also loved the special attention she got from her cousins! They were such great helpers in taking care of Hannah!

2 month update-Oct. 1, 2008

2008-10-01T16:59:00.000-07:00

Today Nonie came to help Hannah (and Mommy) recover from her first set of shots. She did very well! As you can see from her smile, they hardly affected her at all. She's such a trooper! Hannah now weighs 12lbs and is 22 1/2 in. long. It was so nice to have Nonie here with us!

Daddy enjoyed having a sleepy girl to cuddle with after a long day of work!

October

2008-09-25T10:41:00.000-07:00

Click here for pictures: October

Hannah

2008-09-25T10:36:00.001-07:00

Look how big I am now! (6 weeks)

Birth - September

2008-09-25T10:31:00.000-07:00

click here for pictures: Birth - September