Lots and LOTS of Brendan pictures ...

Brendan's HAPPY smile on his 1st birthday!

I haven't posted any pictures of Brendan on this blog in quite awhile ~ actually, I haven't done anything at all on this blog for quite awhile. I have been very busy designing cards and I'm getting close to "launching" a card business ... but not quite yet! But back to Brendan ...

Baby Brendan had a really nice first birthday party. Lots and lots of friends came to celebrate Brendan's first year of life. What a GREAT first year! 

This is the baby doll I got for Brendan. It's actually NOT a baby, but a little toddler boy doll that reminded me a lot of Brendan! The doll's name is Michel. Brendan liked him very much. 

Kelly, reading Brendan the book I bought
him for his 1st birthday ...

Brendan enjoyed his party very much until ... we all gathered (about 30+ people) to sing "Happy Birthday" and present him his birthday cupcake. Everyone was SO excited to sing to him and as we started singing, Brendan's little face scrutinized everyone looking AT HIM and HE KNEW everyone was singing TO HIM and he did not like it ... not one little bit! He was so upset, his loving parents had to take him out of the high chair and comfort him. He never did eat his cupcake! :( 

Brendan's party outfit ... he was NOT QUITE walking that day,
but ALMOST!

The next few pictures were taken a week or so after Brendan's birthday. This is the beautiful blue sweater Brendan's Grandma Julie (from Winona, Minnesota) sent him (along with many other beautiful sweaters) for his birthday.  

Brendan, wearing his birthday sweater ...
look at his chunky little legs! Love him!

This is Brendan telling me stuff ... not sure WHAT ... but he was talking up a storm that day! 

Brendan, sitting in his high chair
watching the cars and buses go by down Eastern Avenue.

The above pictures were taken at my little beach house. It had been a few weeks since Brendan had been here and it was the first time he was actually walking around. He thoroughly explored each little room and enjoyed himself hugely. 

This is Brendan and Kelly opening up a belated birthday gift from our friend, Karen. His very own tambourine! 

Those are pretty big shoes to fill, Brendan! He was pretty intent to have Dylan's tennis shoes on his own little feet. So Kelly very patiently put them on him, quite a few times, until he finally realized he couldn't walk with them on! 

The sweetest face EVER!

I got to spend a few mornings with Brendan recently. Kelly had to be at the hospital for a rather long birth (she is the BEST doula in West Michigan!). So Brendan and I got to do a bunch of stuff together. 

It looks like Brendan is riding an invisible skateboard
in this picture!

 These next few pictures were taken last Sunday, on Easter!

Brendan Andrew! You have the sweetest expressions and the kindest little heart! 

Brendan really enjoyed my stuffed animals ... well, they ARE very soft and cuddly!

Brendan showing me his wonderful tools! He is a very mechanical little child! He did not inherit this trait from his grandma! 

Kelly, Brendan and his GREAT Grandma Ruth!
 Easter Sunday afternoon

Brendan is fascinated with the lights at my house! He just loves a very bright light and loves the pull chains that make the ceiling fans work. The other day I took him all around my house and we pulled every single chain that I had, to his very great delight! 

I love this picture of Brendan
and his very beautiful mama!

Brendan learned to stand a block up on end
without it falling back down ...

Brendan stacking blocks at my house

Well ... that's a lot of pictures of our little Brendan, all taken throughout the months of February and March. Hopefully I will be a little more regular posting pictures from here on out!

Some wintry pictures ... why I love Michigan!

 I've taken some lovely walks this winter, always with camera in hand. I have a few favorite places, not far from where I live. I photographed them during the summer and got beautiful pictures in the fall too ... but there is something about the winter beauty that always, always takes my breath away ...

 And I think David sums it up in Psalm 27 ... when he talks about "delighting in the Lord's perfections ..." because no one can paint a picture so without flaw ... so serene and peaceful ... so CLEAN.

 This is Imperial Mills, a very private little place with (regrettably) NO TRESSPASSING signs everywhere I would venture to walk! So I had to keep my distance. But isn't it pretty?

 And this beautiful little stretch of road comes off Chauncey Avenue. I caught it on a very blustery afternoon! I like this picture very much.

Since Townsend Park is very close, I often drive over there and walk the trails and breathe the clean fresh air. I have loved this spot since my boys were just little fellows ... 

I ran across this passage in 2 Timothy the other morning and thought it would be so appropriate on a winter card ...

 There are so many trails and streams to explore at this old park. I don't think I will ever run out ... and I love a nice hike in the woods, don't you? Especially when there are NO bugs about!

I don't think I could be happy living in any other state but Michigan! I love its beauty in every season of the year.

Our Little Fellow is ONE today!

Today is Brendan Andrew's first birthday. I can hardly believe it! How fast this year has gone by! There is a party for baby B this afternoon with lots and lots of his baby friends and others, of course. I'm going to be there with my camera and hopefully get some good pictures of this little sweetheart to show you later!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, LITTLE GRANDSON!

A very slow start ...

It's been more than a month since I've posted anything, and I thought I'd tell you why that is! Christmas was a busy time and we had a very happy celebration this year. But then right after Christmas, everyone in turn got sick ~ I had an intestinal kind of flu, Dylan and Kelly both had colds, and even baby Brendan was sick for a few days.

And to top everything off, I injured my right hand two weeks ago today. Would you like to hear how this happened? Well, it was a rather stupid accident. I was helping a friend with an industrial extension ladder and simply had my hand in the wrong place at the wrong time and ... crash !! ... my RIGHT hand kind of got crushed right across the bridge of my hand. So I've been wrapped up in a splint ever since, awaiting the verdict of whether or not I have any broken bones. I don't think I do because the pain isn't severe. It's just a nagging ache with a nasty bruise. I'm giving it a few more days before I break down and actually get an x-ray of the damage, hoping perhaps it will improve so much that I won't need x-rays at all to confirm that I'm on the mend.

Needless to say (even though I AM saying it), this has slowed me down considerably. I'm terribly RIGHT handed, and not at all ambidextrous ... so ... even typing is somewhat laborious, and playing the piano has been completely out of the question. And shifting gears while driving is also tricky, to say the least!

So for tonight, I'll just post some pictures of darling Brendan from the last time he was here ... which was about two weeks ago. He was just about taking steps on his own that night ... but not quite all the way there yet.

Everything about this chunky baby delights me ... I think he kind of likes his grandma too ... 

This is the hilarious smile he was giving my camera every single time he saw the light from my flash ... he would wrinkle up his entire face and show me those cute little toofers of his!

I love this one of Dylan and Brendan ... they are so sweet together.

Brendan, I could just kiss your sweet little face forever! 

Brendan is not crying in this picture ... he is actually cracking up about something ... I'm not sure what exactly, although he found that little blue rubber bouncy ball extremely funny for some reason. 

Brendan was just barely holding on to Dylan's hand as he walked all over my house. Kelly said the other day he took a 1/2 step on his own but never realized it because he was clapping his chubby little hands at the same time. Everyone is coming over for dinner tomorrow night, so perhaps he will walk for us then!