Happy New Year!

Thanks, Papa for the idea!  Here's the best of 50+ shots trying to get her to smile.  Oh well....

And Happy 92nd birthday Cookie Beek!!!! 

Here I am practicing my O's with my funny cousin Drew

And finally...... this year's ornament.  Every year since the year Brad and I met (2001), we buy an ornament and put our names on it, the year and the big happenings of that year.  Our first year just has our names and 2001 - looking back, I chuckle at that one because we had only been dating 7 months, but I guess somehow we knew it would be the first of many ornaments to come.  There was "we're engaged" in 2002, "our first Christmas" in 2003, "Bugsey's first Christmas" in 2004, "Aloha" in 2005 after we spent Thanksgiving in Hawaii.  2006 was painfully blank - our second year into our infertility struggle and a tough ornament to hang that year.  2007 we went back to Hawaii to "get away" from our infertility struggles so that year has "Mele Kalikimaka" on it.  2008 we were matched with our first Snowflake family shortly after Thanksgiving so it says "Let it Snow" on it.  2009 says "We're Pregnant" and "It's a Girl!" and now at last, here is 2010's!!  I packed up our tree tonight and cried as I got ready to decorate this year's ornament thinking back at all the heartache we went through to get to this point.  What a blessing Makenna is and if I had to do it all over again, I would because I wouldn't want any other baby in my arms.  I love you, baby girl!!!  Happy New Year! 

And here are 2 super cute ornaments we received from Auntie Sharon:) 

My sweetie with my sweetie

Daddys little girl

Serious bed head:).

And now, I seem to think its playtime, not sleepy time!

Piggie Remnants......

Quite the look.....

Christmas Fun

Love the funny faces this girl makes...

Uh oh, teethers are starting to bother her again.... Still none popped through, but she sure was a fuss fuss on Christmas morning

Nothing like a little daddy time to cheer a girl up:)

 Our first family Christmas!

Cookie Beek working hard for a smile out of me

Time to open presents presents and more presents at Papa and Oma's house

Oma got me this Christmas book - its the COOLEST thing ever!  She taped her voice so now any time I want her to read to me, I just turn the pages and I can hear her voice!  Thanks, Oma!

  

This was taken at 11:30 Christmas night.  Makenna went to bed shortly after 7pm and before heading to bed myself, I commented that I was sad that Makenna's first Christmas was almost over.  Just a few minutes later, I heard her babbling away awake from her slumber just asking to be held.  Here she is snuggling with Uncle Jeffy, sucking every last minute out of her first Christmas:) 

Chillin' with Oma

Laughing with Great Grandma Rita

What a great Christmas we had - its so weird to finally be able to celebrate with a little one after waiting SO long for this.  It was certainly worth the wait and we had such a good time!  Thanks to everyone for all the presents and the "presence" - we love you & Merry Christmas!!

Merry Christmas to all and to all a GOOD Night!

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All I want for Christmas is my two front teeth..... NOT!!

Noone told me teething would hurt this much! My poor little santa fuss:(

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Thanks for the cute hat Auntie Sharon!

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All I want for Christmas is YOU Baby!

Merry Christmas Eve everyone!!  What a fun day we had celebrating with Brad's side of the family tonight.  We are so excited to finally be celebrating a Christmas with a little one in the family.  Makenna is the first little one on that side of the family since Brad's cousin Katti, who is getting married in a few months!  Its been awhile:)  Makenna had a blast playing with everyone!  I've said many times this Christmas that I really don't need anything - my baby girl is present enough this year. Of course, noone listened and there were way too many presents exchanged, but what a great night together!!  Here are some fun pics from today.

A learn your letters game that Great Grandma Rita made for Makenna- it must have taken a LONG time to make, but it looks AWESOME - she's going to have so much fun playing with this someday!

With Uncle Derek

Opening more presents

With Daddy's cousin Katti

Thanks for the puffer vest Uncle Derek & Sanam - I'm totally stylin' in it!

Such a happy baby

Happy Birthday Jesus!!

Thursday afternoon, Annika and Elizabeth came over and we threw a birthday party for baby Jesus.  What a fun time!  We opened presents from each other and ate birthday cake.  Hopefully the first of many years of this tradition! 

Got my first cold:(

Poor lil thing!

Just chillin' in my exersaucer today - still in my jammies at 3 in the afternoon;).

Merry Christmas Tuesday Night Gang!

For many years, Brad and I have enjoyed the blessing of "Tuesday Night Tom" at our weekly bible study group.  We found this group shortly after we were married and have learned much from Tom over the years.  We find in many of our other bible studies, we share things we've learned from Tom - so much so that Tuesday Night Tom has become somewhat famous:)  Tonight, we were fortunate enough to be able to get up in front of Tom's Tuesday and Wednesday night study groups at their annual Christmas party and share Makenna's special story.  She was SUCH a good girl the whole night and it was so exciting to be able to meet all these people that have been praying for her over the years.  Thanks to all of you for supporting us on this journey!  Thanks Tom for the years of service you've put into this group! 

Makenna and "TNT"

She LOVED Bev - sat so nicely on her lap during the Christmas program.  Thanks Bev!!

She was all smiles by the end of the night - she KNEW it was WAY past her bedtime:)  It was sooo worth it, though!!

The oldest and the youngest from our Tuesday night group - almost 100 years between them:) 

Puffer vest

Seriously, how cute is this little vest (and the little girl in it of course)!  I just coldn't resist a little impromptu photo shoot!!

Such a big girl!

I swear she thinks she's a model!  I sure do take enough pictures of her:) 

Squealing away in delight!

Helping mommy work

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First dada

Makenna had a little playdate with Lucy today and Lucy can only say dada and Makenna can only say mama so we were hoping they would rub off on each other.  Sure enough, she gave us a big dada before we left and when we got home, she couldn't stop with the dada's.  Looks like this little girl is a total daddy's girl!  As if we didn't already know that:) 

When God made me, He was showing off!

Love this onesie!

Oma and Papa day and a visit from Santa!

Thanks for coming down to visit me today Papa and Oma!  I had SO much fun!!  I promise next time I will giggle for you!! 

Makenna had a VERY special visit from Santa today:)

All smiles!!

Today's doctor visit

Little chubbers is a whopping 19lbs 2oz!  She did great with her shots today and is looking good:)  She only cried for a minute or two after her shots and then was all smiles shortly after.

This afternoon we had a super fun playdate with Lexi again:

Well, super fun until Lexi started to beat me up:)  Usually I'm the bully!  Ha!