Walking!

Logan decided to start walking last night! John and I have been working with him quite a bit lately because he is so strong and stands on his own so much. So, last night we sat about 10 feet apart and Logan just walked right between us...no problem! He was so excited that he kept doing it all night until his legs finally gave out!

For the real test, we waited to see if he would do the same thing again today. Sure enough...he was walking from the table to us, from the doorway to us, from daddy to mommy and from mommy to daddy!

We took some video, but I don't know how to load it, so hopefully John can help me later!

Just a few more updates....

Logan is not quite walking, but often stands without holding onto anything, sometimes taking up to three steps, but then dropping down to his knees to crawl. We think he would rather crawl because its easy for him and he's so quick!

Logan drinks regular milk! I am down to just one feeding a day with Logan this week and will be all done next week! We're both having a little bit of a hard time, but I'm loving the freedom!

Logan is developing new sounds and intellect every day. He now make an "oink" sound when he sees a pig and a "raaaarrrrr" sound when he sees a tiger (or cat, or dog, or lion). Its obvious that Logan understands so much of what we say, and he is trying to say it back! He says "Dada" the most when he see John, so I think that is his official first word. He also like "Mama", "Bababa", "Dat", and "Dis". Logan like to sign for "more", "all done", and "milk".

Logan holds his play telephone (or anything that he is holding) up to his ear if you say "Hello?"! Its the cutest! He also likes to wipe off the table with a towel or kleenex when we are cleaning up. He has to join in the fun (is that a sign of a neurotic mommy?!)!

Logan had his one-year check up on Tuesday and it was fun to see Dr. Gilmartin. Logan measures in at 25 lbs and 32 inches! What a big boy! We skipped vaccinations because Logan is a little under the weather.

So much is going on all the time...I have a feeling my blogging will become more sparse. This toddler business is crazy (and he's not even walking...or running...oh my!). Every day is a new adventure, that is for sure!

Brookside '08

Every year, for the last 24 years, John's family rents a cabin in Park Rapids, MN. Its quite the tradition. Last year, Logan had just been born, so its been a while since we joined in the Brookside festivities.

This year was extra special because we celebrated Logan's first birthday, my birthday, Bob and Deb's 33 year wedding anniversary, we spent more time with Jenny before she leaves for WV, and we got to spend time with Scott and Jessica who live in NC. Whew. It was great!

I don't have many pictures from the week, but here are a few of my favorites.

Thanks to all the Eiselts for a great week together!

1st Birthday [bis...]

First things first: "bis" is French for "repeat" or "again", hence the title of this post.

What a birthday Logan celebrated! He was one serious party machine! We had a wedding in St. Paul on Saturday before his birthday, so Logan stayed with my parents and then we all woke up on Sunday to have a special birthday breakfast with the Holbrooks. Logan loves muffins, so I made giant muffins and he also got to try Papa's super special pancakes for the first time! It was great! It took Logan a little while to get into the gift opening, but after a couple, he sure knew what to do!

Our little family; Logan checking out his candle

i couldn't get the paper off fast enough!

the face dive

Yummy!

Such a happy little one year old!

"Hello Mommy??? Are you behind the camera again?!"

"ONE!"

Logan got so many great books for his birthday - we love them!

Logan looks so much like John in this photo!

Logan checking out the presents! They are all so cool! Thanks so much!

After the festivities, we got in the car and headed north to Park Rapids, MN for a week with the Eiselt family. We arrived justin time to make the birthday cake, decorate a little, cook dinner, and celebrate with cake, presents, and fun. Two parties in one day...Logan was a busy little boy!

Me and my boy!

My cupcake extravaganza for Logan's birthday cake

Cake on fire!

This is the moment immediately following Logan's face plant into the cupcake...just like the muffin earlier in the day!

John picked out a special present for Logan - his first workbench! So cute! When I started wrapping it in the cool paper I bought I realized I had accidentally bought the new adhesive paper that goes on like a huge Post-It Note. So...that was a mistake. It was sure hard to Logan to rip the paper off! Next year I will know better!

Logan loved his cards - mostly ripping them up.

Logan playing with his pusher cart from Gma and Gpa! It was a hit all week long at the cabin! Soon Logan will be walking without it!

Thanks for making Logan's first birthday so special!

Birthday Boy

Thankfully we weren't up to celebrate Logan's birthday at the actual time he was born one year ago: 4:07am! We head up to the lake for vacation today, so we'll update with more pictures soon!

Happy Birthday, Logan!

Marking a Milestone

We are fast approaching Logan's first birthday! I can't believe that at this time last year, we had not even met him yet! It was a year ago today, Aug 15, that my water broke and we went to the hospital for the journey that would be longer than we had hoped, but totally worth every minute!

On Logan's birthday (this Sunday), we will be leaving for vacation with the Eiselt family, so birthday arrangements have been a little tricky. I've really been wanting to do something so special to mark the milestone of our first child's first birthday. It just feels so important to me to mark the event...if not for Logan, then for myself as a mother.

Since plans proved to be too tricky and crunched for time, we're not having a big party for Logan or anything, but we're doing our best to make the day super special (riding the car for hours not included in the "superfun" part of the day). I sent out these birthday announcements as an attempt to have our family and friends share in the special day with us, despite the lack of plans to be together.

Thanks to all friends and family for support and love over the last year - Logan is one lucky little boy!

TWL Wrap-up

At last, here are the last of the pictures from camp. Shh...don't tell John how many photos I took this month! Ahhh! We're home and trying to get back to a more normal schedule. Logan misses his friends and so do we!

Logan loved this!

Proof that Jenny worked hard all month!

The Blue Ox Snack Shop often had a line out the door!

Our personal favorite: and Oreo Frostbite! Yum!

Some of the moms and littlest kids would often go to the "Sawmill", a huge room where club is held each day, when it was empty to let the kids play and run wild. Logan and I probably frequented it the most because Logan loved to climb the steps and chase his ball around the room. It was great...especially on rainy or for a chance to get out of the blazing sun.

The Sawmill stage

Logan loves to push ANY thing he can and walk behind...
(how cute is this?!)

Logan loves to climb steps...

and chase ANY ball ANY where!

Over the course of the month, I got to see at least one of each "clubs". Since we were there for 5 weeks, I had five chances to catch them, so that helped! On the last day, I got to see the very last club of week 5. It was pretty moving because all the kids got to say how much they grew in their understanding of God, their relationship with God, or their desire to know God. At the end, kids who started a relationship with Christ lined up and walked to the front to put a heart on the cross. No matter where kids are at, at Young Life, we love them and try to meet their needs and show them how much they matter. That's the best part of what we do.

Campers waiting to get into their last club of the week at the Sawmill

Singing

Program characters

Playing games at club

Todd, the camp speaker standing by the cross with hearts representing all the kids who started a relationship with Jesus at camp that week

At the end of club, they opened these huge doors behind the stage and the kids all walked over the stage, past the cross to the lawn where they are greeted by all the workers before boarding their buses for the trip home.

A little more playtime...

This was on our last day at camp. Logan and I hadn't explored the stream much (on purpose), but I thought we could spend some time in the cool water on the warm last day at camp. Logan loved playing with the rocks!

Saying goodbye to all our friends was really hard, but we know we'll see most of them again (some we'll see very soon!). We have no regrets about this month...its been so wonderful.

On our way out

The ride home was pretty good. Logan was awesome! Twelve hours in the car is not easy, but he did so well. We decided not to take the ferry again and drive up the UP in Michigan instead. The drive was so beautiful! We made several stops...here's Logan driving tractor on one of our breaks.

Babyless

That's right: for the first time in exactly 11 months and 7 days, we were babyless! Logan went for his first solo sleepover on Sunday night at the Holbrook's. We had to be in Stillwater on Monday for the YL Golf Event, so we thought it was a good chance to have Logan's first night without us - and we even squeaked it in before his first birthday! John and I went out for coffee, shopped for Logan's birthday gift, and saw a late movie (not to mention blasted loud music, stayed up late and slept in!).

Here's Logan packing some of his overnight supplies


Nana, Logan, and Papa!

The overnight was awesome. Logan loved it and so did the grandparents. Of course, we knew it would be great! So, we're looking forward to many more of those...(hint, hint!).