Walking

This morning I posted that he took 5 steps. Well tonight after Scott got home he took 13 steps!! Here is a short clip!

You will also notice that he is just in his diaper! We had a bad night with puke! After 4 pairs of dirty jammies, we decided to let him go in just his diaper. He loved it! He also had LOTS of drool tonight!

Five

That's right! Matthew took 5 steps today all by himself!

Do you think he will be walking by his first birthday?

Well there is only 8 days until his birthday! Do you think that I am excited? Just a little-well maybe A LOT!

First Steps

I am so EXCITED!!!!! Matthew took his first 2 steps all by himself yesterday with a little bit of encouragement! It will not be long now!

Did you see his count down to his birthday on the right side? Only 9 days until his 1st birthday!!!!!!

Great Company

Not sure if any of you read the blog from last Saturday (if not click here) about our first meeting with Sebastina and Grandma G. We were all a little nervous about our first meeting but I love how our relationship has developed. We are so very happy that Matthew's birthparents and families are all apart of our lives! We wouldn't want it any other way!

Yesterday Sebastian, Grandma G, Auntie Kaci, Uncle Chase and Uncle Kai came over to dinner. We had a wonderful time! After dinner there were some tractor rides!

Scott telling Sebastian how to drive it!

Sebastian giving Chase a ride!

Sebastian giving Kai a ride.

Sebastian giving Matthew a ride. Matthew loves riding on his tractor!

Kaci driving the tractor. It took Scott a bit to talk her into giving it a try.

Auntie Kaci and Matthew! Look at both of them and their blue beautiful eyes!

Grandma G holding Matthew and Chase on the right.

Kai, Matthew and Chase

Chase and Matthew

It is amazing how one little boy can bring all these wonderful people together. To be honest, when we started the process of open adoption, the thought of openess was a scary thought. After our adoption training and seminars that we were required to attend the openess started to be less scary. I have to tell you now though that the openess of our adoption is wonderful. I love the open lines of communication and how Matthew will always know that there are so many people who love him.

Just a quick story: With having this wonderful open adoption you have a chance to learn more about these people who have become extended family. Last night before dinner we were talking and I was talking about a little rash that Matthew has on his cheeks. Grandma G was then saying that when all her kids were little whenever they ate ranch they would get little red spots on their cheeks. I then asked her if they got it with ketchup too. She said yes. Now that explains why Matthew gets red spots on his cheeks when he eats ranch or ketchup.

Fingerprint Friday

There is a song by Steven Curtis Chapman that says:

I can see the fingerprints of God

When I look at you

I can see the fingerprints of God

And I know its true

You're a masterpiece

That all creation quietly applauds

And you're covered with the fingerprints of

look around you and see where YOU can see God's fingerprints. Is it in nature? Kids? Animals? Where do you see them?

Matthew enjoying his first shower with Daddy!

A short story of why he got to take his first shower with Daddy: Matthew was playing out on our deck while I was making supper and usually he is jabbering and squealing but he was being really quiet so I investigated. I found a very dirty baby. He found the ashes in the grill along with a couple pieces of charcoal and was having a blast playing in them.

Look around you and see where you can see God's fingerprints! To join in or to see other fingerprint Fridays, go to Pampering Beki's blog.

Ice Cream Cone

Tonight we stopped by Dairy Queen to say hi to my sister and get some ice cream too! It started out with Scott holding the cone but Matthew decided that he wanted to hold it.He just chewed and chewed on the cone!
It even got up his nosed. He was pretty messy but he loved every minute of it!
This is what was left but then he dropped it before he could finish it!
Messy face when he was all done! He even tried some of daddy's but spit it out.
While we were eating our ice cream cones, we seen Scott's Uncle Wayne fly over. Click here to see closer pictures that were taken at a different time. I didn't have my extended len on tonight plus he was up higher than normal.

Fun Weekend

We had a busy but fun weekend. On Friday we went to Cajun Fest (click here to see pictures). On Saturday, Matthew's birth-grandma (Grandma G) came to visit. We had lots of fun with her. Matthew was just hamming it up. He even showed her how he stands all alone for a few seconds.

Thanks for coming to visit Grandma G. We can't wait until this coming Saturday when we get to see you again and all the others.
Later in the afternoon, Matthew went for a tractor ride, we went out to dinner and then to the park.

Matthew loves to swing. The higher he went the more he giggled.

More smiles!

We played at the park a short time and then came home and played outside.

Matthew making a funny face at daddy! Hahaha!

The toy was to hard to push through the thick grass.

Then on Sunday after Matthew's nap, he got to help Daddy mow the lawn. While they were mowing they found a frog and had to stop and play for a few minutes. Can you see the frog on Matthew's leg by his foot?

Matthew holding it upside down.

Matthew and Daddy letting the frog go in our pond.

After the mowing was done, Matthew went for his first motorcycle ride.

Some wind blown hair!

Then we played outside for a short bit.

Matthew was not happy when we had to go in either but then Emma came to play for a little bit.

First Meeting

One year ago today, we meet Matthew's birthfather Sebastian and his mom, Gina (Grandma G) for the first time. Our meeting was at LSS (Lutheran Social Services of MN) with the birthparent worker, Dianne. We, well I mean, I was a bit nervous for our first meeting. Why? To make a long story short, Scott's sister, Kyra, and Sebastian's aunt were good friends and his aunt (and her niece who we later learned was Sebastian's sister) came to Kyra's the day that we were telling her about being selected and about the details. At the time we did not know that Kyra's friend was Sebastian's aunt. We learned that about a week before meeting Sebastian. What a small world it is! Our first meeting went great! We told them about us and they told us about them. We talked. We cried. We laughed. That's how adoption is, you never know what type of a roller coaster of emotions you will have until the time comes. We have a wonderful relationship with Sebastian and Grandma G. God had a plan! He wanted them to be a part of our lives! To read more of our adoption story click here.

Thanks Sebastian and Grandma G for the wonderful trusting relationship that we have developed! We are so happy to have you a part of our lives!

Cajun Fest

Last night we went to Northern Lights Casino in Walker, Minnesota for the annual Cajun Fest. It is a VERY mini Mardi Gras! There is lots of music and a small parade of people that throw lots of beads. Matthew and Grandma Lucy dancing to the music with Auntie Susie looking on.Look at the adorable hat that I bought for Matthew at the gift shop at Northern Lights!
Matthew got some beads from a woman passing by who thought he was so CUTE! He also got a glow brackets from his Auntie Mandy.

The start of the parade!

Grandma Lucy and the Grand Marshall of the parade.

Lots of fun costumes and fancy masks!

A few more set of beads! Matthew didn't know what to think of the the FUN people!

Waving to the people with Daddy's help.

The parade marches down the center aisle and then back up again.

Matthew and all his beads when the parade was all over.

We had lots of fun and Matthew got to stay up WAY past his bedtime. It was after 10 before we left Walker. We had about an hour drive home and Matthew was sleeping within the first 5 minutes. We had a good time talking and visiting with my sister Susan and her husband Wayne who rode with us.

Visiting Daddy while He was Working

Today Matthew and I stopped to see Scott at the job he was working at
and bring him a little snack. Scott put Matthew in the corner lazy
susan cabinet and he thought he was hot stuff. Do you see Matthew's
cute shirt? It says "I am mommy's hero when daddy's not around".
That's my boy. He loves his mommy but when daddy comes home he doesn't
want his mommy any more.

Fingerprint Friday

There is a song by Steven Curtis Chapman that says:

I can see the fingerprints of God

When I look at you

I can see the fingerprints of God

And I know its true

You're a masterpiece

That all creation quietly applauds

And you're covered with the fingerprints of God

So look around you and see where YOU can see God's fingerprints. Is it in nature? Kids? Animals? Where do you see them?

My fingerprint today is my sister, Patty, because today is her special day: It's her Birthday! She is my youngest sister and she sure has made life interesting. Just ask our mom!!! I rememeber one time when our mom freaked out because something was wrong with Patty's nose. Our mom took her to the ER right away. It wasn't soon after they arrived and were waiting for the doctor when Patty sneezed and out flies a piece of corn. Hehehe! Hey Patty has Austin stuck anything up his nose yet? Just wait your pay back in coming. Oh yay and make sure Austin doesn't play with toothpicks, we wouldn't want him to get one stuck in his foot! Remember that? Hehehehe.

This is the most recent picture I have of my sister where she is actually looking at the camera. It was taken the day after Matthew was born by our mom. I love the lighting in this picture. The sun was shining in the window which was behind our mom when she was taking the picture. The little blond boy is Austin (Patty's son). He was almost 17 months old in this picture. He is quite the little wild man but we love him to pieces too. He used to call Matthew "Baby Scottie" but now it is Matthew but not pronounced quite right and he calls Scott "Gunkle".

Happy Birthday Patty! Love Ya!
Look around you and see where you see God's fingerprints. To join in or to see other fingerprint Fridays, go to Pampering Beki's Blog.

Hard to Believe

It is so hard to believe that in 19 days our baby is going to be ONE year old. I am happy but kinda sad at the same time. He is just growing up way to fast. I am so EXCITED for his farm birthday party. It is amazing how many things he has learned in just one year: rolling over, sitting up, crawling, walking around furniture (still hasn't let go yet), feeding himself(he loves his food), drinking from a cup (weaned himself off the bottle), dancing, talking, falls asleep by himself (sometimes we still get to rock him though, which we both LOVE) and lots more.

Today I had his one year pictures taken. OH MY GOODNESS did they turn out super CUTE!!!!!!!!!!!!!! As soon as I get the CD I will post some. I will get the pictures back just in time for his birthday!

Fun in the Tub

Matthew having fun in the tub! He loves taking a bath or should I say
he loves being a fish in water.

Patty Cake

We have been teaching Matthew how to do Patty cake! It is so CUTE! One evening while we were shopping at Target, he started clapping and singing

(He was trying really hard to say Patty cake).

Lately it seems that everytime I take the camera out he wants to touch it so pictures and movies have been few and far between. Here is a short clip that I got yesterday!

It is amazing how much he is learning and trying to do lately. He even has good manners and says thank you. He trys to repeat everything we say to him.

Pizza Lover

Matthew loves pizza! It doesn't matter what kind-he loves it even
mushrooms. That's my boy.

Fingerprint Friday

There is a song by Steven Curtis Chapman that says:

I can see the fingerprints of God

When I look at you

I can see the fingerprints of God

And I know its true

You're a masterpiece

That all creation quietly applauds

And you're covered with the fingerprints of God

So look around you and see where YOU can see God's fingerprints. Is it in nature? Kids? Animals? Where do you see them?

Matthew had a little play date today! My sister Susan was babysitting her friend's little girl today and we spent the day together. The little girl's name is Genevieve. For short they call her Gen (Jen)! She was a cutie! Her and Matthew played really good together.

She even had 2 teeth! She is 2 1/2 months younger than Matthew.

It was so hot, we even played in the swimming pool! They had lots of fun!

Thanks Susan for spending the day with us and bringing Genevieve with you!

They are both wondering fingerprints of God! Can you see God's fingerprints?

Look around you and see where you see God's fingerprints. To join in or see other Fingerprint Fridays, go to Pampering Beki's Blog.