This morning we picked up Jimmiqua at 9am and headed to the Public Market. It was cold and windy, but it was still fun to the be there. And we were certainly not alone – the place was packed. We started by visiting our friends’ bakery, JonJohn’s. Out of friendship and love (as well as love for sweets), we bought 3 chocolate dipped peanut butter cookies.

I think we ended up bumping into over 5 people from church, all of whom first recognized YOU! And, Joe, one guy from church introduced you to a number of other people as the Famous Gospel Choir Baby.

Here are some things we bought:
bag of onions – $1.25
green beans – $1
grapes (for you – you picked them out) – $2
rhubarb – $1
nectarines – $2
blueberries – $3

When we came home, we had some hot chocolate and then got to work at making a homemade rhubarb pie – We made it from SCRATCH! All 4 of us! It was so much fun, and it turned out GREAT! We have a fabulous pie now, all for what Daddy reminded us cost $1!! Nice!!

We got to talk with Grandma & Grandpa Luehmann briefly a couple times. We’ll get to see Grandma Luehmann next weekend in New Jersey at Aunt Rena’s opening. Can’t wait!

You’re taking a nap now. I might join you. 🙂 I love you to pieces!!

Hi Peanut –

Just want to tell you about a little adventure we both had a couple weeks ago. I had to go to San Francisco for 8 days for a work conference. Eight days without my little Peanut’s snuggle…Oh, I didn’t want to go. But it was important, so…

The great news is that Gma and Gpa Luehmann drove all the way from Minnesota to spend that time with you!! And they had SUCH a fabulous time getting reacquainted with you and all your personality!! Gma and Gpa sent a little photo album with pictures of your time together. Here are a couple digital pictures I took from the week!

You are so loved, Little One!
*Mommy

Hey there Sweetness –

Well, we just arrived home from your seventh trip. This time we drove to Mason, Michigan for Christmas to see Grandma & Grandpa Tatro. Uncle Matt flew in from Vermont as well. It was so wonderful to spend all day, every day, for a whole week with you. I’m sure your friends at daycare missed you, but we were sure glad to get the time with you.

The drive to MI was great! You slept almost the whole way! We stopped for dinner and took time to play and explore the Christmas lights, and then you were back to sleep.

Some highlights of the trip were Christmas church service (you and I studied the nativity scene in the back as I told you the Christmas story for the first time), the beautiful lights and ornaments on Gma & Gpa’s tree, playing with new toys like the musical cube Uncle Matt bought you, and seeing Uncle Mark & Aunt Bi and their new home in Jackson! You showed everyone your crawling ability and how you enjoy to pick things up to eat with your fingers. One night Gma & Gpa watched you while your Daddy and I went to a movie. You slept through most of that, but I hear you woke up for a bit to check things out and make sure everything was okay.

Christmas is the celebration of Baby Jesus coming into the world- He was a baby just like you. He came to live with us to show us how very much He loves us. We are so blessed, Miss Maya, to have such a loving God who cares so much about each one of us! That truly is the greatest gift of all!

I love you, Sweet Pea. And I look forward to celebrating many, many more Christmas’s with you!

Your first!

I tried to write to you on Thanksgiving day, but for some reason my password wouldn’t work to get on the blog. We all had a fantastic Thanksgiving at Grandma & Grandpa Luehmann’s house in Minnesota. Everyone came – Aunt Amy, Uncle Hakon & your cousin Elisabeth from Seattle as well as Uncle Mark and Aunt Bi from Michigan. (They just moved back to Jackson MI – we haven’t even seen their new house yet – but I hear it’s spectacular! It has a pond and everything!)

You didn’t sleep so well again the night before Thanksgiving – I think your ears were still hurting you. A week ago you were diagnosed with a double ear infection. That along with adjusting to a different bed, different people and a different time zone could challenge even the best of sleepers. Anyway, because we were all a bit sleepy, and you weren’t in the best mood. we decided to skip church. We all congregated instead at Grandma and Grandpa’s house. Great Grandma Friedrich came over in the morning and spent the day with us.

At dinner (at noon), Grandpa asked me to start a special Thanksgiving prayer, and the first thing that popped into my head was you and your Daddy. I know I tell you this every time I write, but I am so thankful for you Little Peanut. Your arrival in my life has made every aspect of it better. The things I treasured before, I treasure even more now; the things I found beautiful before are even more stunning; the things I found disappointing before, I now realize aren’t very important. I want to be a better me for you. You do that, you know. Your beautiful presence inspires people to be happier and just better people. God does wonderful work through you my little angel.

We ate a typical American Thanksgiving dinner – turkey, cranberries, squash, potatoes, corn, fruit, stuffing, bread and apple pie. You sampled many of these dishes in addition to your own baby food entres of “Turkey Vegetable Dinner” and some fruit. You really enjoyed the apple pie! 🙂 A girl after my own heart!

After dinner, we opened Christmas presents. You got many fun gifts from different members of the family. Highlights included a cell phone with a promise to call more often from Uncle Mark & Aunt Bi; a beautiful handmade quilt made of the fabric from your baptism stoll from Aunt Amy and her family, and a dressy bessy type doll that is a female astronaut! How cool is that?!?! They also showered you with wonderful books and toys. Auntie Amy also bought you a cute outfit when we found out our flight was cancelled the next day, and you would need something to wear.

Each of these family members, Great Grandma included, was thrilled to hold you and play with you. Your cousin Elisabeth and you had a very special bond. She is 3.5 years old now (you are 8 months old). You made each other smile and giggle. When you cried, Elisabeth came over and sang a little song to you to cheer you up. Grandma gave you a bath together both Thursday night and Friday night. Elisabeth was happy to share her toys and play with you in the water. When she left, she gave you a big hug, a kiss, and a high five on your shoulder (because she realized you couldn’t high five yet.) I think you both really enjoy being each other’s cousin!

The grown-ups played cards the rest of the day. We all had a wonderful Thanksgiving!

The next day we all got family pictures taken at Target in Rochester. Then you, Daddy & I were supposed to fly back to Rochester. Surprisingly, our flight was cancelled. We were standing in line to get our flight rebooked when Grandma appeared out of nowhere and swept you up into her arms. She was THRILLED that she got another day with you. Not long after that (a minute or less), Mark, Bi, Amy, Hakon, Grandpa and Elisabeth arrived and enthusastically greeted us! I, for one, felt very loved. After booking the flight for the next day, Saturday, we headed back to Grandma & Grandpa’s in Austin.

Saturday we joined in a Luehmann family gathering and my Uncle Howie and Aunt Vicki’s house in Lewiston. They got to see you again along with their kids Kayla and Brandon, and you got to meet my Uncle Lyle & Aunt Betty and Uncle Al & Aunt Laurie.

Whew… I’m tired just writing all of this.

Bottom line – we’re so thankful for you Peanut. And we all have so much to be grateful for! God certainly blesses us SO RICHLY!

Love you!
*Mommy