Monday, December 29, 2008

THAT'S NOT WHERE BABIES GO!


Luka is scooting around now as she tries to crawl. She's only moving backwards, so far, and she's finding herself in some funny places. She looks like she thinks it's funny in this photo, but not being able to go forward is really making her frustrated.

Friday, December 26, 2008

Reflections

I can't believe Luka has had her first Christmas! Time is just flying by. She's getting big so quickly. Before our eyes, daily, things are happening like crazy. We took a moment on Christmas Eve to reflect on what we've been through, and to dream about what is to come. We stood over our sleeping babe and cried (ok I cried, Dan just choked back the tears) about the amazing fortune that has been given to us. We are so blessed to have such a healthy, happy baby. Playing Santa was a fun treat I had not thought about until it was here. This holiday really made us see being parents in such a new light, and playing Santa is only one of the fun roles we get to play. We are thinking of traditions we can develop as parents to allow us to keep our focus and remind us of where we came from. And traditions we can do with our children in the future. We feel traditions are what gives the holidays that extra special-ness and we want that to be what is important to our children. While we know that the gifts take a strong place in the American Christmas, we hope our family traditions can bring something else to our children. It may not be until they are adults that the impact of these traditions is realized upon them, and that's ok. I guess they'll probably realize the weight of these traditions the moment they look upon their child on the first night they play Santa.

Luka is now sitting up unassisted, has two teeth, is eating solid foods -- her first food (peas) was a Christmas gift to us all -- exploring her mouth, making new shapes with her lips and tongue -- including gagging, and coughing galore, and tonight she began banging her toys down on the book I was reading her -- I can just see the pots and pans and wooden spoons on the kitchen floor symphony now. Oh, and she's also sleeping in her big girl bed all through the night! Whoot whoot! I think it was harder on us then it was on her.



Mailing Christmas cards. (ps we had one come back with that lost it's address lable -- oops-- if you didn't get you'rs let us know.)


Luka smiling at Pop. I can't get enough of that!


Look how good I can sit now!

Santa's Margo & Danielle came bearing gifts.

Snowed in and baking cookies for our friends and neighbors.

Opening her stocking!
Everybody loves Christmas morning.

We took my parents to the Nutcracker ballet for their Christmas gift. They loved it. My dad played in the Sacramento youth symphony and the Sacramento Symphony for the Nutcracker Ballet as a kid and teenager so he's seen it many times before, this was a first for Mom and for Dan.
I've always wanted to be his little "balla-ina"

Tuesday, December 23, 2008

Crazy Lady!

Yaoza! Luka LOVES this toy. Thanks JoJo for loaning it to me. Everybody get your tissues out cause your going to cry tears of laughter.... well, at least I did. (the first time, and rewatching it on the video)

Monday, December 15, 2008

What a fun weekend!

Christmas tree shopping

Hey Y'all! Well, I 'm going to ring in this new year as a 30 year old! Scary! My 30th birthday was Thursday and we celebrated this weekend. Dan rented us a room at the Inn at the Market, right above Pike Place market, got us some babysitters for the night (Grandma and Grandpa Jaramillo) and we had dinner and some dancing with friends in Belltown. IT WAS SO FUN! I missed Luka terribly but did very well considering. No crying. :) Even in the crazy snow, people turned out and we had such a fun time.

Walking to the next place in the snow!


Rach and I dancing! At this time we were the only ones in the club (we're old, people that get to the club late are much younger than us, beside, we got the best spot! A podium all to ourselves!)


My Mamas! Braving the weather and leaving their children at home. :)


Pike Place market under snow. The view from the rooftop terrace at the hotel.


Friday night Luka was the baby Jesus in the Live nativity at Highline Christian Church. It was really neat. There were donkys, sheep, and llamas! The poor cast had to be out in the terrible weather Friday and Saturday. Their spirits were good though. Luka participated in 2 shows. She was under cover in the magner swaddled up in Mary's arms, so she stayed very warm. She enjoyed the spotlight, she just looked around at all the people and animals, she never cried! During the last show she fell asleep. Too cute.
Luka, I mean Jesus, sleeping. Mary is really pregnant!


Luka's First walk in the snow! All bundled up! She probably can barely breathe from all the clothing she has on. Plus I zipped her up in Dan's giant jacket. Her feet hanging out the bottom crack me up. She stayed really warm and our body heat together kept me warm.


Jeez... I forgot how long it's been since I posted... alot has happened. Here are some photos of Dan's Company Holiday Party at the Museum of Flight. Luka opens her first present!

It was a phone! And apparently she knows what to do with it! HA!


And lastly... she decorated the Christmas tree with us.

Luka says, "thanks for reading, Happy holidays!"

Monday, December 1, 2008

Fun filled weekend of thanks


Our First Thanksgiving
(finally at home, just us, after all the meals)

Luka had actually had 3 first Thanksgivings! We celebrated Thursday with Dan's family, Friday with mine, and Sunday with some of our friends. They were all a blast and the food was delicious, especially at the Friends Thanksgiving. We are feeling the need to eat salad the rest of the week however. I tested my skills in the kitchen for a few things to add to the meals. My most successful attempts were at making the desserts for Friends Thanksgiving. I've always felt that bundt cakes were so festive, and I was given a bundt cake pan and cook book for a wedding gift, so I thought I would put it to use. I greased the heck out of the pan, flowered it and IT WAS AWESOME!!! Not one piece stuck in the pan! I made butterscotch pound cake... it was the hit! I also made Dump Cake which was super delicious, and two burbon spiked pumpkin pies. Unfortunatley the whipped cream for the pumpkin pies lacked the whisky your supposed to spike it with, but it was in the pies. It's hard to remember everything when you've got a baby and 3 desserts to get out the door on time.


Abby Grace, Luka and I cheering on the "Turkies" at Dan's family flag football game


Kids and adults get to play!!

Hanging out with Grandpa, he makes me laugh.

Can you tell who was the life of this party?

Friends Thanksgiving at Leah and Pierres house. That's Tate, Luka, Joey, and yes a sleeping Josh!
Christmas Star

On top of all the Turkies and thanks, there was a 30th birthday to celebrate too. Amy Jean Cullen Gregersen turned THIRTY! We celebrated with her on Friday night. We went to Westlake Mall to witness the debacle of the Christmas Tree lighting ceremony, (poor choir) and eat at the Elephant and Castle. It was such a fun time. Luka enjoyed being a party animal again. It was so fun to hang out and see everyone. Especially Uncle Phil and Auntie Amy. Luka really loves Phils giant arms, he hugs her like a little teddy bear and puts her to sleep. It's good practice for him and it creates the baby fever in the Gregersen house... we're all desperatly waiting for Amy to join our little mommies club.
Uncle Phils snuggly arms!Clearly she get's her party etiquette from her dad.... spits. Look at her she's a party animal!

EDIT!

Somehow I put the incorrect church and day for the live nativity that Luka will be in. The correct church and day are: December 12th at Highline Christian Church. Performances are at 7, 7:30, 8 and 8:30.