Cupcakes

Annie helped me with a batch of cupcakes last week.  Her job was to hold the sprinkles...

Thanksgiving

A bit late, but here are some pictures from our Thanksgiving trip to Ohio!

Annie discovered the joys of television :)

Meeting her new friend George...

She's a strong little lady!

Grandma, Grandpa, Uncle Tyler, Uncle Jason, Aunt Melissa, us (and Maggie the dog in the corner)

the two Annies!

snuggle time with Uncle D

smiling for Great Grandma!

3 Months Old, according to Annie

Playing dress up in my pretty purple dress, with matching bonnet and booties. Thanks Fab. Aunt EC!

I sleep in my big girl crib now.  Mom and Dad thought I should move when I started playing with the rungs on my cradle instead of sleeping.  They miss me being in their room, but I think we all sleep a little better now.  I'm sleeping 6-8 hour stretches at night. 

I keep mom on her toes when she tries to take pictures of me with those silly signs.  I just turned 3 months old!

Trying out the Bumbo seat...

I love to make spit bubbles!

I do have duck feet!

Pats, Pumpkins, and the littlest Pawlak

 Way overdue for an update post!  Over the past few weeks, we've been pumpkin picking, hiking, dressed up for Halloween, and Annie watched her first Pats game (on TV...then blew out the Pats onesie like a champ).  She's developed a disarming smile, and loves lounging in her swing, looking at mirrors, and playing with rattles.  We've started sleeping through the night more often than not, although the time change threw her for a bit of a loop; we'll see what this week brings.  We were glad to have Dan's family in town again for Uncle Jason's graduation from Navy OCS (Congratulations!!)  Annie got to meet her Great Grandma for the first time...and she really is great!

It takes a lot of energy to ride around in a baby bjorn... :)

All dressed up in her pumpkin outfit

Four generations!

Happy little Pats fan!

Pink cowgirl boots...thanks Kylen for letting her borrow them!

Family hike...

Annie loves this monkey picture, and waves/smiles/touches it every morning

"the lip"

Annie's Dedication

For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.   Psalm 139:13-16


But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness."  2 Corinthians 12:9


Our precious little Annie was dedicated this past Sunday at our home church, The River.  The above verses have been especially significant to us as we've prayed for her over the past 11 months.  Now that she's here with us, we see just how fearfully and wonderfully she has been made!  Annie's wearing a christening gown that my (Katie's) mom purchased while we lived in Belgium, for her grandkids to wear.  Annie's Papa was visiting from CA and got to celebrate Annie's special day with us!

A picture is worth a thousand words...

We received the proofs from Annie's photo shoot this week (taken when she was two weeks old).  Almost seven weeks have passed since then, and we can't believe how much she has changed in that short time.  We cherish these images of her when she was so small and new, and of our brand new family, and look forward to the many new memories to come!  (Many thanks to Jennalle Dunn for the beautiful pictures:  www.jennalledunn.com)

Fall is in the air...

With the start of October, fall has definitely settled on Boston.  We have enjoyed the cooler weather, even though it meant digging out a few sweaters and vests to stay warm.  This past weekend marked the third annual Pawlak-Zukauskas apple picking extravaganza, complete with football-viewing afterward.  Annie enjoyed the ride (we even found an Annie-sized apple for her)... She'll meet her Papa Fraits for the first time at the end of the week. 

Week 6

Our little girl is growing and changing quickly these days.  Her cheeks are filling out, she's getting thigh rolls, eyelashes are growing in, and she's starting to think about smiling :)  Notable accomplishments of the week include sleeping for a 5 1/2 hour stint (only happened once, but man was it nice), following toys with her eyes, and hanging on to a pacifier for longer than 2 seconds... what a champ.  

Happy 84th Birthday Nana Dee!!

Striking a pose in one of mom's (Katie's) old dresses

Thanks for the onesie, Grandma!