Visitors!

These posts are a bit out of order, but hopefully the wealth of pictures will make up for it.  Dan's parents made a spring break trek to Boston to visit US for a week!  We loved having them here, and wish the week hadn't gone by so quickly.  We made a point to sample a variety of local ethnic food during the week, and spent a lot of quality time together hanging out and playing with Annie.  She pulled out all the stops and started crawling while they were here, thanks in no small part to Grandpap Bob's block towers, which Annie couldn't resist knocking down.  I (Katie) was blessed to have some time out of the house, knowing that Annie was in such loving hands.  She enjoyed being rocked to sleep by Grandma and pushed around in her stroller by her Grandpa, while I enjoyed a massage and a few workouts at the Y.  Annie also had fun going shopping for some spring clothes with Grandma and Grandpa...hard to believe she could be any cuter than she already is, but man do they make some fun little girl clothes!  We had a backwards April Fool's dinner, and Dan took some time off work on Thursday so we could visit the nearby Museum of Industry and appreciate the significant role that the city of Waltham played in American industrial revolution... We are so thankful for their visits, and the way that they make us feel so well loved!   

Grandma and Grandpa arrive!

pffffffft!  raspberries from Grandpap Bob

knocking down the first of many towers

April Fools Dinner: "meatloaf" (cocoa krispie treats), "mashed potatoes" (vanilla ice cream) and "carrot sticks" (cantaloupe)

April Fool's dessert: "double-layer chocolate cake" (meatloaf frosted with mashed potatoes)

playing with Grandma!

Easter!

We had the joy of celebrating Easter weekend with my brother Derek.  It seemed like Annie recognized him right away (or maybe it was the bucket of fun he brought for her that she was so excited about).  We took her to the park Friday after he arrived, and spent the afternoon on Saturday down at Quincy market.  The guys (Dan and Derek) toured the Harpoon Brewery while Annie took a snooze in her carrier.  (Once she realized she had a little over 20 years to go before she'd be able to go on the tour legally, she was fine with hanging back with mom.)  Sunday morning started with a great church service, followed by Easter dinner with the Evans family.  It was such a blessing to celebrate what is really the biggest celebration of the year for us as believers in Jesus, with family and friends.  Derek had recently finished reading a book about an army staff sergeant who was awarded the Medal of Honor for laying down his life to save his fellow soldiers.  As we were talking about what might have been going through his mind as he made the string of decisions that ultimately cost him his life, we were all hit with the gravity of the sacrifice that Jesus made in dying for ALL of us, so that we could experience life.  The added joy for us is that Jesus isn't still in the grave- He's alive today.  To say that we are grateful is nowhere near enough, but it's a start.  Happy Easter to all of our family and friends...He is risen indeed! 

Annie checking out her bucket of fun from Uncle D

making a batch of Mom's egg-white cookies

my "little" brother is 7 inches taller than me!

shakin' her egg! (filled with rice)

no Easter is complete without a bonnet :)  (handsmocked by Annie's Great Nana Dee)

safe and sound in Daddy's arms

...and asleep.

ready for Easter dinner...thanks for the bib, Grandma! ("Grandma's Easter Bunny")

We were so glad that Julia (and Jeremy and Timothy) could join us for dinner!

our little family <3

8 Months

Annie's been 8 months old for a few weeks now, but here are some token pictures anyway.  She hit the major gross motor milestones of crawling and pulling to stand this month...