Jared Michael - Through The Years

Today is Jared's 17th birthday.  He is our fourth grandchild and our third grandson.

Here is is, pictorially, through the years.

Jared is a wonderful kid who has had many interests over the years.

He's fashion conscious and always has been.

 He's a hard worker and always has been.

In fact, he's spent many hot summer days over the last two years de-tasseling corn.

He played the cello for many years and was really good at it.

He enjoys video games and just recently bought himself a new flat screen with his de-tasseling money.  (Unfortunately I don't have a picture of it.)


He loves his cousins - young and old alike.

 And animals.


And his sister.

And brother.  Here they are doing a rap parody together.  They're incredibly good at it.

And he loves to clown around with both Emily and Ryan.


And most of all he loves his family.  Here's they are early one morning before heading back to Nebraska after a Christmas visit.

All in all Jared is one of the greatest kids you could ever meet and a wonderful grandson.  We're proud of him, we love him, and we're wishing him his best birthday ever but one only half has great as the many, many more to come.

Happy Birthday, Clara

One year ago today our family was blessed with a brand new arrival.  Clara Catherine was born right around 8:30 in the morning.  She was our 20th grandchild and our 8th granddaughter.

 
She was beautiful from the beginning and a perfect little sleeper - even while posing in a fancy new hat.

A very few days later she was home checking out her three older siblings.

And still sleeping like an angel.

During this first month she became acquainted with a lot of people including her Aunts Lori and Teresa who came from hundreds of miles away to help out for a few days.

She practiced her cutest poses

and got ready for Halloween when she dressed up as a one-month-old baby.

During her second month of life she was even busier, still practicing her cute poses.
getting introduced to her second cousin who was born just three weeks after her (they were both so excited),

and figuring out how to get on her Grandpa's good side.  She not only acted excited to see him but she very obviously talked to him.

In her 3rd month she still posed cutely but now she was usually awake when she did it.

 And she got really great at smiling almost anytime we wanted her to.

During her 4th month she discovered interesting toys on the ends of her arms.

And she didn't just smile, she laughed!

Her 5th month found her hanging out with her closest brother although a little nervously.

And discovering toys on the end of her legs.  Nothing excited her like removing those pesky covers that hid her feet from her.

On her 6 month birthday I took this picture of her sitting at the table to eat solids - a brand new experience for her.

And during the month she continued to explore her toys, smile always, and

she even joined her family in the March for Babies (although she did find the whole event a little confusing what with all those matching shirts and all).

Her 7th month was spent growing beautiful eyelashes and checking out toys that had fascinated her older siblings when they were her age.

It was during her 8th month of life that she got all dressed up for her baptism.

 And afterwards posed for pictures.

During her 9th month she had completely mastered cute poses.

  

And once during the end of the month, she even got to hang out with her second cousin on the swing set.

 

During her 10th month she started to ENJOY hanging out with her brother.

And during her 11th month she was playing ball - actually rolling it back and forth appropriately,

discovering the joys of a remote control,

and she even thrilled her grandma by turning around and saying cheese when she heard the click of camera's shutter.

And today this beautiful, sweet natured, smart, loving little girl turned one year old.

So happy birthday, Clara!  We love you and can't wait to see what the next year brings!!

You Capture - The Bluebird......I Mean Something I Love

Beth's You Capture subject this week is Something I Love.  There are many things I love but if I'm not around the kids and the grandkids and the great grandkids, then Something I Love can be found in the backyard...again.  You already know I love the bluebird and I'm always looking for another reason to photograph one and then post those photographs; and now You Capture has provided one. 

Most of today's photos center around the Bluebird's favorite hangout, the birdbath.  They're very clean little birds and very territorial about their birdbath.

 

That's it.  Time to fly off and look for more excuses to post bird photos. 

To see what everybody else is loving this week, visit Beth at I Should Be Folding Laundry.