November / December 2008 Updates!

Happy Holidays everyone!!

WOW! Almost two months have gone by already since I have updated the blog! Well, that should tell ya that we are keeping pretty busy and we are still very happy! :)

Enjoy the pictures and videos! There are a whole lot of them!!! Don't miss the Hooked on Phonics or the First bite of cereal videos at the end of the Blog! This may take a while to read and watch, but heck, maybe you can come back a couple of times to get it all in~

Thanks Uncle Tim for your continued interest in the Blog... it is nice to know someone is still reading this! LOL - I kid I kid!

What JJ wants for Xmas

We love to visit! We love Uncle Kevin too!

November- 3 Months old
Denver was a blast and JJ was a trouper on his inaugural flight!

Flying to Rocky Mountain High, Colorado! So tiring!!!

[Video]

He loved his time with his "Manny" and cousins from Colorado!

What a good "Manny" Ryan is!

The Colorado Kennedy's took us up in the Mountains for the Thanksgiving Holiday! We stayed in a beautiful condo in Breckenridge! Made a terrific Thanksgiving dinner and took excellent Xmas photo's at the Hilton Hotel near by. Larry has some great pictures on his camera... I will post them when I can.

Quiet moments, with Auntie Julie....

Back to Minneapolis!

JJ is a great baby and he is healthy and happy! At his last appointment, in October, he weighted 14 pounds and measured 24". He is a big boy, but proportionate.
JJ also loves spending time with his Grandma Kennedy and Grandpa Wadnizak & Great-Grandma Wadnizak!

What Grandparents really look like to a baby!

Grandma Kennedy takes care of JJ Mon-Wed, then goes to our friend Natalie's house on Thurs and then Mommy is able to take care of him on Friday's until January!
Grandpa Wadnizak & Great-Grams Wadnizak come over almost every Sunday to visit & play!
There were a few bithday celebrations in November too! Happy Birthday, Val, Julie, Laura, Chris, & Fritz.

At the Birthday celebrations... they can be tiring too!

I love snuggling with Angela!!

Back at play!!! [Video]

Walkin' the doggies with Grandma!

December - 4 Months Old

Weighing in at 18 lbs, 26" tall, JJ is growing like a weed! He will be walking in no time!

Happy Birthday Daddy! (December 3rd!) Mommy took us to Red Lobster! YUMMY!

We attended a Santa Pancake breakfast at the Cottage Grove Lion's gathering. Tim and Mary were excellent hosts!! It was a great time and JJ was not scared at all! I guess he is used to being put on stranger's laps! LOL.

JJ's first Christmas was very fun! Or coarce he loved the wrapping paper and all the gifts! It was terrifc to see all the cousins and babies, babies, babies!! Daddy has more pictures... will post soon!

Oh Christmas Tree, Oh Christmas Tree!

Mommy and her friends at thier Christmas celebration!

Okay... so we are a little ahead of the game for St. Patty's day... We're excited!

Daddy is President of the St. Pat's Association this year!!!

First Day, dry run, at Day Care....
JJ had his first dry run at Day Care on Dec. 19th. Mommy and Daddy went to see a movie, Seven Pounds... Mommy cried and wanted to go get JJ. (Daddy cried a little too...but at the movie...) He was a real trouper at school and the teachers reported that he is a very happy baby. DUUUHHH!! :)

Hooked on Phonics!

Thank you Claudia for the great gift!!

JJ's First bite of cereal!

Love and prayers to you and yours-

The Gonzalez Family

It's begining to look a lot like Denver....

Happy Birthday Blue! (Oct 31)

Hello all!
We are very excited to head out to Denver next week! It will be JJ's first flight! I am kinda scared, but I am sure he will do just fine. He always does.
We are still blessed with the best and cutest baby on the planet!

Tummy Time

Visiting with Kelly Jo

Sleeping in the Kitchen!

Are you ready for some football?

No Dad! I can't have pork ribs, yet!

How U Doin'?

Well, it wasn't that bad...

Well, the first week back at work was not bad. It is really nice to get reconnected with everyone and know that not too much has changed. :)

JJ had a good time with Grandma Kennedy and Natalie. I did miss the little bugger, but it was very good to know that he was in good and familiar hands. I do miss our routine of listening to Mozart in the morning and dancing with Ellen DeGeneres vicariously while watching her talk show. (I am taping it, so we can play some at night! See this weeks video to see how much JJ likes her!)

JJ Loves Uncle Casey (Click on pictures to see larger
image)

He is learning the art of the grab! Pretty soon he will be pulling hair and faces... You have been warned. He also is talking A LOT! Boy oh Boy!

JJ is still sleeping pretty good at night, but the last two nights he has gotten up for an extra feeding... hmm... maybe a growth spurt. (Great - bring on the 9 month old clothes! I hope I am kidding...)

As you can see, we are working on giving the Blog a bit of a face lift. We hope you enjoy the changes and this weeks collage & video. We LOVE Ellen!!

Great-Great Aunt Jean & JJ

Grandparents In Training (OJT) Val & Casey

Say Mama

Practicing Sitting up

Our last week...before Mommy goes back to work!

Happy Halloween!

(Click on pictures to see bigger images)

Hi ya'll! Well this was my last week with JJ before I return full time to work. I was helping out a little with year end projects while I was at home. I always try to be a team player and hope I can teach JJ that skill too. :) Plus it was nice to not only put my Thomson-Reuters PM hat on, but I will also be able to stay at home sometimes with JJ in November and December so we don't have to put him in Day Care until January.

JJ in Mommy's Arms for Morning Nap

Well, we have had a great and very busy 12 weeks!! It has been a great time, no matter how you slice it!! Even with the health complications and the horrendous medical bills, I wouldn't have traded it for anything!! Special thanks are in order for so many people!! I hope I do not forget anyone!! WARNING - some of this is kind of mushy. (I will sprinkle in some cute pix to break up the monotony.)

Mom - WOW! In 10 lifetimes I would not be able to repay you for all your hard work, support and love you have given us over the last 12 weeks and will continue to do in helping us raise the little guy in the coming years. (The meals, the yard work, the cleaning, the relief, the listening, the encouragement, the love...) We love you so much!!

Dad & Grams W. - Thank you for coming to visit just about every Sunday to play with James and becoming an important part of his life. What a special treat to have you folks around! We love the special music and gifts you brought us each week, but your company was especially wonderful!

Joe & Joan (Pop Pop and GG) - Thank you for the amazing and unselfish gift of your time. The two weeks we all had together will be treasured for a lifetime!! It was wonderful getting to know you better and living as a family at that time. I am so lucky to have terrific in-laws like you and JJ is especially lucky!!


Kevin - Thank you for your visits and especially cleaning up our yard!! You are such a giving wonderful person. The movies and lunch at Panera were excellent!!


Gayla - Thank you for bringing lunches and Grams over to visit during the week. It was so much fun to spend time with you folks and reconnect in a very special way.

Kelly Jo - Thank you for being such a sweet, sweet cousin and friend. It is fantastic that you are not only sharing in our new experiences but you are about to embark on your own magnificent adventure in just a few months! Thank you for letting us be a part of your lives. :) MLULT

My Girl Friends & The Johnsons (Angela, Katie, Katy, Lisa, Mechelle, Melanie, Natalie, Coty & Andy) - Thank you so much for all your support and the FOOD! Having food pre-made for us when I got home from the hospital was a fantastic surprise and gift for us! You gals knock my socks off! I LOVE YOU!!
Thanks also for all the time you have given us. The walks, the talks, the visits and the lunches! I will cherish these memories of this time with you forever. (Can't wait to return the favor!) MLULT

Welcome Reed Coppola!

Angela Coppola - Thanks for all the pre and post advice for babies!! You are a great wealth of information and we appreciate all you have given us! Megan and Reed are very lucky to have a terrific Mom like you.

Gonzalez Family - Thank you for all the support and love!! We are so happy to be a part of your family and look forward to seeing you all soon!

Kennedy Family - Thank you for all the cards, gifts, time and encouragement!! We are so fortunate to have such a large family for JJ to become a part of. Thank you for welcoming him into your lives and hearts.

Wadnizak Family - Thank you for being such a great family to be a part of!! We look forward to sharing many good memories with you in the future.

Troy Lykken comes to visit!

Thomson-Reuters Team & Friends - Thank you all so much for all your back-up and support while I was out on Maternity leave. I very much appreciate all the hard and additional work you had to do while I was out. Thank you for allowing me to have this very special time with James.

Last but not least, my husband, Larry - Thank you for being such an awesome Dad and husband!! I knew I loved you with all my heart when I married you, but I never thought I could love you more until you gave me the special gift of James. Sharing in this exceptional time, will be something we will remember into our later years. I am so happy to be sharing this experience with you.

Well, hopefully no one threw up too much. (Just kidding) I am very, very sincere
Enjoy the rest of the photos and videos! I will do my best to update the blog when I can. But we all know how I get when I am back at work! :) School will be starting soon too.

Love you all and keep the emails, calls and letters coming!
Joy
(Larry, JJ, Chandler, & Blue)

Play time is tiring! I fell asleep in my play gym, AGAIN!

We like Dr. Gurney!

James and Marti Pappas!

Video Madness!! Enjoy!! Good stuff!

Another Song Favorite! Thrift Shop!

Grandpa reads to JJ.

How U Doin'?