holiday (and other) highlights

This time last year we started this blog to share our pregnancy with whomever would listen. (Is it whomever or whoever? I can never remember that rule) Since that time we created a facebook account for Bea, so our posts here have pretty much ended. I tend to prefer the old-fashioned blog to facebook, so I've decided to revive this blog from it's code blue, even if people stopped reading it. If nothing else it will serve as Bea's "baby book" since I'm horrible about contributing to that! Although Charlie can post too, I'll likely be it's only contributor with his focus on facebook. So this blog will mostly be a mother's musings...about a growing Bea and motherhood.

Since Bea's birth she has learned to breastfeed, smile, laugh, sleep through the (most) night(s), roll from her front to back, play with her toys and maybe a few other things I've forgotten to mention. Oh and drool. She drools often these days.

A quick look back in time...


In September Bea's big sister Hollyanne got married! The above photograph is Bea in her Grandma Braun's arms at the wedding. Hollyanne's beautiful wedding was at Palisades Park...and her flower was a pink Gerbera daisy...so Bea's outfit was perfect. Grandma Braun found the above onesie in a small shop in Algona, IA. It's really just a onsie...with tooling and a pretty flower attached. It came with little "shoes" (really just socks) that also have daisies on them. Quite cute!


On Halloween, of course, Bea was a bee (much to her father's chagrin). I thought the costume, a gift from my new friend, Amber, was adorable. Charlie thought it was mean to make her wear it! :-) He must've come around though...he made this video. I will admit that, at times, she did look like she was feeling a bit humiliated!

Here are a few photos from Bea's first Thanksgiving...

The above picture was taken at Uncle Mark's, where we celebrated with the Howe side of the family.

Below was at the Braun celebration...



After two Thanksgivings...Bea was tired!



If two Thanksgivings weren't enough...we had three Christmases!!!

First, at Grandma and Grandpa Howe's the week before Christmas...

A Bea sandwich with Aunt Jeanne and cousin Laila.

Cousin Rich and his son Ethan enjoying some father-son time.

Cousin Laila spent most of her day asking if she could hug Bea...and then doing it. Very sweet!

Hollyanne is holding her sister Bea while watching her baby, Mikaela, kick her! Only a few months until we get to see Mikaela (and Bea is an Aunt Bea)!

Our second Christmas was Christmas morning at our place with Hollyanne and Nate...


The first present opening (above) and loving (below)



Meet Sofie the Giraffe. Bea loves to chew on her. We think she might be teething already! You should hear the way it squeaks on her gums as she chews.

Eating the paper was probably really her favorite.

Really getting the hang of it now!

In the afternoon, we went to Grandma and Grandpa Brauns...

Great Aunt Mary is holding Bea.

Luc and Grandma

Yes, she is reading. Why not? Her mother is a literacy coach, father an avid reader and song writer, Grandma Howe was once a librarian and Grandma Braun a high school English teacher!

Cousin Jake is addicted to Hamster Ball (and quite good at it)!

Believe it or not we didn't take any photos on New Year's Eve. However, we did take lots of video with our new HD video camera. Here is a still Charlie captured from one of the videos!

Grandma Howe bought Beatrice the shirt! Happy New Year!!