Knees please!

Isaac has learned how to get up on his knees and rock back and forth! It's crazy to watch the progression of learning this task be perfected over a weekend!!!

We had a good weekend. I was a smidge under the weather, but we still managed to attend 3 birthday parties and have dinner with our neighbors!

Last weekend, we visited the Double JJ Waterpark with our Blue Sky friends and a great time was had by all. Isaac did very well despite being a little terrified of the waves and water cannons!

Brian posted a new video on You Tube...if you haven't seen it already and would like to, email us and we will share it with you!

Isaac's 6 month pix

We just had Isaac's 6 month pictures done by Haley Hamlin Photography....

if you would like to see her work visit her site...
http://my.cmsinter.net/hayleyhamlin/

If you would like to look at Isaac's proofs - email me and I will give you the password!

Welcome Emma!

Congrats to our friends, Wendy and Rob and Ben- on the birth of their daughter/sister, Emma Grace!

Wedding and Kev's Birthday....

Twas a busy weekend! On Saturday, we went to Chris and Laurie's wedding (my coworker) and Kev's 30th birthday party! Mom came to town for some quality time with Isaac so we could go out (thanks Mom!!!)




The next day, Sarah, Dusty, Kev and Monica came by to visit with Isaac!

Monica and Isaac

Kev, Dusty and Brian

Sarah and Isaac

Bits n' pieces....

Another day care picture. Here is Isaac's room - and all his buddies! He is the one on the play mat with the white shirt!














Here is Isaac just before his first taste of carrots!


























Here is Isaac with his day care buddy Logan. Logan decided to say "hey pal!" by giving him a hug. It was super cute.

Feb. 2007

Isaac and Grandpa Frank














Can you see me? Sportin' my "Chips" clothes?















Isaac in the funny cart at Rainbow! I just cracked up when I saw this! He was having so much fun with the "big kids"!

Cute picture!

Here is a picture of Isaac with his buddy Chuck B. after Kayla's baptism. We just laughed because they dressed the same and had the same hairdo!

Phone!

Brian and I just switched to VOIP - so if you have any problems reaching us on our home phone over the next few days - try our cells!

:)

Other week down...

Well, Blue's family has been healthy for over a week now - whoo hoo. Thank goodness for that! For those of you wondering who Blue is...



Blue turned the ripe, old age of 8 this month. He is moving a little slower these days, but he is still our "monkey-blue".

Brian got creative with some EPS we bought from work and created a "dome" for our attic fan. We have high hopes that it will help our heating bill!!!


Not much new to report. Isaac has gotten the nickname "mr. rolly polly" - he now rolls in all directions, and moves himself around in circles pretty well in the play gym. Now is he learning how to sit up by himself! We even think that he is starting to "scoot". It's so much fun to watch!

Brian has been keeping busy at work, as have I. I am working 3 days a week right now, while a coworker is out on medical leave. I have been enjoying it - but I know once the nice spring weather starts, I will be ready to be home again! Just to have the open windows and the coo's of my munchkin nearby. Ms.Heather, at Rainbow, will be so sad though - they are buddies.

And just because we can't end a post without a picture of the wee one...

New video!

Brian has made a short video from the last couple months...

I tried to upload it, but it didn't work. So, if you want access to it on YOU TUBE, email us and let us know!

Negative 2?

I thought it would be fun to document the negative 2 while I was sitting in the car waiting to pick up Jen and Brett from the airport. The irony is....by the time I pulled in the garage, it read -9 degrees! WOW.

Cold weather and a sick baby....

Well, this weekend was two "firsts" in our life.

First, Isaac got sick, I mean...truely sick for the first time. He is on antibiotics now and getting better quickly. Despite his sloppy nose and horrible cough, he has remained an amazingly cheerful baby through it all!

Second, our winter blast...Saturday we got a foot of snow. It was truely a winter wonderland...I am not sure how much we got yesterday, but it seemed like it snowed the greater portion of the day. This is what the road looked like when I went to the gym!
Last night, I woke at about 5:30 because Isaac was coughing. The thermometer outside said it was -15.5 degrees outside in our backyard. I thought the -9 degrees when I returned home from picking our friends up at the airport was bad! HOLY KAMOLY! Needless to say, this morning we are having some pipe issues...I am following Dad's instructions, hoping for a favorable outcome. Keep your fingers crossed!!!

Today, Isaac and I are staying INSIDE! Brian called to say he couldn't take his normal route to work because the Saturn couldn't get up the icy hill near our house - so Isaac, Blue and I have decided it's pajama party day. Poor Blue - he still has to go outside though to do his business. :(

Keep warm everybody!

4 months..

Here is an updated picture of Isaac with his monkey. If you look back at the posts from when he was first born, you can see how the monkey was so much bigger than him then!

Isaac doing "tummy time"

Isaac has mastered rolling over!

Kayla Nicole's Baptism!

January 21st - Kayla Nicole's Baptism, Holland, MI
Brian and I were honored to participate in Chris and Mindi's daughter's baptism. Isaac and I took pictures while Brian and Kayla's aunt Niki stood by as godparents. After, we enjoyed a wonderful afternoon with their family!

Isaac and his mama.

Proud parents, Chris and Mindi.

4 month Wellness Check....

Last Friday, Isaac had his 4 month wellness check. He is now ranked in the 30th percentile - which is pretty good, considering he started...well, with no percentile to speak of! He is 25 inches long, 14lbs 1oz and his head is a whopping 16" in diameter. It's hard to believe this guy has gained almost 10lbs in 4 months! WOW.

This weekend, we had a delightful dinner with some of our CMU alumni friends - Christine & Jon and Cara & Chester. We all met up at Christine's house for dinner & drinks...and of course, Isaac got lots of attention.

Today we had Kayla Nicole's baptism. She is the daughter of our friend's Chris and Mindi. If you look a few posts back, you can see Mindi prego. :) Anyways, they asked Brian to be Kayla's godfather - so we went to Holland for mass and the ceremony. Kayla did awesome, and the ceremony was very nice! After, we went back to their house for dinner and cake - both were quite tasty! It was nice to spend a Sunday afternoon hanging out with family...even if it wasn't ours!

Wee wittle guy...

Isaac is getting SOOO big! This Friday is his next appt - and we can find out how much he weighs. Since I stopped going to the group at Baby Beloved, Inc - I haven't been able to weigh him....I think I am going through withdrawls, seriously! I did get a chance to meet up with a couple of the girls from BB last week for dinner! We had a great time, and it was so neat to see how their babies have grown in the last 4 weeks!

The first pics of Isaac are him at 4 months in his exosaucer...one is him in his buddy Charlotte's Bumbo....one is him in his "gangsta baby" get up...and one...well, that's him being a mama's boy.

Um...like deer in headlights.

Brian and I are watching American Idol. We are like deer in headlights right now. Can't help it!

President Ford

Living in Grand Rapids and visiting the Ford museum a couple of years ago, I would still say I didn't know much about President Ford. I knew he had pardoned President Nixon, and was the only president never elected to the White House. It make me wish I had known a little more about him while he was alive. I think most of all though, I enjoyed seeing the amount of pride that GR and Michigan has for him. It's times like these that remind me why, in all my travels, I still feel Michigan is the best place for me to live. I'm sure I could find a prettier place, a city with more attractions, but I don't think I will ever find a place with people that have as much pride, love, and devotion for their state.

After work today I decided to drive downtown for the 21 jet fly over. I met up with a coworker Bill and waited for the fly by. I will say it was something that I will always remember.

About 5:15 they had the Presidential Salute (21 guns). Shortly after that 21 F-15's flew over down town. There was 1 leading jet, followed by 5 4-jet formations. The 5th formation had one jet break in the missing man formation. Shown is my favorite picture.

New Videos on You Tube

Brian posted 2 new videos on You Tube. If you want to see them and don't already have access, email us at spratke@blueskymi.com !

:)

New pictures!

Brian posted "3 months" and "Holiday" pictures of Isaac...

...and also yesterday, Brian and I went with some local CMU alumni to the Motor City Bowl at Ford Field. Central played Middle Tennessee State University...and won 31-14! The pictures for this are on our website under "Spratke Adventures".

We had a great time while Gma and Gpa Spratke got to babysit!!!!