Walking and Talking - OH MY!!

Tanner is walking!!! Yesterday he finally just took off - walking from one side of the room to the other and back again!! And walking from one room to another! He's been walking with help for awhile and then he would take a step or two by himself but now he's just cruising around!! And he gets really excited about it too - I guess that may be all the clapping and hooting we do when we see him walk!

Another thing Tanner does and has been doing for a couple of months is TALKING! I guess he takes after his Mama because sometimes he talks non-stop! A lot of it is babble yet but he repeats just about everything and has an amazing ability to recall objects that he's only learned the name of once or twice. It's super cute to hear him call Wheat - 'Weeeeeeeeeeeee'!!

I'm going to attempt to upload a video of Tanner walking and talking that I just took this morning!

Enjoy!

Valentine's Candy

Tanner officially likes chocolate...in fact, he can even say it!! He says 'choc-it'! :) Well, Poppa and Nana sent him some Valentine chocolate and he gets to have some every day. Here are some photos of him enjoying his choc-it.

Thanks Poppa and Nana!

The last couple of months...

...whew, we've been busy with house hunting. Somehow it seems to take up all of our time! But we know it will be worth it once we are finally in our own home!

Anyway...I'm finally going to put up some photos from the beginning of 2008!

On New Year's Day, Tanner was cheering for his favorite team...and the Michigan Wolverine's won! Here he is 'watching' the game in his new jersey from his cousins Eric and Kyle.

Daddy spends a good chunk of time lately outside snowblowing and shoveling. Tanner likes to watch from the comfort of the family room!

Reading is one of Tanner's very favorite things to do...and this is how we often find him!

Funny face!

We had a 'playdate' with Katie and her girls, Elise and Emerson and Sarra and her little Luke. It was quite the feat trying to get all the kids lined up and smiling for a photo!

"What IS all that white stuff??"

Camping out...in the winter!

On New Years Eve day, our little family went for a hike in the woods by Grandpa and Grandma's house - the ones that Daddy grew up in! Tanner got to ride in his sled for about half our journey and then he had to be carried because the trail was too full of trees to fit the sled through! After awhile we came to this lovely gully area and decided to have a little campfire!! Daddy loves this stuff!!! So we gathered some wood and started a little fire. Then we drank some coffee (Tanner just had water!) and had some snacks. It was surprisingly warm because the trees around blocked any wind plus there was the fire to warm by if necessary! We only stayed for an hour or so but we had a great time!

Putting on Tanner's brand new snowsuit - we want him to stay nice and toasty warm!

And it did! We kept checking him and he was very warm! He loved hanging out in the snow!

And trying to eat it!

Daddy built the fire...notice Tanner's cool 'infant boggin' in the background.

What a campfire!

Wheat stood guard in the trees!

He had a great time - certainly didn't act like 15.5 years old!

Tanner thoroughly enjoyed himself!

Daddy captured this cool shot through the fire!

Maybe we'll make this a tradition - every year on New Years Eve...a campfire at the Roots!

Christmas 2007

We had a great Christmas season this year as we were finally able to spend it with our family! The memories we made the last four Christmases in Portland were wonderful and we'll always treasure them, however, it was such a blessing to be with family again! And to top it off we had three celebrations!
Christmas Eve was spent with Nana, Poppa, Auntie Lisa, Uncle Tim, Auntie Kim and Uncle Branden! We first went sledding in Nana and Poppa's backyard (on Mama's old sled!) and that was SO fun! Then we went inside and shared some delicious appetizers and snacks. And the adults talked and talked and talked....and laughed and laughed! What a good time we had!

Here is Tanner sledding down the hill in Nana and Poppa's backyard!

Nana got a little snuggle time with Tanner while she changed him out of his snow clothes!

Here he is opening his very first Christmas gift! A magnetic fridge farm!! Thanks Nana and Poppa!

Then he helped Uncle Branden open his gift!

Look at that BEAUTIFUL toy chest lovingly made by Poppa!! What a gorgeous heirloom for Tanner to have!! Thanks Poppa!

How appropriate - Tanner really is such a gift to us!

Then...on Christmas Day, we started the morning with a special breakfast with Grandpa and Grandma! Egg casserole and Daddy's specialty: eggnog french toast! Yummy!!

Later Christmas Day, Tanner opened his gifts from us!

What could it be???

A super cool percussion kit! Maracas, a tambourine, cowbell and a small hand drum! He's going to take after Daddy and be musical someday!

Here he is trying out the maracas!

...and the drum (you can see he is already working on that 'drum face'!)

...and the tambourine!

He is so excited about his new instruments!

Later that day, Aunt Sheri, Uncle Dennis and Uncle Scott came over for some gifts and a scrumptious dinner made by Grandma! We had a fantastic time!

Some snuggle time with Aunt Sheri and Uncle Dennis.

Tanner thought the gift for Aunt Sheri's kitties was pretty cool!

Then on the Saturday after Christmas - we were able to have a third celebration! This time with Grandpa, Grandma, Aunt Sheri, Uncle Dennis, Uncle Scott, Aunt Alice, Eric and Kyle! They all came out to the house and we had a wonderful dinner, then opened some gifts and then a bunch of us played cards! We had so much fun!

Here is Tanner - "please someone open this...I can't stand the suspense"!

Tanner practicing blowing kisses with Aunt Sheri!

We didn't get photos of all the celebratory experiences but we made great memories!