3 Months!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Okay okay... I turned three months old on December 19th...but we needed to back track a little. I'm here to catch you up on month three and then fly on into 2011! Mom told me that I would need to go to bed before midnight, but here's what I was doing when the ball dropped...

Hanging out on the couch with mom and dad for New Year's Eve 2010.

I'm going to have to write a separate blog for you about my Christmas adventures, there was so much going on! Some highlights of the past month have been:

Playing on the activity gym Levi let me borrow - I love ripping the monkey off and biting it!

Thanks Jones Family!

"If you think I'm handsome, you should see my Daddy!"

Thanks for the shirt, Popes! Can't wait to meet you sometime!

We went to a Christmas party for Mom and Dad's Lifegroup from church. They did a funny gift exchange and Dad was really excited about the one they got! It's a beautiful framed picture of...
their friend Roy. Hahaha - it's even signed! "To my biggest fans..." Now it is hanging up in Daddy's office!

Dad was throwing Levi and catching him and making him laugh a lot - I can't wait til Dad can do that with me, I'll probably beg him to do it all the time!

All of the partying tired me out...do you like the snowman I made?

Here I am with Tina and all the kids enjoying some dessert!

Notice Mr. Roy in the background doing some elliptical so that he can have seconds! :)

Levi was trying to keep me entertained - but I don't play back too much yet.

Another night during month three, we got to have a traditional Brazilian meal cooked by Daniela - doesn't it look awesome?! It was!


Spending some time with my stage mom and dad...the next week was when I would play baby Jesus (more to come on that later!) and they would play Mary and Joseph in our Christmas presentation!

Mom and me trying out the Moby Wrap - thanks to Lauren and Summer! Ooh - I got to meet Summer over Christmas, just wait til I tell you more about that! Woo hoo!

No 3 month stats - I go see the doctor again at 4 months! Some of my favorite things to do now are to grab things and bite them...

Snooze...

Grab things and cheer for the Cuse...

Laugh my cute laugh and even try out my Bumbo seat!

One of the greatest days, though, was December 21st. I learned how to get something out of reach by rolling over! This is a picture of me just after I rolled for the first time.
I can roll from my tummy to my back on the left and the right!

When Mom and Dad have tried to weigh me on the scale with them, they guess that I am between 15 and 16 pounds. Also everybody tries to squeeze me lately... :)

They keep saying something about a chunky monkey?

Happy 2011! Love, Connor

Tradition!

I love family traditions. Jonathan and I both love the traditions that each of our families has - and sometimes it gets difficult trying to carry those on with both families...but it is worth the effort! We were excited this year to begin some traditions with Connor - beginning with decorating together for the Christmas season. So - we turned on the Christmas music, turned down the lights, and got the Christmas spirit going!

Our beautiful ornament wreath Aunt Lisa made

and little puppies Otto and Maggie in stockings!

Our precious tree!

Jonathan has great love for the big colored lights,

so I got some during after Christmas sales last year.

Just enough space for my Grandma's nativity (I need not mention Jesus us the

reason for the season and how we like to sing that song and that

we have a blanket that says so too) and our wintry church scene!

Baby's 1st Christmas!

I have to mention (so that I do not forget later in life) that in the background wall of this picture there is a wreath that we leave up year-round. It has red berries and stars and hangs above the recliner where I often feed Connor. It's pretty much his favorite thing. I guess it's the contrast that he could probably see early on...but when we came back from our Thanksgiving trip he lit up with a huge gaping smile and just about bounced himself off my lap when he saw his wreath..sheesh! :)

Go Jonathan! If we live here next year I think we'll do some more -

turns out our neighborhood has a big competition... :)

Some good crock pot comfort food with Christmasy table settings!

Our First Tree

Growing up, my family always had a real tree. Little twinkling white lights, many ornaments of all different kinds, and that delicious smell of an evergreen filling the house. Jonathan's family grew up with a beautiful tree as well, but artificial because of allergies and such. When we were married, he wanted to try out a real tree for me, but we decided on a small fake one to start out with (especially because of the cost!). We put a beautiful real wreath on the door for our first two Christmases and put as many ornaments as we could on our tall skinny tree bought during black Friday sales at JoAnn Fabrics.

Well. This year, with Connor's first Christmas, Jonathan was determined to have a real Christmas tree. We knew that there was a great place downtown that some friends from church own, and the day we got back from our Thanksgiving break, the three of us headed there to pick our perfect tree. When we arrived, our friend Joseph from the student choir immediately showed us around - but of course it wasn't a quick decision!

We were very excited with our final choice - here we are with our wonderful tree!

Connor and I on a "sleigh ride"

Warming up with the tree on the roof!

Thanks, Joseph!

Fireworks!

A.K.A. Carey and Matthew's Big Day Post. Finally. :)

I mentioned before that Connor got to go to his first wedding around Thanksgiving time. I believe I went to my first wedding when I was an altar server sometime in middle school...and of course I only went to the ceremony so that doesn't count! Hahaha. I also didn't fly until the summer before my senior year of high school - Connor is just having a lot of sweet "firsts" this year! I got to have an awesome time being a bridesmaid and doing a little singing in one of my greatest friends' wedding.

We had a fun time at the rehearsal and rehearsal dinner - Carey and Matthew had a few friends with babies involved in the wedding, so there was much bouncing and baby carrying to be had by all.

Connor with the bride!

Peter and Karina

The next day was busy but fun. Connor and Daddy spent a lot of time together while I got to dress up and hang out with the bride and the girls.

Getting her hair did and veil on :)

A kiss from Mom

A little outside lighting. Ready to go!

We took some freezing but fun pictures by the lake before heading over to the church. I got to snap a few pics while we were just waiting for the big moment!

Carey and her cutie flower girls.

The bride and her MOH :)

The bride and me!

The ceremony was wonderful. I won't bore you with details, but one special thing was that Matthew's mom hooked them a rug with their names and the date of their wedding for them to stand on while they said their vows (and then to later be used in their home). They also knelt on the rug at the end of the ceremony while their parents were invited to pray over them. It was something that I had not seen done before and a really great part of their ceremony (something to think about if you are getting married!!!).

When we got to the gorgeously decorated reception site, the girls went right upstairs to "refresh" before being announced. Carey's mom let us know to hurry down but Carey couldn't figure out why we were in any rush. Apparently, Carey had told her dad that she would like to have fireworks at the wedding - but the rules about this are pretty strict in NY and he said that they wouldn't be able to get the license. Meanwhile, her parents set up a little (GINORMOUS) surprise for her and Matthew and had one of the most incredible firework displays I've ever seen! After a slight snaffoo where we had to find the groom so they could actually watch the display together, it was just a beautiful, fun thing for all of the guests!

The rest of the reception was full of good food, fun friends, lots of dancing and just a great time!

Family pic. Connor slept through the fireworks :) In a Syracuse outfit he got from Carey...

with a diaper blow out shortly following, and a new outfit.

I know, ridiculous. Thanks to the Schneckenburgers I LOVED my hair do!

Connor conked out with Papa

Carey's friend Annie sang a beautiful song for their first dance - so pretty!

There was a spot set up with Carey's camera to frame yourself and take pictures...

being silly with Mommy and Marmee!

Carey turning around a chucking her bouquet...not totally sure who she was aiming at :)

Matthew going after the garter with his teeth!

Heading out with sparklers! Yay for the Mottets! 11-20-2010

Daddy's Ordination

On 11/14/10, Jonathan had the honor of being ordained as a pastor. He has been working as a pastor of worship - leading music in services, directing choirs and instrumentalists, working with college kids, middle and high schools students, and children, and lots of other things. He has studied both music and theology and is a wonderful teacher and preacher as well as a musician and conductor. Being ordained recognizes his calling to ministry and the work that he does in God's name.

We were fortunate to have some family and friends in town for this special weekend!

Aunt Kelly's first time meeting Connor, and some quality time with Otto and Nana!

"I don't wanna gooooo!"

Kelly dragging Matthew off to bed...and then I left Connor with them for an hour

the next morning. Don't worry, Kelly is very responsible. ;) JK, Matthew!

The ordination service was awesome and since a lot of Jonathan's family is involved in ministry, our church asked them to play some special roles during the service.

Matthew sang and played a great worship song.

Jonathan's dad gave the commissioning prayer

and charge to the candidates for ordination.

Connor and I sang in the choir while Daddy conducted!

All ordained men (pastors, ministers, deacons) who attended the service

were given the opportunity to pray over the two men who were ordained.

I was trying to show all the men who lined up to pray - they were not only from

our church and there had to have been at least 50! It was a powerful and wonderful time.

After the service we had dinner together. Our "surrogate parents" and great friends from VA had traveled down for the ordination and got to meet Connor!

Evelyn, Connor, and Nana

Dan and Connor

Dan and his love, Otto.

Kelly with two sleeping boys.

Connor and Grandad hanging out!