5:05 AM

It's 5:05AM and Kase has decided he is awake for the morning. But, who could be upset at a face as sweet as this:

I love 5:05 AM when he greets me like this :)

don't quit your day job

Uncle Josh came to visit a few days ago and tried to style my hair...see below for the result. I make it look good, but Uncle Josh, don't quit your day job. Which you now have! YAY! Congratulations on your new job Uncle Josh! We're proud of you & we love you!

I'm 2 months old!

Believe it or not, I'm 2 months old now! Mommy says she's in denial, but it's true, I'm growing up. I had my 2 month appointment today. Here's my stats: 23 inches long and 10 pounds 15 ounces. My doctor tells me I'm a lightweight...I just say I'm long and lean :) I also had 3 shots. I survived, and so did Mommy, but we both cried.

Things I'm learning this month: I'm getting better at holding my

head up. I still hate tummy time, but sometimes Mom forces me

because she said it's good for me. I really like being talked to and sung to. If you're lucky, and if I'm in a good mood I might even sing along with you. Mom & Dad say my smile is very handsome and I try to show it to them as often as I can. I'm also learning how to fall asleep by myself. It's kind of a rough process for me and Mommy, but again, she says it's good for me. I'll have to take her word on it, because I'm not a fan of it right now.

Mom says I'm going to have a new friend soon! She says her friends, Matthew & Nichole are going to have a baby boy soon. I'm very excited to meet him and run and jump and play with him! Come soon Baby Kelderman!

Baptism

Today was a special day for our family. We baptized Kase at church and were able to celebrate with four generations from both families present. The verse given to Kase was Habakkuk 2:1, "I will stand my watch and station myself on the ramparts; I will look to see what God will say to me." We were also told that Kase means "vigilant." Our prayer as Kase's parents is that he will be vigilant and alert to the Lord's voice in his life. We feel so blessed to be given Kase and for the Lord to have entrusted him to us. We know that Kase is first a child of the Lord, and has been given to us to raise up in the way of the Lord.

As I was rocking Kase to sleep tonight I was filled with joy for this gift the Lord has given us. Tears overflowed from my eyes as my heart overflowed with love for this little boy who has been entrusted to Keith and I. For a very long time I was afraid that this day would not come. But today we committed our son to the Lord, and I rocked my son to sleep. What a joyful day!

Kase's First Vacation & 1 Month Photos

WOW!!! What a crazy but INCREDIBLE month this has been! Kase continues to bless us each day with his wonderful smiles and his growing personality. We think he's quite advanced, but he's holding his head up more and more each day, and responds to various things/people in such a fun way. It's been exciting to watch him recognize people and the way he moves his arms & legs when he really likes something.

It's been a busy month, filled with visitors and vacations. Mom/Grandma Sietstra came first for a few days and helped us get adjusted to life with a newborn. Her and Keith washed windows, painted basement walls, and gave Keith and I some alone time so we could go on walks. Mom/Nana Boone came next and gave us some more love. After Grandma visits we had about a week before we left for vacations. On July 23 we left for Boone vacation at Silver Lake. We had a great week of family bonding and relaxation at the lake. Then on July 30 we left for Minneapolis for the Sietstra vacation. These are a few pictures from Kase's first Twins baseball game. To say Kase was spoiled would be an understatement...he was held for the majority of both vacations...and Mommy & Daddy paid for it when we got home. He now thinks naps need to be taken in our arms rather than his crib, and that when he's awake he no longer wants to have floor time! But, he had some great bonding time with his family, which far outweighs a few bad days at home.

While on vacation at the lake, my cousin, Heather, took some fabulous pictures of Kase for his belated-one-month-photo-shoot. Here's a taste of our sweet baby boy:

This week was also our first week with Daddy being gone. Keith started football practice on Tuesday, and we miss him all day. It was beyond wonderful having him home for the past month, and we cherish our time we had as a family. He was a wonderful partner to have during this adjustment time, and I'm so extremely thankful for his presence and support. It is such a joy to see him adjusting to life as a father, and I can't wait to see him with Kase in the years to come. Kase is such a lucky boy to have such a loving Daddy. To have a family with a man like Keith is so amazing! Molly is adjusting well, is very curious of her baby brother, and likes to be near us while Kase is eating. This picture is Kase and Molly's first meeting...we think it's quite precious :)

I will try to be more diligent with my blog posting, but that all depends on Kase's napping schedule :) Maybe once we get into more of a routine I can try and find some blogging time...only time will tell!