Playdate with a GIRL....

Shea says, "Now now Michael, calm down!"

Looking at the mommies!!

"Peace" and "Hey there"

Michael had his first playdate with a GIRL last week!! I know, we're starting early! Michael and Shea were so cute together as you can see in the pictures! Jason and I met Shea's parents through our birthing class at Paoli Hospital back in January....cool how things work out, right?!

Michael and Michael

Notice the eyes squint and the smile is a bit slanted on both Michaels!

Lately I have been thinking that Michael looks more and more like my dad, Michael. Michael's smile is very similar to that of my dad's. It brings great joy to me seeing a resemblance of my father in Michael....I smile every time!!!

Seriously...............

......Tell me this doesn't make you smile!!!!

Our little monkey!!

For Father's Day Michael and I surprised Jason and had professional pictures done. The photographer came to our house and he did an AMAZING job getting Michael to pose and to smile!

4 month check-up

Michael will be 4 months this Friday...crazy, right?! Well, today he had his 4 month check-up with the pediatrician. He got several shots and cried initially. I fed him for a minute, he cried for 30 seconds more and then he was done. He hasn't stopped talking, smiling, and playing since then. Definitely not what I expected! Here are his stats:

Weight - 15 lbs, 3.5 ounces (50th percentile)
Length - 26 inches (88th percentile)
Head - 17 1/8 inches (75th percentile)

Our little boy is growing so fast!!!!! Below are the stats from his 2 month visit:

Length - 23 3/4" - 80th percentile (up from 23" at 1 month)
Weight - 12 lbs. 7.5 oz. - 65th percentile (up from 10 lbs. 5.5 oz at 1 month)
Head - 16 1/4" - 75th percentile (up from 15 1/2" at 1 month)

Happy Birthday Grandma

Michael says Happy Birthday Grandma!

My mom is currently in Switzerland working on an internship with WHO (World Health Organization) until the end of July. So, she is celebrating her birthday in another country and is working! We figured this little video might be a great gift that she doesn't have to worry about fitting in her suitcase to bring home!

Happy Birthday Mom! I miss you and hope you have a wonderful day!!! I am very thankful to have such an amazing mother! You are smart, beautiful, loving, patient (mostly...haha), and so much more. You have always made sacrifices for your family...including canceling a trip last year for Jason and I and basically moving up here for my month of bed rest.

Enjoy your day...you deserve it!!!

With lots of love,

Jason, Heather, Michael, and Buddy Holly (he still misses sleeping at your feet)

Happy Birthday Grandma

Happy Birthday Grandma! Mommy and Daddy are trying to upload a video I made for you, but in the meantime enjoy a picture of me in my bathing suit! Come home soon so you can enjoy the summer with me :-)!!! Hope you have a wonderful day!

I miss you and love you!

TOO FUNNY!!!

It's too warm for clothing!

Since our a/c stopped working we have discovered that Michael is the happiest when he is in just a diaper! This is Aunt Ashley holding him at the beach house! See where he gets his ghost white skin from?! Haha! It's obviously not Jason's family...could it be the Irish in us Kanaly's?!

Teething...oh yeah!

Michael has been waking up shortly after his bedtime the past two nights! After some ibuprofen and some extra love, he is back asleep!

Loving the teething ring!

Michael loves chewing on our fingers!

New toy!

We were thinking Michael was about ready for his activity center as he'll be 4 months next week and he loves playing! Well, once we put the million (and one) pieces together we put Michael in the seat. His little feet were dangling and his belly wasn't even close to filling out the seat. We knew we would need to put a blanket in to support him, but we didn't think he was as tiny as he seemed in his new toy.

Too much noise....

Our new a/c unit was installed today....woo hoo! This is Michael covering his ears with the little pillow when the guys were making noise installing the unit! Seriously, he really was covering his ears...I think it was just a coincidence though.

Father's Day

Daddy and Michael

Hot and Humid

I have been a major slacker lately when it comes to posting new pics of our little guy!  We have had one thing after another happen in the past few weeks, but we just keep on going.  Just when we think we have everything under control, we are wrong.  Both Jason and I just sit back and laugh because we know God is reminding us that He is in control.  It can be a tough lesson to learn sometimes.

So, this is the past few weeks in the van Brackel household:

-We had Jason's car inspected....long story short...it needs to be replaced

- It starts to get humid, we turn the A/C on and notice it isn't "cool"

- Call a local company, they come out, order the necessary part 

- In the meantime we sleep on an air mattress and Michael slept in his pack n play (all downstairs)

- A week later the part is replaced

- 20 minutes later.....loud humming sound and warm air....another phone call to local company

-20 minutes after that...they come back and say the whole unit needs to be replaced but it needs to be ordered (it has to be a specific one since we have an association in our community)..estimate was up to 2 weeks...and the forecast was 97-99 degrees (holy hotness!)

-The next day we set up camp at my brother's house...air mattress and pack n play

-Mommy and Michael head to the family beach house a few days later

-We came home from the beach...I checked in on the house and since we moved out a family of ants moved in....when I say family, I mean an entire country moved in!  They were all over our kitchen....ay de mi!

-In the meantime, we also had two light switches upstairs buzzing (as if it were going to shock us).  So, Jason and his friend, Matt (who also did the amazing floor in Michael's room) replaced the switches tonight

-We are now back in the house since the forecast overnight is in the 60s.  It was getting too difficult living out of bags with an infant.  Plus, none of us have been sleeping as well as we had been previous to this whole escapade.  This time next week, we should hopefully have a/c.  

Michael has been AMAZING during all of this.  He is definitely flexible, patient, and has oh so much love for us.  He is smiling more, laughing more, "talking" more....and many other things.  He is more interactive....he loves being sung to.  I'm not much of a singer (but he doesn't know any better)....but I do love singing to him and seeing his face light up.  His favorite song is "Head, shoulders, knees, and toes".  When I sing "eyes, and ears, and mouth, and nose", he gets excited because I usually point to his mouth and nose.  He also likes to try to eat my finger when I do that too.

Ok, so I think that's it for now.  I will post pictures soon...I just need to unpack and find my camera cord.  Oh how I can't wait to get unpacked and finally know where to find things.

Michael's first beach trip

Michael's hair was blowing in the wind...it was amusing!

The family :-)

Thanking God for the amazing experience of the beach!!  

Michael can spot the camera from a mile away now!

Enjoying the breeze

Random weekend pics

Visiting the ladies

Daddy discovered that Michael loves his feet in his face!

Visiting Grandpa Rory

Big Boy!

Michael has been trying to hold his bottle over the past few weeks.  He doesn't get a bottle often, but when he does he tries to grab it himself.  We got a shot of him this weekend successfully holding his bottle...so advanced :-)!

Our 5th AnniversaryH

Happy Anniversary Mommy and Daddy!

Jason went out to get coffee and brought me this delicious treat!

When he came back he surprised me with these!

We had a great day on Saturday!  We spent the first half of the day relaxing and going to Rehoboth.  Then, Grandma and Grandpa van Brackel came and watched Michael at the beach house while we went out to dinner.  

More time with Family in MD

Elisabeth is also tired after a long day!

Jonathan, Uncle Rob, and Tyler (all exhausted from a long day of baseball)

Aunt Jen cuddle time

Andrew (the oldest grandson) and Michael (the youngest grandson)

Mommy kisses are THE BEST

Getting love from Aunt Lilian

The family

Uncle James and Michael doing "airplane"

Annapolis

Mommy and Michael at the Naval Academy

Uncle James and Aunt Lilian at the Naval Academy

Daddy and Michael in Annapolis

Meeting Daddy's brothers

The boys!

Uncle Ryan, Aunt Candice, and Michael

Uncle James, Aunt Lilian, and Michael

Last weekend the three of us drove down to Maryland to see Uncle James and Aunt Lilian who were up from Mississippi.  We hadn't seen them since last May and Michael had never met them nor had he met Uncle Ryan.  It was great seeing them and Michael had so much fun that he slept really well when we came home to PA.