baby it's cold outside...

{tuckered out after an awesome Christmas morning}

{Whitaker's first time going swimming}

{bundled up and busting out}

{Whitaker's #1 fan}

{tired after a cold morning at the Kriskindel festival}

{Oma Great}

caught on camera...

Christmas Letter 2008

Dear Friends,

What a year! 3 apartments, 2 states and 1 kid later we finally reach the close of 2008. Joel and I can't help but try to remember what life was like just one year ago before we knew that our world would be turned upside down by becoming parents - besides getting a lot more sleep! This year has been an incredible blessing and has provided us opportunities to grow and work together as a team navigating the challenges of a major move, pregnancy and now parenthood.

Thank you to all of our family and friends who have given us the encouragement, support and occasionally, a babies 'r' us gift card, along the way! We don't know how we would have done it without you.

May this Christmas be a memorable one spent with family and in remembrance of the gift that our Heavenly Father has given us by sending His only begotten Son down to earth as a child to become a Savior to all men!

All our love,
Jacqueline, Joel and Whitaker

Milestone: Rolling Over, 11 weeks

(we're starting the weight lifting at an early age)

at a glance

Monday:B&K
Today we had visitors. Ben and Kacy, a couple I've know since college, came and spent the afternoon with Whitaker and I. They were in town for the holidays and it was soo good to spend time with them and catch up. There's something so familiar and "home" that comes with spending time with old friends.
Tuesday:Tummy Time
Whitaker and I headed over to see miss charlie ann today. Ms. Sylvia's friend who was in town helping out is an occupational therapist. She kindly reminded me the importance of tummy time (near sighted vision, bilateral movements, arm and wrist strength, etc.) Since then we've been working really hard to incorporate as much 'tummy time' in to our day as possible. If this kid is gonna join the NFL right out of HS, we need to start getting him ready ASAP.

Wednesday:Hello Sunshine
Today we headed off to Florida to spend Thanksgiving with Joel's family. By this time I was craving some time south of the mason dixon. Everything went so smoothly getting there. This was Whit's 4th plane ride... this kid has flown more than me by the time I was 16.

Thursday:Giving Thanks!
Thanksgiving went great. It was just us, Joel's folks, and his brother Andrew. We spent a lot of time outside enjoying the gorgeous weather. (Whitaker start sleeping 10+ hours at night!!!)
Friday:Pickle Ball
We celebrated Joel's 27th birthday. The community that Joel's parents live in is like a day camp for adults. They taught us to play pickle ball. It's almost like ping-pong and tennis combined. SOO FUN! At one point we had the whole family out on the courts playing together.
Saturday:Turkey Run
Joel and Grampa Samples headed down to Daytona Beach for a huge car show called Turkey Run. Joel came home looking like a lobster from all the sun, but he had a great time. Meanwhile, the rest of had a lazy day together. (Whitkaer masters the art of sucking his thumb!)
Sunday:Airport Adventure
Today was a scene out of a National Lampoon's movie. Our flight was delayed 6 hours, not including the almost 2 hours that we were at the airport to catch our original flight "on time". Screaming babies, frazzled parents, bad airport food, and "Mele Kalikimaka" on repeat, almost un-did all the relaxation that we had acquired that week.


Whitaker and I are back on a plane headed to Pittsburgh on Thursday to get ready for Ilse's 30th birthday party on Saturday. This holiday season is already flying by!

Charlie Ann

Miss Charlie Ann has arrived!

6 lbs. 10 oz.
19.5 in. long
at 9:51 am on November 21, 2008

Crazy 8!

Current numbers:

8 = weeks old
7.5 = hours slept each night
6.5 = pounds gained since birth
4 = inches grown since birth
3 = average number of naps taken during the day

That's right- Whitaker now tips the scales at 17 lbs. 6 oz. and is 26 an a quarter inches long. The kid was given a parade at the pediatrician's office. The Dr. literally marched around the entire office in exclamation over his size. I just sat in the room with my head in my hands. My baby is practically a toddler. This week he is in 6 month clothing. (disclaimer: i am still JUST nursing. zero formula)

Over the past couple weeks Whitaker really has become so much more alert. He loves the mobile in his crib and his latest craze is 'standing'. The kid at any given moment when he is awake he's moving. He can't sit still... the arms and legs are always in motion.

in love.

i just had to share...
I've been eying this artist's prints on etsy.com for months now.
These are some that I'm just head over heels for!
Check her out: JessicaGonacha

what was week 6

Whitaker is asleep on my lap, the kid has been sleeping the day away- so jealous. Maybe on his first day of kindergarten I can have one of those lazy p.j. days- wait, check that- I'm sure I'll be a worry-wart that day, maybe his 2nd day of kindergarten... ha.

Anyways, it was a big week for us last week, so I thought I would write another journal entry day by day so I don't leave anything out.

Sunday- Whitaker and I head down to Columbus, OH for the Arlene Pawlowski's funeral. The past Thursday Whitaker and I took our first flight together. YIKES. Whit did amazing- I on the other hand was exhausted at the end of the trip. For once I was excited about our layover in Atlanta as I was able to catch up with one of my bestest buddies, Kacy.Monday- It's my 2nd Wedding Anniversary. Today was also Ms. Pawlowski's memorial service, which was perfect. The memories shared were such a true representation of who she was- fun, crazy, generous and with an unforgettable N.J. accent. Anna was amazing through the whole ordeal, she took everything in stride and was always posed with style and grace. One the neatest things was to see ALL of Ms. Pawlowski's co-workers from the Macy's Estee Lauder counter show up. They all wore their dark suits with a white ribbon pinned to the lapel.
Tuesday- Whitaker and I make our final leg of the trip to Pittsburgh to spend time with Aunt Izzie and cousin Kwilai. Ilse kept recalling how this was our dream as sisters: to be married, have our kiddo's close together in age, and live close.
Wednesday- We fly home. It was so good to see daddy-o. Joel would call every night and ask if Whitaker missed him, and I know he did. Even Whitaker's mellow temperament was wearing thin after being away from home for 6 days. Three Cheers to Southwest for their direct flight from PITT to BWI that is only 39 mins long.

Thursday- lots of laundry. I even started going through Whit's drawers AGAIN and put more clothes away that didn't quite fit anymore. I was soo sad. Whit was too.

Friday- More recuperating, and more importantly, just spending time with dad.
Saturday- So after bidding farewell to the bassinet (because Whitaker now exceeded the weight limit- he now weighs 16 POUNDS!) I went out to shop for a crib. It was a long day, but we bought one and I love it! Whitaker loves it too- the kiddo slept for 7.5 hours that night.
Sunday- More quality time as a family. Joel had the great idea to make waffles and stay in our p.j.s for church. We listened to a sermon by Andy Stanley on Worry- so good. www.northpoint.org. Afterwards I headed out for a run/walk- ok, so I ran .5 mile and walked 2.5 miles. I have 10 lbs. left to go to get back to where I was pre-pregnancy, and when I was running I felt every ounce. OUCH!

Well- we're back to Monday and I'm sure that it'll be a lucky week 7! Whitaker has his 2 month check up NEXT Monday, the 17th.

swing low, sweet chariot

Dear Friends,

Unfortunately there was an unexpected death in the family. I've been running a million miles an hour in slow motion all day... My best friend Anna's mother passed away suddenly last night. She was an only child and her dad has been MIA most of her life. Her mom was her life and vice versa.
Anna was out of town in upstate Michigan when she got the phone call that her mom had gone to the hospital for a possible heart attack. They did a heart cath and found an aortic aneurysm, when they went in to repair it, there had been to much blood loss and they were unable to stabilize her blood pressure. She passed away on the operating table. Anna didn't get to the hospital until after her mom went into surgery. It's incredibly sad and shocking.

Arlene was 70, but had the life and heart of a 30 year old.

Whitaker and I will be flying out tomorrow afternoon to Ohio. The whole Valcore crew was in love with Anna and her Mom and will be attending the funeral with me on Monday. Please pray that I can be a comfort and encouragement for Anna during this traumatic time.

*Arlene is sitting in the rocking chair and Anna is on the right of her

Thank you for your prayers,
Jacqueline

babylegs

love me some babylegs! they're my new fav find! they're mini leg warmers, but so 'o8... :)

pumpkin patch

my bestest Annapolis buddy- Sylvia (she's due the end of nov.)

the sunflowers were GORGEOUS!

and of course, there were sheep!

strawberry blonde

so it looks like whitaker's hair is growing in reddish/strawberry blonde. i can't believe it. joel's mom had red hair- but i don't recall anyone on my side of the family having it. i thought it was a recessive gene and both parents had to have it - who knew? (whit didn't want his pic taken)

(then he relaxed - he's such a champ!)

the BIG 3-0

so ilse is turning 30 in Nov. and i am hosting a girls day out for her birthday. here are the invites i made- I LOVE putting stuff like this together :) one day i'll open a stationary shop...

Week 4: parent parade

daddy-o
waiting for grampa and grama s. to arrive Whitaker meets grama and grampa samples.
whitaker's first car show! (we love the moby wrap!)joel's idea of a "family car"

nothing better.

proud grampa v.

grampa meet whit.
whit meet grampa.