A Baptized Santa Baby

Santa sure was good to our baby.  I guess he was on the "good" list for his behavior these first few months of his life.  We had a very full weekend of Christmas festivities, to say the least!  We're so lucky to have so many people who love us in our lives.  Thank you to everyone for your very generous and thoughtful gifts and the fun times.

Christmas Eve morning began with a celebration at Grandpa and Grandpa Mackus's house in Brookfield, WI.  PJ is at a great age for Christmas and she was fun to watch.  Grandma made Luke his very own beautiful stocking, as she made Kristin and mine when we were babies, Matt and Cory's after we were married, and Paige after she was born.  Very special!  Luke also is the proud recipient of a gorgeous hand carved "rocking horse" motorcycle.  He can't wait to grow into it.

Christmas Eve afternoon and evening we had the Mackus family Christmas Eve at my Grandma's house.  Per TRADITION! TRA-DI-TION! we ate too many meatballs and shrimp cocktail appetizers and then had take out Chinese food for dinner.  My camera battery died so I don't have any shots from there, but I'll try and get some from Kristin or Mom to post later (they're all in Mexico right now!  Jealous!)

Christmas morning Matt, Luke and I celebrated at home for the first time as a little family!  Pretty sure Luke didn't really know what was going on, but it was fun for us.  We had Christmas mass here in Lake Forest and then headed up to Antioch to attend party #3 at Matt's Aunt Diane and Uncle Garry's house.  We had the crowd pleaser "Grab Bag" gift exchange and tons of deliciousness there.  It is so nice to have Ben and Linda in town, as well as our cousins Jenae and Jeremy.

Playing with Aunt Linda

Jenae, Jeremy, Lennon and River here from CO

Luke sporting his new hat, knitted by Jenae!

Christmas night it started snowing, but that didn't stop us from forging on into party #4 at the Baranko's house in Downers Grove, IL.  We were toasty and warm with a crackling fire and yummy Christmas bourbon balls. Luke was spoiled rotten all over again.  All of the wonderful gifts were too much for him, he had to rest his eyes.

We got home in the snow safely late Christmas night, but it seemed like our heads had just touched the pillow when it was time to get up and prepare for Luke's baptism that next day.  The baptism followed the Mass and Luke did great for most of it.  He was perfect during the hour Mass, and for most of the 45 minute baptism afterwards.  It was really only the last 15 minutes of the ceremony that he was pretty fussy.  Not bad.  Welcome to  the Catholic Church Lukers!  It was very special that Luke wore the baptismal gown that his great-grandfather Eichinger, grandmother and father all wore when they were baptized.  Thank you to everyone who came, and special thanks to Godfather Ben and Godmother Kristin for the lifetime role they have taken on in addition to their uncle/aunt duties.

After taking Mom and Dad, Kristin, Cory and PJ to the airport on Monday morning for their vacation to Mexico, Matt and I were glad to have taken the day off work to relax and get organized after the busy weekend.  We even had a chance to go cross country skiing for the first time this season while Isolene watched Luke.  It was gorgeous.

Here are some other cute shots from the week too.  Isolene took Luke to the library for the very first time, and he loved it!  He's really starting to interact more with books, and can turn the pages himself on some of them.

Isolene takes Luke to the library, bundle up!

Loving my new pillow pet puppy

Matching shirts with Daddy, laughing in the mirror in my room.

Strong as an ox!

We continue to be amazed by how big and strong Luke is getting.  Now that he is an expert roller and can hold his head up for long periods of time, we have really been able to expand his toy selection.  Luke is lucky enough to be the recipient of many new and gently used toys, many of which are for babies who have begun to have motor skills and can hold their body weight up.  He's now in that category!  He's having a ball with all of this new stimulation.  We also tried to go for a walk with him FACE OUT in the Bjorn, big step huh?  He loved it, but Mom & Dad were not so pleased with the biting cold wind in his face, blinding sun and snow and the neverending drool that would freeze the moment it hit his snowsuit.  But it was fun for a few minutes anyway.  Spumoni liked our visit to the dog park, in any case.

Hmmm, what does this button do?

I can bounce on my own - WOW!

Finally, a trip to the dog park!

I love to be able to watch the dogs and see what's going on!

This weekend we finished our Christmas shopping while G&G Baranko watched Luke, then we went over to the Bullock's for a fun holiday party. Luke had to dress to impress with his adorable Santa suit.  Sunday we hosted my friends Katherine and Safet, who is home from Germany for the holidays.  It was a great weekend, pretty low key which is good because this weekend is going to be chock full of festivities!

Ho Ho Ho, Merry Christmas!

With my Santa Hat Buddies Nicki & Andy, cute family!

With my "Uncle" Jeff

Katherine is a natural!

Here are some other cute shots from the week.

Playing with Dad tires me out.

A Wedding, a Birthday and some rolling over!

The BIG news this week is that Luke rolled over for the first time!  He had been trying for a little while now, rolling to one side and then rolling back because his arm would get stuck.  It has been really cute watching him figure this whole rolling over thing out, he concentrates so hard.  He finally rolled over all the way though:)  Isolene got one on video, bless her heart, which we tried to upload here.     

This weekend was really busy.  Friday night we had Matt's company holiday party and Grandma and Grandpa Baranko watched Lukers.  They were nice enough to stay overnight and come up with us to WI to watch Luke on Saturday too.

Saturday my cousin Melissa and her fiancee Sean were married in a beautiful ceremony at St. John's Military Academy Cathedral in Delafied, WI.   They had a fun luncheon reception afterwards and then later Aunt Susan had a casual gift opening party that evening at her house.  Congrats to them!

With Kristin & Aunt Susan, mother of the bride:)

Mr. and Mrs. Sean & Melissa McMonigle!

Saturday night Matt and I had a romantic evening in downtown Milwaukee.  Grandma & Grandpa Mackus watched Luke overnight!  They had gifted Matt and I with a one night's stay at the Aloft Hotel for our anniversary, so we used it on Saturday.  First we went out for a very fancy dinner at Sanford Restaurant, it was delicious. I highly recommend it if you're ever in Milwaukee looking for a special restaurant.  It was so fun being back in a fancy place like that!  Luke did great, Grandma and Grandpa reported that he only woke up once for a bottle in the middle of the night.

Sunday was Kristin's birthday - Happy Birthday Kristin!!  We had a birthday brunch in her honor, at her house.  PJ was wearing her pretty Christmas dress and the whole affair was very festive.  

The Enforcer (aka Lil Kneecapper)

Uncle Ben thinks Luke looks like an old-time gangster in his passport photo - so he sent us this hilarious mock up.  So funny, right?!  He describes Luke's expression as confident/smug, which I think is an apt description.

Model Behavior

Our big boy is 3 months old!  He marked the occasion with a photo shoot on Saturday at one of those instant photo studios.  It is hard work to be SO cute for EVERY photo taken, but he did it.  Modelling may be in his future, don't you think?  (We're not biased or anything.)

I'm happy to say that Luke and I both survived my first week back at work.  It only took a couple days to get fully immersed in all that is Walgreens Consumables marketing. Although I miss Lukers a ton, it is beginning to  feel kind of good to be back in the saddle!

Aside from work, we had some other activities this week.  We had a fun birthday dinner for Donna on Wednesday, December 1st.  On Saturday Luke helped pick out his first Christmas tree and also experienced his first snow!  Then we were lucky enough to have Katie came up from Indy to spend the night on Saturday.  On top of that, the Carpenters came down to visit Katie on Sunday and everyone helped us trim our tree.  It looks great!

In Luke development news, his motor skills are really improving.  He is holding his toys all by himself and interacting with them so much more.  When I hold him he feels like he's gotten so big!  Stop growing little man!

Turning the pages of my book (courtesy of Isolene)

Standing up on my own!  My toy fell into the car seat.

My giraffe makes me happy, thanks Angela!

Donna's Birthday - new scarf 

Bathtime!  Mr. Ducky

Napping during football??

I like to drool A LOT!!!  That's how I roll!

Visit with Katie, thanks for the Purdue gear!
Looking good!

Snuggles

Our Christmas tree 2010, smells so wonderful and it so festive!

Cousins (not kissing yet)

So fun to visit with Katie, congrats on being done with finals
 and thanks for coming!