For Uncle Steve & Aunt Vallerie

I tried to send this video via email to our Uncle Steve and Aunt Vallerie, but we had technical difficulties getting it to work, so I decided the easiest way for them to see the video was to post it here. Now everyone can enjoy it!

Weekend with the McTaggarts

I (Angela) wanted to hang out with my sister and her husband for my birthday, so we headed up to Canada this weekend to celebrate! The weather was perfect on Saturday, so we went to a nearby park for a picnic. The rest of the pictures are from our time just hanging out. Rooke was a great traveler, sleeping almost all the way up there and all the way back, and we had a wonderful time with Aubyn & Scott.

Wearing Uncle Scott's Oregon Ducks hat! Big Daddy would be so proud.

It's so fun to see Rooke smile intentionally!

Aunt Jessica, you will like this video. Scott discovered that Rooke has a new trick with his tongue that made us all crack up!

Videos

We originally started this blog for our families, since our closest relatives are a two-hour drive away (which is like living next door compared to where we've been before!). Rooke's grandparents and Uncle Konnor have been requesting more videos, so here you go!

Rooke isn't a "chill" baby. He likes to wiggle and squirm and test how much movement he can do with his "bobble head". But the other night he was extremely calm. We thought we'd share the video from this peaceful moment . . . he's not doing much, but we were entertained!

Try to ignore my cheezy voice in this video. I've decided that babies make people say silly things in a silly voice without them ever realizing it. It just happens! On the other hand, do listen for Rooke. He's recently started "talking" a lot.

Random

Just some random pictures of stuff. . .


We are grateful for the community group we have joined through church and have enjoyed making new friends, big and small! This is one of our small friends, Elijah. He's two. He and his mom came over to hang out and I was so impressed at how gentle he was with Rooke! He wanted to give Rooke kisses - so cute.

The weather has been absolutely beautiful the past couple of days. Since we live in an apartment and don't have a yard, we can't just step outside to play in the sun (although there are several great parks not far away). So I put Rooke in his bouncy seat close to a window for his nap and he loved it!

Guess who orchestrated this picture?! Starting him out young at the first Starbucks in Seattle.

Five weeks old

Grammy & Grandaddy

Ryan's parents came for a visit this weekend! It was their first time to be around Rooke and he sure enjoyed all the cuddling and attention they gave him. We made the most of the two full days they were with us, eating lots of great food, enjoying the incredible sunny weather and just hanging out as a family. Thanks for coming, Grammy & Grandaddy! We love you!

Grammy Deb holding her grandson for the first time!

We stepped into an art gallery on one of our "outings". Rooke rested contently in his grandaddy's hands and intently focused on the colorful paintings. He was more entertaining to look at than the art itself!

"My dad is #1!!"
Rooke is slowly gaining control of his flailing arms, but you can see from the pictures above and the video below that they still do their own thing from time to time! He was just waking up from a nap in this video.

To: my Grandparents, Love: Rooke

This was Rooke's Valentine's Day card to his grandparents. We thought we'd share it on the blog for all to enjoy! The last two are just some extras.

5 Weeks

Rooke is five weeks old today! We are having a great time with our little man and out looking forward to Ryan's parents coming for a visit this weekend!

Happy Valentine's Day!

Rooke is starting to smile intentionally (his "gas smiles" are still cute!). This isn't a full-blown smile, but he loves his daddy and it doesn't take long for Rooke to perk up once Ryan gets home from school.

The Gift of Music

In line with the theme of Ryan's post yesterday, I thought I would add these pictures. A few nights ago Rooke was fussy and wouldn't be comforted:


To keep from getting worked up ourselves, we put him in his bouncy seat and I pulled out my guitar. I played quite a bit while I was pregnant. I started playing and singing some of my favorite hymns and Rooke immediately calmed down, intently looking and listening to the sounds of the music. I am so grateful for God's gift of music in our lives.

It Is Well

This morning, at the end of our Sunday worship, the congregation sang "It is Well with My Soul." Most of you know this old hymn, and who does not love this song? However, I will never experience this song like I did this morning.
Rooke was wide awake through the whole service and he behaved like a champ. During the sermon he sat on my lap and looked around occasionally fixing his eyes on me allowing me some play time. That was beautiful, but it gets better. Rooke is a bit of a wiggler. I guess all babies might be this way, but I don't have experience with other infants. By the time the service was over, he began to get restless and start to wiggle, and when this starts, it is hard to stop him. When we stood up to sing a final song, "It is Well..." I held him in a position that he likes so he can look at the person who is holding him. I placed one hand under his bottom and another hand under his head while I let his legs rest against my abdomen (similar to the picture from Feb. 8, but more directly in front). The congregation began to sing, and Ang and I joined them. Since, we were visiting a neighborhood church this week that meets in a small theater, Angela's voice was not drowned out by the deafening rock-worship we are used to. When Rooke heard his mommy's voice, he turned his head, dropped his jaw and fixed his eyes on her. Through the whole song, he rested in my hands at total peace with his little arms dangling beside him. He just stared at his mom and listened to her worship. Needless to say, I couldn't sing the whole song, but Rooke wasn't interested in hearing me. The five minutes of worship this morning with Rooke in my arms is my best moment of fatherhood since that last push that brought him to us. I have a new favorite hymn. The lyrics are posted below:

It Is Well With My Soul

When peace like a river, attendeth my way,
When sorrows like sea billows roll;
Whatever my lot, Thou hast taught me to say,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.

Refrain:
It is well, with my soul,
It is well, with my soul,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.

Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come,
Let this blest assurance control,
That Christ has regarded my helpless estate,
And hath shed His own blood for my soul.

My sin, oh, the bliss of this glorious thought!
My sin, not in part but the whole,
Is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more,
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul!

And Lord, haste the day when my faith shall be sight,
The clouds be rolled back as a scroll;
The trump shall resound, and the Lord shall descend,
Even so, it is well with my soul.

Horatio Spafford

Rooke and I enjoyed a Friday afternoon nap.
This a self-portrait.

When I got up, I left him on the couch,
and he stayed down for a couple of hours.

Mommy & Daddy

We love our son!

Rooke's Many Expressions

Awards will be given for the best captions (since I'm not creative or funny enough to come up with something clever for each picture, but wanted to post these!)

A Fun Weekend

We had a fun-filled weekend with lots of friends and family around. Rooke got to meet several dear friends, some who drove up from Eugene and some we hadn't seen in years. We also got to spend more time with his Auntie Aubyn and Uncle Scott.

The family with our friends from Eugene who drove up for the weekend. It was wonderful to see them!
Our two families hadn't been together in years (bummer we were still missing Konnor). We had a great time catching up and remembering some of the funny things from when we all lived in Canada.

Big Daddy getting Rooke geared up for his first Super Bowl!

Rooke's shirt says, "Daddy's Allstar"! The men startled Rooke several times during the game with their enthusiastic chearing and clapping. It was all part of Rooke's initiation into the world of sports! I still think it's odd that the Super Bowl champions are considered the "world champions" when America is the only country that has pro-football teams competing. Whatever.