Sorenson Family

Too Cute!!

2010-01-24T11:00:00.000-08:00

This is a 24 month outfit!! It is so cute though. I think she is going through a growing stretch because her little legs are getting longer and she is eating like crazy. Today was the first day I got all of her hair up in piggies too. Makes me sad and excited all at the same time. Just a big girl. Oh, and she learned to open and close doors today.....all by herself.

Oregon Coast

2010-01-04T17:47:00.000-08:00

After two weeks of company, Steve and I took Alyse to the coast for the night. She loved the waves and was fearless when it came to walking over to the water. We had a great time as a family. She is getting so big. I can't believe it.

Oh, and for those of you who don't know, she loves to DANCE. Black eyed peas are her favorite. She also says "Go Cougs." It is the cutest thing I have ever seen. I think I have a video. I will have to upload it.

Christmas/New Years/Family Fun

2010-01-04T17:43:00.001-08:00

ALYSE

2009-12-05T17:41:00.001-08:00

Since it has been awhile since I wrote an update, I will do a summary:

She is now 15 months old.
Walking and talking
She says "B" for Bailey, Ball, More, Momma, Go Cougs (it was rough, but I heard it), yes, no, bannana and .......I am sure there is more.
She loves to Dance and will shake it to anything but her favorite is Black Eye'd Peas and Boom Boom Pow.
She is a daddy's girl. Man, does she love Steve.
She has lots of teeth, atleast 6 on the bottom and 6 on the top. Seems like she gets a new tooth every week.
Potatoe Head is her favorite toy, although she loves loves books. Can't seem to get enough of the books.
She eats everything............I mean everything......
Weighs in at 24.5 pounds. She was at the doctor this week so I know this is accurate.

1/2 Marathon

2009-12-05T17:38:00.000-08:00

One more year down (yes, it was my birthday)...but it couldn't have been better. We went to Seattle for Thanksgiving to see Steve's family. Lots of Fun. Alyse had a great time. We then ended the weekend with me running a 1/2 marathon in Seattle with my two most wonderful friends. I am so excited that we did it together.

Apple Cup 2009

2009-12-05T17:36:00.000-08:00

Yes, So I know that the Cougs finsihed last in the Pac-10 but the Sorensons are die hards and we went to the game anyway. If nothing else it made for a cute picture, right??

Just a couple of days ago.

2009-10-18T11:49:00.000-07:00

Oh, and I forgot.....The kid loves to read. (Thank you Auntie!!). She will bring you one book after another until you have all of them in a pile next to you and then she will want to start all over. Steve and I actually have to start hiding them from her because she always picks the really annoying ones to read multiple times. It really is fun BUT after an hour, its time to move on to something else. She also loves music (another THank you Auntie!!), she rocks out any time she hears a beat......this morning we were in the grocery store and she was rocking out. It was so funny.

I love this picture. Her First Coug Game. Oct. 3rd.

2009-10-18T11:48:00.000-07:00

October? What happened to August?

2009-10-18T11:38:00.000-07:00

So...it has been a month in a half since I posted any pictures. Sorry. We have been so busy!! Since her birthday in August, we have been to Yakima (for Auntie Eleni's wedding), Corvallis (to see Auntie Eleni), Eugene (to watch the Cougs play, or not, and hang out with Jason, Dawn and Ryan), and I am sure somewhere else...oh yeah, been to the coast one weekend and before that to Odel Lake in Eastern Oregon. Frankly, I can't remember the last weekend we were actually home. I think this weekend is the first in a long time, and it has been very very nice.

In the last month our little Alyse had her first year check up and got a flu shot. She started to Walk about a month ago. She gets more and more steady every day and is nearly running now. She is everywhere and to my surprise very fast. She loves to walk. Can't remember the last time she crawled.

Her eating habits have changed quite a bit. She used to eat everything and lots of it. Now she is a little more picky and will eat everything but meat and veggies. What I have figured out though is that she will eat all of the above if she is eating them off your plate and with a fork. If has to feed herself, she isn't interested. I hope this changes. I actually gave her a fork the other day and she understood the concept but wasn't able to do it on her own.

She is signing a few things now and says "more." I should have know that her first real words, after mom and dad, of course, would be "more."

What else....she has turned into quite the little daddy's girl. She would much prefer that Steve hold her and pay attention to her then me. She even goes down better for him. Guess that is why their father-daughter weekend last weekend went so well when I went to Scottsdale for a little get away with Brenda. I think they did great. I returned and she was very happy. Didn't seem sad at all that I hadn't been around. Steve did a great job.

Well, guess that is it. Hope all is well with everyone else.

First Birthday!

2009-08-17T17:49:00.000-07:00

Yesterday we celebrated Alyse's First Birthday. Yes, we are a week early but with Eleni's wedding next weekend, it was just too much to fit in so........we did it early. We had a wonderful little gathering. Lots of fun. As you can see, Alyse had her own little cake and after a few minutes and discovering that it tasted okay, she dug in and made a huge mess. She got so mad at me when I took it away from her. Her personality always amazes me.

Hard to believe that a whole year has passed. Concerning how our lives have changed over the last year you would think that it would feel like too but surprisingly it doesn't. We just can't imagine our life without her now. She brings so much joy to our world an constantly makes us laugh. We are so greatful for her blessing in our lives and can not thank God enough for her continual good health. We just love her!!

Fun with Great Uncle Bob and Cindy

2009-08-10T07:58:00.000-07:00

Steve left Alyse and I for the weekend and went to Seattle for Kyle Mosley's wedding. Alyse and I had lots of fun. On Friday and Saturday I got all my chores done so Sunday we could play and visit. We went to see Bob and Cindy in Medford. Alyse loved it. We then went to see Ray, Donna and Michelle. Alyse got to play on the swing set and go down the slight. She had a great time.

What's new with Alyse? She will be one in a couple of weeks. We are having a birthday party for her this coming weekend since we will be in Yakima for Eleni's wedding on her birthday. Nothing big, just a little get together of family and friends.

She is crawling everywhere and stands up--she pushes our stools across the kitchen floor and thinks that is great fun. She has good balance and I think will be walking soon. Im not pushing it though, its fine with me if she crawls a while longer.

Day Care is going well. She seems to be enjoying it. She is happy when we pick her up and that is all that matters.

We left her for a whole week a couple of weeks ago while Steve and I got a little vacation. It was wonderful but we missed her. She spent the week with her Grandparents in Yakima. Auntie Eleni, Auntie Effie, Auntie Erin, Uncle Matt, and little "L" were there to help too. Sounds like they had great fun. We are so thankful to them for taking her and giving her lots of love.

What else? Not much more that I can think of. She learns more and more everyday and is talking up a storm, not that we can make most of it out........most of the time. She has wonderful laugh and can't seem to wipe the smile off her face...although last week when we had her one year pictures done..she seemed to forget how to smile.

I can't believe she is so BIG!!

2009-07-12T15:00:00.000-07:00

So, it has been a month since Eleni left. Makes me sad to write about it so I wont. We had a great 4th of July. Grandma & Grandpa were here from Yakima. Eleni and Andrew were here from Corvallis. Ryan and Jordan were here from San Jose. Then the usual gang of Grandpa Alan and Glenda. We had a good time.

Alyse was sick for an entire week and we had to stay home with her. Then, she got pink eye an was home for two days. Needless to say, Steve and I are thinking that we need a backup plan.....oh, wait...there isn't anyone....any volunteers? She is better now.

Alyse went and spent the evening with Grandma Donna last night. Steve and I went on a date for the first time since Alyse was born. She did great! (the first two previous times she cried the whole time). It was nice for us to get out.

This weekend we have just spent some good family time together. It has been nice.

Saying Good-Bye to Auntie

2009-06-16T20:56:00.000-07:00

We moved Eleni to Corvallis on Saturday. She starts school next monday and gets married in a couple of months. We are so excited for her. BUT we miss her....I am now writing the rest of this 3 weeks later, been in draft form for a few weeks. Anyway, we are getting on pretty good. Daycare has been an adjustment for us. Alyse did 2 weeks--and then got sick--and has spent this entire week at home.......with us! One of the many blessings of daycare, I suppose!

9 months old

2009-05-31T13:13:00.000-07:00

Alyse turned 9 months old last weekend.

*She spent her first weekend away from her parents. (we, went to Vegas..yeah). She did great. Her and Auntie stayed in GP and went to boatnik. They went to the parade and get watched the rides at the park (auntie went on the rides). On Sunday they had a BBQ. Auntie says she was perfect.

*This weekend we had a pool party with Alyse and Ella. We bought them a little blow up pool and let them play in the water. The weather was HOT, HOT, HOT. They both seemed to really like it. Can't wait until they get to enjoy the slide that came with the pool too.

Oh, the adventures of crawling

2009-05-31T13:10:00.001-07:00

Alyse is everywhere. One of the places she loves to crawl is under the chairs. The only problem is that she can't get out. We let her try---but eventually we have to help out!

Update

2009-05-19T13:43:00.000-07:00

So since San Fran and Napa we have continued to be on the move (big surprise). The weekend after San Fran we went to the Northern Oregon Coast and met up with Jen, Kevin (Collin, Owen and Kate) and Jen and Brian (and Conner) for a 4 day coast get away. We had a great time on the beach. The weather was awesome!! It was so good to see everyones kids and see how much they have grown up since last time I saw them. Alyse had a good time with the other kids.

The following weekend was Mothers Day Weekend. We spent it, as we always do, planting flowers on Saturday and then on Sunday going to brunch. The weather cooperated again and we got some good sun.

This last weekend we went to Seattle for Aunt Eleni's bridal shower. We got to see Steve's entire side of the family (except Fritha) and my Aunt Ginny and Counsin Kim. We also go to see Jen and Kate, what a treat!!!

Now for the Alyse update: Alyse figured out how to crawl about a week ago. She has been pulling herself along for a couple of weeks but last thursday it just clicked and now she is moving.....very quickly. Man does it change the way we do things at the house. Eleni said that during the day she can't do simple thinks like the dishes without her being everywhere. She also can't go out and lay in the sun like she used to. Alyse just wont stay on the blanket with her toys anymore, too much more fun stuff to explore instead.

She also figure out how to sit herself up and stand. Now she pulls herself up on everything. Including her crib. This has caused many sleepless nights over the last week because as soon as she wakes up and realizes that she is alone, she stands in her crib. This causes the tears to roll down her face. So sad.

She also got a bit of her first cold this last week. Im not real sure if the runny nose is a cold or from her teeth. They say this can be a sympton of teething. Oh, yes, in the last couple of weeks she has got 4 teeth, 2 on top and 2 on the bottom. This has also caused the girl to be a little grumpy. Who could blame her?

As for eating, she eats everything and likes almost everything except peas. She feeds herself fairly well and can make a mess with the best of them (if we let her).

All and all I think Alyse is doing very well for an 8 month, almost 9 month old little girl. If she could tell you, I think she would say that she is pretty darn happy.

Guess that is it for the update. Sorry it took so long but things have been busy. I will post pictures later.

Napa, California

2009-04-25T14:41:00.000-07:00

Golden Gate/Our Trip to the Island

2009-04-25T14:38:00.000-07:00

Pier 39/ Mary-go-around/Trolley

2009-04-25T14:34:00.000-07:00

San Fransisco/Giants Game

2009-04-25T14:29:00.000-07:00

Hanging with Auntie in the Sun

2009-04-12T18:12:00.000-07:00

Last week we had really warm weather. I think it was almost 80. Auntie and Alyse were outside all afternoon in the sun. Alyse likes it outside. We are so anxious for Spring. I think the good weather is just around the corner. :) (April 2009)

Grandma and Grandpa Visit

2009-04-12T18:07:00.000-07:00

Grandma and Grandpa came to visit. They brought Aunt Hannah. We had lots of fun. Grandpa watched me all day so mommy, Grandma, Hannah and Aunt Eleni could go look for a wedding dress. Grandpa says I was an angel! (April 2009)

Thing 1 and Thing 2

2009-04-12T18:03:00.000-07:00

Brenda bought the girls Thing 1 and Thing 2 onesies. They are so cute. We are stil yet to get a good picture of them together. We will keep working at it.

7 Months Old

2009-04-12T17:57:00.000-07:00

Alyse and I went to the Oregon Coast with Brenda, Ella and Eleni. We had a great time.

Best Friends

2009-03-13T13:20:00.001-07:00

How could you not love this kid!

2009-03-13T13:19:00.001-07:00

6 months old

2009-03-12T18:14:00.000-07:00

2009-03-12T18:10:00.000-07:00

Picture of Alyse, her cousin and her aunt Effie. The top picture is of Alyse with a very large bow. The only reason she wore it is because her Grandma loves it. I didn't last long.

second cousin Janey

2009-03-12T18:08:00.000-07:00

Just messing around

2009-03-12T18:07:00.000-07:00

Oregon Coast

2009-03-12T18:03:00.000-07:00

Family Trip to the Oregon Coast. 3 Weeks ago.

Go Beavs

2009-03-03T15:36:00.000-08:00

Oh, almost forgot to mention. Alyse also got to go to OSU on our trip to Portland. We were careful not to wear any WSU gear to draw attention to ourselves. We thought it wise to be Beavers for the day and support Aunt Eleni who will be attending there this summer.

6 months Old

2009-03-03T15:28:00.000-08:00

Ms. Alyse was six months old, a week ago today. She is now sitting up, rolling over and standing (not on her own). She is eating solid foods such as: peas, carrots, pears, peaches, squash, prunes, banannas, rice cereal and oatmeal.

Just last weekend, Eleni and I made a trip to Portland. On Friday night, Alyse got to meet her second cousin Jayne. They were too cute together. They were constantly holding hands and looking at one another. (Pictures to be posted later). They also share a special mark on the side of their heads.....both in the same spot. It is pretty unique.

Then on Friday night, Aunt Effie, Eleanor (Alyse's counsin), Aunt Erin and Grandma Linda arrived. We had lots of fun just hanging out and enjoying Portland. The only bummer was that Grandma Linda was sick and wasn't able to hold Alyse or snuggle her. She loves her Grandma anyway. :) (Pictures to follow).

Alyse goes to the doctor on Thursday for her 6 month check up. Posting to follow with all of the 6 month data.

Coloring with Auntie

2009-02-10T20:59:00.000-08:00

Eleni and Alyse made a birthday card for Aunti Fritha. Alyse colored for the first time. Fritha should frame it because with a face like this, it could be worth money sometime.

Snow, Snow and more Snow

2009-02-10T20:54:00.000-08:00

It snowed today so Eleni dressed Alyse in her Baby Dior outfit and let her try out the snow. Ya know what they say, no Dior outfit is complete without a WSU stocking hat.

Alyse and her friends

2009-02-10T19:48:00.000-08:00

I bought Alyse this new bath tub. She loves it. She was splashing and having a great time. I have never seen her have so much fun in the tub. Oh, and the duck quacks. Don't know that it will quack long, Steve might shoot it.

Such A Big Girl

2009-02-02T20:46:00.000-08:00

5 months old today!!

2009-01-24T15:36:00.000-08:00

Alyse is 5 months old today! For the last couple of weeks she has been rolling over from her back to her front and sitting up on her own. She is getting to be quite the big girl!

Dad's Night

2009-01-24T15:34:00.000-08:00

So this is how Eleni found Alyse on Friday morning when she woke up. Notice the onesie over the pants. Also notice these are pj's, instead she slept in her clothes. Eleni got a kick out of it so she took a picture.

Hanging with Auntie

2009-01-24T15:30:00.000-08:00

Cereal

2009-01-01T18:03:00.000-08:00

Tonight we gave Ms. Alyse her first "meal." To my surprised she was actually pretty interested in the cereal and her attention span was way longer than I thought it would be. It was fun though. Makes me a little sad that she is old enough to eat something other than the usual......but I guess that is what happens when they grow up. :(.

4 Month Check Up

2009-01-01T18:00:00.000-08:00

Alyse had her 4 month check up on Monday. She is 25" inches long and weighs 14 1/2 pounds. She is above average on all of the scales. Doc says she looks healthy and to keep up the good work. She also got her shots :(. The last couple of days have been a bit rough at our house. By rough I mean that she hasn't been sleeping through the night. Probably harder on us than her. We are hopeful that tonight we will be back to old habits.

Reading with Papa

2008-12-27T11:48:00.000-08:00

More Christmas Pictures

2008-12-27T11:45:00.000-08:00

Christmas 2008: 4 Months Old

2008-12-27T11:40:00.000-08:00

Hanging At Home

2008-12-27T11:37:00.000-08:00

Thanksgiving 2008/3 months old

2008-12-27T11:31:00.000-08:00

Thanksgiving at Grandma and Grandpa Sorensons house. This is Auntie Effie and my counsin "L". I also got to meet Uncle Matt, Aunt Erin, Great Grandma Gert, and Great Aunt Shiela.

Apple Cup Victory

2008-11-22T15:51:00.000-08:00

We are very happy to report that Alyse's first Apple Cup experience was a complete success. If you watch the video closely you can see the Cougs kicking the winning field goal. As you can imagine, Steve is overjoyed. As he has said all season, we can lose every game this year (and we did) but as long as we beat the Huskies we have had a successful season. Today, it is a very proud day to be a Coug.

12 Weeks Old

2008-11-16T16:21:00.000-08:00

ok, last post for now........ Alyse is 12 weeks old today.

Marilyn and Gary Chapman

2008-11-16T16:11:00.000-08:00

Marilyn and Gary came to visit last weekend. Marilyn and Gary used to watch me when I was Alyse's age. In fact, to this day I still watch Days of Our Lives...one of Marilyn's favorites.

Time for a Run

2008-11-16T16:07:00.000-08:00

Grandma and Grandpa Sorenson bought this outfit for Alyse. They bought it with the idea that she could wear it this winter. Well....it barely fits now. I bet she won't be able to wear it much more than a couple more months. She is growing so fast.

Purple Bow

2008-11-16T16:02:00.000-08:00

Last week Alyse and I went to visit Brenda and Ella when Steve and Eleni played volleyball. Brenda took one look at Alyse's long hair and insisted that she put a purple bow in it. (look closely at the upper right corner). I have to admit the bow is pretty cute, although I don't forsee myself putting many other bows in her hair. I will reserve that for Brenda.

Evidence of the Roll Over

2008-11-16T15:39:00.000-08:00

Alyse is rolling over all of the time now. She seems to really like it. We have seen signs of her rolling over from back to front but nothing has materialized yet. Just the front to back. She is such a strong little girl.

I went back to work two weeks ago. I am so thankful that I work close enough to come home and see her every day at lunch. Makes me feel like I miss a little less.

Alyse and Eleni are doing great! They have a daily routine which seems to keep them both occupied and out of trouble. Generally Alyse sleeps until 10:00 am. Yes, 10:00 am (midnight to 10:00). She then gets up, eats and plays for about an hour. She then goes back down about 11:00 and sleeps for about 45 minutes. She then plays until 1:00 when I come home to feed her. She then sleeps again at about 2:00, then plays until about 5:00 when she takes another nap until Steve and I get home. This has been her schedule for about 2 weeks now. Impressive if you ask me.

Alyse and Eleni spend their days playing on the mat, running in the BOB, reading books, singing songs, playing patty cake, reading books and laughing. Eleni is doing an amazing job and we feel so blessed to have her here with us. The time she is spending with Alyse is priceless.

Too Cute!

2008-11-10T19:12:00.000-08:00

Roll Over

2008-11-10T19:04:00.000-08:00

So....I got a call from Aunt Eleni today. Ms. Alyse rolled over for the first time today. Who would have thought she would do this at 2 1/2 months? I guess she was doing tummy time and the next thing Eleni knew, Alyse was on her back. We thought it might be coming. She has been showing signs of rolling over lately....for instance, yesterday she took a nap on her side. Steve and I have now decided that it is time to invest in a video camera. Atleast if we have a video camera we won't have to miss all of these special moments.

First Shoes

2008-11-02T12:06:00.000-08:00

Little Pumpkin

2008-11-02T12:05:00.000-08:00

Mommy's Little Pumpkin

Playing with Auntie Eleni

2008-11-02T11:58:00.000-08:00

Crib

2008-11-02T09:55:00.001-08:00

So before we left for Hawaii little Alyse refused to sleep in the crib....she would close her eyes and be out for about 5 minutes and then wake up screaming. So..........Mom slept on the couch with her every night. Then in Hawaii, Alyse slept with Steve and I.....stilll refusing to sleep in the crib (which as Brenda pointed out looked a little like a jail cell). She did however sleep very well in BOB, which she had never really done before. Anyway, we returned from Hawaii and little Alyse has slept in her crib every night since we returned (of course she still wakes up to eat but otherwise sleeps). She even takes all of her naps in the crib. So I guess the moral of the story is if you are having a hard time getting your newborn to sleep alone in the crib, just take them to Hawaii for a week. Very strange.

Happy Halloween!

2008-11-02T09:52:00.000-08:00

2 Months Old

2008-10-26T20:50:00.000-07:00

Alyse turned 2 months old a couple of days ago. Can't believe it.

more :)

2008-10-26T19:55:00.000-07:00

More pictures to enjoy.

Hawaii: Continued.....Extended Family

2008-10-26T19:15:00.000-07:00

Not only did Grandpa and Uncle John accompany us to Hawaii but our extended family did too ( and then some). Yes, of course I am talking about Brenda, Andy and Ella. What would a trip to Maui with an 8 week old be without another 8 week old (actually she is 4 days younger)? Both girls were awesome. It sure made laying by the pool a lot more enjoyable and a lot less stressful when it came time to feed because there were two of us........we just laughed about it. Who would have thought? Strange how after only 8 weeks, I simply can not imagine a vacation without them being there!

Oh, and I have to mention that Ella's Grandma and Grandpa were also along for the trip. I think they had a great time, and enjoyed spending time with both girls....................and enjoyed giving them back when they got fussy. It was sure nice to have a couple extra hands around. Thanks Donna and Ray for the help.

Oh, and a special thanks to Jim, Leann and Megan for making the arrangements for the trip and for having the patience for all of us to join them on their vacation. I would guess that when they invited Ray, Donna, Brenda and Andy they didn't expect to get two babies and the entire Krauss and Sorenson gang.

Aunt Fritha

2008-10-26T19:11:00.001-07:00

Aunt Fritha came to Maui from Kauai. This was Fritha's first time meeting Alyse. We went to the LGPA and went snorkeling when Fritha was with us. It was fun to see her. We only wish that Stephen had been able to come with her. Thanks for visiting Fritha.

Visiting Grandma

2008-10-26T18:49:00.001-07:00

After almost three years, our family finally visited the beach where Grandma Krauss was laid to rest. For those of you who don't know, Mom's ashes were spread over the waters of Maui shortly after her death. Maui was a very special place for my parents and mom requested that her ashes be spread over the waters to symbolize how much she loved the time they spent their together. As my Dad would tell you (and I know my mom would agree), their last trip to Maui was the best 10 days of his life.

So....... together as a family we visited the beach where Mom's ashes were spread and together tossed flowers into the Ocean in her memory.

Our trip to the beach was bitter sweet because although we were saddened by the loss of mom, we rejoiced in the opportunity to introduce Rebecca Alyse to her Grandmother. Meeting Alyse would have been one of my mothers greatest joys. Funny how life had now come full circle. What a wonderful story to someday tell our daughter.

Maui will always hold a special place in all of our hearts and there is no doubt that we will visit it again someday.

HAWAII 2008

2008-10-26T16:57:00.000-07:00

Maui, Hawaii

We just returned from our first family vacation (Grandpa and Uncle John went too). Alyse did amazing. To our surprise, she slept the entire plane ride......didn't make a peep. No blow outs on the plane either.....which was a relief.

During the day we enjoyed the shaded pool (yes, the pool). This is a little different than our normal trips to the pacific ocean (pre-baby).........when we laid on the beach, soaked up rays and had cocktails. This, of course, was only one of the many changes we had to make to our vacationing lifestyle.

Another change we made was that we stayed at the resort and the same beach the entire 10 days. Our usual course of action would have been to visit various beaches and embark on a couple of excursions. This is a bit more difficult with a little one...and in the afternoon when the wind blows, impossible, so.......... we improvised and went to the beach in the morning during her nap. She slept in the BOB and we swam in the ocean.

We did go to Kapalua Golf Course and watched the LGPA...........This was a great idea until we were watching the ladies tee off and they held up the "QUIET PLEASE" sign and Alyse started to fuss. We watched all the other holes from a distance. It was a beautiful course though and fun to see a professional event in action. And yes, we watched Anika whats her name play. Over rated if you ask me.

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It was fun to watch Ella and Alyse put their feet in the sand for the first time. Their Daddy's also put their little feet in the ocean (I have a picture somewhere, if I find it I will post it.) Neither one of them knew what to think.

Alyse in Ella's hat. There was a lot of concern about keeping the little one's out of the sunshine and keeping their skin from burning. The hats normally didn't last long but they were cute for pictures.

Grandpa took this picture. He was the master photographer of the trip. This is a picture of Alyse laying on her dad's legs. She loved to lay down and feel the warm Maui breeze. She also loved to just hang with Dad.

Alyse in her swimsuit.

7 Weeks Old Today

2008-10-12T20:53:00.000-07:00

Alyse got her first set of shots on Friday. She was 6 1/2 weeks old. She weighed 11.08 pounds and was 22 1/2 inches long. Big change from 7 pounds, 6 oz and a huge weight loss in the first week. Doc said "guess we aren't having problems feeding anymore huh?" She is in the 75% percentile for her weight and height. She has been a little fussy the last couple of days but no fever or other adverse reactions. We are so glad.

Rob, Shelly, Cade and Callie came over this weekend to watch the Cougar/Beaver game. Too bad it didn't work out so hot for the Cougs. We had a great time anyway. This was the second visit for the Brandes Family.

Aunt Eleni

2008-10-05T20:52:00.000-07:00

Today Aunt Eleni arrived. Eleni will be living with us for the next 6 months and will spend the weekdays with Alyse when Debbie goes back to work. We feel very blessed to have her in our home. Having her here is priceless. No only will she get to establish a special bond with her niece but she and Steve will also be able to get to know each other better (they are 10 years apart in age.)

Eleni's arrival rounds off a very busy busy 4 days. We are looking forward to a couple of days of R and R to recover.

Great Grandma and Grandpa Sheeler

2008-10-05T20:44:00.001-07:00

Great Grandma Donna And Great Grandpa Jack came to visit from Everett, Washington. We are so glad that were able to stay for a couple of days and enjoy our little girl.

Day 3 of Jen's Visit

2008-10-05T20:30:00.000-07:00

Another adventure.....wine tasting. Steve was a great sport and watched the girls. They slept through every winery except for the last two. Kate was happy so long as she had a cork in her mouth and Alyse was happy so long as she was being held by Steve or the carseat was moving. They were both a hit with the other wine patrons.

Day 2 of Jen's visit

2008-10-05T20:25:00.001-07:00

Jen and I took the girls to Medford to have their pictures professionally taken. When we got there we were joined by Brenda, Ella and Brenda's sister Michelle. All of the girls smiled pretty for their pictures. Boy, was it a lot of work to get Alyse all dressed up, get the pictures taken and then wait for the proofs to come out. Good thing she is so cute, the pictures turned out great. Stay tuned for a posting of the photos later.

Jen and I then went to dinner without the girls and Steve stayed home and babysat. He did wonderful.

Jen & Kate

2008-10-05T20:13:00.001-07:00

Jen and Kate came to visit for 4 days from Bellingham, Washington. It was Kate's first airplane ride and Jen says she did great. It was a big adventure for Jen and Kate as they left the three boys behind for a girls get away (Thank you Thank you Kevin. You are a champ in our eyes.)

Kate is almost 6 months. Jen took the bottom picture to show the size difference between the two of them. Amazing what can happen in 4+ months.

Aunt Hannah

2008-10-05T20:08:00.000-07:00

Alyse has had a very busy 4 days. It all started on Thursday when Steve's sister Hannah came to visit. Hannah was the first aunt to visit Alyse. Alyse loved her (of course!).

Oregon Coast

2008-09-30T18:02:00.000-07:00

The Oregon Coast. We spent last weekend at a beach house in Gold Beach, Oregon. It was Steve, Alyse, Brenda, Andy, Ella and I. We had a great time. This was the first real adventure out for both girls and they did very well. It was also the first time that we were able to get pictures of them together, as there were plenty of times that they were not otherwise occupied. :)

We loved being able to share our favorite place with Alyse. We hope she will learn to love it as much as we do.

1 month old

2008-09-25T16:46:00.000-07:00

One Month Old. Mommy made me (and Daddy) a homemade chocolate cake to celebrate.

Shopping

2008-09-21T15:20:00.000-07:00

Alyse, Ella, Brenda, Debbie, Grandma Linda, Grandma Donna and Aunt Michele went out to lunch and shopping in Jacksonville, Oregon. It was a very nice afternoon.

Bailey

2008-09-20T09:32:00.000-07:00

Bailey tries to make her way into every picture. I think she is a little jealous.

Daddy Time

2008-09-20T09:24:00.000-07:00

Grandma and Grandpa

2008-09-20T09:19:00.000-07:00

Grandma came to visit us for a week from Yakima, Washington. It was wonderful to have her here. We are very thankful that she was able to take time away from her classroom and busy schedule to spend time with us. Grandpa was here on the weekends but we know he missed Alyse every minute he was gone.

2008-09-20T09:13:00.000-07:00

Cutie Pie!! Almost 4 weeks old. Where does the time go?

First Bath

2008-09-20T09:11:00.000-07:00

First Bath. She hated it.

BFF Ella Price

2008-09-20T09:03:00.000-07:00

Alyse and Ella. You can't tell but they are both wearing matching pink WSU outfits for the second Cougar game of the season. It is the memories not the game that counts!

Ella was born 4 days after Alyse. We just love her. Brenda and I went through our entire pregnancies together, so these two are bonded for life. We hope they will be great friends. Steve, Brenda, Andy and I feel very blessed to have two healthy baby girls.

Great Grandma Korfhage

2008-09-20T08:59:00.000-07:00

Debbie's Grandma came to visit for a week from Walla Walla, Washington. It was such a joy to be able to share Alyse with her.

First Cougar

2008-08-30T19:44:00.000-07:00

Today, was game and the baby was ready to rock.

Oklahoma State 38

WAZZU 13

What can I say, she is going to be a Coug!!!!!

First Walk

2008-08-30T19:37:00.000-07:00

Her first walk

More :)

2008-08-30T19:30:00.001-07:00

more :)

2008-08-30T19:23:00.001-07:00

More pictures

2008-08-30T19:15:00.000-07:00

Here are some more............

Pictures, Pictures, Pictures!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

2008-08-30T18:29:00.000-07:00

Okay.................................................................now that we have watched the Cougs get their butts kicked, we finally have time to post all of our pictures. :) Actually our little girl is keeping us very, very busy and we just have gotten a few minutes to get these posted.........................finally. I am going to try a slide show and if that does not work you will just see a ton of pictures.I want to thank everyone for their thoughts and prayers. This is just crazy, but we love it!!!!!!!!!!!! :)Please feel free to call us anytime (before 10:00pm) now that we have made it through the first week. We would also love to have anyone visit us that would like to make a trip to Grants Pass. Just call ahead of time, so that we can get you booked our calnedar. Okay, thanks again to everyone for your support. We love you all and miss everyone. These are tears of joy from both me and Debbie. This is the greatest blessing ever!!!!!!!!!!

Go Cougs!

2008-08-30T08:18:00.000-07:00

Today will be Alyse's first WSU Cougars game! GO COUGS!! All three of us will be cheering you on! (Those cries are really hoots and hollers!)

Welcome to the Family, Alyse!

2008-08-29T09:00:00.000-07:00

Rebecca Alyse Sorenson was born Sunday, August 24th, at 7:50 p.m. She weighed 7 pounds, 6 ounces and was 19 inches long. We got home Tuesday around 3:30, and as most of you know it has been nothing but feeding, crying, and sleeping (if you can even call it that).......................that being said we are just over joyed with this little creature that has blessed our lives.

Debbie's water broke early Saturday morning, and she spent an awful 30-some hours contracting and dilating (and sweating and puking and screaming ...!). Alyse took her first breaths, and we both knew our lives were changed forever. Debbie was amazing and is recovering very well. We're both happy and tired and thrilled to have our healthy, beautiful baby girl!

Alyse has straight brown hair, and she's a blue-eyed beauty!
Mommy, Alyse, and Uncle John

Alyse's First Bath - She loves it!