First Steps Captured

Unsure.

"Whoa, that was quite a first step."

"I've got this."

Getting closer.

Eying my lap- her landing "pad".

6 steps later she MADE IT!!!

These weren't her first steps unassisted, but rather the most in a sequence and the FIRST I have been able to capture! Can you believe she's starting to walk? I, for one can't. She is still very hesitant to venture out on her own, so maybe we won't have a "walker" for a while.

Here's hoping!

POP!...goes the question! :)

Eric & Shandel are ENGAGED!!

Showing off her B L I N G :)

While opening some engagement gifts Shandel compared her ring to the one on the card.
No comparison...Eric did a GREAT job! :)

Insert possibly photo taken right after they got engaged...or another favorite picture.

Congratulations, Eric & Shandel!! The Oderman family grows yet again! So looking forward to their wedding next summer.

Makenna's First Birthday Party!!!

"Happy Birthday to you...Happy Birthday to you...Happy Birthday sweet Makenna...
Happy Birthday first to YOU!!!

Makenna's own personal "smash" cake.
Both tasty creations were inspired by her very own tree on her wall.

The venue: Tumwater Historical Park.

Hiding for a game of peek-a-boo!

Oh, there you are Makenna!

Her first tastes of cake. Very ladylike to start.

Then she begins to shovel it in. In true Oderman fashion.

Sugar daze with cake on her nose.

What a tasty mess.

Miss Makenna with all her grandparents.

The damage.

The start to opening her presents.

She received so many great books to add to her growing library.

A future Coug in the making!!

Makenna Tackels Some Yard Work

It is wonderful to have a husband who takes such pride in his home & yard. Thank goodness because for those who know me well know that the green thumb skipped right over me- hopefully that means Makenna will be blessed. If the yard were left to me I'm afraid the plants would be ghostly stems and the grass would be brown. So the other day while Evan was mowing the grass and getting some yard work done, Makenna & I decided to join him as his "cheerleaders" of sorts. Makenna found her own perch to observe her hard working Dada.

Her Dada wasn't the only person she was observing. With every car that passed by the house our little love exuberantly waved and exclaimed "bye-bye"!


The bag of soil that she sat upon had one small hole on the side she rested upon. Those active little fingers discovered it in moments.

This is a new thing for Miss M. as she goes from grass to concrete.
This facial expression is priceless.

Evan's First Father's Day :)

Happy Father's Day, Evan!

For Evan's first Father's Day, Makenna thought it would be a great idea to bring a little Hawaii to Dada! That way he can feel like he's on vacation, once he gets home. :)

Happy Father's Day, Steve!!

Although, he's been a father for 29 years it was Steve's first Father's Day as a Grandpa!!

A true Washingtonian. Meet his new love. His french press- which apparently makes the BEST coffee he's ever experienced.

Coffee will always bring a smile to his face.

Happy Father's Day to two great fathers. I am lucky to have you both in my life! As you can see Makenna is quite smitten.

Our Mini-Vaca!!

We celebrated Evan's final- yes final- furlough by taking a little road trip up north for a visit. Instead of a three day weekend, it so happened that his flex day fell on the Thursday so we enjoyed a FOUR day weekend! This is really how weekends are meant to be enjoyed. So in the early afternoon of Thursday we started our northward trek. Anacortes bound.

Friday we took off bright and early to catch the 9:30 ferry to San Juan Island- marking Makenna's first ferry ride!

She of course loved every second of it.

Exploring the rocky terrain after a picnic lunch at the Cattle Point Lighthouse day-use area.

Love her expression in this one! She is still very unsure of Bull Kelp. :)

Momma & babe at Cattle Point Lighthouse

Our new favorite ~love~

Saturday was spent in the company of sweet friends.
Spending the late morning at the beach with our dear friends and kind hosts.
The best mode of transportation to the beach...piggy-back ride!!

Holden practicing "teamwork" with her very patient daddy!

Amazing friend & mother...Julz balancing her daughter, Holden, and life so easily.

Our three girls now.
Makenna (11 1/2 months) Holden (3 1/2 years) Iona (7 1/2 months)

Our girls then.
Makenna (6 months) Holden (nearly 3 years) Iona (2 months)

The VanQuickenborne Family
Mike-Holden-Julz-Iona

Thank you so much for opening your home to our family for a few days. Allowing us much needed adult time, island time and time spent enjoying three precious girls in one space creating beautiful memories. My only wish is that by the end of the day once the wee ones were asleep that we would have had more energy! It was a time we will not soon forget.