A year of Hope

Dear family and friends,

Today, February 27th, 20210, is Hope Alberta Langemann's first birthday.

In honour of her birthday I thought I would post a month-by-month look at her first year. As much as possible, the pictures that follow were taken on or within a couple days of her actual "month-birthdays." Hence, some of them are more snapshot-ish in nature. :o) Hope you enjoy them as much as we enjoy her.

Thank You, Father, for this babe,

A precious gift You laid in our arms;

Thank You that by night and day,

Your guardian angels keep her from harm.

Thank You for her joy and peace ,

For the beauty she adds to our home;

Thank You, Father, for her life,

For giving to us one of Your own.

Help us point her, Lord, to You,

And care for her gently, in Your name;

Guard our actions and our words,

May our home glow with Your Spirit's flame.

Let us train her faithfully,

With patience and and goodness from above;

Thank You Lord, for faith and hope,

But thank You most of all, for love.

- EBL 02/27/10

"By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for our brethren." 1 John 3:16

Hope Alberta Langemann. 90 minutes young, 4 lb 9 oz, attentive and adorable.
1 month old. First genuine smile to be captured on camera. Photo courtesy of Luke Collin Photography. (http://lukecollin.blogspot.com/2009_02_01_archive.html)
2 months old and full of grins and animated faces. A friend in Denver crocheted this tiny sweater for her, and Hope wore it lots and lots that spring because it was one of the few things small enough to fit her.
3 months old, and definitely more content now that her birth weight had doubled. This was when she started wearing "real clothes" during the day, not just sleepers. :o) 2 1/2 - 4 months was also when she lost most of her birth hair.
4 months old - church outside and Momma forgot to bring a hat for Hope, so we used a hat we did have along. :o)
5 months old. This heirloom outfit was handmade by my Great-Grandmother Cote, and worn by my Mum and her sisters when they were little.
6 months old, sitting up with just a little support and trying out those two bottom teeth on everything! Notice her hair is starting to grow back again. :o)
7 months old. This was taken the afternoon of her baby dedication in Lethbridge. This lovely pink jumper came from my Uncle Matt in England. The sweater was hand-knit by Auntie Lydia, and the frilly socks came from Auntie Melody.

8 months old and on the loose in our new house in Spruce Grove, AB.
9 months old. This beautiful outfit came from Mom Langemann's sister, Carol. The outfit is a Switzerland original!
10 months old and trying to get around on her own.
11 months old, full of music and energy. You can see seven teeth, but she actually had 8 by then!
1 year old, freshly bathed and playing while Momma makes brunch. And yes - for all her Auntie's, I did curl her bangs, but not the rest of her hair. :o)

A few more concert pictures

Here's a few additional shots from after the concert. Enjoy!

A visit from my family

This past weekend, my Dad, Mum, Lydia, and Grandma came for a visit. Lydia needed to be in Edmonton to perform on Saturday evening, and so the others came along for a visit too, which was most delightful.After brunch on Saturday, Hope shows Papa that she's figured out what to do with that John Deere tractor he gave her for Christmas.
"Say, this is fun, I can pull these off your fingers, Papa!" (see the red triangle in mid-air!)
"YAY!!! Someone to walk with me." I don't know how many times Dad and Hope went around the circle in our kitchen/living/dining area. I think he mentioned the story of Joshua and the battle of Jericho in the hopes that she'd stop after 7 times!
Lots of playmates for Hope. My poor Mum, Hope still doesn't like her. We trust that patience will have it's perfect work... one day.
The expert takes time to do the shape ball with great-granddaughter Hope. (Hope already knows how to put the shapes back in, you just have to help her find the correct hole.)
Hope, hanging out with the guys as they put together new end tables for our living room. Thanks to my Grandma (Collin-Ondrik) and Josh's grandparents (Neufeld) for the money for the end tables. :o)
Dear ol' Dad, always willing to putter around on the house for us. This time he changed all the basement light switches and plates to match the ones upstairs. Thanks Dad! It's so much easier to flip on these kind when you have a babe in one arm and laundry in the other! He also fixed up the basement tub surround and installed a few cupboard locks to keep Hope away from Momma's cleaning supplies.
Lydia the gifted. She lowered herself enough to practice on my upright piano before the concert. (ha ha!)
Receiving the silver medal for Harmony 7A (Alberta) from Conservatory Canada - the highest award you can receive. Go, sis, go!
Live performance of Chopin's Fantasie Impromptu, Op. 66, followed by Rachmaninoff's Etude Tableaux, Op. 33, No. 2 in C Major. They were masterfully performed.
Giving it her all. (Pardon the dusky shot, it was the best the point and shoot could do, and I had Hope on my hip, as she wouldn't sit still for her Daddy.)
Gorgeous and adorable, my amazing sister and sweet daughter.
On Sunday we did an early birthday party for Hope, since all these special people were at our house. Popcorn is one of her favorite treats. Here she very gladly receives some from Auntie Lydia's hand.
Munchin' away with those eight front teeth!
"See, I know how to do this, Dad." The bow held her fascination for quite some time! :o)
"Awwhhh." Twin water babies from Great-Grandma and Great-Granny!
She catches on quick.
No birthday party is complete without sweets and candles, right? We did sing to her and she had a pink and white candle in her brownie. (sorry, no pics of that) She was amused by the candle, but she did not want to have anything to do with eating the brownie. (smart girl, refuses sugar)
However, she found it most delightfully fun to feed the brownie to Josh and I!
A Noah's ark flip-the-flap book from Granny and Papa. Hope loves those kinds of books, and is quite good at finding the flaps and opening them herself. They also gave her an adorable jacket that will fit great next winter!
A new ball from Momma and Daddy.
Monday, Papa and Hope playin' some more.
Papa and Hope walkin' some more.
Tuesday morning they had to leave, but not before Auntie Lydia had time to sit down and look at a book with Hope.

We were so blessed to have them here.

Thanks for travelling the miles and staying with us Dad and Mum. You are very special to us and we are glad for every opportunity to be with you.

Thank you

Thank you to my dear friends, the Mueller family, for pointing me in a profitable direction to find a charming selection of blog skins! Love you guys! ~Erin~

Happy Valentines Day

Valentines Day was quiet our little family. After getting home from church, Hope finished her car seat nap, then we did things together, like opening presents!Hope gets to help. It was rather cute, she was quite gentle with the paper, somewhat dazed from her nap still, and perhaps daunted by the box which was as big as her!
"What is that?" as she points to the writing inside. It was a Bose ipod dock which was a very nice and needed gift, as both of our CD players are on the blink.
"Watch my pirouette, Momma." (she does this using only her feet)
Round she goes...
...and where she'll stop....
...Mommy knows! Thanks to my Mum (Granny) for the cute red velvet jumper!
She was standing up against my legs here, showin' off her 8 teeth!
"I will praise You for I am fearfully and wonderfully made."
"Marvelous are Your works, and that my soul knows very well." Ps 139:14
"Your hands have made me and fashioned me;"
"Give me understanding, that I may learn Your commandments." Ps 119:73