Opening the first Christmas present!

Samantha's first Christmas

Here are a few highlights from our first Christmas with Samantha. We were so blessed to witness in a new way the miracle of the gift of Christ, as a precious baby, this Christmas. Having a baby at home really drives home the message of Christ's innocence in a fallen world.

Ready to crawl?

Sami put together rolling over and reaching for objects one night and has been a mover ever since (although she's more interested now in sitting up by herself). Here's a clip from that first night of creeping.

Month 6 highlights

Samantha's first photo shoot!
Look for your copy in our Christmas card.

Rolling over!

Samantha's fun new milestone this month has been rolling over, and over, and over... but only from back to tummy. Now, if she can just roll herself from her stomach to her back again....

Month 5 highlights...

Daddy's little... frog?

Smile and wave to everyone..

Samantha laughing

So Sami will laugh for grandma, but not mom and dad. Guess we can't blame her, grandma is a pretty good grandma to have and worth giggling along with.

Month 4 highlights....

Samantha began exploring all sorts of new things last month, like sitting up (with some help), taking baths in the big bathtub, and playing with a new exersaucer. Below she is sitting by herself on our couch, and reclining in her boppy pillow like it's a baby-sized laz-y-boy.

Sami's baptism

It was such a joy to have everyone here from both sides of our family, and even a few friends, to be part of her spiritual birthday. Thanks for your sacrifices in order to come, your gifts, and all your love!

Month 3 video clip

Playtime!

Aunt Katie's pics (month 3)....

Aunt Katie definitely took better pics than we did this month.

They're pretty cute.

Month 2 video clip...

So cute and precious!

Sleepy time (month 2)...

Samantha's next few weeks were full of sleeping, some playing, sleeping, eating, sleeping, changing diapers, sleeping, and more sleeping. She even slept 6 hours straight through the night for several weeks! She was too cute to resist capturing a snapshot or two during her many naps.

We also thought it was humorous that the zucchini my grandma Dalman brought over was just as tall as she was.

Make yourself at home....

After the first week we started to feel like we were settling in, and we started to get the hang of this parenting thing. Or, at least, we were able to do the 2 a.m. zombie thing without walking into a door. Sami started to show her personality a little bit by the end of the month... a content and joyful cutie.

The first week...

In her first week home Scott changed 42 diapers and cooked every meal. In her first week we had lots of visits from friends, lots of help from family, lots of wonderful presents, and lots of sleep (ok, maybe not the last one... note the bags under the eyes).

Such a little peanut!

Our hospital stay...

We couldn't believe she came one week early, and that the experience was so wonderful! We felt very cared for by the hospital staff and Dr. Lenters, we were the first family to use a newly remodeled room with a flat screen tv, and we were lucky that labor was relatively painless and quick for a first time baby.

Welcome, Samantha DeVries!

Samantha Michelle came into the world on a Thursday evening, May 31, 2007.