Taken

I haven't blogged since July 14th. I haven't known quite how. I haven't known the words to say. I didn't know what would be right and really nothing would be right. I can't go on writing this blog and not acknowledge it.

On July 14th, our family suffered a tragic loss. My father-in-law, Dusty's Dad, Emma and Jack's Papa, was tragically taken from us. It is sickening to think of the senseless way he was taken from us. Words cannot explain what our family is going through - the sadness, pain, and anger we all have. Our family will never be the same. Our Papa is gone.

We are heartbroken over this loss. Our family is forever changed. We will miss Papa more than words can ever describe. He was a wonderful Papa. I never imagined he could be so wonderful as a grandparent, but he was. He was absolutely smitten with his granddaughters; so in love with them. He would have done anything in the world for them. He was so excited to have a grandson, too. He was always finding little hats and shirts that said things like Grandpa's Sidekick. I think he was really looking forward to t-ball in the driveway one day.

The pictures below are from our last weekend with him, less than a week before he was murdered. Our last weekend with him, we enjoyed Emma's birthday party as well as a trip to Lake Winnie. Papa was adamant he wanted to take the girls on their first trip to Lake Winnie and we had such a wonderful time. We are thankful for the time we had.

Papa - we miss you so very much. You have been taken from us, but you will live on in our hearts as well as through the legacies you left behind.

Ernie R. Crane, Jr.

April 22, 1955 - July 14, 2011

Lake Winnie Pictures

Click here to view this photo book larger

Five Months

Are we really already closing in on a half-year old? I cannot believe this! Time is going by so quickly. Life is so busy, making it fly by even faster.

Jack, you have developed such a little personality. You "talk" all the time. You are such a happy baby. I think you're one of the happiest, smiliest babies I've ever known! Most of the time you are all smiles and giggles. You have the sweetest, most darling toothless smile. I can just look at you and you light up. I love coming home to your snuggles. You get quite mad if I don't give you full attention the minute I come in the door.

You've gotten to be such a chunky monkey. You fit comfortably in 9 months clothes. Your rolls are so cute! You started losing your hair this month. It had a good run. What gorgeous, dark hair you had. Now it's thinning on the top and sides. I wonder how it will grow back? Will you have blonde curls like sissy?

You had your first taste of solid foods this month. During the very first feeding, you could not get enough. You kept grabbing my hand, trying to get the spoon to your mouth quicker!

You started completely rolling over this month, front to back and back to front. You use it as your mode of transportation, especially in your crib. It's like you're doing laps in there!

You also started playing in your exersaucer! You love it and have already figured out how to spin yourself around to play with each of the little toys on the exersaucer.

You adore your sister. Whenever she hugs and kisses you, you close your eyes and snuggle in. I am still amazed at the relationship you two have. In five short months, you have already developed such a bond. Your dad and I hope and pray that you will continue this strong bond throughout your lives.

Jack, we are so blessed by you. We are so thankful that God has graced us with a sweet little boy. You complete our little family. We love you.

4 Months!

Well, I'm a little late on this post as in ten short days you'll be 5 months, but here goes.





Jack Crane! You've got to be the smiliest little guy I've ever met! I think you're making up for the first two months! You enjoy life. Eyes wide open - looking at everything, especially Sissy. It doesn't take much to get you giggling and smiling. We just love it (and you)!


Month 4 was a good month for us - you finally started sleeping through the night. This was a long awaited achievement for you, especially with me being back to work. You started napping a little more consistently too, which helps daddy out a lot during the week. You laughed, really laughed, for the first time this month. We didn't get it on video because it was at the doctor's office. We haven't been able to recreate the laugh exactly since, but we'll keep trying!


We celebrated your first Easter this month. I will have to say, you looked absolutely dashing in your outfit, even if your hat was a little small.



You still absolutely adore your big sister. You think she has just hung the moon. We have a good number of videos of you just watching her run back and forth in the living room as if you're watching a tennis match. Any time you can be near her or watching her, you are a happy little guy.

You have found your reflection in the mirror - well you don't know it's you - but you really enjoy looking at your reflection. You have smile wars with yourself. It's adorable.

Jack, you are such a joy to be around. So snuggly. So sweet. We are so thankful to be so blessed to have you in our lives.

My Little Twinkler

Emma finished her first year of preschool last week. I couldn't help but get teary eyed as I went through her portfolio of artwork. Within the portfolio, there were pictures of Emma on her first day of preschool that they used for handwashing, hanging totebag, etc. She looked so small! Now, she's so much more of a "big girl".

First Day of Preschool

Last Day of Preschool

At the beginning of the year, we wrote our hopes and dreams for our little Twinklers for the year on a ribbon and wove it for all to see. At the year end program, we pulled our ribbons and waved them in the air as our little twinklers waved one at us. (talk about tears)

"To learn all that you can. To make new little friends. To have fun and find the joy in learning."

I think that Emma fulfilled those hopes and dreams. She has changed so much in a year. Her thirst for learning and knowledge is continuous. She is such a sponge. Her vocabulary is amazing. She loves letters and writing her name. She has made her own little friends. She has gone from a hesitant new little Twinkler, scared to step into the school, to a confident soon-to-be MoonBeam.

(Emma will officially be a MoonBeam next year as she became potty trained this weekend!)

I know the years will only go faster and faster as she grows and gets more involved in school. I'm trying to hang on and treasure every sweet moment I have.

3 Months and there is hope...

Jack Attack! Already a quarter of a year old! My goodness little guy, where is the time going? Three months have come and gone, and you have grown and changed so much during that time. You have gone from a VERY fussy Pepper Jack to a sweet, chubby, smiley guy: our little Happy Jack. It's so much fun to just snuggle and smile with you. You are still very wide-eyed, almost to the point you look terrified at times. You especially have this look when sissy talks a bit too loud and too close to you. You'll get her back one day, I'm sure. You are usually quiet, taking the world in, but at times you work up enough energy to start cooing a bit. You've almost laughed a few times. I can't wait to hear that sweet sound.

You are our snuggle bug. Maybe it's because you were born in the winter, during a big snow no less, I'm not sure, but you absolutely LOVE to be snuggled in a blanket. If you are crying and upset, all we need to do is get one of your fuzzy blankets and snuggle you up to your chin and you are quite content. At night, since we don't want you sleeping with a blanket, you have some sleepsacks which you seem to love as well. Anything to keep you warm and you're happy.

You are absolutely enthrawled with your sister. You love to watch her anytime she is near you. You can be crying and when she comes up to you, you calm right down. She can make you smile very quickly. You love to reach out and touch her or try to lean your head on her. If you're on your back, you turn your little neck as far as you can go just to watch her go by.

We're still struggling to get you on a schedule. We've definitely failed Babywise with you, but oh well. Our little family is doing the best we can. Just this week, you have taken quite a few naps in your crib in your room. For the past few months if we even walked in your room you started crying. In the last week you have also started sleeping in your room. After a very long and rough night of crying, Daddy and I decided you were evicted. We love you very much, but needed to get you in your room in hopes that you would sleep better. It worked. The first night in your room you slept 7 hours. You've been up and down in your length of sleep, but I finally feel like we're heading in a positive direction.

You are such a wonderful addition to our little family. We love all of your little rolls and your happy smiles. We're so thankful that God has blessed us with you.

Two Months

Jack! I can hardly believe that you are already two months old, little guy! The days and weeks have been moving faster and faster. We're finally settling into a routine, as chaotic as it may seem. Still don't have you on a nap schedule. I'm not sure if I will be successful in that before I go back to work next month. You're not sleeping through the night yet, but hopefully that will happen before I go back to work, too.

There are many sides to our little Jack. We've named some of them.

There's Slumber Jack. We love this one :) especially when it's nighttime and mommy and daddy want some rest.

There's Pepper Jack. This one is probably the most common right now. You're a feisty little kiddo. Not the most content baby, but we still love you. We did find out that you more than likely have the milk protein allergy your sister ("sissy") had, so that may have been contributing to some of your grumpiness. I have cut dairy out of my diet. Hopefully at your two month check up on on Monday we will find that we were successful. You still are quite peppery. You don't know what you want, just that what you currently have is not good enough, be it in mommy arms, on the floor, in a bouncy chair.

And there's Happy Jack (also lovingly known as Jack Attack). We LOVE Happy Jack. We're finally getting to see more of this, but you can flip in a second to Pepper Jack. You really like to lie on the changing table. I think you like the big window nearby. For all the screaming you do, you are a pretty quiet baby when you're happy. You open your mouth real big and love to smile, but you really don't talk or coo. Maybe you can't get a word in edge wise among me, daddy, and sissy! Soon enough, I'm sure. You enjoy to have smile-offs with daddy and playing here comes the mouse with me. You really like tummy time. You've fallen asleep a few times on your tummy, so you're quite comfortable there. You are very strong. You have been since you were born. Great neck muscles. You can already roll-over from tummy to back, but you only do this when you're really angry about being on your tummy. You absolutely adore your sissy. You can be fussy and when you hear her, you stop and look for her. If she walks away, you get upset. You love kisses and hugs from her and have even leaned in to rest on her shoulder. I find it amazing that there is already a bond between the two of you. I hope that you will always have that special bond and treasure each other.

Jack, you're an amazing little guy, cranky or not. I love you so very very much. I love your spikey dark hair. I love your little ears. I love your big eyes, button nose, and cute little mouth. I love how you snuggle into me as you do with no-one else. I love that you know I'm your mommy and you find comfort in me. I find comfort in you - you are wonderful. I love you, always.

2 Month Stats - 12lbs 6 oz (75th percentile) ~ 23 Inches (50th percentile)

Mrs. Rose: Thank you for my new hat!

Love Always, Emma

One Month Old

Mr. Jack, you are one month old today! At times, this month has flown by so very quickly, at other times, it felt like it came to a screeching halt.

Bringing you home has been a significant adjustment to our family. Your "sissy" Emma has been having trouble adjusting, but we will adjust soon enough.

You, my little man, are a fussy baby. You are generally more times fussy than happy, but we still love you. You love to be held, which is hard when we're trying to get you on a schedule. It is so much fun to hold and snuggle you, though. I just love watching your little face as you sleep. You make these sweet sweet smiles and sometimes you have a little laugh. It's quite funny. You also love your pacifier and you are quite content sucking on it at all times.

I know as our family adjusts to being a four-some we will have so much fun. I cannot wait for the weather to warm up so we can get outdoors and play!

Budsy, I love you so very much. I'm so thankful God has blessed us with you.