Super-Happy-Jumping-Top-Ponytail Baby

She's come a long way from her river dancing days:

Visitors from the East

Megan's aunt, Leah, who is actually pretty close to our age, came from Missouri with her kids today to visit. We grilled out and everyone got to catch up.  Stella had a good time with her cousins once removed and her Laugh & Learn Table was popular with everyone:

First Play Date

Megan had been in recent contact with a friend from high school she hasn't seen in years.  It turns out they live nearby and have a daughter about the same age, so it was decided that a "play date" should be arranged.  I wasn't there, but it's my understanding that Stella's first social experience with someone her age went well and hopefully there will be more "dates" in the future (no actual dates with boys though since she'll be joining a convent right out of high school).

Baby Stella

Megan couldn't resist buying Stella a doll with the same name.  Here is Stella playing with Stella while somehow not ripping a hole in the space-time continuum:

Kraus Reunion

This year, Mom and a bunch of her cousins worked together to orchestrate a Kraus family reunion at Sedgwick County Park, complete with T-shirts (even Stella got one).  It was nice to have the whole family together and to meet some distance relatives I have never met before.  Of course, everyone wanted to meet Stella (or see her again).  They had a bunch of entertaining games setup too, including a very messy one where a blindfolded person would feed another person pudding.

The top picture includes four generations (left-to-right: Stella, Mom, Grandpa Kraus, myself).  All of the pictures that Mom's cousin and professional photographer, Daryl Wilson, took of the reunion are on my photo gallery here.

First Pool Time

Caution: the picture below contains unsolicited pectorals, but also a super cute Stella splashing in the water.

Megan bought a huge blow up pool that can easily fit several adults in it.  I originally made fun of her for the purchase, but it actually ended up working out really well (after I found a semi-flat spot in my very sloped backyard and used my air compressor despite the explicit warning not to).  I think Stella would agree as well.  After she got over the initial shock, she absolutely loved it (see s%#@ eating grin below).

Megan also got her a floating canopy thing she can sit in and move around on our own.  She seemed to be most happy though in our laps and just splashing around.  Hopefully we will be able to use our "pool" many times this summer.

First Mother's Day

Today was very special, because it was Megan's first Mother's Day (not to be confused with Mother's Day - Unborn Edition).  Stella was very thoughtful and put together a nice frame that included one of her 6 month pictures and her hand print:

I think I now know why most parents take hand and foot impressions of their babies in the first few months.    All Stella wanted to do was grab the forming material and wad it up.  It took several tries and a lot of distractions for me to finally get her hand impression.

Also, Stella got mommy a Mother's Day cookie bouquet to satisfy her sweet tooth: