This weekend we headed up to Big Rapids for Karen and Jake's wedding gala event. It was nice to arrive early and have time to catch the bride getting ready amidst all the whirlwind (meanwhile Alexander and Papa played outside in the big play yard.) It was a lovely wedding, and cousin Karen just looked beautiful in her gown, sparkle trimmed veil and our grandmother's pearls. Alexander and Papa watched the service from the baby room where Alex could play and toddle about as he was super wiggly and well rested from the long morning drive. It was a big family affair, of course- with all the Schaper clan there (sans Alison who is gallivanting around Britain- lucky duck). At the reception, Alexander humored us by sitting in the stroller for a good 40 minutes before demanding to be free to run around with the 'big kids' and flirt with all the ladies in the room. He found one especially charming little 5-year-old (named Alison ironically) who he loved to hug and hug. We took turns kid watching and eating, chatting, clinking glasses, and munching on cake, but unfortunately didn't get too many pictures while managing happy wiggly baby all day. Happy that is, until the family portrait, where at 8:30 in the evening he decided that he had given out the last of his smiles for the day. It will be interesting to see a family picture of smiles and one of screaming Alex. Even buddy Alison couldn't fix this one. We departed early for baby's sake and to get home by midnight for David to work the next day, but from the stories we heard- it was a grand evening and celebration for a very fine couple. Congratulations Karen and Jake!
Uncle Jim, Aunt Marlene, Karen & Mike | family dance before departure (with baby in jammies for the ride home) | Karen and Aunt Nancy
Nana came over for Sabbath dinner last weekend and after some sandbox time in the backyard and little snoozies for Papa and Nana, we headed out to Hidden Lake Gardens. We were a bit late for the blossoms and Narcissus, but spent a lovely evening and picnic supper in the green grassy meadows and rolling hills. Now that Alexander is walking.. well more like running everywhere he goes, it was a whole new adventure for us. Alexander loved running down the big hills with Mama and Papa, playing in the grass and finding pine cones and other treasures. His current favorite song is 'This Little Light of Mine,' and we sang many verses as from time to time he held up his finger to shine his 'light'. We watched and fed some fish in the pond, listened to the frogs in the lily pads, saw a raccoon eating supper in the tree and heard baby birdies chirping in the birdhouses. Alex was delighted by a family of deer who bounded across the field and then stopped to look at him while he waved. It's a whole new world to discover when there's a little one who is in such awe and wonder with each of God's creations. What a wide world awaits you, Alexander!
