Fall 2008

Halloween lion! Roar.

Quinn the gymnast. He loves to play at the play ground. He is very strong and coorinated.

Summer fun!!

We have a lot of catching up to do. Summer has been so great, we haven't been inside much to update the blog. Here are several images to give you the flavors of August. Quinn plays in his shanty-town in the front yard.

It has been a summer of discovering all-things boy for Quinn. Cars, trucks, fire engines, tractors, motor cycles and anything large that makes noise is super-fantastic to emulate or even better, to explore. Here are several shots of the Grand Rapids Metro Cruise. "Vroom, vroom!"

"Mom, can I please climb up there?"

Friday night at the Metro Cruise.

Along with his interest in vehicles, Quinn loves shoes! He must have gotten that from Mom! In fact, shoes was one of his first words.

Quinn also likes dress up. Here he is in Mom's shirt. He has a constant smile and a great sense of humor.

Showcasing the seemingly permanent bump on his forehead.

Taking a break from climbing the rocks!

We visited several petting zoos this summe. Animals are a big hit with Quinn. Here we are befriending a championship sheep at the Michigan Fiber Festival.

Summer images

Lake Michigan is an exciting place to hang out!

Enjoying Dad!

Yucking it up at a family party.

Quinn is fully engaged in all things active and has developed a love of running, climbing, and just about anything physical. He has a few bruises to show for it but it doesn't slow him down.

Summer is happenin'!

Did we mention Quinn loves spring rolls? While his eating habits have broadened in some areas they are pickier in others. He eats very well with a spoon and mashed potatoes or potatoes of any kind are a big draw. Watermelon is his absolute favorite. (The stroller comes in handy as a highchair).

Quinn is off and running! He runs forward and backwards and also in circles. Here he is accompanied by his Grandma and Uncle Adam.

We are loving it!

So many exciting things have happened this last month. Spring is giving way to summer and Quinn's hair is short to match the season. He is growing like a weed. Last week we sent our cousin, Nicole, off to take the MCAT. We know she did very well.

Quinn tries a tamale for the first time and requests more. So delicious. Thanks, Lupita!



In Dad's new office. Quinn would like one of these stools for home.

Also in Dad's new office. Lots of glass to run into.

More of Dad's new office. Look how clean it is!

A beautiful day to run free!

Michigan has finally warmed up and has been in the mid 70's for 1 week. To celebrate Quinn visited his favorite Kazakh horse and then decided to cut 8 teeth all at once. It has been an interesting few days of fever, low appetite, crankiness and sleeplessness.

Day at Lake Michigan

A beautiful, sunny day in West Michigan was spent at the beach. Quinn stayed closeby as he was a bit tentative about the sand.

The family catches some rays and fresh air.

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Quinn gets excited for spring!

It's been a long time since the last post. Life has been busy just hanging out. After a relentless winter spring finally seems to be coming! We welcomed the rain today and look forward to exploring spring flowers.

We've spent some time walking around Fredrick Meijer Gardens and the outdoor sculpture park. Quinn can roam free and seems to notice all of the trees, bushes and sculpted works.

We love frogs!!

A typical day at home consists of running the halls and getting our dog Mae to play. Quinn's favorite toys include blocks and Duplos.

Lately, Quinn has not had much of an appetite. He's been teething and is on antibiotics again for the 5th time as we anxiously await tubes this week. His ears have been infected since our arrival home. We hope the surgery will clear his little ears.

Weeks past Quinn's birthdate, we were still celebrating with gifts and lunch outings. People watching is intriguing. This must be mixed with a little flirting of course.

The birthday rundown!

Quinn walks around the house with confidence. He is so happy to be up and mobile. There are more things to see! He breaks into a run and keeps it going all day long. This makes him very hungy and even though he isn't talking yet he has figured out that making chewing motions and sounds with him mouth signals that he wants food. Other times he breaks out into fun giggles.

So much has happened since we last wrote. Quinn ushered in his 1st birthday while bolting from room to room upright. Kerry went back to work part time and Quinn joined a wonderful day care. He already has buddies and seems to enjoy the recreation and social network. The snow has been falling non-stop as we dream of summers at the beach.

Quinn celebrates his 1st birthday at home with Dad's homemade carrot cake. He cautiously studied the cake before eating.

The three muskateers out on the town for a birthday dinner.

Quinn feeds mom some of his cake.

Dad tries to keep Quinn occupied while the cake is ordered.

Quinn is starting to walk

Our little Quinn is quite a funny kid. He has a great sense of humor and giggles constantly. As you can see, it is time for a much needed haircut. Our first attempt several weeks ago was not successful. Stay tuned for the next round of fun.

Quinn scoots along our wall of windows to observe the snow and woods. He is surprisingly cautious about standing and walking on his own. He is filled with a tremendous sense of accomplishment when he finds he's standing without support or take a few steps alone.

New year, new friends!

Quinn's social calendar continues to book up with activities and dates. He loves being around children and getting out and about.

Quinn and Spencer finally meet! They are both from the same Astana Babyhouse. Amazing!

Our first family outing to our favorite restaurant, Gaia. Quinn is next to his new buddy, Max. They enjoyed buckwheat pancakes and carrot juice.

We survived the meal at this family-friendly hot spot.

HAPPY NEW YEAR

As the holiday season winds down we find ourselves getting back to a routine. Quinn has the sniffles but is still as outgoing and chipper as ever.

Merry Christmas!

Quinn's first family party has him in stitches!! Family and friends have been meeting and greeting us all week. Quinn is alert and happy observing all of the new faces and surroundings.

Quinn looks around on Christmas morning. His favorite toy is the Leap Frog Activity Center. He gave us the gift of sleeping through the night for the first time on Christmas.

Quinn experiences a growth spurt!

Quinn is eating everything in sight and our dog, Mae is not far behind for maximum left-overs. His activity level astounds us and keeping up with him is a challenge. He loves music and has begun to move his body to beats. His daily discoveries and accomplishments are so exciting to watch. We are truly happy to be home.

Home at last!

It's been a little more than one week since we arrived home. Quinn has adjusted quite well and we are having a blast with him. He loves his new surroundings and each day we are greeted with bigger and bigger smiles. His food intake is enormous and he has a taste for everything, however new textures are a bit more challenging.

Here we are enjoying the fresh, botanic air and Christmas tree display of Fred Meijer Gardens in Grand Rapids.

Hi everyone.

We are HOME!! Yeah. We completed our business in Almaty earlier than anticipated and were able to depart on Friday. All is well. We are catching up on sleep and enjoying a nice Michigan blizzard. Quinn is doing very well and is a super sweet incredible boy. He greeted everyone with big smiles and is excited by his new home.

We will post photos and more details soon.

Signing off from Kazakhstan

This is our last post until we return to Grand Rapids. Tomorrow we fly to Almaty and will no longer have internet access. See you soon!
Quinn shows off a Kazakh carrot he smuggled out of the Babyhouse.

It took awhile but Quinn finally managed to eat the entire thing! (just kidding).

Yesterday we took a quick stroll across the foot bridge with Sara and Adam Tennen whom we will greatly miss. Good luck guys!