In Loving Memory

Matthew William Steinmetz

Born June 12, 2007

I'm so glad that he was able to meet his parents and that Rikki and Chris were able to be with and meet him as well. What a precious and adorable baby they got to spend this time with.

Love,
Melanie, Cameron, and Reagan

My Future's So Bright

I Gotta Wear ....

Uh, Mom, here's the ropes, lets get back to the swinging already.

Sand & Water Table from Grandma Connie

She's already excited and there's no sand or water!

The very next night after work, Cam rushed over to Ace Hardware for a bag of sand and got it all set up on the patio.

Immediately copying Daddy and scooping sand into containers with a very serious and concentrated look ... like a chemist in her lab :-) Thanks Grandma Connie!

June 17: Happy Father's Day ... last day in Phoenix

We went to a great little place with the Kirchhoff side of the family called Greasewood Flats out in the desert. Cowboys, Country Western Music, Burgers, Beer, Wine Coolers, Dirt, and Donkeys. Another late night for Reagan, but we all had fun.

Forgetting to change her diaper often enough happens to us at least once every vacation ... when a lot is happening and we're not on our normal schedule, we don't realize how many hours she's been in the same diaper. Of course, it happened the one day I forgot to pack a backup outfit! So, here she is in her diaper and a white sweater hangin' out with the cowboys in the dirt :-)

No babies are fallin' off this table! (with Carol, Leslie and Andrea)

Just follow me, Grandma Connie. I know the way. (normal outfit before pee-out)

The next morning, bright and early, we headed home. Reagan's briefing herself on the safety card in the pocket on the seat back in front of her. "It says you have to put your mask on first, Mama!"

Uncle Brandon & Aunt Danielle Got Married!

It was a fun, long weekend and a great wedding! We really enjoyed seeing all the extended family and Reagan did a great job despite lots of lost and/or uncomfortable sleep. Here she is at the rehearsal dinner in her make shift stroller bed. It was a gorgeous place up on a mountain overlooking the whole city of Phoenix.

Earlier in the night, Reagan loved the fire and water fountain, which basically has a drop off on the other side as far as we could tell. It was pretty spectacular.

The guests of honor, Brandon and Danielle Back at our hotel, Reagan decides what shoes to wear :-)

and swims in the pool on the roof with Mama!

The Big Day!

We were there early for Cam to be in all the pictures, so Reagan enjoyed running around, breaking my necklace :-( (that's what I get for buying Target jewelry), and finding a surprise teddy bear from Uncle Brandon and Aunt Danielle on her seat at the church ...

Peek-a-boo! No necklace :-(

Look what I got Da Da!
I have another Auntie now! Let's go party!

At the reception, Reagan was the life of the party :-) When the DJ announced "this is for Reagan", everyone got up to dance the Hokey Pokey and the Chicken Dance with her. She was just mesmerized in the middle of the crowd, but managed a couple spins herself.

Heading in from the car ...

Some Head Table time ...

" ya do the Hokey Pokey and ya turn yourself around ... "

Reagan Finally Swims Again ...

I hadn't taken Reagan swimming since last July when she was 3 1/2 months old and I finally took her to the baby pool at our swim club today at almost 14 months old (sorry, no pics, didn't think of it and it was just me and her, so it would've been hard. She was adorable in her Old Navy mock-denim 2-piece though). She went from being scared to touch her foot to the water all the way to standing right next to me, waist deep, splashing her hands and even pushing a ball back and forth with a 2 yr old girl. What really helped was when all the bigger kids came over and played in the baby pool during the 15 min adult swim/break time. She just stared and stared at them like "you can do all that in the water?".

Hmm, a lap, let me sit down in it ...

Harrison is our 20-month old neighbor and not much bigger than Reagan, if at all. She apparently thought he could handle it though.