Four Generations

Christmas was the perfect time to get some 4 generation pictures.....

Allison, Great Grandma Peterson, Tyler, and Grandma Hallquist

Great Grandma Hallquist, Allison, Tyler, and Grandpa Hallquist


Grandpa Newman, Great Grandma Newman, Tyler, and Andrew

Tyler's Baptism

While we were home for Christmas, we had Tyler baptised. We were blessed that the entire family could be there and we want to thank them all! Zach, Val, and Kyle were Tyler's sponsors, and we appreciate that as well.

Tyler John Newman

Kyle, Val, & Zach watching as Pastor Eric baptises Tyler as Mom and Dad hold him. He didn't even wake up!






The Newman Family

The Hallquist Family

Us with Pastor Eric

Us with Tyler's cake.

1st Christmas!

Tyler's first Christmas was a very memorable one! We started out traveling home to SW Iowa on Christmas Eve morning. The weather was still just rain in Des Moines, but our hometown was solid ice before we even got on the road. Our drive was slow but good until about 2o miles to go, then it was solid ice! Boy, were all of us (especially Grandpa Knute) glad when we finally pulled into town!

Christmas Eve tradition for us is the Big Newman Christmas. We had supper at Andrew's parents and the opened presents with Tyler's Great Grandma Newman. We spent the night at my parents - the drive there was interesting as Tyler screamed and Daddy tried to drive through all the drifting snow! We made it in time to see Zach and Carrie go sledding in the blizzard! Christmas Eve services were cancelled due to the weather - I think this is the first time I've ever missed it! So, the Hallquist family sung Christmas carols before going to bed!

Allison, Andrew, Kyle, Julie, John, Grandma Newman, & Tyler (Perkins couldn't make it due to the weather - we missed you!!!)

Christmas Day our original plan was to go to Allison's Grandma's, but weather snowed us in. So, we for the first time ever had Christmas day just at the Hallquist house! It was a nice and relaxing day opening stockings and presents, and the guys kicked Denise out of the kitchen and cooked lunch! It was a crazy house with 3 kids under the age of 2!!

Mom & Tyler opening his stocking at Grandma & Grandpa Hallquist's house on Christmas morning.


Andrew, Tyler, Grandpa Knute, and Zach at the Hallquist Christmas.


The blizzard calmed enough for us to head to the Newman house for the Newman family Christmas on the 26th. It was nice to be able to spend the entire afternoon and evening eating appitizers, opening presents, eating a wonderful supper, and just relaxing.


Tyler was pretty tired from the Hallquist festivities and was using this time to gear up for the Newman's!

Aunt Inky, Uncle Matt, Johnathan, Grandpa John & Tyler, Grandma Julie, Isabelle, and Andrew opening presents.

We moved the Peterson Christmas from Christmas Day to the 27th. Everyone was able to make it to Grandma Pete's to again eat too much food and snacks! The great-grandkids and grandkids are all too spoiled by Grandma!

The Newman's - Allison, Tyler, and Andrew

Tyler's first visit with Santa!

Grandma Pete and the great-grandkids! Lexi, Chase, Emma, Grandma Pete, Lauren, Taylor, and Tyler.

The grand-kids! Lori & John, Carrie & Josh, Kate & Matt, Mitch, Allison & Andrew, and Val & Zach

Chase & Tyler

We finally made it back to Urbandale on Monday the 28th. Santa had visited us there, and Tyler got a book and a Lightning McQueen race car!

We hope you all had a wonderful & safe holiday!!!

Random Pictures

I've been told I'm not updating the blog enough, so here are some random pictures.....

This is our one month picture - we had to take a picture in the same outfit we wore coming home from the hospital - we fit it quite a bit better now!

Mommy was having a little fun - this is one of our Christmas pictures.....


Mom & Dad were working on Tyler's room setting up his changing table, so we gave him something to do - this is a toy we got from my boss Kendra (thanks Kendra!) and we thought we'd see if he likes it - he LOVED the music and colors. And yes, we've since taken it out of the box!

Does anyone remember the movie ET? Look familiar? Daddy thought we needed to play with ALL of our stuffed animals!

Thanksgiving

This year, Thanksgiving for us was spent at Uncle Kyle's new house in West Des Moines with Andrew's family. Kyle was excited to to show of his place and turkey cooking ability, the Perkins were excited to FINALLY meet Tyler, and Andrew & Allison were excited that their first holiday w/ Tyler didn't involve packing and driving!

We decided to stay near home for the entire weekend. Friday Andrew worked a half day and we hung out at the house, Saturday we decided to head to Ames to finally celebrate our birthdays. We went out to a nice restaurant and to an ISU volleyball game. Sunday was our annual trip to get a Christmas tree. This year Andrew picked it out and cut it alone because it was pretty cold and windy out, and we met him at the barn to check it out and get one quick picture. We'll post pictures soon of the decorated tree!

Mom, Tyler, and Dad wanted to get a family picture, but we had to get at least one with the Turkey hat the Perkin's got for us!

Cousin Belle, Aunt Inky & Tyler, and Cousin Mason. I don't think these three put Tyler down for more than a few minutes. I don't think Uncle Matt or Grandpa John even got to hold him!


Mom & Tyler at the ISU volleyball game.



Mom, Tyler, and Dad at the tree farm. Yes, Tyler is in there somewhere!

A Look Back...

I thought I'd take a minute to go back and post a few pictures from our stay in the NICU. Just keep in mind that the pictures make it look worse that it actually was! We were in the NICU about mid-day November 3rd until we went home November 9th....

This is our first bed when we got to the NICU. The headband is just to keep him calm because he was getting himself worked up and pulling his oxygen out. They only had him on oxygen a day or so. Unfortunately, mom and dad weren't able to do more than touch him like I'm doing here. :(

This is a look of how good he is at holding in his own pacificer! He's mostly just hooked up to monitors hrere, but does have an IV in his right arm and a feeding tube. He was just TOO tired to eat early on.

Because he had jaundice, he had to be put on a lighted bed. This is him with his first set of shades. He actually didn't seem to mind being all unclothed and in the lights - but he didn't like the IV that you see in his head. :(

This is his second set of shades - it's almost like he's posing! Maybe he's just happy that the IV is gone!

This is his last bed before we went home. All he has at this point is monitors. The nurses made him a name tag, and at this point you can almost see under the blankets that he got to wear real clothes!

First Week Home

Since I've been bad a putting out pictures, I'm going to try to post a few each day - even some from the hospital stay b/c they were just too cute! But first - our first week home was spent getting organized with the help of some wonderful Grandparents!

Grandma Denise came Wednesday and stayed until Saturday evening. She helped me get everything in the house organized and answered all those first-time questions. We don't know how we would have done it with out you Grandma! Thank you!!!

Grandma Julie & Grandpa John came up Thursday day to visit because they just couldn't wait to hold him! Mom & Dad tend to forget that no one was able to hold him but them in the NICU!

Grandpa John has the touch!

So does Grandma Julie!

Tyler and Mom had to head out to the doctor on their first day home for a visit and blood test. We ended up going back both Wednesday & Thursday to check on some things (all is ok!) and we couldn't resist - this is this position we found him in while being checked out by the dr. - the right is him, and the left is his reflection in the mirror!