COMING SOON!!

I know, I know...I promised an updated blog back in January and yes, I realize that it is now March!!! Believe me the updated blog has been in the works, as I am doing some, I guess you could say face lifts to the blog. I am hoping to have some new posts in a week or so. Thanks for hanging in there...I promise you won't be disappointed!

Max's 6 Month Session

To our fellow blog followers we apologize for being so behind. January and February flew right past us. Unfortunately for most of those two months Max was fighting a terrible cold which turned into pneumonia and then into RSV (respiratory virus). Despite being sick he was a pretty good sport and managed most days to put a smile on his cute little face. He is one tough little cookie!!

Kelly managed to sneak in a session in early February for Max's 6 month session, even though technically he was 7 months. We wanted to share some images from the session. Much to our surprise there were a lot more images of Max smiling...lets just say he was not a happy camper having his pictures taken!

An update on Max, at his 6 month check-up he was weighing a little over 17 pounds and was 26.25 inches long. Still a little peanut when it comes to his percentiles but his pediatrician reassures us that he is happy with his progress. We made a trip down to Milwaukee in the middle of February to visit his doctors at Children's Hospital. Ultra sounds are showing that Max's kidneys are still under sized and that the right kidney is still abnormal. His kidney function is still 50%, which has not changed from our last visit. On a better note his bladder looks good in comparision to our previous visit and the urologist is hopeful that no further operations will need to be performed to the bladder or valves. We will continue with monthly blood work for his kidneys and head back to visit his kidney team in April.

Albuquerque Trip

The Gust family traveled to Albuquerque to visit Grandpa Gust as well as Aunt Tammy and Uncle Jon at the end of January. As many of you know Grandpa Gust has been battleing cancer and has been staying with Travis's sister and husband since the fall. We missed Grandpa at Christmas and we couldn't of thought of a better way to spend a vacation then with a visit to Albuquerque.
This was a trip of many firsts for Max. His first vacation, first time on an airplane, first time meeting uncle Jon and Aunt Tammy and meeting lots of fury friends. Max did very well with traveling and enjoyed all the attention. We enjoyed our time with the family and took in some sight seeing while we were there. Here are some snap shots of our stay...

Max's First Airplane ride

Grandpa Max with Maxwell

Aunt Tammy and Max

Kelly captured some great moments with Grandpa, Travis & Max

The Roberts home

Max meeting Uncle Jon & Aunt Tammy's animals

Kelly caught this shot of Max hanging out in the hay bails

Mom and Max enjoying the outside without snow!! However, while we were there it did snow a bit...crazy mother-nature...snowing in Albq., New Mexico!!

These are some of images Kelly took while we were out sight seeing.

This is the sight we saw as we drove up into one of the mountains. There is a ski hill and lodge located on this mountain as well. I guess you could say that all this snow didn't make us home sick at all because we felt as though we were back in Wisc., minus the mountains!

Thank you Uncle Jon and Aunt Tammy for opening up your home to us. We enjoyed the love, food, great conversation and laughter you gave to us We look forward to many more trips as Max grows older.

We will continue to pray that the good Lord blesses Grandpa with strength and courage to keep on battling. WE LOVE YOU GRANDPA MAX!!!

Lights at the Green Bay Botanical Gardens

I wanted to share some images I took while at the Green Bay Botanical Gardens. If you have never had the chance to visit the gardens its not only beautiful in the summer but also in the winter as well. The lights were amazing! I highly recommend it!

This a image I did of Zander and Carter (my cousin's little guys). They loved all the lights!

Image of my cousin Courtney and my aunt Pat.

Image of my cousin Jodi and her little guys.

Happy New Year

Last year at New Years we were 3 months pregnant. We imagined how different this year would be at New Years and how life as we knew it would see change.
What a great New Year it was...we enjoyed an evening home and enjoyed the company of some friends. Much to our surprise we all made it to mid-night but of course headed to bed shortly after. The nights of staying up past midnight are something of the past. Crazy what a year can bring and how a child can change life. We are so blessed with little Max and all the joy he has brought into our lives.

New Years day we were able to celebrate with some family that we were not able to see over Christmas. Here are a few images from the day...

Zander and Carter helping Max open his present from them. They were so excited for "baby Max" to open his gift!

Kelly and her cousins

The boys hanging out and goofing off for the camera.

I wanted to post some images of a session I did of Max and his big cousin Callen at Christmas but forgot, so here are a few photos from the session. They are so cute!

I promise, Callen is not trying to eat Max, he was just giving him a smooch!

A Very Merry Christmas indeed

Yes we know it is the end of January and we are finally posting from Christmas. Life just seems to get the best of us. For those of you who follow...we are very sorry for the late postings. However, we are firm believers in: "better late than never"!

What a wonderful December we had. Lots of family get-togethers, which we enjoyed two of them at our home. Kelly is thrilled to finally have a home large enough to have family gatherings. This Christmas was a truly blessed one as we were able to share it with Max. The feelings you get when you live Christmas through a child. Max's first Christmas was very memorable and one we will treasure for a life-time!

Here are a few memories we captured along the way...

Picking out our Christmas tree

The tree after it was decorated. We actually had two trees (Kelly went a little crazy with the decorating) one real and one fake. This is the real one, you will see the fake one in later pictures.

Max meets Santa...he was brave and didn't even fuss, despite the look in the image below.

Kelly kept busy with the studio, Christmas always is prime time for the photography business.

While photographing a session for Kelly's cousin's little guys she was able to capture a few images of Max as well as the boys.

The Tessen Family Christmas at our home

Kyle celebrating his birthday

Grandpa and Grandma Tessen with the grand babies, Callen and Max

Max's first attempt at opening Christmas presents, courtesy of the Mengert Family, thanks guys!

Christmas Morning was wonderful, lots of snow on the ground and a visit by Santa Claus. Here are images from that morning. Max loved the wrapping paper and we were quite amazed how well he did for opening presents, of course dad and mom helped out.

Even Jersey enjoyed her present from Santa

Here is Kelly opening the gift from Kyle, notice the great wrapping job he did on her gift! Believe it or not there were candles inside that duck tape mess!

Despite the crazy weather Christmas day we traveled down to Nekoosa to Kelly's mom's house to celebrate Christmas. This was her parents first Christmas in their new home and we enjoyed the weekend with them.