Merry Christmas!

Tooth!

Axel has his first tooth coming through! The drool has been Exorbitant for a month, and though the pediatrician said that could happen for months with no teeth, we won the tooth lottery. One is through and "growing" and I think a second may be on its way. I'll try to get a photo, but it's really something you should feel, so just run a razor across your fingertip. [SMILE] Oh, and he can now sit up on his own for a minute or so at a time. Uff dah! Where is my baby going?!...

Four Month Well-Baby Exam

Official Stats: 17 lbs 15 oz, 27 inches long. 95th percentile in weight and length. 75th in head circumfrance (same as it has been). We are convinced the 95/95/75 is part of what makes him a pretty baby... he looks more like a miniature adult than a baby proportion-wise. (!) Also, he surprised the pediatrician (not our normal doc) by standing when she was expecting sitting (holding onto her fingers, of course). He loves to be vertical, hates to be horizontal. And he's been strong since he popped out, so maybe that will lead to a good athlete. That sure wouldn't be from Mama! I'm sure the extra week he baked helps too. And we now have some rolls... Kissable cheeks and chunky thighs. I've been waiting for this! Axel's ribcage has always been big so we still see more "solid" than "soft" on this kid. And he's beautiful, if we do say so ourselves.
Looks like that guy is hiding behind our kid... ha! But I had to post this as it is a great picture of how proportionate Axel is (with added padding for diaper) and check out his colorful booties! (Thanks, Judy V!)

Leave Comments!

We'd love to know you've been to see us, please leave your comments on our blog! We have no idea who has visited unless you tell us. =) Love, Mama, Daddy and Axel
How can you resist that face?!

PS I am actually selling this sling, if you know someone who wants one. I love it, I just have two! This is a "Moby" style but less stretchy. Great for a spring baby who will want a cooler wrap this coming summer!

6 weeks old video

Since I finally figured out how to get the video off my camera and onto the computer, here is a clip from when Axel was 6 weeks old. Next I need to figure out how to edit and I may get more video up... depends upon how much work it is, I suppose!... probably not, this is taking forever and I wish I was sleeping.
This video is of Axel's "happy place", his changing table! From about 4 weeks to 4 months (when he started to really move), this was Axel's favorite place. If he was protesting something, we could set him on his table and he was a happy boy! Axel looked out the window and up into the sky and talked to angels some days. Now if only he could tell us what they said...

Rolling Over

Ok, so my camerawoman skills aren't so hot, but check it out--our kid can roll over!

Toes

My toes are fascinating. I just discovered them.

Happy Turkey Day!

Grandma the Great and I hung out on Thanksgiving. Look how huge I am getting! Or maybe Grandma's shrinking... My sweater was made by my Great Aunt, it's beautiful!

First Snow!

My first snow!

This hat and booties were made for me by a special relative in Colorado- Thanks, Kristine! I love it when I am warm enough in the cold MN winter that has begun!

Sweet Honey in the Rock

Everyone who knows Axel, or sees him regularly comments on how "good" a baby he is. And we agree, he is a wonderful baby! But what we think they really mean is that he is quiet and sleeps a lot, especially in church. And it is true that he does very well in public- smiles at people and rarely cries. However, if you get the opportunity to ride in the car with Axel, you may see his unhappy side. He seems to Hate the carseat. It is the only time he screams, if we let him get to that point, which we do our best to avoid. So you can imagine the frustration of the adults who just want Axel to be happy and safe in the car. But! This week we had a wonderful discovery: Axel quieted himself to the music of Sweet Honey in the Rock. And for Mama, it was just like sweet honey from a rock! The peace of a sleeping child, the sweetness of a pleasant surprise.

Onions

It's a little hard to see, but this was Axel's first experience of chopping onions. Mama's eyes were starting to water and I wondered how Axel was handling it... he hadn't made a peep! We checked ourselves out in the mirror and little tears were streaming down his sweet face. I felt awful! But Axel didn't seem to mind.

3 Month Weigh-In

This week is Axel's 3 month birthday. So he went to visit the nurse for a couple more vaccinations and got a weigh-in. We had estimated using our bathroom scale, but it was fun to see the more official weigh-in at 17 pounds, 2 ounces!! (With clothes, but very little chub.) We are now moving from 3-6 (6) month clothes to 6-9 (9) month clothes! Can you believe it? We are having a hard time... our little one is a whole lot bigger than the average. And we are constantly grateful for the gifts of clothing everyone gave us- we have been incredibly well-stocked up until now. And fashionable! It's time for Mama to find a garage sale or a goodwill!

SMILE

It's hard to catch a smile on film... Axel smiles a LOT, he just also moves a lot!

naked baby.

Gotta have a naked baby pic... at least that's what my Mama says.

Curly Mohawk.

Doesn't this just make you smile?

Visitors

Daddy's family has been to see us the last two weeks. Aunt Lori and Grandma and Grandpa R., it was wonderful to see you! Thanks for the excuse to get out and hike!

When Daddy holds me, it is the only time I look in proportion for my age. When Grandma or Mormor hold me I look ENORMOUS.

First Halloween

Aren't I cute? Thanks to my Uncle Leonard and Aunt Linda and family, I had a very cool halloween.

First Trip to the Musem

We went to the MN Science Museum today with Grandma and Grandpa R. So fun to begin inspiring a love of science in the scientist's son. And to enjoy the Dead Sea Scrolls with Mama.

cutie.

Good morning, Gorgeous.

Sitting

We are very impressed with Axel's strength. We have been since he came out holding up his head! Now he's able to sit on his own for a few seconds, after we set him up- of course!

The Body of Christ

This is a photo of the body of Christ-and we don't mean Axel-so many people gave Axel blankets, he is surrounded by love!

Portrait Session

Third time's a charm! After two failed attempts for our portrait sitting, we finally got some gorgeous pictures--though no smiles!!

2 Month Well-Baby

Axel had his 2 month well-baby exam today. And he is wonderful! He's lifting his head up off the floor, he sleeps for a 4-5 hour chunk, he has HUGE smiles for us now, and he is HUGE. 14 lbs, 6 oz and 25 inches long! 95th percentile for his age. He's now wearing 6 month clothes! Uff dah! Healthy, breastfed baby...and we're still waiting for some chub. And well loved by us and all of you.

Check out those abs. Soon he'll have a 6-pack. Jealous.

Settled?

The big question: Are you feeling settled in your new home now?

Well, yes, sort of. We finally have most of our little projects done, the bathroom cabinet is mounted on the wall and the new tv is hooked up... though the cable is still running across the middle of the floor... but we are getting closer. And now that we are finally feeling like this is more homey, we can get used to it being home.

My grief for Colorado is waning a bit today as I learned about the death of a soldier I knew, truth be told, the only soldier I knew. It is an incredibly sad moment for his wife and aunt and his whole family as well as the Christian families which he touched. How incredibly painful his death is... how unsettling. I didn't know him well, but his death has (thankfully) shoved me from self-indulgence and given me perspective.

Also, today I feel like I am finally beginning to come out of the new-baby fog. I was determined to go for a "long" walk today rather than the two mile or less walks I have been going on. I think we walked for 3-4 miles today. I had the urge to ride a bike- don't know if my body could really handle a "real" ride yet, but it feels good to want to ride.

Axel is 7 weeks old now, and by the 8 week mark, I will have added a small ministry opportunity to my life. After much debate, I am going to accept an offer of a small part-time position helping out in the congregation in which I grew up. I think it will be a great blessing to me to serve them in this way and for them to see me as the pastor I am becoming.

Please pray for us, friends, as we begin to ease into our new life here. We've now been here almost 6 weeks and we are beginning to "settle." And now that we are finally in this place, I hope I can connect with more of you, especially those far away. I have been so overwhelmed before now with all the transition it has been hard to stay in touch. As I count my blessings today, I number Axel and Steven as the first, and all my relationships top the list. May we all feel the blessing and peace of being "settled."

Many Moods.

Happy.
Contemplative.

peanut?

I'm into some of the 6 month clothes already at 6 weeks. Uff dah. This is my favorite spot, my changing table. I can look out the window... up at the mobile of birdies (tweet tweet)... or just get some good cycling and kickboxing practice in!

Hi Grandma and Grandpa!

Shout out (and a pound) for all the Grandparents out there. Mine are the best.

my first wedding

I got to wear my Dad's baptismal outfit to my first wedding... and Dad added khaki's to the dapper ensemble. Wedding was beautiful... dancing was fun...music was loud.

Growing!

Mom weighed me this week and I am now almost 13 pounds! Plus, at my 2 week docs appointment, I was 24 inches long!

Close Ups

This is a photo that I think captures Axel well. And you can see how he's filling out! Soon to be a "health breastfed baby" ie... chubby!!
It's a little hard to get a good snapshot of Axel's smile because when he's happy, he's moving! Or maybe it's: when he's moving, he's happy! Either way, we sure think he's handsome.

Tennies

Check out my cool tennies. 4 weeks old and I'm ready to run... too bad I wasn't around when Daddy was looking for relay team members...

Fashion

This quilt was made for me by a talented group of women at Evergreen Lutheran Church: the Piecemakers. Isn't it gorgeous?
Uncle Pete's sweater. (My first Sunday to church in MN and after my baptism.)
Check out the cool mexican pants...making fashion statements at an early age. Daddy says I'm man enough to wear pink. (Referring more to the onesie than the pants.)

Minnesota

We've been welcomed to the great state of Minnesota. Here's a quick photo journal:
Steve drove cross-country (following Dad and Ellie and Jeremy- thanks family!) trekking the last of our stuff to Mom and Dad's garage to be stored or unpacked. We've unpacked two out of three rooms and started to settle in to our upper level apartment. =) We've been trying to recover from the massive change of the last few weeks and that includes doing lots of baby-wearing as we continue to hold close the new love of our lives, Axel. Axel has had the pleasure of meeting his Great-Grandma and visiting with her every so often as we are close enough to walk to see each other (using our slings!) Steve's new job is getting off the ground with a great team of people to work with and a lot of work in his new classroom which was a huge mess! Axel, Mama and Mormor went to help him one day and made significant progress, but he still had a lot of work to do! Kids start school Tuesday. We've also enjoyed the farmer's market and coffee shop here in our town. So we're adjusting but still miss Colorado and all those we love there. Hope you are all well, and to the MN folk, we're looking forward to hanging out soon!

Baptism Pictures

It's been a little hard to get online and update the blog in the midst of our move. Here is a link to
Axel's Baptism photos on facebook! Thank you to our friend Emile for the beautiful pictures!

We are working on settling in here in MN. Missing Colorado, but looking forward to greeting all you Minnesotans in person soon. Come visit us, please!

All is well in the Nelson Roenfeldt household. We are completely in love with our little boy. Here are some pictures to feed your baby addiction, at least it feeds ours!

So many cute clothes to wear... so little time. These newborn sizes are small!
Most people are saying I take after my Daddy... so maybe I will be a future slugger... or cyclist...or double-black diamond skier.
My first manicure.
All curled up with Mama.
Am I not the most beautiful baby on the planet?

Party Time

Well, we aren't inviting you to our 2 AM family parties, but if you want to come say good-bye and happy birthday to Steven this Saturday we will be having a little bbq. We would love to see you before our big move. We are so going to miss Colorado!

Axel Jens' Birthday!

We would like to introduce the newest member of our family, Axel Jens Roenfeldt. Mama and baby are doing really well. Axel was born au naturel at 1:56 AM at Mountain Midwifery Birth Center in Englewood, CO. Axel was born 21.5 inches, 9 lbs 6 oz. Axel means "Man of Peace."
Beautiful Boy!

Daddy and Axel at the Birth Center
Look how big I am!
Mama and Axel in the tub. (We can't make this rotate for some reason)


Welcome Home, Axel. You are surrounded by a huge cloud of loving saints!