First Christmas

DECEMBER 2009
Our first Christmas as parents was so fun.  I really feel like once I started having children, my life truly began.  Everything that you experience is so much more amazing with kids!  Christmas was no exception.  It seems that Christmas was  little brighter, a little merrier, a little sweeter with this little babe in our family.  Ian and I started a tradition that we hope to continue as our family grows, that is: we give 1 present from mommy and daddy, 1 present from Santa and 1 stocking filled with goodies.  A few reasons we do this are we don't want the explosions of presents and the expectation of "things" to over shadow why it is we celebrate Christmas and the overall feeling of Christmas to me is enough.  Another reason was that we decided on "3" because there were three wisemen giving presents to the baby Jesus, so we thought that was an appropriate number.  Although it is hard not to want to spoil around Christmas time, I think the activities all month long are what make Christmas fun, such as looking at Christmas lights and baking cookies.  For years we have traditionally spent Christmas Eve with my Dad and Christmas day with my Mom, also as our family grows, I'm sure we will change these traditions.  But with Lorelai as a baby we continued this model.  Here are a few pictures from her first Christmas in 2009.

Opening presents at grandma Janette and grandpa Cordell's house Christmas Eve.
 I think she enjoyed the paper more than the actual presents!

Mommy and Lorelai (8 months)

Auntie Jamie Kalama Wood with Lorelai

Aunties and Cousins!  Lorelai, Mommy, Stevie McDonald, Jamie Wood, Kira Swan, Jamie Kalama

Daddy and Lorelai with her snowman stocking that grandma Susie bought her

1st Candy Cane!  Yum!  Lorelai is decked out with a bib, jammies and hat from grandma Susie

Christmas 2009

FAMILY PHOTOS
Uncle Brandon and Aunt Gina Lowe came out to take our family pictures for us in December of 2009.  Lorelai was 7 1/2 months.  Brandon took pictures for us at a local park and then we went back to our house and staged some fabric I had as a backdrop for some indoor pictures.  They turned out so great!  I loved our colors and they looked so pretty for Christmas, and who could resist that little white fur coat?!!



Universal Studios

My brother Michael McDonald and his wife Stevie came out for a visit to California and we went to Universal Studios.  My mom watched baby Lorelai and we had a blast going on rides and running around Universal feeling like kids again!  

First ride of the day.  We are excited!  

Halloween 2009

OCTOBER 2009
The Lane Family had their first Halloween with Lorelai in October of 2009.  We celebrated by going to the Jergensen's 1st annual Halloween party.  Since we had a baby now, holidays, like Halloween have become so much more fun!  We decided to theme our costume and go as Popeye, Olive Oyl and Sweet Pea.  It was so fun dressing up and I loved how our costumes turned out!

Popeye and Sweet Pea

Look at those eyelashes!!  Lorelai is 6 months here



At the Jergensen Halloween Party



All tuckered out after her 1st Halloween Party

Lorelai: 6 Months Old

6 MONTHS OLD
The months flew by with this sweet babe and it just felt like every age milestone was better and better.  I loved when Lorelai turned 6 months!  We started feeding her rice cereal and her personality really was starting to develop.  What a happy sweet baby.  Around 6 months she also started to sit up which gave her a different perspective on the world!  Although it was getting close to fall time, in California the beginning of fall still feels like summer!

Elyse Jergensen (7 months) and Lorelai Lane (5 months) twinners at church!



Great Grandma Beth McDonald, Melissa Lane and Lorelai Lane



Four Generations!  Great Grandma Beth McDonald, Grandpa Cordell McDonald, Melissa McDonald Lane and Lorelai Lane

Cousins!  Kira Swann and Lorelai Lane

Friends! MaKayla Postoian and Lorelai Lane



Lorelai giggling at Randy and Christi Postoian's house!  Christi babysat Lorelai for the first 2 years of her life
while mom and dad were at work.  I will forever been in debt to her for all the time she mothered Lorelai.

Cute little tongue! 

Getting a burger with 6 month old Lorelai






Little Lorelai wearing our roomate Mike Ramirez's hat!

Our little family at the Village Grill in Claremont




Ian and Lorelai at her first Angel's baseball game! 

Lorelais' first rice cereal.  Mom, dad and grandma Susie got a kick out of feeding her food for the first time

Ludloff Family Reunion

AUGUST 2009
In 2009 Grandpa Ed Ludloff started an annual tradition of having a family reunion!  We love getting together especially when it involves the sun and sand!  The first reunion was in August of 2009 in Oceanside, Cali.  The line up is as follows: Grandpa Ed Ludloff and his wife, Suzette were the hosts of the par-tay!  Grandpa Ed and, the late, grandma Joanne have two kids: Jim and Susie Ludloff.  Jim has 6 kids: Jared, Katie, Lisa, David, Levi and Bailey.  As of the reunion Katie (who is married to Matt Larson) had 2 kids Jagger (3) and Jewel (5 mos).  Susie has 2 kids: Melissa and Michael.  Michael and his wife Stevie couldn't make it since they were living in Rhode Island at the time, but Melissa and Ian Lane made it with baby Lorelai (3 mos).  Also, Suzette's daughter and her family were there as well.  All of us cousins are pretty close in age and grew up as siblings so we had a blast hanging out laughing, swimming at the pool, playing at the beach, eating oreos, you name it!  Love my family! 



David, Jared and Katie hanging at the beach...ya i'm not sure exactly what is going on here!



Katie and Jagger Larson playing in the sand!  Love that beach blonde hair!



Just getting in after hitting the surf.  David and Jared Ludloff



Sisters: Katie Ludloff Larson and Lisa Ludloff



Cousins!  Jewel Larson and Lorelai Lane

Susie Ludloff Sewell and Jim Ludloff



Melissa and Ian Lane on the pier in oceanside



Grandpa Ed, Jared, Levi and Vern chilling after a long beach day



Matt and Katie Larson



Baby Jewel Larson and her Uncle Levi Ludloff



Cousin time!  Katie Larson, Melissa Lane and Lisa Ludloff

Diva Lorelai Lane

Diva Bailey Ludloff





Sisters: Bailey and Lisa chowing down on delicious pizza!



Father and son!  Jim and Ed Ludloff



Cousins at the beach!  Lorelai and Jagger



Smile!  Lisa, David and Levi



Cousins! Melissa, Lisa and Katie



Lorelai and Melissa Lane, poolside...ya it overlooked the ocean!



Love this pic!  A crazy Jagger with a oreo cookie face and the gorgeous Katie Larson playing around

Sleeping after a long day of fun in the sand and the California sun!