milestones

This weekend was an exciting one in our household…

Levi was baptized this weekend. It was Curt’s first baptism, and he was able to baptize his own son. Dad Kuiper, who baptized Emma and Claire, also played a part in this event as he read an adaption of Psalm 46 after Levi was baptized. It was a really special event…we’ve been on an interesting church journey over the past year that many of you are now familiar with–because of our process, it’s been challenging to know how to go about this occasion. Madison Square Church, which we have been connected to over the years and has been a real place of growth and healing for us, is where we baptized Levi.

Pastor Dave from Madison has been a mentor to Curt over the years and has been meeting with us regularly as we navigate what is next for us in our church journey. Pastor Joy led the service on Sunday evening, which was personal and powerful. She took some time to mention the meaning of Levi’s name–”attached.” To us, his name has been reflective of his place in our family–attached, drawn in, harmonious. He has most definitely resembled the meaning of his name in personality and place in our family. His middle name–Benjamin–means “son of my right hand.” Besides being a family name on Curt’s side, the meaning of this name is also special, as he is our only son and we desire to love him and nurture him to be a man of God. Pastor Joy, in mentioning the meaning of Levi’s name, talked about how it is so easy to become “attached” to things, concerns, worries, even hopes, that fall outside of our purpose or distract us from our “attachment” to Christ. She encouraged us, when examining Levi’s name, to nurture and parent him in such a way that he will learn how to be and live in such a way that shows and supports his need for and attachment to Jesus.

Our friend Kelly graciously took photos of the baptism, so I’ll be posting those when they are available, but we took a couple pictures of the weekend as well…

Dad Kuiper and the kids

Another milestone that happened this weekend was Emma lost her first tooth!! She lost the same tooth that has just popped up as the first tooth in Levi’s mouth! It seems like yesterday that she just got her first tooth (and the many sleepless nights, fevers, runny noses and dirty diapers associated with getting this first tooth!!). The tooth had been loose for a while and on a dinner out with Mom and Dad Kuiper this weekend, she used her tooth to open a lid on a cup which (painfully and with many tears) dislodged the tooth even further. Sunday afternoon she was eating a sandwich and felt a little pop. I looked in her mouth and the tooth was sitting on her tongue. She was SO excited, as you’ll be able to tell from the photo. The toothfairy does visit the Kuiper household and Emma requested that instead of money, that the toothfairy leave “seeds that I can plant in the ground and grow into flowers.” So sweet, but we stuck with the idea that the toothfairy delivers cash so we don’t have to face 20+ under the pillow “prizes” for her over the next couple years

So excited to have just lost her first tooth!

I’m also posting some pictures of the inevitable, Levi being dressed up like a princess by his sisters. Poor kid! I guess this is what he can expect, being the youngest and having 2 older hands on excitable sisters who dote on him all day.

Playtime before dress up

Levi likes playing with cars...and anything else he can chew on.