September 2004

No nuts here

A recent visit to the doctor has confirmed that Abby and Emma are allergic to tree nuts: almonds, cashews, and walnuts (peanut butter is OK, because peanuts are not considered "tree nuts"). The whole family will have to adjust to the new reality. Food labels must be studied and caution must be taken with everything that they eat from now on.

Visiting the Posts

The Kauppila family spent Labor day weekend in Traverse City visiting their good friends Chris, Maria, Ben and Elena Post. They have been planning to visit for years now and were finally able to get the chance.

August 2004

Jake starts kindergarten

A proud little man steps off the bus wearing his backpack. Yes, the real days of school have begun.

Visiting the Hixsons

One weekend in August, The Kauppila family took a ride to Grand Rapids, Michigan, to visit their good friends Steve, Tracy, and Kaitlin Hixson. It has been a long time since their last visit and it was great to see them again.
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July 2004

What the...?!

Remember those aliens from Close Encounters of the Third Kind?
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June 2004

Jake graduates from preschool

They had a ceremony, played Pomp and Circumstance, and Jake received a little "diploma".
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May 2004

Roam if you want to...

Now that Emma and Abby no longer sleep in cribs, there is no telling where they may end up in the morning...Mommy and Daddy's bed...on the floor...in each other's bed...
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Three kids in a tub

This doesn't happen very often, but here are all three kids in one tub.
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April 2004

Little bookworms

Emma and Abby like to regularly empty the bookshelf of all its contents. Of course, books are more fun to look at when they are all over the floor!
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Eric is working now, too!

It has not been mentioned yet, but Eric did get a full-time position through Aquent (a contract agency) working in the Graphics and Publishing department of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan. His official start date was March 31 and he commutes every day (about an hour each way) to the Blue Cross "tower building" in downtown Detroit.

What was new not too long ago...

• January through early April 2004 - Michelle accepts a job offer at a small law firm, the whole family packs up and moves to Michigan, Jake turns five and the girls turn two
• September through December 2003 - The kids dress up again for Halloween, dance in colored light, and Jake is inspired by the buildings in Chicago
• July and August 2003 - It's a good time of year for a dip in the kiddie pool...also, Abby and Emma climb the stairs, Jake rides the train, and the driveway is drawn on
• April, May, and June 2003 - The kids are swinging, Michelle graduates from law school, Abby and Emma turn one, Eric is written up in a local newspaper
• January, February, and March 2003 - Eric is quoted in American Baby, Jake plays dressup, Emma and Abby are crawling (see a video clip), Jake celebrates his 4th birthday.
• October, November, and December 2002 - Buzz Lightyear rescues two peapods on Halloween, Abby speaks for the first time on video, and Jake makes an observation about one of his Christmas gifts.
• August and September 2002 - See photos from a trip to Toronto for a family wedding, and video clips of Emma laughing.
• June and July 2002 - See what the Kauppila Family looks like in the morning, and the Post family (Chris, Maria and Ben) visits.
• April and May 2002 - Read the story of how Emma and Abigail were born and see photos from the first two months of their life.