Baby Cora at 4 weeks

Well, three and half weeks to be completely exact. Tomorrow, proud parents Allison and Dan celebrate Cora's one month milestone with her baptism. I'm really sad that I can't go, but I was so pleased that I was able to spend time with the both of them at their home in Fowler.

I have known Allie for many years; though we were not friends for all of them. We became closer toward the end of high school and ended up sharing a duplex in Lansing when I was student teaching in Howell and she was finishing up her master's degree at MSU. It was there that Allie met Dan and, knowing he was a teacher, I immediately went to stalk him on ratemyteachers.com to make sure he was a good guy. Turns out that there was no dirt on Mr. O; the kids loved him. And as it turned out, my friend loved him as well. They were engaged within a year, then married the next, and low and behold, one year later they were expecting this bundle of joy.

Cora is probably the strongest new born I have ever spent time with. When Allie told me that within a couple days of her birth she was already able to lift her head, I was skeptical. But after holding her several times, I knew she wasn't exaggerating. She's already a strong and beautiful girl!

What a doll. Congratulations to Dan and Allie and little Cora on her upcoming baptism. Wish I could be there, but Hawaii is calling me home...