Mason's newborn photo shoot

We had to stay in Alabama for a while after we got Mason (for legal purposes) and I needed to get his "newborn" photos taken. Since it was such late notice, I couldn't find any photographers who could schedule him anytime within the recommended age range for a newborn (the ideal age is 2 weeks). Apparently people schedule them in advance, while they are still pregnant.  Obviously we weren't able to do that. So my sweet photographer friend Lauren (who was 3 weeks away from giving birth herself) squeezed Mason into her busy schedule. When he was 17 days old, we drove down to Birmingham for his photo shoot. Here are some of our favorites...

Our new baby

Mason Crawford Gallaher was born on August 10, 2011. He weighed 7 lbs. and 5 oz. and was 21 inches long. We picked him up from the hospital on August 12 and our world has forever changed! We are truly blessed beyond measure! "This is the Lord's doing; it is marvellous in our eyes." Psalm 118:23

Words cannot express the depth of love we have for our precious baby boy. Here are some of the first few pictures we have of him...

This was Mason when they first rolled him into our room

Our first time meeting him! As Preston has labeled this photo...Love at first sight

Blonde hair and big blue eyes

Proud Daddy with baby Mason

Mason's first car ride, leaving the hospital

Italy: Day 11 - Milan

Our last day in Italy, we were scheduled to take a train from Siena to Milan. We only had 1 day to spend in Milan so I had pre-purchased a "hop-on hop-off city bus tour" to see the highlights of the city. This was set for 2:30 p.m., as soon as were supposed to arrive in Milan. We had made it the whole trip with no problems with the train conductors striking. The only day we had a pre-paid tour scheduled, the train conductors went on strike! We scrambled around at the Siena train station and eventually bought bus tickets to Florence, and fortunately once we got to Florence, there was 1 train still running to Milan... We get to Milan, realize we have no euros for a taxi, so we run circles around the train station in frustration, but we finally get euros. We BARELY made it to our tour..arriving at 2:25!!! But we made it!

Preston with his handy dandy tour gear

The Duomo Cathedral in Milan - the 2nd largest cathedral in the world

Beautiful statues and architecture

The very first Prada

A castle we toured

We got to see Leonardo Da Vinci's original Last Supper in it's original location - the refectory wall of the former dominican monastery of Santa Maria Della Grazie...one of the coolest things we've ever seen.

And finally, Preston's favorite breakfast, one last time - Nutella Croissant

Italy: Days 9 & 10 - Siena

View of the Piazza del Campo, looking down from atop the bell tower

Arriving at our hotel, one of our top two favorites from our trip

Our room, with a garden/countryside view

View of the Tuscan countryside looking out from our window

The gardens of our hotel, below our window

Seating in the gardens

Steinway concert piano in salon, donated by Miss Helen Frick

Piazza del Campo, where the famous Palio (horse race between Contrada) occurs

Torre del Mangia

Sign of one of the Conrada

Our favorite restaurant/dining experience of the entire trip!  San Guiseppe

Twilight in Siena

Early morning views out our window

View of Siena from the bell tower

Looking out our window our last morning there