Crash and Burn

Last night Dev really wanted to play outside so we all went on a walk. However, she did more running than walking. We had a little crash and her face met pavement! Nothing too serious, but bruises and scratches are becoming a lot more common than I would like with this girl. She is so busy climbing, jumping, running, dancing, and moving!

Nauvoo the Beautiful (and the hot!)

In June we visited Nauvoo with our friends the Gessels. It is just over a five hour drive from Milwaukee so we really wanted to go while we are close. Colb had been before, but it was my first time so I was really excited. We went the one weekend we had at home before Colby started rotations. It was a quick trip and the heat and humidity were on the verge of unbearable, but we got to see the sights and do a temple session so it was definitely worth it!

 

 

Drink, please?

Carthage is only 20-30 minutes away, so since I hadn't been there Colb and I got up early Saturday morning and made a quick trip. It was one of my favorite parts.

This is a neat picture taken through the bullet hole in the door at Carthage Jail where Joseph Smith was killed.

 We did a babysitting swap so we could all get a temple session in. These two kept us moving and multiple people asked if they were twins.

Can you say ponytail?

Hair growing has been a bit of a slow process for Dev. She was born with some, but then it fell out. It has taken its own sweet time coming back. However, in the last month we've seen some growth. Today we did our first little ponytail. So fun!

We're Back!

After 45 days in Utah (with some Milwaukee and Nauvoo time in between), we are finally home to stay for a bit. What do we have to show from our travels?

1. Dev is now quite comfortable with all those grandmas, grandpas, aunts, and uncles in Roosevelt. We miss you already!
2. Dev has mastered stairs (still not to the point where I'm comfortable taking down my three baby gates that are guarding our big and hard stairs, but we're getting there...)
3. Dev has now been on 28 flights in her 14.5 months. Technically 28 is actual take-offs and landings since there are no direct flights from Milwaukee to Salt Lake, but it still quite a few trips with a little one. Hopefully we get a few more before she turns two and we have to pay for her ticket. (Yay for reward miles and yay that both of our families live in Utah!)
4. Dev is starting over with learning how to sleep in her own bed. Our couple months of travel and inconsistent sleeping have taken a toll on her sleeping preferences :(
5.  Dev can't get enough of her daddy since we had to leave him in Milwaukee for the beginning and end of our trip, but he is done with boards and has the first hospital rotation down as well!

We have had so much fun with our families and had a hard time leaving them, but it is good to be home and back to our routine and friends.

More blogging and picture catching-up to come...

More May

May has been such a fun, busy month! Our one-year-old continues to get bigger, smarter, and cuter everyday! I am definitely losing my baby to a little toddler.
Since it has warmed up, she loves being outside. During the day she brings me her shoes to let me know she is ready to go. We spend lots of time walking up and down our sidewalks picking up sticks and visiting the neighbors. Her dancing is still probably my favorite thing she does followed by her new wrist flapping bye-bye. She is warming up to strangers and thinks everyone must like her as much as we do. While we were at the airport she would walk right up to someone and smile at them until they would talk to her. Then she would wave bye and move on to the next person. She continues to become much more opinionated and independent, but she is very obedient and sweet!

Teresa and I decided to throw a combined birthday/end of the school year party once the guys finished finals. We had A Teddy Bear Picnic.

A Teddy Bear Picnic

Teresa, Cayden, Devri, and I had a few play dates earlier in the week to make pom-poms and cakes.

Dev's Cake


 Cayden's Cake


Everyone Else's Cake


We had a picnic dinner, cake, games, and lots of chatting.

My little teddy bear

 

The one-year-olds!

 

This was Cayden and Devri about a year ago...

 

After celebrating Dev and I left Colby studying for boards in Wisconsin and headed to Utah for Lindsay's wedding. We had so much fun visiting all of our family! It was so special to be at Lindsay's sealing. We also fit in lots of time with the Hales and Duncans, went on the third grade field trip, ran with Halli in the mini marathon, saw LeAnn, partied with the Swains, ate lots of good food, and had wonderful company!

 

 5 Generations

  

 

A day in the life of a one-year-old...

Devri turned one yesterday! I can't believe it! Colb had a final that night and more next week, so it was a crazy day for him. However, we are going to have a party to celebrate Dev's birthday and the end of finals next week. In the meantime, we had a fun day hanging out with the birthday girl! Here's our day in the life of a one-year-old.

 

First get up and give dada one of your cheesy smiles, and then he will hold you and share his breakfast while he studies.

Next do lots phone time jabbering to all the grandmas, grandpas, aunts, and uncles.

Also, make sure to squeeze in some quality play time with mom.

 

Afterward have some yummy macaroni and cheese for birthday lunch.
Don't forget both your naps...and a bath...

 

...and maybe another bath after this...

 

Yep, definitely a two bath day!

Open your presents

 Go on walks

 

Make sure to pick up lots of sticks on your walk

Clap for yourself...after everything...

 

 

 Later on visit with your friends

 

Play with dada before he goes back to school for a final

 

Wow! What a busy day! We love our one-year-old!

She went to the doctor today for her check-up. She is the same size as me at one-year-old at 18 pounds. She came in at the 30 percentile for weight, 85 percentile for height, and still 95 percentile for head circumference.

Happy Birthday Dev!

Happy Easter!

We had a wonderful Easter this year celebrating the life, atonement, and resurrection of our Savior! The Tuesday before Easter I took Dev to the playgroup egg hunt. On Saturday we went to the neighborhood egg hunt and visited the Easter Bunny (who Dev was not very fond of). She started to figure out the egg gathering and enjoyed picking up eggs (or wood chips and leaves). Later that day we went to to the Chicago temple and Colb and I took turns hanging out with Dev on the grounds. We enjoyed the beautiful spring day and lovely flowers. Sunday we headed to church and then had dinner and an Easter program with some friends and our ward sister missionaries. It was a wonderful weekend and we're grateful for the time we had to reflect on our Savior. Happy Easter!