Wordless Wednesday - playing in the grass

Going, going, going

This past month has been a blur with birthdays, trips and company so this post will catch you up on some things we have been up to. One of the biggest things that happened this month was Annsley's FIRST BIRTHDAY!!! We had such a special day celebrating our little girl, who is an incredible blessing in our lives.

Annsley, this past year (ok so it is closer to 13 months now) has been full of joy, learning, a few sleepless nights, and hundreds of sweet moments, we have loved every minute of it and are so thankful that we get to be your parents.

At one year Annsley you:

• have 10 teeth
• pull yourself up on things
• give your toys and stuffed animals hugs




• have started crawling a bit on your knees
• like to walk with someone holding you hands
• love being out and about in the backpack
• continue to "talk" all day long, your most popular sounds are: "hi", "mama", "dada", and "nana"
• LOVE books
• like to be sung to, current favorite song: The Church is One Foundation
• love your new red rocking moose




• are very European in your choice of beverages
• have started noticing other babies
• love to look at animals
• have started dancing when music is playing

You bring us such joy Annsley, we love you so much!

Love, Mommy and Daddy

We celebrated my 27th birthday a few days later.

Then it was off to Switzerland for a church retreat. We spent a week in the beautiful mountains and crisp air. Unfortunately Luke could not get away from work so it was just us girls, we had a great time though.

Once we got back from Switzerland, we took a family day trip. We took a 2 hour train ride to Trier (which by the way is the oldest city in Germany, dating back to height of the Roman empire) where we spent the day taking in the sights.

We saw the old Roman baths

the amphitheater were gladiatorial games were held and the Porta Nigra (one of the gates into the old walled city)

beautiful cathedrals

palaces

and baroque churches

It was a long, exhausting, but fun day.

And that has been our month of June !

Wordless Wednesday - Neuleiningen and Neuleiningen Castle

Fun in the Sun

We have had some pretty crazy weather here this spring! Some days it will be 50 degrees and pouring down hail and rain and then the next day it will be 80 degrees with bluebird skies. On the latter type of days we try and spend as much time outside as possible.

On this day Natalie and I had just finished our first "long" training run for the Dublin Marathon that we are planning on doing this fall and were drinking fruit smoothies on the patio to cool off, once we were done with the smoothies Annsley had a ball playing and chewing on the straws, here are some pictures...she is just too cute if I do say so myself!

Wordless Wednesday

11 MONTHS!!!!

Have 11 months really gone bye since we welcomed you into the world sweet baby girl? Thinking back to that day we brought you home from the hospital, you were so little and such a string bean but the space you took up in our hearts was already so big. During the past 11 months that space has just grown and grown as we have seen you grow and develop into the beautiful, happy little girl that you now are. We love you SOOOO much. Each day your smiles and giggles brighten up our every moment and we so look forward to the little hugs and snuggles you give us. You are one of our BIGGEST blessing Annsley and we thank God for choosing us to be your parents.

At 11 Months you:

• love to welcome daddy home by meeting him at the door in your little walker with a BIG smile




• have started to "crawl", though it looks a little more like you are trying to do some sort of funky Yoga
  
  
  
• enjoy being with mommy in the kitchen
• would eat Cheerios ALL day if we let you
• have started eating some table food
• have decided you do not like and will not wear cloth diapers
• have started pulling yourself up on things if you can reach them

• RUN in your walker, around and around the dinner table
• like to play chase
• have been to 6 different countries




• are very expressive and LOVE to talk but still don't say any "real" words
• have started sitting in a big girl car seat and are facing forward, which you enjoy
• like asparagus, olives, and portobello mushrooms
• have 6 teeth in and are currently working on 2 molars
• are starting to learn some sign language, like "more", "eat", "thank-you", and "please"
• LOVE being outside in the sunshine




• still get so excited to see Lucy and look for her when we say "Kitty"

Each day you learn so much more and it is so wonderful to be able to share in each new experience with you. We love you all the world peanut!

Love, Mommy and Daddy