One Year Old

Is this the cutest thing you have ever seen? Okay, so I am biased, but I did and still do think that Adalyn's invitations turned out so well. I shared the front in my last post, but this was the back. LOVE IT!!

As for my baby girl, she has been one for almost 2 weeks. I cannot believe it. Has it really been a year since we, Neno and I, delivered this precious child at home, by ourselves. Crazy!!

The midwives told me before I had her that she would be my atypical child and boy has she been.

She was 2 days late.

She crawled before the other 2.

She had teeth before her sisters did.

She doesn't look like Ava Grace or Annabelle. She IS Neno.

She cuddles and the other two weren't big cuddlers.

She is a thumbsucker.

She is really blonde.

She is our RUNT...

At her one year appointment:

Weight: 19lbs. 5oz. - 25%

Height: 30.5 in - 90%

Head: 18.?? - 95%

Just this week, she started taking steps. Out of no where, she let go of the chair in the kitchen and took 6 steps toward me. I was so excited!! Since then, she has taken steps here and there. It will be no time and she will be off and running with her sisters.

Oh, I almost forgot... though she has been babbling for a while now, this week, she was calling me Mama Mama. Melts my heart.

We adore you Adalyn Mae and our lives wouldn't be the same without. I look forward to watching your personality continue to develop. You definitely have you own way and are starting to hold your own with your sisters. I can't wait for all the years to come.

One Wild and Crazy Weekend

Not last weekend, though it was pretty crazy too, but the weekend before was NUTS! There was way too much going on, way too many places to be at once and way too much family to be able to catch up with. Family in town is never a bad thing, but I don’t think I really got to visit with anyone. That makes me sad.

On to the crazy run down… waterslides, branding, dancing and a birthday.

Family arrived Thursday and Friday for the festivities. This was the first year that we had our parents in town for branding weekend. Usually, it is reserved for friends and siblings/cousins (those our age), but this year we included the parents so that they were here for Ava Grace’s recital and Addie Mae’s first birthday.

My parents arrived on Thursday. So on Friday, I was able to go to Ava Grace’s end of the year party at school. They ate a picnic lunch and then spent the rest of the day in the water.

The boys got busy on Friday with their cows in Borden County and then started early on Saturday with all the cows in Ropes. Though it was their first year, my dad and Jerry (Neno's dad) jumped right in to help out the boys.

Branding the calves

Dad was in charge of the squirt bottle

Best line of the weekend- Annabelle: I lost my horny! (her horny toad)

Ava Grace and I, unfortunately, had to leave all the fun to go to her dress rehearsal for her recital. Can you say BEATING. I have participated in plenty of them in my life and I am pretty sure they are supposed to run just like the show. If that were the case, the dress rehearsal would have lasted 2.5 hours. At almost 4 hours we called it quits. Ava Grace was a trooper, but this momma was done. My sweet mom was at my house the whole time packing and watching the other girls while they napped.  Love her!!

Sunday, it was time to party. We celebrated Adalyn’s first birthday and from the time she woke up, it was like she knew it was her special day. She smiled and danced (bounced) every time we sang Happy Birthday to her. She ate it up!

Addie Mae's Invitation made by sweet friend Monica

The Birthday Girl with her Uncle MiMi

Sadly, the party had to come to an end so that we could watch Ava Grace do her thing. She hadn’t been real sure about dance, but after being on the stage Saturday, she loved it and was ready to go! I think she had the largest crowd there.  Her sweet teacher Mrs. Wood even came to watch her.  It was so fun to see her up on that stage. But we already knew she was a STAR!

Our Star!

AG's cheering section minus the 4 that left early. I told you she had the biggest one there.

We packed in a lot, even a little bit of packing. It was an amazing weekend.

On an exciting, yet sad note, we said good-bye to our sweet brother-in-law and sister-in-law, the girls Uncle Seff and Aunt MA, during the intermission at Ava Grace’s recital. They are off to do God’s work in Africa, where they met.  They are such a wonderful couple and God has great things in store for them.  I am so excited to hear about it all. Seth took a job with Samaritan’s Purse and has already started working in Uganda. MariAnne will join him at the end of this month.  Please help us send up prayers for them. Seth and MA, we love you very much and will miss you tons!!! You will be in our prayers everyday!!! You amaze me!

Seth and MariAnne