The Party!

Saturday, April 9th, we celebrated Addison's first birthday with our extended family. The weather was beautiful and Addison had an awesome day! The day started with mommy struggling to make sure everything was perfect and Mercedes eating 11 of the deviled eggs, but ended with a fun campfire!

Grandpa and Grandma Knepper, Grandpa and Grandma Vest and Katie and Al were all able to come celebrate Addison's special day!

Checking out the cake!

Showing everyone that she knows how to ride her four wheeler.

Riding her new bike with Daddy.

Riding in style in her new wagon!

Enjoying her cake!

Checking out her mess in the mirror!

She wasn't a huge fan of the pulled pork Daddy made :)

Addison and Aunt Katie

We had a wonderful day and the weather was beautiful! Sorry it took so long for me to share all of these pictures! I had to send my computer out for a week! I was lost, but it was nice to be free :)

The Big First Birthday!

ADDISON TURNED ONE! I can't believe how fast the last year has gone! I also can't remember what life was like before Addison. She is my angel and I love her so much! Chris and I wanted her first birthday to be extra special so we took the day off of work and spent it just the three of us.

We started the day by taking Addison's car (Bob and Chris' challenger) to Ankeny Story Time. This was the first time that Chris had been to a story time at one of the libraries with Addison (he doesn't have the pleasure of staying home with her on Fridays like I do!)

After story time we took Addison to the Blank Park Zoo. We had a great time and saw lots of animals. Addison's favorite part was feeding the billy goats! She absolutely loved it! She even climbed out of her stroller to get a closer look. (Chris took some awesome pictures!)

For lunch we went to Gateway Market and I was going to get Addison a piece of my favorite cake, but apparently they aren't making it anymore! so she got a banana bread cupcake instead.

Next up was the Easter Bunny! We went all the way to Jordan Creek to only find out that they didn't have an Easter Bunny, so we went to Pottery Barn Kids for some Easter essentials, then headed to Valley West. In Addison's mind, the Easter Bunny wasn't quite as nice as Santa Clause! She didn't cry but she wasn't going to sit there long. After we saw the Easter Bunny, we played in the play area (Addi's first time, and she loved it).

We had a wonderful day and couldn't imagine spending the day with out her! It was very hard to go to work Thursday!

We have a celebrity...

Ok, well not a celebrity, but Addison was featured in the Des Moines Register for one of the story times that she goes to with Grandma Vest.

Katie's Bridal Shower and Bachelorette Party Weekend

This past Friday, I spent part of the day working on freelance stuff and packing while Grandpa and Grandma Vest took Addison to story time at the library. During this time, Addison also learned how to push the button on her four-wheeler to make it move. Right now she mostly makes small shaky advances, but I’m sure by the end of the summer she’ll be zooming around the yard. We went back to Dyersville for the weekend for my cousin Katie M.’s bridal shower and bachelorette party. We went home Friday night to go out for dinner for Mom’s birthday. We stayed at the Comfort Inn in Dyersville, which gave Addison a chance to go swimming (in the whirlpool tub). She loves water, as long as it's not a bath!

Saturday Chris wasn't feeling well, so he slept while Addison and I went to the bridal shower. It was so great to see some of my aunts and cousins who I haven’t seen in almost 8 months. After the bridal shower I went with Sarah up to their store in New Vienna to see their new addition, and pick up some delicious turkey and dressing! Addison and I "went swimming" again once I got back. After we got done swimming, I got ready to go to Katie’s bachelorette party. Grandma Knepper played with Addision while Chris rested, because he still wasn't feeling good. We ate at Star in Dubuque (which is the old Star Brewery) and had a great time!

Sunday we headed back to Ankeny, but not with out a stop in Williamsburg at the outlet mall. We then spent the rest of the day relaxing and catching up from being gone for the weekend.

Addison with Great Grandma Knepper

Aunt Katie and Addison

Aunt Sarah and Addison

Aunt Dana and Addison

Addison playing with Delila

Daddy's Back!

Last weekend (March 18-20) Chris came back from California late Friday night/ early Saturday morning, and my cousin Sarah and her family came down on Saturday. We took a couple hours to take pictures of their 3 ½ year old Noah, 1 year old Ian and their family together. We took our time as my cousin Katie C. and her husband came over and had lunch with us, and we took lots of little breaks to give the kids a chance to re-focus.

Addison enjoyed “talking” with Ian and watching Noah play. Lexi has totally adjusted to Addison and she had no problem with Ian but she’s still a little afraid of “older” little kids.

After we finished up with pictures, and Addison and Chris finished their nap, the girls went to the mall, while the boys stayed back at the house and watched movies and read books.

I really enjoyed seeing my family, as it had been a while since we’d been home and since Katie, Sarah and I have been able to hang out.

Sunday we had to run Chris’ computer from his trip back to the office. We then did a few errands and spent the rest of the day relaxing at home and spending time with just the three of us! We had a fun weekend, and Addison and I are glad to have Chris home.

Just Us Girls

Last week Chris was in California for a training on turbine/combustion engines. We were all sad to see him go...

(Addison hiding in his suitcase, trying to go with.)

Chris had a great time with the beautiful weather and scenery. He also learned a thing or two from his class.

(At the Ferrari and Maserati dealership.)

While Daddy was having fun in the sun California style, we were having fun at home with pajama parties...

walking outside,


and having fun in the bathtub!

Congratulations Daddy!

I started this post on the 12th of February, but never finished it. So here's my attempt to pick it back up and update you since then!

The week of Feb 7th, Chris accepted a new project manager role at Goodrich (same location that he previously worked, just a different position). We are very proud of him! To celebrate, we went out to dinner at Leaning Tower in Ankeny where Addison discovered her love for their Mac and cheese...

While eating the left overs at home...

After eating her left overs! (right before her bath!)

We also decided to go on a weekend get-a-way to Omaha. Chris took Friday (the 11th) off and we drove out to Omaha. We went to Nebraska Furniture Mart, where we proceeded to buy end tables from their store off the internet (they didn't have them in store and we could get them faster if we ordered them online).

We then went to the outdoor mall, then back to our hotel. We took Addison swimming again and she loved it! Someone had left a small beach ball in the pool area and she loved it when daddy would push it under the water and let it fly up in the air! Saturday morning when we went down to breakfast, we saw Justin Bieber's VIP Party! We had to take advantage of this moment...


On Saturday, we went to Whole Foods (my favorite Grocery Store!) and stocked up on meat and low sodium treats. Then we checked out another local mall. We made it back to Des Moines by about 4:00 so we still had plenty of time to enjoy the rest of the weekend relaxing at home! We even took a couple of 10 month pictures of Addison.





Monday was Valentines Day. I received these beautiful roses and we went for dinner at a French restaurant downtown Des Moines called Django. (We were supposed to eat there for my work Holiday party but Chris and I both got sick before our dinner came.) We had a wonderful evening, even though lots of our conversation still revolved around our other love at home.


We all enjoyed the couple of nice days of weather by going on some nice long walks outside and enjoying the fresh air! All 5 of us (the dogs included) cannot wait for spring, and I cannot wait to go camping!

The following weekend was state wrestling (a.k.a the weekend you stay away from Jordan Creek mall!). We did some putzing around Des Moines and found this awesome cab, so of course I had Chris take my picture with it!


This past weekend Grandma and Grandpa Knepper came down, so Chris and I went to a hockey game - here is a 2 sec. clip of the end of one of the best hockey fights I've ever seen. All of the players on both teams were involved and one player (from the opposing team) got ejected from the game!

Addison is growing so much! She is developing her personality every day, and she is definitely going to give us a run for our money!

She enjoys dancing...

Saying Mom and Daddy - although we hear way more Daddy's than Mommy's...

The other day, Chris was moving the cars around out side, when Addi heard the car start, she looked at me, turned her head sideways and clearly said "Da-ddy!"

She also loves shaking her head "NO" but also shakes it while dancing.

and last but not least, she LOVES giggling...

{insert sound clip here, that failed to upload three times...
guess you'll have to come visit us in order to hear it!}

Whether it's from mommy and daddy doing silly things, or she knows she's not supposed to be doing something, or from getting tickled, she loves to laugh. The sound of her laugh melts my heart and can take the most awful day and turn it completely around!

Sorry it took me so long to update this, but hopefully I put enough on here to satisfy you in my tardiness!