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!

An ordinary weekend...

The last few posts I've made are just formal pictures, so I thought I'd share a couple from this weekend. Thursday it was "warm" enough to take Addison out to play in the snow.

Below is Addi sitting in a snow bank out front. She really liked it and I think she was excited to finally explore the "white stuff" that has replaced the "pokey green stuff" for so long. Although she had fun in it, I don't think she liked the temperature of it :)


The rest of the weekend was spent "baby proofing" the house. We changed the previous den/office into a den/office/toy room. There is now less that she can get into and more she can play with in a smaller area for her to be "contained". I'm sure this will make life for all of us a little easier.

The following is a picture of Addison "helping" us get the den set up. She has turned into a monkey :) she loves climbing on everything and hanging on tight when she gets to the top. Chris and Addison were playing with the side of the pack and play yesterday and Addi was doing "pull-ups" on the edge. She is getting SOO big and SOO strong!

AN ORDINARY WEEKEND

9 Months

I can't believe our little girl is already nine months old! To say that the last nine months have flown by would be an understatement. I'm so happy we were blessed with such a wonderful child. She is so independent but loves to spend time with her mommy and daddy. She has the most amazing personality, and has already learned how to show that she knows when she is doing something wrong.

She LOVES the fireplace. I'm pretty sure it's a combination of the way the tile around it sounds compared to the carpet and the sound her fingers make on the screen. At the same time, she knows she isn't supposed to play there. The other day I walked toward her in a "you know you shouldn't be doing that tone" and she looked up, smiled at me, and crawled away so fast, she may have gotten rug burn. She's so cute, it's hard to be mad at her.

She also loves her pets... She loves to help the dogs corral the cat, but at the same time she loves to pet Toby and her eyes light up when he comes in the room. The girls love her just the same, they would do anything for her and in turn, let her do anything to them.

The older and more mobile she gets, the more we make adaptations to the house. The den is now the computer room/office/toy room/changing room/anyotherpurposeyoucanthinkof room, but it works for us!

I can't wait for spring, playing outside, camping, racing, celebrating Addison's first birthday and continuing to grow as our little family of three.

For now, enjoy a few of her nine month photos. She looks sooo grown up.

Merry Christmas!

I know it's almost the third week in January but,

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all from the Vest family!

We had a wonderful first Christmas with Addison filled with lots of laughs, hugs and smiles.

My new toy box


Tea Party!


Opening Presents


My dress was irritating my skin...






Our seafood boil the day after Christmas


Playing with the new xbox and kinect on New Years Day - looking from the back


looking from the front


Mom put me in my swing for old times sake...


and some pictures from dinner tonight...


She had her hair in her first pony tail, and when I took it out, this is what it looked like.

A Trip to See Santa!

We took Addison to see Santa last Wednesday. We were glad that Grandma Knepper and Grandpa and Grandma Vest were able to go with too! She actually didn't mind him too much, but when she was ready to go, she was ready!

OK guys, I told the big guy what I want, lets go!

We are in trouble now!

Here is Miss Addison Cruising with her cart.




She hasn't figured out how to stop and turn around!