Emily's first birthday cake video

Emily_First_Birthday_edited from CK LaFond on Vimeo.

Happy First Birthday Emily!

Happy birthday to our sweet little girl, Emily.  You are at such a fun age right now and we are really enjoying watching you learn new things and have new experiences.  Just the other day you saw your shadow for the first time and tried to crawl across the floor after it.  It was pretty adorable.  Here are some things we want to remember about you on your big day:

• You only started crawling a few months ago but as soon as you did, you were off.  You now crawl everywhere and are already pulling yourself up on everything.  I can't imagine it will be long before you're walking and then, of course, running.
• You say dada the most but you've also said mama and we think we've heard Asher, Grandpa and maybe even Steve.

• Your dad has taught you some funny faces (smiling with your eyes mostly closed) and to stick out your tongue.  We think you look the most like your dad (especially your eyes, which appear to be staying blue for now) of any of the kids so far.
• You love to play with balls- basketballs, soccer balls, whatever- and you like to "throw" them back and forth to us.  Maybe you're working on a WNBA career?
• You're a very good eater, like your big sister.  You love Cheerios and prefer to feed yourself.  You also had no trouble (or hesitation) sticking your face right into your first birthday cake.
• You're moving into 18-month clothes so, although you're still a size ahead of your actual age, you're not quite as big as either Reese or Asher were at this age.  Maybe you won't pass Mommy in height until at least 4th grade ;)
• You have two teeth so far but seem to be working on more all the time.  You put everything in your mouth, unlike the other kids, so we have to watch you closely (especially with all the little toys your brother and sister leave around).  We're pretty sure you throw Cheerios on the ground while you're in your high chair just so you'll have some on the floor that you can "find" later.
• I wish I could say you're sleeping through the night but it's rare to be honest.  You still wake up- usually once, sometimes twice- a night.  That's probably as much our laziness in not "training" you as anything else.  But you're happy and healthy so oh well.  Pretty soon (55 days or so...) your new brother is going to give you a run for your money in the lack of sleep department, no doubt.
• Unlike your big brother Asher, you are not afraid of the vacuum at all.  In fact, when I was vacuuming this weekend you were chasing me around trying to get in front of  it.
• Reese and Asher love to play with you and try to carry you places.  Asher's very gentle but Reese can be a bit aggressive.  You handle it all very well and usually just roll with the punches.  That will probably result in a mellow, go-with-the-flow personality like your Daddy.

You are such a wonderful addition to our family and it's hard to believe you're already one.  I can't wait to see you as a big sister in less than two months (yikes!).  We wish you a very happy birthday and many, many more to come.

Love, Mommy & Daddy

Emily's first birthday and Valerie's 34th

We celebrated Emily's first birthday yesterday and Valerie's 34th birthday.

 Emily's new favorite expression.  She has found her tongue and loves to stick it out.

 The "before" shot

 I think it's safe to say that she had no problems figuring out what to do with her cake.

 Are you all really going to let me keep shoving my face in this thing?

 Making sure she's getting all the frosting off of her fingers

 Oh yeah, and it was Valerie's birthday too :)  Happy birthday Val!

House updates

CK has been taking advantage of the nicer weather days that we get every once in awhile to finish the exterior of the house.  First he finished the stone accent wall.

  

It's  A LOT of stone.

And some stone to accent the garage doors (which will eventually be painted the same green as the house but likely not until Spring)

Then we ordered the corrugated metal to finish the rest of the exterior.  Here are the sheets laid out so that CK can try to pre-rust them before putting them up (with a nasty concoction of Hydrogen Peroxide and Vinegar).  He said he's never spent so much money on something just to "ruin" it as soon as he gets it :)

 We'll probably put them up before they're fully rusted but the elements will take care of the rest.

Fun pics of the kids- October 2013

Emily is a crawling, rolling, pulling-herself-up machine now which means she's EVERYWHERE.

 "So big!"

 "What...this doesn't look comfortable to you?"

 Playing with Kaitlyn at Grandma's house

 One of these kids does not seem to enjoy this...

 I promise we don't torture her as much as these pictures might imply

Halloween 2013

Halloween this year was clear but windy so pretty chilly.  The witch and the puppy didn't seem to mind.

 This one, however, didn't think much of her first Halloween.  This look says it all.

 Emily did get a kick out of Tanner hiding in all black, however.