these are the days to remember

I need to blog for my own sake. My memory is terrible and I want to remember this first year of Addelyn's life in as much detail as I can. I sat down today and started writing in the albums of pictures from her first year. I realized how soon I can forget the little things that I never wanted to forget! So I'm going to try harder to blog and to journal and to keep track of the little things. We'll see how it goes!

Last weekend (Saturday, November 22nd) to be exact, Addelyn took her first steps. Well, these were the first steps that Mom and Dad got to see! I'm thinking she may have taken a few at Ilenes but Ilene is just too sweet to really give me the details. Ever since then, day by day, she has gotten more daring and as of today- I've seen her take about six steps in a row before falling hard onto her padded little bottom. She especially loves to venture around our sectional. She is almost running around it, with her one little hand holding onto it. Then every once in awhile- she gets daring- and lets go and takes a few steps. It is fun to watch. I also watch with a bit of apprehension as I know that within days or weeks she will be even faster and into more things than before! Nothing is safe!

Addelyn has a new cousin, Trae Thomas Hoskinson. He arrived on November 10th to proud parents Matt (Mark's brother) and Nicole. We drove to Cherokee last weekend to see them. He is a little sweetie and it was great to spend some time with the crew. Addelyn wasn't too interested in Trae but did pat his head a few times- she had more fun watching Ty (age four) run around. I wanted to hold Trae forever though. I can hardly remember when Addelyn was a little cuddly baby. In fact, was she ever a cuddly baby? Nope, once she had head control, she didn't want to lay her sweet little head on me at all (even in the middle of the night). Sigh.

This month we also got the opportunity to see family on my side. My cousin, Teresa, her two kids, William and Sophia, and my aunt Maria came to visit. Teresa and her husband and kids live in Houston, TX and Maria just moved to Spain (where she is originally from) this year. They took a road trip and came up to Iowa. It was so much fun to hang out with them. The kids are growing so quickly- Sophia is three and William is two. They have TONS of energy. Addelyn was entertained by watching them!

Addelyn also experienced Chucky Cheese for the first time during my brother, Tanner's birthday party. I'm hoping Chucky Cheese doesn't exist once Addelyn is old enough to care. That probably would be on my list of least favorite places to go so I'm hoping she won't beg me to have a party there someday. Is that horrible of me?

Here are some pics from the last few weeks of our life! Enjoy!

William, Addelyn, & Sophia at Great-Grandma Lois Stewart's house

The new game...peekaboo where Addelyn is the one that "hides."

She loves Daddy's hats!

Grandpa Dar and Grandma Kathy

Awww...the whole crew!

Trae Thomas Hoskinson

Born November 10, 2008