Baby's First Year

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Big girl car seat!

Lyla turns 1 next week so we got her new car seat and turned her forward-facing! Poor thing was so cramped in the rear-facing seat. Now she has room to kick up her heels! She loves riding like a big girl and being able to see Mommy!

Kristi & Ryan's Wedding

Last weekend we went to Chicago for my friend Kristi's wedding. She was truly the most beautiful bride and everything was just perfect! We wish them happiness and love forever! Congratulations!!!

The happy couple


So pretty and yummy!

Award for Best looking table

Me & Kristi

Alpha, Easy, Freaky and G-ROC. I love you girls!

Happy 7 year Anniversary to us!

It's been 7 years since our wedding day! It's incredible the changes our lives have gone through in that time! One thing that has stayed the same is our love for each other and our commitment to keeping our marriage happy and strong. Cheers to us!

Cotton Candy Cutie

Here are the series of pics of Lyla getting her first taste of cotton candy! Sweet!

Ankeny Summerfest

I took Avery & Lyla to Ankeny Summerfest on Friday and it was SO HOT! We got there right at 5:00 when the carnival opened so we didn't have to wait in any lines or deal with a crowd. Crowded carnival and double stroller do not mix! Anyway, here are the pics of Avery having fun on the kiddie rides.

Bath Fun!

Lyla in the "waterfall"
Big Sis helps out!
Playing with the bath paper dolls
Rinse those curls!
Tea anyone?

Hail to the Chief (Resident)!

Finally! Brian has begun his 5th and final year of surgery residency! As of July 1st he is Chief Resident, along with the 2 other Seniors. It has been a hard 4 years, and this year won't be much easier, but I am SO PROUD of my Hubby. Here are a few pictures from after the Grad Banquet, Good times!

The Chiefs!
The fabulous Wives of the Chiefs
The beautiful women who love the Surgery Residents!

Happy 4th of July!

Gramma & Grampa were here for the weekend and we went to the parade which was a huge fiasco. Mean, big kids were pushing and grabbing for that crappy parade candy and made Avery so upset! But look at how pretty she was before it started! :)

Des Moines Arts Festival

Here are some pics of the Masterpieces created by Avery at the Des Moines Arts Festival 2008. She is so creative! I know these are priceless, at least to me :)

Ankeny Splash Park

Yesterday was our first trip to the Ankeny Splash Park this summer, and they have a new, awful, fire hose sprayer. Look at the delight on Avery's face when she saw it. Kids were spraying everyone with it and it sprays right near the baby area. Real smart, Ankeny Park & Rec. Lyla loves water, but was a little annoyed when some dared to spray near her face!

Baby Surgery

Lyla had her eye surgery to open her tear ducts today and everything went great! She was getting pretty hungry since she couldn't eat after midnight and her surgery wasn't until 9 AM. Seeing her waking up from the anesthesia was sad. She had blood coming from her little eyes and nose and she was so disoriented, and hungry. My poor little thing. But how adorable is she in the hospital issued surgery jammies and socks?

Fun at Ashby Park

Today Ashley, Carrie, Katie, Erin, and I took all the kids to Ashby Park wading pool. Keaton and Lyla were the only ones who could sit still long enough for pictures! They're not quite as mobile :) The big kids were having such a blast splashing, spraying, and "swimming" in the cold water!
Lyla & Keaton
Bikini baby!

Summer Fun!

Avery, Lyla and Kate playing in the splash pool out on our deck.

Des Moines Flood 2008

We are experiencing incredible flooding throughout Iowa and they just evacuated downtown Des Moines. Luckily we're in a North suburb and not near the river so we're safe. I took the girls downtown yesterday so Avery could see the river. She now understands what all the grown ups are talking about when we talk about the flood. The 5 bridges have been closed for days, and the water is almost over them now. The pics may not look like much unless you live here and know what these places usually look like, but I assure you it's a bad scene downtown.

Simon Estes Amphitheater & Bridge at typical river level


Simon Estes Amphitheater yesterday



Court Avenue Bridge yesterday. Typically you see boats passing under these archways and today I saw on the news that they are completely under water.

Our new babies!

We have 4 baby robins under our deck and they're so ugly that they're cute. They just hatched over the weekend and Avery has named them Baby Lyla, Avery, Chirpy Boy and Nick Jr. !

Dancing Queen

Avery's doing a summer dance program through the Park District and boy does she have some moves! The first class did not go well, she was the wildest one of the group, but this week was so much better! It's so cute to watch her learn that there is more to dancing than shaking her bootie, which she does quite well :)

Family Fun Night

Last night we went to Family fun night at Jordan Creek Town Center. Avery had a blast on the slide and bounce house and she even got to "fly" the Mercy One helicopter! She also got her face painted like a green kitty ~ Meeeow!
Mercy One Pilot
Green Kitty
Wheeee!

CRAZY CHICAGO WEEKEND!

I was lucky enough to get another weekend trip all to myself! Brian took the whole weekend off and got some real Daddy time with the girls and I had an amazing time with my friends in Chicago. Friday night at the Goose Island Pub, Saturday boating and a bachelorette party! One of the best Girls' Weekends ever.

Stacia & I at Goose Island

The Boating Babes & Captain John

Lake Michigan Ladies

Me & The Bachelorette, Kristi

Bachelorette Bash at Martini Park