My Birthday

I had a great birthday this year!  First we got to go out to Bear Creek camp for our Stake Pioneer Day celebration.  It is some land that the church owns about 20 minutes from us.  This is where they have girl's camp each year for multiple stakes and they have lots of "cabins."  Recently a lodge was finished there, so we had lunch and played games and (obviously!!!) had a few treats!

Then Ben, Emily and Tate came up to Ames for a visit.  They brought TONS of food and cooked us steaks for dinner.  They even brought a cake.  I was spoiled! :)

Water FUN!

Did I mention how much we LOVE our backyard?!?!  It really is great!  Here is some of the fun we had in our backyard over the summer with Aunt Josie and our neighbor Kate.

Meeting New People

We had lots of visitors during Emma's first month.  She sure loved meeting all of her family!!!

First up, Emma with Great-grandma Pat and Grandpa Todd.

 

Cousin Calvin is a pro baby holder!

 Aunt Tiff and Cousin Cameron

 

 Grandma Pam and Aunt Josie

 Cousin Tate!

First Bath

Emma didn't mind her first real bath...and daddy had plenty of help!

Zoo with Daddy and cousins

In those first few weeks with Emma Nate had a continuing education class in Des Moines.  He took the older girls with him and Aunt Tiff watched them for part of the day (thank you, Tiff!) and then Nate met up with Uncle Dan and the cousins at the zoo.

Matching Girls

My beautiful...and silly...matching girls! The girls love getting packages from "Grandma" Brenda....and mom loves all of the great matching outfits she has sent! Thank you, thank you!!!

 

 

 

Emma's first 2 weeks

The first few weeks with a new baby are always a little bit crazy!  Trying to adjust to having a new baby and their schedule while also caring for other kiddos it tricky! The first few weeks of nursing is just HARD for me.  Once I make it through the first 2 weeks everything starts to improve and I'm glad I stick it out, but OUCH! It worked out so well to have my mom here when Miss Emma arrived to help with the older girls and then when we came home.  Emma's big sisters sure love their new baby...and so do mom and dad!

My pretty flowers

Matching PJ for their stuffed animals!

We LOVED having grandma here!

10 Days old