The Ai-owl-lo Nest

Now that the holidays have come to an end, I am feeling the aftermath of a Holiday Hangover. The snow has melted, people seem to have lost their Holiday cheer, the Starbucks cups have gone back to being plain white and green instead of the festive red and green, and our decorations are getting packed up. That's right...We even have some decorations up still in our house and to be honest, I will be sad to see it all go because that means it is really over. :( Seeing the holidays through a child's eyes really is just magical. Watching Arden experience Christmas for the first time was like re-living it all over again myself. Arden met Santa for the first time and did not even cry!!

We even had a White Day-After-Christmas Christmas! We got around 10 inches of snow and it was so beautiful!!! Arden loved to look out this window and she just squealed in wonderment as the snow fell.

She loved opening her gifts and even though she did not fully grasp the concept and liked the wrapping paper better than any gift that was beneath it, it was a new experience that we got to share with her. She will never have another first Christmas and that saddens me. I know next year will be even better and she will want to track Santa and leaving milk ad cookies will be fun, but this has been such a fun year! We went to three wonderful Christmases and we felt so grateful and blessed to be surrounded by such love.

Arden got to meet and play with Aricelli & Elianna!

Best re-gift ever: Starbucks!!

Arden loves the snow!!!

Arden met Mark & Jill!!

Arden & Chase!

Arden was the most amazing gift we received this year and I can't help but be a bit nostalgic thinking back to last year at this time. It was when we told the world we were expecting a little package.

So much has happened in one year and our lives would not be the same without Arden. She adds such happiness and adventure. I cannot wait to see what the future brings and I guess if this year was so amazing, next year can only get better right? Alright...hangover cured. :)

Happy 6 months to our spunky little monkey!

I cannot believe that she is 6 months old, but I also cannot believe she is only that old since she feels like she has been in our lives so much longer. Arden is 26 inches (50th percentile) and 17.5 pounds (75th percentile). She also must have a small little noggin' because it is only in the 25th percentile, but it has always been that small apparently. I joked that most of that was hair! She has truly changed so much over the past month. Just this morning I looked at her and did not know whether to smile or cry because she LOOKED so much bigger! Her face has matured and her smile seems so sincere. She is such a happy girl and every single smile and laugh melts my heart. As I was putting laundry away today, we played peek-a-boo over a large pile of laundry and she was laughing like crazy! I try to stay on-the-go, but sometimes those simple memories when we spend the day at home or playing in bed with her toys and her puppy are the best. Well, playing with the puppy involves Arden army crawling over to Lola and Lola trying to escape. I don't blame her! Those fists of tail hair I have had to pull out I am sure have gotten to Lo, but she is the best puppy we could ever ask for!

Arden has mastered rolling front to back on both sides. Now she won't stop! I am thinking the baby proofing needs to happen sooner rather than later. A diaper change is now pretty difficult since she is rolling around the whole time and even pulling herself up from the side of the changing table. We like to go to the basement, roll out a rug, and play with her while she rolls around and plays with her toys. I love those little family moments!

She still refuses a bottle, but will drink from a sippy cup now which is super nice that we have found an alternative!

She also has gotten her first tooth!!! See!! Every morning she puts her finger in her mouth to make sure it is still there. :)

She also sits up by herself now! I am still amazed by this because she was doing it effortlessly all of a sudden one day. She amazes me every single day. Whether it is the giggles I get when she "gets" what is going on or the little talks we have. She rolls over, looks at me, and just starts to have little conversations with me. I feel like she understands what I am saying or I would like to think she does, so don't wreck my confidence. ;-) She has so much personality and it really makes me feel good when other people see that. She is changing and growing every day, but I could not be more proud of the little person she is becoming.