12 Months

Abby is 12 (almost 13) months old! We have spent the last year gushing over her cuteness, and now that she is growing and learning so much, we gush even more. 

At 12 months old, Abby:

• sings along with the songs at church or when someone is singing at home. 
• dances and "jumps" by bouncing with her knees.
• says "buh!" and waves when she senses that Chris is going to work or that it might be time to go outside. 
• gets excited to rock in the rocking chair for her naps.
• loves to read. She is often holding a book up asking someone to read to her. 
• weighs 24 pounds 13 ounces and is 32 inches long. 
• had two teeth (for most of the month - her third broke through last week). 
• is such a cheerful, easy-going baby. She is such a little joy. ❤

50 Miles!

Natalie and Emma both recently earned their 50 mile shirts in SWAG (Swather Walkers Achieving Greatness)! The necklaces they're wearing hold a token for every five miles they have run. They run around the playground at recess, and they both run at a pace that gets them between 2 and 3 miles every day. I am quite certain that I have never run 50 miles in my entire life. Chris says they must get their long distance prowess from him :)

Outside!

Abby gets so excited when I put her shoes on because she knows she's going outside!

Spring Break!

We took a trip to Manhattan at the beginning of the kids' spring break. We rented a lake house with a stunning 180 degree view of Tuttle Creek Lake, and we all agree that hanging out at the lake house was the best part of our trip. We played inside and out - foosball, puzzles, hiking, yard games; it was so relaxing. It was also really nice to be able to spread out over three bedrooms instead of one hotel room!

After spending a day at the house, we spent the next day hopping around to some of our favorite spots in Manhattan. We ate at Varsity Donuts and walked around campus. Our favorite stop was the new St. Isidore's. We were blown away by the beauty of the new church and the size of the new student center! No pictures of St. Isidore's this time, but we'll definitely be back! Natalie and Max are already planning on hanging out there when they're in college :)

We ended our day at the zoo followed by a trip back to campus for Call Hall ice cream!

Our last stop was Early Edition for breakfast on our way out of town the next day. We had the best time and can't wait to go back!

Drawing

Last Weekend

We spent last Saturday in Yates Center and had a lot of fun at the city park, then we spent Sunday evening at a park in Hesston. We're ready for spring!

Abigail is 1!

No one here knows how Abigail is already one year old! This past year went so fast, and we enjoyed every bit of it. We all love this sweet little toddler that she is turning out to be, but we all agree that she will still be our baby for quite some time!