Finally an Update!

I am fully aware that I haven't updated this blog in a very long time...and I really had good intentions when I started!  So...hopefully after this post, I will start updating more frequently. Anyway, the last time I updated, Jade was almost 8 months.  Now, she is almost 1 year!  These last few months have especially flown by.  We are enjoying our little girl so much and it is amazing how much she is learning! I might have to do these posts in phases in order to catch up.

At the end of April when Jade was about 7 1/2 months, I took both Mark and Jade up to Epic's Spring Advisory Councils in Verona, WI which I attended for work.

They dropped me off the first day, and we were able to get in a quick picture before I headed off to the first session:

I've been up to Epic before, but this was the first time I took one of their tours!  This place is absolutely phenomenal.  So much thought went into their design.

The lighted tunnel where you can see how their software looked in the past:

 The massive spider sculpture:

The slide you can take from the 2nd floor to the 1st:

The "New York Subway" hallway:

While I was up at the conference, Mark took Jade on several hikes- which they both fully enjoyed!  Jade would sometimes fall asleep in her carrier because she was so exhausted.

Mark & Jade spent a lot of the time in the hotel and she was a happy little girl playing on the bed :)

In the evenings, we tried to go out to eat, but it was almost impossible because Jade was the squirmiest little baby and she kept throwing her toys and grabbing at our food!

We also did a little shopping, which included World Market...one of my favs.

Playing with Daddy on the bed:

 Curled up in Dad's coat:

After the conference, we swung by Wauwatosa and stayed with Shayne and Em for a couple days.

Walk around the neighborhood:

 Hanging out at the REI:

 Sweet, sweet Maddie:

 Mark, Shayne, and Em signed up for a 5K Bear Paws for the Cause run and here we are driving the way there:

 The runners!

Since I despise running, I hung out with these cuties:

 Shayne won a a blanket as a raffle prize:!

We also got to hit Chick-Fil-A and the beach!  It was a great time and we really enjoyed it.  And Em, maybe we should come back this fall when Shayne needs his Jeep Top put back on! haha :)

Sitting in the cart at Walmart for the very first time!

Being amused by (or possibly scared of) Grandpa Stoller:

8 months: making a mess at meal times.  Right around this time I stopped trying to give her baby food because she just hated it.  So I started giving her table food instead and she took to it like a champ!  

 She still loves being held by Dad on the treadmill (and don't worry, I make sure he is going at a very slow speed!):

She's 8 months, but still isn't crawling!  She is able to roll around and play though!

The month of May was beautiful and we spent a lot of time outside:

This picture totally cracks me up because Mark was saying to Jade, "Everything the light touches is our kingdom" (from the Lion King):

My baby sister is no longer a baby, but now a graduate of high school!  She was only 14 when we got married...how did she grow up so fast?

The original Fehr Family:

Just us kids.

8 1/2 months: able to pull herself up to standing position- still no crawling...

 I just find these next pictures adorable...

On a walk...my Mom thought she would be cold so she wrapped this scarf around her head :)

 8 1/2 months and she is waving and saying "Hiiiii" in this pic:

So here is a picture of this turtle that I heard scratching at the door one day...so crazy!  Not quite sure why he wanted in our house, but his little head popped up in that window when I was in the house.  I came out, and low and behold, a turtle!  He might have been a snapper too, so I made sure to only touch him with a stick.  Mark ended up taking him down to the nearest creek.

Enjoying a beautiful evening on the deck together while Jaders was sound asleep :)  Love this man!

After Jade learned to pull herself up, this was a frequent sight I saw when I tried to continuously put her down for her nap...she would not go to sleep...just stay up and stand and talk at her crib!  I think she was awfully proud of herself: 

Got to have a cute little butt picture!

A favorite of hers...playing in the tupperware drawer:

Teyden's Birthday...he's 2 now!  

And finally...the day of her 9 month pediatrician appointment...she started crawling!  This girl likes to do absolutely everything in her own time :)

And here are a few pictures of her 9 month photo shoot.  She is so stinkin cute.

Well that is the update of Jade until 9 months!  She is really a blessing to us, and though it is not always easy being parents (like early mornings and lack of freedom)...I still wouldn't change it for the world.  Check back soon for a 9-12 month post!