Sledding Fun

Sadie got this fantastic red sled from her Aunt Angie for her 1st birthday and we took her out sledding last Sunday. She LOVES it! She was also very excited to just sit in her sled and eat the snow. It's amazing what little ones find fascinating.

We walked up to the very small sledding hill at the elementary school and she went down the hill!

Sadie's sled and Daddy's sled

Yummy snow... watch out for the yellow stuff!

At the sledding hill with mom. She's checking out the hill and wondering what is going to happen next!

down the hill she goes! Okay, no need to worry because this 'hill' was very very small and perfect size for our first time sledder. She had a blast. Although I think she was more intrigued by eating the snow, but all in all it was a fantastic time!

Happy 1st Birthday Sadie!

happy birthday our little Sadie

I think I am still trying to come to terms that my little baby just turned ONE!

It honestly seems like yesterday that Kurt and I were heading to the hospital with so much anticipation, that I pushed for an hour and she came flying out, that Kurt announced that we had a girl, that Sadie laid on my chest all tiny and perfect looking up at me, that Kurt changed all of her diapers in the hospital, that I was throwing up and pulling the emergency cord in the bathroom, that we were getting about an hour of sleep before either the nurses or Sadie woke us up, that we were swaddling and cuddling with her and just looking at her for hours on end. Yes, these are the things we were doing this time last year! 

Sadie has had a really amazing 1st year on earth and is one happy, beautiful, social butterfly. We are truly blessed she is in our lives!

Thanks for all of your warm birthday wishes.

Pretty girl in her birthday party dress

Yummy cake

Hmmm, not really sure about this cake??? It's pretty sweet and yummy!

Don't worry, we won't take your cake away.

Connor was making her crack-up by singing 'rudolph' and Sadie wanted to be close to Grandma J

Kimberly and Uncle Eric

The grandpas!

Ready to go sledding (well, maybe she'll need to change out of her pretty dress). Thanks Auntie Angie for the awesome red sled!

Sadie was so lucky that she got 2 birthday parties! Sadie and her cousin Adam celebrated their first birthdays together when Lisa, Mike, and the boys were down from the UP. 

All the cousins playing together - Luke, Kyle, Adam, and Sadie

Sadie got an adorable tutu from the Mikkola's and she is giving Adam a big hug for the gift!

CAKE!

Is it Party Time... No, it's Potty Time!

Who is ready to 'POTTY'... Well, Sadie is!

About a month ago I tried putting Sadie on the potty after she got up from her nap and she actually went pee and poop... oh my goodness did we have a celebration! I thought it was a fluke, but every time I put her on the potty she would go pee (and sometimes poop).

She LOVES it and claps when she goes and waves bye bye when we flush.

Of course she has her own cushioned, purple handled potty (fits right over our big potty) and she will cross her legs, play with the toilet paper, and peep right when she sits on it. 

Sadie is pretty AWESOME!

Just some cute pictures

Sadie loves to get into the fridge - she usually ends up on the floor gnawing on the bottle of mustard. 

Hey, look at my two bottom teeth!

Our little pointer - she is pointing at everything.

helping me rake the leaves... 

and then finally playing in the leaves!

Halloweeeeeeeeen

We had such a great Halloween day with our little monkey!

Here we are getting ready to go out an trick or treat.

Going around the neighborhood with our buddies Will and Avery (our neighbor's kiddos)

Kurt had the day off, so we got to hang out as a family ALL DAY!!!! We went to swim class together and Kurt almost drowned (he lost his footing in the shallow end)... yes, quite hilarious since he is a giant! Sadie does great in swim class and LOVES the water.

Kurt's folks, Eric, and Kimberly came over and we feasted on chili and drank some spiked cider. Since Sadie is too little to understand the concept of getting candy from strangers, we visited the houses of folks we know. 

Grandma Johnson gave Sadie a little pumpkin just her size and she loved to try to eat it. 

We ended the night with a bonfire and some beers with friends. What a fantastic day!

A Beautiful (and Busy) Fall Day in Michigan

Today was an absolutely beautiful day and a very busy one, too. We started the morning off at a local bakery with yummy coffee and pastries (for mom) and lovely conversation, then we had our friends over for playgroup, and finally headed to Meijer Gardens for a walk and some fantastic photo ops with the gigantic pumpkins. Whew, in between all that there were naps, too!

Hmmm, I think Sadie is ready to go outside. She loves standing at our front door and when Kurt comes home from work, he'll make funny faces at her on the other side and she'll crack up. 

We love going to our playgroups and hanging out with all the kiddos and moms. My new friends are fabulous and it wouldn't be the same around here with out them!

Kendal as a tiger, Sadie our little monkey, and Elle the spider. Can they get any cuter?

Okay, so this shot wasn't from today, but I had to post it on here. This is from our larger Monday playgroup. How adorable are these little ones (and their mama's, too)! This shot was almost impossible to get, but fun trying.

Here are some fun pictures of Sadie hanging out with the huge pumpkins at Farm Garden. They have the best pumpkin patch! She has been pointing at everything... the light, mama, dada, pumpkins, birdies, the sky... it's pretty darn cute. 

We then found this neat structure that housed some old husks of corn. It was fun to sit and play in here and had some really fun light coming through.

Hangin' out by the barn. This lady LOVES to stand - she'll pull herself up on everything. I think she'll be walking soon...

Our last stop was in the Michigan Shade Garden. This spot is just so magical and peaceful. It's pretty amazing that this is in the middle of Grand Rapids. 

The first picture is sadie looking up to the sky 'singing' twinkle twinkle little star'. We sing this in swim class and the bath when she floats on her back and she has started 'singing' along with us. It is the cutest thing - when she sings, she looks up like she is trying to lay back and float on her back. 

The next picture - you can see her two bottom teeth. She is still teething and we think she'll get her two top teeth next. 

Enjoy the rest of this gorgeous fall weather because next up is snow... Hugs from the Devlaeminck's!