BIG Giggles from Baby Girl

Lillian giggles so hard when she's playing with her daddy!  Melts my heart :) 

Not Ready

We thought we'd test out the next size carseat for Lillian....clearly she has some growing to do before her brother comes along! 

Layla spends her birthday in Colorado!

We were able to celebrate Lillian's actual 1st birthday with her cousins, Johnny & Layla, Aunt Cathy and Grandma Kerschen here in Colorado!  They flew in on May 9th and stayed through Mother's Day & Layla's birthday on May 13th.  What a treat to spend such momentous occasions with family we don't get to see often enough!  Grandma and Opa Hanou overlapped their visit by one day, which meant we had the quite the 3rd birthday party for Layla and a memorable 1st Mother's Day for Courtney.  We enjoyed dips in the Hotel pool, trips to the Children's Museum, Bass Outdoor World and the Aquarium and lots and lots of backyard time at our house.  This vacation was all about the kids!

We laid out a blanket for the "babies" and all the kids flocked to it!

I wish I had more kid friendly chores, they were BEGGING for more corn to shuck when they finished!

Lillian continues to love playing ball, luckily that's right up Johnny's alley too!

Grandma Kerschen gave Lillian a cool new Ybike....she can use it as a walker or ride it (as soon as her feet can touch the ground!)

Kids eat so well when they get to eat outside together!

Telling ghost stories by Uncle Mike's campfire.

Teaching Lillian good habits!

Johnny & Layla to our rescue at the Children's Museum!

Holden playing teacher with the younger kids, she had them all raising their hands to speak in turn!

Feeding the stingrays at the Aquarium.

Lillian showing no fear!  Let me at 'em Dad!

Checking out the Trout pond at Bass Outdoor World, pay no attention to the bear above them!

Grandma reads the best stories

What's a 3rd birthday without a bump to the noggin?  The chair lift swing tried to do her in!

Layla knows all her letters! 

What's a family get together without a little rough housing with Uncle Mike?

Lillian at One Year!

 

What a year it's been!  We can't remember a time when Lillian wasn't in our lives and thank God every day she is!  Mike always tells her, "Lily, you're so great, we want 10 more just like you!".  (Well that's good - cause we're having another in less than 4 months!)  At this 1 year milestone - Mike and I want to take the time to list our favorite things about Lillian:

• You have an adorable "sit & spin" move you do - while sitting on the floor, you shuffle yourself around in a complete 360 by using the balls of your feet.
• As soon as you hear music of any kind, you smirk and start bouncing up and down....sometimes even when there isn't any music playing, if I ask you to dance, you start bobbing up and down!
• When you're hungry, you smack your lips together over and over.  We get the point quickly!
• When you're full, you make the sign for "all done" by turning both of your hands upside down, to our surprise you started saying "All Done" quite clearly about 3 weeks ago.
• You have the sweetest giggle.....we'll do almost anything to hear it! I have to record it soon!
• You love to play peak-a-boo, you crawl around the coffee table or just outside the room and peak back around to see if we're watching....and when we peak around at you...you giggle and squeel so loud!
• You give the sweetest open mouth kisses, minus the slimy tongue so many kids give!
• When you want to go outside and see the chickens, you say Bok, Bok, Bok and point to the backyard.  We say, "do you want to go see the Bok Boks?"  And you get real excited!
• And finally, you love your snuggle blankets! Y ou will sleep anywhere, anytime as long as you have one of your blankets to snuggle with.  You search and search until you have a corner of the blanket in both hands. 

Feliz Cumpleanos Lillian!

We jumped the gun and celebrated Lillian's first birthday this weekend....Mexican Style!  We had a Cinco de Mayo party for her.....and 35 of our closest friends!  There were 5 pregnant women and 16 kids under the age of 5 here....our lives are only going to get more fun over the next few years. 

Getting Ready for the party - Lillian slept 12 hours the night before and took 2 two hour naps!  She was READY!

Daddy hung her birthday present just in time - all the babies took turns breaking in the new swing!

Zane & Sarah came over for dinner earlier in the week....the kids had more fun playing with kitchen utensils than the tons and tons of real toys we have! 

Lillian and Netta are both turning 1 in May...it's been so fun comparing their milestones over the past year. 

Lillian, Holden and Hunter......she loves learning from the big girls!

Lillian's still a little too young for her rocking giraffe but McKenna loved riding it!

Poor Holden tried so hard to get a picture of her and the birthday girl in their coordinating dresses, Lillian was more interested in "walking" than posing for a picture!

Lillian and Kellen are also close in age, this little table is a favorite for both of them!

Finally, cake time!

I'm not sure which she liked better:  the cake or having a backyard full of people singing to her.  Both produced big smiles and clapping!

Lillian's 1st Spring Break

Severin and Colleen shared their time share in the Cayman Islands with us and gave their niece Lillian her first glimpse of the ocean.  The Caymans white sand beaches and bright blue water will spoil other beaches for her...nothing else will compare to their beauty!

We were joined by my Mom and Dad, Colleens parents and her three siblings.  Eleven adults doted on Lillian for a week, we left on vacation with our baby and came home with a pre-toddler!  

Watch Grandma....I've never climbed up stairs before, this is great! 

Show me where this piece goes, Uncle Severin.

Can you teach me to play that thing Steve?

All these grown ups and no kids...humph

Swimming takes a lot out of me!

I like the blue iguana but I miss my pets at home, the dogs and chickens are more fun!

I could walk all day with your help Grandma!

Geez Opa!  It's a good thing Great Grandpa's not here....you know he only likes Bud Light Bottles!

Loving the island music!

Cool like Daddy

Beach Beauties

Tuckered out!

Family photo at the Botanic Gardens...all 4 of us!

Paradise! 

What do you mean the vacations over!