I'm Back!

I'm back from my blogging hiatus!  In the nearly six years since I started this blog, I don't think I have ever gone such a long time without posting.  Truth is, over the last three months since Adam has been the bishop, it's just about all I can do to keep my head above water.  If I had to sum up the last few months in a single word, it would undoubtedly be "overwhelming."  But we have had several important events over the last couple months, too.  During the two months between April 16 and June 16, 4 of us in our family have birthdays.  Matt graduated high school (and should be getting a mission call THIS WEEK!!!), Annie took her first steps, Ty graduated from kindergarten, I ran a PR half marathon, and we spent some time at a dude ranch in Southern Utah.  So I'm even feeling a little overwhelmed about catching up on all that!  But I have to start somewhere, so here goes.
I guess I'll begin with Annie's birthday, which was yesterday.  As it happened, her first birthday fell on Father's Day, so she and Adam got to share their special day together.  After being in Utah all week, we just kept things pretty low-key.  I made her some pink cupcakes, which she LOVED!  And then we opened presents and hung out with our family.

She had blueberries and scrambled eggs for breakfast--2 of her favorites!

All ready for church in her new birthdy dress

It's blurry, but so cute!

Birthday cupcake

That cupcake didn't stand a chance!

Yum!

Getting hosed down after the cupcake

Present Time!

She loved ripping the paper

And she loved the doll Ty chose for her.  

And here's one of McKay, well, just being McKay

All About Annie at Age One:

• She's still my smallest baby and my baldest baby.  Her hair is finally starting to sprout some, but it's so fair that she still looks extremely bald.  
• She can walk, but needs a pretty good incentive to.  She is not a risk taker at all--she keeps a hand on the couch, wall, table, etc. whenever she can.  But she has walked a good 7 or 8 steps at a time without holding on to anything.
• She's very attached to me.  Often she won't let anyone else hold her if I am in the room.
• She also adores McKay.  I can't tell you how fun it is to watch the two of them interact!
• She can say several words, but it seems like as soon as she learns a new one, she stops saying one of the old ones!  These are the words she says or has said in the past:  bye-bye, ball, mama, uh-oh, baby, thank you, no, mmm-hmm.  She also signs "please" when she wants a bottle, nods her head "yes," and shakes it "no," and can wave "hi" and "bye."
• She has a pretty mellow temperment overall.  But when you make her mad, oh baby, watch out!  She does this whole body shake thing and screams "Na, na, na, na!"  (Which means no.)  It's kind of hilarious.  
• She definetly has a strong sense of agency.  She does NOT like to be told what to do.
• She is an absolute pleasure to have in our family.  I always thought we would only have boys, and honestly, I really thought I was ok with that.  I can't say enough how much I LOVE having a little girl.  We just adore her!