Visit from Gramma and Grammy

The day after my parents left, Jeff's Mom and Grammy came to visit. We had such a great time together! Grammy had not been able to meet Haven yet so we were so thankful it worked out for her to come with Jeff's Mom!

Although Haven was still dealing with separation anxiety when they first arrived, she moved out of that phase about half way through their trip. So thankful we're past that phase...at least for now! :-)

Grammy with Haven

Gramma with Haven

Addysen loves these Read Aloud Bible Stories...and she wants the same one or two read over and over. They also make for great stalling techniques at night when it's time for bed. How do you say no to "Another Bible story??" :-)

Gramma and Grammy got Addysen a new tent while they were here. She loves it! She has been asking every day to either Jeff or I if we want to come play in her tent with her.

Notice the tent in the background...Grammy and Addysen's "game" was to put all the stuffed animals in the tent and they would count them. There were 42. Yes, a little ridiculous that we had that many stuffed animals downstairs. Now go back to my previous comment that she asks Jeff or I to go in the tent all the time now...that's in the tent with all 42 animals as well...we're a little tight on space in there. :-)

4 Generations

Play dough

Popcorn party with Gramma...one of Addysen's favorite things to do...make popcorn and watch a video (Boz/Veggie Tales)!

Thank you so much, Mom and Grammy, for making the effort to be here with us! We loved having you here and it means so much to us how much love you pour out on the girls and your investment in their lives! We love you and will look forward to next time we're together!

Papa and Yia Yia Visit

Despite not living in Phoenix anymore where visitors often come in the winter, this January and February we have several visitors to Virginia! Starting off the visits were my parents who came a couple weeks ago. Despite arriving 2 days later than planned due to flights canceled because of bad weather, we made the most of their time here and were so thankful they eventually made it here!!

As always, my Dad has a list of things to fix around the house...regardless of where we live! This time he put up a gate at the top of our stairs, put together our bedroom set, cleaned out drains, put hooks on the back of bathroom doors...just to name a few! Nice to have a handy Dad!

My Mom has a game on her I Phone called angry birds that Addysen loved playing with her Yia Yia!

My parents got Addysen an "old school" Mickey Mouse video with old short videos which have been remade. Addysen of course loved it...her favorite being a Goofy video that she laughs really hard at when she watches it...which makes everyone else laugh!

We all had to get our adjustments in...

Unfortunately, Haven started a phase of major separation anxiety a few days before my parents got here...so this was about as close as they could get to her (below) without her getting upset. Nice timing... :-(

Papa and Yia Yia got Addysen her first piggy bank and she LOVES it! She cleaned Papa and Yia Yia out of all coins and asks for coins from us all the time now!

Papa made Addysen a bunch of animal balloons

Thank you so much for being here, Mom and Dad! We had such a great time with you and appreciate all you did for us while you were here and for the time you invested in the girls! We look forward to the next time we can all be together again!! We love you!

Sitting and Talking

Last week (January 17th - just over 7 months), Haven started sitting up on her own!! She is very proud of herself...and we're so proud of our sweet girl too!!

Then a couple days later (January 20th), Haven said her first word...Dada! It was absolutely precious...Jeff was holding her and I asked her to say it (she had been saying "da") and in this sweet high little voice she said "Dada." I think Jeff's heart melted right then and there. :-) The next day she started saying Mama too! I realize she may not have her new found words totally associated with Jeff and I, but regardless, there's nothing like hearing that sweet voice say Mama and Dada!

Here's our baby girl sitting on her own...

She's pretty excited to be sitting on her own like a big girl! :-)