Ashlyn's First Steps

She started walking at 13 months. It was a proud moment for her and us.  We tried to get her to walk for about two months, but she didn't have any interest in it.  I guess she needed an audience, because she decided to take some steps when we had friends over for dinner one night.  With those steps came a few shoulder and hip shakes.  It was the cutest thing in the world!  Mike and I couldn't stop giggling.  

Now she is a pro and walks everywhere.  People always told me, "oh just wait until she is walking."  Don't you hate the "just wait" phrases?!? Well I actually prefer walking over crawling, because she doesn't trash her clothes, is more independent, can play with older kids, and I can take her to the park.  Sure walking has it drawbacks like how it is really more of a hassle to go out to dinner with her, because all she wants to do is explore.  Other than that I am loving it and so is she.

Ashlyn's 1 Year Photos

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

My friend, Michelle, is a very talented photographer so she offered to take Ashlyn's 1 year photos.  Michelle has a cute little 1 year old named Austin, so she came over and took his pictures as well.  She did such an amazing job.  They look like studio pictures even though they were taken in my living room. Mike and I weren't planning on being photographed, hence our chill clothes, but Michelle asked us if we wanted pictures of the three of us so we took her up on that offer.  We love these pictures of our little princess and will cherish them forever! Thanks Michelle!!!

Throwback...

Mike and me in high school.

Little did we know we would be together forever.

The latest with us.

Things have been pretty darn busy in the McCabe household. Ashlyn is keeping us on our toes now that she has learned to walk, and can just about destroy the entire house in 15 minutes flat.  Mike has been working really hard building is own company. He works at home and only has to leave when he has appointments. Although we love each other dearly and have enjoyed our time in our current apartment we are both anxiously awaiting our lease to be up in August, so we can move into a bigger, more permanent place. That way Mike can make one of the rooms into his office instead of the sofa or kitchen table.  I also decided to add another responsibility by getting a part time job at a gym close to our house.  When I say part time mean it- 5 hours a week!  Just enough to get Ashlyn and I free gym memberships and Mike's is discounted. I teach a few kids fitness classes along with gymnastics, cheer, and dance classes. It has been fun to combine two of my favorite things: teaching and working out.

It has been unusually snowy in Denver this year, and not only that but it has been sticking around too.  There are huge mountainous piles of snow all throughout our complex and they wont go away.  I think those awful Rexburg winters followed us here. Needless to say we are itching for Spring to get here!

Here are a few pictures and videos I took with my phone over the past 2 months.

She is obsessed with the dishwasher. Hopefully it stays that way while she lives under our roof! Ha! 

She has turned into quite the cuddler and we are LOVING it! 

Mike bought her three Oregon onesies (even though we knew we were having a girl) and he loves dressing her up for game days.  She was his lucky charm because Oregon won the Rose Bowl!

Ashlyn with her cousins Oliva and Jaxon

 

I love that open mouth smile of hers.  Such a happy girl.

 

Ashlyn making her "goi goi" sounds on her paci.


More goi goies.


Ashlyn reading to me.

Thank goodness for camera phones or else I would have missed many photo opportunities!

Jacob and Pierina came to visit!!!

(This is my favorite picture of all of us back in 2009 when they got married.)

We were more than thrilled to have some of our best friends, Jacob and Pierina, to come stay with us for a week.  It was so nice to spend some quality time together just hanging out, laughing, eating, exploring Denver, and staying up way too late.  Here are some pictures of the week's events.  We spent most of the time hanging out in our sweats, but when we went out we tried to document it with some pictures.

Side note*

Mike and I felt so bad because Jacob and P both got violently ill (12 hour bug of nausea, throw up and out the other end too.) I called it the lose-8-pounds-in-12-hours-diet.  We had this the week before and I sanitized the house like crazy but apparently not good enough.  So for a few days we stayed in the house so they could get better.  Lets just say our friendship reached whole new level. We are all very comfortable with each other now. Ha! 

Pierina, Lauren and me at Abo's Pizza.  Pierina is 24 weeks pregnant in this picture. Doesn't pregancy look so good on her?!?

We went to Emi's adorable baby shower together.  P helped me make cake pops for the shower.  She was such a big help.   Those darn cake pops are tricky!

Mike and Jacob. Two dads and a baby at the museum.

We went to the Denver Museum of Nature and Science and it just happened to be a free day. Lucky us!  We had a  blast checking out all of the exhibits.  Mike and I love going there because it brings back so many memories of going on field trips as a kids. 

Ashlyn LOVES Jacob and P. She followed them everywhere and loved all of the extra attention.  When they left she was having withdrawals for a few days.

Thanks soooooo much for coming to visit us!   We love you guys more than you know.  We can't wait for the next visit and hopefully this time it won't be a barf fest. 
Miss you already!!!

xoxo,
Mike, Les, and Ashlyn

Ashlyn's 1st Birthday

People told me how fast she would grow, but I didn't understand it until I blinked and it was time to celebrate the first year of her life. It is a bitter sweet feeling.  Bitter because she will never be that sweet little baby anymore. Sweet because she is growing and learning so much everyday and it is so fun to see her personality come out.

To celebrate we invited our friends and family to share this special day with us.  We are so lucky to have such great friends and family who have been there for us throughout the first year of Ashlyn's life.

 

 

 

 

 

Ashlyn was such a good birthday girl. She LOVED eating cake for the first time. I think she knew there was something special about the day. She was excited all day. When we sang "Happy Birthday" to her she had this look on her face like, "is all of this for me???" It was the cutest thing. 

Having Ashlyn in our lives has opened up a chamber in our hearts that we never knew existed.  We are so blessed to have her in our family.  Children are truly a gift, and we love the joys and challenges parenthood has brought to our lives.  It is by far the hardest thing we have ever done, but also has brought the most rewarding experiences life has to offer.

Thanks to all of you who came to celebrate with us!

Last week I got together with my two best friends, Steph and Raquel.  Steph's little baby, Jack, is such a sweet little boy and came out of the womb looking like Brad Pitt. I can't get enough of him. Raquel is going to have a baby girl this spring and we are so excited for her. I have been friends with Steph since the 3rd grade and friends with Raquel since the 7th grade. It is so fun to hang out like old times.  Raquel and I are crossing our fingers that Steph moves back so we can make these get togethers more frequent. 

When Mike and I were at my parents' house for Thanksgiving we were looking through my box of pictures from my younger years.  I would say that about 70% of my pictures are with Steph and Raquel. 

Here is one of those pictures.  Weren't we beauties?!?  (OK, we didn't look this bad ALL the time. It was Girls Camp so we were extra cute, me especially.)

Love you girls!