We're back!!!

Oh wow. It's been almost 5 months since I've updated this blog. Yikes. Since August 23 (my last post) SO much has happened.

1) We took a vacation to Hilton Head with Kirk's parents. Riley hated the ocean but loved the pool.

2) Kirk accepted the job as the Senior High Youth Director at Glen Ellyn Bible Church, so we packed up moved from North Carolina back to Chicagoland.

3) We moved into a townhouse in Wheaton (about 4 blocks away from my grandma!) and are still getting settled.

4) Riley started crawling at about 6 months old. She quickly became a speed demon! She was fast!

5) About 2 weeks after she started crawling, she pulled herself up to standing. That same week, she got her two bottom teeth.

6) Kirk's parents came to visit for Thanksgiving. Riley got spoiled - big time.

7) At 9 1/2 months old, Riley took her first steps. Within a few days, she was walking everywhere!

8) We celebrated Christmas with my family. Riley got spoiled - big time.


We are still working on getting settled in our new place, but are so thankful to be back in Chicago. It's so nice being near family and friends. Kirk loves his job at GEBC and has been really busy there. He has his winter retreat with the youth this upcoming weekend.

Riley and I are trying to keep busy and avoid the cabin fever that can set in during winter. Riley loves to sing, dance, blow kisses and pull all of our books and DVDs off the shelves. She is still working on eating solid foods...she gets about 10% of what we give her in her mouth, the rest is on the floor. She recently learned to blow kisses and gets on kicks where she'll go for several minutes doing nothing but blowing kisses. She also loves to sing. If you say "Riley. Sing!" she will (loudly) sing the one note she can hit. She also can't stop herself from dancing whenever she hears music. After just a few notes, she starts to shake her little butt. My favorite is when she'll do it while she's in my lap nursing!

I have been enjoying being near my good friends again (and closer to Minneapolis!) and am thankful to have my family near by. It's also so great to be back at GEBC (the church I grew up in) although it feels very "full circle" to be back there!

I'm getting back into a good routine so hopefully that will make me be better at updating this blog. And I'll start writing about things other than Riley...maybe. :o)