Della - the other 1/2

OI was informed tonight that the emails sent out automatically didn't show the full post.  To see Della's 1/2 please visit the blog at http://michaelsenbabylove.blogspot.com/2016/09/1-year-old.html?m=1. 

And scroll or click to the 9/8/2016 post.  

Sorry!

Will you forgive me if I show a few birthdays pics?

Birthday lunch at Noodles & Co

We found Jax's first Royals hat and she wouldn't take it off (without putting it right back on)

Okay...  Click the link.  Here it is again. http://michaelsenbabylove.blogspot.com/2016/09/1-year-old.html?m=1

1 year old!

I know it's been way too long.  This dynamic duo has grown SO much since my last post.  Particularly the little one!

Jax started pre-k this week.  Big kid on campus!  It's bittersweet knowing its his last year at St. Paul's.  The friends he's made there are so wonderful.  I love that he has such a great group of friends already.  He enjoys school so much.  Even on the rough mornings he just whines that school makes him have "too much fun."

 After school we made a special trip to Scheels to get a bike.  He was eager to go ride the ferris wheel, but it wasn't until he got to ride the bike around the store that he got really excited about it!

Both sporting their new rides

yeah, he crashed.  he was pretty certain he'd never ride again, but he changed his tune.

Okay, working backwards from Sept 2016 to January 2016 (where it appears I left off)
We had a great summer. 

Dancing with the polar bear at the zoo with friends

We got some wild new neighbors (that we just love beyond measure!)

We did some swimming

Learned some new family games (he's quite the domino player)

Watched some fireworks

and did some bowling (not nearly enough)

Made a couple of trips to Iowa to see family.

Watched Papa play the drums at SHRF Festival Jam

Those sticks are one of his most prized posessions!

Spent some time swimming at Nana & Papa's

Back to Iowa

caught fireflies with Grandpa

Jaxxon & Grandpa Tim on the cable car in Dubuque, IA

Are you wondering where all the pics of Della are?  They are coming.  I just didn't think it was necessary to reinvent the wheel. 

Jax played soccer again in the spring

Just in case you needed a reminder of what cool looks like...

its a dance, actually

Jax was my date to a couple of shows at the Stiefel Theater this year.  He sure knows how to treat a lady!

He got to go fishing with Papa and Uncle Matt & caught a BIG fish!

And a small one. 

Enjoying some of the first warm days of summer

sweet beautiful goof-ball

Love

enjoying the Museum at Prairie Fire

Breaking in a new chair and blanket with Baby Elephant

Okay, so at this point we are pretty caught up.  Now on to the birthday girl!  Happy HAPPY 1st birthday to my sweet Della Grace!  I didn't include a ton of her pics because it's pretty summed up in a video.  (I can hear the groans... you aren't fooling me).  Sorry - but I just didn't feel like doing the whole thing again in blog format.  If you don't want to watch you don't have to!  But the highlights (and then lots more) are all summed up if you feel like taking a break and watching.

https://youtu.be/FeErw2bF9rc

We had her birthday party last weekend and it was just a delightful afternoon with family.  It really could not have gone better!  Such a huge hug and thanks to everyone who joined us in celebrating this past year and this beautiful girl! Here's a bit of that day (and the next morning)

Nana delivered my birthday angels just in time to start the tradition again with Della.  I think I love them even more now than I did as a little girl (and I really loved them then)!

She ate a massive lunch and was stuffed by the time we got to cake... if you couldn't tell by her face.

at least at the first birthday it's helpful having big brothers & cousins to help!

the cutest singing & dancing elephant ever. 

new favorite walker

Riding in style!

When your tutu is too big to crawl you find another way to get around!

I don't know if she'll be a drummer or a twirler, but she was practicing (with Papa's sticks that he gave Jaxxon - see above)

 The next morning we did her smash cake pictures.  Turned out pretty good (not to toot my own horn ;)

showing off her add-a-pearl necklace.  It is even cuter on than I imagined!

the glitter didn't work as well as I'd hoped.  Too much of a breeze.  But she enjoyed it anyway.

you have time for one more video, right?  I mean, you've been here this long, what is a few more minutes?  It's just that it JUST happened last night...  https://youtu.be/zGKpYxw-x0c

Way to go Della!  We couldn't be prouder to be your parents!  Happy birthday sweet girl!