We went hiking this past weekend, up Adam's Canyon, which is about ten minutes from our house. It was the first hike Addie had ever been on, and we were so excited to try out her hiking backpack that my parents gave Jaron for his birthday last year. Adelynn did amazing. She never cried, she actually never even fussed. She was able to nap some, didn't pull Jaron's hair, and was able to stay somewhat warm the whole time. And all this is especially amazing because what we thought was a 3 or 4 mile hike was actually a 7 mile hike. But it was very fun, and we loved the backpack!

It was very cold. We actually didn't do the whole hike because the path turned into ice, literally. We could physically go no further. We watched this guy brave the path and he quickly came sliding back down. We wrapped Jaron's jacked around Addie like a scarf. All you could see was her little face poking out. So cute.

I fed Addie cherrios for part of it, and Jaron says that was his favorite part because he could hear Addie going "num, num" in his ear. That's what she does now when she think something is especially delicious.

Overall it was a very fun hike!! The backpack was a hit, and Addie was so impressive, we are so proud of her.



Addie can feed herself with a fork!! It is so darling! If you slide some food on it, she will put in her mouth and then hold the fork back to you for more!

Adelynn updates:
-She is nine months old now, turned that on Monday. It's insane how fast the time has gone.
-We are doing better on sippy cups. She is also more willing to feed herself a bottle too. We're working on this independence thing
-She says "num num num" when she likes what she's eating. We don't know where she got it from, none of us taught her that, but it is so cute! She also bangs her hands on her tray when she wants more. And grunts and grunts and grunts. She is very impatient.
-She loves to be walked around. She has also taken a few independent steps between mom and dad. We were all going crazy. Won't be long now until she's walking all over by herself.
-Night time has greatly improved. It is like night and day difference. It's funny, want to know what the trick was? A stuffed animal. She just wants something to cuddle in the night! And we were doing everything in every baby book, everything online, everything the doctor said, everything we've ever heard, and nothing was working! Then one desperate night I threw in her stuffed monkey and she didn't wake us the rest of the night!! I still keep shaking my head, because that is all it took. And everything we've ever read or heard tells us NOT to put anything in her bed with her because it can be a smothering hazard. Well, I think a small, tag-less, stuffed animal is worth the risk, especially if she is starting to sleep through the night. And mind you this is the 9 month old who is almost walking and already trying to climb out of her crib. I think she's strong enough to pull the animal off her face if she can't breathe.
-She discovered grass for the first time this week. It's finally getting warm enough here to take her outside. She thought it was the coolest thing in the world, and kept trying to eat it. She would pat pat it, discovering the texture. She also loved walking on and it and feeling it with her toes. That's my girl, loving the feel of grass on my bare feet.
-She loves bubbles. She's not quite sure what to do with them, but she follows them with her eyes and tries to catch them, though most of the time they are out of her reach.
-She dances to music. It is so darling.
-She can shake her head and clap her hands and dance at the same time. I'm very impressed, because I'm pretty sure I can't do that.
-She crosses her feet all the time, and has been doing it since birth. I'm sure you've seen it in the pictures I've posted. It is so darling and gets us every time.

Crazy Hansen update: This whole moving to Ohio thing is starting to seem more and more real to us everyday. We are looking at houses, thinking about parking pass at the University (that's a no, $800 a year!!), planning the move up there, who we are going to ask to pack the truck...it's crazy. Addie is growing older and we are going to medical school. Since when was a college graduated married (almost) military medical school wife with a 9 month old girl? I don't know either.