Iowa Comes to Us

Jason, Leah, Katie, Cami, and Oli came to visit us this weekend and it was oh, so fun!  Here are a few pictures of the kids playing with our couch pillows and at the St Louis Zoo.  A great perk of them coming...Leah made us some great Japaneese curry.

Nelli and Marlee

 

The girls enjoying Nelli's new music learning table.  Nelli and I have found some new friends.  We are loving hanging out with Meghann and Marlee.  The girls are 2 weeks apart and love playing together.  We all have so much fun!  We are so lucky to have met them! 

Happy Birfday Tay

We went out for steak burgers at the local "Steak and Shake" after Nelli fell asleep, then came home and had Taylor's favorite applesauce spice cake (Jana's recipe of course). 

Embracing Motherhood

Nelli's weaning herself off of my milk now that she's eating 3 fairly good meals a day and started using a sippy cup. She still nurses before naptime and bed. She talks for longer stretches of time and I LOVE it!  We've been reading a lot of  library books together and singing songs.

I love being a mom! I have now have embraced it, I know it took me long enough, but I did it and I'm loving it and her so much more.  Heavenly Father definantly knows what I need to be happy,  He helped me realize I was not letting Nelli in my heart.  I think I was scared to let her in.  Is that crazy or what?  This sweet, innocent, loving little girl needing my love and attention and I was scared to give her my whole heart.  Once I realized it I felt this faith come over me that I could do it.

I have to admit this move has been good for me.  Change has a way of getting me to do things I've been putting off or just wanted to do forever.  We're loving St. Louis with all the great people we live by and fun things to do!

Sally

So, we got some more fun car time in on our drive to see Jason, Leah, and the kids in Iowa City, who just moved into a great neighborhood and ward. And it's just four and a half hours away... kind of funny how now being so far from everyone, four and a half hours seems so close!  We'll definitely be going back there.

Nelli is loving stuffed animals now, especially this pink bunny that Sheila and Larry gave her. She is drawn to the music it plays when we pull it's tail. I asked Nelli what we should name her and she said, "sa." "Like sally?" I said. She then quickly said, "ya." So, the bunny's name is now Sally, whom we affectionately call Sa.

Also, another cute fact. When we had FHE last week we folded our arms dramatically to show Nelli what we do for prayers. She copied us!! Amazing! She's only 8 months old. It did only last for a split second, but still she amazed us. She's a good one. Yes, we will keep her =)

St Louis here we come

Silly time in the car

She thinks this neck pillow is so funny...
for some reason  =)

Taylor drove us most of the trip out here

Nabraska shot..wish I got more! It was a pretty drive
 (other than a few spots...like Wyoming)

We're here!  We stuffed what remained of our belongings after 2 yard sales and KSL sales into Jana's RAV and our little Stratus and left Thursday, August 11th at about 2 pm and got here Sunday around 11 am. We took it nice and easy, stopping every few hours to feed Nelli and let her stretch out.  Most of the time we didn't mind the break either.  Jana is an angel! She helped us so much!  She did a marathon of driving for sure- driving 7 days strait.

We explored the city a little this past week. Here are a few pictures of the Arch, the Union Train Station (Taylor is a train fanatic these days...for those who don't already know).  Nelli was a trooper as we explored.  She would smile and talk(babble) to the people on the Metro (the train that gets you around the city). 

Farewell Pool Party

(L-R) Tyler, Ali, and Thayne, Dallas, Jessica, and Kayla, Taylor,
 Jacqueline, Sammy and DJ, and our little Nelli

Poor Thayne, the water was soo cold.

Kayla Marie  =)

We had a BBQ/pool party with some of our friends in Provo...oh, we miss you already!  Jacqueline is graduated (woohoo), Maggie is off to her internship for the World Wide Women for Heath Organization, and now were in St Louis.