Annnnd.... We're back.

Mellie is two-years old now.

Nothing has been better for me than the birth of this beautiful girl.

I am more aware of my own hang-ups and irrational fears, in a conscious attempt to never pass them along. I have become more aware of what the three of us consume; in an attempt to not only be around for her for as long as possible, but to guide Mellie towards healthy eating habits as well.

And most importantly, I more deeply understand the wonderful, and extremely difficult, decisions my own parents made to ensure that all four of us had every opportunity possible to fulfill and enrich our curiosity and appreciation for the world around us.

Here's to actively passing those decisions on to another generation.

Birthday!

I made a turtle cake for Melody's birthday.
At first, I wasn't sure if she would know what to do with it.

But she quickly proved my fears unfounded!

Scootin'

Teef!

January and Beyond.

This January, my entire immediate family was under the same roof for the first time in years. We spent a few days in a cabin along the north shore of Lake Superior. Skyler got some quality time in with Melody on the drive up.

While my brother and sisters went skiing, Skyler and I got a little hiking in.

Skyler found a stick! We were very thrilled to watch it hit the water.
Ice is neat.

On Valentine's Day, Melody, Skyler, and I went out for lunch and to the zoo. It was very bright, so Mellie got a new hat!

And she got to ride on Daddy's shoulders!

Plus, she's been working on growing some teeth! Although they aren't completely visible yet, today was the first time I could hear them clicking on her toys!
I tried for about 20 minutes to get a good photo of her little teeth, but she really doesn't sit still. Ever. So this was the best we got!

Almost February??

Finally, some Christmas photos!

Melody was pretty excited on Christmas morning.

She was a little confused about the idea of the stocking...

But one hand in and she was off and running...

And then...

She got the hang of it pretty quickly!

Since Christmas, she's gotten much better at standing and has even been taking some practice steps.

And she has perfected her look of concentration.

For you, Dad!

Getting Ready for Christmas

This past weekend Melody helped pick out our Christmas tree.

We also went shopping and picked up all sorts of decorations for the house. The whole thing wore her out!

She loved watching us put up and decorate our tree.

The end product!