First Year of Firsts

Daci had her birthday on Sunday, February 21st (see post below). I have been reflecting back on this last year and what Daci has accomplished. She has been a go-er since day one. She came out of the womb kicking her legs around. She NEVER for one waking moment laid still. She rolled over at four months, sat at five months, crawled at 6 months, and pulled herself to standing and walked along the furniture at 7 months. We were SURE that she would walk early since she did everything else so early so we were surprised when she hit her one year birthday and still wasn't walking. Well, she didn't disappoint. Two days after her birthday she took her first steps. She has been going one to two steps by herself between furniture for a few months but I didn't feel like I could technically call that walking yet. But, on Tuesday she took five steps for the first time and just worked her way up from there! By the end of the day she had eight steps down. I got video of 5 1/2 steps. Enjoy!

One Year Older and Wiser too! Happy Birthday... to you!

Daci turned one on Sunday! Am I the only one that can't believe that?!? Well I decided to throw a big party for her. I don't think I have ever worked so hard in my life on something. My brothers thought I was absolutely ridiculous for putting so much effort into something Daci will never remember but I couldn't resist! She's my princess! Carly, my sister-in-law, is an amazing baker and she offered to make her cake. She made a BEAUTIFUL carousel cake. It was so much fun having such an extravagant cake for her. Of course it was gluten free :) I made chicken enchiladas for everyone and we also had spanish rice, a salad and chips and salsa. We had all of my family and all of Rick's family over. It was a fun little group. The boys spent most of the time playing ping pong.


The cake was double layered and covered in pink frosting. Then we found some cute candies to put around the top and middle. We also found cute candycanes with sugar dinosaurs on them at the Peppermint Place that Carly used as the poles. Then we made a canopy to go over the cake. So cute! I made little cupcakes for everyone that weren't gluten free so that everyone could actually enjoy their dessert :)

The proud parents

Easton and Daci

Daci and Papou (Greek for Grandpa)

Carly and Micah

Dawson and Daci

Mom and Daci opening presents. She got cute little "ruffle bum" shorts from Aunt Carly, four pairs of shoes from Mom and Dad, a very cute hippie outfit and the outfit she is wearing in these pictures from Grandma and Grandpa Pedersen and a Princess Castle full of balls from Papou and Yia Yia. What a spoiled little girl!

Daci looking at her beautimous cake!

Testing it out...

Its delicious!

Trying on her new sweet shoes!

Playing in her new "princess castle"

My Love

Rick and I celebrated Valentine's Day yesterday. He took me out on a nice date which is JUST what I wanted :) This last semester of school has been VERY busy for him and it was nice to get some of his undivided attention :) We left Daci at home and hit the town! As much as we love our little booger, we also need breaks from her. Wow she is a very busy girl!

I got this cute little dress for her for Valentine's Day and she looked ADORABLE! Don't you think? I don't know, maybe I'm biased :)

She hasn't been feeling very well the last few days so I was up with her a bunch last night because her stuffy nose and cough kept waking her up. Rolling out of bed at night is quite tough and you aren't exactly grateful to be a mom at that moment but then when she wraps her arms around your neck and nuzzles into you....that is the moment when you realize nothing could be sweeter and I am SO grateful to be a mom :) What a sweet baby girl I have!

I feel so lucky to have Rick and Daci in my life. They are the loves of my life. I am so blessed!

I hope you all had a great Valentine's Day :)

Our Little Sweetheart

So I decided that since it is Valentine's that maybe Daci was old enough to do something fun. I decided to make sugar cookies and have her frost one. Side note: I know I gave my 11 1/2 month old a butter knife but I watched her EVERY second that she had it :) Don't judge!

At first she was quite intrigued by the whole thing. She just kinda looked and explored.

But then...she dug right in! She stuck her hand in the frosting and just started shoving it in her mouth!


Then she picked up the cookie and started taking bites of it.


By the end she was a MESS and was trying to get every little crumb off of her hand to eat

This is her new face. She pulls it to be funny but she also pulls it when she isn't getting what she wants. Can you tell she wants more cookie and frosting? Sorry sweetie. Only on special occasions do you get that much sugar at once!

Happy Valentine's everyone!

Update on the Busy Month

Daci moved up to her "big girl" seat a few days ago and absolutely LOVES it! She was getting SO sick of her infant car seat. She hated facing backward and not being able to see any of us. We actually moved her about two weeks early. Technically they aren't supposed to move to a booster until they are a year old but Daci is just MUCH too long for her infant seat. She adores sitting up and you can tell she thinks she is so big and important! This is a pic of her when Rick was putting her in it for the very first time.

She loves to look out the window and she points and says "oh!" at almost everything she sees :) (I know, naughty me for snapping pics while I am driving. I couldn't help it! It was a monumental moment!)

I also caught this HUGE grin while I was driving. She was ecstatic to be sitting up and looking around while we drove :)

My brother Easton got home from his mission on January 26th and we went to the airport to meet him. It was the first time he was going to meet Daci so we had to get her all dressed up :) This is us waiting at the bottom of the escalators for him.

This is Rick showing Daci where Easton would be coming down the escalators from. Unfortunately, we waited and waited and waited and no E. All of the other Elders and passengers from his flight had already come down the escalator and no E! We waited some more and FINALLY he comes strolling around the corner. He got lost and went to the wrong terminal! So funny now but at the time, not so funny. Pretty sure my mom was about to have a heart attack :)

Still waiting....

Finally! When we saw him walking down the hall my mom ran and gave him a HUGE hug. So precious :)

The Sunday after he got home he gave his Homecoming talk at church. Afterward we had a huge party at my parents house. This is mom and I, so happy that he is home.

Easton and Daci (and her balloon!). Easton says he is already her favorite uncle :)


Our little fam with E

On Wednesday this week my brother Tannon had a signing day party. He was recruited by Southern Utah University (my alma matter!) to play quarterback for them when he returns from his mission. There were four other football players that were offered scholarships and were all going to be signing their papers as well. They each had huge signs and cakes made for them. A bunch of family and friends of the players gathered and watch them sign their papers and then we all had cake.

Tannon signing his papers to play for SUU

Tannon, Me, Daci and Easton after T signed his papers

This has been an eventful and exciting month! We are so grateful for our families and all the blessings we have in our lives. We are also grateful that Daci has so many people that love her. Her grandparents, her uncles, her aunts, her great-grandparents, her parents and all of our friends. We love you all!