Spring has Sprung

We have been having a busy month yet again. Shane has been continuing work on the drainage line in the yard...which I am hoping will have an end soon. This work has lead to a huge trench and a need for new Carhartts. He probably needed new ones months ago...

nice pants

Last weekend was my 30th birthday, oh yeah! We celebrated by spending a lovely weekend together. We started off with Saturday morning swim lessons for Adaline. Of course she is only just over a year, so it was more like fun pool time. She loves the water and splashing so much at bath time that we thought she would enjoy the pool.


she did.

After the pool we went to Greensboro to shop around, and we finished up Saturday with a nice dinner out at Ombu in Winston and a babysitter for the evening. On Sunday, we went to church, and then had another great day as a family. Shane went and got a bike trailer for Adaline to ride in and her first helmet. We had a nice bike ride together and are ready for more soon.

The helmet is a little big yet,

but I think she ended up enjoying the ride.

This past weekend we were up at camp all together for our first spring weekend at Cheerio. It was beautiful weather, and we had a great time playing in the grass, strolling around camp, climbing the climbing wall, and seeing friends.

Spring Break

Big times for the Brown family. Last week was Spring Break for our school, and we used the opportunity to take a trip. It was a packed week of traveling the state of Colorado and seeing a lot of family. This was Adaline's first time flying, and although she was in the midst of a double ear infection, she did very well. We got into Colorado around 9:30 on Saturday night (which is 11:30 NC time), and Adaline had only slept about an hour of the whole trip. I think her schedule was messed up all week, but it seems to be getting back to normal now. We did have my mom with us, so we had great help in the airports!

Nana walking Adaline in the airport between flights

The morning after we got there, we went to Josh and Michelle's (my brother and sister-in-law) church service. This was the first time that we have met their daughter, Tallison, and the first time they have met Adaline. The cousins had the chance to explore each other for a bit before church.


Sunday afternoon we all hung out at my aunt Kris's house in Golden and grilled out. It was a great afternoon of catching up a bit on life.

Adaline with Great Nanny and Mommy

Tallison /Michelle, Josh, and Tallison

On Monday, Shane, Adaline, and I headed over to Greeley to spend a few days with Trina and Rachel (my sister). It was great for Adaline to meet more family and for us to get to spend some time together. Rachel is a busy high schooler, with a schedule packed with dance classes and getting ready for prom. We were, however, able to get in some good time there. It had been since my Dad passed that I had been there, so it was good, but hard to think that Dad and Adaline don't have the opportunity to play together.

At the park across the street from their house Adaline did get to have her first playground experience, which she thoroughly enjoyed! The swing was her favorite and we captured some great smiles. Shane took her down the slide, and we strolled around and saw some geese, too.

Trina also discovered a new favorite toy for Adaline....measuring spoons!


On Tuesday, Rachel was out of school early, and we were able to get in lunch with quite the crowd. Kenny and Brittany were able to join in this time, and we enjoyed some nice conversation and Italian food...Brandon, we missed you.

Aunt Rachel with Adaline / Kenny, Brittany, mom, me, Rachel, Adaline, Trina, Nanny, Shane, Kris, and Chase

We left Greeley on Wednesday to head back to Evergreen, with a stop for Mexican food on the way to meet up with Chase, Kris and my mom before Chase (my cousin) headed back to Seattle. Wednesday night we were able to catch Josh singing for the church's youth service and toured their new building.

Adaline liked the straws, but didn't get any margarita.

Mom, Kris, and Nanny were kind enough on Thursday to keep Adaline allllllll day so Shane and I could head to Breckenridge and ski and snowboard. With my first time being in Utah, and this being my second time, I think I am now ready to ski NC. :) We had a great time, and Shane did awesome keeping his snowboarding skills undercover in order to do some beginner stuff with me! He did get out on his own a bit and even unexpectedly ran into a <> <> oops! After we were good and worn out, we went back into town and met up with a friend for dinner. Notice the change in weather during the day...We had a nice snow storm, complete with icy highway, heading back to Evergreen after our dinner at the Breckenridge Brewery. No worries....Shane held back on the yummy beer and drove us safely down the mountains.


For our last full day...wow it went fast...we spent the day mostly in Evergreen. We did do a short drive to Buffalo Bill's grave and then down the scenic road into downtown Golden. After walking the streets for a bit, we went back to Nanny's where we cooked dinner and enjoyed one last night of company.


kissing cousins / Nanny gave each of her great-granddaughters an Easter basket (for their parents to enjoy)! :)

more family shots


views from the road into downtown Golden from Lookout mountain...you can see Denver in the distance

We made it back into Raleigh on Saturday, all exhausted and ready for another vacation. Too bad, back to work on Monday. However, not before Easter Sunday. Shane, Adaline, and I had a nice, quiet Easter. We went to church and then spent the afternoon at home. It was a super trip, but it is always good to be back home too!

Another month gone by with lots of growing!

If one birthday party is good, then two must be great! A couple of weeks after the party at our house we made the trip to Fayetteville for another party with Grandpa Brown and CJ. We had a nice time touring the Goodyear factory and enjoying the company of family. As you can see we had a big time and had no idea that we would have so many new presents to pack in for the car ride home.


Adaline got another shot at eating cake and despite the look on her face, I think she liked it.


We have been learning lots and lots of new tricks, and while looking at ourselves in the mirror is not one of them, easily going back and forth from laying down to sitting up definitely is. Adaline is pretty much a pro now at this little maneuver and it was quite a surprise the first time she did it while we were out of the room.


In the last month or so we have transitioned completely from the Bumbo chair to eating in a high chair. The high chair is pretty awesome unless someone (not naming any names here) throws up in it. Adaline also got two big girl car seats (Thanks everyone!) for her birthday (one for each car for taking to and picking up from day care), and though she is not big enough to ride in them yet, we have tested them in the living room. I think she's excited to soon face forward in the car.


Drinking from a sippy cup has also been a big change. We are still using plenty of bottles, but Adaline is drinking her juice from a sippy cup everyday. She still has a little trouble with a regular sippy cup, but we have found one called a Nuk that is way easier for her. I am a big fan of the Nuk cup (not pictured). Notice the pinky finger!


This is the Lion that we got at birthday party number two. Adaline likes to ride on it and practice her standing up while holding onto the back of it.


Of course we had to root for the Pack during the ACC Tournament! It will be fun when she gets older and actually knows what is going on. I think in that first picture she is about to get the hand wolf down.


Another trick that Adaline is getting pretty good at is standing while holding on. She really likes to stand up at the ottoman. She can't pull up quite yet, but she is really trying. She did pull herself up in her crib today for the very first time, and was standing to protest her nap!



Here is her effort at pulling up to a standing position...and the huge smile she has when she is.

We had a great time visiting with Craig, Emily, Anna, AW, and of course baby Kay last weekend. It is so fun to watch Adaline play with other children. She gave lots of kisses and showed Kay how to keep the pop up animals down.



It is hard to believe that the time goes by so quickly. Adaline has also had two new teeth come in and I really think we will be seeing more and more big changes coming soon. We are looking forward to our big spring break trip to Colorado next week, but are more than a little nervous about our first plane trip with Adaline. Wish us luck and take care!