[alie talkin']

it's amazing to me how quickly babies can change. within just a few short weeks, i feel like our baby girl is becoming a little person!

we took a brief video of her "talkin" and trying to smile. she didn't give any big grins--i think she's a bit camera shy--but she's just so cute i had to post anyways!

[natalie meets iowa]

For those who didn't know...Peter, Natalie and I traveled east two weeks ago for several reasons--family wedding, friend wedding, and new grandbaby introductions. In the span of 13 days we covered over 3,232 miles and ventured over 4 state lines. And yes, we were crazy enough to do it with a 2mo old! (although we didn't have a choice now did we? :) )

What would normally take us approximately 16 hrs to drive, we did in 36! I believe Peter figured out that our average speed on the way out was somewhere in the neighborhood of 29mph. Now I know we didn't break any speed records with that pace--trust me--would have desperately wanted to do it much faster, but little natalie decided to have this odd fascination with iowa. she choose to have a 3hr breakdown in iowa city where she refused to go back into the car. thankfully, after 8 oz of very yummy milk, she settled down and whisked away into baby dreamland.

our visit went extremely fast, as do most "vacations." my little sis, emily, is now a married women. congrats to her and her husband dan. they are a great couple and will be great teammates in life!

i (sarah) also had a birthday in there--aug 7th--the day we drove 4hrs to a dear friends wedding in northeast iowa. (thankfully this time, alie didn't have any indulgences to overstay her welcome in iowa. we made great time and enjoyed a fabulous evening visiting some of my old college friends.

we then returned to wisconsin and spent the remainder of our trip catching up with past church friends and old family friends. i believe peter even snuck in a few rounds of golf with my pops this trip, and as he puts it "may have caught the golf bug." :)

we had a wonderful time home, and natalie of course, got plenty of love and attention. im convinced she also grew like a weed in those two weeks, because she practically looks like a different baby.

here are a few photos from our visit.

totally out--with all the travels, can you blame her?

look at her hold her head up!

natalie after bath time! all clean!

asleep in daddy's arms.

this girly loves looking at lights!