Elise and I returned yesterday from a trip to San Antonio to visit my brother and his family.  I thought I should mention him since he didn’t make it in any of the pictures!  We had a wonderful spending time with them and just watching the kids play.  Thanks y’all!

Elise is 16 months old!  She is on the move and picking up speed.  She loves to climb on things, whether it is sitting on a pillow or standing a box, a book, or whatever.  She has become skilled at sitting in her little chairs all by herself and continues to improve with her spoon and fork skills.  She is getting very good at making her desires known, usually by signing “please” though she has recently learned to nod her head - very cute!  Elise loves the dogs and gives them hugs and kisses, and they are very patient with her. Her favorite thing is to get in their faces and open her mouth, hoping for a kiss.  She has started giving us more hugs lately and gives the sweetest kisses.  She also loves to walk around and explore the backyard, around and around, what fun it is to walk!  Her favorite toys have been kitchen utensils, tupperware, a gift bag and plastic gift/credit cards.  And she loves to push her baby doll (or washcloths or pots and pans) around in her stroller.

Farewell, Tobie.  My parents’ dog, Tobie, died this morning.  We had a great week with her, enjoyed sledding and snowshoeing without any hint of a problem; she got sick Saturday after we left and died just a day later.  The vet thought it was a massive tumor in her abdomen.  Tobie gave Elise such great delight all week and got more kisses from Elise than she’d probably had in her lifetime.  We were so glad to spend her last week with her in her favorite place.  Some of these pictures are from the last week; others are a collection of favorites.  We will miss Tobie.

We just spent a great week in Colorado with my parents. We all spent some of the time sick, but it was still great to sit inside and watch the snow fall. Elise enjoyed her first taste of snow and enjoyed sledding down the sidewalk.

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