Such a big weekend!

What a weekend! We traveled to Waterloo, IA for our newest nephew's baptism. Aunt Amanda and Uncle Brad rode with us too! We were a little nervous for the trip, this was the first trip we have made as a family since she was three months old!! But, Charli was great. If there was a word for "so much better than great-great" - that is what she was!! We left around bedtime Friday night in hopes that she would sleep most of the way there. She feel asleep about an hour after we left and didn't really make a fuss at all. She did make a few peeps, but she was still sleeping! A little over 1/2 way there we stopped for gas and to let Charli stretch her legs. She feel right back asleep. She did so great this trip! She took good naps at her Aunt Jen's house, ate great and drank great! We took off around 10:00am this morning and she did even better on the way home!!!! It was a great trip overall, and I am so happy it went well!!

Some of you know that Chad had surgery on Tuesday. He was able to come home later that day, against the doctors orders...but either way, he came home! This is the same type of surgery that he had done before Christmas and before Charli was born. He also had a similar surgery before our wedding, I think this is the 5th one in less than 3 years. He is doing well, gets very tired very easily and sick pretty quickly - but that isn't that new to him. He is going into work (against the dr. advice) for a few hours a day - not doing too much...but still more that he is supposed to. So, if you see him working at your place - send him home!!! I won't go into details on the surgery, so if you want to know just ask. But, the surgery does leave him with a fairly large open wound on his abdomen that needs to be taken care of three times a day. He is taking medications around the clock for pain and to avoid possible complications. It isn't fun, but it isn't new either...it is just part of it. Either way, thought some of you would like an update on him as well!!

I will post more pictures of the weekend later this week - I am tired and ready to rest now!

PS. I just want to brag one more time about how amazing Charli did this weekend, I am so proud of her.
We were truly blessed with a perfect baby :-)

playing with Uncle Brad

such a great picture of Charli and Grandpa Bob! (taken by Aunt Amanda!!)

taking the stairs!

the preister girls (and Conner!!!!)

PS. Thank you Amanda for the pictures!!!!!