On the Move and Miss Copy Cat

In the last week or so Afton has really gotten brave. She began walking in mid-April and it has been a bit slow going. At first we had to really entice her to walk anywhere on her own. Then she started taking small steps between furniture. Then last week some time she started following me when I would leave the room. Then she started walking all around our house but was timid any where else.

But this week she has been willing to walk on her own at other people's houses, the library, outside, etc. and when she falls she gets right back up and keeps going. It is fun to see her so brave!

She has also begun mimicking EVERYTHING I do. She watches me put on my makeup and then attempts to do the same, she will try to eat and drink just like I do. Today was the best though. I was cleaning up the house when my mom called so I answered and started talking to her while continuing to walk around the house tidying things up. I only talked to her for a few minutes but after I got off Afton found this little white calculator-looking thing and walked all over the house saying "lo?" (Hello) and then jabbering away! She would even stop and look at the "phone" and then pretend to dial before putting to her ear again and walking all around.

She just cracks me up! Sometimes I wonder "what is she doing?" And then I realize she is mimicking something I did a few minutes earlier! It's a little scary--I better watch what I do!

She can pretty much get to wherever she wants now and there is not much 

I can do to stop this determined little girl.

Pictures are getting to be always blurry because she is on the go!

Trying on her new swimsuit!

Keeping Up

While Peter was in Honduras I tried to document what was going on with Afton so I took lots of pictures and sent them to him.

Some of them were too good not to share. So here are the highlights:

"Wow Mom, a flash this early in the morning!?"

"That's better"

Thinking she needs to be a big girl just like cousin Jennsen.

We stayed at my mom's house a couple nights and the second night was a rough one. She woke up around 4:00am and would not go back to sleep. Finally after trying for a couple hours I decided to head home around 6:00 to try to get some sleep before church but she just wouldn't have it. This picture pretty much sums up our feelings about each other that early morning. We just missed dad I think.

She fell asleep in Sunday School which was a Sunday miracle!

 

Eating popcorn at Grease Monkey.

Playing with mom's slips. This is too funny because Maggie and I used to get my mom's slips and pretend to be brides!

Graduation Celebration

Although Peter technically graduated in December, we were able to celebrate officially when he walked in May.

We attended a VIP dinner with his parents the night before where they presented the honorary doctorate recipients (Chris Fogt and Noelle Pikus-Pace among them) and then we watched Peter walk in with the graduates, listened to the commencement speaker (Wes Moore) and watched Peter move his tassel over. It was all very exciting.

I didn't get a picture of Peter that night but his dad took this one of me and Michelle.

The next morning Peter spoke at the convocation for his college and we got to see him receive his diploma and then took pictures and went to breakfast with his family afterward. Later that day my family had a little BBQ celebration for the 5 graduates who graduated this spring! (Peter, Amy, Ben all from UVU, Beej with his JD MBA, & Jed from Medical School)

Peter with his supportive family! The sun was a bit bright :)

Our little family. 

For the record: the Millar parents were there as well. They were just pulling double duty and left after 

Peter's speech to see Amy & Ben walk.

The next day I wanted to celebrate by spending time as a family since Peter had been gone the previous week. So we headed up to Hogle Zoo to show Afton all the animals we always talk about. She did surprisingly well! We lasted quite a few hours there. She enjoyed being outside and it was a perfect day to do just that. She made mimicking sounds with a monkey who was quite vocal and watched the elephants while making her elephant noise. It was way fun!

Had to get a drink out of the 50-year-old drinking fountain!

Elephants!

Cracker break.

With the monkeys.

Her first Merry-Go-Round.

Since we were so close, we stopped by Great Grandma & Grandpa Sundwall's house and were able to see them for a bit and meet Mike's fiancé, Ashlie. Then we headed over to Red Robin to make a delicious ending to a day well spent.

Way to go Peter!