Long Overdue Update!

We are way over due for an update on the Rathlisberger Family! I can’t believe we already well in to September, where did summer go? Time flies!

Well, since the last time I updated this Allison was just 6 months old, a lot of stuff has happened with her and hitting some fun milestones!

Important milestone dates -

May 21st, Allison starting sitting up unassisted. Before having Allison this was always my favorite milestone for babies. Sitting up is their first taste of independence and with that, their personality starts to shine through a bit more. Although I was excited when Allison hit this milestone, it also made me a little sad…for the same reasons why it is so exciting. My little peanut was really growing up and didn’t need me as much as she did before.

July 21st Allison started pulling herself up on furniture and she hasn’t stopped since! It’s no wonder she is still so small, she is constantly moving. Her favorite thing to do is to pull herself up, sit back down, pull herself up, sit back down over and over and over again, I get tired just watching her!

July 25th Allison was baptized at Holy Name of Jesus Catholic Church. Holy Name was the church I grew up going to as well as the church my nephews and niece were baptized in, so it was a pretty special day. After the baptism we had a small party for Allison at my parents house. Allison is so lucky to have two wonderful sets of Godparents. My sisters and their husbands both agreed to be Godparents to Allison Aynne. We couldn’t be luckier to have such a wonderful support team of family and friends surrounding us to help raise our little girl! There is an album below of Allison’s Baptism Day, there are some great pictures!

August 2nd, Allison started crawling! There is no stopping her now, the world is hers to explore! Allison is showing Mommy and Daddy new things every day in which we have to “baby proof”. She loves to crawl over to the TV and pull herself up (and sit back down, and stand up, etc., etc.). Thankfully she doesn’t press the buttons too often but we will need to find something to put over the area. Wiley’s food and water dish had to find a new home too…why is it that her toys are the last things she wants to play with? Somehow she knows what she isn’t supposed to have and therefore that’s what she wants!
Mid to late August Allison started to say "mama". I'd love to pretend that she is always calling out for me, but it's her word for everything! She knows who Mommy and Daddy are because when we say "where's Mommy?, or where's Daddy?" she will look for us but for right now, everything is mama!

Allison’s favorite game to play is peek-a-boo! She is got the the point where she will even lift the blanket over her own head and pull it down to play with us, it’s too cute! We have some video of us playing from awhile ago, I will try and put that on this site too!

We’ve had a fun summer seeing a lot of family and friends. A couple weekends ago my friend Melissa was in town with her little boy who is just about 12 weeks old. They had an open house where we got to see a lot of friends and their babes. Then the next day my friend Jen had the college girls along with everyone’s children out to her place. Allison was the only little girl that whole weekend, when she is older she is going to have her pick of the boys. I noticed at the open house that I think my friend Trang’s little boy Wes may have her heart already. Allison was being shy and wouldn’t let us put her down, then the second Wes got there her eyes lit up and she didn’t want anything to do with Mom and Dad! I hope this isn’t any indication of what things are going to be like when she’s older!

Mike is busy at work getting things ready for the ski season, which is right around the corner! With the new ownership there are a lot of things to be done. Thankfully he is still usually able to take a day off a week to spend at home with Allison. Mike was also able to sneak away in July with some guys from work to ride RAGBRAI (Register’s Annual Great Bicycle Ride Across Iowa). The guys weren’t actual registered riders so they had to carry all of their own gear over the 300+ miles they rode “baggers aren’t saggers” though, their theme for their ride! He had a great time but I think by the end he was ready to be home, and Allison and I were ready to have him home!

My parents are currently in Europe having what I am sure is the trip of their lifetime. While they are gone Mike's mom is staying with us to watch Allison. I have said it before and I know I will say it again but we are SO lucky to have some great family and friends in our lives there to help us with Allison. We really don't know what we'd do without everyone.

We hope you have all had a wonderful summer!

Mike, Holli and Allison