you are now 4 months

Dear Riehl,

Happy 4 months Riehl! Time still hasn't seemed to slow down, no matter how hard I try. This was an adventurous month for you! Grandma and Grandpa Risner came to visit us in Denver, but we decided to take a road trip and head to Telluride for the Bluegrass festival. You had a great time listening to the music and watching everyone dance. When we got back we left daddy and flew on an airplane to Nashville, TN to meet your Aunt Elizabeth and Uncle Bryan, and cousins Jack and Evelyn (you already met Kate). It was love at first site with you and Jack. I can tell that you two will be great buddies and cause lots of trouble at future family gatherings. From there we got in the car 9 hours and ventured to G & G Risner's house. We stayed there for a few days, then headed to Chicago, back to the lake house, then back to Chicago, down to Harrisburg, IL (where your daddy's dad was from, back to Chicago to catch the airplane back to DENVER! WHOOOOO! There was a lot that happened in that time too...

This month you rolled over from your back to your stomach. This is a total surprise because you hate being on your tummy. All of a sudden you seem to enjoy it, only for a short time though :) Grandpa also got you to really laugh and it brought tears to your daddy's eyes as he watched it from SKYPE. Finally, mommy lost it too! You LOVE to squeal like a little piggy in delight and distress. I like the delight better. You smile at everyone you meet and I can tell that you are going to be a social butterfly.

Something very important happened to you over this trip as well. You were baptized and are now a child of God. Now mommy and daddy can be comforted to know that if something EVER should happen to you, you will be in Heaven with all those family member that have passed, especially your grandpa Hilliard. I'm sure you two will be trouble together!

You got to meet SOOOO many of mommies friends. That was very special to me too. Lots of cousin time. You LOVED, LOVED, LOVED the lake. You would kick around and squeal up a storm. This trip you were also to meet your Great Grandpa Hilliard whom you are named after. 3 days before the drive down there daddy got a very sad phone call that he had passed away. So far you are the only one in that generation to carry on the Hilliard name, big job boy! We still made the trip down there so you could meet all of daddy's family from the Hilliard side. I think you liked the farm:)

Riehl Priestly Wade Hilliard, you are the love of our lives. We are so thankful for that beautiful smile that stops us in our tracks and melts our hearts. The way that you look at us makes us realize just how much daddy and I love each other and how lucky we are to have the most perfect child that was ever created! Keep growing, you now have another guardian angel watching over you!

We love you so much,
Mommy and Daddy