Can you spot her?
Let me zoom in.
A little closer.
Aww, that's better.
I think she's going to like her new room.
Gifts Under $50! Gifts Under $100!
1 day ago
Wednesday, June 27, 2012
Monday, June 25, 2012
6 Months Old
Yesterday, Ava turned six months old which means Christmas is officially six months from today. Don't say you haven't been warned. I think Ava turning six months old has flown by even faster than when Gavin was six months if that's possible. I'm going to make this post short and sweet since I have boxes calling for me to be packed.
Ava Grace, you continue to be a delight. You giggle and "talk" so sweetly. You are pretty easy going except when you get sleepy, but even then you give us warning signs with your little whimper. I'm afraid it won't be long before you are really mobile. Once you get your arms to cooperate with the incredible strength of your legs, you will be across the room in no time.
I'm loving the routine you have down now. Around 7:30, I hearing you cooing in your bed and am greeted with a sweet smile when I get you up. You eat and play, and by 9:30 you are ready for your first nap. It's usually the longest one where you sleep until 11 am. By noon I feed you and give you your first bit of rice cereal. After we move, you'll start getting your first tastes of veggies and fruit. Around 2:30, it's nap number two and then you are up by 4. I'll feed you again and if brother is still napping, you and I get some time to giggle and snuggle. It's been working out that you are ready for your last nap, the shortest, at 6 pm just when I'm preparing dinner. At 8, I'll feed you again and give you your second bowl of rice cereal. I love a good routine, so getting to this point has been really nice. Of course, we will have to make some adjustments because swim lessons are this week and we will be in the midst of moving.
Tomorrow, I am taking you to the doctor for your six month check up so I'll try to come back and update your stats. You are in six to nine month clothes and what has to be your last box of size two diapers. Your hair is steadily growing in this pretty shade of auburn and your eyes are grayish blue. This weekend was the first time I could get a bow in your hair without using a headband and I thought it looked so sweet.
When we took your six month pictures, your brother wanted to climb up next to you. This picture just melts my heart. We love you truly Ava Grace.
Mama
Ava Grace, you continue to be a delight. You giggle and "talk" so sweetly. You are pretty easy going except when you get sleepy, but even then you give us warning signs with your little whimper. I'm afraid it won't be long before you are really mobile. Once you get your arms to cooperate with the incredible strength of your legs, you will be across the room in no time.
I'm loving the routine you have down now. Around 7:30, I hearing you cooing in your bed and am greeted with a sweet smile when I get you up. You eat and play, and by 9:30 you are ready for your first nap. It's usually the longest one where you sleep until 11 am. By noon I feed you and give you your first bit of rice cereal. After we move, you'll start getting your first tastes of veggies and fruit. Around 2:30, it's nap number two and then you are up by 4. I'll feed you again and if brother is still napping, you and I get some time to giggle and snuggle. It's been working out that you are ready for your last nap, the shortest, at 6 pm just when I'm preparing dinner. At 8, I'll feed you again and give you your second bowl of rice cereal. I love a good routine, so getting to this point has been really nice. Of course, we will have to make some adjustments because swim lessons are this week and we will be in the midst of moving.
Tomorrow, I am taking you to the doctor for your six month check up so I'll try to come back and update your stats. You are in six to nine month clothes and what has to be your last box of size two diapers. Your hair is steadily growing in this pretty shade of auburn and your eyes are grayish blue. This weekend was the first time I could get a bow in your hair without using a headband and I thought it looked so sweet.
When we took your six month pictures, your brother wanted to climb up next to you. This picture just melts my heart. We love you truly Ava Grace.
Wednesday, June 20, 2012
4 Years Old
It would have been more appropriate for my little ray of sunshine to have been born at the crack of dawn instead of nearly midnight. You, my dear boy, are the epitome of a morning person and I love it (except for maybe those first few sleep deprived weeks of baby sister waking up every three hours). I also love going in at the first sound of "Mama, I'm awake now!" and seeing your little body pop up and start the day jumping.
Gavin Liam, you have been nothing but joy these past four years. Once you got the smiling thing down after a few weeks of being born, you have not let up.
The dimple on your face is an old friend who gets little rest time. I'm not sure there are many kids who give two hugs, one on each side. Maybe it has something to do with your French history. As I was looking through our picture files, I found this one and couldn't resist posting it. Even then, you were a character.
Your mommy and daddy, grandparents, aunts and uncles alike have known what a caring boy you are, but I think you brought it to a whole new level when your sister was born. The one you affectionately call "Ava Grace Grace" is the recipient of many pats on the head, hand holding and talks from a four year old who speaks like a 30 year old baby talker. Hmm, wonder where you get that from.
We still think your sister is trying to figure you out by the looks she gives you. I have a feeling it's going to be an interesting dynamic between the two of you.
You are definitely a boy's boy with your love of action figures, superheroes, and trains. Just today, you were asking me to help you hang from the ceiling fan because you wanted to climb like Spiderman. However, you know a good color when you see it and chose a pink spoon yesterday. Your mommy and daddy are amazed at your puzzle building skills. Other kids your age are also probably building 80 piece puzzles on their own, but in our minds we think it's unique for someone who just turned four.
I was trying to keep track of your funny sayings in a book I will one day give you, but I think I have already packed it. Here are a few you have said lately:
(Gavin's birthday fell on Father's Day this year.)
Poppy: Happy Birthday Gavin!
Gavin: Happy Birthday Poppy!
Us: No, tell Poppy, "Happy Father's Day."
Gavin: Happy Father's Day Poppy.
Nee Nee: Happy Birthday Gavin!
Gavin: Happy Mother's Day Nee Nee!
Upon seeing broken down school buses, you said, "Those school buses are dead."
Nee Nee: They are not dead.
Gavin: They are if they don't exercise.
One day, I was giving you a hug and thinking about how big you were getting. I told you that you couldn't grow anymore (Daddy has joked that we should stop feeding you) because I wanted you to stay my baby. You promptly told me that you had to keep growing to get to five. When I asked you why five, you told me so that you could eat gum. I had told you this many, many months prior but it must have made an impression. I have a feeling I'll have to live up to my part of the bargain as long as we get it straight between now and then that it's "chew" gum.
Your vocabulary is taking off and many sentences begin with "Probably..." I can understand about 95% of what you say but that's "probably" because I'm around you all of the time. However, it took me awhile to figure out that "Thomas" = pajamas.
After you got your vaccines at your four year check up, I took you for some frozen yogurt. Upon seeing other boys at the frozen yogurt place, you said, "I bet those boys got their shots."
Speaking of check up, you're growing right we expected based on your growth history. You weigh 29.8 pounds (nearly 4th percentile) and are 38 inches tall (9th percentile).
You still sleep with Ra Ra and have been resisting sleeping under your sheets and comforter only wanting to be covered with the same lightweight blanket you have been using for the past three years.
Mama
Gavin Liam, you have been nothing but joy these past four years. Once you got the smiling thing down after a few weeks of being born, you have not let up.
Your mommy and daddy, grandparents, aunts and uncles alike have known what a caring boy you are, but I think you brought it to a whole new level when your sister was born. The one you affectionately call "Ava Grace Grace" is the recipient of many pats on the head, hand holding and talks from a four year old who speaks like a 30 year old baby talker. Hmm, wonder where you get that from.
We still think your sister is trying to figure you out by the looks she gives you. I have a feeling it's going to be an interesting dynamic between the two of you.
You are definitely a boy's boy with your love of action figures, superheroes, and trains. Just today, you were asking me to help you hang from the ceiling fan because you wanted to climb like Spiderman. However, you know a good color when you see it and chose a pink spoon yesterday. Your mommy and daddy are amazed at your puzzle building skills. Other kids your age are also probably building 80 piece puzzles on their own, but in our minds we think it's unique for someone who just turned four.
(Gavin's birthday fell on Father's Day this year.)
Poppy: Happy Birthday Gavin!
Gavin: Happy Birthday Poppy!
Us: No, tell Poppy, "Happy Father's Day."
Gavin: Happy Father's Day Poppy.
Nee Nee: Happy Birthday Gavin!
Gavin: Happy Mother's Day Nee Nee!
Upon seeing broken down school buses, you said, "Those school buses are dead."
Nee Nee: They are not dead.
Gavin: They are if they don't exercise.
One day, I was giving you a hug and thinking about how big you were getting. I told you that you couldn't grow anymore (Daddy has joked that we should stop feeding you) because I wanted you to stay my baby. You promptly told me that you had to keep growing to get to five. When I asked you why five, you told me so that you could eat gum. I had told you this many, many months prior but it must have made an impression. I have a feeling I'll have to live up to my part of the bargain as long as we get it straight between now and then that it's "chew" gum.
Your vocabulary is taking off and many sentences begin with "Probably..." I can understand about 95% of what you say but that's "probably" because I'm around you all of the time. However, it took me awhile to figure out that "Thomas" = pajamas.
After you got your vaccines at your four year check up, I took you for some frozen yogurt. Upon seeing other boys at the frozen yogurt place, you said, "I bet those boys got their shots."
Speaking of check up, you're growing right we expected based on your growth history. You weigh 29.8 pounds (nearly 4th percentile) and are 38 inches tall (9th percentile).
You still sleep with Ra Ra and have been resisting sleeping under your sheets and comforter only wanting to be covered with the same lightweight blanket you have been using for the past three years.
We love you to the moon and back and more Gavin Liam!
Monday, June 18, 2012
Father/birthday?
I am so blessed to be able to celebrate my two boys yesterday. Father's Day was extra sweet this year because Gavin's 4th birthday fell on it for the first time. Even though he was born two days after Father's Day, I'm sure Hunny would concur that he is the best Father's Day present.
I couldn't have asked for a better partner to help raise our children. He is kind, compassionate, hard working, creative and hands down has the best smile.
Our kids think the world of him too. Ava lights up when she hears her daddy and gets a kick out of his scruffy faced tickles behind the ear.
And Gavin's favorite super hero is his daddy. There is no one who plays light sabers or action figures better. I love hearing the different voices from Gavin's room when they are reading a book or fighting some bad guy. Most of all, he loves Jesus and wants for both of his kids to as well.
Tomorrow, I'm taking Gavin for his four year check up, so I'll do a separate post on that special little guy.
I couldn't have asked for a better partner to help raise our children. He is kind, compassionate, hard working, creative and hands down has the best smile.
Monday, June 11, 2012
Boxed In
When I opened my blog, I nearly laughed out loud when I saw the title of my last post. "Be Still" is anything but that around here. Let's play a little game to guess what's been going on. Your clue is this.
If you guess we are trying to create anything resembling the awesome cardboard city over at Nessa Dee, you would be sadly mistaken and so will my little one. Gavin would have more luck if his daddy stepped in to help although I can draw a pretty mean stick figure. I digress.
No, we are actually packing everything up to move in approximately two weeks. It's been fun in the country for the past three years, but look out city, err suburb life, here we come. Cue the theme song for Green Acres. And, if that were not enough, I am trying to put together Gavin's fourth birthday party for this weekend as long as figure out how to make Sunday feel equally special for the birthday boy and all of the fathers in our immediate family. And, I just received a call from the much sought after swim teacher that she has a cancellation and can teach Gavin the week we close on the house. I need a nap just typing all of that out.
However, and this is a big however, I am not feeling too stressed. I keep telling myself to keep it simple, prioritize, get in lots of snuggles with the nearly four year old and tons of giggles with my nearly six month old who, by the way, is turning into an inchworm.
I need to go make sure I didn't pack the birthday candles.
No, we are actually packing everything up to move in approximately two weeks. It's been fun in the country for the past three years, but look out city, err suburb life, here we come. Cue the theme song for Green Acres. And, if that were not enough, I am trying to put together Gavin's fourth birthday party for this weekend as long as figure out how to make Sunday feel equally special for the birthday boy and all of the fathers in our immediate family. And, I just received a call from the much sought after swim teacher that she has a cancellation and can teach Gavin the week we close on the house. I need a nap just typing all of that out.
I need to go make sure I didn't pack the birthday candles.
Thursday, June 7, 2012
Be Still
I will be in the middle of a task and suddenly have this great epiphany in my head that makes me think it would make for some profound blog post. But four loads of laundry, kids' baths, loading the dishwasher and picking up clutter make those epiphanies vanish in thin air. And that's what I do, get caught up in the tasks.
As I was vacuuming this morning's leftovers from the floor (I think I live with a family of squirrels or at least one four year old squirrel), I had this strong desire to rock my five month old. After the vacuum was put away, I picked her up and held her in my arms. We rocked in my chair and I gently gave myself a talk. Abbey - you get so wrapped up in the never ending to do lists, that you don't take nearly enough time to rock your babies, even the wriggly older one who is running around like a superhero. You get caught up with their physical needs - feeding, changing, clothing (all of which are important), that you often put their emotional needs on a lower pedal stool. I then reminded myself that the snuggling, tickles and eye to eye contact are just as essential to their upbringing.
I am probably being somewhat hard on myself, because I do those things, just not as much as I or they would wish. It's activities like this that cause me to "be still" because it requires one on one time. It's the same way with God. He wants us to be still. Sure, He provides for our needs, but the greatest need is for relationship growth.
I would expound on that but my oldest is asking that we build a puzzle together. I think this has replaced the snuggling but it is not any less important. Now if I can just not focus on wanting to clean his fingernails.
As I was vacuuming this morning's leftovers from the floor (I think I live with a family of squirrels or at least one four year old squirrel), I had this strong desire to rock my five month old. After the vacuum was put away, I picked her up and held her in my arms. We rocked in my chair and I gently gave myself a talk. Abbey - you get so wrapped up in the never ending to do lists, that you don't take nearly enough time to rock your babies, even the wriggly older one who is running around like a superhero. You get caught up with their physical needs - feeding, changing, clothing (all of which are important), that you often put their emotional needs on a lower pedal stool. I then reminded myself that the snuggling, tickles and eye to eye contact are just as essential to their upbringing.
I am probably being somewhat hard on myself, because I do those things, just not as much as I or they would wish. It's activities like this that cause me to "be still" because it requires one on one time. It's the same way with God. He wants us to be still. Sure, He provides for our needs, but the greatest need is for relationship growth.
I would expound on that but my oldest is asking that we build a puzzle together. I think this has replaced the snuggling but it is not any less important. Now if I can just not focus on wanting to clean his fingernails.
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