He Speaks Softly

And Carries a Big Stick

3 Months Old

It's nice that you are starting to hold your head up better without sliding all over the place when I take your pictures. I usually have a four second window to snap some pictures before your daddy has to rescue you.

Sweet Ava or Ava Grace Grace (not a typo) as your brother calls you, you definitely grace our lives with your presence. Your little personality is coming out more each day and we are over the moon about all of the sweet smiles you give us. You have even started laughing a little and cooing more. You certainly had your great grandparents attention.


I think it's official that you are now teething. There are constantly little bubbles coming from your mouth and you will gnaw on anything - the blanket, our fingers. Your poor little gums are so swollen. I think you are going through this stage a wee bit sooner than your brother.


I estimate you weigh about 13 pounds. Your long torso and skinny waist make dressing you somewhat challenging. You are mostly in 3 month clothing but I have put you in a couple of 6 month outfits especially when it comes to footed sleepers. Dresses work great because they are long enough and we don't have to worry about the waist fitting. It seems like you skipped right through size one diapers and are very comfy in your size twos.

You are doing awesome on you night schedule. I generally put you down around 10:30 or 11 and you sleep until about 5:30. However the past few days you have been sleeping until 6:30 and even 7:45 today! When you were waking up at 5:30, I would feed you and put you right back down for you to sleep until 9:00. I just wish you would sleep as well during the day. I have to pull out all of the tricks from the bouncer to the swing. If we are running errands you sleep great in your car seat.

Your eyes are still blue and your hair definitely has a red tint to it in the sunlight. It will be interesting to see what color it is when it starts filling in.


Your favorite game is patty cake. It elicits the most smiles and laughs so you can be sure we play it many times a day. You have been in the nursery twice now and have done so well. Yesterday, the ladies said you were so sweet. One of them also commented on how long you are.


Sweet girl, if someone asked me if I thought I would ever have a 3 month old and a 3 year old, I would have told them I hope so. Well, you and your brother are more than I could ever have hoped for.

Seeing Green

Top o' the mornin' to ya.

Since I can truly lay claim that I am part Irish from my dad's side (my grandfather was Irish and even nicknamed "Red" for his red hair) we celebrated St. Patty's Day or Paddy as it's supposed to be. Hunny just celebrates it for the fun of it.


Gavin has been asking me to make cinnamon rolls for weeks so I finally caved in and made them for breakfast with green icing. He also got leprechaun milk (green food coloring in his milk). The day before I took this rainbow fruit tray to my parents. I think it was a hit because there roughly five pieces of fruit left.


Hunny made an oh so yummy pork loin with an apple and potato stuffing along with potato soup. I made Irish soda bread and Irish potatoe candy. This candy is our little treat we first had in Philadelphia five years ago. It's basically cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar, vanilla and coconut mixed together and rolled in cinnamon. I only made a fourth of the batch this time to keep from eating a whole plate of them.


And to burn off all of that yummy food, we collapsed on the floor and took pictures. The End.

It Wasn't So Bad

***I have seriously had this blog post in process for the past two weeks. Life gets a little busy around here.

The day I turned 30 came and went. And to be honest, it really wasn't all that bad. In fact, it was quite good. So many sweet family and friends called to wish me Happy Birthday, I had balloons, flowers and some birthday surprises waiting for me when I got up, and my mother in law made some delicious salted caramel chocolate cupcakes. My mouth is watering a little since I haven't had sugar since my birthday.

My sweet little boy came running out of his room with a card his daddy helped him make. He had been hiding it under his bed and tried to show me the night before because he was so excited about it. Hunny surprised me with an hour massage (in our home) and I met him later that evening with our kiddos for dinner at this truly unique German restaurant. We happened to go on the night they provided entertainment. There's nothing like listening to an lederhosen- wearing accordion player. I jest, but it was a lot of fun. Notice the new haircut. I have had it for a month and I'm still not too sure about it.


I distinctively remember taking this picture and thinking, " I am truly beyond happy right now. I am with my husband, my little boy and my brand- new daughter who by the way, was wearing one of my baby outfits.

Here's a better photo.


For the weekend, my sweet husband wrote an entire murder mystery plot and our ever-so much fun family agreed to play the parts. Everyone went all-out, costumes and everything. Hunny went over to my parents' house (who graciously hosted for us) and set everything up.

Here's a picture of the cast and crew.

We had some strange characters. I think 25 percent was by the script while the other 75% was whatever embellishments each player wanted to add. I remember something about the murder victim's oozing toe, a maid's pearls from her mother, a nosy neighbor who said everything was three years ago, a maid who had thirty cats, a peddler who kept trying to sell watches or whatever he could get his hands on and a schizophrenic gardener. That was only the half of it.

Turning thirty was pretty good. In fact, I think I will stay thirty for the next ten plus years. Don't tell anyone.