Fun at Chuck E. Cheese

I thought Avery would probably be too small for most of the games at Chuck E. Cheese, but would enjoy meeting the mouse and all the other chaos. Well, I was right about the mouse (and the chaos) and wrong about the games. She loved them! She liked looking at them and sitting on them. She is a pro at Skee Ball (well, her version is throw the ball, watch it roll back, grab it and laugh, repeat) which means 1 token for Skee Ball lasted a good 20 minutes! She had a really great time watching other people play too. I am SO glad we went for Chuck E. Cheese and look forward to taking her for another visit soon!

Avery Updates...

Avery went for her 2 month well visit. And, since I use this blog as an online scrapbook I just wanted to say for the record that she is 23.5 pounds (15th percentile), 35 inches long (over 50th percentile) and doing great. The only area I am concerned with is her speech. As I've mentioned before, she doesn't talk much at all (unlike her mama!) and can say probably 30 words or less. The chart at the office said that she should be saying 300 words and talking in simple sentences (which I've only heard her do twice). Dr. K said if I'm concerned it is probably best to start speech therapy, just so she can be evaluated (to confirm there are no hearing issues, etc.). So, I am looking into that, but I also agree with most people who say, "She'll start talking when she's ready." After one year, you aren't supposed to use being a preemie as the reason for being behind on developmental goals, but I still feel like she may just be 3 months behind! 


I'm so proud of my beautiful little, strong willed toddler. She is such a miracle in our life and I can't imagine life without her. More birthday posts to follow!

2nd Birthday Party Post One

After we cancelled a trip to the New Orleans Aquarium because the Saints would be playing in NOLA that weekend, I tried to think of fun places to reschedule. Where can a kid have more fun than Chuck E. Cheese? At least I hoped this would be the case. Avery is only 2 and I underestimated the chaos of Chuck E. Cheese. That said, aparently Avery is used to being around our rather loud family because she thrives in chaos. I can't think of a time in her life when she had more fun. And scared of Chuck E. Cheese? Not even close! I'm pretty sure if she had the choice she would've gone home with him...but thats a whole other post!

Of course, it helped that when we pulled into Chuck E. Cheese, one of Avery's favorite people was in the parking lot waiting: Gigi!

There was too much fun in that room to be concerned about posing for photo ops!

And always something more exciting to look at than the camera!

At least we could get Charlie's attention for a few pics!

We will never forget the fun we had at Chuck E. Cheese with this sweet little 2 year old. Dealing with the chaos was much worth it!

Although we didn't have many kids, most of my family and Charlie's was able to drive down to Baton Rouge. We are so thankful for all of them. Avery had the BEST time opening presents. This was the first time she has really been into opening every.single.present (and more if we would've had them!) Maybe we won't have to leave her presents unwrapped at Christmas after all?

Avery Visits TigerTown!

Yesterday, we made our way down to Baton Rouge to visit Chuck E. Cheese. We figured, why not stop by and introduce Avery to her college campus: LSU! It was nice outside and a pretty walk thru the campus.

We went to see Mike the Tiger, but he must've been in his lair.

I don't think Avery minded too much though!

50 Million Lives

Last night, I heard that there would be a candlelight vigil in Natchez for the anniversary of Roe v. Wade, to honor the 50 million lives lost in the last 37 years. My heart and mind cannot understand why our country doesn't allow us to kill some of the worst criminals in our Nation, but murders hundreds of thousands of babies each year. And then we have the audacity to ask God why our Nation is heading in the wrong direction. So, I was honored to attend the vigil, to think of the 50 million lives lost. One of those 50 million lives that could've found the cure for cancer, or been elected President, or just been able to live their life.

Avery is too young to understand how important this issue is, but she is not too young to see the moon. I guess this is the first time she's ever noticed the moon. So, as the photographer for our local newspaper was snapping shots, he caught a precious moment with Avery and her Nonna. Avery made sure everyone was aware of the moon, she said it over and over and over! It was pretty adorable, though ; )

Well, we are off to a party at Chuck E. Cheese. Pictures and post to come!

Reading with Nonna

Nonna and Poppa came to visit this weekend. We went to our favorite place to eat, Wingstop, and planned on looking at furniture and going to the mall, but Saturday was pretty nasty outside! Instead, we headed home and watched the Saints (big win! Who Dat?!?). Avery wasn’t too enthused about the game, but Nonna found something to keep her busy. She loves to read lately!

I have started a new bedtime routine in hopes of Avery getting used to sleeping in her bed all night. Bathtime, PJs, book time, prayer time, bed time! She loves the reading books part, now if I can just get her to participate w/ prayer time ;)

Two Years Ago Today...

• Two years ago today, I sat in a diabetic counseling session so they could teach me how to eat until you came.
• Two years ago today, I went to Applebees and realized I couldn't really eat anything from there anymore!
• Two years ago today, I sat in the waiting room at the doctors office. My worst fear was that you'd be a boy with a pink, girly room.
• Two years ago today, I sat looking at another sonogram, feeling like I did a few years before. A bit nauseous and lightheaded. Knowing something wasn't right, just not knowing what.
• Two years ago today, I had a mini-breakdown while being walked across the street to the hospital. I didn't understand why. I didn't know if you'd be okay. I knew I couldn't lose you. I knew it'd be too much.
• Two years ago today, I was told we were having a baby...in a few minutes.
• Two years ago today, I became a mother to a micropreemie.
• Two years ago today I became a mother to the most beautiful, precious, tiny little piece of life I'd ever know.
• Two years ago today, I couldn't hold you.
• Two years ago today, I fell into a love I could never explain.
• Two years ago today, I became your mommy.

I find myself wondering how many more times I get to rock you at night, while reading you "Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear". I wonder when you won't need me to sing "You Are My Sunshine" until you fall asleep. I wonder when you won't really need me there anymore, you'll be just fine on your own. I know in a flash it will be gone. My little baby has already grown into a little toddler, who will be a 'big girl' and then a girl and then a preteen, and then a teenager (yikes!) and then a young woman. I want to cherish every moment with you, every day. Because in a flash, you''ll be gone. I want to cherish today, and remember that two years ago today, I became the most blessed woman in the whole.wide.world.

Photos courtesy of Jami Ainsworth

Dog Torture

So, I knew getting a dog would be hard on me and Charlie. All the training, the cleaning, the grooming, the feeding...

What I didn’t think of, is that getting a dog with a toddler in the house, is hard on the dog! And although things seem to be getting better with the love/hate relationship between Avery and Barney, something just tells me we’re not ‘there’ yet. Like, the fact that Avery would rather help throw Barney down her slide than go down herself.

So, call PETA, or whoever you’d like, and tell them what a horrible dog mama I am. But, this just seemed like a Kodak moment!

Sebastian had a great idea...well, at least Avery thought so!

The Tent!

Well, it only took us 3 weeks to put up Avery’s tent (yes, the one she got on Christmas!) Shame on us! My intention was to take the computer desk and chair out of the office/play room and make it totally a playroom. But, the more I thought about it, the more I changed my mind. So, for now, the tent is smack dab in the middle of the office/sunroom/playroom room. Avery loves chasing Barney through it! Her cousin, Sebastian, visited and they had a blast in it as well. She wasn’t so sure about crawling thru the tunnel at first. Barney wasn’t either. So, Charlie demonstrated. Well, he got halfway through and got stuck. Which was pretty hilarious! He hollered for my help but of course I just grabbed the camera! Enjoy...

Sharing

We are trying to work on sharing with Avery. She does well at Tina's, but it's different when she's sharing her own toys. On another note, Avery lovvvves ice. When she gets a piece, she cherishes it. And when it's gone, on occasion, she freaks out. That's why it was so nice to see her share her ice with her daddy!

Can you tell who she has wrapped around her little finger?

Oh and did I mention she also loves carrying around a bag of some kind!

Go ahead dad, take a bite!

Birthday Plans

Birthday plans are underway! I can't believe I'll have a 2 yr. old in a few days. Wow, time sure goes too fast! Planning an indoor birthday party for a toddler isn't the easiest thing in January. My options are pretty limited. Originally, I thought Avery would love the aquarium, so we would go down to New Orleans. I had been planning on that for months. And then something strangely miraculous started to happen. The Saints, the NEW ORLEANS SAINTS went 13-0 (before losing 2 games on the way to the playoffs!) I figured there was a likely possibility there could be a playoff game on the weekend of her birthday in New Orleans and didn't really want to fight the traffic (or to find a hotel room for that matter!) So, we settled on someplace a little closer, with a lot of fun: Chuck E. Cheese in Baton Rouge. I figure you can't go too wrong with CEC. Games, pizza and dancing characters sounds right up Avery's alley. So, although we expect little to no children (Baton Rouge is about a 3.5 hour trip from where we live!), we will have a great time watching Avery run wild! I decided since we were already in the mouse category, I would 'girl it up' with a Minnie Mouse theme. I found some great, inexpensive invites on Ebay. Chuck E. Cheese....here we come!

Pigtails!

Last week, I picked up Avery and looked down to find her in pigtails. Tina loves doing the little girls hair and always comes up with cute styles, but I was giddy about the pigtails! I'm sure I will be doing this until she absolutely refuses to go out of the house with them. I remember when she was bald for so long and I didn't think she'd ever grow hair! Now, it is getting so long! If I can just teach Charlie to do them every morning, she'll be the cutest little pigtail wearin' girl around! ; )

New Year's

On New Year's Day Avery enjoyed watching the parade on TV

We had all sorts of party food for the LSU game...

and Avery was decked out in her cheerleader uniform!

Btw, thanks Jami! It is sooo cute!

All of our preparations and cheers, didn't quite mean a win for the Tigers.

We loss to Penn State. The boys were pretty bummed, but when Avery gets stressed she just dances it off...

So, even with a Tiger loss to end the season, it turned out to be a pretty great way to kick off 2010!