Monday, April 09, 2012

Lenten Adventures

I bet you're curious as to what we've been up to for the past 7 weeks, aren't ya? I decided to give up social media for Lent, which included the blog, Google reader, facebook, twitter, and my ultimate weakness, pinterest. Giving up mindless browsing was a great way to quiet my heart in this season, something I was very much in need of.

So, how did we fill our time?

Week 1 We took a trip into Houston to see VeggieTales LIVE! Avery loved it, and kept asking if they were going to sing one more song. We also began watching my nephew, Grayson, every weekday. He's such a sweet little guy! The girls love having him around. Avery gives him kisses, and Eleanor tries to eat him.


Week 2 We began week 2 of Lent with a trip to Bible study with all three of the kids. I had everyone ready on time, and while loading the car, we got a visitor in the apartment. Avery pointed and said, "What's that, Mommy, by the door?" Um, well, that's a ferret. Yes, a FERRET. A very mangy looking ferret. In my apartment. And try as I might, I could not shoo the darn thing out the door. He bolted behind the couch, explored the kitchen, went under the dishwasher, and then ran to the girls' room. I called the apartment office and asked if they could send maintenance over to help me catch it. Turns out it belongs to the new neighbors down a few doors...the teenage neighbors that are helping prompt us to move this summer.


Week 3 Avery had her first dentist appointment, in which she let them brush her teeth but refused the flossing, and we got a partial of one x-ray. Eleanor also turned 6 months old! I started her on solids that weekend, beginning with avocado.




Week 4 Our biggest adventure of Lent, potty training Avery! Waiting until she was almost 3 to really go for it (after 2 failed attempts and not much heart in the effort) meant she essentially trained herself. It.was.awesome! We were even at the mall on day 2 of potty training. She has had a total of 4 real accidents in a month's time span, and none of them in public. We also had Spring Break (only significant because Grayson wasn't with us that week), colds, and ended the week with the birth of a new niece/cousin. Eleanor is sitting on her own and is pulling herself into that position. She started that by pulling on her pant legs and hiking herself into the sitting position from laying on her side...too funny!

Week 5 We went to visit Sophie, my new niece and cousin to the girls! She is such a pretty little sweetheart, and we can't wait to get back to see her again. Avery loved looking at her photos and would stroke her face in the pics and say, "I love Sophie." I hope the girls all grow up to be good friends one day. While in Houston meeting Sophie, our niece Lucy was born to Luke's brother and sister-in-law, so I got to meet her as well. Our families are raining babies these days!
Avery with some early Easter candy and a slice of bread. She associates Aunt Julie with bread and always asks for some when we go visit.

sweet Sophie, held by my grandma. 
the quilt I made for Sophie - a flannel rag quilt
photo of all the cousins with their mommas - too many cameras meant we were all looking in different directions

Week 6 Avery turned 3 years old! We had a small dinner for her with cake and presents and the company of my sister and her family. Her birthday party is this coming weekend, just a small affair with a few close friends who live close to us. Eleanor transitioned from an army-crawl to full-on crawling, and now she's into everything.


Week 7 A trip to Round Top with my sisters and mom and the babies, and Eleanor is now trying to pull up on things. Today it's Avery's tricycle and her crib rails. Lowering the crib, again. She's hitting these milestones too quickly for me! We also celebrated Easter Sunday and the baptism of Eleanor, and yesterday was a day of celebration for our family for many, many reasons.






I prayed for happy babies with no separation anxiety all morning. I forgot to pray that she wouldn't poop in her white dress, but we escaped any horror stories!



Grayson's turn! He tried to take his mom's hair with him. And notice Avery in the background. Luke said she kept patting and stroking his face during the baptisms. I also noticed that she was singing what I think was Father Abraham, complete with hand motions.

he didn't cry at all, but was shocked at the first application of water
my sister set up an Easter egg hunt for Avery on Sunday afternoon, and we've been hiding eggs for her  over and over  after this event


Eleanor's reaction to grass...not a fan

E is still not a fan

sweet sisters

checking out her loot...some stickers, M&Ms, coins, and later came some green money and some necklaces

me and my favorite youngest child. I'm never in the photos, since I take them, so I made Luke snap one of us


And, a bit of trivia. I have 1,953 unread items in my Google reader as of 2:15 pm today. I have a few more posts coming, for Eleanor's 6 and 7 months and Avery's 3rd birthday. It might take me all week to get them done, but check back soon!

Tuesday, February 21, 2012

The Things She Asks

A long time ago, I started pointing out things that God made to Avery while we're driving around town. I'd ask her, "Who made the sky, the grass, the leaves, the birds....?" She would never respond, but I'd bring it up periodically. This week it's opened up conversation between us in HUGE ways. I am in awe of this age and the way her mind works and the things that are taking root. It reminds me that we should be ever diligent in implanting in our children truth, even if the fruit isn't apparent immediately.

While driving to church on Sunday, she began telling me and asking me what God made.
"Did God make the birds?"
...the grass?
...the water?
...the clouds in the sky?
...the cars?
...baby Eleanor's carseat?

which led to a "yes, but" statement on my part, explaining how God made the materials for our car and the carseats and gave people brains to think how to make them. A lesson in nature versus manufacturing that I assumed was over her head. Yesterday, she told her Aunt Shell that God made the "terials" for her carseat and Eleanor's carseat.

This then led to our conversation this morning. The logic in her brain is astounding sometimes. Since God makes things, did God make me (Mommy) sad? She had seen me crying yesterday, and I guess it was still bothering her today. And then, does she make Mommy sad? What a reminder to sit down and remind her how much I love her and how much more so God loves her and Mommy. That sometimes people get sad, but she makes me happy (insert reminder that disobedience makes Mommy sad!), and that God makes me happy. He makes me feel better.

A short, simplistic conversation, but seeds are being planted, and today I am grateful.

Saturday, February 18, 2012

Happy ♥ Day

Valentine's Day is a much more enjoyable holiday when you have kids. Any little excuse to surprise my girlies with some fun treats is fine by me! Eleanor didn't really partake in the holiday this year, but she did get decked out in some pink heart duds for the day.

The day started with chocolate chip pancakes, and then at dinner I surprised Avery with a little mailbox of goodies. (Target One Spot - I ♥ you!)


so serious

oh! a good one.

the following are what I got when I asked Aves to smile



sweet sisters

love this one, and love that Aves has her arm around Eleanor

Heart Day stickers, conversation hearts, and new socks

I let her eat the whole box after dinner, and then no more! all gone! didn't have to deal with them the next day

5 Months

 Poor little Eleanor, I never get monthly photos of you. Instead, I get these:


And, I always post late. This time it's 9 days late. Poor sweet baby, you're loved a ton. Your mama is just REALLY bad at documenting it!

At 5 months, you:

  • are quick to offer smiles to anyone who pays attention to you
  • roll from back to tummy mostly, though you're getting better at rolling tummy to back, which will be really useful one day when I put you to bed, so I don't have to keep rescuing you. 
  • sleep through the night most of the time, though occasionally you want to eat around 3 or 4 am. Most nights you're down from 6:30 to 5 or 6 am, and then back to bed for another hour or two.
  • love tummy time - you can play for an hour, just rolling around, reaching for the toys and are starting to scoot towards them if they are out of reach
  • always rotate 90 degrees when you're laying down, and sometimes in the morning I find you with your head at a different end of the crib entirely
  • are weaned off the swaddling blanket, but naps are shorter now. Grrrr.
  • nap for an hour in the morning, a catnap before lunch, and then an afternoon nap, if it's a good day. 
  • love the Ergo and almost always fall asleep in it if I sway constantly
  • have taken a couple bottles, but consistently fight them and prefer it from the source
  • still stay with me during Bible study and church. February isn't the best month to start you in the nursery, thankyouverymuchcoldandfluseason
  • are behind on your monthly vaccines - we spread them out and at this point, I might reschedule again and just wait til your 6 month well-check and simply be behind on the shots
  • seem SO interested in food and track my every bite. Not yet kiddo! I'm not ready to switch to changing that kind of diaper.
  • WITHOUT FAIL poop when you are wearing white, and usually when in the car, which means one week I washed the car seat 3 times. One of those was so bad that I went through half a package of wipes (no lie) and was mopping it up from the base of the car-seat (as in, the part where the car-seat clicks into the car - it seeped through the whole seat down into a puddle in the base). Our friend Ms. Katie was visiting from NYC, and I think this episode was pretty effective birth control for her and her hubby Mr. Ben.
  • are still nursing well and seem satisfied after each meal, so another reason to wait on solids for a few more weeks
  • have found your squealing voice, and shout out when you're in the bouncer playgym when I walk by
  • are most fond of Avery. She can get you to laugh better than anyone else, and you light up when she comes into the room or pays attention to you.
  • are happy happy happy

We love you so much, sweet girl!

Wednesday, February 08, 2012

Conversations with Avery

The other day, she bolted from the car and ran straight to the front door. She likes to "hide" on the front porch, waiting for me to come around the corner. She turned to look at me and told me, "I want to poop inside." Okaaaaayyyyy, I think we can handle that. Did she want to poop on the potty inside? Nope. Just didn't want to do it in the great outdoors.

Later that day, she shut her bedroom door in Luke's face and told him, "I'm going to poop in here." 

I think we might be moving past the booger stage. 

Speaking of boogers, most of her conversations have been about boogers this past week. They're usually in the realm of "I have a booger. Wanna help me clean it?" Sometimes she doesn't ask, and she just wipes it on my jeans, to which I reply "Ew, go get a tissue." Instead of blowing her nose and wiping her fingers, she wipes my jeans and leaves tissue fuzz stuck to the booger that is STILL there. 

When tucking her into bed one night, she asked if I wanted to cuddle. I said sure, I'd love to, for two minutes. She looked at me with her negotiation stare: "How about 3 minutes?" Ha, ok. Then, "How about 20 minutes?" Ha, no.

Yesterday, she was jumping on my bed and telling me that she was climbing the tallest "hell." What?! In what episode does Dora go to hell? Turns out, it was a hill. Of course. Everything is hills and mountains around here.

"Mommy, Eleanor has a scratch on her belly. She has two scratches on her belly." No, Avery, those are Eleanor's nipples. You have nipples too. "I don't want you to show me my nipples!"

One night, right after putting Eleanor to bed, Avery asked to go to Target. I told her we couldn't go tonight, and she had a literal meltdown. Sobbing, "I want to go to Target! I want to go to Target!" And, this wasn't a tantrum, but just utter, extreme, sadness over not being able to go shopping at Target. I think she might be my child.

Leaving Bible study today, she ran up to me out of the nursery and told me, "I missed you so much." while she held my hand. Make my heart melt!

Wednesday, February 01, 2012

Hiding Out

We've been keeping it home-bound for awhile, trying to stay afloat among the waves that keep crashing, but we're here and finding joy in the small things each day. Grief is a strange process.

Thankful for:
Eleanor, who grew 3 inches and 3 lbs in a month! She's now weighing in at 15-2 and is 26". Chunky little thighs are adorable! She is in 6 month clothes mostly, though I've gotten her in a few 9 months shirts. Long torso, short legs. Sorry kid. She is also in the bouncer playgym now, rolls all over the place, is being weaned from swaddling as I type, was sleeping better til I had to break the swaddle, took a bottle willingly for the first time last night, grabs for objects, can replace her paci, and loves Sophie the giraffe.

Avery, who narrates life. My life, her life, everybody's life. She's really into boogers right now. She also loves Dora and speaks in a mix of Spanish and English, plays pretend according to what she sees on Dora, and counts everything. She also reads all the letters on magazines, books, t-shirts, labels...if it has words on it, she's telling you what letters are there. And yes, she knows all 26 letters, plus some sounds. Smart girl. She hates the potty and won't potty train, though it's been stressful around here, so I'm not forcing it for fear of trauma and later regression. I might be potty-training both girls at the same time one day. Sigh.

Friends, who bring meals and plan playdates and listen and cry and pray. Especially thankful for friends or family who bring fro-yo.

Family, who simply surrounds and loves. And provides cute babies to cuddle.

Church, for the body of Christ who acts as the body of Christ should. You all are simply amazing.

Christ, for grace and acceptance and strength and hope and peace.

I read One Thousand Gifts last year, and instantly fell in love with it. I re-read it recently, and still love it, and this time I started my own gratitude journal. I'm not as faithful as I'd like to be in recording gifts, but my list is growing and I love to go back and see them all written down. They are a reminder that God cares for me in all things. Beauty is everywhere. An attitude of gratitude helps put us in a right relation with Him. "Us laid low. Before God on High." via







Thursday, January 12, 2012

Family

Daily I become more appreciative of the family I have. The family I grew up with, the family I married into, the friends I call family. So many trials have come my way recently; 2012 is quickly becoming just as hard as 2011, but God in His great mercy has blessed me with this family.

The girls and I are visiting my mom, and my sister Michelle is here this week too while her hubby works in Houston, so I get lots of snuggle time with my cutie little nephew Grayson (who will be a month old in just a few days!).

The girls are having a blast. Avery loves coming to Nonnie's house, and Eleanor is just always happy. We spent an afternoon with my grandparents so they could meet Grayson for the first time, and my grandma loves to hold those babies as long as possible. Grandpa got some good cuddle time too, until Eleanor decided to poop on him. And what a poop it was! All the way up the backside and around onto her tummy by the time I wrestled the shirt off of her.

Aves, Eleanor, and I also spent a day with my in-laws before my FIL flew back to Africa for work. The cousins came over, and they are so good at loving on my two girls and keeping the toddler entertained. I don't really see Avery for a couple hours when they come over. It's AWESOME. :) Plus, my arms got a break from Tiny Love, who wants to be held all the time, as she got some good snuggle time/a nap with Aunt Haley and Nana.

raspberries from cousin Peyton

funny little Emily

Peyton is AWESOME with babies and with Avery. 

Oh look! Smiling during tummy time! This is rare.

carseat parking

baby Grayson meeting his great-gramma

Nonnie and Eleanor

close cousins - Grayson almost 1 month, Eleanor 4 months

Grayson doesn't seem to be enjoying hanging out with Eleanor

photo blooper

hanging out with great-grandpa, until she pooped on him

Yes, that's poop. A lot of it.

Tuesday, January 10, 2012

Happy 4 Months Eleanor!

Eleanor turned 4 months old yesterday! I didn't get my snazzy photo of her with an animal, sitting in a chair, just like I didn't for 2 and 3 months. Sorry kid, it's been a heck of a year. But, you're not without your own share of photos, even if they aren't "official".

Her appointments are off a bit, thanks to my crazy shot schedule and having to keep the shots at least 4 weeks apart, so I'll update with her stats in a couple weeks after her visit to the doctor.

The day started with some good rolling over for the first time! She is just like Avery, who also hated tummy time with a vengeance, so she mastered going from back to belly just like her big sister. Now that she's figured it out, she rolls no matter where she's parked for the moment, and she tried to roll herself out of the swing today. Glad she was strapped in! She also hates when she ends up on her tummy, but she can't seem to stop swinging her body over. I was smart and managed to catch the first one on video, plus every one after that for the rest of the day, but it takes too long to upload videos on here, so just trust me - she's a pro.

She also started reaching for items more, and she has become quite adept at getting the paci back in her mouth if it's dangling close enough. She found her voice in the past 2 weeks, and though she's still our "quiet" baby, she does talk more than she had been and lets out some major squeals of excitement on occasion. She's also begun cooing on car rides. Maybe she's talking to Avery.

She has graduated to the bouncer, though she doesn't bounce quite yet. Her feet do touch the ground, surprisingly, because she has such short little legs. She loves to look at the toys and her arms flail about and manage to catch them, where she'll then hold on for dear life.

She is the happiest baby ever and is quick to offer a grin to anyone looking her direction. She still loves to hold her own hands and gnaws on them constantly. She's quite the drool baby these days, spits up more than she used to but still not much by Avery's standard (who required an entire suitcase of burp rags when we traveled), and wants to be held all the time. She tries to sit up if she's reclining in someone's arms, wanting to see what's going on.

She is definitely a mommy's girl and still hates the bottle, so I'm on-call 24/7. She was sleeping 10 hours a night, but we're back to up once in the night usually, sometimes twice. So frustrating when you get used to good sleep, but we've traveled every week or two since the beginning of November, without much of a break in-between, so it's no wonder that she doesn't have a consistent schedule yet. She's often ready for bed by 6 pm, though I try and push it til 6:30 if I can. Then, I get an hour with Avery before she goes to bed.

I'm much more confident at handling two kids now, though it definitely tests my patience and my sanity some days. I'm also much more relaxed about Eleanor, though I was pretty relaxed with Avery. We did a lot more bottles with Avery, since I couldn't seem to get over being shy about nursing in public, which made it take longer to get out the door. With Eleanor, since bottles aren't even an option, I just load and go and nurse anywhere. It's so much better this way!

Wow, much more than I planned to type. Love you sweet girl!

Monday, January 09, 2012

Christmas Pictures

She wanted chocolate toast before opening her Christmas Eve gift, so we put last night's pj top on instead of her white dress. Love the tights, shoes, and purse. 

Since she was already half-dressed in pjs, she said, "Don't like to wear these!" to the Christmas jammies

Christmas morning - I love trees with white lights

the Santa hat gets pulled out every year, and whoever wears it passes out presents

Eleanor is so round these days, everything seems small on her

Daddy and Eleanor

from Avery's stocking - she LOVES nutella. These are little cookie sticks to dip into the Nutella

Eleanor spent most of Christmas morning swaddled and in the swing sleeping

her stocking stuffer

Avery likes to line everything up, and we had to play with each item as it was unwrapped. This made for a LONG morning. 

opening presents with Nonnie

Uncle Dane and Aunt Brittany

Merry Christmas to me! Thanks, Mom!

my sister Brittany painted this for us; absolutely love it and can't wait to get it framed

Eleanor got a Bla-Bla doll - we love these stuffed animals!
Avery's big gift was a train set, though somehow I didn't seem to get pictures of it, or I just can't find them among the hundred photos I took that morning. She loved it! She wanted it set up right away, and she played with it all morning until we had to leave for brunch at my grandparent's house. We put it up when we got back home, but we quickly became tired of having to step over it constantly to do laundry, so it's back in the box for now. So ready to have more space for her to play!