Weeks in Review ~ 7/21 and 7/28

What a couple of weeks.  I'm going to catch up with lots of pictures and {hopefully} few words.

The week of 7/21 was our after-vacation week, and we were getting ready for Avery's party.  We were home most days other than going to the library on Tuesday.  That Wednesday afternoon I went to Rocky Mount to Target and the new Hobby Lobby.  That was my first Hobby Lobby experience and I was pleased with the deals I found.  That was not my first Target and experience, and while I did not go in with intentions of buying a microfiber mop, I sure did leave with one.  My mom came for awhile that Thursday morning so that I could get the groceries I needed for the party.  She found Sam's first tooth.  Nothing like being on the ball as a mama.

I feel like the majority of the week was spent cleaning, and I still didn't manage to get to everything that needed to be done.  We also had someone come spray for spiders that Friday.  Apparently we built among many spiders and they preferred our house to the outside.  Cobwebs everywhere.  We started with spraying outside to see if that would take care of it, and I spent the majority of the day praying it wouldn't just chase more spiders indoors.

We had Avery's party Saturday.

Ned and Avery went to church Sunday.  After Avery did not take a nap, we headed to Levi's first birthday party.  It was a beach party, and halfway across town I realized I hadn't gotten her towel.  I didn't want to be the mom who showed up with no towel, which ended up making me the mom who's 20 minutes late.  That and Avery not napping were a good prelude to how the week would go.  The party was fun and Avery had a great time.  I think a water table and bigger pool for the yard might be in order around here.  Once we got home, her play set was finally dry enough for her to play a bit.

Monday was Avery's birthday.  We wanted to fix pancakes for her, and since Ned had to get to work, we had to wake her a little after 7.  I think she was awake but had not started talking, and we realized that Avery not talking means not ready to get up.  She perked up with her cake batter pancakes but didn't actually eat them.

We managed to get a nap out of her that afternoon, then we set off for my parents'.  We ate dinner there and had our traditional cake from Mrs. Kitchen.

I think we had a little too much celebrating for everyone.  While the following pictures don't show it, it just wasn't a great week.  For some reason, it was a particularly difficult week for me.  I'm not sure what the problem was with me, other than I think my children had decided to drive me nuts.

 I do know I was tired...we came home from vacation only to go right into party mode.  We've also been staying up late, and that's not working well with Sam's normal 6 a.m. wake up.

Avery was particularly whiny at the beginning of the week and had some talking back and listening issues.  She didn't nap Tuesday or Wednesday, and had never not napped twice in a row or three times in a week.  She wasn't just hanging out quietly either.  She'd yell and moan like she's started doing when she wakes up.  I've said it before and I'll say it again, sleep is my crazy mother issue.  Rest time here is from 1-3 p.m. though no matter what's taking place.  She did get better toward the end of the week, but Thursday was the only other day she took a normal nap.  Friday and Saturday it took her forever to fall asleep.  I think she had far too much birthday this year.  Also, I don't know if it was my mood or the particular episode that was on, but I decided that Caillou was too whiny and has a sometimes unkind tone of voice to be seen too often in this household.

Sam was not going to be left out of the action.  I pray that it's the 2nd bottom tooth working it's way to the surface, but he was so hard to get down for naps.  He also woke up in the middle of the night 2 nights and had one early morning wake up.  There was very little fussing getting him to bed, but it still took a long time.  Except for Saturday, he was perfectly fine, unless we were trying to get him to sleep.  Saturday he just seemed to grumble a lot...not cry, just complain.  That's very abnormal for him, so we're going to pray for a tooth and also talk to the pediatrician at Avery's appointment.

To be quite honest, I handled none of this well.  I was tired, I had no patience, I was very glass completely empty, and I just felt worn down.  The more frustrated I would get with what was going on, the more frustrated I would get with myself, because this is life with small children.  Some people have it easier, and some people have it harder.  Some people are all rainbows and roses and are really just full of poop.  I'm telling you that had Thursday not been a good day for everyone, I would have been over the edge by Saturday.  I was close as it was.

Ned was home most of the day Saturday and got up with the kids since I had been up with Sam in the night.  I went to the grocery store in the morning, he cut grass in the afternoon, then he cooked on the grill.  After dinner, Avery and I headed to the pool for a quick swim.  I figured some out-of-the-ordinary might be good for both of us, and we had a fun time.

The pictures are kind of random and don't fit in completely with my rant.

Sam decided at the beach that he could break out of the swaddle and still sleep, so we're now swaddle-free {at night}.

Avery insisted that Sam swing with her on a rare cool day.  He just slumped a bit but didn't seem to mind.

We continued to enjoy the cool day with a stroll to the pond after dinner.

The ice cream truck did not come by.  Thank goodness for Popsicles in the freezer.

When Sam didn't care for this pacifier as a newborn, it got reclaimed for Bitty.  A certain 3-year-old reclaimed it for a minute.  Had it made her happy, quiet, and/or calm for part of the week, I would have considered letting her keep it.

I picked up a tray for the Bumbo Saturday morning.  Sam seems to enjoy the Bumbo more than Avery, so I thought he might like the tray to help with entertainment.

Avery rode her Gator for the first time Saturday morning, only 7 months after Ho Ho dropped it off.  She is a constant reminder that she'll do things on her own time, and they'll be great when she does.  Now she just needs some steering instruction.  She can either go straight or in circles.

She's my little fish.

We have a busy week coming up, so we'll see if that helps or hurts.  Activities to keep us busy, a few rare moments of me time, and more rest will hopefully be just what we {especially me} need.  Today was a good day, so I'm confident we're off in the right direction.

3 Years Old

Dear Avery,

You are three years old today!  That is so hard for us to believe.  In the blink of an eye, you've grown from a tiny baby into a loving, smart, and joyful little girl.

At your check-up, you weighed 27 pounds and were 37 inches tall.  You grew about 5 inches last year!  Dr. Applewhite noted your slow weight gain but isn't concerned.  I think one weight recording in June was incorrect with your clothes on, and that threw off her numbers.  All that growing up accounts for something too.  You are mostly in 2T clothing.  Some tops are 3T and some pants are still 18-24 months.  Your shoe size is 7.5-8.

In addition to growing, you've grown up a lot since your 2.5 year post.  You agreed to let Toes the Ef take your pie pies in February in return for a new truck.  You've done just fine without them, though I did see you sneak Sam's a few times.  You've also grown into your new role as a big sister, and you've done a fantastic job.  You love your brother so much, and you love to quote your big sister book, saying, "I a big sister.  I can help."  Sometimes your help is questionable, but luckily Sam doesn't seem to mind.  Your getting lessons now about why Sam is touching you or your hair, but you take it all in stride.  I look forward to your relationship continuing to grow and can't wait to see what you two get into.  Your language, attitudes, and opinions have grown as well.  Two was really not so bad, so we're hoping three will be the same.  We do have some whining and disagreeing to buckle down and work on, but we're blessed that overall you are such a good girl.  Let's keep that up!

We moved into a new house in April, and you've got a new pink room all the way upstairs.  You are so proud of your room and show everyone who comes to the house.  You have a big girl bed all set up but are still choosing to sleep in your crib.  I love that you're contained and know it will all work out when your ready.  We've been having lots of nighttime storms making you nervous, so that is adding to the big girl bed concerns.  You can stay in your crib as long as you fit!

Your sleeping and eating habits basically remain the same.  You wake between 6 and 7 a.m., nap around 1 p.m. for 2 hours or so, and go to bed between 7 and 7:30 p.m.  You do just fine if you stay up later, but it rarely results in sleeping later in the mornings.  You still eat fairly well most of the time.  Sometimes you love something one day and won't touch it the next.  Some of your favorites include pancakes, oatmeal, yogurt, PB&J, turkey and cheese, and various vegetables and fruit.  You aren't so crazy about snack foods, which is good but also makes snacks tricky.  Some of our go-to food are Goldfish, cereal and milk, and graham crackers.  You'll turn your nose up at a cookie at home but eat them up at Jennifer's or church.  You still drink mainly water with the occasional lemonade or milk/juice box thrown in.  I'm afraid I kept you on too much water as you never want to try other things to drink.

You still entertain yourself beautifully and don't require much to do so.  Bitty and her accessories are still a favorite, and you find all sorts of treasures around the house to help you care for her.  You still like to read books and now want to read them to us.  A few shows have been added to your favorites list, but we still work hard to limit what you see each day, much to your disappointment.  We hate that it's so hot and humid these days, because you like to be outside strolling, playing ball, drawing with chalk, or playing on your playground.  You were a little fish in the pool recently using your Puddle Jumper, so we need to squeeze in more time in the water.

You are so ready to go to school, but after a lot of thought and prayer, we decided to keep you at Jen-Jen's this coming school year.  You'll have a great time there and will get just what you need as a three-year-old.  Things could change mid-year, but we think you have plenty of time for school!  You'll be busy in the fall anyway, starting Bible Zone at church and dance.  During story time at the library, you love the singing and crafts but get a little antsy during several stories, so Bible Zone will be a great "school" for you.  We're not sure if we're ready for nighttime activities, but you'll love them both.

Avery, we are so thankful that God chose us to be your parents.  Your inquisitive mind, infectious laughter, and love for your family bring such joy to our lives.  You fill our hearts with sunshine, and we're so proud to call you ours.


Daddy made this video with pictures of you today.  It certainly does feel like you've done all that growing in just a few minutes.  Slow down just a little.  We love you to bits and pieces.

Love,
Mommy and Daddy

Avery's Lemonade Birthday Party

Yesterday Avery invited our family and friends over for some lemony treats and drinks to celebrate her 3rd birthday.

Sweet Birdie's Nest did a fantastic job on her invitations and were great to work with, as usual.  I panicked because I knew they'd be closing their shop for awhile, but they had my order to me within days without rush shipping.

Paper products, cupcake liners, and straws came from Shop Sweet Lulu.  They were very quick as well, which was perfect for this mom who was ordering from the beach.  I got the yummy lemon cupcakes from a local bakery and added the extras.  We also served chips and dip, 5-layer dip, pink lemonade bars, and lemonade.  The kids had cupcakes, Goldfish, and lemonade juice pouches.  I didn't want any pouch squeezing incidents, so I served the pouches inside cups.

We had some balloons down for the kids to play with so that we wouldn't have any toy issues.  I did not consider the fact that children will beat other children with balloons.  Wow.  Avery had 5 buddies at her party this year, and we missed sweet Levi and Cade.  That's quite a jump from the 1 child her 1st birthday and 2 at her 2nd birthday party.  We got busy opening presents soon after most of the guests arrived.

Lolli and Poppa gave her a wagon for Bitty.  Everyone placed bets on how long it will be before Sam ends up in the wagon.

I love that Avery's buddy Carter was just as in to her gifts as she was.

Our generous family and friends made sure Avery would be entertained and clothed for a long time.

After gifts it was time for cupcakes and snacks!  Avery gets so shy when sung too, even though Happy Birthday is one of her best songs.

Avery, Carter, Mason, and the back of Liam enjoying their food.

Poor Emerson didn't seem to mind that Levi wasn't there to join him at the table.

We visited with everyone for a bit, put an overwhelmed Sam down for a nap, then sent everyone home with some goodies.  I found the pails in the Dollar Bins at Target awhile ago.  Inside was lemonade mix, a straw, bubbles, and a pink lemonade sucker.

It was raining as people started to leave, so we didn't get a chance to go out and play on Avery's play set.  Ned worked each night during the week and from 6:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. yesterday to get it done, and then it rained.  He and his dad are extremely handy, but I think both would recommend having a play set pre-assembled and delivered.  Avery only looked out the window 1,000 times this week and asked if her playground was ready.

My aunt, uncle, and one cousin stayed for awhile after everyone left.  We don't see them as often as we should, but Avery just loves them and gets so silly around them.  Once they went home we ordered pizza and Lolli and Poppa ate with us.

We've got several funny outtakes of this picture session, but a memory is a memory.

It was bedtime for two tired children after all of that fun, and Mama and Daddy were asleep on the sofa and chair soon after.

After more rain this morning, the play set was finally dry by the time we got home from a birthday party tonight, so we got a bit of playing in before bedtime.  We're looking forward to years of fun on this happy birthday present.

Don't worry, the birthday celebration continues on her actual birthday tomorrow!