Merry Christmas!

It's been a busy but joyful day so far. Scott and I were really excited for today. We both kept waking up, thinking it was time to get up. At 6:30, I finally went and woke up the girls.

We got all the Christmas lights on and started opening. Ryann was a champ at opening this year. She tore things open well. Avery preferred to enjoy things once they were opened for her. Both girls loved their gifts. Avery got some fun Elmo things. Ryann got lots of Princess stuff, including a castle for her dolls and a castle tent to play in. Avery's favorite things of the morning were a new baby doll and the constant flow of Skittles. She kept wanting"mo." Ryann was very busy protecting her princess stuff from the little sister. They got coloring books and crayons, so we did some coloring. The girls also got some Legos. They built some stuff with Daddy before brunch.

Around 11, we headed over to our friends' house for brunch. They put on a big spread. It was fun, but we were anxious to get home and lounge around. Avery had stinky pants and needed a nap so we were home by 1. Now, we're watching the new Tinkerbell movie and eating snacks. Ahhh....the perfect afternoon.

This has been a really exciting Christmas. I have always loved Christmas, but it takes on a whole new dimension seeing it through my girls' eyes. I had so much fun getting ready. We even left cookies for Santa last night. Ryann has never gone to sleep as fast as she did last night. We talked about Santa knowing if she was awake. I tucked her in, she closed her eyes, and she didn't even open them to give me my goodnight hugs and kisses. I didn't hear a peep after I left her room. Avery didn't really understand what was going on, but she was super wound up anyway. Today was very exciting for us all. It was so much fun seeing how happy the girls were. Each Christmas has been more and more fun since we became parents. They say that Christmas is for children, but it's pretty awesome for parents, too. :0)

Christmas Eve

We had a relaxed Christmas Eve. We got the girls dressed up and went to church. When we got home, we ate dinner and watched Christmas movies until bedtime. We were all very excited for Santa to come!

My Audience

Avery has found the perfect spot to keep track of me while I do my kitchen work. She opens the pantry, pulls out the stool, gets her snacks set up, and enjoys watching Mommy. She also likes to look beautiful with beads on.

Time to Breathe



Our happy girls

Here I am! I'm on Winter Break. I've been trying to catch up on all the things that I've neglected since the last break. I've been going to appointments, baking cookies, and doing housework. Finally, I have a few minutes to blog. I've been blogging mentally since Thanksgiving but haven't had time to sit at the computer and get it out there. I guess I'll

try to catch up on this too. :0) 

To begin our Christmas season, we went to the ballpark for the holiday event. The girls got to play in snow for the first time and met Santa! We had to wait in line for our turn in the snow. When we got in there, Ryann slipped, screamed, and cried about 4 times. Avery seemed to be trying to figure it out. By the end of our few minutes in the snow, they both seemed to enjoy it.

After that, we waited in line for about 45 minutes to meet the big guy. When we finally got there, Ryann went mute and wouldn't get near him. Avery sat on his lap, took one look, and started screaming. It was loads of fun.



One of our favorite things to do at each holiday is make cookies. Ryann and I bake them together. She loves to mix dough, roll it out, and cut cookie shapes. Her favorite part, though is tasting them. Avery likes to get into anything she can reach during these projects. We often end up with finger prints in the frosting. She also takes them and runs when she gets a chance. Baking is quite an adventure in our house. I've been making Christmas cookies "alone" the past few days for productivity and quality control. :0) By alone, I mean as I step over Ryann and her princess toys and drag Avery around attached to my leg. Ahhh...quality time with the kids.



Not the prettiest, but beautiful to us

Looks like trouble



Yum! Cookies!



Scott and I are super excited for Christmas this year. We think the girls will love it. It's so much fun to see their excitement. I hope to post a video after Christmas morning.

  

Avery at 18 Months

I took Avery to the doctor on Thursday for her 18 month appointment. She's made some pretty good progress. She went from the 50th to 75th percentile in height and from the 5th to 25th percentile in weight. She's gaining! She's still a cute little peanut. She's talking a lot more but still uses 1 word at a time for most things. Although she will say, "mo, bee." (translated: "more, please.") She's very giggly and happy at home but clams up whenever anyone else is around. People at church or at my work think she's quiet and subdued. Ha! They should see her terrorize her sister, climb furniture, and giggle and run when she's in trouble. She's really something. :0)
Ryann is getting big, too. I had to take her to buy a couple of shirts today because she's outgrown most of her 3T clothes already. She seemed to be getting chubbier for a few weeks then she shot upward. She had her belly hanging out of her shirt yesterday because it was too short. Today, she went shopping in a mini dress. It was fine a few weeks ago. Ugh! I can't keep up.

Annual Pictures

Today is Veteran's Day so I have a day off! What better to do with it than get family photos done? It was just as much fun as usual. We did our annual family photo as well as Avery's 18 month picture. She was so shy during the whole thing. She looks miserable in all of the pictures. We decided not to worry about it because that's just her right now. Ryann is quite the opposite. She's a little model. She had a very cute, happy smile in most of the pictures. She did better than Scott and I.
Even though the pictures aren't perfect, they're done and I'm glad. We did Ryann's pictures every month for the first year. We smartened up and did Avery's every 3 months. Now that Avery is 18 months old, we'll start going only in May for birthday pics and  November for a family pic. That sounds a little better.
You'll notice there is no picture posted. That's because JCPenney won't let me download them unless I buy the cd for $150. Grrrrrrr! I'll be looking for another portrait studio.

Halloween 2010

This past weekend was filled with Halloween festivities. We were fortunate enough to have Scott's dad and my brother in town to share in the fun.
The festivities began on Saturday night when the Goodyear Ballpark hosted their annual Halloween event. Scott and his dad went to the Washington State at Arizona State football game so my brother, Chad, and I took the girls to the ballpark. Ryann had a great time picking out a pumpkin and putting a face on him. She enjoyed going through the straw maze that her daddy had designed. Avery just took it all in. She kept taking her hood off. Apparently, it's too hot in Arizona to be a furry monster. She was a big hit, though. Everybody loves Elmo. It was very crowded so we didn't stay very long.
We did run into a few friends. Take note of "Batman." He's the young man that Ryann claims she will marry. Uncle Chuckie has his eye on that one.
The next day was the real deal, Halloween. We helped Ryann carve her pumpkin, roasted pumpkin seeds, and waited for the evening fun.
We decided to do it Arizona style for the first time. It's a strange phenomenon. People like to sit in their driveways in patio furniture to give out candy. Some people go all out decorating their driveway areas for the evening. We set up home base then Chad and I took the girls down the street while Scott and his dad gave out candy. Elmo kept running ahead. She had no concern for where we were. She was free! Ryann was really excited to have candy. They both like trick-or-treating. We did the loop on our street then stopped back at home. Avi needed a diaper change and we grabbed Daddy for the next route. We took them around the corner and looped back to the park. By then, it was Avery's bedtime. We gave out a bit more candy then got the girls inside and settled down. I did let Avery taste some M&Ms. She wasn't overly impressed but did manage to make a huge mess on her hands and face. Apparently, they do melt in your hands.

Annual Fair Outing

On my last day of break, we decided to take the girls on our annual Arizona State Fair outing. We got there around 10am and headed right to the caricature booth. We didn't get it done last year because the girls were hot and tired by the time we got there. We did it this year, though. Then, we looked at animals and went through the kids' barn. Ryann got to ride the carousel. Avery probably would have liked it better than Ryann but she sat this one out. Ryann was excited but then wanted off. She got used to it and said she had fun by the time it was over. At least she didn't scream when it was over this time.

After that, we ate junk food and headed home. It was a brief trip, but it was long enough to accomplish our goals without major incident. We left around 1pm. Both girls fell asleep on the way home. I was hoping we could all enjoy a nap when we got home. However, the girls were recharged and ready to rock when we got home. Ugh! So much for a restful last day of break. I'm headed back to work tomorrow.

Break Wrap Up

I have only one day left of my fall break. This week has been really nice. I've done a lot of catching up on school work but more importantly, I've spend lots of time with the girls. The weather has cooled down this week. It's been in the 70s and 80s and we even had some clouds and rain. We've spent lots of time outside in the sand and on the swings. This is definitely the best time to be in AZ. Winter's pretty nice, too. I'm looking forward to even cooler temperatures. I want to wear long pants and long sleeves again. :0)

Besides playing outside, Ryann and I have been preparing for Halloween. She gets really excited about holidays. She loves to decorate the house and bake special treats. We even tried on costumes. Avery doesn't really know what's going on but she's more than willing to get in on the action. She tends to be less than helpful most of the time. Here are some pictures of Ryann and her pumpkin cookies yesterday. She helped mix, roll and cut the cookies. After that, she was mostly interested in taste-testing.

Avery Year 1

Click here to view this photo book larger

Ryann Year 1

Click here to view this photo book larger

Time to Take a Breath

Fall break has finally arrived. We have the next two weeks off from school. My mom is here for a visit. She watched them a few days last week while I had long days. She'll watch them Monday, too. I'll be teaching intersession for the first four days but will have at least a week to spend with the girls. I feel a lot more relaxed this weekend, even though I still have to teach this week. I finished assessments, report cards, and parent conferences. Now, I can breathe a little as I prepare for the next quarter. Next quarter, I have a couple of formal lessons to videotape, writing to do, and I'll begin coaching cheerleading in November in addition to all of my usual responsibilities. I have lots to do so I need to get ahead during break if I can.

Most importantly, I need to spend more time with the girls during break. We get so busy during each quarter that I miss them a lot. This weekend, I've been spending lots of playtime with them. Avery has beaten me up pretty well. She's a little rough with her love. I often get head-butted from vigorous hugs or pinched or poked from playing games. I do enjoy having the little monkeys tackle me on the carpet. They are super giggly and fun right now. Avery is walking very well now and is into trouble all the time. Ryann is becoming a good helper. She has really matured in the past couple of months. Here is a video of our Avi-bug walking and a couple of pictures of our girls.

A Weekend Get-Away

Scott and I had a rare opportunity last weekend. We drove to LA to see the Cougs play at UCLA. The best part is,...we went alone. One of my most wonderful friends, Annie, offered to stay at our house with the girls for the weekend so Scott and I could get away together. It was great to have some grown-up time without kids or responsibilities. We went to the Rose Bowl for the game. It was a good game, even though the Cougs ended up losing. In keeping with our Cougs game tradition, they gave up 40 points or more and lost, as they have every game we've attended together.

After the game, we stayed in Glendale, CA. We went to dinner, a movie, and ice cream. We had a great time but we were definitely tired after such a long day of fun. We got back Sunday around noon. Annie claims that the girls were very good. Hmmm...my kids? I'm glad. They had fun and so did we. It's nice for Scott and I to have time as a couple once in a while. Thanks, Annie!

Pay It Forward...or something like that

We had a guest pastor a couple of weeks ago at church. He talked about showing people love in small ways. He called it guerrilla love. I took it to heart and tried to put it in practice. There was a police officer that kept parking outside our houe so I decided to make him cookies. Well, that plan backfired because it took to long to make cookies and he didn't come back. By then, I was on a mission. The UPS guy came to deliver a package to the neighbors so I ran out there and offered him a plate of cookies. He was appreciative and said he had only eaten once that day so he thanked me. I was pretty happy with that but I had more cookies left so I took them in to the office staff at school. The interesting thing is what I've noticed since then. A friend of mine got an anonymous card with a few bucks to send her on her way as she traveled out of town for the weekend. I've had people offer all kinds of help to me. I covered a duty for someone and they gave me a soda and treats. I see people helping eachother all over my school. It's been amazing to see how many nice things people have done for one another. When I thought about it, I first thought it was like a pay it forward thing. Then, I thought about all the things people have done for me long before this and how I try to help others whenever I can. I came to the conclusion that I just have a great group of friends and coworkers that really support one another. My wonderful husband has been helping to free me up for work time when I need it. My mom is coming soon to babysit. A friend is spending the night with my kids so Scott and I can go to a Cougs game in LA in a couple of weeks. My friends and family are fantastic! I truly am blessed and I'm incredibly grateful. This year is insane with my added responsibilies and projects. The amazing people in my life have already made it way easier on me. Thanks everyone!

Feels Like Monday

I got back to work today after the long weekend. Actually, I continued to work. I spent a good portion of my weekend at school or working on school stuff at home. I felt much better today but quickly began feeling behind again. I guess it's a never-ending battle.
The girls were happy to be at daycare again today. Ryann plays princess with her little friends and Avery gets lots of the cuddles she loves. Avery has finally decided that she'll bother to walk. She took steps forever ago but just refuses most of the time. I guess she's decided she's ready. Everything happens on her own time schedule. It's a good thing she's so cute. :0) My mom got them matching Cinderella outfits. They wore them today. This is a picture of the same outfit on them last week. Notice Avery's haircut. I did my best but it's not perfect. She's really wiggly.

Time Flies

Well, I guess it's been a while since I've written. We just finished week 4 of our school year. I've been scrambling to stay afloat since week 2. The trip to Washington really hit hard as far as my workload goes. The good news is, we had a great trip and things are ok at work.

We flew to Washington on a Thursday night, leaving at 8pm. As we took off, Avery kept saying, "weee!" She loved it. She was a giggly, squirmy, goofball until we landed, which was almost 11pm. Ryann enjoyed the trip as well and was pretty content. She did, of course, need to try out the airplane potty. Those are not built for 2. I kept telling her, "don't touch anything." Yuck!

It was great to spend so much time with family. Ryann did her usual shy act at first but warmed up. She actually became quite social with her aunts, uncle, cousins, grandpa and great-grandparents. It was really fun to see her with family, especially with Kayden, her cousin who is 9 months older. They were really cute.

The wedding was very nice. It was outside at an orchard. Ryann loved it. I was a bit embarrasssed to find her attached to the bride, Kirsten's hand as they were getting ready to cut the cake. I think Ryann just wanted to be a part of it too. She still talks about wanting to get married and dance in a pretty dress like Kirsten. She's decided she'll marry Dylan, my friend's son, since she can't marry Papa or Daddy. She doesn't quite get it yet. :0)

As for Avi-bug, she had a bit of a rough time in WA. On the day after we arrived, she seemed a bit fevery & whiny. By the wedding on Saturday, she was sick. She slept on Scott's Aunt Karen for a long time during the reception, music and all. We got her some medicine on the way home & she seemed to feel better. The next day, she seemed fine, eating like a horse at a brunch. That evening, all that eating backfired. While sitting in my lap after dinner, she threw up all over me...and the chair.....and the floor. Wow! That was gross. We both headed to the bath. She seemed to slowly improve after we got back to AZ. Scott took her to the doctor but it was just a bug of some kind. She's back to her mischievous self again now.

Since returning home, I've been scrambling to catch up at work and at home. Fortunately, no changes have happened at work so life is good. We have a 3-day weekend so I'll be trying to catch up a little more.

1 Down, 37 To Go

I survived Week 1 of the school year. It went fairly smoothly. The kids seem nice. The only problem....there are only 21 of them. In a normal world, I'd say, "Yippee! A small class!" In the world we live in today, I say, "Oh No! Something bad's coming." Since some classes in the district have closer to 40 kids, the 4 of us are sweating bullets. Ugh! I guess I'll enjoy the small class while it lasts. Who knows what could happen?!

Another little wrench in the beginning of school is that I have to take 2 days off right at the beginning of the year. I'll be taking this Friday and the following Monday off to attend Keelan's wedding in Washington. (Scott's brother for those who don't know him.) We're really looking forward to the event and some family time but I dread making sub plans and missing 2 consecutive work days. I'll try to plan my best and try not to stress until Tuesday. :0) We haven't been to Washington in a long time so we're excited. Avery's never met some of Scott's family. She's also never been on an airplane. So Thursday night, please keep us in your thoughts and prayers as we fly with two little critters for 3+hours. :0)

15 Months

I took Avery for her 15 month check up and immunizations on Friday. She weighed in at 20 lbs 2.5 oz. She's finally a 20 pounder! :0) That put her at the 10th percentile for weight. Her height is at the 50th percentile. It seems that she's made some progress in the last 6 weeks or so. I also talked to the doctor about her not walking yet. We decided that she's just not walking for me. The nurse tried to get her to walk to me and she took a couple of steps. Since then, she's taken a few steps at home for me. The doctor thinks we have a stubborn one on our hands. She tantrums if pushed. She's ahead in some milestones but refuses to walk. Ugh! I'm sure she's very close to running around like a maniac. I had just hoped she's do it while I was home with her. Now that I'm back to work, I have a lot less playtime. My students start school on Monday. I'm excited but nervous, as I am every year. I'm really hoping for a great school year.

Back to Routine

Today is my first day of official work but I've been back at it for a week now.

This is a picture of the girls on Monday morning. They were excited and ready to head to daycare. We're getting back into the swing of things. Tomorrow night, I have Meet The Teacher Night until 7pm so it'll be a long day. Other than that, we're into our usual schedule. Busy, busy, busy.

Last Day of Freedom

Today is my last day of freedom before going back to work for the school year. I started setting up my classroom so the girls spent some time at school, some time at a friend's house, and a day at daycare this past week. Apparently, they have felt as cooped up as I have because they've loved getting out and seeing other people lately. They love to play with friends. Ryann gets up in the morning and says, "where are we going today?" If I tell her we get to stay home, she says, "why?" I guess we all need to get out.

I'm excited for the new school year. I think the excitement I've always felt about starting a school year is one of the reasons I became a teacher. I get a fresh start every year! It's awesome! I'm really optimistic about this school year. I'll have a lot going on but I'm no stranger to being busy. I actually think I thrive on it. I love being with my family but summer makes me lazy. I'm glad to get back to work. I will make an attempt this year to get home earlier to play with the kids. Last year, I often got home in time to make dinner then put the girls to bed. I'm going to build in playtime each day somehow. It's my new school year resolution. :0)

So today is my last day of freedom. I need to report to a training at 8:00 am tomorrow. The kids will go back to daycare. Our life will go back to normal routine. Today, I need to prepare. I'll spend this last day of freedom getting the house in order, grocery shopping, doing laundry, and getting things ready for the week. I'm sure I'll be counting the days until Fall Break soon enough, but for now, I'm excited to get started.

Sun & Sand

Ok, maybe not your typical idea of sun and sand. This past week, we've had lots of both. Last Friday, we had a delivery of 11 tons of sand to put under our play structure. Unfortunately, the truck couldn't fit through our gate so Scott and I used shovels and a wheelbarrow...ugh! It was a nice hot 100 degree day, too. The picture was taken when we were about half way done.

Luckily, it paid off. The girls are thrilled with it. Ryann wants to spend every waking moment in her sandbox. We added some pink play sand in the actual sanbox area to make it more fun. Avery likes it too. She doesn't seem to think it tastes great but keeps trying it anyway. The girls also love to swing.

Avery says "wee" repeatedly. I guess that means it's fun.

When we get super hot from playing in the sand, we go for a swim on the patio. We have all sorts of summer fun at our house. :0)

Time for School Yet?

I am incredibly fortunate to have a job that allows me to spend weeks at a time home with my children. The time we spend together is priceless. That being said, I need time at work as well. I've said it before and I'm feeling it again. I couldn't be a stay-at-home-mom, especially while Ryann's 3. :0) She is such a joy in my life, but Wow! She can be a moody one. I get absolutely emotionally drained from the battles. Also, at this stage, Avery is into everything and Ryann doesn't want her touching anything. Occasionally they play well together but usually, they argue. When Scott gets home, I need a break. I am fully aware that once school starts, I'll crave more time with my kids. For now, I live for nap time and before they get up in the morning. I have only a couple of weeks left before the chaos of the school year starts. I'm trying to get prepared but working isn't easy in our house. I know that a month from now, I'll be counting the days until October break. I'll try to keep that in mind and enjoy the rest of the summer with my babies.

Weight Gain

Weight is such a difficult thing to manage. It's funny how hard I work to lose weight, then how easily I gain it as soon as I fall off the wagon. Aside from my issues, my daughter has been working hard at gaining weight. Avery was in the 5th percentile at her 12 month appointment so the doctor prescribed Zantac for her acid reflux and told me to get more calories in her. Well, I guess it worked. I took her to the doctor again today and she's gained 2 pounds in the last 6 weeks. She went from 17 lbs 13oz. on May 18 to 19lbs 14oz today. It's amazing what happens when a kid keeps her food down. The doctor said she's doing great.

Home at Last

Our cross-country trip has finally come to an end. We arrived home Friday afternoon. We spent the weekend recovering. Scott went back to work today.

We had an awesome vacation. We spent lots of time with my family and friends. Unfortunately, there were some people and places we didn't get to. It's hard when you only go home every 2 years. Scott and I went to CitiField to see the Mets' new home. We found our brick on the sidewalk, too. :0) We went to a Binghamton Mets game as well. That's where we both worked when we met. There are only a couple of people left that worked there when we did but it was great to visit.

I tried to give the girls a taste of Binghamton. They got to go to the Discovery Center, Ross Park Zoo, and a carousel. I thought Ryann would love the carousels but she refused to ride because she said, "it hurts my ears." Avery enjoyed the ride though.

Scott and I made sure to hit our favorite food joints while we were there. We went to our favorite pizza place, my favorite Chinese place, and, of course, a spiedie place. For those who don't know what spiedies are, they are delicious chunks of marinated meat in sandwiches. Mmmmmm!

On the 2oth, we had Avery baptized in my church. We did the same for Ryann 2 years ago. We had cake afterward with some friends and family. It was hot and sticky but a nice experience nonetheless.

We headed for home on the 21st. It was sad to leave but we certainly were happy to get back to our house on Friday. We stopped in Hershey, PA on the way. We went to Hershey's Chocolate World. Then, we went to the battlefields in Gettysburg, PA. The rest of the trip back was driving and staying in hotels. Overall, the girls were pretty good. They were surprisingly patient in the car most of the time. There were a couple of times we had to stop for sanity purposes as well as a potty break. We were pleasantly surprised that Ryann didn't ask for many potty breaks. She's a real trooper.

When we arrived home, we were reminded of the whole "dry heat" debate. We agree that NY feels way hotter than AZ at a similar temperature. It was in the upper 80s most of the time we were in NY but we were hot and sticky. 110 didn't feel that bad when we got home. Don't get me wrong, it's hot. It just doesn't make you feel greasy and sticky. I went outside and got a sunburn working in the yard this morning. I sweat but it wasn't that uncomfortable, probably why I stayed out too long.

Anyway, it was a great trip. We loved it but we're very happy to be home. The girls are too. Avery promptly climbed the stairs, which she never did before, and Ryann pedaled her tricycle for the first time this weekend. It's great to be back.

We Made It!

We traveled over 2,400 miles in 4 days but we finally made it to New York. We arrived at my dad's house Wednesday evening. Being as insane as we are, we headed off on another trip on Thursday. We took the girls to their grandma and Scott and I headed to Flushing. We finally made it to see the new home of my NY Mets, Citi Field. We watched the Mets play the Padres. It was a nice day for baseball. It got a little overcast but never rained on us. We even caught a glimpse of Lady Gaga, who sat about 100 ft away in a suite. The Mets lost the game we saw but played another game that night and won. We found our brick outside the stadium. I was ready to give up when I just happened to see "AZ." There it was, "Let's Go Mets! Dobbins Family, Avondale, AZ." I was excited. We got our picture taken in front of the old home run apple, too. It was a nice trip. The only bad part was the drive home. We left the stadium at 4:30 and got home at 10:00. We listened to the whole 7:10 game as we drove. Traffic was ridiculous due to construction, etc.
Friday, we decided to stay home and do nothing. Ahhhhhhh!!!!!!
Today, we took the girls to the Discovery Center. Ryann seemed to really like it. They have all kinds of areas to play in. Her favorites were the restaurant and grocery store. After that, we had lunch at my favorite Chinese food place. This afternoon....naps for everyone. I love vacation. :0)

Cross-Country

Well, we've survived 3 days and 2,073 miles in the car with the kids so far. We left Arizona on Sunday morning just before 6 am. We got 4 hours in before anyone needed the potty or a diaper change, not bad. We lost 2 hours due to time zones along the way. We drove until around 9:45 pm and stayed in Amarillo, Texas. It went really smoothly until Santa Rosa, NM. We came upon an accident that had just happened. We sat still on the freeway for over an hour. Luckily, the kids were pretty patient. After that, we were all ready to be done for the day but we pushed on to Amarillo.

The next morning, we were up and on the road by 7 am. We went all the way to Vandalia, IL. It was a pretty smooth day, as well. Ryann was really good about not needing the potty much. She must have been tired, though. She slept a good portion of the morning. We drove until about 8:30 pm.

The next day, we left at 5:40 am and headed to Ohio. We met up with a friend of Scott's just before Cleveland for lunch. We arrived in Cleveland around 4 pm. Scott's "Michigan family," Len & Julie met us there. We went to the Indians game with them. It was great to spend some time with them and the girls were thrilled to be spoiled for the evening. It turned out to be a late night. Ryann and Avery were still giggling and jumping/crawling around at midnight when we decided it was lights out. They're both pretty sleepy this morning. :0)

We're getting ready to head out now. Today is the last leg of the trip to NY. We should be at my Dad's by 4 or so, depending on stops. We've already decided that lunch will be at Friendly's. We don't have them in AZ. We used to go there together a lot when we both lived in NY. Well, off we go... Wish us luck!

One and Three Year Old Pictures

These are our May 2010 photos from JC Penney. They were taken to commemorate Ryann's third birthday and Avery's first birthday. Ryann was very cooperative, and Avery...not so much.

Today, I took the girls for their check-ups at the doctor. Ryann is 32 lbs (50th percentile) and 36 1/2 inches (75th percentile). She told the doctor her full name, what color her eyes are, and how Sissy chases her. Dr. Ring said she could see Ryann's a talker and quite advanced. I was proud.

Avery is 17 lbs 13 oz. (5th percentile) and 28 3/4 inches (40th percentile). The doctor is concerned with her weight and thinks it has to do with her acid reflux. So, at 1 year, Avery is starting Zantac so we can keep food in her. She's always spit up a lot but now that it's real milk and food, it's nasty. I have to take her back in a month to see if she's gaining weight. Everything else seems to be just fine. She's not as far along as Ryann was at this age but she's healthy, happy, and content. Good enough for me.

We think both girls are perfect. They're tons of fun every day. Time goes by so fast. They're getting so grown up!

Birthday Girl

It was a busy weekend in our household. Our little princess turned 3 years old today. That meant that I started preparations early last week but things got crazy this weekend. Friday night, I had to start cutting out flowers for her cake. Saturday, we took Ryann for her first haircut. Daddy needed one too, so we went as a family. She had never even had a trim before. She was really good and did everything the lady asked her to do. She thought she was a big deal because she and Daddy got haircuts together. Luckily, they didn't get the same haircut. :0)

After the haircut, I started baking. I had to bake the 4 cakes needed to make her princess castle cake. While I baked, Scott worked on her "surprise." He's been building it for a month but she referred to it as a "surprise," as if she couldn't tell what it was . After that, we all went to church. On the way home, we did some last minute party shopping at Walmart. Then it was dinner and bedtime for everyone but me. I had an hour or so of work to do on the cake, etc. Today, I spent most of the day decorating the castle cake and preparing for the party. Scott finished the "surprise" and Ryann got to test it out officially. She loves it.

The party was at the Goodyear Community Park splash pad. It was in the 90s today so it was a good day for splashing in the water. It was chaotic but fun. The party had a princess theme, of course. Ryann and I even wore princess tattoos. We had lots of friends come. Ryann was very excited to have a party with her little friends. Unfortunately, she refused to talk for the first 30 minutes or so. She eventually opened up and had fun. By the time we got home, gave the girls baths and played with the new toys, we were all wiped out. Thank goodness we have a year before we do the birthday thing again. It's fun but we're tired! Until next year...Ryann is "free yizode" and she can show you on her fingers to prove it. :0)

Just One Year

About a week before Avery's birthday, I was giving the girls a bath and noticed the tag on the washcloth. The brand was "Just One Year." I got all teary and mushy thinking about my baby not being a baby anymore. It goes so fast.
Our little Avery turned 1 on Sunday. We had quite a barnyard shindig for her. There were farm animals and balloons everywhere. We had 11 kids and 13 adults. Here is a picture of the cake I made her along with the party favors.

When it came time for cake, she was all about it. As soon as she tasted that sweet frosting, she was hooked. She ate her whole cupcake and another mini one later. When Ryann turned 1, she ate the frosting off but never ate the cake. Avery actually finished hers off by smushing the plate against her face. That's my girl. :0)

The girls spent the evening playing with Avery's new "Little People." They love those. (Notice the matching t-shirts. I'm just that cheesy.)

I'm sad that her first year has already passed but she's more and more fun every day. She still doesn't walk but she has replaced her commando crawl for a real crawl and pulls herself up well. She's content for now. She used to say "Momma" but now will only say, "Daddy." She's taking it one word at a time. I'll be taking both girls to the doctor for check-ups on the 18th. I'll update you on the stats then.