Happy 2nd Birthday Avery!

Avery is 2!!!

Avery had her 2nd birthday party Saturday night and she had a great time! Scott grilled hamburgers and hot dogs and then we had Baskin Robbins ice cream cake. Avery loved having everyone sing happy birthday to her and she did a great job blowing out her candles. When we sang to her she just looked around at everybody and soaked up all the special attention. She got some really neat gifts (as you can see in the pics) that are still strewn about the living room. Besides the things in the pics she also got a ride-on toy car, books, a CD, a blues clues that plays hide and seek, 2 mr. potato head sets, a big set of foam blocks from Mommy and a little set of play golf clubs from Daddy. Needless to say, I am going to have to reorganize the toys once again, but it is all worth it to see her have a great time and enjoy her special day!

ladybug tent from Memaw and Dedaw

interactive Barney from aunt Sheila and Uncle Doug

puppet from Mimi and Poppi

dress-up trunk from Mimi and Poppi

Avery's 1st Egg Hunt

This year was Avery's 1st year to actually hunt Easter eggs. They had egg hunt at school and then after church Sunday we hid eggs in the front yard for her. Not very fancy, I know, but she had a good time and I don't think she missed the cotmpetition of other kids in the least. Here are a few pics of our Easter.

We have been busy gearing up for Avery's birthday party on Saturday. We are just having a family party here at the house with hamburgers and hot dogs that we'll throw on the grill and an ice cream cake from Baskin-Robbins. Ice cream is her favorite dessert-- like mother like daughter!-- and last year that is all she ate at her party. She wouldn't even touch the cake, much less eat it. So I decided ice cream cake was definitely the way to go.

As far as Kendall goes, she is growing and smiling more these days. Her little smiles just melt my heart and she is so sweet and cuddly. I just wish I had more time to sit and hold her. I don't know that the higher doses of meds have really helped her reflux, plus she's been having even more gas and tummy aches lately. Thankfully, she has good days and good moments mixed in with the bad. I just keep reminding myself that this too shall pass. I've also become convinced that God is using her not only to make me a better mother, but also to mold me more in His image. Last night it hit me just how many opportunities I am getting as I care for and raise my girls to practice many of the fruit of the Spirit-- kindness, gentleness, self-control, peace, patience, love and joy. Children truly are a blessing from God!

One month old and Conversations about God

It is hard to believe in a way, but Kendall was one month old this past Tuesday. I took her for her check-up yesterday, and she weighed in at 8 lbs 14 oz. That sounds little, but when you consider that she was just over 6 lbs at birth and was 7 lbs two weeks ago, she's doing pretty good! Unfortunately, her reflux isn't getting any better, so they increased her dose of both Zantac and Bethanechol. Since she weighs more now, hopefully a higher dose will help the problem. It's just frustrating to see your baby uncomfortable and in pain, especially when she seems so calm when the reflux and gas aren't acting up. One minute I feel like she's this miserable, colicky-type baby, and the next minute I think she's an angel. Needless to say, we are looking forward to her getting a bit older and hopefully outgrowing her digestive troubles. As much as I never wanted to have a colicky baby, I almost hope that her troubles qualify as that since they say most babies magically outgrow it at 3 months. Thankfully, she is sleeping pretty well at night: she's been getting up around 2:30 and then again at 5:30 to eat and going right back to sleep, but last night she didn't get up until 3:45 and then again right around 7:00. Hopefully that trend will continue! Yesterday Scott and I both got smiles out of her that we think were real ones since she was calm at the time and making eye contact. I am so looking forward to more smiles and coos. I guess I just remember how magical it seemed when Avery started responding to me.

Speaking of Avery, I had the most priceless conversation with her this morning at breakfast. It went like this.
A: Do you like bibles?
Me: Yes, I'm so glad God gave us the Bible to read.
A: God loves you.
Me: And God loves you, so much.
A: God loves Kendall too.
A: God is gonna hold Kendall.
Me: Yes, one day he will.
A: When God gets older.
A: God wears earrings.
Me: You think so?
A: Uh-huh
And then as randomly as it started, the conversation ended and turned to something else. She never ceases to amuse and amaze me, although at this point I could really go for less verbal persistence. She will ask and ask and ask something until you answer her and sometimes keeps asking, especially when I'm occupied with Kendall. Enough negativity-- on to the birthdays! Tomorrow we are celebrating Scott's birthday along with my sister's at my parents' house. And then in a few weeks it will be Miss Avery's turn. So Happy Birthday to my awesome husband that I could never make it without! He is such a wonderful support to me and such an amazing father!

1st time to church

Today was Kendall's 1st Sunday at church. Being the scrapbooker and blogger that I am, I of course had to take some pictures to chronicle the event. Despite having to get up 2 hours early to make sure that everyone was dressed and fed on time, our morning went smoothly and we actually got to church before it started! Like an angel baby, Kendall slept right through church and part of class. She woke up just in time for me to feed her and change her before class was over.

I have to tell a quick story on Avery. One of my friends at church came over to talk to me during class and was complimenting Avery on how adorable and sweet she is. I didn't argue of course. But then she was telling me how her and her husband had been helping in the 2 yr old children's worship this morning and when the other teacher got a bugger out of Avery's nose, she commenced to tell everyone several times that her Mimi (my Mom) got a bugger out of her nose and showed it to her on the kleenex! Isn't it just lovely the things that children say in public! I had to explain to my friend that Avery really hates getting her nose wiped and my Mom had recently done this to help convince Avery that she really does need her nose wiped sometimes so she won't have gross things like that in her nose.
**(Sorry to tell on you Mom, but the story was too good not to share!)