Frozen

It is FREEZING outside!! Lily was supposed to go back to school on Monday (Jan 4) but has been home for an extra week, because of snow and cold!! I don't know what the actual temp is outside, but I know it's cold!!! The kids have had a great week!! They have gotten along really well!! That has been quite a blessing. I can't even imagine how hard this week would have been if they had fought all week!! We got to go out and play in the snow a couple of times, but it has just been TOO cold the last couple of days to even think about it!! As I type this they are in Avery's room playing "baby"!! It is soo cute!!! I am getting a little stir crazy!! I have quite a bit that I could be doing, but am just blah, and really not wanting to do anything, but sleep!! I wonder how people in Alaska can make it!! How long is it dark there??? A long time!! Between the dark and the cold, I think I would just sleep the whole time!! I've been sleeping enough, as it is!! It is supposed to warm up enough to hopefully start melting the snow on Sunday, but the weather people also said no snow today, and it's snowing, so who knows!!!! I will be glad to get back into a routine!! I have tried to keep some sort of routine going, but it sure hasn't been as strict!!

We put Avery in a big boy bed about a week ago!! He is loving it!! He got new Thomas sheets for Christmas, and we bought him the matching comforter with some of the Christmas money he got!! He thinks he is just so big!! He has been sleeping in underwear at night!! He is waking up in the middle of the night if he needs to go pee!! I am so glad, cause we ran out of pull-ups and I really didn't want to buy more!! My baby is getting so big!!

I hope everyone is doing well!! We love you all!!!

Is it already time for another New Year???

Ok...I admit it...I'm a slacker!! I can't believe 2 months have already passed since my last post. This has been a crazy, fast year!!! They say that time passes faster as you get older...I guess "they" are right!!!

Things that have happened since I last posted:

1. Adam turned 32 on November 12, and I turned 31 a few days ago on the 27th. I used to think 30 was old, but I still feel SOOO young!! I guess that's a good thing?!?!?!
2. Avery is completely potty trained. He actually has been for a while now, but the accidents are few and far between. He sleeps in underwear for his nap and never wakes up wet, but I am still putting him in a pull up at night. He is dry abt 85% of the time, but that 15% can be annoying at 2:00 in the morning!!! Avery is finally starting to grow, which we are happy about. At his 3 yr check up he was in the 65th percentile for his weight and 45th for his height!! He is still a VERY picky eater, but we are dealing with it. He will try more things now, and on occasion he might eat a few bites of it!! He likes deer meat, which we were very glad about!!! We have decided to go ahead and put him in preschool next year, so we are working on things such as sharing and not throwing HUGE fits, thought I have to say he will probably still be in for quite an eye opener when he does go!! I'm not really worried abt academics. He can say and recognize his ABC'S (he can only recognize the upper case letters, but I still think that's good)!!! He knows all his shapes and colors and can count as high as 25, though he still gets a little confused around 13, 14, 15, and 16!!! I am super proud of him and think he'll do just fine. In the meantime, I'm going to enjoy my little boy!!!
3. Lily is doing amazing in school!! She is in the GT (gifted and talented) program and the only kid chosen to participate in the spelling bee for Kindergarten. She automatically advances to the big bee with all the area schools in Harrison in a few weeks. We have been working on our spelling words and she is doing such a great job!!! Lily is a fantastic reader, and I really do think she could read ANYTHING if she set her mind to it!!! She is doing really well with math, too!! She got some flash cards for christmas and has been practicing her addition and subtraction (because she wants to, not because I'm making her!!)!!! She is loving Cheerleading!! They had their first competition a few weeks ago. They all did such an amazing job!! They got last place, but you couldn't tell it by all us moms reaction. We were just so proud of our girls!! It is amazing that 7 months ago they couldn't do cartwheels and now they are all doing backbend, kickovers, and jumps and stunts!!! It is absolutely amazing!!!

We had a fantastic Christmas!! I hope everyone else did too!!! Here's hoping that you all have a VERY Happy New Year!!

High Fever and New Hair

So, Lily spent the night with my Mom and Dad on Friday (Oct 2). Avery and I went to Springfield to spend the day with Tracy, Lynden, and Spencer that day. My mom just took Lily from school so I wouldn't have to worry about being back by a certain time (It was 9:00 before we got back!!) We had such a fabulous time vistiting with the Coffmans!! Avery and Lynden played with and shared (grudgingly) their trains with each other all day!! I love Tracy so much, and was so glad for a chance to visit with her!! Well, anyway, guess Lily started running a fever on Friday night. Mom said it wasn't bad Friday night, but by the time she called me on Sat morning, it was rising. Mom gave her some Motrin around 5:00 that morning (when Lily woke up...UGH) but didn't have any tylenol to alternate. Adam gave her the Tylenol at 11:00 when he laid her down for nap. She woke up around 2:00 and her fever was over 103. Lily tends to run a high fever when she gets sick, so I don't freak out about it anymore. At this point she wasn't congested or anything, so I thought it might just be a virus that would have to run it's coarse. We alternated Motrin and Tylenol every 3 hours, keeping her fever around 103. It's scary to think what it would have gone up to if I hadn't been alternating the medicine. By the time she got up Sunday morning she was super snotty and congested. Her fever was down to around 101 - 102 (with medicine) all of Sunday. By Monday, I was READY to see the Dr. We waited for 2 1/2 hours. Her fever was 101.9 when they checked it. He said she had a little sinus infection, but he didn't know if the fever was because of the infection or if she might have a virus with it that was causing the fever. He gave her an antibiotic for her sinus infection and said to keep alternating tylenol and motrin for her fever. By Tuesday, her fever was coming down and she was starting to act more like her normal self. She woke up this morning without fever (she hasn't had medicine since 8:00 yesterday morning). I'm hoping this means that we're on the mend!! I'm praying for that!!!

Not in the mood for pics!!
"Mom, that light is SOOO bright!!!"

Smiling through the sickness

On a positive front...Avery seems to be totally potty trained now!!! He has gone pee on the potty with very few accidents for a few weeks now. This week he decided he would poop on the potty!! I couldn't be happier about his change in attitude!! It is sure easier when kids are potty trained!!! He has been waking up from his naps dry, and only a little wet at night. It looks like we may be COMPLETELY done soon!!! Can't wait to not have to buy diapers again for a while!!! I got him these super cute little boxer briefs the other day. He is so skinny that they basically fall off of him, but I still LOVE them!!!

Such a BIG boy!!!

I have been wanting to color my hair a burgundy color for years. I had a hairdresser tell me once that I shouldn't, because it wouldn't look good!! I finally took the plunge Saturday night. I had to go to Wal Mart to get some Tylenol for Lily and walked down the hair color aisle to admire my favorite color. But for the first time I picked it up and bought it. I went ahead and did it Saturday night, so I didn't chicken out. I LOVE it!! I can't even tell you how much I love it!! I've been getting mixed reviews from everyone else. My family doesn't really seem to like it so much, but other people seem to LOVE it!! To be quite honest, I don't care, I just LOVE it.

I'm not a fan of having my pic taken, but Adam cracks me up, so it wasn't too bad!!! Hope everyone is doing well!! LOVE all of you!!

Avery's 3rd Birthday!!

Avery's 3rd Birthday party was on September 26!! We had it at the First Baptist Church Playground. It is so nice there, and we don't have to worry about other kids playing, cause there were none!! I think it was a HUGE success!! I have attached ALOT of pictures so be prepared!!

Cake and Decorations!!
Avery being silly...waiting (somewhat impatiently) for everyone to get there so he could have cake and open presents!!!

He was still waiting, but trying to decide if he wanted to leave the cake to play for a while. I always like rear view pics!! I got him these jeans at Tiny Tots for $6.00!!! I LOVE them!! Just nothing like a little Levi's rear!!

Avery and Mimi

Avery and Papa

Uncle Chris and Papa...Ginny took this picture...I LOVE it!!!

Ginny took this picture of Lily!!! It really shows her cutie pie freckles!!!

Reilee (Chris' stepson)

Trying to pose and reach for the bar at the same time...I believe that's called multi-tasking!!!

Cute cousins!!

Avery posing with his cake!!!

Getting tired of posing for pics!!

This is the shy face he gets when he's getting lots of attention...while we were singing Happy Birthday!!

Still a little shy (we're still singing!!)!!!

Is it time to blow them out yet???

1st attempt at blowing out the candles

2nd attempt

he just couldn't quite reach them, so he had to have a little boost from Mommy!!!

Red icing coving him...but he enjoyed his cake!!!

Avery and Zane enjoying some cake!!!

He had to have a little help opening this one...I have a tendency to use too much tape!!!

Wow...trains!!!!!!

Sooo many presents!!

Spiderman helicopter, which he loves!!!

New "Cars" track thing, that is Super cool, and he loves!!! I LOVE the look on Kendra's face here!!!!

Lily gathering loot from the pinata!!

Avery hitting the pinata!!!

Ava's turn...

...Lynden's turn...

...Lily's turn... ...Kendra...

...Melina...

...Reilee...

...and finally Zane broke it!! I worked out well, it was the last swing for the last kid. I don't think you could've asked for it to go better!!!

We all had a great time!! Thank you to everyone for coming...we LOVE all of you!!!

Kindergarten!!

Lily started Kindergarten on August 19, 2009. She was so excited. For some reason I was really sad about it. She was in Preschool all year last year, so it seem to make much sense. I think the main reason was because Preschool was mandatory, and Kindergarten is. She HAS to go to school now. That makes me sad. I'm getting over it, though as we seem to get into a good routine!!
All ready for the first day of school!! Avery was a bear all morning that morning. I was worried we were going to be late getting to school because he just kept throwing fits about every little thing. But, we made it on time!!

I know I make her pose too much, but I just love getting pics of them!!!

Standing by her new desk in her classroom!!!

Lily and her new teacher Mrs. Phillips!! We really like her!! I'm glad Lily ended up with such a great teacher!!!

The first 2 full weeks of school were color days. Monday Aug 24 was red day. I didn't take pics that day. I just totally forgot...so not like me!!! Tuesday Aug 25 was blue day!!

Wed August 26 - yellow day!!

Thursday August 27 - Green day. I forgot to take a pic that morning, so I made her pose when we got home that afternoon!!!

Friday August 28 - Purple Day.

I absolutely love this picture of them!!! They are my sweetie pies, and I LOVE them so much!!!

Monday Aug 31 - Orange Day

Tuesday Sept 1 - Brown Day

Brown Day...Such a silly girl!!! I guess it's a good thing she likes getting her picture taken so much!!!

Wed. Sept 2 - Black Day

Thursday September 3 - Rainbow Day

This was one of my favorites!! She was VERY colorful!!! That Friday wasn't a color day, so I stopped taking pics every day.

Playdate with Nikki and Braedon

My good friend Nikki, from high school, came down for a visit with her family a few weeks ago. I was so glad when she asked to get our kids together for a playdate!! Her son, Braedon, is a couple months older than Avery. Good fun was had by all. I was just so glad to catch up with an old friend!! I wish she lived closer. So funny how people's lives lead them so far away!!!

Braedon and Lily playing on the swings.

Avery tried to swing on his belly like this. He ended up landing face first in the puddle, coming up soaking wet. So I took his clothes off of him. I was glad we were the only ones there, cause he is a little old to be running around in just a diaper, but I wasn't going to be mean enough to make him stay in wet clothes!!!

I didn't really get any great pictures, but this one was the best. They were all just moving too fast, and all the pics turned out blurry!!

My naked baby!!! He really is a cutie!!