Ready for Summer......

This warm weather really surprised us last week and inspired us to do a little shopping this weekend.  We set out to buy Ava spring/summer clothes because she had only a couple of tops that still fit from last year.  She is now officially in a 2T.  It feels a little strange shopping in the "toddler" section but we found a lot of cute outfits.  Jeff found this swimsuit and we couldn't pass it up!  Ava doesn't usually enjoy being photographed but once she tried this swimsuit on she became quite the poser :)  She is definitely ready for the pool.......too bad we still have 3 months to go!

Last week on Valentine's Day, the three of us enjoyed a nice dinner at Olive Garden followed by a movie at home.  Ava enjoyed several new stuffed animals and more chocolate candy than she usually has in a month!  She is still saying 'Happy Valentine's Day' today so she must have enjoyed it :) 

Ava's first Valentine's Day 2009 at 6 months

Our little Valentine 2011

Two and a Half

Today Ava is two and half!  Wow, time really does fly by.  Friends, family and even random strangers will tell you when your baby is born to "enjoy every second because they grow up too fast."  There's no doubt that we have enjoyed every single day with our girl but after spending the week with new niece Presley, we realize how quickly she has grown.  It seems like yesterday we were holding our tiny newborn.  That same sweet baby is now singing along to songs on the radio and waving goodbye to us on Sunday mornings as she walks into Sunday School. 

While we did experience the terrible twos for a few months, we are enjoying much fewer meltdowns now that she can communicate well with us.  Her favorite things to do right now include coloring and playing with her princess dolls.  But her very favorite thing is building "tall towers" with her duplo legos.  She sits and plays legos for hours sometimes.  .

My favorite thing about this age is being able to have conversations with her.  She understands so much and her insight at two and a half amazes me.  I never know what she's going to say and at least once a day she has me laughing out loud.  I know that one day soon hearing her say things like "that's a good idea!" to something I've suggested will be the norm.  But right now hearing phrases like that for the first time makes me stop and smile and reminds me to "enjoy every second because she will continue to grow up much too fast."

We took Ava to see her first movie on Saturday.  She was so amazed at the size of the movie screen.  Her eyes were huge!  We had a difficult time getting her to look at us for a few photos because she was so engrossed in the silver screen!  We saw Yogi Bear and she watched so faithfully until the last 20 minutes when she started crawling across seats and playing in the aisle.  An hour of Yogi was enough I guess.  She mostly talks about the popcorn when she tells people about seeing the movie.  It was a really fun afternoon.

Baby Presley

Introducing Presley Kate Hutchison!  Our beautiful niece was born on Monday weighing 7 lbs.10oz.  She is such a sweet baby girl and we are enjoying her so much already.  She is healthy and doing so great.  Today she will get to go home for the first time and we are so excited for Adam & Kara.  What an amazing blessing!  Our entire family is so thankful for her!

Proud parents!

Cousins!  Ava meets Presley for the first time. Such a sweet picture!

We laughed when she asked us if she could "pet the baby."  She's been the only baby for 2 and half years but she has lots of experience with dogs in our family :)

Ava hasn't stopped talking about Presley since Monday morning.  I know she has to be excited to finally see the baby we've all been talking about for so long.  How fun it's going to be watch them grow up together!

I LOVE this picture!  I think she was trying to smile for me :) She looks so tiny against her daddy's hand.  What a sweet little princess!

"I sing for joy at the works of your hands." Psalms 92:4

7 More Weeks!

Today we are 32 weeks pregnant and our baby boy weighs almost 4 pounds.  With just 7 weeks to go, Jeff thought a "belly shot" would be fun.  I can count the number of  pregnancy photos I took with Ava on one hand and I can't say I've been any better about it this time around.  But now both kids have one for their baby books and that's good enough for me!

This pregnancy has had only a few differences from my first.  While Jeff disagrees, I know I was much less sick this time than with Ava.  I was sick for only a few weeks in the beginning and I can remember being sick into my third trimester the first time!  I've learned what heartburn is for the first time ever and I've had cravings for red meat that are incredibly out of character for me.  Burgers and chili have been a couple of favorites.  I guess this little guy likes his protein and peanut butter wasn't cutting it for him!

Our sweet boy is scheduled to make his arrival on March 14th.  We have had a lot of fun working to make his room ready.  There are still a few things to do but we are pretty much ready for him.

Thank you to Nana for making the valance the colors that we needed and thanks to Grammy for the adorable wall hangings!

 This dresser was mine when I was a little girl and I repainted it for Ava a couple of years ago.  I painted the trim in green so all I had to do was change the pink knobs out for blue ones and it was good to go!

 Keegan's Great Aunt Kathy gave us these shelves for Christmas and Jeff painted the wooden train & car for the two larger shelves.  I love them because they are hand painted and match the theme perfectly!

Ready for Christmas 2011!  I know it's a bit early but it was on sale after Christmas and I loved the train!

Yes, our 2 and half year old still fits in a bumbo!  She loves to play in Keegan's room when we are working in there.  She tells me all the time that she's going to hold him and feed him and change his "poo-poo diapers."  Sounds like she's got it covered....guess I won't have much to do :)

Snow Day

I know that our family in St. Louis and Illinios will find this post quite funny, but when snow comes to Texas we are very entertained!  It makes for a fun day of play outside :) We had several inches fall in just a few hours, so we had plenty to work with.  Ava was excited to wear her new snow boots that Pop & Grammy gave her for Christmas.  Once she learned how to walk in her four layers of clothes, she couldn't get enough!

Ava gave our snowman a carrot for a nose.

Not a bad looking snowman!

Jeff showed Ava how to make a snow angel. His turned out really well! 

ICE & Christmas 2010

This was the first year we visited the Gaylord Texan at Christmas time.  Jeff surprised me by taking the day off on my birthday and we headed out to see ICE, which is an incedible ice sculpture display at the resort with a theme of Charlie Brown Christmas this year.  Every room was a different scene from the movie made completely of scuplted and colored ice.  Ava was totally amazed!  The temperature in the exhibit is 9 below zero so we wore large coats inside.  We had lunch and walked around the hotel after buying tickets.  It was a great birthday!

In the very last room of the ice exhibit is a large nativity scene and the Christmas story plays in the background.  Ava was excited to see baby Jesus and we were excited to see Christ in a public forum.  What an incedible sight to see among so much commercialism! 

Ava sitting next to a sculpted reindeer

Ava checking out Santa with Daddy......but keeping her distance

Christmas Eve Church Service

Christmas Eve at Poppy & Grammy's House. 

Ava pushes Elmo in her new shopping cart while Daddy & Uncle are busy putting presents together

  

Opening presents was so much fun that Ava decided she should open all of Keegan's gifts for him this year :)

She's probably beginning to wonder where this phantom brother is!  Just eleven more weeks!

Ladybug Pillow Pet from Aunt Kara & Uncle Adam!

Christmas at Nana & Gramps House

After 3 days of Christmas, all three of us needed a very long nap!