My nephew, Christopher

It's hard to believe that this adorable, happy, healthy looking baby boy, my nephew, was born with heart complications. He has come so far in just 6 months. Much furthur than any of us could have imagined, even the doctors. We have had so many friends and family praying for our little Christopher and we ask for your continued prayers for the healing of his heart, and strength for Betsy and Cory. It breaks my heart watching my sister go through this experience with her precious baby. I sometimes can't even imagine how she makes it through another doctors appointment, or the days that pass in between the appointments with all the uncertainty of what the doctors will say or what the results will be. She has been such a witness to me in her faith and devotion to her family.

Thank you again for your thoughts and prayers!!

First time at the Kid's Club...

This morning I decided to take Avery to our gym's kid's club. I hadn't taken her before because she gets upset when I drop her off places (and had heard from a friend that they call you if your child cries for more than a few minutes). So I have just been going before Philip goes to work or on a day when my friend Stacy can watch her. (I do not go often enough!!) I thought since she has been doing so good at the church nursery I would go ahead and try the gym. I am SOOO glad I did because she did great. She cried at first and as I watched her through the window she looked around the big room looking a bit scared. Noone was soothing & distracting her like at the nursery so I wanted to go back in and pick her up, but decided to give her a chance to get comfortable and I would check back in after 5 minutes. I peeked back in and she was playing. Wooo, what a relief! When I picked her up 30 minutes later she was coloring. She was so excited when she heard me call her name, she got up and ran around in circles. I asked her if she had fun and she said yes! This is such a relief to finally feel comfortable dropping her off places... because those that know Avery well know she is a little attached to her mommy!!

thank you

thank you mom and dad for helping us get a new camera for our anniversary. we love it! i am enjoying taking pictures of avery. here are a few from this weekend. thank you aunt emi too for this adorable dress. she wore it to church this morning:) when i told her that aunt emi gave it to her she said "that's nice of emi."

our little toddler...

avery has become such a toddler the last few months.
"no, i do it"
"i big girl"
"i put on shoes"... "no, i wear crocs" (is specific on what shoes she wants to wear)
"mommy, don't sing" (when i try and sing with her)
"i watch t.v"
"avery walk"

"sure!"

and our favorite thing she says to us:
we say: i love you.
avery: i love you.
we say: so much.
avery: so much.

"duckies, duckies"

one of avery's favorite things to do is go to the park to feed the ducks and play on the playground. we usually go by starbucks to get a muffin for breakfast and mommy a "toffee." we take bread for the ducks. as i was getting avery out of the car she kept saying "duckies, duckies, feed the duckies" when i put her down she reached out for the bread and said, "i tarry bed, tome on mommy". it has been so fun hearing her speak in more sentences over the last few months. she was a little hesitant when about 50 ducks swarmed us today so wanted me to hold her and "mommy feed duckies, avery scared" i have to say i was a little hesitant as well after being pecked on the calf once before while trying to feed the ducks. her favorite part about the park today was the playscape!

tuesday nights with aubren (aka-aubbie)

tuesday nights my friend stacy and i swap off watching eachothers girls while we get a date night with our hubbies or just free time to run errands, work out, etc. this has been so fun for avery because she enjoys being with aubren. it has been good for her to spend some time away from me and know that mommy WILL be back. we enjoy these nights out and fun times babysitting.

this past tuesday i also watched another friends little girl, carsen. they had so much fun together playing, dancing, and decorating cookies.

to blog or not to blog

to blog. i have gone back and forth if this is something i would keep up with or not, or if anyone would take the time to read. i enjoy reading friends blogs and seeing recent pics of thier children so it sparked an interest to start my own.
i figure it will be something neat for philip and i to have that journals the day to day life with avery, as well as update our family who are all in austin.
as avery nears 2 there is just so much that she does and says that we would like to remember (and to tell our family!) so hopefully this will help.