Avery 4 Months and Lily 2 1/2 Years

The purpose of this photo session was to get Avery's pics and some pics of the girls together.  Lily had pics taken at 2 years so she didn't really need any.  We got some "okay" pics of little Avery and no really good ones of the both of them together and a BUNCH of ADOREABLE ones of Lily...go figure.  Lily was such a little sport for this.  She really surprised me.  She smiled, laughed and posed away...the entire time.  Avery wasn't having it.  Not too many smiles from her which is rare.  She doesn't really even look like herself in these pics...not to me anyways.  I do just love this first one of her though with her little shoes!  We just went ot Portrait Innovations because our wonderful photographer is due in just a few weeks with baby girl number 2...good luck Anne!  We hope to use you again for the next round of pics!

4 Months Old!

Dear Avery,

I am sorry as I am one day late in writing to you.  You turned 4 months old yesterday!  You are getting to be such a big girl and you are doing new things everyday.  Mommy and Daddy are so proud of you!  Could you please just SLOW down a little bit...a tiny little bit?  I just don't want to miss anything. 

Things you are doing at 4 months:

~rolling over...just onto your left side but you can also get back to your back

~sucking your thumb like CRAZY...you don't really like your bink anymore

~eating between 5-6 times a day

~taking 4-6 ounces by bottle when mommy is gone

~sleeping through the night...YAY! (10 hours usually...wake up to eat and then back to sleep again for another 2 hours)

~had a check-up with shots...all is well!

~weigh 13 lbs 11 ounces and are 25 inches long (2 lbs LESS and 1 inch SMALLER than your sister was at this age)

~laughing out loud more and more

~we still forget you are here sometimes because you are still such a laid back good little baby girl (thank you for this :))

~take a little bit longer nap

~went to another wedding

~like to play with your big sister and your cousins

~visited Great Grandpa Ray

~your big sister sat on your face this month and you didn't even cry...I tell her that when you get big you are going to pay her back for all of the things she does to you!

Avery Grace you continue to light up our lives.  We love you so much baby girl.  We continue to look forward to the joys that you will bring to us.

Love,
Mommy



A Post of Pictures!



Happy Valentine's Day

Today marked Avery's first Valentine's Day and Lily's third.  We are so blessed to have these loveable, huggable, kissable baby girls!  Lily doesn't usually go to daycare on Mondays, but since she wasn't going to go tomorrow her "teachers" asked if she wanted to come to the Valentine's Day party today.  She had a great time and she got lots of treats from her little friends.  I am so thankful that we found the daycare that she goes to.  They are wonderful with her and she loves going.  She told me told me on the way there today, "Steph and Becci take care of me mom."  This came after me saying to her, "Lily, promise to come home to mommy at the end of the day." (I say this to her everyday.)  How sweet.  She talks about her friends all the

time.

Jason and I spent the evening at home with our girls. We had a nice homecooked meal (yes, I cooked it) and a nice glass of wine. Avery made our day when she rolled over for the first time and Lily kept us on our toes as usual. She is always good for a couple of laughs! The Kneifl side of the family has a lot of February birthdays and THREE on Valentine's Day...can you believe that?! Happy Birthday to Lily and Avery's cousin Justin, Aunt Terri and to their late Grandpa Leonard Kneifl.

 Lily opening her cards from mommy and daddy

 The girls' cards to their daddy

 Avery's present

 My Valentines

 Avery isn't so sure about this!

 Our "littlest" Valentine

 Our "biggest" Valentine eating cake

 Avery opening her card

Watching some TV before bed

Potty Practice

 I even gave her a snack on the pot

 So dang cute though

 In her Minnie shirt and underpants

Lily will be 2 1/2 next month and she is still not potty trained.  She really has zero interest in it.  I ask her if her friends at school go in their diapers still and she laughs and says, "no Mommy, they are big."  I ask her why she doesn't go on the potty and she tells me,"I too little Mommy."  Help me please.  I moved her potty seat into the kitchen since that is her preferred pooping spot hoping that would help.  She did at least sit on it for a while yesterday, but without results.  I put underpants on her too, but she just pooped right in them and peed.  I put her on the potty afterwards and shook the "turds" into the potty and told her that "SHE DID IT!" and I made a big deal of it and I gave her a treat.  She was so excited because she "thought" she really did it.  I was so excited because I "thought" she would want to do it again...NOPE.  No luck.  She did pull her pants down and her diaper off tonight and sat on it herself, but then she was just playing on it and scooted herself all around the kitchen saying, "look at me, look at me!"  Any tips, suggestions, words of wisdom on this matter?

Rock and Roll!

Miss Avery Grace rolled over today for the very first time!  I knew she was close and I turned my back for one second and she did it!  She was crying so I went in to check on her and she was just mad because her little arm was stuck underneath her and she couldn't get back.  Happy Valentine's Day to us!

Avery's 4 Month Appointment

Avery will turn 4 months old on the 17th, but she had her 4 month check-up on the 10th.  She is a healthy, happy baby girl!  Her head is looking better (the front has pretty much evened out but the back is still a little asymmetrical) and her tear duct has opened up!  No more crusty, goopy eye! She only had to get 2 shots and drink a little drink.  She only cried for a minute and was back to her happy little self!

Avery's Stats:

*Weight~13lbs 11oz~58th percentile

*Height~25 inches~82nd percentile

*Head Circumference~16.5 inches~79th percentile

Although her weight doesn't reflect it, she does have some chub to her.  She has chubby little cheeks and chubby little rolls on her thighs.  We love our little peanut!

Daddy Turns 31!

On February 9th, Jason, celebrated his 31st birthday!  It was a bummer that he had to work all day long, but at least we got a little bit of time with him to celebrate when he got home.  Lily waited in the window for him like she usually does, and when he pulled in the driveway she hurried up and ran into the kitchen and shut the lights off so we could sing to him when he walked in the door.  I was shocked that she knew the entire Happy Birthday song!  The girls each made their daddy a card and Lily picked out some cupcakes for him.  They suprised him with Kenny Chesney concert tickets and they took him to eat at Texas Road House.  We hope he had a good time with his girls!  We love you daddy!

 Waiting in the window for daddy

 Helping daddy blow out his candles

 Giving daddy his presents

 Eating cupcakes

Snuggling with dad before bed