Random December Pics

I am a little behind in my blogging this month.  I have a ton of pics to sort through, but some of them don't really go with an actual "post" so I created this random post.  Here ya go...

 The above pictures are from our annual gingerbread house.  Lily and Jason have made one together for the past 3 years.  Avery got to watch this year front the front row of her highchair.  Lily did most of the decorating herself this year.

 This random picture is from a "mini" Christmas that I hosted at my house with my mom, dad, Grandma, brother and sister.  I have done this the past two years.  We baked a ham and had potato soup along with some other goodies.  We enjoy getting together will all of our extended families, but this is a way to spend some time with our "smaller" family. 

 As you can see the above pictures are of our Christmas tree.  I was experimenting a little with my camera.  I have had my camera for 4 years now, and I still don't know how to use it.  Imagine that.  I have been wanting and begging for a new tree for the past two years.  I want a BIG tree...not one that is almost my height.  Jason tells me that it is fine and that we don't need to spend money on a bigger tree while the kids are little and messing with it...SIGH.

 I love my little breakfast buddies. :)

 Jason came home one day and suprised us all during his break.  The girls love when he is home.  He is a BIG KID himself!

 Spending some quality SNUGGLE time on the couch with daddy.  Notice...Avery rarely is without her bunny and her thumb...love her!

This last random pic is the only one I got the night we went to see Santa...because my hubby wouldn't let me sneak outside of Santa's yard to snap anymore!

SaNtA cLaUs

Jason and I took the girls to see Santa last night at Oakview Mall.  I thought that on a Monday night it wouldn't be as busy...I was wrong.  We waited in line for about 30-45minutes (not as bad as years past).  The girls were a little inpatient so I walked around with them while daddy held our spot in line.  I was bummed because I wasn't going pay $25 for a little picture and this year they wouldn't let you use your own camera to take any pics of your own.  The past 3 years I have always been able to take my own pics.  I was going to go around outside of the Santa area and take some pics, but Jason wouldn't let me.  He even said, "I can't believe you would do that."  I was like...this momma WILL have a pic of my babies on Santa's lap and I WILL NOT pay $25 for one!  He won...I didn't get a pic.  That is why there is no picture to go with this post.  It was, however, your classic Santa visit.  Lily was sweet as pie and Avery threw a fit.  She did not like Santa at all and only lasted a few seconds before I picked her up.  I think Lily was in shock because she forgot everything that she wanted to ask Santa for.  He asked her if she wanted a football and she said yes.  Silly Lily!  I may not have an actual picture, but I do have the memory in my heart and that is where it will stay forever. I'm pretty sure  Avery's screaming red face will stay in my mind for a while too!  :)

Avery is 14 Months!

Hard to believe that the time seems to be going even faster than before!  Avery turned 14 months old today.  Avery has really changed a lot lately...I think.  She is getting more hair and her face is thinning out.  She still doesn't have enough hair to put a bow in though...HURRY up and GROW hair!  Your momma has a MILLION bows to put in your hair!  She is not my laid back quiet little girl anymore...at all.  She likes to yell and she likes to fight if she doesn't get what she wants.  She will throw an all out tantrum...kicking, screaming, and throwing her head back on the floor.  She has a temper and she is not afraid to let anybody know.  Avery loves her big sister, but she doesn't put up with anything from her.  Avery may be the younger, smaller sibling, but she can definitely hold her own and she actually ends up winning with Lily.  The two are so cute when the play together and not so cute when they constantly argue with one another.  Whatever one has, the other one HAS to have!  They have matching sippy cups and they could both have milk in it, but they want the other one's cup.  Tonight for dinner they both had fish sticks.  One had 4 on a green plate, and the other had 4 on a purple plate.  They didn't want their own fish sticks...Avery wanted Lily's and Lily...well Lily didn't want any of them, but you get the point.  I'm dreading what it will be like when they are older! 

What Avery is doing at 14 months:

*sleeps most of the night...still gets up sometimes between 4-4:30

*loves to be rocked at night and at nap time

*takes 2-3 short naps a day

*eats like a champ

*wears size 4 diapers

*18 month clothes

*size 5 shoe...if she ever wears them

*can say mama, dada, bop, night, IIIIYYYYEEEE (Lily), up, ball

*has almost 5 teeth

*not walking yet but stands up on her own and loves her walker toy

*is still my little snuggler

*still sucks her thumb and loves her snuggle bunny and blankies

*likes music and likes to dance

Lily's Christmas Program

Last Sunday was Lily's Christmas program at Church.  She has been busy practicing for the past 3 weeks.  She has practiced Sunday mornings in Sunday school and on Wednesday nights at Wednesday Night Live.  She would never sing her songs to us at home, except for a few words of one song.  I would always tell her she needed to practice, and she would always tell me, no, no mom, no.  I asked her how many songs she would be singing and she told me 5.  I think she pulled that out of nowhere, but I think they actually did sing 5 songs.  I wasn't worried at all  that she wouldn't sing up on stage in front of everyone.  Lily is an entertainer and she enjoys being up front and on center stage.  She made her momma proud...she sang like a star up there.  She brought tears to my eyes (does this surprise anyone?).  I think she really enjoyed herself too because she had a little smile on her face.  She sang all of the words and she did all of the actions.  I was up front taking pictures of her and she caught my eye.  I waved at her and her little smile lit up even brighter!  I hope as my kids grow up that I never have to miss moments like this.  They are too important and the time goes by way too fast.  I love the memories that we are making as a family with our girls right now.  If I could freeze the month of December I would!  I love, love, love this time of year!

Daycare Christmas Party

Last Friday the girls had their daycare Christmas party at Sam and Louie's Pizza.  It was just as much fun as it was last year if not more.  They have kids from year's past that come to it, so there are a TON of kids running around!  It takes a special person to take care of someone elses children and we have been truly blessed to have found Stephanie and Becci.  These two sisters do an AMAZING job with our girls.  I know that they are well taken care of and I know that they are having fun when they are at daycare.  They still only go two days a week, but I think Lily would like to go more often because she has a lot of little friends there. 

A lot of time and effort goes into this party each year.  Each child gets a present from Santa and every mommy and daddy gets a special gift too.  AND...Santa and Mrs. Claus make a special visit to deliver these gifts to the kids.  Lily was so excited to sit on Santa's lap...Avery...not so much!

 Cheeeeese!

 Avery with Stephanie and Becci

 Avery says, "I don't think I like this mom!"

 Lily so happy to see Santa!

 Lily and our neighbor, Anthony, showing off their Santa gifts

 Lily and Becci

 Lily and Stephanie

Stephanie and the girls

Avery's Follow-Up Lab Results

I took Avery in last Thursday to have her hemoglobin rechecked.  She was low at her one year check and she has been taking iron twice a day for the last month...never missed a dose.  This time they poked her finger and ran the lab right there in the office.  I wasn't expecting the nurse to come back in and tell me she was even lower.  Her hemoglobin was 10 at her one year check and after a month of taking iron she had dropped to 9.2.  I teared up and was feeling a little panicked.  Because the finger pokes are less accurate than a venipuncture (blood draw from a vein), Dr. Russell decided to have her drawn this route.  The first nurse that drew her missed...HORRIBLE.  Now, there were 3 people holding her down including myself.  I not only had a baby who was screaming and turning 3 shades of purple, but I also had Lily with me who didn't quite understand what was happening to her little sister.  So, the poor staff in the office had Avery crying, me crying and Lily nearing tears.  Dr. Russell talked with me for a while and she still felt that Avery was going to be just fine.  She called me later with the results...and she was right...Avery was going to be just fine.  A huge sigh of RELIEF!  The labs that were drawn were a CBC(complete blood count) and iron studies (Ferritin, Total Iron Binding Capacity, and some others).  On her CBC her WBC (white blood cell count) came back at 11.9 (slightly elevated, but she has a slight cold too so to be expected), hemoglobin 11.2 (NORMAL range for a one year old...HOORAY!), and platelet count slightly elevated at 429,000 (normal for a baby is 150-420).  So, nothing wrong with her bone marrow.  Her RBC's (red blood cells) were "small" appearing, which Dr. Russell told me could be indicative of Iron Deficiency Anemia.  Another MD called me on Saturday morning with the results of the iron studies, and they were NORMAL...the low end of normal, but NORMAL.  So...what does this mean for Avery?  It means she will continue to take iron twice a day.  She will have levels checked again at 15 months and 18 months and at 2 years.  If she continues to stay within the normal range we will stop the iron.  I can handle that.  This is good news.  Praise the Lord for good news.

Similarities...

 I had to post these winter pics of Lily and Avery.  I can definitely see that they are sisters in these pics.  I am the one always saying they really don't look alike at all...I may start to think differently.  Lily would have been 15 months in these and Avery is almost 14 months.  Yes...they are wearing the same coat, pants, and boots...got to love "hand me downs!"



First Snow!

The girls and Jason bundled up and enjoyed the first "real" snow of the season on Saturday!  I went out just long enough to snap a few pictures of them playing.  I love, love, love little kiddos all bundled up in their snow gear.  There just something so cute about being so snuggly bundled up and not being able to barely move!  He pulled them around in the sled for a little while and then they made a few snowballs.  Avery kept pulling her mittens off and not liking the cold snow on her little piggies, so she came in early with me.  Little Lily bit stayed out with her daddy for a long time and played her little heart out.  We ended up getting a few inches, not too impressive, but still fun this time of year!  I am a person who loves the winter and loves the snow.  As my luck would have it, I did have to say goodbye to my 2.5 week vacation that day and go back to work on Saturday night...BOO HOO!  I love sitting at home all snuggled up with my girls on a snow day!