Our Christmas Break

Happy New Years Eve! I can't believe how fast this year went by, and how quickly this break is flying by as well. Only a few more days off... 

Here's a link to my flipagram slideshow of our 2014 highlights. http://flipagram.com/f/OJsdMET35h

As you can guess, we've been busy bees this holiday season and there's never enough time to get it all done. It's really hit me that this is pretty much the last break that it'll be just Avery and me. We will have spring break, but that's going to be more about prepping for baby. Then she'll be a big sister before summer vaca!  So exciting!!

We started off our break with Avery and I both getting colds for a few days, which was not fun, but it was nice getting some snuggle and movie time in. 

This year we had an elf come to our house to keep an eye on Avery and report to Santa each night. I was afraid she wouldn't get it this year, but she totally did and was way excited to find where Twinkle would be each morning. It worked like a charm to say "Uh oh, Twinkle, did you see that?" when Avery would be throwing a fit or not listening to us. I may or may not have cried when it was time for Santa to take Twinkle back to the North Pole with him on Christmas Eve. We had too much fun with him. 

She had to hug our blow up Mickey and "snowman that's not Olaf" every day! 

At the Lewisville Christmas parade where Daddy helped drive Cheyenne's Girl Scout troupe. 

I've been majorly slacking on taking pictures during our Christmas activities, but we have gone out to look at lights several times, which has been SO MUCH FUN! Avery's excitement is just too dang cute. 

Enjoying candy canes from Santa at a friend's Christmas party

We also went back to the Gaylord for the ICE! Exhibit this year,which was a bit of a disaster, but it was worth it to see her reaction to a Frosty themed wonderland made of ice. We went on a Friday night, because it was a "non-peak" day, but it was crowded as all get out. You buy your tickets in advance, in 30 min time slots. They were sold out of everything before 9, but with my experience it takes only a few minutes to walk through, so we got the 9 o'clock tickets thinking it wouldn't hurt to let Ave stay up a little late anyway. Well, we got to the hotel at 8, thinking we could grab dinner before. Nope. All the restaurants were so crowded and had long waits, so we thought we wouldn't have time. So we settled for a bag of $12  trail mix and some Gatorade on a bench while we waited for our time slot. Then it was time to line up, where we waited over an hour to get in for the 10 minute exhibit. Avery was such a trooper through it all, that it was bearable, but Jon and I were less than thrilled. Next year we've already decided that we will go during the day on a weekday! 

I also took Avery to the Trains at Northpark this year with Alex and Delaney, and she was in complete awe. It was really neat and she loved it so much! We will definitely go back! 

We also went to Christmas Eve candlelight church service, where Avery goes to preschool, and it was a fun a beautiful event which I hope to make a new tradition out of. Jon couldn't get off work in time but Ave loved going with her cousins and seeing some of her school friends. We then came home and got ready for Santa, and we went ahead and let Avery open her presents from us, since she would likely be overwhelmed the next day. 

Christmas morning, we had to wake Miss Sleepyhead up (which she usually hates) but she didn't mind because she was so excited to see that Santa had come. He brought exactly what she asked for, a new baby, which she named Sarah, and dinosaurs, along with some play doh, stuffed Elmo and some accessories for Sarah. Santa also brought Jonah a Mamaroo baby swing which I am so excited about! I will say Santa did good, because Sarah and her car seat seem to be the favorite! 

We had 4 Christmases this year, between our own at home, my parents, Jon's family and my grandparents house. Avery was so completely spoiled but also so grateful that it was just the sweetest! Some of her favorites gifts have been Disney play doh kits, play food, her Hello Kitty CD player for her room, a hairdresser kit and doctor kit. 

While at my grandparent's farm in Oklahoma we got some snow which was so much fun. It was gone by afternoon but it was enough for some snowball fights. 

We had to all three share a bed at my grandma's because preggo brain here forgot the playpen, along with other things, and during our pillow talk Avery said, "I so excited it's Christmastime. I hope I get some bears. I love bears! What you want for Christmas, Daddy? Some new hats?" And we all just cracked up laughing. She always gives him a hard time about always wearing a hat and when he doesn't have one on, she will highly suggest it to him. And when anyone else wears a hat they are "just like Dad!" It amazes us even more that she could string all those sentences together for that conversation! 

I'm so sad that all the excitement and festivities of Christmas are over. This year was the most magical, with seeing the excitement in Avery's eyes, and seeing her truly understand Santa and get over her fear of him. I have a feeling next year will be even better with 2 kiddos though. 

In Jonah updates I am 22 weeks now! I feel him moving all the time now and Daddy can feel him too! It's the best feeling. I officially have an outie again and am pretty much in maternity pants or leggings at all times. The heartburn is becoming more constant, but the backache/hip pain that was so bad a few weeks ago has eased up for now. Probably because I haven't been on my feet in uncomfortable shoes all day for the past week and a half. We have barely started on cleaning out the office/drumroom to become his nursery but we have lots of ideas for decorating! The countdown is on...just 4 more months until we meet our little guy!!

Messy bathroom selfie :)

Avery update

I realize I never wrote about our Thanksgiving and Christmas is only 4 days away but we've been incredibly busy the last few weeks! I wrote about Avery's birthdaybut never did a milestone post, so two months later here it is!

At 2 years Avery is speaking so clearly and in complete sentences. She not only repeats and remembers everything but she forms her own opinions and even tries to tell jokes. She tells us stories from her day and has excellent recall of events usually, too.She speaks in funny voices and sings all the time. Being around her is so much fun! 

Right now she's about 80% potty trained. She only wears a pull up for nap and bed, but hasn't quite got the hang of the timing with #2 though. She does pretty good at staying dry in big girl panties during the day but still needs reminders to go every hour or else will usually have an accident instead of telling us she needs to go. She also needs help with pulling her pants up and down and getting on and off the big potty. So, that's a work in progress but she does pretty well and makes me so proud! 

She can indentify her letters and numbers most of the time, and does well with colors and shapes too! She can count to 10 but typically skips 6.  She loves reading books,doing puzzles, flash cards and watching TV, to which I attribute all of this knowledge, along with having an amazing memory. 

Some of her favorite things right now are

baby dolls, her play kitchen she got for her birthday, her dollhouse, stuffed animals, playing dress up, play doh, helping mommy cook, playing trucks or drums with daddy, making Abby play fetch, being outside for bubbles and chalk, the park, iPad, painting, instruments, watching movies, going to "school" and playing with her cousins. 

Her favorite foods are Mac and cheese,  chicken nuggets and pizza...the toddler staples. She loves ordering for herself at restaurants too and it's so cute! She also has a major sweet tooth (imagine that!) and is constantly trying to sneak cookies and candy. She loves fruit and cheese just like mommy does too. 

Her favorite movie, like all little girls right now is Frozen and her favorite character is Olaf. She knows almost all the words to Let it Go, and even holds the long notes. She sings almost all the kid songs that I know and also loves All About That Bass and Shake It Off. Now that it's Christmastime her favorite is Jingle Bell Rock though!

So Avery has become quite hysterical and I want to document the funny stuff she says and does. 

She asked Jon to make her something specific (I can't remember) to eat then took like 2 bites and wouldn't touch the rest. He said "you are being a wasteful child." She responded with, "Well this child must eat!" 

In the car she's a great backseat driver. She makes sure we know we either have green or red lights and we can go or stop. She also says things like "c'mon dude!" Or "get out the way, car!" And when we are in traffic she says "too many cars, mama!" 

The other day she just randomly told me "You are the best Mama ever in the world!" That was the best. 

She is starting to notice everything, like if I don't have my "Avery" necklace on that day  she will ask where it is, or when I get a new zit, she'll tell me "You have more boo boos on your face, Mama"

She also likes to say "either" all the time and in the completely wrong contexts. Like "I wear pants either!" When she is mad that she can't pull up her pants, or "you want cookies either?" When asking me if I want a cookie. 

She called Jon's no shave November beard a "rash" on his face and when he shaved it she told him "daddy has a baby face" every time she saw him for a solid week. 

She tells me she's so proud of me when I go potty and even reminds me "you're so lucky you're my Mama" because she hears me say those things to her all the time. 

She has also noticed that we call her Jon Junior when she loses her temper over small things, and has said "I Jon Junior" when she wears his hat, because he always wears one. He has an adorable video of her doing this. 

She asked me the other day while hugging my belly if Jonah was her friend, and when I responded "of course" she said "he's our best friend, okay?" It doesn't matter that everyone is her best friend, that was super sweet!

Tonight she was speaking jibberish and I asked her what "fafafa" meant. She told me "fafa means one. Nahnah means number 2" I had just been teaching her about how pee is number one and poop is number 2. Haha!

The other night at dinner she told me she has lice in her hair...she doesn't and never has. Then immediately told me I have a fat arm and started calling people around us fat. I'm not sure where she gets this stuff. It's funny but also concerning since I am very careful about having a positive body image around her. It just shows me even more how observant she is and how she is literally learning every second. She is constantly asking what everything is, and now what words say. 

We absolutely love life with this little girl and watching her grow and change each day. We can't wait to see her become a big sister in a few months!