BIG Smile!

Well, as you can tell from the picture, Ava is starting to show some really big smiles. She gets really excited especially when she sees Shannon, Jack or me. She's still not much of a laugher, but she loves to smile. Shannon says that it seems like her face cannot contain her happiness! Of course, even after a long day or a bad day it is absolutely impossible to not smile when you see your daughter looking at you this way!

This is for you, Nancy!

Nancy said she doesn't have any pictures on our blog, so here's one! Love you, Nanny!

Finally February!

January is over! I thought after Christmas it would slow down, and then I thought maybe after January, and now I'm thinking maybe in a couple of weeks! Busy busy busy!

Ava's 6 month appointment today revealed that she has an ear infection. I knew something wasn't right! So no "finger poke" today as Jack would say. He calls shots "finger pokes" since that's what he remembers from getting his iron checked. So that is too bad, but at least she didn't have finger pokes. Just prolongs the agony for a couple of weeks down the road until we get rid of this ear infection. She does not suffer in silence, but she's been pretty good considering.

This weather is getting me down! I don't think it will ever stop snowing. It will probably be June before it melts, so we are looking forward to a break in Florida in March! Can't wait for that. It's our favorite place for vacation this time of year since it's always nice there!

We have had lots of babies born lately around us! Mostly boys, but one girlfriend for Ava. Fun! Showers galore! And we are hoping to start up our moms group officially in March. We are excited about that and hope it goes off without a hitch. So that is taking my time and energy lately.

Jack's Birthday Part 2

Here is Jack making his wish before he blows out the candles.




























Ava had fun with Granddaddy














Jack really did love all of his gifts, but this Iron Man costume is definitely his favorite thing. I think he has worn it every day since he got it! He is in a super hero phase and loves to play dress-up with our downstairs neighbors. He has "saved the day" countless times since Saturday.

Jack's Birthday Part 1

Amazingly enough Jack is almost 4 years old! His birthday is this Saturday, but we had to have his birthday party early so we had it last Saturday. We all had a great time as the family came over for supper and then we opened gifts and then we were able to Skype Nancy out east and Chris, Alicia & family in Colorado.















Here is Jack with his Toy Story themed cake.















Jack was very excited about his party and was waiting "patiently" for everyone to arrive




















Here is Jack posing next to all his gifts. He really didn't want to wait to open them this year. He would have been fine skipping supper so he could rip right into the presents!

Happy Birthdays!

Jack is 4 on Saturday, Ava Jane is 6 months old, and I am....too old! Can't believe it! Matt said if we had met when we were 20 and had kids right away, we'd have high school graduates soon! That is just crazy talk. I feel about 10 years younger than I am. And besides our immediate family, Nancy had a birthday on the 1st and my niece Chelsie had a birthday on the 15th - happy birthday to all!

Can't wait to celebrate with Chelsie in person this week. I am so thankful that with the money for my birthday, I am able to visit Chris and Alicia's family in Colorado for a few days. Just me and Ava. It'd be nice to take Jack and Matt too, but they will have some quality time together, too, I guess. Very Very Excited for this weekend!

Kids Update

In the last month, Ava has laughed, rolled over, and this past Monday actually reached for me! Matt says she gets extra bonus points for that. Today I was waving to her, and I could see her trying to figure out how to do that. She is definitely growing quickly, and I can't believe she will be 6 months old in a couple of weeks. When you only have one, you wonder how you could love any other baby as much. And yet, it has happened! And Jack is still so good with her. I love seeing her smile so big at him and him trying to make her laugh.

Jack will be 4 soon. It has been nice getting past the Terrible Twos and what people don't tell you the Worse Than Two THREES. He really is a huge help and a joy to have around. Of course, it has been challenging keeping an active boy busy indoors in the winter. I've heard that if your puppy runs all around in circles or up and down the halls that it is not getting enough exercise. Well, that's what Jack does.