Twas the weekend before Christmas...

Mom and Dad came to visit the weekend before Christmas so we could have our Christmas with them since this year it is in Midland. For those of you that do not know, Zach and I rotate holidays between his family and mine. This year Thanksgiving was spent in Houston with my family and Christmas was spent in Midland with his. Next year vice versa. So back to our weekend...Mom and Dad arrived on Saturday morning and we just hung around the house visiting and playing with Avery. Zach cooked a delicious meal for us that afternoon consisting of broiled shrimp with cocktail sauce and tilapia filet sandwiches with coleslaw, Panini style...yummy!!! On Sunday, Mom, Avery and I ventured out to the mall to finish my last minute Christmas shopping. Thanks Mom for helping me! When we arrived back home we had our gift exchange in front of our tree and Avery got to open her first Christmas presents. She loved tearing the paper off of the gifts and cuddling with her Christmas bear. It was a wonderful, relaxing weekend. Thank you Mom and Dad for all the wonderful gifts!

Playing Around with Photoshop & Digital Scrapbooking

M M M My Sharona...

SAID YES! My good friend/college roomie is engaged! I am so happy for her and Brandon and wanted to share the good news with everyone. Sharon was my first college friend and we have been besties every since. It seems like only yesterday we were dancing the night away in College Station. There are so many great memories we created together and it is hard to believe that we are all grown up. I can not wait to make new memories with the future Mr. & Mrs. Sorrell. I wish all the best to Sharon and Brandon as they start their lives together. Brandon - you could not have asked for a better girl! Love you Sharona!

Poor Baby Girl

Avery is under the weather. She had been running a low grade temperature for the last couple of days, so I decided to take her to the doctor yesterday. We thought it was because of her little tooth coming in but she actually has sores/ulcers in the back of her throat. Poor baby girl! She has been fine except for the fever, but last night she woke up after an hour of being in bed, screaming and crying. Zach and I spent an hour and a half comforting her until we finally got her to sleep with a little help from the tylenol. I can only imagine having something like that going on in my throat and not being able to take any medicine for it. The doctor said it was a viral infection and we just had to let it run it's course. I am just praying that it's course is run before next Friday. I would hate for our little girl to spend her first Christmas sick.

Mommy and Daddy love you, Avery and hope you start feeling better soon!

So super excited....

today I received a phone call from my bf Tracy. Here is a recap....


me: "Hey...did you get my message?"
Tracy: "yes, I got Avery's special present today/collection...oh, what was Avery's original due date?"
me: "July 14th, but I had her a week early"
Tracy: "Well, guess what our due date is July 13th!!!"
me: (eyes start watering & tears of happiness start rolling)..."oh my goodness, I am crying! I am so happy for you guys!"
Tracy: "Thank you, we have known for a while"
me: "I knew it...Gosh, I am so happy! Congratulations! Avery and Baby M may have the same birthday!"


Well, there you go folks...Tracy and Wyatt are going to be parents and great ones at that! Congratulations to two of the most special people in our lives! We love you guys! Can't wait to meet Baby M in July....

Happy Birthday, Dad!!!!

A glimpse of life with my wonderful father...

My Dad with hair....

Do I look adopted or what? Just kidding....

I always love to dance with my Daddy!

Pillow talk with my Daddy!

Summer Vacation...check out my Dad's facial expressions...priceless!

Happy Birthday to the best Dad a girl could ask for! Love you, Dad!

All I Want For Christmas Is My Two Front Teeth!!!

Yes, indeed ladies and gentlemen...our little Avery Grace is getting her first tooth! This weekend Zach was letting Avery drool and chew on his finger and much to his surprise something sharp bit him. Sure enough, we looked and there was a small little white tooth beginning to pop through. Since then our little angel has been drooling a lot more than normal and has been a little cranky. Yesterday, she began running a low grade temperature. Poor thing just looked miserable. I can only imagine how uncomfortable it must be for her. So, I guess we have begun the dreadful teething phase. As soon as the pearly white pokes its way through, I will be sure to get some good photographs, so until then, stay tuned.

SiSteR TiMe

Kristy came into town last weekend for Avery's baptism. We made sure we took lots of pictures of her with Avery, since we forgot to get a single picture of them when she was here in September. Avery just loves her Aunt Kristy! I think it may be the fact that Kristy and I resemble each other. We did lots of shopping, laughing and just enjoying each other for the weekend. This was the first time for her to travel home without Bill and the boys. Although we missed seeing Bill and the boys this trip, Kristy and I got to spend some much needed sister time!

Child of God

Sunday was a very special day for our family. Zach and Avery were baptized at St. James Lutheran Church in New Wehdem. This church is very special to my me, as my mother grew up going there, my grandfather, and great grandparents. My parents were married there and so were Zach and I. I just love going back and attending church service. It brings back so many wonderful memories of my childhood, so when we started planning Avery's baptism, what better place. More pictures to come of the special day but here is a sneek peek.....

5 Months Old!

Dear Avery,

Today, you are 5 months old. My has time passed quickly. You are growing like a weed and discovering new things everyday. Your newest discovery is your voice. You have started to squeal really loud. It is so adorable to see your face after you make a loud noise. You also love playing with your feet and sticking all of your toes in your mouth. So flexible! It is hard to explain how happy I am when you smile at me. You love to cuddle in the morning and when you are getting sleepy. I just love snuggling with your head on my shoulder. You love being on your tummy and pushing up to look around. Your Daddy and I swear you will be crawling soon, you just need to figure out what to do with your hands since you definitely know how to kick, kick, kick those feet. You may take after your Daddy and one day become a soccer star.

We love you sweet baby girl! Happy 5 months!

Love,

Mommy

So, I was thinking we could be friends...

A few weeks ago, I laid Avery in her crib with her musical seahorse so I could start a load of laundry. She is really starting to grab for things and explore lately. As I was getting things done, I could hear her cooing and playing. I went in to check on her and it looked like she was talking to her new friend, seahorse. She was grabbing for it and just staring at it.


Also, it does not take long for her to roll over. Nana & Popo were here this weekend and they were amazed how much she had grown just in a couple of weeks. We are really enjoying watching her grow and figure out new things. The newest thing is her feet. She loves to grab them, pull on her socks and pull her foot all the way to her face. I wish I were that flexible! She is changing so much. Yesterday, I got to daycare and she was belly laughing. So cute and her laugh is priceless.

"How about we be friends?"

"I can scratch your nose for you"

"What Mom, Seahorse and I are playing"

Ummm Ummm Good!!

We started rice cereal and I have to say that it isn't going as well as I thought it would. She liked it the first few times but trying to figure out a good schedule has been kind of difficult. We will continue to try until we get into a good routine.

Our Little Munchkin is 4 Months Old!

Avery's Accomplishments at 4 Months:

• Rolled over from back to stomach


• Ate rice cereal


• Discovered her toys, grabs them and tries to put them in her mouth


• First fever (poor baby)


• Holds pacifier


• Discovered she can kick her legs while taking a bath and water goes everywhere


• Laughs


• Smiles

Our Little Lobster

Several weeks ago Zach threw out the idea of a lobster for Avery's first Halloween costume. We both thought about our memories of Halloween growing up and the fact that our Mom's made all of the costumes. So, Zach insisted that we try from now on to always make our childrens costumes. He found pictures online of a lobster costume and how it should be constructed. Zach's grandparents gave him a sewing machine for Christmas when we were in college but I think I am the only one who has really used it. He decided that he was going to try his hand at sewing and make a lobster. We went to the fabric store to look for a pattern and material but had no luck finding a pattern, so I gave Zach some tissue paper and he started making his own pattern...he said, "I mean, how hard could it be?" After several nights of him sewing...and wahlah! He made the best looking hand-made lobster costume, I had ever seen and without a pattern! I had no idea I had married a seamstress. I guess all those episodes of Project Runway has paid off. So now I can officially add that to my husbands duties...cook, maid, handy-man, interior decorator & seamstress!!! Take a look at our little Avery's first Halloween as a LOBSTER! She was so adorable! Thank you Daddy for making me my first Halloween costume!

PuMpKiN PaTcH

The Methodist church near our house has a pumpkin patch every year as a fundraiser for their church. I have always wanted to go and now that we have a little munchkin we have a good reason to check it out. I thought it was great! They had pumpkins of all sizes laid out in an open area next to the church with scarecrows and fall decorations. They even had an area with hay bales stacked to get some great family pictures (which will come in handy when she is older and can sit up on her own). Despite the weather getting cooler, Avery was as happy as can be and we got some great pictures of her amongst the pumpkins. We even made it home with a few pumpkins.

Avery's Artwork

I was amazed last week when I picked up Avery from daycare and there were paints out on the cabinet in the nursery. Come to find out they did a little handprint painting that day. I was so excited to see what she had done and anticipated the day we will have a fridge filled with Avery's Artwork. It amazes me and makes me very happy to know that they are stimulating her brain during the day and she is not just laying in her crib or sleeping in a swing. I know that this is just the first of many posts to come displaying our little munchkins talents and I am oh so happy to share with you her first art project. Good job Baby girl!

Rollin...Rollin...Rollin

Avery is officially rolling over! Last week she rolled from her back to her stomach for the first time and we were so excited. Now, everytime we lay her down she rolls onto her stomach. Great news, right? Well, there is one little problem with this accomplishment, she does not know how to roll back. Sunday night, she woke up at least 4 times because she rolled onto her stomach and could not roll back. So, up I am, out of bed and into her room to roll her onto her back or side. When I finally get back to bed and fall good asleep, there she goes again. Little munchkin....hopefully she will learn soon how to roll back, but that means the days of leaving her unattended on the bed or anywhere are O-V-E-R. She is growing up fast, before we know it, she will be crawling.

Counting ZZZZ's

Avery is officially sleeping through the night! Woohoo! I hope by writing this post it does not jinx us. She has successfully slept from 9:30pm until 5:30/6:00am or later - since a couple of mornings I have had to wake her up, every night this week. I guess that explains why she does not get a good hour or more nap during the day. She usually takes about 3 or 4 cat naps at daycare. I will let you all know if things change but as of right now we have a good little sleeper.

I AM 3 MONTHS OLD!

Dear Avery Grace,

You are already 3 months old. It is so hard to believe you are growing up so fast! Your Daddy and I love you so much and enjoy every minute of our new life with you. Here are a few things you have accomplished over the past 3 months.

1. Smile all the time
2. Laughed out loud
3. Laughed in your sleep, which I might add, we Love!
4. Started Sleeping in your Crib
5. Started School aka daycare
6. First County Line Concert and slept right through it!
7. First A&M Tailgate
8. Celebrated your Mommy's 30th birthday
9. Found your hands which you like to suck on and drool on
10. Love to kick those little legs...such a wiggle worm
11. Had your first cold, congested little nose, which you are battling right now
12. 3 band-aids for the three shots you have had
13. Like to watch TV, especially football with Daddy
14. First slumber party at Nana & Popo's house with your cousins
15. Slept through the night several times now.

The list goes on.........

We love you sweet baby girl!

Love,
Mommy

Have fun at the A&M game Daddy!

On Saturday, Zach went to Dallas to the Texas Stadium to watch the A&M game, while I stayed in San Antonio for Mary's Bachelorette Party. Mom came to our house to have a slumber party with Avery. She loves her Nan and just smiles when Nana talks to her. I just love it! Well, the morning of all the festivities, Avery decides to wake up at 5:30 and play. Zach was getting ready to leave for Dallas, so we made the best of our early Saturday morning with our precious little girl! Here is a few pics of her wishing her Daddy off and good luck to the Ags....which had a terrible loss by the way (we do not want to talk about it)!

Mornings at The Inmans

Sometimes Avery is so sleepy in the mornings that she will not even wake up to get dressed for school.

Here is a glimpse of one of those mornings.

Getting her last bit of sleep in before Mommy wakes her.

Streching and still asleep...

Mom, 5 more minutes!

AHHH...stretch. I think I am ready to wake up now.

Wordless Wednesday....