Splish, Splash

One of the best things about this summer has been our many visits to the pool. Avery puts on her little arm floaties and "swims" all over the place. She won't let us help her at all. "No! I can do it!" she says. Ben is one of those awesome, fun daddies (just like mine was) that tirelessly plays in the water with her like a little kid. She loves it ... and I love the memories that they're creating together.

Ella went "swimming" for the first time last week! She chilled out in her float and was as happy as a clam. She was so relaxed, she even fell asleep! Let me tell you, a chubby 3 1/2 month old in a tiny little bathing suit has got to be one of the cutest things in the world!

I LOVE summer!

Laughter

Ella (who's 15 weeks now) has started laughing! Well, really it's more like a chuckle, but it's sooo cute. I can't wait for the full-on belly laugh that I know is soon to follow.

Ben and I will never forget Avery's first laugh. We were playing with her one evening, and all of a sudden, she just burst out laughing. We were so thrilled that we, of course, started laughing right along with her. Our laughter made her laugh even more, which made us laugh even more, until we had tears rolling down our faces. I can still remember how light my heart felt.

I am so thankful for moments like these that God blesses us with.

Smiles

What is it about a child's smile that makes it so incredible?

It's just unadulterated joy, totally unguarded, totally innocent. And when a child smiles, it's not just with their mouth, but their bright eyes, their cute little cheeks, their scrunched-up nose. It makes my heart melt, especially when it's my own doing it.

Ella has been smiling for about 5 weeks now, but every day she seems more and more happy. No, exuberant is the right word. She doesn't just grin. She opens her mouth as wide as it will go and looks absolutely euphoric. Can you imagine being that happy?

Here are some of my favorite smiling pics of Avery:

And of Ella (notice how her smiles get bigger the older she gets):

More of Ella to come as she grows ...

Rolling Over

Having the life of a baby really does seem idyllic. You know, being held and cuddled all day, sleeping when you want to, eating to your heart's content, being celebrated for getting fat and dimply. Must be nice, huh?

On the other hand, think about it: You were in this warm, soothing, protected environment for 9 months, and then just shoved out into a cold, bright, harsh world. Your body is like a limp noodle. You can't even hold your own head up! You have so much to learn and overcome.

I think about this a lot as I watch Ella grow. Her newest achievement is rolling over, but it's a struggle for her to get there. It seems so simple: Baby on the floor. Baby rolls over. Yay, how cute. But it's HARD.

Step 1: Pushing up b/c being face-down is no fun

Step 2: Rolling to one side so I can see better

Step 3: I'm stuck, tired, and frustrated.

Step 4: I did it! This is great! Relief.

But then we flip her over and make her do it all over again...

Gymnastics

Avery has been enrolled in gymnastics for about 4 weeks now, and she loves it. Cypress Academy is so awesome! They do such a great job with the little ones, and have a really impressive system.

The coaches have the patience of saints. This is what we hear coming across from the vicinity of the gym where Avery's group is: In a super sweet voice, "Avery, are you listening to me? Avery, watch me, please. Avery, where are you going? Avery, please go back to your area and do it again. Yes, Avery, I'm watching you. Great job, Avery! Avery, wait your turn. Avery, you're supposed to be over there on the beam. Etc." Oh, those poor coaches! Yes, Avery is THAT kid. I'm pretty sure that every parent in the gallery knows which child she is by the time class ends each week.

Good thing she's such a cutie and looks adorable in her leotard!1st day of gymnastics

Pink Eye, Oh My!

Well, Ella has her first illness of her short life ... pink eye. Poor baby. Fortunately we saw the doctor today, and everything else looks healthy. So we're doing eye drops, tons of handwashing, and trying to keep Avery away from her - which is proving to be next to impossible!

The Big 3

Wow! How can it be? Ella just turned three months old, and Avery is already three years old! I finally got around to taking both of their pictures.

3-month-old Ella is a pure joy. She is beautiful and sweet and melts our hearts when she smiles. She always seems so pleasantly surprised when we focus all our attention on her, and her face just lights up. She's a great sleeper, a great eater, and an all-around wonderful baby. She loves to just sit and watch everything going on around her (namely, Avery.)

3-year-old Avery is the most active little girl I have ever known. She is fun and spirited, and has a great sense of humor. On the rare occasions that she does slow down, she insists on being Mommy's "cuddle buddle". Her imagination is really kicking in, and she loves to make up games where she plays pretend (and tells you what to do). She's also really into writing lately. She can draw a square, a triangle, and write part of her name: A, V, & E.

4th of July

This was Ella's first 4th of July and Avery's third. It was also the first time we've watched fireworks on the 4th as a family.

Avery really enjoyed them, as long as they were far off in the distance. But if they were too close or too loud, she would hide her face and say, "I don't like firewurts!"
Ella chilled out the whole evening, and was happy to just be outside.

We had fun hanging out with friends, and after bubble, sprinkler, sandbox, and bouncy-house playing, (plus that close call with the Roman Candle!) it was time to call it a night.

Forgetting Something?

Tonight Ben and Avery went to Arby's to pick us up some dinner (healthy, I know). They decided to park and go inside. There were quite a few people in the line, and as Avery was bouncing around with her church dress on, she turned and announced in a loud voice, "Daddy, I need some panties on!"


Oops! I guess we forgot...

First Haircut

Yesterday I gave Avery her first REAL haircut. (Well, as real as it can be considering I did it, and not a professional!) I didn't shed tears or anything! Honestly, it was just getting too long and unkempt-looking, and was a pain to comb out, so it was time. She was great, and stood there in all her after-bath naked glory, watching in the mirror. I even got brave and tried to add some layers. Thank goodness her hair is wavy so you can't tell how uneven they really are!

before and after

Rookie Blogging

This is my first attempt at blogging ... ever. I can't believe it's taken me this long to try it, but that's what Mommyhood is all about: embarking on new territory!

Here are my 2 sweet (well, most of the time) girls.