A weekend with Cousin Robin

Our cousin Robin came to visit this weekend - She went to the Taylor Swift Concert with my mom on Friday night. But Saturday we got to spend lots of time with her! We started the day watching Uncle Cullen coach a basketball game and Avery was so excited to see Uncle Cullen and could not stop herself from joining in on the team meeting after the game.

Afterwards we went out to lunch and then played (and took naps) at our house. And ended the evening with dinner at G and Papa's house. It was a great day and we loved spending time with Robin.

 

Traveling For Work

I had to travel this past week for work for three days (which was hard since Hung and I had JUST gotten back from Las Vegas). But Avery did just great with Dad and some help from G. She slept great every night and had lots of fun playing with Dad before and after school. 

I was missing Avery a lot so Hung sent me this cute video to get me through. Needless to say, I am very happy to be home with no work travel plans for almost a whole month. 

20 Month Update

Here are some fun, cute and new things in Month 20:

• Verbally, Avery is just amazing us with how much she is talking and understanding. She is getting good at saying "Please" ("Peas") when she wants something and also saying "Thank You" ("Sank Ku") and "Your Welcome". And sometimes when she doesn't want something she says "No Sank Ku". She also tells us "Good Morning" when we come in to get her.
•  She is getting great at using the right pronouns - You ask "Should We Do..." or "Do you want to..." and she replies with "I want...". She is really speaking in sentences and picking up new words and phrases all the time. I wish I could capture it all - it's really fun to watch! Her new teachers told us how impressed they are with her language.
• Also, she'll ask for something, we'll say "do you want xyz" and then she'll say "O-tay" - We can't get enough of the "O Tay". And it's funny how she suggests it, we reiterate her question and then she says "Okay" like it wasn't originally her idea.
• Avery is starting to show more interest in the Potty - She will tell us she has to pee and have us help her get her pants down and sit on the potty. However, she still hasn't actually GONE in the potty yet but it's progress. She loves to use the toilet paper and watch it flush.
• Avery got a doll diaper bag and changing kit from G. She is loving changing her dolls' and goofy's diapers (and sometimes like to change ours too..??). She likes to pull out place-mats and use them as changing pads and she even created her own "diaper pail" using the compartments in one of her cars. She also continues to like all her babies and stuffed animals, her pretend food, kitchenette and picnic basket. And she loves to go explore and play around in the basement (and re-discover all her old baby toys in storage).
• Avery has two Pete The Cat books and has become obsessed with them. We downloaded the audio version with songs on our iPads and Avery loves to have "The Man" (as she calls it) read Pete The Cat to her - she asks for "The Man" almost every time she gets in the car. She loves the "Shoe" Pete the Cat book and always yells out "Oh No" and then tells us what Pete stepped in (he usually steps in blueberries but sometimes strawberries, mud or wa-wa). In general, she is really liking books again and having more patience to sit through full ones.
• She is starting to ask for Dora over Mickey. We miss Mickey as we prefer it to Dora but she seems to be expanding her TV viewing. And Avery gets scared by Swiper - when he's lurking around she'll crawl in your lap for comfort.
• Avery likes putting us down for naps - we are forced to lay on our stomachs, we get a bitty and a pillow (sometimes - if we're lucky) and she then pats our backs, rubs our hair and sometimes sings a little. She takes this job very seriously! Sometimes her babies join us for our "naps",
• Avery loves looking for the Birdies outside - we hear lots of "I see a birdie" and "I hear a birdie". And she LOVES all dogs - especially Hershey!
• With the nicer weather we've had a lot of fun spending time at the park - She loves the swings the best. There is also a big tractor structure at the main park we go to and she loves to drive the tractor and say "Stop" and "Go". Avery also enjoys feeding the ducks crackers ("ca cas").
• There is one really odd thing Avery started doing that I have to capture so we don't forget it. She likes to find "cookies" in your shirt or her shirt. She reaches in, pulls out a pretend cookie and eats it and says "yum" or "nummy". We have NO idea where she got this or how it started  but she keeps doing it and it cracks us up!
• She is LOVING her new school - no tears at drop offs. She runs right in and starts playing and she really loves Ms. Becky. Moving her was the best decision we have made so far!
• She is in mostly 2T clothes (Some 3T and some 18-24 mos) and Size 7 shoes. Her hair continues to be crazy and she hardly ever lets us put it up.
• We had out first real trip away from her this month and G came and stayed at our house for 3 nights. They had tons of fun together and Avery was awesome for my mom. We missed her a ton and having her run and give us huge hugs and giggles when we returned was the best!!

 Avery decided to so most of her photo shoot in the ottoman

A video of Avery playing with her Babies and listening for Birdies outside

 

Pig Tails

We tried out a new hair style on Avery today - she loved it and also seems to now be "posing" every time we pull out the camera :)

Avery's New School

We decided to move Avery to a new school after there were some teacher and turnover issues at our neighborhood facility. We knew it was time for a change and found the Maria Montessori International Academy - Hung and I visited and fell in love with the teachers and the philosophy (mixed age groups, diverse teacher and student body, low teacher-to-student ratios, self paced learning, nurturing atmosphere, etc.). It has a "Roeper" feel to me and I know they will love and take care of Avery. Her two main teachers are kind and patient - we feel so lucky to have found them.

Avery started this week and has had some tears at drop off as she is adjusting to her new environment. But we are assured that about 2 minutes after we leave she is happy and diving into the days' activities. She has Spanish everyday and the kids go outside 3 times a day - which Avery loves. When we picked her up on her first day she was in a tire swing being pushed by a 2nd grader who was talking to her and Avery's teacher was nearby - It was a such a sweet sight and you could tell Avery was relaxed.

We are very hopeful that this will be the place Avery spends her early years!

A Week With Hershey!

Hung and I dog sat for my mom and Chuck while they were away on Spring Break. Avery LOVED having Hershey stay with us and could not get enough (not sure the feeling was mutual....). Every morning she'd ask for Hershey right away and would get sad when we let Hershey outside (sometimes throwing herself on the floor crying she was so distraught). And breakfast and dinner time were also very exciting for Avery - She would tell Hershey to eat her "Beans" and would pet Hershey the whole time she was eating. Avery also sat, hugged, laid on and followed Hershey everywhere - Luckily Hershey is so mild mannered and was a great sport. I am guessing Hershey is glad to be home but Avery sure misses her.

We are going to need a dog someday as our girl just LOVES them - but for now, we are happy to dog sit any time. It truly makes Avery's day.

Hosting Play Group

I was able to take the day off from work and host our weekly play group. Avery was not always the best at sharing her toys but we still had lots of fun. After the kids made it through all the toys indoors and we finished eating lunch, most of us headed outside and the kids had fun running around the yard and playing with poor Hershey (she was a great sport!) on this great spring day.

Avery and I are very lucky to have such a great group of friends (both babies and mama's) and we had a blast having everyone over!!

 

Easter Weekend 2013

It was an egg filled Easter Weekend! On Friday, we went to a playdate at Melissa and Ian's and Avery went hunting for eggs in the basement - Although she spent most of her time sitting on the floor eating yogurt covered raisins and jelly beans. The night could not have ended better with an AMAZING Michigan win over Kansas to advance to the Elite 8. 

On Saturday, we went to an egg hunt in our neighborhood with Jaime and Brooke. Avery did a little better this time since she realized there were treats in the eggs so she was actually motivated to put them in her bucket. And she was fascinated by the Easter bunny - she kept pointing him out and following him around. But once we got close she was a little freaked out :) Avery also saw her friend Creighton from school and gave him a big hug! Afterwards, we went to the park and Avery loved the swings (as usual) before we headed home for nap. Saturday night G babysat and Hung and I got to go on a date night.

Sunday we all headed over to G and Papa's house for the Michigan Game and Easter dinner. The Easter Bunny had left Avery's basked at G's house and Avery loved all of her goodies (Dora Potty Book, Minnie Watering Can, Cell Phone, stuffed bunny, and Reese's Peanut Butter Cups). I was a bit distracted watching Michigan bury Florida and punch a ticket to the Final Four. But, luckily for Avery, Uncle Cullen was there to take her to the park, feed the ducks and play on the soccer field. After a yummy dinner from Holly Hock we headed home and Avery was one sleepy girl!

Playgroup Egg Hunt

 

Centennial Egg Hunt

At the Park after the Egg Hunt

Easter Sunday