Disney On Ice

Avery went to her first Disney on Ice this weekend and she had a great time! We had tickets with Lila's family so the girls got to sit next to each other (although they were in one of our laps for most of the show). And we ended up being just a few rows over from her friend Jade. Avery waved to all the characters and loved seeing her favorite princesses. She wore her Rapunzel dress and also brought her Peter Pan library book which she held up during the Peter Pan part. 

We avoided the light-up toys as she never asked for one. But her and Lila both wanted a snow cone - once you got the souvenir mug and spoon it was $21! A little crazy but so it goes.....

Afterwards we had lunch at a little Cafe off of Mass. Ave. with the Morrison's and the girls were able to run around and play. Avery was wiped out and took a 4!!!! hour nap after lunch. 

A fun but exhausting day :)

Funny Avery Things Over Christmas Break

We have had LOTS of time together since Avery has been off school for 2 weeks and wanted to capture some of the funny things she has been saying and doing:

• My mom was getting her ready for bed and said "Avery, do you want to put on your underwear?" and Avery said "No thanks. I want to air out my ginee tonight."
• Everything is pretend (usually with a slight stutter). "Pre-Pre-Pretend that you are x and I am y and you say z". Everything is now scripted out and Avery directs us and gets really annoyed if we don't follow every instruction. And every instruction starts with "Pretend that".
• She LOVES her new puppet theater- When she was first playing with it Cullen suggested that she crouch down and she said "But then the audience won't see my face!". After each show, we have to go get an autograph book and she is Dorothy (in her Merida costume) and signs her autograph and takes pictures with us. The set up of the show and buying tickets plus the autographs at the end are the majority of the game.
• She was asking me for those "curly peanuts that G was eating" - We realized she meant Cashews.
• We were at Recreation Unlimited today with Avery's class and she was desperately chasing Lila and urgently needing to tell her something. It turned out to be "Have you ever been to Noodles and Company?". Very important! Then Lila told her something and Avery said "Good point Lila!".
• I was getting so sick of Avery asking for snacks and treats on our many car rides this vacation so she now says in this shy voice "Did you say no snacks?" whenever she wants something to eat.
• She was copying Hung and doing some work with her tools and she put on a Batman mask and called it her "Screw Mask" and her "Banging Mask". She said it protects her eyes when banging.
• She got socks from Santa and the elves and said "Boring!"
• Besides her puppet theater and costumes she also really loved her Cash Register, play-doh sets and Candyland game that she got for Christmas. She has been playing with the Furry Pet Salon the most - we grow the pet's hair and then Avery quickly makes them bald.
• We discovered the Rainbow Rocks My Little Pony Movie - She likes to play Adagio (the BAD one) and be really mean and copy the movie. Obsessed!
• YIPPEE is a very common response
• My Grandma asked Avery where Hung is and she says "My daddy is taking care of his daddy."
• I have been getting lots of love - I love you so much mommy, I never want to leave you and when she hugs me she says she wants to stay like that forever - great by me!

The Screw Mask

Christmas Eve and Christmas

We waited to celebrate Christmas until Hung, Avery and I were ball back in Indy together (which ended up being December 30th). Avery was very patient and sweet waiting for Santa!

On our Christmas Eve, we all went to Hollyhock Hills for Fried Chicken Dinner (Cullen, KJ, Grammy, G and Papa were all there). We ended dinner with Peppermint Stick ice cream and Avery went around the table toasting everyone's ice cream. Then we all headed to my mom's house and exchanged gifts with Grammy. Avery got some great Princess Palace Pets and Disney Princess gifts that she loved. 

Then we headed home and got ready for Santa. We put out cookies and milk and Avery dictated a note for Santa (video was too large to upload). We were all very excited for Christmas morning to finally arrive!

Avery was SO excited when she came downstairs and saw that Santa had actually come. Uncle Cullen got up early and came over so he could be a part of Christmas morning and gave Avery some great new books. She was very excited about her puppet theater and new dress up clothes. She actually loved everything and played with all her new toys all day - never asked once to watch a show!! Papa came over and made us all breakfast and we played and relaxed the whole day.

That night was actually New Year's Eve, so we headed to our friend's house and Avery got to play with her classmates Alicia and Lila all evening. We made it until about 11 and we barely saw the girls - they had so much fun!! And Hung and I enjoyed actually being able to talk with our friends and have adult conversations for the night.

Despite all the family issues that were going on, we had a great Christmas and start to 2015!

Christmas Eve (Plus silly faces before dinner)

Christmas Morning

New Year's Eve with Alicia and Lila. First Pic Avery is a Christmas Tree and Lila is an Angel

Jingle Rails

G and I took Avery to the Jingle Rails exhibit at the Eiteljorg when we got back to Indy (Hung had to work). She really enjoyed it this year - They had cards where you could find different things in the exhibits and Avery made sure we found all the hidden objects. Then we headed down to the kids hands-on area and Avery loved the totem poll, pretend store and horses. We ended with a yummy lunch at the cafe - It was such a fun day with G and a Christmas tradition I hope we carry on!

Christmas in Michigan

Avery and I spent a week in Michigan celebrating Christmas with my family while Hung tended to his Dad in Peoria. Despite missing Hung and worrying about YeYe, we had a lot of fun!

We started out in Grand Rapids - Grandpa, Grandma T, Uncle Nate and Debbie were there. Avery LOVES playing with Uncle Nate and Debbie and was attached at the hip the whole time they were there. They watched movies, put on Fashion Shows, played with the animals (Avery was often a cat and climbed into the Cat Condo), cooked, played Old Maid, Sang songs at the piano, and played lots of pretend.

Avery and I went with Grandma T to see Juno. Avery was a natural and loved being around the horses, feeding them treats, and brushing them. She will love when she actually gets to ride Juno!

Grandma Lou and my cousin Adrianne joined us for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Avery got tons of gifts and even more attention - She LOVES her new vanity and all of us got our hair and make-up done. Nate got some awesome blue blush that he sported most of the day.

After Christmas, Grandpa, Avery and I headed to Midland for the day and got to see my grandparents, Aunt Jenny, Aunt Wendy and Billy, Emily, Liam and Kelly. Avery had fun playing with her cousins and also made up this ambulance/surgery game that she had my Dad and I playing for a long time. We had to be sick, Avery would call my Dad on the phone (he was the doctor) then we had to go in for x-rays and surgery. Weird, typical Avery game.

After Grand Rapids, we headed to Lansing and spent the night with Aunt Amy and Uncle Kurt. We got to see their new house which was beautiful and also spend the day with my mom's side of the family (Uncle Mike, Aunt Diana, my cousin's Erin. Robin and Brian and Erin's kids Molly and Brady). Molly was SO sweet to Avery - Avery tried to learn dance from Molly and copied everything she did. Avery got more presents and had a blast.

We had a smooth ride home with my mom and Grammy and FINALLY got to see Hung when we arrived back in Indy :)

Playing with Nate and Debbie

On the Farm with Juno

Christmas Morning

Playing with Cousins