Hardison's Visit

Since we messed up everyone's plans this year and decided to have a baby :), Matthew's family graciously came to visit us here in Houston for a long weekend in the middle of June.  Before everyone got there, Sandra came down to help us out with Avery.  She was a great help, cooking, grocery shopping, watching Avery so I could go to the doc, and even getting up with her in the middle of the night for more than just a few nights in a row :)  On top of that, when David got there, he would take her after her 6AM feed, so I was able to crawl back in bed.  I felt like I hadn't had that much sleep since before she had been born! 

J, K, and Sam arrived on Thursday, and I was SO glad to see them.  We had not been able to hang out with them since Christmas.  Incredibly too long, especially to see our sweet nephew, who is now a ball of energy and fun!  He's seriously the funniest kid ever.  Morgan and Benj arrived late Friday night; finally all together after 6 months. 

It was so nice to be able to spend time with everyone, even if it was abbreviated.  Thankfully, we got to stay with J and K two weeks later while we were in Bham :)  Thank you everyone for coming down to Houston.  We appreciate it!

Taking baby girl to an outing at the mall.. not too happy about it

Posing in the UK cheerleader outfit Papa and Mimi gave Avery

Hey there Uncle J!

Uncle Benj and Aunt Morgan

Our favorite little guy!  Sam and Uncle Matthew (or MattNo as Sam calls him) rekindled their love of playing together

Matching cousin outfits!

5 1/2 weeks old.

Papa and Mimi with the grankids

Daddy and Avery posing next to Daddy's Father's Day gift from Mommy

2 Months!

As of this past Sunday, Avery Grace is 2 months old!  I feel like the time has flown by, and I'm currently bemoaning the fact that my maternity leave is coming to a close in a few short weeks...  Those daycare workers better beware, this momma will be watching the online cameras!  I know I have much to catch up on, Hardison's visit to Houston, our 3 week tour of the Southeast, Smith Family Vacation...but first things first.  Avery.. Seriously, 2 months old?!

Avery here are your stats at 2 months:

Weight: 11 pounds 7.5 ounces (75th percentile)

Length: 24 inches (90th percentile!) If I hadn't carried you myself, I would be convinced you weren't my child.  I'm pretty sure I never even came close to the 90th percentile growing up!  I don't know that I ever broke 50th.

Sleep:  On our vacation you got into a groove of only waking up once per night.  Usually around 2 to 3 AM.  Since we've been home, this has been another story.  In an attempt to get you on a better schedule before Mommy goes back to work, we have been putting you down an hour to hour and a half earlier.  For some reason, your little body has not taken well to it the past couple of nights, and you've only made it 3-4 hours at a time.  Hoping this works itself out soon, especially before I go back to work, or I will be a walking zombie!  I miss my 5-6 hour blocks!  You also started to take a really long afternoon nap while we were gone, about 2 to 3 hours.  You've only done this a couple times since we've been home, but I'm hoping the trend continues.

Likes:  Eating, your baby swing (you nap in it most days), car rides, falling asleep on Mommy, you started to really like bath time but since we've been home you've reverted to full hatred again!, your exercise mat, your paci, watching people talk to you, being outside

Dislikes:  You are not at your best when you have to wait to eat or you get overtired.  Mommy tries to avoid both of these things happening.  You still despise tummy time, and a lot of the times get so frustrated and angry that you fall asleep after 10 minutes or so.

Diaper Size: Still a 1.  We've figured out Pampers work best for you, but we're trying to use up all the Huggies that we have gotten.  They're free!

Clothes Size:  You are officially out of all your newborn things.  I actually packed some away yesterday and it made me really sad!  You are now in 0-3 months and 3 month clothing.  Even some of the 0-3 month onesies are getting too short for you!

Feeding: You are still nursing very well.  You started taking a bottle every once in a while, so that Mommy would be able to get out some without you.  You do great switching back and forth between the two.  I would say you are still nursing 98% of the time.  Since we've been back you haven't even had a bottle.

Hair Color:  Like before, in the sun it looks strawberry blonde.  When you need a bath it looks a little more light brown/dirty blonde.

Eye Color:  Still a beautiful dark blue!

Nicknames:  Nugget, Nug, Aves, Aves McGaves, and when you're fussy I call you a Fussy Gus

Milestones:  My favorite thing since last month?  You have started smiling!  When Mommy and Daddy talk to you, your face lights up and you get this big, beautiful smile.  Heart melting!  You've also started to coo/talk.  And your head control is awesome!


 In the last couple of weeks, you have really started to be a mommy's girl.  On vacation, there were times that I would pass you off to be held, and you would meltdown until I took you back and rocked you.  Not gonna lie, hate it for other people, love it for me.  Most people say you look like a Smith.  I do think you look like me a little bit in the face, especially compared to my newborn pictures.  But, I think you got the height from the Hardison side, both of your uncles are tall.  Here's hoping you got daddy's brain, hello college scholarship! :)

Nugget, Daddy and I are so blessed and honored to be your parents.  I don't know what we would do without you.  We marvel at every little laugh, smile, yawn... I may not love being tired getting up with you in the middle of the night , but a part of me will be sad when you start sleeping through the night, because I think I will miss spending time with you in the quiet.  We love you baby girl!  Here's to a fun rest of the year!

1 Month!

 As of today our precious baby girl is 1 month old!  Seriously, where has the time gone?  I'll admit.  Back at week 1, I didn't know if we would make it to a month intact, but we are slowly getting into a groove.  Believe it or not, I am fully equipped to take care of my child, who knew?!  Since we have discovered that Avery has reflux (bless her heart) and she has gotten on medication, she has been ten times happier!  She actually naps (hallelujah!), is more pleasant when she is awake, and she is now only waking up in the middle of the night once to feed (I'm sure this statement will come back and bite me!).  She even went almost 6 hours in the middle of the night in between feeds three nights ago, and would've gone longer, if I hadn't freaked out and run in there to check if she was breathing!

Avery here are your stats at 1 month:

Weight- 9 pounds 10 ounces

Length- 22.5 inches

Sleep- On average you go about 4-5 hr stretches at night.  We put you down around 8 and you usually sleep till around 11.  Then you eat and we put you back down and you will sleep anywhere from 3:00 to 5:00 (just that once, usually more like 4:00), feed you again, and then you wake up for good around 7:30 or 8:00.  I tell ya, I feel like a new woman!  Last night this was reversed, you did your short stretch at the beginning of the night, and then went five hours after you ate around 1:30. 

Likes- EATING!, Daddy putting you to sleep, riding in the car and your stroller, your baby swing, tummy time for the first 5 minutes :), being outside, your paci, being rocked

Dislikes- Having to wait more than 30 sec to eat :), tummy time after 5 minutes, bath time

Diaper Size- 1

Clothes Size- You can still fit into your newborn stuff, but you are really getting too long for them.  Mostly 0-3 month (but a lot of them are baggy on your skinny frame!)

Feeding- You eat like a champ!  Nursing has turned out to be an enjoyable experience for you and me. 

Hair Color- Most days it looks strawberry blonde.  When you haven't had a bath it looks dirty blonde or light brown.  Some of it has started to fall out in the front, so we will see what color grows back!

Eye Color-  For now they are blue (about the same color as mine)

Nicknames- Aves, Nugget, Nug, Little Bit

Milestones-  You are starting to follow objects with your eyes, and look at us when we are talking to you.  During one of your tummy times, you actually rolled over from your stomach to your back!  Daddy and I couldn't believe it.  You haven't done it since, and I'm sure you won't again until 3-4 months.  We were calling you a genius all day long :)


Avery Grace, everyday I find myself falling more in love with you.  I never knew it would feel so rewarding to be a parent.  It's amazing how the smallest things can make me feel like super mom, like a successful trip to the store without a meltdown, or getting you to go down for a long nap :).  Daddy and I could not feel more blessed!  We cannot wait to watch you grow and mature, but for now I want you stay this size for a while (but feel free to start sleeping through the night!)  When I sit and rock you late at night, I find myself praying over and over that you grow up to be a follower of Jesus.  And while of course as a parent, I want all the best things for you, more than anything, I pray for God to give your Daddy and me the wisdom to raise you as a child of His.  We love you little Nug!

This was before your first outing.  We took you to brunch at Ruggles Bakery in Rice Village. 

You're surprisingly calm despite the fact you just got out of the bath.  You DO NOT like it one bit.

Victim of tummy time.  You surrendered. 

Love both my girls!

2 Weeks

This past Tuesday Avery turned 2 weeks old!  That day we went to the pediatrician for Avery's check up.  Her 2 week stats:  Weight- 8 pounds 8.5 ounces (75th Percentile), Length- 21 3/4 inches (75th Percentile).

Baby girl you eat like a champ... But your daddy and I just wish we could say the same thing about your sleep habits!  This past week has been fairly challenging, all to be capped off with the transformer in our neighborhood blowing last night.  What doesn't mix together?  An almost 3 week old sleeping in a hot house.  We unfortunately had to relocate to a hotel nearby for the night.  What has been great is having Aunt Heather come this week to help.  She has been such a blessing by doing the cleaning, grocery shopping, and watching Avery so that I could have a chance to shower :)

Other than that, we're hanging in there!  Praying for our sweet girl to get out of this growth spurt so that her zombie-like parents can catch a little shut-eye :)

Avery at the doctor... "Praying my heel stick doesn't hurt!"

I am very long.  Mommy and Daddy say that I have chicken legs :)

Lexi and Avery love Aunt Heather

I went all the way downtown with Mommy to her doctor's appointment!

We weren't expecting for Avery's first hotel stay to be this early on!

Like Mother Like Daughter

Apparently this beautiful little "apple" did not fall far from the proverbial tree.

Growing up, I was a finger sucker.  A habit that my parents desperately tried to break me of through numerous tricks.... that failed.   Kudos to mom and dad for trying, but what five year old can't figure out that in order to get to my fingers, I need to take the gloves off?  I continued this practice for way too long than was socially acceptable.  I only wish I could remember at what age I stopped, but let's be honest, I would most likely lie and say that I was younger than I really was.  Definitely too old to be cute and to know better :)

Doesn't mean I'm not glad that our little nugget has picked up this trait sporadically as well.  Who cares about her teeth (sorry David), we were planning on getting her braces anyway :)

Welcome Avery Grace!

Avery Grace Hardison made her grand entrance into this world Tuesday, May 8th at 9:34 am, weighing 8 lbs 3.9 oz, 21.5 inches long.  She is healthy, perfect, and absolutely beautiful.

*For those that don't want to read about the labor story, feel free to skip on down the the pictures, although I promise I'm not going into too much detail*

M and arrived at the hospital the night before at 6:00pm to be induced Tuesday morning.  Let's just say that Avery was planning on coming on her own and ended up not needing very much coaxing :)  By the time I had put on my gown and crawled into bed (around 8pm), my night nurse came in and informed me that I was having contractions, 7 min apart, although I could not feel them (how wonderful right?!, only wish that had lasted longer. :)  This continued on into the night as my contractions got STRONGER and LONGER completely on their own...  At this point, they were still thinking that I was going to be "induced" in the morning so that my doctor would be able to deliver me, so they were trying to have me hold out getting an epidural, so that I wouldn't get it and then not deliver for 16 hours later.  Well, around 3 in the morning, my water broke, and at that point, they realized, this was not practice, but indeed real labor, and I was able to finally get the juice and get some much needed rest.  Thank goodness.  My doc called in the morning and told them to go ahead and start pitocin at about 6 am (I was 6 cm), and when he came to check me an hour later I was 10 cm.  Talk about fast!   He then wanted me to "labor down" for as long as I could stand it in order for me to not have to push as long.  I called my parents in a panic, who were still at our house, and told them they needed to get moving!  An hour later we got the ball rolling, and after 20 minutes of pushing, Avery came screaming into my arms, sort of like I did 25 1/2 years ago :)  Like mother, like daughter. 

To my daughter, I cannot fully describe what it feels like to be your mother, hold you in my arms, rock you to sleep... But I do know that God has entrusted you to us, and I will spend the rest of my life striving to be the mother God has called me to be.  For now, I will use the words my daddy wrote for me when I was born, " A part of husband and wife comes together to form a unique third person, engineering and construction courtesy of God.  You argue about technical and theological definitions if you want, I will call it what it is- a miracle."  Thank you God for our little miracle.

Now for the barrage of pictures.  

40 weeks.  Headed to the hospital!

Last picture of a family of 2.

First pic as a family of 3!

"Birth" Day cupcakes!

Going Home!