Spring Break Houston

M was gone to an ACMG (American College of Medical Genetics) conference last week.  I think I can firmly say that there can't be a whole lot of more conferences that sound more boring.. Sorry honey :)  When I learned that M would be gone a whole week, I immediately knew that it would be way more fun to have friends come see Avery and me as opposed to single momming it all week.  Aimee and Heather quickly agreed back in December to come spend their "Spring Break" in Houston.  How I managed to sell Houston as a good option for Spring Break is beyond me.  

We had a very busy week!  Shopping in Rice Village and at the Galleria, taking the babies to the zoo, and a trip to the beach.. Or what people here in Houston call the small sandy area that borders the ocean.... Friends, although we do live an hour from the beach here... It is most definitely NOT Florida :)  Not to mention all the great food and reminiscing the old college days.  Spring Break 2013 was definitely a lot different that Spring Break 2006, but it's such a blessing to still have these wonderful friends!  Thanks Aimee, Heather and Maddie for a great week!

Aves finally gave in at the mall.  Might have been the sweetest thing I have ever seen.

Bath time fun.  Couldn't get a picture with Maddie looking.

We love the zoo!

Aimee and me

Little Nug cashed out at the beach

Two cuties!

2006 and....

2013!

10 Months

Another month gone, and yet another reminder that our sweet baby is growing up.  I feel like the calendar is mocking me with each passing day.  For once in my life I keep wishing time would slow down.. And yes I know that it won't for the next 20+ years that we have children in our home.  I feel like the last few years I have always felt some sense of urgency to get to the next stage..."I can't wait until we're married", "I can't wait until we're done with school", "I can't wait until we buy our first home", "I can't wait until Avery gets here!", etc... you get the point.

Little Nug, you have rocked our world in numerous ways.  Mommy may actually have a tiny ounce of patience after all.  I digress, Avery here are your stats at 10 months!

Height- 29 inches (85th percentile)... the only reason we know this is because we had to go to the doctor today.  Double ear infection.  Bummer.

Weight- 17 pounds 5 ounces (40th percentile)

Sleep- You're usually asleep between 6:30 and 6:45, and you sleep anywhere from 6:30 to 7:30 the next morning.  AKA.. Heaven!  You take two solid naps everyday.  One shorter and one longer.. Usually totaling 2.5 to 3 hours.

Likes- Playing with Lexi, cell phones (you've figured out how to move from picture to picture on Mommy's phone), computers, being read to, being sung to, looking at yourself in the mirror, and banging on daddy's drum set

Dislikes- having computer, cell phone, or any sort of cord taken away from you (you're like a moth to a flame.. always want what you can't have!), the wind blowing on you, or the sun being in your face

Diaper Size- 3

Clothes Size- You're all over the place.  You're skinny but long.  You can still wear some of your 6 months things.  But mostly you're still in 9 months clothes.

Feeding- You nurse now only 3 times a day and eat 3 solid meals.  You are a GREAT eater!  You will eat pretty much anything we put in front of you.  New foods you have tried this month: mac and cheese, chicken nuggets (except they're meatless), black beans, and pancakes.

Favorite Toy- You've really liked your stacking rings this month

Favorite Book- Your favorite is still "That's Not My Teddy" or any touch and feel book

Milestones- You still have ZERO teeth.  I check just about everyday to see if anything is coming in.  I'm starting to think you aren't going to have any before your 1st birthday!  Something my dentist father-in-law and pediatrician have assured me is normal :)  You have started to cruise this month.. along the couch, from one object to another, etc.. but you haven't really let go for more than just a second.  I think we are a little ways off from walking.  You have gotten really good at playing independently this month.  You're so cute standing at your toy box taking things in and out talking to yourself.

Your little personality continues to develop... And I gotta say, you are one stinkin mess. Not only do you not know a stranger (Something you obviously got from your daddy),  you are also a bit of a drama queen...I think we all know who is responsible for that :)  You are so sweet.  You love to give hugs (laying your head down on someone) and kisses (mouth wide open!), and you still smile pretty much all the time!  Otherwise, you are still are blue-eyed, blonde-haired beauty!  We love you Aves!  You are one very special baby girl.

Your foot was far more interesting than smiling for the camera.

You wanted to give your bear kisses. 

First Valentines Day

Hanging out with Kelly at Buster's birthday party.

You LOVE your Aunt Ashley.  You gave her kisses the whole time she and Honey were here!

You love Daddy reading to you before bed.

Leave me alone Mom.  I'm trying to play.

Things the Hardison clan is looking forward to in the coming months:

- Heather, Maddie, and Aimee coming to visit us while Daddy is in Phoenix!
- Trip to Birmingham to scope out new places to live!... and see our brand new nephew Will!  Along with our other fam and friends.
- Mimi and Papa coming to visit the beginning of April!
- And Avery's first birthday party in Nashville at Honey and Granddaddy's the first weekend in May!

The Crib Diaries

I remember when my baby was this small and looked like a tiny doll in the middle of her crib.  I wondered, how in the world can she sleep in something that is so much bigger than her??

Now our tiny baby is 18 pounds and her crib has been lowered to the lowest possible setting... At night, she takes up more than half her crib length-wise, except when she's in her favorite sleeping position: curled up with her bottom in the air in the right upper corner :)

Sweet girls

Happy baby!

I love you little Nug.  Please stay "little" just a while longer.

40 Weeks In... 40 Weeks Out

As of today, our little love bug has been outside of Mommy the same amount of time she was inside.  In all honesty, there are quite a few similarities between the two, especially in the first few weeks of each...  You don't feel well, you're hormonal, food makes you sick, and of course last but not least, you are dog tired!  Of course in pregnancy, you don't have a newborn waking you every hour and half to eat :)

Avery, the last 40 weeks have been so much more fun than the first.  Although Mommy does miss everyone catering to her every last whim ;)  People have a hard time telling pregnant women "no"!  You are such a complete joy.  I cannot imagine life without you!  We love you!

Could I have been any more swollen?!  So much more fun on the outside :)

9 Months!

As of last Friday our sweet Avery is 9 months old!  3/4 of a year.  I cannot even fathom that this child is way closer to a year than her birth.  I need my little Nug to stay this way forever!

Avery here are your stats at 9 months:

Height- 28 1/2 inches (75th Percentile)

Weight- 17 pounds 7 ounces (45th Percentile)

Sleep- You go to bed every night between 6:30 and 7:00 and sleep anywhere from 6:30 to 7:30...and when we are lucky you get close to 8:00!  You are still taking 2 naps a day.  A short one in the morning (30-45 min) and a long one in the afternoons (1.5 to 3 hours)

Likes- Playing in the bath, going on walks, being read to, grocery shopping with Mommy, being tickled, and most recently you LOVE watching Lexi jump up and down and run around the house.  You think it's hilarious.

Dislikes- You rarely get upset.  But you still don't like it whenever Mommy and Daddy leave the room.

Diaper Size- 3

Clothes Size- 9 months (you are still rocking your 6 months jammies!)

Feeding-  Still nursing 4 times a day with 3 solid meals.  New foods you have tried this month: avocados (you LOVED them!), biscuits, blueberry muffins (think you loved these more!), deli turkey, rice and beans

Favorite Toy- Your "Rock"tivity table, and Sophie the Giraffe

Favorite Book- "That's Not My Teddy" and "Rumble in the Jungle"

Milestones-  This was a big month!  You started crawling at about 8 months and 1 week.  Just a week after that you started pulling up everywhere!  You also learned to wave "bye bye" and "hi".  Just this past weekend you started saying "Dada".  My favorite though... When I say, "Avery, can you give Mommy kisses?"  You lean in with your mouth wide open and plant one right on my lips :)

Avery Grace, there are simply no words to adequately describe how much Daddy and I love you.  You bring so much joy into our home. You have such a sassy personality, and I have never in my life seen a baby that smiles as much as you!  Your beautiful toothless smile peering over the crib every morning is the highlight of my day.  We cannot imagine life without you!  We love you little Nug!

It was so warm one day here in mid January, that you could sit outside in your diaper!

You love going to park!

You are very intrigued by Buster.

All gussied up in your Sunday best.

Crawling, Pulling Up, A Stomach Bug, and a NEPHEW!

Avery has decided within the last 2 weeks to start crawling and pulling up.  She was sort of doing both right after she turned 8 months, but she is now a crawling/pulling up machine.  Definitely changed the dynamic of this Hardison home.  With a couple of containers of outlet coverings later, I still feel like there is some unknown hazard this little Nug can get herself into!  One day earlier in the week, she decided to pull herself up on the DVD holder and pull every single one down.. individually.  Too bad this OCD Momma then had to put every single one back... in alphabetical order of course :)

Getting into something!

Wednesday night after I got home from work, we noticed that Aves wasn't quite feeling herself.  An interesting diaper gave me suspicions, not eating most of her dinner all but confirmed it.. but when she "lost" all that she had eaten not 10 minutes after, it was definitive... our baby had the bug.  Yesterday was a struggle.  She was absolutely pitiful.  Felt too sick to fall asleep even though she was exhausted...her poor little red-rimmed eyes were so sad to look at!  I think we are coming out of the woods today.. She finally woke up without a fever, but her appetite is definitely not back yet.  Our baby girl normally LOVES to eat :)

Our sick baby yesterday!

But on to the best news of the week!  Our newest nephew is here!  William Alan Hardison (Will) was born Monday afternoon!  After a few hiccups and a trip to the NICU for a few days, this precious baby boy is finally going to go home today!  Will, we cannot WAIT to meet you at the end of this month!  We're so excited that you and Aves are only 8 1/2 months apart!  Oh what fun y'all are going to get into!  Sam, Avery, and Will are going to be good friends!

While he favors his big brother Sam who looks like J... The first thing M and I said when we saw his picture was "He looks like a Callahan!"  -K's side  Either way, he is adorable!

Cannot wait to get my hands on him!

First Trip to the Zoo

We took Aves to the zoo for the very first time on MLK day.  Kelly and Buster went along with us, and the weather was absolutely perfect for such an outing.  It's been in the mid 70's all week here.  One redeeming quality about living in Houston!

Aves is still a bit young to fully enjoy all that the zoo has to offer; she was more intrigued watching Buster than pretty much anything else.  She did take to watching a particular Toucan who happened to be right at her eye level.  But her favorite part by far was riding the carousel!  She LOVED it!  Got us a little daredevil on our hands!

Checking out the elephants

I LOVE the zoo!

Avery kept wanting to touch Buster's arm... Buster just wanted his fruit snacks

Love my girl!