I Spoke Too Soon

I commented to my friend the other day that Avery hasn't "tantrumed" yet. The very next day and every day since, she is tantruming all over the place. She is so sassy! For no real reason she will get so mad at me, walk to the middle of the room, squat on all fours and cry. This is a new side of her and it's kind of breaking my heart. We used to look at each other and smile, but today, I looked at her and smiled. She totally rolled her eyes and looked away. (I swear). I am going to try and not take it personal, but jeez. She has no problem with daddy though. Sweet as honey with him. She wouldn't let me put chapstick on her lips today, only daddy could do it. It seems to have started when I taught her how to use a spoon by herself.

post edit: i still can't stop hugging and kissing her though. is that normal?

I Heard it Again

I heard it again today: whump whump whump whump. The fetus is hanging around, pumping blood with its little heart. In 3 weeks we find out if it's a boy or girl. I don't think I really care what the sex is (is that another word you wouldn't use Mary? har har). There are pros and cons to both. I just want it to be healthy.

It's so crazy that there is another little baby in me. I am not as focused on it as I was with Avery. Sometimes I even forget. But I think I have been feeling some movement in there lately. That helps to remind me. Plus the puking.

I think Avery will love having a sibling. Piper is way too one dimensional for her these days. She needs someone who will really play with her, without involving dog saliva all over her face. But she loves to look at little babies. I just have to remind her: hands off!

It's Autumn Time

Last week we got to go to the St. George Temple for Grandma Cook's sealing to the late Grandpa Cook. It was so cool to be there for that.

We left Avery with a bon a fide babysitter. Up until now she has only stayed with a grandma or family member.

She didn't even know that we left her; too busy looking at Nemo in the fish tank. Then when we came to get her, she cried as we took the babysitter's toys from her. So there you have it, she doesn't need us.

I love back to school time. Everything just seems to settle down and get organized. Even though I didn't have to go teach, and I don't have kids in school, I was thinking about it all day.

Sometimes while I was driving to work (back in the day), I would pass a mom pushing a stroller, or out for a morning run. I thought to myself, "some day that will be me. Can't wait". So today I was out walking with Piper and Avery and a big yellow bus whizzed by, and I was that mom who got to ignore the alarm clock and stroll around with her kids in the morning.

But I kind of miss teaching. Luckily the trade off is staying home with this little hero.

As Long as You Clean Up After Yourself

At around 5:30 last night I had Piper ripping up an (unused) diaper and Avery taking apart an (unused) tampon.

The Mother Load

I found a passi graveyard between the wall and Avery's crib the other day. (I swear I have looked there before). Seven passis all in one place at one time. It's a passi miracle.

PS Avery has been walking around saying "daadeeeeeeeeeeeee", carrying out the eeeee sound, all day. We can't wait until tomorrow when daaddeeeeeeeeee comes home!

It Rained!

Any time Jimi goes out of town, the weather is nice here. Yesterday it rained! We loved it.

Jimi refers to Avery's hair as a barometer. If it's humid, it gets really curly.

And it was really humid yesterday!

Can't Sleep, Must Party

Giving Dolly to Sammy, Oakley eyeballing it...

more eyeballing...

so sweet! (notice the Nettie quilt underneath. It's a good one)

We made homemade caramel for dipping

Avery taught Sammy how to play Piggies

Oakley successfully stealing dolly for the millionth time

wee wee wee all the way home

We brought Piper with us to our little slumber party. Between Piper barking at Oakley, and Oakley trying her hardest to get Piper to play with her, they are two annoying dogs. So when it was finally time for bed, I thought Piper would be happy to be in her own room with the door shut, safe from Oakley wagging her tail in her face. However, most of the night Piper whined to get out of the room!? Does she want to be backed up against the couch between it and Oakley's body? Was that fun for her? I don't know. Plus it was totally windy outside and that made a "scary" noise, so she was all in a tizzy most of the night. Then out of nowhere I had to throw up 3 times starting at 5 am. (I forgot to take my beloved Zofran to the party).

So when we all finally got up, Jamie reported that Oakley was up all night whining to get out of her room too. As we were sitting there on the couch recounting our sleepless night thanks to the two dogs, we noticed the bozos were fast asleep on the floor.

When we got home, we took a nap. In the middle of it, I awoke to Piper scratching her ears. The whole bed was shaking. I pushed her off the bed, "get down you stupid dog!"

Then we went to McDonald's for lunch. My pregnant palate suddenly wanted a Mcdouble, ok?

And it was actually really exciting because I got Avery her first happy meal. I don't know why, but that was so fun for me. It came in a little box with golden arch handles, she got to drink from her own juice box, and she got a cool "American Girl Kit" that she is playing with right now.

I have been dreaming of the day I would buy my child a happy meal. It's finally here.

Woo Hoo Let's Party

Tonight me and Avery came to Jamie's for a slumber party. Par-tay!

I was just thinking about something weird I do. When I set an alarm, it has to be on the hour or the half, nice and tidy. If it is set for, say, 6:02 or something, I can't stand it. I think that is probably typical for most people, but I just realized something else I do. When I set the microwave, I am most comfortable with setting it to either one minute or thirty seconds. And I have a hard time opening the door before the time is all the way up. like 4 seconds left, and I don't feel right about stopping it.

Anyway, I will post pictures of the par-tay tomorrow. This computer is weird.

This Morning

This morning Avery woke up before I was ready to officially get out of bed, so I brought her in bed with me. While laying there, she would take my hand and put it on her toes so that I would do piggies. This went on for at least twenty minutes.

Then Piper came and laid on my pillow with her nose next to my ear. I have been walking in the morning before the sun gets too obnoxious, so now Piper is all up in my grill the minute I wake up.

You Are in Luck

If you are a big fan of blogs updated daily, you are in luck. Jimi had to go to Toronto again, so I will be updating once, maybe twice daily until he gets back.

Today I put Avery down for a nap and the little darling didn't wake up for 4 hours!

She has the bed-head to prove it.

But before the marathon nap, she was blowing spit bubbles. Whenever she does this it cracks me up. Eventually it leads to a spit beard. I especially like it when she does it in public, like at the grocery store or Target.

It is always accompanied by that noise. I guess it makes for better bubbles.

Get Over Here!

That is Piper's blurr of a tail she is chasing after.

Now if you will indulge me, I am going to go on and on about how much I adore Avery lately. She is no longer just a cute baby that I carry around on my hip. She is developing the cutest personality, and she understands so much of what I say.

Like when I ask her for a kiss, she pushes my face away. She loves when we play "piggies" and will take my hand and put it on her toes. When we play "this is how the ladies ride" she doesn't want it to end, and cries for more when the song ends.

When we walk around at the park, she reaches for my hand, then reaches for Jimi's hand, so it's a mommy, Avery, daddy chain. Yesterday at the park she would go around in circles, up the curb, down the curb. Like the curb was a new challenge and she wanted to conquer it.

I tell her we are going somewhere (like the store) and put her shoes on. After I set her down, she toddles to the front door and bangs on it, ready to go.

She loves playing with Piper, and if Piper allows, she crawls all over her.

Any time she spots some chapstick, she smacks her lips together over and over until I wipe some on her lips.

She knows where her nose, belly, and pretty hair is, and can point them all out.

Seriously though, she is the funnest little girl ever. We have so much fun chasing her around and listening to her giggle.

Shoes

Avery loves shoes. She can even say "shoes".

This is a typical picture of her walking around. If there is a passi in her mouth, her hand is twirling her hair. She can walk and twirl at the same time.

Sometimes she will sit with passi in mouth, twirling her hair, in a zombie-like trance. I have to snatch the passi from her mouth to get her to snap out of it.

We Meet Again

When we were in Toronto earlier this summer, I threw up for the first time of the pregnancy. I said to the toilet, "we meet again, old friend."

In case you haven't heard me whine about it yet, I was sick and throwing up the whole 9 months with Avery. I threw up one last time just for the heck of it as I was getting into my hospital gown.

Most people prefer not to touch the toilet while throwing up, but I wrap my arms around her and hold on for dear life. I feel like we are in it together, and she's all I have.

So this time I asked the doctor to give me something to abate the puking. So far Zofran is working quite well and has earned a seat at the dinner table. But sometimes I still sneak a throw up or two into this pregnancy.

Like yesterday. I don't know what the trigger is, but I threw up yesterday. Jimi was still at work so it was just me, the toilet, and Avery. And here comes the point of this post: Avery was so sad and scared as I sat there puking. She started crying wondering what was wrong with her mother. It was incredibly sad and sweet. Between hucks I would rub her back and try to explain, through the snot hanging from my nose, that everything was ok.

Please, don't pity me. I am just happy to be pregnant and glad it is only once a week as opposed to twice a day. Grow little fetus, grow.

(if that doesn't bring brandon back to my blog, i don't know what will)

San Clemente

We have had the funnest summer ever. We just got back from camping along the San Clemente shore. The camp site is on the cliffs above the ocean, so you just walk down to the beach. Jimi's sister and her family go every summer and we were finally able to go this year. I wish we could have stayed longer!

Avery needs another year before she can really appreciate the ocean. She wasn't a huge fan of the water sneaking up on her, but she still had fun playing in the sand and getting lots of attention from grandma, aunt Sharley and cousins.

In the morning we would take a little stroll to this overlook and watch for dolphins. We saw 2 swimming past while we were down playing in the water.

Back when we were in Yosemite a few months ago, we were laying in our new tent and Jimi said, "this tent is like robbing Peter to pay Paul". You will have to ask him what exactly he means by that cause I'm still not really sure.

So this time we kept saying it and it cracks me up. I am laughing right now as I write about it.

The Pacific Ocean is way rough. Especially for the few days we were there, the waves were big and pushy. I forgot how much fun the ocean is. You are just along for the ride when the wave decides to throw you around.

Jimi said this was the most fun he has had at the ocean in his adult life, and I have to agree.

While we were playing in the sand, a little boy (he was part of our party) came up to Avery, dipped his hands in the water, and started spiking her hair.

Very pretty.

What's For Dinner?

Dolly

I got sick of Avery carrying around The Nose Book. It was all grimy and when she would go to sleep with it in her hand, it wasn't very conducive to cuddling. But if I tried to extract it from her grip, she would cry and cry. So yesterday I got her a dolly. When I gave it to her, she got a huge smile on her face like she has been waiting all year for one. She pretty much hasn't set it down since.