It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...

Well, this year we managed to get Christmas decorations up...and did it Thanksgiving weekend!  Last year, we were too overwhelmed with Avery just being born that we didn't get out our decorations.  This year we got to put up all of the baby's first Christmas ornaments that we had gotten.  I always think it is emotional and nostalgic when we put up our tree.  Artie and I are celebrating our 13th Christmas together (our 6th since we were married), and over the years, we have collected some great ornaments.  We have one with the Statue of Liberty inside from our trip to New York, one from Disney World, the one our church wedding coordinator made us with the year we got married and of course Saint Mary's and Notre Dame bulbs.  Then I unwrapped the one we made last year when Avery was 1 month old-it has her footprint inside-and I got emotional thinking back to when we made it and she was so small.  Our tree has ornaments that are special to us and that we have collected over many years.  I looked at the tree when it was finished, and I thought about how the tree will change in the years to come, being filled with decorations that will reflect our kids' childhood.  I can't wait to have Christmas memories of our family on the tree as our kids grow up.  'Tis the season to make memories!!

Our main tree that is set up this year in the game room.  The big white ornament at the top of the tree is the one with Avery's footprint-it was one of the best gifts we ever got last season.  I hope we can find one for our other baby next year!

While putting up decorations, Avery decided it would be more fun to take mommy's Santa cookie tray and sit in it!

Here's our small tree that we have in the living room.  This tree has our tiny ornaments on it, including an Avery angel and the Spongebob gang:)  The special tree topper-the santa hat that Rocco, our first baby, wore when he was a puppy!

The mantle...so simple yet festive.  I hope that I can still get the same stocking next year for the new baby to complete our family!

This is from Thanksgiving Day.  Avery enjoyed her first Macy's parade!  Her favorite-what she sat in her chair for-the musical performances.  Artie and I can't wait to take her to New York to see the Little Mermaid when she's old enough.  Technically she got to enjoy Beauty and the Beast on broadway in my tummy before it went off-she was born to love musicals:)

All you need is...a box

It just cracks me up to watch Avery be amazed by the most mundane things.  This week, it was a box.  I received some clothes I ordered online and Avery desperately wanted the box.  So after I emptied its contents, I let her play with it.  She thought it was the greatest thing.  She would climb in it and just sit there.  She would also put tons of stuff in it.  She's really into putting smaller things into bigger things.  I really enjoy watching her during times like this because she is so enthralled by something so simple and I love to see that curiosity.  It seems like it has already been a longer week than it really is.  I think holiday weeks always feel that way to me. We're having Thanksgiving for my family at our house this year.  Avery just got sick yesterday, so that will make it extra fun!  I'm really not that stressed out as I normally would be, even though we're doing the turkey and I'm baking a ton of pumpkin related stuff!  It's probably because I am really trying to put things into perspective this year.  My family is having an unbelievably tough time dealing with the ailment of my grandpa.  This week the doctors have said there is really nothing more they can do other than try to keep him comfortable.  No family wants to go through this, but having to during the holidays makes it a little more difficult because I know that I won't get to enjoy my grandpa's company while everyone is celebrating.  There is always hope though, and that's what I'm thinking about this season, that somehow my grandpa will get better and be able to meet our second baby.  The week hasn't been all sadness.  We have really enjoyed watching a Notre Dame team win-the basketball team, ranked 8, has been  playing in the Maui Invitational...they play #1 NC in the championship tonight (they beat #7 Texas in the semis)!  Good luck Irish!  Also, thanks to everyone for the well wishes and congrats for Avery's baby brother or sister.  Thankfully, I am now out of my first trimester and starting to feel a wee bit better.  Someone once told me (because I was extremely sick with Avery too) that the more sick you are, the healthier the baby.  If that's true, this is one healthy baby-and that's all I could want:)  I'll keep everyone updated and in January we find out if it's a boy or girl!  Thanks again:)  

Sitting in her box with some of the things that she put in in...she's trying to close the flaps on herself!

Hanging out in the box watching some TV...looks fun!

Big Sister

Today, my mom came over to watch Avery while Artie and I got out to go see a movie.  It was so nice to have some time to ourselves!  We went to see Twilight...I have read all four books and was looking forward to seeing how the first one would be on screen.  In my opinion, it stayed really true to the book and I liked it-Artie did too even though he hadn't read any of the books.  Anyway, it was a nice time to get out...we got back in time to watch most of the ND game-seriously are they ever going to have a good season again??  It is so frustrating watching their games!  Okay, so in other news...Avery's going to be a big sister.  We really haven't told many people-seriously like only a handful and just recently.  When I was pregnant with Avery, everyone I knew found out when I was only a few weeks along.  This time, we waited, mostly because I wanted Avery to enjoy as much attention as possible without people thinking about the new baby.  I finally had to start telling people this week because, well, even though I'm still running and working out, I'm already showing like crazy and pretty much couldn't hide it anymore.  I guess some people really do show a lot sooner with their second.  The baby will be here mid-late May...so even though I really don't like being pregnant, I'm looking forward to not being pregnant during the summer this time around!  So that's the news around here.  Hope no one feels slighted by not getting a personal phone call if you see this before we talk to you...not many people got the news straight from the horses mouth this time around!

My sweet little princess sporting her Big Sister shirt-Uncle Jake thought it was a good color on her!

Grammy and Avery during the game...they had a fun time while mom and dad were away!

First Snow

Well, it's happened, the first snow fall of the season.  Just a few short weeks ago we were wearing short sleeves and no jackets.  Now, we have snow!  Northern Indiana weather always amazes me:)  Our beagle, Rocco, doesn't like this time of year so much.  He pretty much goes outside and does his business then paws furiously at the door to be let in, he does not like to be snowed on.  We're hoping to get a good snow this season so we can take Avery out to play in the snow for the first time and make her first snow(wo)man! 

Here's our poor car getting snowed on.  Our garage is still full of house stuff that was relocated during our "flood" a few months back.  The vehicles were supposed to be back in the garage before the first snowfall...clearly that hasn't happened!

The neighbors roof dusted with snow.  If you look closely you can see the flakes falling.

Another shot of our backyard and what we affectionately call our "Charlie Brown" tree because it looks this bare year round!  See the snow falling!

A Look at the Past

Today we were invited to my sister's for the Notre Dame game and a nice spread she and her boyfriend, Brian (mostly Brian!) cooked up.  Avery had a blast getting into all the fun kinds of stuff that those without children have laying around in reach of little hands:)  We had such great food, too bad the game was horrific!  It was such a cold, rainy day here in the Fort, it was nice to sit inside with family and eat lots!  My mom even brought some REALLY old pictures over-let me tell you, I wish I would never have to look at pictures of my awkward phase...braces, caterpillar eye brows, lanky body, so gross!  I'm really hoping Avery doesn't have one of those phases:)  Looking at the very young pictures of my brother, some around Avery's age, it was amazing to see how much my daughter looks exactly like her Uncle Jake when he was little-right down to the thumb-sucking pose (for the record Jake outgrew the thumb-sucking at a very young age...hopefully Avery will too!).  Genes are funny that way, I guess!

Just a side note...my grandpa was put in intensive care today, sort of out of the blue.  Any positive thoughts for his recovery would be welcomed:)

Avery at Aunt Cim's today trying out (and very much enjoying) the massage chair...daddy also spent a good deal of time in this chair:)

Avery's first experience with frozen gogurt-what a success!  She gets so excited now every time she sees the package!

Bah-hum-bug...

Here is a picture I managed to get with Avery and her new ball.  She loved these balls so much at swim class that we decided she could have one at home!

I see it has been a while since I last posted...it has been pretty boring around here.  It's been kind of a rough couple of weeks (more like months) around here.  I'll spare you the details, but I myself have been wondering, like so many others, why bad things happen to good people.  Not all is bad and there is still plenty to be thankful for, so no pity parties here.  However, because of the slightly dark cloud hanging out here, we have been pretty boring and haven't had the camera around much.  I feel maybe I have been a bit grumpier earlier this year than most.  As you may or may not know, I am not a big fan of the holidays.  I love Halloween and that's pretty much the last real holiday of the year for me.  I'm not really that dark and bitter, promise!  I like the holiday time to spend with my family and enjoy that spirit...but once the Christmas music goes on at stores the day after Halloween, I pretty much lose interest in shopping.  Seriously, I walked into Kohls yesterday and they had their Christmas music going and I was literally there for 2 minutes...please let me get used to the suddenly cold weather first!  It's cliche, but I just think that people have lost the meaning of the holidays.  Honestly, can I get through a Christmas without feeling like people are mad at me for not getting them a good enough gift??  Anyway, this year I've decided that the change is going to start with me and I'm not going to let what other people may think of my holiday spirit or gift giving get in the way of teaching my wonderfully innocent daughter what the holiday season should feel like-loving and caring!  The best Christmas I ever had was 3 years ago when Artie and I took my brother and sister to Disney World.  It was unseasonably cold in Florida that year, but I had the greatest time.  We went the week of Christmas, thinking it wouldn't be too crowded, wrong!  Apparently many go to Disney to celebrate Christmas-if you haven't been at that time-take your kids/family, they decorate amazingly!  I'm thinking of making it a family tradition of ours to go there with our kids every year for Christmas:)  I will still have those memories of Christmas 2005 when Cim, Jake, and I are grandparents many times over and that's what I think is meaningful...that year we didn't even do presents because of the trip and it was my most memorable ever!  That's what I want the holidays to be for my family, memories of time spent together because honestly you remember that more than what gifts you get each year!  Happy start to the holiday season:)     

The Week in Review

Here's Avery modeling her Tigger slippers...they even have tails and rattle when she walks

This is Rocco under the blanket.  He did this himself one night after Avery went to bed and he had the living room to himself...however, since Artie and I were still up, it must have been too bright for him!

This was Avery's dress for Halloween (thanks Aunt Beth and Uncle Dave!).  She wore it last night to help hand out candy.  Sadly, we didn't take her trick-or-treating this year.  I had class and Artie and I didn't want all of the extra candy.  Next year though we'll take her for her first experience!

Avery, today, at her last swim class for this session.  She's having fun with a floating dumbbell, but her favorite is when they get out the rubber duckies!  

Avery is all ready for the ND game today!  She's proudly sporting her Jimmy Jersey...however, since we bought it big enough to last his career at ND, it's more of a dress!