Forty Eight Months

I've been a mom now for 4 years!  It's been the fastest 4 years of my life.  I feel like Barrett has changed so much this year but it's really been the last three months that he has changed the most.  He is speaking in full sentences whether they're needed or not and it's so cute.

You are finally potty trained.  Finally!  We've been to the movies twice, the beach and Disney world this year. 

You became the best big brother this year.  Your sister adores you and you think she's pretty great too.  It's been really special to watch your relationship grow.  I hope you are always best friends.

You started 3K at a new school and you go all day for 3 days a week.  It's been an adjustment for sure for both of us but I think it's really been good. 

You still very much like to be held and snuggle.  I love this.  It's so sweet when you crawl in my lap and just want to be held!  You still want your bear to sleep but it goes with us less and less.  Makes me happy and sad.

Disney World was an absolute blast with you.  You really took everything in and loved it all so much.  You still mention something about it every day. 

This picture sums up the whole trip.  Truly magical.  It was worth every penny.  It'll be a few years but we can't wait to go back!

You are very into Transformers these days.  I love watching you play. Your vocabulary is incredible.  I can't believe we were ever worried about you not talking.  You pretty much only eat chicken nuggets, French fries and sweets. 

When I was taking AveryAnn's 10 month pictures you cried because you wanted a sticker too.  So I made you one.  You are so sweet!  Today I was upset about something and started crying in the car and then I heard your sweet little voice from the backseat saying, "don't cry Mommy, it's okay".  You're just so sweet.  I hope you always keep that sweet spirit!  We love you so much! Thank you for making me a mommy!

10 Months

I can't believe you are ten months old.  Time is flying by and you are changing everyday! This month has been fun.  I feel like you've grown and changed a lot this month. You were not excited for pictures this month.

• Weight (I'll have to weigh you at work Monday)
• Height (same)
• I suspect you've grown a good bit because your clothes are getting snug.
• You're wearing mostly 9m and 12m clothes a few 6m things too.
• Size 3 diapers and you're still going through 5-6 a day.
• You've been sleeping 13 hours at night.  I usually put you down around 6:30 and you sleep until 7:30.  If we don't have anywhere to be you'll sleep until 8:00. 
• I think you're trying to transition to one nap a day and you're just not ready.  You usually take one good nap and one quick nap every day.
• Biggest milestone this week is you are finally crawling!!!  You haven't realized that you can go anywhere you want yet and still only crawl when there's something to crawl to.
• Your still nurse 4-5 times a day.  It's getting harder because you don't want to miss anything.  Every now and then you get a bottle.
• You eat table food at least once a day.  I should probably be feeding you more table food but I haven't. 
• No new teeth but your attitude lately makes me think there are more on the way.
• Hair is lightening up and eyes are still blue.

We're so excited to celebrate your first Christmas this weekend and then before we know it you'll be a whole year old.  I can't believe how incredibly fast this year has passed.  You are such a joy to us and we can't imagine our lives without you.  You were not in the mood to have your picture made but this is rare for you.  You're usually so easy going and smiling.  We love you so much!

The Most Wonderful Time of the Year

We hit the ground running this Christmas season.  There are so many things I want to do and so few weekends.  I like that we had nearly a whole week of November after Thanksgiving this year.  Felt like there was more time. 

We kicked off December at the Gardendale Christmas Parade. It was a cold night and we had so much fun.

The Moores met us there and it was perfect. These two are the best of friends and it's so sweet.

The next night we went to Bass Pro Shops to see Santa.  Barrett was pumped to tell Santa his wish list (a talking Zurg and Fix It transformer).

AveryAnn was all smiles like always.  (that's not entirely true, she wanted to be held the whole time we were there).

He even requested his picture be made with the nutcracker.

Then it was his turn and he wouldn't move.  I had to drag him close enough for this picture.  Santa tried so hard to get Barrett to tell him what he wanted but Barrett was having none of it. 

Sweet matching babies before church.  I bought these outfits last year on major sale after Christmas and I love the plaid so much.

We've been drinking hot chocolate and watching Christmas movies too. 

I love this time of the year. 

I should probably start shopping...

AveryAnn's First Thanksgiving & The rest of the weekend

I actually got my real camera out for Thanksgiving.  I've been so mad at myself for not taking more pictures of AveryAnn with my real camera.  (I'm even more upset that a lot of the pictures I've uploaded to my blog from my phone are no longer there.  Hopefully there's a solution for this.)

Anyway, I tried to get some pictures but I'm way out of practice. 

For lunch we went to my Grandmother's house.  It was a beautiful day so after we ate, we sat outside and let the kids play.   

AveryAnn just wanted to eat leaves.

But she was so cute while doing it.

Sweet Madelyn.

These two are starting to interact more and more and it is so sweet.  We don't get to spend nearly enough time together.

Barrett just wanted to jump in the leaves.

My Grandmother kept raking them up and Barrett jumped right in.  He had the best time.

We went to Patrick's parents house for dinner and had a nice time there too.  His mom always makes a feast and we all eat until we can't move and then it's time for dessert and we're really hurting by the time we leave. 

Friday, was the release of Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life.  I was so excited for this but it was also the annual Maxwell Family kickball game.  So we headed to my brothers house to play kickball.  My team won one game and lost one.  After kickball we came home and I watched all 4 episodes of Gilmore Girls.  It was so nice to spend the evening in Stars Hollow. 

Saturday, Patrick and I got up bright and early to go to the Iron Bowl.  We've never been to a college football game together and we were fortunate enough to get tickets so we went.  It was a fun day!

Sunday we went to church.  After church we came home and my sister came over and we watched Gilmore Girls again.  It was the perfect ending to the weekend. 

9 Months

Nine months old.  I know I say it every month but I just can't believe how fast this year is flying by.  I feel like you do something new every day.  You've definitely found your voice and aren't afraid to use it.  You love to laugh and it's the sweetest sound in the world.

• You weighed 16lbs 12oz at your checkup today.  Still in the 5th percentile for height and weight but Dr. Farr is happy with your progress.
• You are 25.5" long.  They had to measure you twice because you haven't grown much. 
• Still wearing a range of sizes.  Most of your pajamas are 6-9m.  I'm mostly buying 12m but you can still wear 6m. 
• Size 3 diapers.  You wear 5-6 a day.

• You sleep 12 hours at night.  Usually 7:00-7:00.  You have always been a great sleeper.  I just lay you in your crib and you go right to sleep.  But you also don't mind being rocked or held which is nice too.  You are so snuggly and I love it. 
• Still taking two naps most days.  One around 9:00 in the morning and the other around 1:00 in the afternoon.
• You're still not crawling but you're so close.  I feel like you'll be everywhere by Christmas.
• You're trying to pull up on the side of the pack and play.  I'm still using the bassinet part because you like being able to see out but I'm going to have to move it down soon so you don't fall out.

• You're still nursing really well.  We try to get in 5 times a day but sometimes it's only 4.  You don't seem to mind.  You usually nurse for 15-20 minutes every 3 hours.  You will also take a bottle of formula with no problem.  You aren't picky. 
• You're eating table food at least once everyday.  You want whatever we're eating now that you know what it's all about.  I can't even remember what all you've had this month. You had spaghetti for the first time tonight and it was a mess and you loved it.
• You still suck your thumb and I'm sure I'll hate it soon enough but right now I think it's adorable. 

• You got two teeth this month.  Both on the bottom and you are so proud of them.
• Your hair is thinning and lightening up.
• Eyes are still blue. 
• You've said "Mama" a few times.  You won't say anything on command these days. 
• You started clapping you hands and it's so cute.

We are so excited about the holidays this year.  You and your brother just make everything more magical.  You are already so excited about the Christmas tree and all the lights.  You are the easiest baby ever.  So laid back.  You were fussy the week your two teeth came in but other than that you usually sit and entertain yourself.  You smile all the time and I can't get enough of it.  We love to take turns making you laugh and smile.  You're so smitten with your brother and he can almost always make you smile.  It's so special.  Happy nine months baby girl! We can't imagine life without you.

Halloween 2016

AveryAnn's first Halloween is in the books.  It was my favorite one yet.

AveryAnn was Snow White.  I'd bought this little outfit for her to wear in Disney World and she never did so it became her Halloween costume.  I wanted her to be Belle and Barrett to be the Beast but he wanted no part of it.

He had his heart set on Chase from Paw Patrol.  He was the cutest Chase ever.  His costume arrived Friday and he wanted to wear it every minute until Monday night.  It has a tail and he thought it was so funny to make his tail wag.

She thinks he's pretty great.

I can't get enough of these two.  They are just the sweetest.

When Barrett decided to be Chase, Patrick decided to be Ryder.  Barrett was so proud, it was so cute.

Early Monday morning Barrett woke up sick, so he had to miss school on Monday. We were so upset that he didn't get to enjoy the festivities.  We stayed home from work so if it was a bug we wouldn't expose anyone else.  We had invited some friends to trick or treat that night and they decided to come anyway.  I'm glad they did because we had so much fun.  We didn't fool with the hayride this year but the kids hit more houses than they ever have.  Barrett ran right up to every house and said "trick or treat" so proudly.  I couldn't believe the difference from last year. (Last year he refused to go to a single house).  I think 4 is going to be a fun age with him.  He's finally not so scared of everything.  I'm really looking forward to the holidays this year!

Eight Months

EIGHT MONTHS!!

I'm a few days late but you're eight months old.  We've had so much fun this month!  You are quite the chatterbox these days.  You seem to always have something to say.

• You weigh 16.6lbs according to the shipping scale at work.  You've been slowly gaining and we're so thankful.
• My best attempt to measure you puts you at around 26". 
• You're wearing a wide variety of sizes these days.  Mostly 6-12m clothes.  But you've still got some 3-6 things you're wearing.  Most everything I've ordered for Fall and Winter is 12 month so it's a little big but we're making it work.
• Still in size 3 diapers.  You go through 5-6 a day.

• Sleep 10-12 hours at night.  You've been fighting going to sleep at night lately, I'm really hoping it's short lived.
• You usually take two good naps each day.  One in the morning for around an hour and one in the afternoon for 1-2 hours.  I think you'd sleep longer if we were at home.  Sometimes you sneak in a little cat nap in the evening.
• You aren't crawling yet but you're getting around.  You will roll and roll to get across the room and then you push yourself backwards across the hardwoods.  You usually end up stuck under something.

• You still nurse pretty well.  You get distracted more easily.  You still nurse 4-5 times a day.
• You usually get one bottle of formula a day just to make sure you're getting enough.
• You eat food for dinner.  So far you've had apples, bananas, sweet potatoes, mashed potatoes, green beans, French fries waffles and cake.  You're doing great and love feeding your self.  We started with puree's but you're also just eating table food too.

• You still suck your thumb and it's still so cute to me.
• You're hair is turning lighter.  It's falling out and I thought it was getting so thin but I think it's just getting lighter.  It's laying down now too.
• You're eyes are still blue.

• You said "Dada" just as plain as day.  She only says it when prompted but I really think she knows it's Patrick.  Anytime anyone says it she starts looking around for him.  It's so sweet and of course Patrick was just smitten.
• Your laugh is absolutely contagious.  It is the sweetest sound in the world.
• Our park got some new swings where you sit in a swing facing an adult swing and you love it.  Barrett loves swinging with you and its the cutest.

I can't believe how quickly eight months have passed since you joined our family.  You are growing and changing every day it seems.  It's all too fast.  I want to bottle up this age because you are just so much fun.  You love Barrett so much and laugh and laugh at him.  He loves you so much too.  I love that y'all have each other.  I hope y'all are always friends and really love each other.  We are so looking forward to the holidays and all the fun things that brings.  We love you so much baby girl!