Avery's 1st Birthday Party

This past Saturday we celebrated Avery's first birthday with a Lemonade Stand birthday party, complete with lemonade, cupcakes, and little (and big) friends.  I came up with the idea after seeing the photography mini sessions our baby photographer did over Labor Day, and thought it would make a perfect concept for a child's birthday party.  It came out better than I even imagined, and I think everyone had a good time--especially the birthday girl who managed to polish off an entire lemonade cupcake in a matter of minutes!

Surprise for Sherry

This past summer I had the chance to celebrate my dear friend Sherry's 40th birthday in New York City.  Her rockstar husband, Allen, stealthly planned a surprise girl's weekend for her and flew Judy and I to the city for a couple of days of fun with the birthday woman.  It was a sweet time for three of us as we marked 15 years of friendship with Sherry's special day.  Plus, we managed to get into a little bit of shopping trouble and ate our way through Manhattan.  What's not to love??

 

Cali-forn-i-a

I'm woefully behind in posting our summer photos and happenings due to the advent of Facebook, Twitter, and a plethora of other social media that steals my time.  So, without further ado, I present to you our end-of-summer fun in California at the Harvest Crusade at Angel Stadium of Anaheim and Disneyland with Joe's cousins.  We had a couple of happy but tired kids at the end of this trip...and a newfound interest in "Mickey Mouse Clubhouse."

Happy Birthday, Baby A!

Tomorrow is Avery's first birthday!  This last year has gone by so quickly.  Much more quickly than when we had just Gavin, but life gets busy with one in school and one connected to Mama 27-7. 

I am so proud to be that little girl's mama.  She is the snuggly, happy, joyful, funny, active, curious little girl I dreamed of having.  I love how her eyes light up and how she points her finger at me whenever I walk into a room after being gone for more than a minute.  She's a lover who giggles and showers me--and only me--with multiple kisses (French kisses since she thinks kissing means sticking her tongue on your nose and lips).

She adores her daddy and yells, "Hi, Daddy!" whenever she spots him across the room.  She adores her brother, following him around the house on hands and knees and picking up the crumbs of whatever he leaves behind...a snack, a toy, a shirt...she's just happy to grasp on to something that belongs to "Gab-an." 

Avery gets the giggles just before bed time each night at the antics of Daddy and Gab-an roughhousing on the bed, doing her best to insert herself in the middle of their play.  She and Gavin shout back and forth in one another's faces, and then laugh hysterically.

Avery has a few nicknames...Aves, Avy, Sweetpea, Avy-Baby.  But her brother calls her "Sweetie."  Seriously.  His voice goes up an octave when he talks to her: "Oh, Sweetie.  Put that fork down.  You could get hurt, Sweetie."  It's is the cutest thing.  Ever. 

In fact, Gavin is her protector.  He told us that last night at the church nursery another child was trying to pick her up and he said, "No!  You can't pick up my sister.  She is just little."

This sweet girl does her best to communicate with us by pointing at whatever she wants and shouting.  Fortunately, she has a few words which helps.  Bottle, ball, puppy, doggy, door.  Each one helps us and makes us chuckle over the forceful nature with which she utters each one.

She rarely cries, even when she falls down.  The girl just picks herself up and shows utter determination in reaching her little baby goals.  I can't wait to see how her qualities of determination, perserverence, joy, and good humor serve her as she grows from babyhood to a little girl.

Here's to you, Avy-Baby.  We celebrate you on your first birthday, and we love having you in our family.  You are our joy and you are this Mama's heart.  I love you!