Our baby is TWO!

After a hiatus from blog updates, perhaps we should post again. Modern technology makes it so easy to keep up with people, but so hard to keep up with so many spots to update. Our online gallery, Facebook, my friend journal and here. Now is time for here!

More to come, but Avery just received her birthday present today, her first bike!

Thankful

We're doing posts in my other journal this week of what we are thankful for, and today I said Avery's voice! This is what I wrote actually: Today I am thankful for my dear daughter's voice. She is waking up from a nap right now, and I just hear her talking and going about her world. As she learns more and more words and expresses herself to us, it is such a delight to hear her little being open up and communicate. She is a talking, laughing, expressive joy and I can't believe I get the pleasure of having her in my life! So, while this is not her talking it is a video that does not need editing! Enjoy seeing this little life!

My first Presidential Election

And it is an Obama win! Mommy and Daddy were celebrating with friends and champagne.

Busy, busy BEE!

Avery was a busy, busy BEE for Halloween and looked great!

Here she is after the daycare parade where we all got drenched, but she has her determined little speed walking face on! Outta my way people!

We headed over to our friends for an Annual Halloween soup evening and since Avery loves dogs, she immediately gave Ozzie a hug, who was also a bee for Halloween. As was his little sister Caelin, Avery's friend.As we headed out and hit up a couple of houses in the neighborhood for trick or treating, Avery thought the decorations were better then the candy and here she is off with someone's pumpkin.

The next day we had a potluck with our PEPS group and you can tell the kiddos were nothing less then thrilled to be in costumes and have their picture taken.

Oh, a Pumpkin Picking we will go!

It could not have been a more beautiful day for such a fun fall adventure. We headed out this morning to pick pumpkins for the porch, (or really, was it for the photos?).

Another family had found the perfect spot to get some fun photos, so we promptly took their spot when they were done and this is where Avery had the most fun. She loves to "bounce" on her chair at home and took to doing the exact same thing on these pumpkins.

The tractor kept dropping people off and was noisy, and while it might look like she sees a field of pumpkins ahead or something, she is running in the OPPOSITE direction of the pumpkins, towards the tractor!

Apparently, dirty pumpkins taste good? Our friends joined us and Avery and Caelin had a fun time being carried around in their wheelbarrow.

Hopefully the day and the weather brought these same smiles to everyone else's faces! This must be what they say when it is so fun to have kids, you do all the great things that you probably wouldn't do without them and get to have fun too :)

The Little Gym

Our fall Saturday mornings start out with a LOT of fun. We decided to sign up the The Little Gym since we know around here it'll be rainy and cold (eventually - not today though!) and this will be a great way to get in that play and exercise time on the weekends!

Avery loves this place. Her favorite thing is probably when they bring out the balls to play with. And, they talk a lot about confidence in the kids and that when they are not with you on the red mat, it's parent/child together until age 3, that it is because they are feeling really secure and confident to go exploring on their own, which she does EVERY time.

The rings were a new apparatus this week, not sure about them.

Every week Avery finds this hand/foot board and is simply fascinated by these images.

See people, I am already so tall, I have this slam dunk thing down :)

I am ONE...and had a party to prove it!

Turning one is so much fun! Avery had several friends over and the day turned out fantastic! Before the cake eating and birthday singing started...

Enjoying some playtime with my girlfreinds, Sophia and Caelin.
Having some fun with daddy :)

Ready to smash the cupcake...though that didn't really happen. Dainty Miss Avery decided to pretty much eat a finger full of frosting at a time.

Then, she got somewhat into it, probably when she figured out she could make a mess.

After some cake, some cleaning up and an outfit change Avery was intently discovering all the generosity of her friends. Books, clothes and toys! Enough to surely make a girl have a great day! Finally sitting in her new personalized chair. A girl has to relax after a day like that right?

So happy to have been able to celebrate with you all, and looking forward to many more happy birthdays!

For more pictures, visit this album: http://www.kodakgallery.com/chriselissa/main/avery_s_first_birthday_party