Category Archives: avery

Texas

Posted on February 9, 2011 by Lindsey

At the end of the January we went to Texas to visit family. The first weekend our niece, Nicole, celebrated her birthday. It’s hard to believe she’s seven already. I can still remember visiting her in the hospital after she was born.

We managed to fit a lot into our trip. Mommy, Grammy, and Aunt Manivanh went to some yoga and zumba classes at the local gym, and Daddy and Papa built a shelf in the garage. We went to Nicole’s dance classes each weekend and watched her practice ballet and tap. We also visited Nicole at school one day and had lunch in the cafeteria with her. Avery was excited and nervous to see the inside of a “big kid school.”

We’re lucky we timed the trip the way we did. We had great weather while we were there, mostly upper 60’s, and clear skies. We left the day before the ice storms arrived. At Avery’s request, Papa fired up the hot tub a couple of times so we could all go in.

One thing that made this trip to Texas extra-special was that Uncle Scott was back from Afghanistan for good. We timed our past couple trips with his so we could see him while he was visiting in the States. Along with the happiness of being together was the knowledge that in a few days he would return to a war-torn country, away from his family. Well not this time, thank goodness! We were able to enjoy the time we had together without worrying about any of that other stuff. It’s so good to have him back. I really don’t know how military families do it.

The four cousins: Nicole, Kieron, Avery & Andrew

Avery and Daddy horsing around

Nicole got her toenails painted before her big birthday party

So naturally, Avery wanted his painted too

Nicole & Avery watching a movie together

Aunt Manivanh made a yummy Thai dinner one night

Grammy, Mommy & Aunt Manivanh

With my cousin, Laura, at Nicole’s birthday party

All the partygoers

Andrew and Avery playing cars together

Nicole opening her birthday loot

Kieron’s first time in a swing

I think he looks so much like Jonathan did as a baby in this picture

After seeing Kieron in a baby swing, Avery wanted in one too

Nicole and Avery loved playing “Grammy’s School” each afternoon

Avery practiced writing his letters

Another day in the swing

Nicole and Avery on the walk to the park

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January at the King House

Posted on February 1, 2011 by Lindsey

Today is February 1st. It appears the entire month of January slipped by without a blog post. So what have we been up to? Because of my supreme lack of short-term memory, which I blame on motherhood and a general lack of deep sleep, I will refer to my calendar: Play dates, baby showers (coincidentally all for boys), visits with friends, home repair projects (a built-in cabinet in our mudroom), and hot yoga classes. Then at the end of the month we travelled to Texas, but there will be more on that in the following post.

Poor Kieron has been in teething hell for the past month. He has two teeth on the bottom which appeared while we were in Hawaii, and this month four on top showed up all at once. Overall he’s so easy going and cheerful, but the teething can make him pretty cranky at times. Oh well, he’s such a good baby, we really can’t complain, poor little guy.

With Kieron changing so much, it’s easy to forget how much Avery is growing and changing as well. Last week I looked at some pictures from back when Kieron was born, and that’s when I noticed how much Avery has changed. He’s much taller and boyish looking now. It’s cute, but makes me sentimental. He has a very vivid imagination and is always playing dress-up and making up some fantastic story or another.

Here are some pics from the past month. The first few were taken by Avery, our budding photographer.

Brothers

Avery and his friends, Preston & Ashlyn

Avery likes to stay up reading before going to sleep. He loves his new reading lamp.

Kieron in his high chair

We have very similar pics of Avery at about the same age

Kieron in the tub

He loves bath time, and this starfish is his favorite bath toy

Tickling the ivories

I love this picture

Daddy gives Kieron a mani/pedi

Mommy cuts Avery’s hair

Avery making faces in Kieron’s jacket

Kieron at the bakery (he’s outgrown his hat)

Avery outside Caffe Lladro

The boys at bath time. They have so much fun!

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Christmas Day 2010

Posted on December 31, 2010 by Lindsey

Can you guess who the first one up on Christmas morning was? That’s right, Avery was very excited and up early as usual. He discovered presents under the tree and in the stockings. All the cookies he left out for Santa were gone, and Rudolph ate half of his carrot.

Avery enjoyed unwrapping the presents, although he got pretty overwhelmed. He would open a gift and just want to play with it, but we tried our best to keep the ball rolling. After opening the presents under the tree, we took an intermission to eat brunch before moving onto the stockings. When all was said and done, the living room looked Toys “R” Us threw up all over it. I can’t imagine what it will be like once Kieron is a little older.

“A cement mixer!”

“Isn’t this fun Kieron?!”

The boys both were enthralled with this little dancing and singing mouse

“My favorite part is the wrapping paper!”

My three handsome boys

Matching Christmas PJ’s

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Christmas Eve 2010

Posted on December 30, 2010 by Lindsey

We traveled down to Vancouver to spend Christmas with Nana and Grandpa this year. Auntie Ashleigh and her boyfriend, Mark, flew out from New York too. On Christmas Eve we dined on our traditional appetizers and cookies.

Then we played our special white elephant game. It involves rolling dice, and each time a player rolls the “magic number,” they get to pick a present off the center of the table. Once all presents are gone, players can steal gifts from other players when they roll the number. When the timer goes off, players open the gifts they’re stuck with. Avery had an absolute blast playing! He said “I love this game!” over and over. And when it came time to steal, he said “I don’t want to steal! I don’t want to steal!” He put his arms around his presents and tried not to give them up, and only stole presents from Daddy, who at the end of the game had only one present.

Before bed we let the boys each open one present. Avery unwrapped his and exclaimed, “A Pillow Pet!” (He’s been asking for one for months). He explained how useful it was: “You can sit on it!” Kieron was content to chew on his. Then they left treats out for Santa and his reindeer and went to bed.

Ashleigh & Mark

Opening their Pillow Pets

They were a hit!

Kieron enjoyed the ribbon

Playing our traditional Christmas Game

Leaving cookies & milk for Santa and a carrot for his reindeer

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Christmas Cookies

Posted on December 28, 2010 by Lindsey

Avery and I made Christmas cookies together this year. I made the dough the night before, and during Kieron’s a.m. nap we rolled the dough, cut out shapes, and baked the cookies. Then during his p.m. nap, Avery and I decorated them. I have a tendency to be a little OCD, so this process took some letting go on my part. Avery wanted to do much of the rolling and cutting, and if I’d let him, he would have eaten enough dough and frosting to give him a killer stomach ache. He also thought it was acceptable to lick the spatula and then put it back in the frosting. It ended up being quite an endeavor with a 3 1/2 year old, but we had so much fun together and it was worth the trouble.