Nolan and Avery

Nolan is very cute about his little sister.  I had taken Nolan and Avery to the YMCA this week, so I could work out.  It was Avery's first time in the nursery, Nolan tells the girls, "This is Avery."  And they ask "if she is his sister?"  He responds, "She is my LITTLE sister," with a big emphasis on LITTLE, it was very cute!  

Nolan was playing in the basement tonight, and proclaimed, "I am tired, maybe I will take rest by Avery."  So adorable!

Nolan and his Buddy Wrigley

Nolan LOVES his dog Wrigley!  They are best buddies...Nolan watches a Sesame Street episode about, "The Best Pet," and he tells me that Wrigley is THE BEST PET!  I am so glad my boy has a dog that he adores.  And I think Wrigley enjoys playtime too.  Especially when she gets balls thrown to her in the basement!

Enjoy the Every Days in Life

I am a mother, a wife, a friend, a daughter, a sister, a blogger, and a triathlete and I love my life!

I came across a fellow bloggers post today, and it made me take a moment and take thanks for all my blessings, and just be thankful for the every days, the small moments. 

Lately, I often feel like I am just getting through each day on survival mode.  But today, I am looking back at the past 8 precious weeks, and realizing that I am blessed, and we have had a wonderful 8 weeks since the birth of Avery.  

I have spent time watching my husband with our children, and knowing he is one of my greatest blessings.  He loves me and he loves our children, and he is just wonderful!

I have spent a lot of time with my mother and mother-in-law recently, since they have been here to help me out, and our relationships have grown.  I have grown to love and respect them even more, as mothers and as my friends.   And I am learning that family is so important, and I love my family!

I have spent numerous hours watching Nolan grow, first from an infant into a little boy, and now into a wonderful big brother who is just so sweet.  He loves Avery, and that melts my heart.  Just yesterday he went up to Avery unprompted, she was crying.  And he patted her head, and told her, "it is okay, I love you!" And then sung her the Barney song, "I love you, you love me!"  It was the sweetest moment I have witnessed between the two, and brought tears to my eyes.  I wish I had the video camera, so I could have captured it. But it will definitely be one of the forevers, in my memory.

And Avery, my little angel!  She has blessed my life I am sure in ways I cannot yet appreciate.  She is my little girl.  She is easy going, she loves to be snuggled, and she is just so precious.  I have enjoyed watching her little expressions everyday.  And I just want to remember these first two months forever, along with all the firsts to come!

So from here on, I need to slow down, to really remember the every days, the small moments, the FLICKERS, that make up my wonderful LIFE!

Bath Time Fun

Nolan and Daddy took a bubble bath in the jacuzzi tub together the other evening.  Nolan was really excited that Daddy would join him.  It was really cute, Todd climbed in the tub with swim shorts on, and they loaded in the bubbles and toys!  Nolan had a great time, and Wrigley was spectating, wishing she was in the bath too!

Avery has been SMILEY!

I don't know what it is about those first smiles!  Maybe it is so exciting because it is one of their very first milestones.  But it makes my day, I love to see the sweet smiles, and the baby sounds that go along with them.  I wish I could bottle those first smiles up to have for a lifetime!  Avery really started smiling over the past week at about 41/2 weeks, and every time she does, my heart just melts! 

I LOVE CUTE BABY SMILES!!!  

AND I LOVE MY HAPPY BABY!

Avery is 5 weeks old

Avery holding up her head like a big girl with Grandma Pat!

Miss Avery is getting to be such a big girl.  She is 5 weeks old today, how time FLIES!  She is doing great with tummy time, and she is holding her head up well on her own.  She is starting to smile at us.  It is really amazing the development a baby has in such a short period of time.

Today we also had a visit from Great Aunt Jill.  She and Nolan had a wonderful time playing with his toys, he even showed her his bowling skills on the Wii!

Potty Training Update

I am so excited to report that Nolan has been doing most excellent with his potty training.  We started working on it again at the end of last week.  I was ready to not have two children in diapers, and I really felt he was "ready" to work on it again. Well, the first day we had a few accidents, but since then he has gone both # 1, and 2 on the potty, and he has held it while we are out running errands or at class. We have not yet made it through nap time or bedtime, but I am ecstatic with our daytime progress.  Way to GO Nolan!

My little princess at 1 week and 1 month old

Avery at 1 week old

Avery at 1 month old

Happy New Year!

I am still in awe that 2010 is already over, and we have entered into 2011!  2010 was certainly a wonderful year of good memories.  It was fun to watch Nolan enter the "2's", and to have our family grow by one.  December 1st, 2010 certainly marks the most memorable day of the year, with the birth of Avery Nicole.  She is truly a blessing!

I thought it would be fun to recap each month of the year, to remember the "GREATS" of 2010, and here is what I came up with.

January

Nolan started Creative Time for Tots preschool at the Y one day a week with mommy, and we visited the Kohl's Children's Museum, and the Little People Village Playplace.  

February

Time to play in the snow, Todd and I visited Jackson Hole, Wyoming for a ski trip.

March

Happy St. Patrick's Day

April

Happy Easter!  We celebrated our 4 year anniversary, and learned we were expecting.  

May

Nolan turns "2"!  We celebrate with a Finding Nemo Party, and we share the news of our December arrival with family.

June

Nolan and I head on more fun summer outings.  The Petting Zoo, Ravinia, lots of trips to the park!

July

Enright Family Reunion in Lake Tahoe

August

Rockford Air Show, and many more trips to the park

September

Nolan is off to Junior 2yr old Preschool

October

Happy Halloween!  We had a great month with many trips to the Pumpkin Patch, carnivals, and a Halloween Party at school.  Nolan wasn't a huge fan of the costume this year.

November

Happy Thanksgiving!

December

The arrival on Avery Nicole on December 1st, at 5:14 pm

and of course the Holidays!

I am truly excited to see what 2011 has in store for us!  I am looking forward to the fun times ahead, watching Nolan and Avery grow, and to making so many new memories.  As a mommy, there is nothing more fun and rewarding than seeing life through the eyes of your child.  

Wishing all of our friends and family a wonderful, happy, healthy 2011!