Little Miss Avery

My little girl will be nine months tomorrow, where does the time go?  I cannot believe we have left the newborn stage, and she is now closer to being a toddler than an infant.  Avery is just about ready to crawl, she has the two lower teeth coming in, and she is getting better at naps and sleeping at night.  Avery has a very sweet, happy personality, and she is very relaxed, go with the flow kind of girl.  She adores the spotlight, and time with Mommy and Daddy, and she loves her brother Nolan, and Wrigley too.

I have recently really gotten more interested in photography.  It is sort of my hobby these days...and it is wonderful that Miss Avery lets me take endless pictures of her.  Today, while Nolan was at preschool we spent the morning at the Crab Tree Nature Center and took some photos.  I had fun practicing my camera skills in the manual mode.  She certainly enjoyed the different textures of the grass, leaves, and twigs.

Let's Meet "Sue" the Dinosaur

We spent the day at the Field Museum with Grandma Nancy, cousin Kaylee, Avery, and Therese our friend from Sweden.  The highlight of the museum was the Dinosaur exhibit.  Nolan could not quite understand the concept of something being extinct and that the dinosaurs were created from fossils, but he LOVED seeing the big dinosaur structures.

 "Sue the Tyrannosaurus"

Day Out With Thomas the Train

We explored the Illinois Railway Museum and got to meet "Thomas the Train." Nolan absolutely LOVES Thomas and Friends.  We have more trains that I can count, and Nolan knows all the characters.  He plays with trains most everyday.  So we thought it would be quite fun to take Nolan to meet Thomas.  So today, we explored the Illinois Railway Museum and got to meet "Thomas the Train." Nolan was so excited to get to ride, "the express."

 Love Them

 Attempt at a family picture

And of course Thomas himself!

"Meet the Teacher"

Nolan was so excited to go to Holy Family this morning to meet his new teachers and classmates.  He was up early, eagerly dressed, and couldn't wait to head back to school. He was asking questions about his teachers, and classroom. When we arrived he found his friend Alex from Mrs. G's two year old class, and he couldn't have been happier.  The morning was full of new adventures finding his cubby, meeting his teachers and classmates, drawing, playing farm and house, and having story-time.  It was nice that I was able to have a sneak peek into the three year old classroom adventure!

 I'm OFF to school!

My cubby

 Outside the classroom

 Story time

 Play time

Avery can't wait to go to school, she had fun too!

Off to 3 Year old Preschool

This morning was both happy and a little teary eyed for me.  My first born is off to his second year of preschool, it is a sign that the summer has past, and my boy is about to start the next chapter in his life.  It is a delicate balance "letting go and yet hanging on."  I LOVE his little hand as it grabs mine, and he looks up at me, but I also realize that my little boy needs to venture out of the house and out of my boundaries to learn and explore, yet it is so very hard to "let go."  He is my first born, I remember him as this tiny baby who changed my life for the better when he was born.  I LOVE him so much! He has made me look at life with different perspective, to remember to enjoy every minute, to seek adventure, and to create family memories.

  

Nolan you are fun loving and ever exploring, and you are sweet and sensitive, and you are ready to go and enjoy another year of preschool.  So Nolan, go and enjoy preschool share yourself with your teachers... and I look forward to hearing all about your daily adventures with your teachers and new friends!

Wrigley the 5th member of the family!

It is really adorable how much both of my children adore Wrigley.  Nolan wakes up everyday and asks for her, and she is always right behind me ready to slober his face with good morning kisses. And Avery just giggles whenever Wrigley shows her some LOVE.  As I sit back and watch the interaction it touches my heart.  It is like an understanding between Wrigley and the kids.  Wrigley protects them and is gentle with both of them.  She lets Nolan and Avery pull on her ears, jump on her, and she tolerates.  She also knows who to turn to when she wants to run and play...!