Updates!

Well, a lot has happened since our last update, so in interest of time, I'll try and make this post as concise as possible!

• Santa's Workshop! On one of the last weekends of summer, Grandma, Grandpa, Justin and I all took Avery to Santa's Workshop to ride LOTS of rides that are made especially for little kiddos. It is such a great place, and just minutes away from where we live, nestled in the mountains. I think Justin and I had more fun riding the rides than Avery, but she was a trooper...though the snow cone was really the highlight of her trip:)

• Family Reunion! So, I thought I would be perfectly fine without Avery and Justin for a week, though every mother at my school commented how long that was to be away from them. I was treating it like a vacation for the first day or two, but then I totally had a meltdown about the third day away from them! I know it sounds sappy, and I do enjoy time away (absence makes the heart grow fonder). It made me realize how much I really do adore Justin, and love that our marriage comes first. It also made me realize that my life just isn't my life without Avery in it. It's not even an option to say, "What would it be like without her?" becuase she IS what makes our family. She's worth every bit of effort and sacrifice...I don't even think about it any other way. Anyway, even though I knew Avery was perfectly fine, I had a harder time than she did by far!! Justin says the family reunion was wonderful though, and the pictures looked so fun. It was a great way for him to end his summer, and I know that Avery loved playing with the other kiddos and visiting with so many relatives...including "mugga" and "papa"!

• Back to School! It's back to school for both Justin and myself. I'm really enjoying the beginning of the year...the curriculum part can be both exciting and stressful. I do love planning with my colleagues though, and I have enjoyed being in the classroom again. The only part that has made it more difficult is that...

• Avery has been SICK! Poor baby! She was in the hospital twice last week. Once to get her ear tubes put in,and then again for a high fever that they couldn't explain. It was a terrible experience as she had to go through several really painful tests to rule out some possible causes for her high fever. I cried more than she did! Four days later her fever broke, and Justin and I can't believe this is happening so early this year! Usually this hits around cold and flu season, but who knows with her being in part time daycare.

• NEVERTHELESS... Avery is incredible. I'm beginning to be able to have conversations with her, and by conversations I mean..."Avery, do you want a banana for breakfast?" and she shakes her head up and down. OR, "Avery, do you want mommy to bite your belly?" and she responds, "No, mommy, no!" I love how our communication is developing, but I look forward to the times I can ask her, "What hurts?" and she can tell me rather than have doctors guess! She is a tricky little one, and knows how to work the system. She knows she not allowed to go in the street, so she picks up a rock and throws it down the driveway...then she says, "Uh-Oh" and picks it up again. Eventually she inches all the way down the driveway and throws the rock into the street and says "Uh-Oh". It's like she's saying, "bummer it went in the street mom...I guess I HAVE to go get it now!" She's also getting into things that used to not interest her. One day I was cleaning our room and I didn't hear Avery for a minute, which usually means trouble. A second later I saw her come out from the bathroom and she had dipped her hair in the toilet water! Not only is that a safety issue, but she laughed and kept shaking her head around! Crazy girl! She LOVES to say "Tank Tu" (Thank You) anytime you hand her something or she hands you something, and I know she's doing a million other fun things, but I have to end this post soon. Bottom line? Justin and I both absolutely adore Avery, her spunky personailty, and all the joy she brings to our family.