4.5 years

The last few months have actually been a bit of a challenge for us as we try to figure out our 4.5 year old Molly.  She is really showing her independence and trying to find her place.  Molly is either HAPPY or SAD.  She seems to feel her emotions and wear them on her sleeve. She is caring and kind to others especially Avenley. She really is a good sister and I am thankful she is so helpful. Molly is growing tall.  All her size 4 pants are floods, but size 5 drown her. She loves to play dress up and is usually in princess clothes.  She also loves to play anything pretend. She will often say, "mom, lets pretend your the nice step mother and ill be a princess...or...pretend I'm the mom and your the sister...or you be Captain Hook and ill be Peter Pan."  She likes to jump on the tramp and is getting pretty good at it. She took gymnastics this summer and can do a perfectly straight summer salt and is working on a cartwheel. She loves to read with mom or dad and likes to listen to Junie B Jones books.  She has had a hard time staying in bed at night. We give in often because neither Nick nor I liked sleeping in a basement when we were kids so we feel bad that her room is down there. We have tried letting her sleep in Aveys room but at least once a week she ends up on the floor by my bed. She usually grabs a towel in the hall for a blanket.  She knows how to write many of her letters and can recognize the letters in her name and our names. She is getting good at coloring and loves to do it more and more.  She still likes anything to do with princesses, unicorns, mermaids, and puppies.  She likes to pretend she is one of them.  She is a good eater and calls hamburgers ham-ger-bers.  She loves hiking and fishing with her dad. She brings excitement to our lives. She also loves to cuddle at night and will always tell us that she loves us.  We love our Molly girl!!

13 months

Avey now has 7.5 teeth. 4 on the bottom and three on top with one trying to make an appearance. She still nurses 3 times a day.  Morning, nap and night.  She loves getting in the bath.  She is the most wiggly baby I have ever been around. She is constantly moving. Church, as you could imagine, is very difficult. She is curious and brave. She likes to climb on everything that she possibly can which means I have to watch her wherever she is.  She goes up and downs stairs well but I have to watch her there too because she goes down so fast!  She still wears size 3 diapers and 12 month clothes. Avey is still such a happy baby but is now showing frustration when she can't climb to where she wants or if we take something away that she can't have. She is cuddly and gives kisses.  She usually goes to bed at eight and sleeps until nine in the morning. She takes one nap.  She loves playing with Molly, and especially laughing with her. They always make each other laugh. She is standing on her own and has taken at least 6 steps on her own a few different times.  Se loves walking while holding someone's hand. We love this little one so much!!  I am constantly thankful for the joy and peace she brings to my life.

silly shot but she is always climbing...

Grandma Meifu

Nick's Grandma Meifu passed away on Aug. 16th so on the 20th we went back to Lehi for the viewing.  About an hour before the viewing nick and I were blessed to attend Jeremy's patriarchal blessing.  Then we gathered with family to honor grandma.  On Wednesday we had a grave service and lunch.  It was a blessing to honor her.  Nick and grandma were never very close, but we were thankful for her and for many good memories.  There are so many blessings in family.

Weekend Travels

Last weekend my brother Joseph was in town so John invited us to Lehi to go boating.  We went to Deer Creek after work Thursday night.  I knee boarded and got up for like 2 seconds on the combo skis.  Nick slalomed and wake boarded.  Molly went on the tube and Avey got in and cried and had an allergic reaction to the sunscreen and had swollen eyes and red patches all over.  (pics to come...on Joe's phone)

The next day after work, Nick went back to Lehi to go to Father's and Sons with his dad.  While he was gone there was a HUGE fire on our mountain right by our house.  I was really nervous and took pictures of all the rooms in our house and loaded up the car with anything I thought we might need if we got evacuated.  I couldn't sleep and didn't end up going to bed until after midnight.  Luckily they got the fire under control and we didn't have to leave.

On Saturday the girls and I met Nick in Lehi for a BBQ at Johns house.  Mom and dad came and Jessicas family did too.  Aunt Marilyn and G. Echer were also there.  We had a nice visit and the kids loved being with their cousins.

Happy Anniversary

On the 7th of August, Nick and I celebrated our 10 year Anniversary!!!  Nick brought me home some beautiful flowers after work and a picture he made "The difference a day makes."  We had 2 girls from the ward come over that night and watch the girls while we went and did sealings in the temple.  We enjoyed so much time in the temple and remembering our special day.  Nick had to work the next day, so we didn't celebrate much more than that on the actual day but after work Thursday we met up in Lehi for a little get away.  I had gone to Lehi earlier in the day to take Molly to go golfing with Keith for grandparent day at the golf course.  Avey and I picked up Nick at the front runner station and went to Olive Garden for dinner.  Then we went over to my brothers house to do some PUSH therapy on Julias foot.  Then we headed to the hotel and put Avey to bed.  We stayed at Spring Hill Suites right next to Thanksgiving point.  We had a room that had a living room, so it was nice to be able to have Avey in there.  (I am still nursing so we couldn't exactly leave her.)

Engagment Photo

The next morning we dropped Avey off at my brothers house and we went to Cabellas.  Nick showed me some of the guns that he is interested in.  I showed him what I had ordered for him for an anniversary gift...that hadn't come yet.  I got him a GPS for Geo caching.  Then we went and got massages at a place in Lehi.  Then we picked up Avey and went over to my cousin Ed's house so he could show Nick some of the guns that he has built.  Around 4 we met the Sidwells at JCW's for dinner and then we all went to the motel for some swimming time.  

Saturday morning, Allison brought Molly back to the hotel really early and Nick and I went to the temple to do a session.  We had been wanting to do a session since the temple got a new video, but hadn't been able to.  The new presentation did not disappoint.  It was so nice to just sit together in the celestial room.  Usually we have to rush after a session to make it back to the kids, but it was nice to know Allison had them and they were safe and having fun.  We headed back to the motel to do some more swimming and to load up.  Then the kids went with Allison to Eagle Mountain and Nick and I headed to Provo for lunch.  We ate at another Italian place that was really good.  Did a bit of shopping and I got a pedicure.  Then we went to the Hale Theater to see Guys and Dolls.  Last, we headed back to Eagle Mountain for dessert with Keith, Ali, and the kids.  It was such a fun weekend and I was surprised at how I was able to just relax.  It felt so good to just be us for a bit.

Nick got ma 3 stackable rings for our anniversary.  One with garnets (mine and Mollys birthstone), one with sapphires (Nicks birthstone) and one with rubies (Avey's birthstone).  BUT it is still at the jewelers.  Since the stones are almost all the way around the band we had to have it special made to fit my small fingers.  I can't wait to get it though to always remember 10 years!!!

Swimming Lessons

For 2 weeks on August Molly took swimming lessons at the Farmington swimming pool.  I made the lessons early in the morning so on Wednesday she could make it to gymnastics too, so it was a struggle to wake her up every morning to go, but she LOVED swimming.  There were 5 other kids in her group.  She had two teachers Anna and Chelsee.  They were so kind to Molly and really helped her not be afraid.  She learned to blow bubbles with her nose and mouth, how to float on her back with help and how to put her face under...although she really didn't like doing that one at all.

Well Baby

12 Month Stats for Avenley

29" tall (41%)
18lbs. 4 oz. (7%)
18" head (66%)

Good and Healthy!!