Family Updates

Avril:  Avril has graduated from her crib and now sleeps in her big girl toddler bed.  Mommy bought some adorable material to make new toddler bedding for her.  The sheets and pillow are finished and on the bed, thanks to the seamstress Nana for making them.  We are currently working on a quilt as well.  I will post photos as soon as its finished.  I wanted to have it done for Avril's birthday but, well, life happens and not all goes as planned.

Avril was so excited to sleep in her new bed.  In fact, too excited.  The first night she wouldn't settle down she just wanted to "pretend" sleep and jump on the new bed.  After the excitement wore off and she realized she was no longer caged in with no escape, she started to get out of bed, open the door, and come find mama.  The first night this happened I counted 32 times of putting Avril back in her bed.  The next night I think it was like 10.  We are still working on this.  Now, after a couple weeks of this I can get her to bed on the first try usually, but she still gets up a couple times during the night and comes to mommy and daddy's bed.  Between Avril and McKel, Mommy usually gets up at least 5 times a night.  It is starting to wear on me.  I am EXHAUSTED.  I am forcing myself to get through these blog posts so I am not behind anymore.  As soon as I finish these, I'm hitting the sack!

Avril is also becoming very independent.  If you try to help her with anything AT ALL, she will scream at you, "let Avril do it!"  So we stand by and watch as Avril misses her mouth and her noodles fall to the floor.  Still, no matter how many failed attempts, we must "let Avril do it."

Here are some more of Avril's cute quotes:  I was rocking Avril before bed one night and she started petting my hair.  She looks at me with her big brown eyes and says:  "Mama so pretty."  She then pets my hair again and exclaims, "Its furry!"

She also took off her pants and diapers the other day and I got excited that she was ready to start going on the potty.  Instead, she went pee pee on the floor and shouts out, "It spilled!"

Also, for some reason Avril started referring to McKel as "pliget" (this is how she says Piglet from Winnie the Pooh).  We think its because McKel usually wears pink sleepers.  She will point to McKel and say, Pliget!  Its Pliget!  Good thing McKel is not old enough to be offended by this yet.

McKel:  This little girl is definitely mature beyond her years months.  McKel will just look at you with her beautiful blue eyes and you feel like she can see straight in to your soul.  All you have to do is pay attention to her and she beams with happiness.  If you talk to her she automatically breaks in to a smile or starts making her cooing sounds.  I swear she understand what you are saying sometimes.  McKel LOVES music... I think she will be the musician in the family.  She responds instantaneously when she hears a song.  Often she will scream and make attempts at singing.

McKel already loves her big sister.  Sometimes, though, she looks at mommy like... save me, save me!  Avril can be a little overwhelming with her affection and now is not always so gentle with baby McKel.

McKel rolled over on to her tummy for the first time a few days ago!  I set her on the bathroom mat while I ran her bath water and I looked down to find her on her tummy!  Surprise, mama!  Don't underestimate me.  I'm a big girl and growing up so fast!

McKel is also able to sleep through the night now.  She usually gets up once or twice to nurse but can go an 8 hour stretch of sleeping.  This is nice for mama because Avril, now at age 2, still does not sleep through the night.  Avril usually comes in around 6:30 in the morning every day to wake up Mama and McKel.  So nice.  Thank you Avril.

Dada:  Jesse has big news.  Today he received a letter of acceptance for a graduate program at Auburn University, in Alabama!  This is for his Masters in Psychology, specifically Applied Behavior Analysis for Developmental Disabilities.  We are all very excited.  We are still waiting to hear from a school in Boston, and Utah State though, so we're uncertain of where we will be come this fall.  I'm so so so proud of Jesse.  He can somehow do it all.

Mama:  Tired.  But loving being a mama and wife.  Good night.