WHA???

How in the world has it been almost 8 months since I've last blogged?!  I truly had no idea it had been so long; I've had so many moments I've thought, "I should blog about that," and then I just don't.  Life has been so busy and crazy and topsy turvy, especially the last 3 months, that blogging has been put at the very bottom of the priority list.

So, my last post was about Avery Grace turning 4 months-old.  In two days she turns one year-old.

I know it's so cliche, but how did that happen?  My baby is walking and starting to say a few words and is so, so smart.

So, Thursday we're having a VERY small get together with mainly family and a couple of close friends to celebrate!

In true third child fashion, she's getting to "reuse" some of her big brother and sister's first birthday decor, but momma did make her her own name banner and had a birthday onesie made for her on Etsy.  It's so cute I could die!

Her Nonni will make a cake, as is custom, and we will sing and eat cake and ice cream and she will open presents (I'm sure with the help of her siblings), and we will all marvel at how we can't believe it's been a year since we brought her home from the hospital.

She's such a doll baby.

Avery Grace is 4 Months Old!

July 20, Avery turned 4 months-old.  She is such a special baby girl, so I wanted to write down some things that are happening with her right now.

-Avery Grace you are growing like a weed!  In fact, any time people see you, they call you a chunky monkey, and I LOVE IT!

-You are in a size 3 diaper now.

-You are exclusively breastfed, and we will probably wait until 6 months for you to have anything other than breast milk.

-You are not a great napper, taking only catnaps for the most part, but I think you're getting better.  But,  you are a good night sleeper.  You are still sleeping in a pack and play in our room so you can nurse at night.  Occasionally you will sleep through the night, but most nights you are up once and then again early in the morning to nurse.  But, you go right back to sleep.

-You spent a week in the nursery during VBS a couple of weeks ago, and for the most part you loved it and did well.  Momma was right across the hall, so I could come feed you and get you if need be.

-You used to HATE your carseat and would never sit still in it if we were out at a restaurant or in the stroller, but you've gotten much better!  You still like to be on the move and rarely sleep in the car or in your carseat, but we're getting better.  :)

-You enjoy playing on your mat and rolling onto your tummy, but you aren't sure about how to get back to your back sometimes.  Silly girl.  You hang out with Momma a lot, on a blanket on the floor, while I fold and put away clothes, or work on my computer.

-You are a total Momma's girl, which in many ways is super sweet.  But, it does mean Momma doesn't get much of a break and kind of hurts the feelings of you other family members when you scream and cry if they hold you.  :/

-You are constantly chewing on your hands and I'm wondering if you're starting to teeth a bit.

-You started off a very fussy baby, but have turned into a happy girl, which melts Mom's heart.

-Your eyes are still blue and get lighter by the week.  Your hair is also getting lighter, and I predict it will end up somewhere between your big sister's light brown and your big brother's blonde.

-You weigh somewhere between 15 and 16 pounds.

-You are "talking" all the time and it's the sweetest sound!  We love to hear you coo, especially in the morning or while you're in your bouncer.

-You like your bouncer and will nap in your swing if I let you.

-You stopped liking the swaddle at about 3 months.  When you sleep, we lay on you on your back and you will flip to your side or stomach if you want to.

-You love bathtime and will coo and laugh and splash all around.  Your brother and sister were the same way when they were your age.

Avery Grace, you are a gift from God, and we can't imagine our family without you.  I'm excited to see you continue to grow and develop and we're thankful God has blessed you with health!

R&T Are 27 Months

This is a random age update, I know but I haven't done one in a while.

This is a challenging stage, to say the least, but I also find myself laughing hysterically most days, as well.

Here are a few things I don't want to forget about each of them:

TRUETT ZELDON

-you are in a size 5 diaper and pull-up.  We have tried some potty training with big boy underwear, but you just aren't quite ready, and that's okay.  

-you have started waking in the night and wanting to get in bed with us. On one hand it's super sweet, and on the other...

-you have the sweetest little voice, and I often find you talking to yourself as you're playing.  

-you say "okay" for yes, and sometimes emphasize or drag it out..."Ohhhkayyyy."  

-you have started yelling when you sing.  For example, "Jesus loves ME, this I KNOW.  FOR THE BIBLE tells me SO!"  :)

-Your favorite shows are The Fresh Beat Band, Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood, and Curious George.  You also love the Cedarmont Kids Bible Songs DVD.  One funny thing you've started doing is saying, "Ugga Mugga," like Daniel Tiger does when he says he loves someone.  So cute!  And you will say it randomly, which is even more precious.  

-you still love your baby (blue lovey puppy), and want it if you are hurt or upset or tired and for every nap or bedtime.

-you are a great napper and sleep most days 2 to 2 1/2 hours in the afternoon.

-you LOVE your baby sister, Avery and are always wanting to kiss on her or bring her her paci.

-you LOVE to help Momma, and you are Mr. Independent these days.  I hear, "I do, Momma, I do," many times a day.  You get very upset if someone does something for you that you think you can do on your own.  

-You've gotten several boo boos lately...scraped knees, a busted lip and nose just a day later.  

-You love your Daddy and are very attached to him these days.  You don't like it when he leaves for work in the morning and you want to be just like him.  

-You can take your clothes off and, for the most part, can put them back on, too, with a bit of help sometimes.  

-you are learning to count to 10 and I catch you counting random things all the time!

-You still love bathtime and you love reading books.  Your favorite right now is Old McDonald. 

-You hair is still blonde and will probably stay that way forever!

-your favorite color is green, it seems (although pink is a close second, I think)

-you love putting bows in your hair if big sister has one, but you also love to wear your Aggie hat and a blue camo fishing hat.   

-you love to be outside and swim or swing, or go to the park.  

-you love going to church and love Ms. Viva.  You ask to go to Ms. Viva's house (the nursery), when we get dressed up for anything, even if we're not going to church.  Ha!  

-you are a sweet, sensitive and smart boy that makes my heart so proud.  

REESE KATHLEEN

-you are also in a size 5 diaper and pull-up and occasionally panties. You were doing really well and I thought for sure you were close to being totally potty trained.  But after a couple of poop accidents, you have now decided that pooping, in your diaper or the potty, isn't fun so we're having an awful time getting you to go at all.  You willfully hold it in until its not a good situation.  I figure you won't go to Kindergarten that way...

-you sleep pretty well at night, but occasionally end up in the bed with us.

-you are a good napper, but have started really fighting going down if you slept in in the morning.  You will take a two-hour nap if you didn't sleep too late.  Speaking of, you are sometimes like a teenager, wanting to sleep until 10 or 10:30 in the morning if we let you!  

-you sleep with your baby, as well, but aren't as attached to it as brother is to his.  It is a pink bunny.  You still suck your left thumb when you're tired and falling asleep.  

-You are a SMART COOKIE, little girl.  You can count to 10, you know your ABC's for the most part, you can recognize a few shapes and can draw circles.  You make connections that baffle your daddy and me on a daily basis.  

-You love to carry around purses, and prance around with your hand on your hip.  

-Your favorite shows are Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood, Caillou (ugh, not Momma's favorite), and Bible Songs, which you constantly ask for, every day!  Sometimes it gets old, but I love that you know all the words to the songs.  You also love the Baby Signing Time video, still.  

-You are a very strong-willed child.  I'll just leave it at that.  :)

-You are constantly singing a song of some sort.  Your favorites are "Jesus Loves Me," "Itsy Bitsy Spider," "Old McDonald," "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star," "ABC's," and now the songs you learned at VBS a couple of weeks ago.  My favorite thing about your singing is you will put random words into the song.  The other day, I heard you singing the tune of "Jesus Loves Me," but you were saying, "golf ball," for all the words.  HA!  

-Your favorite color is purple.  

-You love "yipstick (lipstick)," and are constantly asking for some.  We usually give you some chapstick that you carry around constantly.  You surely have the softest lips of any two-year-old in the state.  :)  

-You also love your baby sister.  You like to help me change her diaper, and if she's upset, I'll find you sitting next to her saying, "It's okay Abery, Reesie's here."  So precious.  

-You have beautiful hair that still has curls in it, which we love.  It is still brown and we just got your bangs trimmed. 

-You are a beautiful, smart, and sweet girl, and we love our Reesie girl so very much.  

-You love to help Momma vacuum and put laundry in the washer and dryer.  You are a big helper.  

R&T Go to the Movies

One of my favorite movies is "Annie," and one of my favorite scenes is when Daddy Warbucks takes her to the movies for the first time.  You can see in her eyes the wonderment and innocence as she takes it all in.

Last night, we took the whole family to see Despicable Me 2, and it was the first for Reese and Truett (and Avery, too).  We are blessed with an amazing refurbished old movie theater, The Ritz, in Wellington, just 30 miles north of us.  McH's grandmother lives there, so it's even handier to be able to see her and go to the movies, as well.

The whole Jenkins gang, including Rich's parents, brother and SIL, our two nephews, Rich's grandmother, and our family of five, all met at the theater.  It was a great night, and I highly recommend seeing DM2.  It was hilarious and full of nuances for adults.  Reese and Truett did really well, considering it was almost their bedtime and they were asked to sit still for almost two hours.  They did a lot of musical lapping between us and the rest of the family, and other than a couple of loud exclamations about things in the movie, they were relatively quiet.  So fun!

She's Rockin' and Rollin'!!

Avery Grace is 3 months, 2 weeks and 1 day old and today she hit a major milestone!  Our little 15 pound butterball ROLLED OVER, the hard way, as I like to call it, back to stomach.
I remember this happening with the twins, but it seemed like it was so much later.  Things seem to be moving so fast with this sweet girl and I find myself not wanting to miss any of it...as it zooms by.

And The Rockets Red Glare

We had a great independence day, celebrating with Richard's family.  We cooked burgers and watched the kids play in the yard, while the adults visited.

Of course, there was homemade ice cream to be had, and fireworks to be watched, but our crew didn't make it through the entirety of the show.  I've always been amazed at what a grand fireworks show our little town manages to put on every year.

My mom gave the kids some precious little outfits they wore for the festivities.  I LOVE bubbles on little girls.  Love 'em!  So stinkin' cute!  And I love little girl's white sandals, too.  There's something about the two that screams SUMMER IN THE SOUTH!  And then there's the handsome little dude, that makes me laugh and melts my heart in his flag t-shirt.

Thanks for our outfits, Sita!

Momma Lied

R&T had their 2-year well check today (um, only 2 1/2 months after-the-fact...I'd call that a small victory). First of all, they are developing perfectly, growing well, learning lots and just overall thriving. The fact that we are blessed with superbly healthy children is not lost on me; I'm so very thankful.

So, this morning I started talking to the twins about going to see the doctor. They are ALL ABOUT IT for one main reason: suckers. Dr. R gives them a sucker when they come to see her and they think she's the cat's meow. So, there's no fear in heading for a checkup, especially though, when they ask, "Dr. Ridens hurt?" And Momma reassures them that no, indeed, there will be no "hurt" because she's just going to check in their ears, and listen to their hearts, and look at their tummies.

But Momma lied.

Not on purpose, mind you, but it didn't make me feel any less guilty when I was told they would indeed be getting a shot.

Wait. Did I say A shot? Oh, I meant to say FOUR! Yep. That's four EACH!

Apparently at 12 months they had a round of six shots due, but the nurse liked to split them into sets of three. We were supposed to come back at 15 months. They left that scheduling up to me, and for some reason (ahem), my mind was on other things at that moment in time, and I didn't get them in for the second half.

Y'all, I totally believe shots at 2 years are WAY WORSE than shots at 2 months.

I'm so glad my mom was with me today. She took Avery and one of the twins in the hall as a distraction, while I stayed and held the other one down for shots. Poor kids. I did warn them right before it happened, but they screamed and cried like life was ending in a brutal way. And this Momma cried, too.

But, it's over now and they were given an extra sucker for being so brave and two big band aids they could show off to Daddy, as they told him all about their "hurts," when we got home.

I'll wrap up with their stats:

Reese...
Height: 35 in (62%)
Weight: 27.6 lbs (53%)
Head Circumference: 49 cm (81%)

Truett...
Height: 35 in (48%)
Weight: 27.5 (35%)
Head Circumference: 51 cm (92%).

Avery Grace, child, I'm praying Momma has more brains at your year-old shots than I did with your brother and sister.

But I wouldn't hold my breath if I were you.

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Phone Pics Post

Getting closer!

Sweet baby girl.



We're focused.






My little helper. She unloaded the cans and then meticulously lined them all up. She is absolutely her father's child. He was so proud.



Big girl in the Bumbo.


Fun with our easel.


A little tummy time.


A good big brother.


Cake!


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Panties and Undies

Is this really happening?! As McHotterson just said, "never thought we'd see the day we'd be folding teeny tiny whitey tighties!"

Hoping I will be posting more in the future. We're in the middle of potty training with the twins and sleep training with Avery Grace.

This parenting gig is definitely not for the faint of heart.


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A Painting We Will Go

I bought some washable paint for the twins a couple of days ago, and have been promising them we would get it out since then.

We're at my parents' for a few days, and what better place to get artsy, than at Sita's, the retired art teacher's?!

My children had a great time, although they soon questioned the need for paper at all.

I give you...Monet and O'Keefe...

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