Little Chef

Avery likes to help me in the kitchen sometimes. The other night I was making breakfast food for dinner. I had this tube of crescent rolls in the fridge that would go along with the dinner and so I called Avery in to help me make them.

I showed her how to roll the first one and then she rolled all the rest! It was so cute to watch her little hands work. She got so excited about putting them in the oven. Sometimes when I let her help me she wants to watch whatever is in the oven and so I turn on the oven light for her.

When the cresecent rolls were done she wanted to eat one right away. She was so excited about what she had made.

A while ago I signed me and Avery up for a Mommy & Me cooking class. It doesn't start until April, but I think Avery is going to love it.

Daddy's Valentine

Yesterday Al got to come home early from the hospital because the surgeon he is working with was out of town. We spent a few minutes together in the morning and then Avery and I left to go to her playgroup's Valentine Party.

When we got home Al had some surprises waiting for us. Here are pictures of Avery with her first rose! You can see on her face how excited she was. I have some more cute pictures of it too. She was so excited when Al showed her this rose. She kept exclaiming, "Hold it! Hold flower!"

Al also had 3 red roses for me and our traditional box of chocolate covered strawberries. Avery and I were both pleased with our Valentine. He did a great job!

Two Year Check-up

Yesterday Avery had her two year check-up. Avery remembered what a doctor's office was, so she was none to thrilled when we headed back to the exam room. I felt a little badly for her because it was pretty cold yesterday and we had to strip her down to her diaper and parade her around the office so she could get weighed and measured.

Avery weighed in at 27 lbs. even, which puts her in the 55%. Then they measured her height. For some reason Avery really freaked out at this, but she finally settled down enough to get the measurement in--34 1/4 inches--60%. Then the head measuring, which came in at 47.6 cm., or the 55%. So Avery is growing very evenly.

The doctor said Avery was growing perfectly and doing great! She asked if I had any concerns and I told her that we were planning on taking the paci away that day. She wished me luck and gave me a few pointers. She did an autism screening on Avery, which consisted of me answering a lot of questions about Avery's behavior and abilities. Avery passed it with flying colors.

We had already had a rough morning (Avery coughed and threw up all over our bed, I accidentally stepped on her hand while I was carrying a load of laundry and Avery was quietly playing on the stairs) so I warned Doctor Shiue that the rest of the check-up might not go smoothly. It didn't. Avery cried the whole time. At least it wasnt loud, just quietly crying to herself. After Dr. Shiue checked all she needed to she proudly said she didn't need to see Avery until she turned 3...yeah!! Avery only had to have one shot and she handled it like a trooper.

The Birthday Party!!

Last night was Avery's 2nd birthday party. She invited her best friend Emmy, and Finn. Avery is starting to get into the princesses, so she had a princess party.

Avery woke up yesterday and I think she knew it was a big day. She was so excited and happy the entire day. She kept saying, "Happy Birthday!!" and asked repeatedly if she could hold her birthday cake. Grandma Nette and Grandma Louona and called in the morning to talk to Avery. She was pretty good about talking on the phone.

I decorated for the party while Avery was taking her nap. When she woke up the crepe paper and balloons were up and the table was all set with the princess plates, napkins and cups. Boy was she excited! She was smiling the entire afternoon. Then when I told her Emmy was coming after dinner she kept going and looking out our window, waiting for her friend.

Avery was getting so anxious for the party but luckily we had some fun distractions. Sarah and Hannah called to say 'Happy Birthday' and then so did my dad, Granny, and Jen, Allison and Dylan.

The party started t 6:30 and Al got home just in time for the festivities. It was close! For a while the kids just played with the pink balloons, tossing them around and sitting on them. Then we did a fun activity. Everybody got to decorate a crown and a wand! I got them for super cheap at Michael's and then got some stickers to decorate with. The kids seemed to really enjoy it.
Then it was cake and ice cream time! Avery knew just what to do with the candles. As soon as I lit them she blew them out. So I lit them again and she blew them out again. I told her she had to wait until after we sang to her...but she couldn't wait and blew them out again. So we moved the cake away from her a little bit, got through the song, and then she gave the candles a final blow. Avery asked for strawberry ice cream and sprite for her birthday, so that is what we had along with the cake (and diet coke and chocolate peanut butter cup ice cream).

After cake Avery opened her presents. She got some fun books, 2 mixers (one looks just like a kitchen aid!) an outfit, and a princess backpack.

It was a really great birthday party!!

The Kitchen!!

Well, as you can see from the pictures, Avery got a play kitchen for her birthday!

Avery opened her presents from us Saturday morning because we wanted to make sure that Al was going to be home. Al and I got the kitchen put together on Friday night so that when Avery woke up Saturday morning it was all ready.

She was so excited! At first it was like she couldn't believe it. She just stood and smiled for the longest time. Then she went and opened and shut every door. She just couldn't stop smiling.
We also gave her some play food and dishes. When Avery opened the play food she got so excited she was stomping her feet up and down. So cute!!

I made chocolate chip muffins for breakfast and then we got ready and went to the Mills. Avery likes to go to Cabela's to look at the fish. Then we went to the toystore to play with the Thomas the Trains, which Avery absolutely loves. After that we played on the playground, had lunch, and Al took Avery on the carousel. We went in a couple of stores and I got some really good deals on some stuff for Avery for next winter. It was the perfect day!

After Avery's nap she came downstairs and it was like she saw the kitchen again for the first time. She just smiled and smiled. We had a gift certificate for TGIF's so we went out to dinner that night. Avery had a lot of fun and so did Al and I. It was a great start to being two.

In the Bed

Tonight, on the eve of her 2nd birthday, Avery decided she didn't want to sleep in the crib anymore.

Avery had a rough afternoon and I was pretty much ready to put her to bed at about 4:00, but we toughed it out until almost 7:00. By that time we figured it was not so unreasonable and she hopefully wouldn't wake up too early tomorrow morning.

About thirty minutes later I could still hear Avery whimpering/babbling up in her room. Al went and got her and was laying on one of the twin beds with her, trying to calm her down. Avery started calling out, "Mama! Mama!" and so I went in the room. I hugged her for a little bit and then told her it was time to go to sleep. I headed with her towards the crib and then she said, "In the bed" and pointed to the bed. So I said, "Do you want to sleep in the crib or in the bed?" She repeated, "bed."

Al and I looked at each other, shrugged, and pulled down the covers of the twin bed. We layed her in and she snuggled right up on the pillow. Al and I went downstairs and turned on the monitor. It was silent. After a while I went and peeked into her room. Avery was fast asleep, in the bed, just like she wanted.

She is such a big girl. I am sad!

Candy

So, a little background info on this cute little story: When our bishop did tithing settlements in December he passed out those little mini candy canes to the little kids. We had our tithing settlement the first week of December and sure enough Avery cashed in and received a couple of candy canes.

Fast forward to today: As we were leaving church for the day we walked past the bishop's office. The bishop was standing in the doorway. As we walked by the bishop cheerfully called out, "How are the Tanners today?" Al and I replied with the usual pleasentries. Avery, who was in Al's arms, turned and took a look at the bishop. All of a sudden she lunged towards him, holding her arms out to him like she wanted to be held. Then she started saying, "Candy! Candy! Candy!" The bishop of course obliged her. He told Avery to come with him. She followed him into his office and waited patiently while he went through his filing cabinet. After a few seconds he produced a jar of smarties. He told Avery that she could take two rolls. Boy was she thrilled. She thanked him and said, "bye-bye."

Al and I were just flabbergasted that Avery rememebered receiving candy from the bishop in the first place. It was two months ago that she got that little candy cane. I guess she's got to remember her sources. Smart girl!