How Avery stole the show on Christmas day.

It was a wonderful Christmas day, mild temperature and sunny. We left our home as soon as Avery woke, off to Kaki and Pop's house for a day of Christmas family fun. Hillman and I dropped her off at the grandparents, and went for a wonderful run through Franklin. We never get to run together anymore so this is quite a treat! When we returned, my aunt Mickie, her husband Tim, and Oliver had arrived. We walked into a home filled with family, and the smell of yummy christmas food that made your stomach growl instantly! Avery was a hoot! Running around, getting into everything possible! Feeding the dogs bows,trying to eat a few herself, helping everyone open presents, squeeling in delight as her new toys rattled and oinked, mooed and sang. It was such a wonderful delight! I have always loved Christmas day, I love getting together with my family and sharing a day full of family stories, some new, some we have heard quite a few times yet still pretend that we haven't heard them before. This year, watching my little bug was all I needed, along with the rest of the usual Christmas happenings, she certainly stole the show. Everyone had a renewed since of Christmas cheer this year! It was Avery! She has brought so much joy to our whole family. After really yummy food, we got everything together and headed home to Greenbrier. Avery slept all the way home. What a day! Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you all! ~H, K and Ave.

1 year ago...

I was in a hospital room, with my new baby girl, feeling exhausted, terrified and so fortunate, and so amazed all at once.  Oh and sore, lets not forget that! ;-)

 

This year has been such a whirl wind, so much has happened. Avery has changed my life completely and I love it. I have finally found my groove in the "being a mommy" role. It took me some time to find my stride but eventually, I did.  I have also found that I my ability to love Avery, my husband, and my family, is greater than I ever thought possible.  I have gone through depression, self doubt, sleep deprivation, many many dirty diapers (some of those were meant for the diaper and ended up on me or Hillman), contentment, and back again. Through all of that, I still found the most happiness that I have ever known. My family and friends are my rocks,(and they rock too);-) I couldn't do this thing called life with out them. 

Having said all of that, we threw a grand party for Avery's first birthday, it was fun and Avery had a blast it seemed! Thank you all of my family and friends who came out to share this celebration that Avery and Hillman and I made it through 1 whole year of her life, and it was a success, on many levels! Here's to my little bug and  many many more birthdays! Love you all! ~Kara, Hillman, and Avery

The Baby Bug

It's almost been a year since Avery made her grand appearance. The memories of my pregnancy and her delivery are so strong! I cannot believe a year has passed! Why is it that all of the bad parts of the pregnancy and delivery( and there were alot of bad parts!) are mostly reduced in my memory to small inconveniences rather than painful, uncomfortable, unappealing reality that only my rational mind remembers? It reminds me of sad breakups. You know when you get your heart broken, even though the relationship probably sucked, is all you can remember during the "getting over him"phase is all of the good parts. It's is very tricky how our brains work! I think every woman must go through this because if we remembered all of the pain , discomfort and sleep deprivation having a baby causes(not to mention financial strain)we would never have babies again, or get into another relationship for that matter resulting in love, and the whole procreation process. The world as we know it would cease to exist!

I see Avery and she is amazing. The most independent little thing ever! She is walking all over, she knows me and responds to my laughter, anger, and pain by mimicking me, "haha, or OWWWW, or uh ohhhh" if I cry for some reason she looks at me with this concerned face that melts my heart and soul! I never knew that a bond between two people could be so strong. I have a strong bond with my own parents but it is very different on the other side. I am responsible for her completly! When she is hurting, I have to find a way to make it better, it actually hurts me! If she is happy then I feel the most contentment possible. I have had a very hard time with this new mommy role. I feel that I am just now getting the hang of it and feeling comfortable with it. I love being a mommy and I wouldn't trade it for anything in this world. Having said all of that,if you haven't figured it out, I have had a strong desire for another baby! It's just hormones im sure. Not now, but in a year or so. Hillman and I agreed on one child. I told him of this baby bug I have ( i can't keep anything to myself bless his heart!) and he reminded me of how hard my pregnancy was on me and all of that. At least he didn't shoot it down completely. "I don't want anymore dogs or babies" was a joke...I think! ;-) I think once I get through her birthday and all that I will get over this urge! We shall see. I am sure about one thing, now is not the right time. Just like with Avery,if and when the time is right we will know. -K
PS. Is it too soon to think about baby names?? Just Kidding...Sort of! ;-)

Good bye privacy!

Now that Avery is mobile, there is no privacy! It really started up when she began walking, I could no longer leave her seated at the television or with a toy while I run to the bathroom for a second. If I do that now, she either follows me or she heads for the stairs! Obviously I encourage her to just follow me! Hillman is also having to adjust, he was in the bathroom this morning and she pushed the door open on him mid-pee! HAHA. She now gets in the shower with me too! She loves the shower, within 2 minutes of the nice warm water falling on her little body she squats down and looks up at me as a yellow stream flows to the drain, I guess she just cannot deny the powerful urge to pee when in the shower! Priceless! 

10 month pics

OWWWW

Avery's new word. When I get down on the floor with her, she is constantly crawling on me, taking glasses off, grabbing my cheeks pinching my skin, sticking her fingers in my mouth, and a few days ago, I was laying in the floor, playing with her when she grabbed a big chunk of my hair and pulled. OWW AVERY STOP! She plopped down in front of me and I said, while rubbing my scalp to make sure I still had hair there, "that hurts mommy" as if she knows what I am saying, she gives me this look and goes Owwww, owwwww, OWWWW. Then continued to lunge for my hair! haha! It was so funny, now when ever she pulls my hair she says "OWWW". Funny stuff!

PS. Avery has very unselfishly shared her terrible virus with H and I, we are both suffering, pray for us! ;-)

Crazy day at the Pediatritians.

Avery is sick again bless her little heart and her momma's exhausted body and mind! I called her Dr. 's office this morning and spoke with the nurse who wanted me to bring her in. I followed her advice and had Avery there pronto. Walked in, I get her signed in and turn around to notice a sweet girl who comes to some of my aerobics classes, along with a FULL waiting room of coughing, sneezing and sniffling babies and toddlers. I sit down and begin chatting with the girl, she had a little sweet girl named Miley, 18 months. As soon as I sat down Avery wiggles out of my arms in mid conversation and walks up to Miley and grabs her hand. "Avery, I exclaimed, come back over here!" I apologized and she assured me it was fine. Avery wiggles out of my arms again and begins tearing up the magazines, I am trying to keep the magazines away from her when she YELLS at me at the top of her lungs. Horribly embarrissed, I begin to pick her up when she begins to scream again! Oh my gosh! She has never acted up like this before! She continues to get away from me, at one point trying to bite my friends little girl, I chased her all over the waiting room!! Everybody elses children were so quite, picture perfect, sitting on their mommy's lap looking at ME!! I could almost hear them thinking " she can't control her child" It was HORRIBLE!!! Avery would run away I would fetch her and she would SCREAM!!!

THANK GOD they called her back! WHEW! Unfortunatly, my embarressment was not over though. The nurse asks me to strip her down to her diaper, she wiggled so bad that I was having a terrible time getting her clothes off. Then the Dr. came in, this was not her regular doctor so he didn't know her. Thankfully she let him examine her, with out too much drama but then....ohhhhh.... he diagnosed her with croup. He was trying to talk to me to explain how the medication works, when I should give it to her etc...but every time he tried to talk to me, she would scream so loud that he covered his ears!!! I was HORRIFIED!!! "Ms. Mann, I am goi AAAHHHHHHHH, to try this steroi AHHHHHHHHH give it to her AHHHHHHHHHH!!!" I tried to set her down on the floor an she would scream,pick her up she screamed, it was awful!! I tried to start dressing her to get her mind off of what was going on and she through a FIT and slapped my hands and grabbed my shirt and squeezed it letting out a GROWL of some sort!" Avery, what has gotten into you i said under my breath(as if she know what i am saying) I turned around and told the Dr." she has never acted this way before"! but he left the ticket on the counter and was out of there before I could even thank him! If this is a glimps into toddlerhood...I'm in for it!!!


BTW. She is doing much better! Now I am sick though! A mother's job is never finished!