weekend update with your host....me!

Currently watching Legend with my sister Desiree. *sigh* 80's movies.......

What a crazy, busy, enjoyable weekend. I had my camera on me at the Art's & Jazz Festival in Denton on Saturday but didn't take a single picture. Ugh. Avery did so well but was way over stimulated and ended up sleeping from 7:12PM until 8:47AM. I literally made myself wake her up I was so freaked out but she was just tired from being out in the sun all day and all the THOUSANDS of people she saw at the festival. She kept giggling at people and I put her in the harness for the first time in months and she had a BALL. So many people commented on her and one frat guy even said because of her he wanted to have a baby.

My sister as many of you know is back in N. Texas with Evan and I for a week or so before she goes back to NC. The plan was to show her the Arts & Jazz Fest and the Germanfest in Muenster but due to the weather today we missed out on the Germanfest. Just us girls this weekend, lots of fun. Minus the GINORMUS bruise on my upper thigh due to her "making" me run into the glass kitchen table at Nan & Gary's.

Poor Evan, Can I just say, I don't know how he does this....

His final model is due tomorrow so this entire weekend was used to finish up the model with all his fellow Archie majors. HE hardly sleeps, just works on his model and doesn't eat or shave, it's like a entire different being takes over my husband. I think he slept at home maybe 2 nights out of last week. Avery and I do everything alone and miss him like crazy, but after tomorrow we get our daddy/hubby back for the next 4 months!!!

I can't wait for the family time we have planned for the summer, so much planned and a lot of it involves staying home and doing house work and then taking mini trips and TONS of pictures. Especially with Avery getting bigger by the day.

Supposed to rain the next 7 days, bad stuff coming in tonight and tomorrow. OH JOY! *sigh* Desi is taking care of Avery tomorrow. Poor thing, her allergies were relentless this weekend and because of which we had to give her lots of tylenol which only drugged her and made her sleep when she wasn't being such a happy baby, she went to bed at 9 tonight and couldn't even wake up enough to see daddy for the first time in 4 days, bless her heart.

Confession.

Katie, Kasey, Avery & I at Jason and Amandas Wedding April 19, 2009 (Avery turned 4 months old) Little Miss Pout.

Chilling in her Bumbo.

Avery and her God-parents, Nick & Kate Box

Katie & Avery on Easter

It's been over 2 weeks since I made my plans to start gearing towards going to school. I even signed up for night classes and had my new schedule picked out and all...

I haven't gone to a single class. Worse yet, I haven't done any of my community service projects either.

I have no excuses to be honest, I even went the first night and was horrified to see that I was the oldest there! It freaked me out so bad that I left. I even hung around Babiesrus for an hour to make Evan think I went. He knew though, as soon as I walked in he asked me what was wrong and I confessed to him that I didn't go and awaited my lecture.

He just hugged me instead and told me to try again.

Of course though as we put Avery to bed that night and said our family prayers he said to Avery "And don't get discouraged over your mommy letting you down by not going to class tonight, she'll figure it out soon enough for you both."

WOW.

Talk about the king of guilt trips. How much I needed that though, not so much as the hurt that sprang to my heart but for the sheer honest truth of it. I'm not doing this for me, I didn't set out to do it just for me. I'm doing this for her too.

I'll muster up some courage soon. I hope.

And in other news:

My sister drove in from NC last week. She's at an impasse and has come to TExas to figure out what exactly she wants in life. She is only 20. Last she saw Avery was when she was born so it's been fun seeing her and Avery playing together. She drove to Austin to stay with her adopted father for a few weekes then she'll be back with us.

We were in Austin this weekend too and it was so much fun. More pictures will come once I find my camera cable, but until then, enjoy some of other pics above.

Blessings on your week-

Britt

Rainy Days are Sleep Inducing.

This is the first picture of little miss Avery Claire..... she has changed so much has she not?!

My sister gave me this picture, I had never seen it until a few days ago. My sister had it in a frame that said "Life can be scary sometimes." I found it fitting as Avery looks frightened in the picture.

Hard to imagine she will be 4 months old on Sunday.

Off to Austin for the weekend. WHOO HOO! I go back to work on Wed too so this is like a mini-vacay for me.

Things to look forward to the next few days:

• Austin
• Friends
• Family
• Wedding
• Mangas!!
• Bluebonnet pics with Avery
• Sleeping in
• Spending time with Avery

Question for my ladies:

What type of BC are you currntly using? I'm tired of the pill and thinking over my options. I don't want a IUD like my OB suggested today but I want something that is longer lasting than taking a pill everyday.

I'm thinking about the NuvaRing.....anyone know if it's good?

HAPPY EASTER!

She amazes me.

Today, Avery rolled over. *applause*

Of course, this was performed twice at the sitters and not in my presence or her daddy's. Seems we're just not cool enough to be entertained by her milestones. This used to be a fear of mine when the thought of returning to work came but I know she'll share them with me when she's ready.

We tried for over an hour to get her to roll over and she was just not having it. She did however do a first for us which was actually TWO first tonight. She held her own bottle and then she sat up on her hands and giggled at Gus while doing belly time.

Times flying by and moving a little too fast for me sometimes.....we also moved to stage 2 diapers today, they have a bit of room still but the stage 1's are starting to cut into her, she's such a chunk.

BUSY BUSY WEEKEND. Boo on the fires today and a bigger BOO on the forecast of 100% rain and storms for Sunday. *Sigh* I'll post pictures of her in her new Easter outfit though and share them with you guys and gals. Hopefully I can get pics of my family tomorrow at our dinner/ baby shower for my brother and his g/f. Baby Ray will be here soon! I'm so elated to become an Aunt!

Night Loves

-Britt

La La La La Can't hear you....

I made a commitment to myself after having Avery that this year I would stop being afraid of going after some things I want for myself. This year would be the year of a thousand changes for me. I always help others before I help myself and that is just because that's the kind of person I am, but it's also because if I can focus on other people....I won't have to deal with some HUGE insecurities and self confidence issues I have had since High School.

Mainly, going to school and getting my degree are the two huge things I am ready to do for myself but I always say I'll go for it next semester then it comes and goes and then I tell myself oh I'll go next semester...you get the giest...this has been going on for over 5 years!

I always have this voice in the back of my mind that talks me out of doing anything for myself and I always allow my cowardice and fear of failure get the better of me when this little voice gets going.

Well, I officially signed up for some night classes to help me on my way this morning and now, that little voice in me is back telling me "You're crazy, you can't do this, you don't have the time, you have a baby now! You're too stupid to go to college, how selfish of you."

....shut up, stupid voice......shut up.

I have been listening to this little voice for almost 5 years now and with Avery in the picture I told myself to tune that voice out and to think about what I want for myself as well as what I want for Avery, she deserves this just as much as I do. Evan has always tried to get me to go for it but also knows that my fear of failure is what has not allowed me to do anything. it can be almost crippling sometimes and with him being in school that has also hampered any ideas of me going to school but not anymore...

So now, with my already busy, hectic schedule I have added night classes starting next tuesday as well as morning communtiy service from 7am-9am.

If I can just tune the annoying voice out I'm pretty sure I can do this.......

I hope anyway.

If you can't say something nice....don't say nothing at all.

The family at Eureka.

Saturdays seems to be our outdoors day (weather permitting of course). We usually go to Eureka Park in Denton and Walk the entire trail. It's just our little escape from the M-F routine and Avery LOOOOVES being outside, I can honestly say I get a big thrill watching her lift her head to the sun and bask in it with a loud baby sigh, it's the cutest thing ever!

Today the wind made it a bit to breezy for a full walk so we only walked the half mile portion, Avery was super fussy and Evan left her diaper bag and blankie in the car so I ended up carrying her for the last trek of it. She loved being out of her stroller but hated not being able to stop and see every person who passed us or the dogs on the trail.

Along with our walk we usually get a few comments from passing people about Avery and how cute she is or asking how old she is or how we enjoy parenting....we're fine with these little conversations and enjoy (OBVIOUSLY) getting compliments on our beautiful daughter. However, this lady today approached us very casually as I was holding Avery and walking beside Evan who was pushing the stroller when she stopped and said rather rudely "Who's to blame for giving this baby ears so big? She would be a heartbreaker except her ears are too big, she'll be picked on for years to come with that flaw."

*insert gasp here*

Now, I can be honest here, I won't lie. My first reaction was to make a comment on her personality flaw or her physical appearence or the vision of just smacking her in the face came to mind but instead.....

I laughed.

Not only did I laugh but I held Avery close and kissed her ears and told the women "Flaw? God gave her these ears, he knows what he's doing so if she has an issue later in life about her ears I will let her trust his will. Thanks."

Evan stayed quiet until we got around a curve and then turned to me and grabbed me and Avery in a big bear hug. He started laughing and asked me if I had more to say other than my awesome statement then before I could reply he said "I bet you wanted to smack her across the face." Yeah, he knows me and my mind too well. He grabbed Avery from me and kissed her ears as well proclaiming she had not a single flaw and that he loved every inch of her and then asked how she felt about her ears.

Her reply?

A huge grin and sly giggle as she snuggled up to her daddy.

People could learn a lot from Disney movies, take Thumper from Bambi....if that woman had seen that movie she would have learned valuable wisdom from that animated bunny.."If you can't say something nice...don't say nothing at all."

I love her ears.

I'm itching to paint again.....

It's been far too long and the weather is trying to decide to stay beautiful.