Happy one month Avery Parker!!

Avery turned one month old yesterday!!!  Aunt Jenny bought these cool month stickers way before Avery was born and we couldn't wait to use them.  Of course, I didn't think we would have to use them this quickly!!  This past month has FLOWN by!  

So let me tell you a little about Avery.  She is the best baby.  She is a pretty good sleeper, she is definitely a good eater and she is one calm little gal!  Avery only really cries for 2 reasons - she is hungry or she is fighting sleep at the end of the day.  What a difference from Riley!!  

Avery loves to look out the window, she can hold her head up pretty well for a 4 week old and she loves her some bath time!!  She is beginning to smile real smiles, not just gas smiles.  We are trying to figure out who she looks like.  Some people think she is all Riley, others think she looks more like me.  I don't think she looks like Riley.  I think she has features of Riley, but is not completely Riley.  But honestly, it doesn't really matter, because overall, she is just a great kid - and we can't get enough of her!!

And just for fun - here was Riley when she was a month old!!

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

We celebrate Avery's 1st Thanksgiving in Syracuse this year at Kevin and Tammy's house.  It was a great day with good company, food and great weather!!  It's too bad Avery couldn't eat the delicious turkey, but she sure did enjoy being passed around and snoozing on different family members.

Jeremy and I have a ton to be grateful for this year - but I think it is safe to say that we are most grateful for our two little babies, Riley Paige & Avery Parker.  We are MORE than blessed!!!

We hope everyone had a wonderful and blessed Thanksgiving!

The Help

And no I am not talking about the book that became a movie!!  I am talking about all of the wonderful help that I received once Avery was brought home from the hospital.  Bringing home Riley 4 years ago was much different from bringing home Avery.  One kid, no big deal!  I mean at that time life was an adjustment, but you only had one kid to worry about.  This time around, we had a newborn and a 4-year-old who is in school.  So the adjustment was a little different.  Thankfully, I had some great helpers for the first 3 weeks I was home!

Of course, week 1 Jeremy stayed home from work.  He was the person who dropped Riley off and picked her up from school.  He made me lunch and the family dinner all week.  He allowed me to nap and took care of the baby when I did.  He also entertained Riley when I was busy nursing Avery.  I was grateful that he was able to take that week off from work to adjust to our new family.

Then my mom came for a week.  She too helped with bringing Riley to and from school, she cooked our family some delicious dinners, snuggled with both girls daily and even got me out of the house and to the mall!!  We had a lot of quality time together - which was so nice!!!  I was more than thankful to have her here for the week.

And finally Laurie came for a week.  She too helped in cooking some meals for our family and helping get the girls ready when it was time to leave the house.  She stayed home snuggling with Avery while I dropped off and picked Riley up from school.  She also took Riley out for an entire day while I stayed home with the baby and got some house work done.  It was great having some bonding time with my baby sister.  I sure hope my girls will do this for each other someday!

Of course I can't go without thanking my dad too!  He drove my mother and Laurie up 2 weekends in a row.  Then he bought us breakfast and made sure coffee was ready in the morning.  He also got in some quality time with both girls.

I think that Jeremy and I can't say thank you enough for all the help that my family gave during our transition to a family of 4.  While they may all live hours away, we are so lucky and blessed to have such a loving and supportive family.  I couldn't have asked for more!!!

Sisters

A sister is a forever friend.  (Author Unknown)

Jeremy and I are so in love with our two girls.  While we had no clue how Riley would really react once we brought Avery home from the hospital, we are happy to say that almost 4 weeks in and Riley is head over heels for her baby sister.  So far the jealousy has not kicked in and the little helper in Riley has not faded.  It does help that Avery overall is a calm, peaceful, easy going baby!!  We're feeling blessed and lucky to be the parents to these wonderful little ladies!!  

Avery's 1st Bath

On Thursday, 11/8/12, we gave Avery her first real bath.  Despite what the first picture looks like - Avery LOVED the bath.  She cried for about 2 seconds and then just chilled out as we washed her up.  She was calm, cool and collected the entire time.  

Riley loved helping out and can't wait until Avery gets her next bath!!

1 week check-up

Today we brought Avery back to the doctor's for her 1 week appointment.  It was another very successful visit and we were able to walk away with some new stats for our already growing girl.

Avery has now surpassed her birth weight.  At 9 days old she weighs as much as Riley did at birth (and remember how Riley was a week late)?!?!

Stats for Miss Avery are:

Head - 14 inches

Height - 21 inches

Weight - 8lbs 10oz.

We're not scheduled to return to the doctor's until her 2 month appointment at the beginning of January.  

Here are some pics of our growing baby:

(Seriously, what is cuter than a baby in jeggings???)

Halloween 2012

Halloween this year was a success!!!  Riley had a ball participating in her school's Halloween Parade and going Trick-or-Treating.  She dressed up as a ladybug this year and loved that she and 2 other friends from her class were also ladybugs!  Avery dressed up in Riley's costume from her first Halloween and wore it like a champ.  In a last minute decision, because Riley requested her to, Avery went Trick-or- Treating.  Of course she slept through the entire thing, but did great!  

Here are some pics from the day:

At her Halloween Parade

She got vampire teeth from a friend at school and thought they were the coolest thing!

Sisters Halloween photo op.

Getting ready to go out to get some goodies!!!

Trick-or-Treating in the neighborhood.

We ended the night by enjoying a few pieces of candy and watching Charlie Brown.