A Letter to Averi: Five Months

Averi Joy,

You did not grow much physically this month, but BOY! did you grow mentally. So many changes and leaps forward. You are making your mama so proud and sad at the same time.

I love this picture because you hardly sleep on your back anymore and your feet are crossed. It's so cute!

You rolled from your tummy to your back this month! That's so soon after rolling onto your tummy. I'm so proud of you baby girl!

We went to our first splash pad this month. And I already had to buy you a new swimsuit! Notice where your fingers are...in your mouth! This silly tooth isn't coming in yet! You are still sleeping well and handling it well during the day.

You are so intrigued by everything your brother is doing. He is making so much noise and you are captivated.

Father's Day happened this month too. You have made your daddy's life so much sweeter. He loves being a daddy of two kiddos and that wouldn't be possible without you.

You are reaching for toys now on your own. And, like this picture shows, your toes. You are accidentally grabbing them every once in awhile. At least you aren't eating them!

When you get a little fussy, you love to be bounced up and down. I asked some of my friends if they had something for you. One friend had this jumparoo that we are borrowing. You love it! You like the toys and being able to bounce on your own.

Mommy and Jayce have started another round of Tiny Tots and Tunes. Grandma came to hold you and help you be happy while I was with Jayce. You actually loved the music and watching the dancing. I can't wait to do a Tiny Tots class with you.

We went to our friends house for another play date and you got to try an exersaucer. You loved it! I think your favorite part was the toys that bend down for you to chew on. =)

We celebrated the 4th of July at church. Your "shirt" was actually a dress that had gotten too short. You grew too fast! I love having you girly. I love dressing you and seeing what we can do with all your outfits and bows!

We went to my aunt's house for a Shrimp Boil after church. She and her husband are always cooking for lots of people. I was so happy that you got to go to their house for one of these get-togethers. She loves holding you and your brother. In this picture, she's feeding you ice because it was so hot!

This is you guys at the Shrimp Boil. I love how you are reaching for your brother, resting back on your daddy because you trust him, AND watching everything around you. You are so amazing already. I can't wait to see what this next month brings.

"I love you all the way to the moon...and back."
Mommy

A Letter to Averi: Four Months

Sweet Averi Joy,

You have become such a big girl! This month has been one of lots of changes for you. The biggest accomplishment for you has been rolling over from your back to your tummy!! This picture is of the first time you rolled over! You didn't do it very often at first. But now, you roll over almost immediately after I lay you down on the ground. You still don't like being on the ground. Your brother didn't mind but you just want to see everything!

Now that you can roll over, you have started to sleep on your tummy every once in awhile. I come in and check on you a lot. You make me nervous and I feel like I have to make sure you're breathing. You always are.

You helped your brother make cookies one day! You loved being on the counter and "helping" instead of being on the floor.

Your gums are still bothering you. I'm so sorry that you haven't gotten your first tooth yet. I can only hope that it comes soon so you can stop being in pain.

You have become SUPER expressive lately. You smile and even giggle a lot. Your brother never really did that so I'm super excited to get to see your sweet smiles.

You also give a very good pouty lip when you're upset. I was so happy when I was able to get a picture of it. I know that doesn't sound nice but it really is cute. You normally do this face when you are not getting your way.

We got a Bible for you this month. It was wonderful to get it for you just like we did for your brother.

Mother's Day happened and it was my first one having 2 kiddos. You have made my job as a mommy harder (now that there are 2 of you) BUT so much more rewarding and full of love.

You had 3 new friends born this month! These girls are hopefully going to be friends of yours for a long time. One mommy & I have known each other for 20 years!

 

We had our first play date swimming in a pool! I don't think your brother had one until today! You are so laid back. You let another mommy hold you so that I could help your brother get comfortable being in the pool. I really appreciate that.

Your brother still loves you a lot. He always wants to hug, kiss, and hold you. I had so many pictures of him doing those things that it was hard to pick one. I love watching you guys "talk" and hang out (tummy time) together. I know it won't always be like this but I hope you will always love each other.

Sorry that I keep comparing you to your brother. It just fascinates me how different you two are and I can tell this when you are only 4 months old. I can already tell your personality is going to be different and I'm scared. I'm worried you're going to be like me when you get older. I don't know how I'm going to "deal with you" because we could rub each other the wrong way. I don't want to be fighting with you like I did with my mom. I guess that's just part of the mother-daughter dynamic though. Hopefully, we can still be loving to one another despite our strong personalities. I pray I can use my experiences to be a good mom to you even in the "rough times" that we will have. I know I have to start praying now or else my human nature will take over when those times come. I want to be an example to you on how to act, listen, and speak when things are not ideal.

"I love you to the moon...and back."
Mommy

A Letter to Averi: Three Months

Oh baby girl,

This month has been insane. So much so that I thought I wrote this to you already. SO, let's pretend that it's not June tomorrow...

Your big brother turned 2! It was a big deal around here. Your Nana, Poppy, and Great Grandma drove down from Oklahoma for it.

You got to meet your Great Grandma Rodgers. She loved getting to meet you. She even tried to feed you a cupcake at the party!

The very next day, we stood in front of everyone at church and promised to raise you in a Godly home. We hope that we have lived up to that promise. It was so special to have your Oklahoma grandparents there for it. Your Texas grandparents came to church as well as your Uncle B and Aunt M. We all love you very much.

Another first for you this month was Easter. I was so excited to buy you your first Easter dress!! Actually, your Nana bought it for you when she was in town but I got to pick it out. It was soooo girly and I loved it! Sorry if you don't like it looking back on it. I have to get in all the girly-ness while I still can! =)

We opened Easter baskets before church. You got your first lamb and bunny. You are officially working on your selfie face. Haha! Every time you see yourself on a phone, your eyes get super wide - way more than normal. It's sooo cute!

Another first was going to the ranch! We went after Easter service with my family. Everyone loved getting to spend more time with you. I hope you love going as much as Daddy, Brother, and I do. You seem to love it so far. You really like being outside so the ranch is perfect for you.

We even took a picture of you with Grandma on the porch. I have a picture of your brother in the same onesie from his first trip to the ranch. You were very smiley for it!

You watched your first movie this month. It was Brother's first movie really but you were there! Note your selfie face. =)

I have learned that you REALLY don't like it when the car stops moving. You are very quick to tell me that you aren't happy. You do the same thing when you're hungry too. You are way more vocal than Brother and at an earlier age too.

We borrowed a sit-me-up chair from Brother's friends S&A. You LOVE IT!! You aren't a fan of laying down because you can't see what's going on around you. Since you are really good at holding up your own head, this is the perfect solution.

Tummy time is going ok but you are starting to drool more now, hence the bib in this picture. This tells me that you are teething but you aren't complaining that bad yet, just drooling. Brother didn't do that so it's totally new to me.

We went to your first Astros game just before you turned 3 months. We sat in the Crawford Boxes, somewhere none of us had ever sat before. I hope you love sports as much as we do. But I promise, we will love and support you if you are a super girly girl. Just don't judge me and the non-girly things about me. (I'll start praying now for that!)

You have started to show signs of being close to rolling over! This is all I can get of you "rolling" on your side. You have amazing hip strength already. You are flinging your legs to one side when you are laying on your back. I think rolling from back to tummy will be coming in the next month!

You are "talking" more and it's sweet. Your are looking at your brother more too. I think you are starting to notice people around you and even recognize them. You amaze me every day and I can't wait for it to keep happening.

"I love you all the way to the moon...and back."
Mommy

A Letter to Jayce: Two Years

To my sweet-hearted boy,

You are 2!! How in the world did this happen?! This year went by quicker than it should have. I think that was mostly due to the fact that we all had something to focus on...you becoming a big brother!!

The biggest change in this year of you was the fact that Mommy got pregnant with Jelly Bean a month after you turned one. It was definitely a little earlier than we were thinking but you have grown so much more, I think, because of this little baby. It seems impossible that I could love someone as much as I love you but it's true. AND, I love you so much more seeing you with your sister. 

You are an AMAZING big brother. You LOVE holding her, giving her hugs, and giving her kisses.

You always make sure she has her blankie when she's in the mamaroo. You let me know when she's sad and even make a sympathy sad face and voice. You are even hoping she will sit up or walk so you can play together. You are trying to share toys and books with her.

When you were a year and a half old, you moved into your big boy room with a big boy bed. We didn't want you to move after the baby was born in case it made you mad at her. So, you got to get a little independent earlier than Mommy wanted.

Another big change is your level of communication. When I found out I was pregnant, I got really scared because you couldn't really talk yet. You were signing some words and even saying a few. Daddy had to keep reminding me that you would be talking by the time Jelly Bean came. Boy, was he right! You can't stop talking now! I love how much you talk to us, how quickly you learn new words, and how to use them correctly.

You have shown Mommy and Daddy how much you love books. You tell us which ones you want to read. You even read them on your own!

We took you to the zoo for the first time a week after you turned one. We have been sooooo many times since then. It's your happy place now. You ask if Grandma can go with us a lot too. She even gave you a membership to the zoo for your birthday this year so she can go with you whenever you want!

You are trying so hard to be like Daddy. You want to do whatever he is doing - raking leaves, blowing leaves, mowing the grass, hanging pictures, or fixing your truck.

You still love to play outside and go to parks.

You had so many firsts over the past year. It's really hard to remember them all and share them with you...but here's quite a few. =)

• Haircut (just one tear!)

• Astros game (& you got on the big screen!!)

• movie in the theater (Finding Dory)

• Really Big Christmas Show

• OSU football game (at Baylor)

• Halloween to trick-or-treat (you didn't make it past the end of the driveway)

• Zoo Lights

• Christmas crafts

• Bad Santa photo

• Good boo boo

• Easter Egg hunt (even if it was in our living room)

• Zoobilee (which included your first ice cream sandwich)

You love - 

• baths

• Helping with groceries

• Mickey Mouse Clubhouse

• Tiny Tots

• Grandwinkle

• Cousin KK

• your bff - S

• helping cook

• saying "cheese"

• the ranch

• playing with balls

• sweeping

• friends

I cannot put into words what all this year has brought for you. I hope these pictures are enough. I love you so much big boy. I cannot wait to see what this next year brings. I pray that God continues to bring you closer to Him. When you are "leaving the house," you say you are going shopping or to church. I pray you will keep loving going to church. 

I love you to the moon and back, Jayce.

Mommy