Tummy Time

Avery is almost 8 weeks, and is starting to get pretty good at holding her head up. I put her on her play mat for some tummy time for the first time today, and she loved it. Of course, Hayden had to come "help" her play with all the hanging animals. Whatever she is doing, he has to be right there doing it with her. It's cute to watch him try to play with her.

Almost has her head up all the way.

Closest thing to a smile I have been able to catch on camera so far. She smiles all the time in person.

Playing with his sister.

Apparently someone is needing a little attention. Either that or he is trying to reclaim the play mat that used to be his.

"Officer" Hayden

This picture just makes me want to laugh my face off every time I look at it. I was changing Avery on my bed, when "Officer" Hayden wandered into my room. He looked so hilarious I couldn't stop laughing, and the more I laughed the more he hammed it up and acted even sillier. It was so funny I had to grab my camera and snap a quick picture of him. He is such a silly boy, and totally cracks me up!

A Boy And His Sister

I think it is adorable how much Hayden loves Avery. He always wants to kiss her or pet her. He is so sweet with her, and has to kiss her almost every time he walks by her. He always wants to be touching her, petting her, attempting to pick her up, etc. I'm sure it won't last once she's big enough to get around and want to "share" all his fun toys, but I am going to enjoy his sweetness while it lasts.

Even though it's a little blurry, I just love this picture. It's like she did something that just totally cracked him up. He was laughing like crazy when I took this.

This is what he looks like when he is thinking about picking her up, but he can't really figure out how he would do that. Thank goodness!

Lots of kisses!

Even more kisses.

Cousins

Jacob called me around noon and said that he was heading over to PV mall with Natalie and Preston, to let Preston run around at their inside play area, and to see if I wanted to meet them. Of course I did! Since they were only here for a week, I wanted to get every minute with them that I could. I hurried Amelia and Hayden through lunch, nursed Avery, and we were on our way. Even though we only got to hang out for an hour or so it was worth it, because after they go back to Idaho I don't know when I'm going to get to see them next. I didn't get any pictures of them playing in the little play area because I was too busy talking to Natalie, but here are some cute pictures of them "driving" the ride on ice cream truck. I just happened to have 75 cents on me (what happened to those things being a quarter?!), so they got to ride it one time. They thought it was so fun. It was really cute. It was nice getting to spend time with them. One of the things I miss about being in Utah is that I was only a few hours away from Jacob and Natalie and I felt like I got to see them pretty often. Now that I am like 16 hours away, they have only been down here twice in the almost year that we have lived here. I miss seeing them all the time!

Cupcakes

More pictures of Avery in another one of her adorable cupcake outfits. I think I am going to be able to make a small album for her just with all the pictures of her in all her cupcake outfits. On second thought, that's a good idea . . . . :)

Family Pictures

After church, everyone came back to my house for dinner. "Everyone" included my parents, Robyn and Jane, Jacob's family, and my Grandpa. I took a TON of family pictures. I'm thankful that everyone was here in town and able to get together and have Avery's blessing, even if the reason they were all here wasn't a happy one. Here are some of my favorites.

John and Avery.

Typical family picture. My hair looks lame, Brooklyn looks like her right arm is amputated, and Austin looks like he really has to pee. Heaven forbid we could get this many people to all look cute at once. Haha

Avery and me. (Man, why didn't someone tell me to fix the front of my hair?!)

Hanging out on Dad's arm.

Avery with Aunt Robyn and cousin Jane. (We missed Uncle Joe and Henry.)

Avery with Aunt Natalie, Uncle Jacob and cousin Preston.

My mom with her girls and their baby girls.

Three generations: My mommy, me and my girls.

Avery with Grandma and Grandpa.

Avery with her Great Grandpa Paul Greer.

This picture gives me such joy every time I look at it. He just looks so happy with her. I only wish that my grandma had been able to still be here and be in the picture with him. I am so glad that he is still here to be a part of Avery's life, and the lives of my other kids.

A Name and A Blessing

I have to divide up the posts about Avery's blessing because I have a ton of pictures, but I also wanted to include this post. After her blessing, a friend of mine came up and said that she had written down some things from Avery's blessing. She said that she had always wished that she had done that with her kids (So had I!) and that she just happened to have a piece of paper and pen in her lap from something else she was working on for Primary. So when John started to bless her, she started writing it down. I am going to save the original paper she gave me to put in her scrapbook, but here is what she wrote down (it's paraphrased from the blessing, not word for word):

- Bless you with a desire and strength to learn about Heavenly Father and gain a testimony of him.

- That you will learn to love the Gospel.

- That you will grow and be a good example to others.

- That you will have the desire to serve a full time mission

- Strive to serve.

- That you will meet a righteous LDS man, and be sealed for time and all eternity.

- As you grow, be successful in life so you can be with Heavenly Father and Savior again.

- Health and Strength

- We love you very much

- We are proud that you chose to come to our family to gain a body.

Her blessing was beautiful. I am so proud of John for doing such a good job, and thankful that my friend had the presence of mind to write it down for me. I think it would have been cool to have a copy of mine to read, so I am excited that I have this for her to read when she is older.

“Every member of the church of Christ having children is to bring them unto the elders before the church, who are to lay their handsupon them in the name of Jesus Christ, and bless them in his name."

Doctrine and Covenants 20:70