Birthday Party

This past weekend we went to a combined Birthday party for  TAG's best friend & his little boy. We had a great time. I just wish it would've been a little cooler. Bring on Fall!

My big boy ready to leave.



The kids had a blast riding 4 wheelers, playing on the slip & slide, and just being kids.



Me & my pretty girl. She was watching people go down the slip & slide. I know it looks like this is the only dress I own, but it just happens to be what I'm wearing when I have a picture taken of me! Plus, I do wear it a lot because it's so comfortable.



The "big" Birthday boy with TAG.



Happy Birthday Raymond & Trey!

Sit

My sweet Averly can now sit up all by herself. She’s been sitting for very short periods of time if we balanced her just right, but on Thursday, August 26th she sat up & played for a good 5-10 minutes. It does not seem like my baby should be sitting already! I was just looking at some pictures of her at about a week old last night. It feels like she should still be that little!



She also tried some cantaloupe that same day. She LOVED it. I’m sure the cold felt good to her gums too.



My baby girl is growing up way too fast!

Because my kids amuse me

I thought I would let them amuse you too.

Riley loves to sing. Usually it's just some jibberish with a few "oh baby's" thrown in her & there. Here he is putting on quite a show the other day. His big performance started slacking though when I got the camera out (as always). But he's still putting on a pretty intense performance here. Even throwing down the microphone at the end-rock star style.

Next is a video of my sweet girl giggling. Just as with Riley, her biggest belly laughs were right before I got the camera out. It's like as soon as they see the camera, they freeze.

Please excuse my "mommy voice" saying boo over & over...& over. It was just what was really making her laugh at the time. Also, sorry about all the jerkiness & blurriness of the video. I can't quite figure out the focus. Plus it's hard to play peek-a-boo while holding a camera.

Anyway, I know it's long but if you watch until the end there's a great surprise from Riley. :0)

Never a dull moment in our house!

Sunday Afternoon Swim

So relaxing & fun all at the same time.

Averly & Dada hanging out.

His swim trunks are a little big!

We always have fun with Hartley!

Averly's 4 month pictures=LOVE!

I wonder if this is a preview of 15 or so years down the road…

Brother & sister both wanting to take the car for a drive.

At first Riley was a little upset that Averly was in “his” car. I mean, technically it was his way back when.

Then he decided he was ok with her sitting in it, but he wanted to show her how to drive.

Yes, that is a drool-soaked onsie on her. I know, I really should put a bib on the poor child.

Once Riley checked her tires (which is what he was doing in the above picture) he took her for a little spin around the house. They had a blast too!

Averly even scooted a little by herself!

Sharing was great but as soon as I got Averly out, Riley jumped right in ready to ride. Sunglasses and all. ;0)

I can only imagine what it will be like when a real car is involved later on down the road.

Teething

This poor baby is teething so bad. I thought it was just her bottom two teeth that were giving her so much trouble, but they have popped through & she still seems to be hurting. Everything she can get her little hands on goes straight to her mouth. A lady in the grocery store told me to let her chew on a cold carrot. It’s a good teether, plus she will get a little carrot juice at the same time. We got some & tried it. She goes to town on them like a bunny rabbit!

And look how close she is to sitting up on her own! I propped her up & she grabbed onto that toy holding herself up! I’m so proud of her but I want my baby to stop growing so fast!

Just-a-swingin’

Another first for Averly was on August 6th. She went swinging with her big brother. And she love, love, loved it!

My two sweeties.

She was sucking on her bottom lip…feeling her new teeth. We see this face a lot nowadays.

Avocado

Averly had her first taste of baby food on Sunday, August 15th. She tried avocados. I never gave them to Riley but have since heard that they are an excellent first food. She didn’t really know what to think with the first bite. She made some pretty funny faces but then opened her mouth for more like a little birdie.

I think she ended up really liking them & we have been giving them to her the last few days.

I plan on starting her on green peas or carrots next. We’ll see how she likes those!

Riley’s “Crabby Two’s” Birthday Party

Saturday we had Riley’s “Crabby Two’s” party. Obviously, the theme was crabs. I thought about doing a Little Monster theme since his birthday fell on Friday the 13th this year, but then figured that would be more fun when he’s older & it lands on a Friday again. So going along with the terrible two’s came the crabby two’s theme suggested by a friend. We did everything in red, white, & blue with a touch of yellow here & there. Everything turned out great & we had a blast!

All day Friday from the time Riley woke up I would randomly start singing Happy Birthday & he would get so embarrassed. He would hold his hands up & say “No Mama! Don’t sing that! Nooo!” And when people called to sing him Happy Birthday he would say the same thing to them. It was so funny. Friday night, on his actual birthday, we stuck a candle in a pile of cookies that was crumbled so that he would have something to blow out that day too. He loves blowing out candles & we ended up re-lighting it at least 5 times because he kept wanting to blow it out. Since we was the Birthday boy we honored his request. :0)

Saturday was a hectic day trying to get everything ready with 2 kids. TAG did some things outside & ran some last minute errands while my mom & I finished up decorating. I couldn’t have done it without her! She was (and is) a lifesaver! Four o’clock rolled around very fast & we finished up just in time for people to start arriving.

I’ll just let the pictures do most of the talking. Get ready because there is a bunch!

The favor buckets for the kids.

I found out that cake balls are very hard to make! My sweet mom took over though & they ended up great!

My dad got Riley one of each of the coins that were made the year he was born. He loved them! His da-yers (dollars) as he called them.

Little Karson is such a cutie!

Kisses from Aunt Brooke :0)

Happy 2nd Birthday Riley man! I hope you enjoyed your day! We love you!!