And Riley is definitely TAG Jr. One night we showed Riley some of TAG’s baby pictures & he kept saying it was him. They could definitely pass as twins!
And lastly, my favorite. :0)
What do y'all think?
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
Mini Me’s
I constantly have people tell me how much Averly looks like TAG, but these people obviously didn’t know me as a baby! It really even amazes me how much Averly looks like me as a child. Of course she’s got her Daddy’s pretty blue eyes, but other than that, she is Jessica Jr.
And Riley is definitely TAG Jr. One night we showed Riley some of TAG’s baby pictures & he kept saying it was him. They could definitely pass as twins!
And lastly, my favorite. :0)
What do y'all think?
And Riley is definitely TAG Jr. One night we showed Riley some of TAG’s baby pictures & he kept saying it was him. They could definitely pass as twins!
And lastly, my favorite. :0)
What do y'all think?
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
Training & Weaning
Potty training & breastfeeding weaning, that is. I decided on the last day of March that I was going to attempt both. One is going great & the other…not so much. Which one may surprise you.
Riley is doing great with potty training. GREAT. I’ve attempted to start potty training a couple times before, but I (and Riley) quickly got intimidated. I just felt too overwhelmed at taking on the task, especially with Averly running around as well. And Riley just didn’t seem quite ready either. He wouldn’t want to go in the potty & would rather just wear a diaper.
Well, on that Thursday morning I decided that I was ready to tackle it if Riley was. I told him that the store doesn’t make diapers for him anymore; only for babies like Averly. I put him in big boy underwear & asked him almost constantly if he needed to pee pee (just to remind him so he wouldn’t go in his pants). The first couple of days, despite my constant reminders, he did have 2-3 accidents. But we stuck with it, giving rewards of M&Ms, cookies, or chocolate covered raisins. Those are great incentive for him! I am happy to report that for the last 5 days, he has had ZERO accidents! Even during naps & at nighttime. I had thought for a split second about getting Pull Ups for bed time, but I feel like they would be a set-back because they are basically just diapers in themselves. So, underwear only & he has done great!
I am SO proud of my big boy but can’t believe he is no longer in diapers!!
Now Averly & weaning haven’t gone quite as well. I nursed her to 12 months, which was my goal. But since she turned a year old, I have tried to back off & put her on whole milk only. She does ok until she gets sleepy & wants me to hold her before I put her down for a nap or bedtime. If I am holding her, she wants to nurse. So I can’t really rock her to sleep anymore without a tantrum or her ending up nursing. Luckily though, she does great when I just lay her in her crib. She puts her self to sleep. So I guess rocking her is more for me. I love holding & rocking my babies more than anything so I miss that part when I just lay her in her crib.
Other times she will decide that she needs a quick drink & refuses her sippy cup. The girl just wants her Mama. I usually end up just giving in to satisfy her & avoid a meltdown but I can’t keep doing this forever. I wanted to have her weaned at a year but this is technically my first time to have to wean a baby. Riley just up & decided one day (around 8.5 months old) that he was done breastfeeding & that was that.
So we are working on that gradual weaning process. But for now I’m pleased. I know it will get easier the more I stick to my guns.
And…I have a potty trained child!!!!! Yayyyy!!!!
Riley is doing great with potty training. GREAT. I’ve attempted to start potty training a couple times before, but I (and Riley) quickly got intimidated. I just felt too overwhelmed at taking on the task, especially with Averly running around as well. And Riley just didn’t seem quite ready either. He wouldn’t want to go in the potty & would rather just wear a diaper.
Well, on that Thursday morning I decided that I was ready to tackle it if Riley was. I told him that the store doesn’t make diapers for him anymore; only for babies like Averly. I put him in big boy underwear & asked him almost constantly if he needed to pee pee (just to remind him so he wouldn’t go in his pants). The first couple of days, despite my constant reminders, he did have 2-3 accidents. But we stuck with it, giving rewards of M&Ms, cookies, or chocolate covered raisins. Those are great incentive for him! I am happy to report that for the last 5 days, he has had ZERO accidents! Even during naps & at nighttime. I had thought for a split second about getting Pull Ups for bed time, but I feel like they would be a set-back because they are basically just diapers in themselves. So, underwear only & he has done great!
I am SO proud of my big boy but can’t believe he is no longer in diapers!!
Now Averly & weaning haven’t gone quite as well. I nursed her to 12 months, which was my goal. But since she turned a year old, I have tried to back off & put her on whole milk only. She does ok until she gets sleepy & wants me to hold her before I put her down for a nap or bedtime. If I am holding her, she wants to nurse. So I can’t really rock her to sleep anymore without a tantrum or her ending up nursing. Luckily though, she does great when I just lay her in her crib. She puts her self to sleep. So I guess rocking her is more for me. I love holding & rocking my babies more than anything so I miss that part when I just lay her in her crib.
Other times she will decide that she needs a quick drink & refuses her sippy cup. The girl just wants her Mama. I usually end up just giving in to satisfy her & avoid a meltdown but I can’t keep doing this forever. I wanted to have her weaned at a year but this is technically my first time to have to wean a baby. Riley just up & decided one day (around 8.5 months old) that he was done breastfeeding & that was that.
So we are working on that gradual weaning process. But for now I’m pleased. I know it will get easier the more I stick to my guns.
And…I have a potty trained child!!!!! Yayyyy!!!!
Monday, April 11, 2011
Botanic Gardens
Last weekend we went with some friends to the Botanic Gardens. This was our first time to go & we had a blast! It’s always a good time when these kids get together! They are the best of friends!
She wanted that stuff to come off of the wall so bad!
Peek-a-boo, Riley!!
The kids loved making music!
Averly tried so hard to keep up with the “big kids” but as soon as she got in on the action at one area, they had already moved on to the next!
Baby Girl was TIRED by the end!
Actually, they all were & all 4 kids piled on the stroller! Jana got her workout in for the day pushing that load!
I think Riley’s favorite part was seeing all the Coy fish. He loved pointing out their different colors.
Fun times with fun friends!
She wanted that stuff to come off of the wall so bad!
Peek-a-boo, Riley!!
The kids loved making music!
Averly tried so hard to keep up with the “big kids” but as soon as she got in on the action at one area, they had already moved on to the next!
Baby Girl was TIRED by the end!
Actually, they all were & all 4 kids piled on the stroller! Jana got her workout in for the day pushing that load!
I think Riley’s favorite part was seeing all the Coy fish. He loved pointing out their different colors.
Fun times with fun friends!
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
What has this cutie booty been up to?
Feeding herself with a spoon!
Sporting her first pigtails!
Falling on the concrete patio & scratching her poor little face all up! :0(
Playing outside. A LOT! WE are loving this weather!
And did you notice she isn’t wearing a bow in any of these pictures?! I am gasping for air right now!
Ever since turning 1, my Averly has become such a big girl! She is “talking” more & more. She is gaining quite the little vocabulary. Her words so far are:
Bah (Ball)
Choo (Juice)
Baa (Bath)
Bubba (For both Bubba & bubble)
Uh oooohh
Haaa (Hot)
And of course Mama & Dada that she has been saying for a while.
She also attempts new sounds when we practice like “ch” for cheese & “mmm” for milk. I think those will be the next to come about.
Averly recently started pointing to what she wants. She is picking up a habit from Riley as well. Riley likes for us to hold him up while he looks in the pantry for a snack & Averly has recently started grunting for me to pick her up & will then point to the pantry. Monkey see, monkey do.
She will also point to her nose if you ask her “Where’s Averly’s nose?” Sometimes she will point to mine if I say “Where’s Mama’s nose?”
She understands & follows simple commands such as “Go get your baby {doll}” or “Go find Riley/Mama/Dada/etc.” When it’s bath time I will say “Let’s go take a bath” and she runs to the bathroom saying “baa”.
My baby girl is getting so big!
Monday, April 4, 2011
Your Questions Answered!
Thank y'all for playing along & for all the questions! I heard from some people that don't usually comment, so that was fun! A lot of you had the same questions...how did we come up with the kids' names? & do we plan on having any more kids? I had fun answering all of these. If there is anything else you want to know, just ask!
How did you choose the names Riley and Averly?/How did you decide on your babies names?
Naming Riley was so easy! Riley is my maiden name & I have always said that I would name my first born (boy or girl) Riley. I like the name, plus it means something to me. Riley is actually his middle name. He is also named after his Daddy, Thomas, or TAG as most people know him. So we just put the two together & had Thomas Riley. See, easy right? :0)
Now Averly was a different story. It took us forever to decide on a name for her. There were 2 front-runners for most of my pregnancy. Anna Ryan, which we almost confirmed & announced, & Kemper. TAG wasn’t as on board with Kemper, but I love it & if, and that’s a HUGE IF we ever have another girl I would still love to name her Kemper.
So where did Averly come from? Unlike Riley, it is not a family name & had no meaning, other than we just liked it. One day we were headed to a Mississippi State football game & I noticed a sign in West Point for Old Waverly Golf Club. I turned to TAG & said “What about Waverly? That would be cute & different.” He wasn’t hooked & said that people would call her Wave for short. I didn’t like that either. So a couple days went by & then it just popped in my head. Averly. I loved it & immediately called TAG at work. He liked it too so we practiced saying it a few times & that was that! Then her middle name is Brooke, after TAG’s sister.
How many more kids do you want?/Do you guys plan on having any more children?!/Do you think your family is complete with your sweet babies or do you have a desire for more?
We aren’t planning on having any more kids. At least not right now. We both feel complete with two but that may change later on down the road. I have to admit I’ve had Baby Fever a lot lately, but I quickly talk myself out of wanting another right now when those thoughts enter my head. I think TAG feels the same way because sometimes he says little things about a 3rd child, but then is quick to say we are done.
When are you coming to Minnesota or when can we meet somewhere in between.. You Paige and I :)
Haha! I would love to come visit you in Minnesota, Erin! Or meet up somewhere fun in between! Maybe some day!
What is your favorite restaurant and why?
My favorite restaurant is our local Mexican restaurant. Mexican food is my favorite! I could probably eat it everyday! I have a few other little local restaurants that I love as well. Nothing against big chain restaurants, but I would rather go to little whole-in-the-wall places any day. Those are always my favorites.
How did you and Tag meet?/How did y'all meet?
We met in December of 2004 one night after a Grizzlies game. I was with a couple of my girlfriends & he was there with one of his friends. We just kinda spotted each other in the crowd & started talking. He asked for my number & did then our own thing the rest of the night. When we were on our way home he called me. I was hesitant to answer because it was only like an hour since we met. But I answered & he said that he was just calling to make sure I didn’t give him a made up number! I thought it was so cute!
Where are your favorite places to shop?
To be honest, now that I have kids I very rarely shop for myself any more. But when I do, TJ Maxx & Marshall’s are my favorites as well as Forever 21. Plus I love their prices! Also I love Target. It is my one stop shop. Love it, love it, love it!
Is your hubby a State grad or does he just like wearing State stuff? ;) Did you go to State as well?
No, TAG did not go to State. He is just a huge fan. Both of his parents went there though & his dad played football back in the 70’s for them. I didn’t go there either. I was born & raised a Tennessee fan but TAG has tried to convert me to a State fan. Which is fine, unless they are playing Tennessee! This is what happens when they do play each other!
I love the colors of your walls…can you post some pictures of your house?
First of all, thank you! You will see from these pictures I love Autumn colors in my home! The brownish-gold color is called Chickory by Porter Paint but I can’t remember what the red in my room or the blue in Averly’s is called.
Living Room.
Kitchen.
Breakfast area.
Averly’s room.
Riley’s room.
Our room.
Does your husband pick out clothing for the kids or is that your department?
That is definitely my department! I will let TAG dress the kids sometimes though. As long as we aren’t going out in public because there is no telling what they will end up in! He can never seem to match a complete outfit! One night a couple weeks ago I went out with some of my friends & when I got in I checked on the kids asleep in their beds to find Averly wearing her Thanksgiving turkey turtleneck with some bright pink leggings as pajamas! But he tries. Bless his heart.
What’s your favorite color?
Brown is actually my favorite color. It sounds so boring, but I just love the richness of the color brown. It also reminds me of fall, which is my favorite season. It just makes me happy.
I am always curious about what camera everyone shoots with. What do you use to photograph the kids?
I have a Nikon D5000. TAG got it for me almost 2 years ago for my Birthday & I still love it. I am by no means a professional, but I definitely enjoy taking pictures. Especially of my kids. I love learning new things on my camera & seeing fun new things I can do with it.
Where do you find all of the cute clothes Averly wears?/Where do you get your kids’ clothes?
I would say that probably 75% of Averly’s wardrobe is hand-me-downs. I get a lot of her clothes from a few different friends that have little girls a couple years older than Averly. Other than friends’ closets, I shop at a few little local boutiques around here. And another one of my favorites is Ebay. I buy most of Riley’s clothes off Ebay as well. You can find brand new items at a steal of a deal. Some of my favorite brands are LaJenns, Potato Saks, Peaches ‘N Cream, & Mary James. Lastly, I order some things online from the maker & almost always shop the clearance section. I just can’t force my self to pay $80+ for an outfit that will only be worn a couple times before they outgrow it. For play clothes, Target is my favorite. Especially for Riley.
What is your favorite thing to do when spending time with the kids/baby? :)
I love to do anything that involves spending time with my babies! I like to get them out of the house for fun activities at least a couple times a week-meaning going somewhere besides the grocery store! The winter months are so hard because I hate getting out in the cold & there is not a lot to do, but now that Spring is here we are loving going to the zoo, the park & on lots of playdates with friends. Yesterday afternoon we had a fun playdate with some friends at the Botanic Gardens here. I can't wait until it warms up & we will go to the splash park. That's another one of our favorites.
But we do spend the majority of our time at home & we go on walks, play basketball & baseball in the backyard, jump on the trampoline, build forts, swing...all kinds of fun things.
I also make it a point to integrate learning into our playing. Like with Riley, who has been learning colors, numbers, shapes & letters recently-I get him to point them out in different things he sees as we are walking/riding. At snack time I cut letters & shapes out of sliced cheese for his crackers & let him tell me what it is. He loves that!
How did you choose the names Riley and Averly?/How did you decide on your babies names?
Naming Riley was so easy! Riley is my maiden name & I have always said that I would name my first born (boy or girl) Riley. I like the name, plus it means something to me. Riley is actually his middle name. He is also named after his Daddy, Thomas, or TAG as most people know him. So we just put the two together & had Thomas Riley. See, easy right? :0)
Now Averly was a different story. It took us forever to decide on a name for her. There were 2 front-runners for most of my pregnancy. Anna Ryan, which we almost confirmed & announced, & Kemper. TAG wasn’t as on board with Kemper, but I love it & if, and that’s a HUGE IF we ever have another girl I would still love to name her Kemper.
So where did Averly come from? Unlike Riley, it is not a family name & had no meaning, other than we just liked it. One day we were headed to a Mississippi State football game & I noticed a sign in West Point for Old Waverly Golf Club. I turned to TAG & said “What about Waverly? That would be cute & different.” He wasn’t hooked & said that people would call her Wave for short. I didn’t like that either. So a couple days went by & then it just popped in my head. Averly. I loved it & immediately called TAG at work. He liked it too so we practiced saying it a few times & that was that! Then her middle name is Brooke, after TAG’s sister.
How many more kids do you want?/Do you guys plan on having any more children?!/Do you think your family is complete with your sweet babies or do you have a desire for more?
We aren’t planning on having any more kids. At least not right now. We both feel complete with two but that may change later on down the road. I have to admit I’ve had Baby Fever a lot lately, but I quickly talk myself out of wanting another right now when those thoughts enter my head. I think TAG feels the same way because sometimes he says little things about a 3rd child, but then is quick to say we are done.
When are you coming to Minnesota or when can we meet somewhere in between.. You Paige and I :)
Haha! I would love to come visit you in Minnesota, Erin! Or meet up somewhere fun in between! Maybe some day!
What is your favorite restaurant and why?
My favorite restaurant is our local Mexican restaurant. Mexican food is my favorite! I could probably eat it everyday! I have a few other little local restaurants that I love as well. Nothing against big chain restaurants, but I would rather go to little whole-in-the-wall places any day. Those are always my favorites.
How did you and Tag meet?/How did y'all meet?
We met in December of 2004 one night after a Grizzlies game. I was with a couple of my girlfriends & he was there with one of his friends. We just kinda spotted each other in the crowd & started talking. He asked for my number & did then our own thing the rest of the night. When we were on our way home he called me. I was hesitant to answer because it was only like an hour since we met. But I answered & he said that he was just calling to make sure I didn’t give him a made up number! I thought it was so cute!
Where are your favorite places to shop?
To be honest, now that I have kids I very rarely shop for myself any more. But when I do, TJ Maxx & Marshall’s are my favorites as well as Forever 21. Plus I love their prices! Also I love Target. It is my one stop shop. Love it, love it, love it!
Is your hubby a State grad or does he just like wearing State stuff? ;) Did you go to State as well?
No, TAG did not go to State. He is just a huge fan. Both of his parents went there though & his dad played football back in the 70’s for them. I didn’t go there either. I was born & raised a Tennessee fan but TAG has tried to convert me to a State fan. Which is fine, unless they are playing Tennessee! This is what happens when they do play each other!
I love the colors of your walls…can you post some pictures of your house?
First of all, thank you! You will see from these pictures I love Autumn colors in my home! The brownish-gold color is called Chickory by Porter Paint but I can’t remember what the red in my room or the blue in Averly’s is called.
Living Room.
Kitchen.
Breakfast area.
Averly’s room.
Riley’s room.
Our room.
Does your husband pick out clothing for the kids or is that your department?
That is definitely my department! I will let TAG dress the kids sometimes though. As long as we aren’t going out in public because there is no telling what they will end up in! He can never seem to match a complete outfit! One night a couple weeks ago I went out with some of my friends & when I got in I checked on the kids asleep in their beds to find Averly wearing her Thanksgiving turkey turtleneck with some bright pink leggings as pajamas! But he tries. Bless his heart.
What’s your favorite color?
Brown is actually my favorite color. It sounds so boring, but I just love the richness of the color brown. It also reminds me of fall, which is my favorite season. It just makes me happy.
I am always curious about what camera everyone shoots with. What do you use to photograph the kids?
I have a Nikon D5000. TAG got it for me almost 2 years ago for my Birthday & I still love it. I am by no means a professional, but I definitely enjoy taking pictures. Especially of my kids. I love learning new things on my camera & seeing fun new things I can do with it.
Where do you find all of the cute clothes Averly wears?/Where do you get your kids’ clothes?
I would say that probably 75% of Averly’s wardrobe is hand-me-downs. I get a lot of her clothes from a few different friends that have little girls a couple years older than Averly. Other than friends’ closets, I shop at a few little local boutiques around here. And another one of my favorites is Ebay. I buy most of Riley’s clothes off Ebay as well. You can find brand new items at a steal of a deal. Some of my favorite brands are LaJenns, Potato Saks, Peaches ‘N Cream, & Mary James. Lastly, I order some things online from the maker & almost always shop the clearance section. I just can’t force my self to pay $80+ for an outfit that will only be worn a couple times before they outgrow it. For play clothes, Target is my favorite. Especially for Riley.
What is your favorite thing to do when spending time with the kids/baby? :)
I love to do anything that involves spending time with my babies! I like to get them out of the house for fun activities at least a couple times a week-meaning going somewhere besides the grocery store! The winter months are so hard because I hate getting out in the cold & there is not a lot to do, but now that Spring is here we are loving going to the zoo, the park & on lots of playdates with friends. Yesterday afternoon we had a fun playdate with some friends at the Botanic Gardens here. I can't wait until it warms up & we will go to the splash park. That's another one of our favorites.
But we do spend the majority of our time at home & we go on walks, play basketball & baseball in the backyard, jump on the trampoline, build forts, swing...all kinds of fun things.
I also make it a point to integrate learning into our playing. Like with Riley, who has been learning colors, numbers, shapes & letters recently-I get him to point them out in different things he sees as we are walking/riding. At snack time I cut letters & shapes out of sliced cheese for his crackers & let him tell me what it is. He loves that!
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