Avery's TWO YEARS OLD!!!!

Here are some pictures from Avery's belated birthday party.  We had a fun party for her up in Utah on her actual birthday but we came home and had one with my parents a week later. She got this outfit from Omma and Ompa and it was so cute that I had to have her wear it for this. She got this little horse from Grammy and Papa, it attaches to the T.V. and she can do her ABCs and counting and all sorts of other things.  She really likes it.  She also got her first dress up cloths from Marisa and Jeremy and Ethan.  She loves the shoes and skirt especially.  She was insistent on wearing the skirt Christmas shopping the other day.  Brian and I let her wear it in the car and then we pulled a quick distraction to get it off before we actually got into the store. We probably should have just let her wear it.  I'm sure we will get more relaxed later on in our parenting years. Oh, and her cake turned out much better this year.  I don't know if anyone remembers the pictures last year, but it was awful.  We hope to never have one that turns out like that again.

Avery was doing pretty well at sharing with Ethan, sometimes she struggles with that but it is only with, go figure.

Here are the Sleeping Beauty shoes. When she walked around in them she looks like a little Grandma hunched over taking little steps.  We love it!

Here is the tiara and the dress again, isn't it sooo cute!

The Polar Express and Temple Square

Oma and Ompa took everyone on the Polar Express in Heber, Utah.  It was a 90 minute train ride that reenacts The Polar Express book. We got hot cocoa and cookies. They read the story to us and we met Santa and Mrs. Claus.  They also gave everyone a bell for the first gift of Christmas. Avery really liked the train ride and especially since she'd been on one earlier in the week. Ompa got a lot of good pictures so we didn't take that many, we will get some from him and hopefully post more later. 

Oma got the girls these pajamas and they all wore them on the train.  Aren't they so cute!

These are a couple pictures from temple square.  It was my first time.  I love this first picture that Brian took.  I can't believe I never went before after living in Idaho for years.   Oh well, it was worth the wait.

Thanksgiving in Utah

We had such a great time in Utah, it was sad to go.  It marked a few firsts for Avery.  Riding on a train, jumping on a trampoline and swinging on the big kid swing all by herself. I love this picture of Natalie, Avery, and Ashley.  They were going down the slide in a train and Ashley and Natalie would take turns being in the front and back.  They had so much fun. 

Here is Avery on the big kid swing

Natalie had a fun time going around really fast.  At one point Avery slid down to her feet in the middle of the tire swing.  Her little feet were moving so fast trying to keep up with Natalie's swinging so she wouldn't fall.  

Ashley was so good at being soft with Avery, she was like a little mommy.

Avery kept getting frustrated with her hat, it kept spinning around to where she couldn't see anything.  Those that were watching thought it was funny but I can imagine for a little two-year old that would be difficult.

Avery's Birthday Dinner at Spaghetti Factory

So, I have to say that Tami and Scott's girls are sooooo sweet to Avery.  They helped her get up and down the stairs multiple times a day (as it became a game for her) and they played pretty much whatever she wanted. As you can see from the picture they were often times holding hands together.  Cousins are so cute, we wish we lived closer. 

Our little family

Everyone

There must have been a lot of birthdays that night because we kept hearing the song sung by the wait staff.  They then came and sang it to Avery.  She wasn't sure who these people were singing, but by the time we got back home she was singing the song.  It is so cute to hear a two year old singing Happy Birthday.  They grow up too fast!!!

This Is The Place Monument

I know this is an awful picture of me, but everyone else looks good, and Avery loved this train.  She was so excited each time we saw it.  This is the first time trains have even interested her at all. Scott and Tami took us here and the kids had a great time.  At the Brigham Young home they got to write letters to Santa and then gave them to him and the adults really liked the hot apple cider that "Sister Young" provided.  It was a chilly evening so that hit the spot.  We saw a puppet show about how reindeer came into Christmas and then went to the live nativity.  (They even had a real camel). Following that we learned an old time dance.  Avery loved this part.  At the end of the dance it was time for everyone to leave and it looked like the musicians were ready to pack up as well, Avery walked up to the lady who was announcing and said, "One more?" It was so cute in her little voice so the lady had the musicians play one more waltz and our whole family danced and Avery danced with her little cousins.

This is pictures with Santa, unfortunately little Natalie was already on her way to the next thing so we missed her in this one. 

Here is Avery in the dance hall with Ompa.  This trip was fun for them because she 

actually wanted to be held by him quite a bit. 

Ward Halloween Party

This year, as you can see, we had Avery go as a Bumble Bee. She wasn't sure about the hood part at first but as soon as we got there she left it on the entire night. This year they had the kids play games to receive candy. She thought all the toss games were fun and was really excited when she got to choose something at the end. Avery tied for first place for her little costume, although she didn't have a clue she won anything. Brian was really excited about the massive candy bar they gave her (HIM) as a prize.

We just got there so she was still nervous

This is her friend Ethan who went as the tin man, they were both so cute

Brian represented the two of us by dressing up as a mad scientist

Avery and Ethan again. Oh, I forgot to say that once Avery had her bucket in hand it didn't matter what you did she was not going to let you have it. Her poor hands were getting imprints from holding it so tightly.

Mommy helping Avery get ready for the big night. Aunt Hannah is living with Grammy and Grandpa right now so she came down for the festivities.

So cute

Here is Avery's new apron, she wears it all the time. Last night we were making pizza and she came running in the kitchen with her apron so I could put it on so she could play with the flour.

Our little cook

Carving Pumpkins

Well, we were excited about carving pumpkins this year because we actually thought Avery would be into it, but we were wrong.  She doesn't like wearing her cover and hasn't since we got it for her months ago, and then she wasn't okay with how the pumpkin insides felt sooooo we hurried and finished hers so we could take pictures.

The beginning

After taking her cover off and one bow out

Final product with Daddy

Sporting a silly face with Mommy

A Little Bit of Avery

Avery has really been into wearing mommy's shoes around everywhere.  She puts many pairs on in a day and then lines them all up in my room.  She has also become pretty anal about having things in lines not stacking and keeping things the way she likes them.  The pictures of her DVDs are a good example of that.  I was in the back the other day and came out to see this on the floor.  She also does this with the books in her room, kitchen gear, and just about everything else.  She is cursed to have two parents who are a little obsessive compulsive.

Visiting Oma and Ompa in Chicago

We had so much fun in Chicago, and unfortunately we are just now getting to share our time there. This time we were there for 8 days so Avery got to get to know Oma and Ompa a little bit better.  Every morning she would yell downstairs "Oma,Oma" as she ran around looking for her. We took Avery to a couple of fun children's museums and she had so much fun, her most favorite was in the little grocery store that Oma took her around in.  The little carts were just her size and the food looked real.  She got to put it in her basket and then up on the counter to pay.  She thought that was great.  We went to the top of one of the tallest buildings there The John Hancock Building, it is an amazing view.  We went to the zoo, play ground, Navy Pier, and all sorts of other fun things. I realized after going through our pictures we don't have any with Ompa; however, he was able to take off quite a bit of time to spend with us so he was usually there even if we did a poor camera job. Thanks Oma and Ompa for such a great time.  We miss you

Navy Pier

Going fishing

I couldn't get both of them to look at the same time

Avery loved all the cause and effects toys

It was so cold this day but Avery just kept wanting to play

Here she is with her Oma

The John Hancock Building

View of downtown Chicago

Here's Brian trying not to laugh

The Lincoln Park Zoo

The exhibits were so close, as you can see we could get pretty close to this lion, and when it roared the halls echoed.  Avery was a little scared but when we started to make the noise back so did she and then she was excited.

More lions

We forgot to bring our camera this day, so this is the only picture we have of Avery doing her shopping.