The Fifth Week of Firsts...

Loving on Uncle Spencer! He usually comes to visit us on Wednesdays!
Keller loving on Baby Avaree!!

PRECIOUS: Taking a nap with Daddy!

Momma love at the park!

The first of many future trips down the slide with Daddy at the park!!

Dr. Neal (delivered Avaree) and Avaree!! He thought she was so beautiful!!

Momma, Avaree and Dr. Neal!

Riding in her stroller! She loves the sunshine and watching the shadows go by!

It seems like Avaree changes a little bit every day! These are her firsts this weeks...

--She moved from her newborn diapers to ONES! (bittersweet for Momma!)

--She can follow her mobile with her eyes when she sits in her swing. Before she would just sit there and stare into space, but now she recognizes objects and focuses on them really well!
--We went for a ride in the stroller for the first time this week!! (twice)

--Avaree went to the park for the first time and went down the slide with Daddy!

--Last night, Avaree slept from 10:30 pm to 5:45 am!! Can you believe it?? :)

We had such a fun week!! Avaree also got to meet her cousins Colton and Keller! They are thirteen months old and only stopped for a few mintues at a time to notice Avaree, but rest assured that by this time next year they will all be chasing one another! Also, I had my 6 week (a little early) postpartum visit with Dr. Neal this week and Avaree went with me! Dr. Neal held her and all the nurses had to comment on how cute her outift was--she was certainly the princess of the doctor's office!

We hope you enjoy the pictures!!

Our little pumpkin...

My sleepy little pumpkin...

On our way home... :)

"Yay! We're home!"

Last night our sweet sunday school class had a pumpkin carving party at the McCrady's beautiful home in Frisco and we brought our sleepy little pumpkin... :) Enjoy!

Almost Five Weeks...

Paige Madelynn Parlin

Our outing for the week was getting to go to the hospital (the same one Avaree was born in) to see Avaree's baby cousin: PAIGE MADELYNN PARLIN! We got there right in time for Brad and Dane (Paige's big brother) to make the big annoucement: It's a BABY GIRL! Avaree and Paige are one month and one day a part! I know they will have fun growing up together and playing princesses! :) Avaree loved getting to see everyone at the hospital! She was wide awake and watching everything!




Pictures of our sweet baby....

Sweet baby sleeping...

Hi Momma!!

Morning time with Mommy in the big bed!!! :)

We love ruffles!! (Especially when they are pink and brown!)

Hanging out on the couch (sitting up, mind you!) with Momma and Daddy!

Last week Avaree had her one month well-baby visit at the pediatrician and we found out that she weighs 9 lbs, 6 oz!! She's come a long way from that little baby that couldn't gain weight, eh? :) She is in the 75 percentile for her weight, height and head. She even grew another inch! The sad part of the doctor visit was getting her hep b shot: She cried her first real tears! Brandon and I thought we were going to lose it. We just held her hands while they poked her sweet little leg and then swiftly scooped her up! It was the SADDEST thing!! She screamed for a good 5-6 minutes after that! Her two month visit is when we have to get FOUR shots--aaah! Momma will be a mess!

In other news, last night, Avaree slept in her CRIB from 11pm to 4:30 am! Momma got up several times to check on her and even brought a pillow into her room so that she could be right beside her crib...but she did it! She's growing up!!!!!!!!!!!

Four Weeks: Where Did the Time Go?

"I'm a movie star..."
Happy ONE MONTH BIRTHDAY, Avaree!! (Thank you, Tootsie for my outfit!!)

Mommy love!

Cuddle time with Papa Bear and Nanna D

I'm so stinkin' cute my Mommy just can't stop taking pictures of me!!! :)

Our sweet baby is four weeks old!!! We had a very eventful weekend and enjoyed our visit with Nana D, Papa Bear and Aunt Connie! Last night was Avaree's first night in her big girl crib. Of course I checked on her 23 times, but she loves her bed and we love watching her on the tv monitor! She slept there for almost 4 hours without a peep! We are working on our schedule this week and hoping that our nights get a little easier!

Last week I (very gratefully) extended my leave to 8 weeks so I have 3 and 1/2 more weeks with my baby girl. I'm once again on the "don't think about it" policy and hoping that it will be easier once the time comes.

Funny Story of the Week: Daddy was going to sing a solo at Pwood on Sunday so we tried to get to church (and did so successfully thanks to "the village" that helped me get us there) and in between church and sunday school I was looking for somewhere to feed Avaree and after trying unsuccessfully to nurse her in a bathroom stall, we found a handicap shower stall and improvised there... :) Needless to say, we don't get out much! :) It is something that I will never forget.

bath time!!

Sweet angel girl... She doesn't sleep in her crib at night yet (still in the cradle in our room), but she loves to get in it during the day and look around!

"Tell me about it, stud." :) I LOVE this picture!!!

Okay, now here's the part she hates: drying off. :(

"Mommy, Daddy, I'm getting so excited!"

"Okay, so maybe I do like this whole bath thing."

The first few times that we sponge bathed Avaree she screamed her head off!! It was so pitiful sounding, but so darn cute at the same time! The girl just does not like to be naked (and I am not complaining about this!!)! However, this week we started letting her sit in just a little bit of warm water while we bathe her and shampoo her hair. SHE LOVES IT! I kept telling her, "I promise you will love baths soon; Mommy loves baths!!" We are so happy that she seems to enjoy it now and it is becoming part of her evening routine!!

Three Weeks of His grace...

Tummy time with Daddy!!
Sleeping like an angel.... :)

Bright eyes!

Hi Mommy!!

Granmamma love...

At Avaree's two-week well-baby check up on Wednesday, we learned the following statistics:

--She is back at her birth weight (7 lbs, 13 oz), putting her in the 35th percentile for her weight

--She has Mommy's head and not Daddy's as she is in the 50th percentile (among her peers) for the size of her head! :)

--She is still 20 1/2 inches long and in the 70th percentile for her height!

We had another fun weekend with a visit from Granmama and Granpapa. Avaree got to be a moviestar with all of the cameras flashing! Our wedding photographer from College Station was in town and came by to snap a few pictures too!

We love her so much and I can't imagine life without her. Please enjoy the pictures.

Two weeks...

Happy Birthday, baby girl!! 10/05/09

Laughing at Daddy!! First laugh: 10/4/05!!! I wish I had this on video!!!!


Avaree got to meet her big brother, Gimli! He was so good with her!!

The Barton's

G-Pops and Avaree

Miss Avaree was two weeks old yesterday! I cannot believe how quickly the time has flown by. Praise the Lord she has gained weight and is only two ounces under her birth weight now! I was working hard to feed her on demand and them pump as much as possible to supplement. We had an eventful weekend: Gigi, G-Pops and Gimli came for a visit and Avaree received lots of lovin'. :) We are looking forward to visits from the other grandparents in the next couple of weeks.

Who knew I could love something so much and so quickly? She's the best. Please enjoy the most recent pictures!!

AVAREE = Angel!! :)

She sleeps just like her daddy!

Tummy time!

First trip to the doctor!

Our trip home from the hospital as a family!

Alert! She is so advanced...

Well...she's here! Our apologies for not getting pictures up sooner, but our internet has been down for weeks! Thank you all for your prayers and encouraging words!! I have about 87 phone calls to return, but can't seem to put my little angel down long enough to get much done...so please forgive me! :)

There are really no words to tell you how amazing the last couple of weeks have been. Brandon, Avaree and I have had time to bond as a family, and despite the lack of sleep, it has been pure joy! More updates to come, but please enjoy the pictures for now...