Big Girl Changes for my BABY...

Daddy had flowers waiting for Avaree and me when we got home from our first day back to school. It was a hard day (for both of us), so the flowers (and more than that, just the THOUGHT) were extra special and sweet!!

The Sunday before school started we suprised Avaree with a big girl bathroom (before our guest bath was just a conglomerate of old stuff that we had). The first picture is soon after she had awoken from nap. She doesn't take change well (that's my fault, i don't either), so she wasn't happy at first. But, five minutes later...she was SO EXCITED! :)

This is when we first showed her.... :(

 And this was when she realized she had a "owl" bathroom! :)

 Her favorites: The pink stool and the owl towel (for sure).

 We also changed up her play room to give her more space to play like a big girl. I worked late into the night and then kept the door closed until the next day after nap. I finished it while she was napping! Then, Uncle Penser and Aunt Shannon came over!

Uncle Penser got to enjoy a tea party with Avaree in her re-arranged play room!! :) She LOVES this little table and chairs! She could play puzzles there all day long!!!!! :) 

 While Aunt Shannon helped me finish Avaree's room! I really wanted a chalkboard for Ave's playroom, so Shannon helped me make one! I bought a 50% off cheap frame at Hobby Lobby, and then we took the glass out and spray painted the cardboard with chalk spray paint! GENIUS! (Aunt Shannon is so good!)

Can you guess what is happening in this picture?

 It's the little things in life! :) This is just the cardboard after we painted it! Avaree thought it was the best fan ever! :)

 Aunt Shannon and Uncle Penser fun!

 Avaree LOVES it! :) YAY!

So, new playroom on Saturday and Sunday, new bathroom on Sunday, re-organized Avaree's room on Sunday night, started back to school on Monday, and then.... (do you have your kleenex ready?) a BIG GIRL BED on wednesday.

I feel my heart crashing to the floor again--just thinking about it! I was not prepared to MOURN her sweet little crib. In my mind, I assumed we would transfer her that weekend, since her bed wasn't supposed to be delivered until Thursday. Well, it came in on Wednesday (and B didn't have choir practice), so he put it together and dissassembled the crib THAT night. Avaree was soooooo excited, so that was good, but I was a complete basket case for at least a week. She looks so tiny in that big 'ole bed. Thankfully, it was a pretty seamless transition for her. She LOVES her big girl bed. We have a very specific night night routine, and she calls for me in the mornings: "Mommy, come see Avaree." :)

It seems like just yesterday I saw those tiny little hands escape her swaddle, and she looked so small in the crib. It seems like just yesterday that I saw those sweet little hands reach through the crib slats for the first time. It seems like yesterday that I watched on the monitor as those tiny little hands helped her pull up to the side of the crib for the first time. It feels like just yesterday that she reached her hands up toward me, and I picked her up out of that crib. It feels like just yesterday that we even put that crib together. I think that pretty much every Mom I know has told me some version of "enjoy it, it goes fast." But, I just don't think there is anything that can prepare your heart for how quickly it truly does go. I love each new stage, but oh how I wish I could hang on to some of them just a little longer. It seems like she loses more and more of her "baby-ness" each day. I know that is wonderful, and I am so proud of her. But, it is hard. I had no idea my heart could feel this much.

Look at this sweet face. This was the first thing she did when we showed her her "big girl bed." She was so happy. Lord help me on her wedding day!

 Timber came over to see what all the fuss was about. :)

 We take a bath (and wash the body with soap--that is ave's mantra), put jammies on, brush our teeth, read two books (Princess Baby Night Night and either The Princess and the Three Knights by Karen Kingsbury or The I Believe Bunny), say prayers, daddy leaves, and then mommy stays for two songs and then she goes to sleep on her own. (Except during Barton Family Sickness Palooza 2012, but more on that later!)

Be still my heart!

More pictures of her "new room" coming soon! Thanks to all of her grandparents, aunts and uncles, I only had to buy a couple of frames and a mirror! (Thank you, everyone!!!!!) Everything else is just re-arranged or put away.

Speaking of change, we have one more HUGE change around here. Avaree has started using the big girl potty a LOT more. :) Just last night Avaree was reading a book on the floor, and she said, "Mommy, I go use the potty all by myself." I yelped with joy and ran her to the bathroom, where thirty seconds later she had a big 'ole poopy! :) She was SOOOOOO proud of herself! (And I was soooo proud!! We called daddy and told him right away--he was at church!) This was huge, because usually I initiate the potty talk, but this time, SHE DID. :) She will kill me one day, but this picture is precious, and it doesn't show a thing.

 Stay tuned! And yes, I cry every time I write these! (Do you expect anything less?) :)
Thanks for keeping up with our family. Many blessings to you and yours...

Happy Birthday, G-Pops! :)

Happy Birthday to Avaree's G-Pops today!!!! :) We hope this is your best year yet! We love you!!!

My little beauty! :)

I. love. her.

 Time out can happen anywhere... :)

Fun with our Timber friend! :)

We have the best neighbors in the whole wide world. :) In fact, I'm pretty sure that the only reason God sent us to Little Elm, TX was to meet them! We are so blessed by Jake, Ginger and sweet Timber! Not to mention, Avaree a-d-o-r-e-s them! These are just a few shots of some of our favorite people!!!!

 Take 1 of 15, but this one is too funny! :)

 Mrs. Ginger love!

 My favorite!

 Sweet T likes wrapping paper more than presents! :)

:)

Confessions of a Working Mommy

*This post makes me feel very vulnerable, but I never want to forget these details. I hope it is an encouragement to even one person.
Sometimes I wear the working mommy hat well, and other times it is an emotionally-draining, heart-wrenching experience. This week (and most of this semester so far) it has been the latter. For four days in a row, it took two teachers to pull Avaree off of me, and I had to leave her screaming. This isn’t the cry for one minute—just long enough to make me feel awful—and then she is fine thing. This is full-on gut-wrenching hysterics. While I try to justify these episodes away with the rain, not feeling well, separation anxiety, etc., but the bottom line is that my baby wants to be with me (and I feel like it is my fault that she can’t be home playing like a “normal” child, despite the fact that there are hundreds of children in the same building as her that are clearly normal with working parents). She likes school—loves it, in fact—but she wants me to stay too. It is on these mornings when I beat myself up emotionally all the way to school, and all day while I am at school, and it is only relieved by two little arms outstretched to me at 4:30 pm (and Lord help the red lights or broken copy machines that slow me down) in the afternoon. It is also on these mornings that I make myself so sick on the way to school that I am forced to pull over at the shady convenience store, leave my car running, and grab my toddler out of her car seat only to put her on my lap in the outside-entrance-only bathroom—if I make it in time (I have UC, so this is a part of our lives.). It is also on these days that I trick myself into believing that everyone else does this well (and better than me). I see hundreds of Mommies every day, and they don’t seem to have tears in their eyes. They don’t look like they are on the brink of an emotional meltdown. But, then I hear a whisper: My grace is sufficient for you. I know, God, I do know that, but you just don’t understand. I don’t understand? I watched my son die on a cross, and you think I don’t understand? Well, okay. Maybe you do. But, why do we have to go through this every day. There is a season for everything. But why does Avaree have to be so affected by all of this? For I know the plans I have for Avaree—Plans to give her a future and a hope. For I know the plans I have for your family—a plan to give you a future and a hope.

So, even on days that I don’t wear any of my hats well, and I have decided that I am terrible at all of this, he loves me, he loves my family, he has a plan, and he reminds me of all of that. I’ve never heard God speak to me in such a direct way.
This morning I decided that we weren’t going to have another morning like that. So, I started praying for Avaree out loud when we were about 10 minutes from her school. I prayed for her, while holding her little foot, until I parked the car (and searched for 3 minutes for my keys—secretly berating myself for losing three minutes of hold time to look for my keys, oh well). As we were walking into her school, I reminder her that Mommy loved her and that she was never alone. I told her that I would be back for her like always, and reminded her that if she became sad, she could put her little hand on her cheek and my kisses would be there (thank you, The Kissing Hand). Then, we walked in the door. I signed her in, hugged her, and helped her find a pretty red ring to hold. Then, I walked out saying “Mommy loves you. Have a great day at school.” No tears were shed. No screams were heard. The teachers were readying the kids to commute from the large room to their individual classrooms, so no one even noticed the huge milestone that had just taken place. But I did. And He did. And I called Brandon when I got to school.

I am thankful today that he hears my prayers.

Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. –1John 5:14

Christmas with Mom Mom and Pop Pop!

We had a great time in Hemphill too! We even got to be there on the 27th for the extended-family Christmas. It hardly ever works out for everyone to be there at once, but we were happy it worked this year! Again, it was a short trip, but it was oh so fun! Again, the backdrop for pictures is just gorgeous. I love being outside when we are there. And....so does my daughter; can you tell? :) We probably weren't there five minutes before she was asking to swing! :) I don't blame her.

 Mom Mom love :)

 Aunt Shannon and Ave :)

My nephew, Ranger, is probably the most photographic dog on the planet. He LOVED posing for me too! :)

 family shot :)

 beautiful Shannon and her new baby :)

 Uncle Spencer and Avaree playing "Silent Night." I have a least a thousand memories of Spencer playing "The First Noel" out of the Alfred Christmas song book. It was always our favorite because it was so easy, but mom got so excited when we played! :)

 Daddy and Ave playing trucks in the play room :)

Pearson Family picture 2011!

(minus Devin, I'm still trying to figure out photo shop when you don't have the perfect picture!)

 Silly Uncle Shea and Avaree :)

 Again, don't you think he is photogenic??

 I took a few pictures of Liz while we were there! My stylists (Shannon and Maisie) and I had lots of fun!

 Silly Uncle Spencer and Shea! Again, I have about a thousand memories of this too! We have a tradition of singing Kareoke every Christmas! :) This was Shannon, Maisie, and Avaree's first year to participate!!!!!!!!! I think Avaree won with her renditions of "Twinkle Twinkle" and "Far Away Places!" :) But, these two crack me up! From years of being hit by their nerf guns, to our senior trip to Alabama (just the three of us--yes, oh my is right) to late night talks, to hurricanes, to weddings, we have been been through a lot together!

 Avaree opening one of her many presents with Mom Mom! :)

This ends the documentation of our formal celebration of Christmas with our families, but my prayer is that we would celebrate Christmas all year long! I was making a cake for Brandon yesterday, and while I was icing it, Avaree randomly said, "It's a birthday cake for Jesus, Mommy?" Yes, baby. That's right.

Love to all.