two weeks in paradise- AKA- REXBURG!!

After Christmas Chris had to go back to Boise for work. Because I am still on maternity leave from work, I decided to stay in Rexburg for a few weeks to spend time with my family and have a little help with Avalee. It was sooo nice to have my parents and family around. I wish we lived closer to them. I really missed Chris and probably could not have done it without using face time on our iphones every night, but I really loved being around my family for a few weeks.

My parents seriously have a magic touch or smell or something- Ava LOVES them! They always know how to calm her down when she is fussy. I wish I could have them around always.

 haha- Look at those cheeks!! Ava and I both got chubby while we were in rexburg- too much good home cooking! She looks so cute :)

These adorable kids are avalees cousins. They are so sweet to her. Colt and Jack were so good at singing and entertaining her.

 Ava loves her cousins Kate and Anni. They are so sweet to her and are going to be great babysitters this summer!!

 Colt and Avys matching black tights- haha- we might have to make fun of him when he is older!

One day we took Nana up to St. Anthony to get her hair done and a mani pedi- she is 97- so cute that she still loves and gets to pamper herself! Then we went to Chizs for lunch. I grew up going there with Nana so its so great that Avys first restaurant experience is at Chizs with Nana!

 I didn't take enough pictures but, we did spend some time out at Bonnie and Warrens. I love them so much and I am so lucky to have them as my parents-in-law. Avy is a lucky girl to have such amazing grandparents that love her so much.

(I love Avys little toes sticking out of her bag pjs)

Its was sad not spending New Years with my best friend, Chris. At midnight we were on iphone face chat, both laying in bed. Not too exciting. But I gave Avy plenty of new years kisses!

Two crazy kids that had a fun new years were my parents!! They went to a murder mystery party and had to dress up as Will Smith and Oprah- haha. It was fun helping them get ready. They are so fun and always doing fun things with their friends.

these are just a few cute pictures I sent Chris while he was away. Every day she gets a little bigger, a little more smiley, more awake, more coos and little baby words, and more fun! I didn't want Chris to miss any of it so I sent him a lot of pictures and videos.

 I found this old dress of mine when I was a baby. Avalee looked so dang cute in it!!

I Loved our time in Rexburg and am already excited to go back :) The only bad part was being away from Chris for so long. We will have to do it all together sometime!! 

Avalee is lots more happy when there are people around talking and loving her and we had a lot of this in rexburg. It is pretty quiet at home when Chris is at work soooo, our door is open to any visitors who want to come play!! Come visit us in Boise!!

Christmas

Christmas in Rexburg is the best. Full of family and christmas parties and way too much delicious food. It was a perfect christmas.

This was Ava's first big trip to Rexburg. 

We had a few sad moments but for the most part, she slept and was perfect. 

Friday night we had the Thomason family Christmas party. We had a great dinner and a special little program. Warren and Bonnie always make the Christmas program so wonderful.

Avalee had a very special part in the nativity. She played a great little baby Jesus :)

 

Grandma Ardith gave all the greatgrand kids a 5 dollar bill! We are starting her college fund now :)

 

Taylor played a great Santa. Avalee is already scared of Santa haha!!

Saturday night (christmas Eve) was with the Websters up at Mandy and Bradys house. Again, amazing food and a cute little nativity- This time Chris and I had to play Mary and Joseph and Avy was baby Jesus again. We had such important roles this year :)

 

(Mandys house is amazingly beautiful. She should be a professional decorator) 

How lucky is Avalee to have a Great Great Grandma!! We Love Nana. She is 97 and still wants to come to all the parties and is always the center of attention.

We spent the night at the Thomasons house with Colby, Denise, Mike and Brittany. All the girls stayed up until about 3am just talking about everything. I loved it! We were pretty tired the next day but I sure love our girl time together.
Christmas Morning at the Thomasons.

This is what santa got Avy this year for christmas :) Lucky girl- and maybe this will give my swinging arms a little rest ha.

Then we headed up to the Webster for opening presents and Moms Famous Christmas morning breakfast. Christmas wouldn't be Christmas without her breakfast.

                                      

 Christmas dinner was out at the Thomason.

Avy loves foot and leg rubs!

Avalee got this book from Bonnie and Warren. It is a recordable book so it has their voices reading the book to her. So Cute and she loves it!

Christmas was amazing. We were SOO spoiled- way nice pots and pans, ipods, workout kinect games, clothes, car safety kit, baby toys and clothes, and that is only a few of the great gifts we got. We have the most wonderful family. We are so blessed. But I think our favorite gift this year was this little princess. She even gave me the gift of sleeping 7 hours straight a few nights in a row. Im a lucky mom.

1 month

Avalee is getting so big! I cant believe she is already 1 month old. She is so fun and cute! We just love her so much
These are a few of her favorite things....and my favorite things :)

her pacifier, our Christmas tree and a sleeping baby! She love the christmas lights. I guess these are mostly my favorite things- she doesn't really love the pacifier but im trying to make her like it)

 She is starting to really love bath time. She use to hate it but now she could sit there for a hour if I let her.

 This is one of my favorite things. I could hold her like this all day.

 She LOVES when I dress her up and take pictures- can you tell?! haha. I love that she is still in newborn clothes and diapers. she is just a little doll.

 Loves her bouncy chair- and I love her double chin. haha

LOVE the moby wrap! I can use both hands and she loves walking around with me- always puts her to sleep! doesn't she look cute in there :)

She loves getting her diaper changed. She always chills out when she is on her little changing table. 

love this little milk face

She is a Super Model!!

Im pretty sure we have the most beautiful girl ever! These were taken at 10 days old.

Thank you Clint for being our photographer! (checkout his blog for all of Ava's pictures http://clintondene.blogspot.com/ )

Thanksgiving

SO much to be thankful for this year. Chris and I are so blessed. We have the most beautiful, healthy, perfect little girl. We have the most amazing family that has helped us these past few weeks. We have a warm beautiful home, our health, our jobs, our love for each other...the list could go on and on! We feel like the most lucky and blessed people in the world.
This year thanksgiving was a little different. Because Avalee is still so small, and I am still trying to adjust to no sleep, we decided to stay in Boise and have our own little thanksgiving. We missed our family (and all the amazing food) but it was nice to be home and lazy all day. Our dinner was takeout from cracker barrel- ha! But it actually was good and the best part is it required no work!! We spent the day in PJs watching movies and cuddling our little Ava :) It was a perfect thanksgiving!

We were lucky enough to have Chris's parents come Friday and Saturday. Bonnie and Warren are so wonderful. They were such a huge help! They took care of all the diapers, burping, bouncing, reading, and cooking all weekend. Ava loved every minute and we have loved all the freezer meals Bonnie made! (she made 6 freezer meals in one night-amazing!) It was really sad to have them leave :( 

Just for my record....I am so grateful for sleep!!! I haven't be getting much recently so I really have learned to appreciate it :) This is what we do every night around 2, 4, 6 and 8am... good thing she is so dang adorable and sweet to make it worth it :)