Christmas Eve

On Christmas Eve we had Uncle Chris, Aunt Shannon, Audrey, Henry, Grandma and Grandpa Crook and Grandma and Grandpa McGee, and our friends Nichole and Dustin over. It was lots of fun. Avery got a new tent from Uncle Chris and lots (24 flavors) of Playdough from Nichole.

ZooLights!

We went to ZooLights at the Columbus Zoo the Saturday before Christmas. It was a warm day, although a bit rainy, and the place was mobbed. Everywhere we went it was shoulder to shoulder. Avery's first request was the snakes, so we went to see the snakes and turtles.


This picture doesn't really do ZooLights justice. It is pretty amazing, if only for the volume of lights.
Looking at the snakes.

Franklin, Sarah, Henry and Xavier Bates met us there, and we hung out for a little while.

Riding

Apart from standing on my stomach, Avery sometimes likes to ride me around like a horse.

Puzzle Time

Avery has been enjoying her puzzles of late, putting them together, and then turning them over and letting the pieces fall.

Heavy Lifting

Avery decides to help carry the toilet paper after grocery shopping.

Cousins

The post Thanksgiving get together at Grandma and Grandpa's was full of kids. Avery had a grand time hanging out with cousins Alex, Nate and Lauren.

Butterfly Wings pt 2

After leaving her butterfly wings upstairs, we had a conundrum; get them, or just try on the other pair!

Thanksgiving

We went to Uncle Chris and Aunt Shannon's house for Thanksgiving. It was fun. There were kids everywhere.

Is that a wig? No, it's real!

Two little ladies.
Avery pushes Henry...
Henry pushes Avery...


Grandkids galore!

Little girls are delicious. Grandma and grandpa try raspberries.

Butterfly Wings

Avery decided she wanted to wear her butterfly wings the other day. I showed her what they looked like in the mirror.

Ridin'

In the Closet

Avery wanted to play in the closet the other day. Never had before, and even Rosie came in for a while, until she stunk the place up. Avery figured out the doorknob, and said "daddy, you stay in closet, be right back, go get ticket (coupon the carries around)."

More Conversations with Avery

"Who's here? Oh Daddy, its you!"- when I came home from work today.

"Daddy, this is my friend Mommy, you say hi mommy?"

" Daddy, you want to see picture of bald eagle? bald eagles say haw, haw."- showing me a picture of a bald eagle after work.

"I save daddy, boulder fall on daddy's leg." playing with a pillow and her horse.

"Rosie slide butt! Rosie slide butt!" When the dog does that thing dogs do.

Avery rides her horsie. Yee haw!

Forts

We built a fort the other day, and Avery decided to get on the "roof" crushing me under it. Then I held it so she could lay on it, and she had a grand time.

Hand

Avery likes to play with her hand. She makes it talk, and talks to it, and uses it as a character when she plays. Here she is playing with her hand and her Little People house.

Not Helping Daddy Rake

Raking a while ago, when it was still nice out. Avery didn't help so much as undo what I had already rake. But a good time was had by all.

Talking With Avery

From recent conversations with Avery;

this morning, after a bird pooped on my head;

me: "Avery, a bird pooped on my head."
A: "I'm wearing a hat."

"nice to see you" after reaching for someone's hand.

"be gentle!" while getting her hair brushed.

"all my friends are coming to grandma's birthday."

me: "who are you calling, Avery?"
A: "Uncle Chris"

while playing with the phone this morning;
"hello? no, he not home."

"1, 2, 3, 4, 6"

"rock and roll, daddy" making a musical selection (the Black Keys) for the ride to grandpas house.

"no rock and roll!" not liking Led Zeppelin on the way to grandpas.

more to come, as soon as we remember some more.

Halloween

Avery dressed as a cowgirl for halloween. Lisa across the street gave her her first piece of candy, which she enjoyed. After visiting two houses, we came home and Avery passed out candy for the rest of the night.

Avery's opinion of carving a jack-o-lantern.

Catching Up

A few pictures from recently, more or less.

Say Cheese.




Cooking. I can't remember why she was cooking, but she came in to the kitchen and got a thing of some kind of spice and went to her kitchen and cooked for a while.

Halloween: jack-o-lantern, these two pictures sum it up:

A tentantive feel of the pumpkin...

And then a wholesale rejection of the idea of touching in the "gooey" insides. Last year she was all about making a mess. This year, less so.

Doing Laps

After dinner, Avery wanted to go outside and look at the halloween lights across the street. She didn't want to go right in, instead we ran laps around the house- at least a dozen. She said, "you can't get me" so we chased her, and said "I'm gonna get you" and she would reply "give me time to run." As we were slowing down, she said "shhhh, quiet, I have to show you something." Then "you smell something?" What, I asked; "dog poop."

Daddy's Birthday

Cuddling with Daddy



Saturday was Chris's birthday and he had to work so Avery and I made him a cake and decorated the house. When I asked Avery if she wanted to help make daddy's cake she said "sure". But once she realized what it really entailed she changed her mind telling me "not". Well once she heard the mixed go she thought she would "help" by licking the mixers. What a great helper she is!!




"What?"



Helping Daddy with presents.



On Sunday we went to Dillion State park and took a walk in the woods and played on the playground. Avery got to pet a pony that was there walking the trails with really made her day!!!