Downtown

With the Gus Macker and the St. Thomas festival going on, we went down town to see the action. Avery got her first visit to a bounce house, and enjoyed it very much, once she figured out what it was. She liked it so much that I had to go in and drag her out kicking and protesting vigorously.

Pool!

I had Friday off, and Mommy had a half day, so we filled up the pool. Avery was ready to go as soon as she saw it.

She was tickled at the idea of own pool.




The water was cold, but she didn't want to get out of the pool, except to sit on daddy's lap to warm up.

Playground

Almost every day we head out to the playground at the church down the street. Avery likes the swings, especially tilting her head back.

She also has learned to climb the rock wall by herself.

The toddler jungle gym has a very fast slide.


At the bottom are rocks.

So she usually goes flying when she comes down the slide.

But she dusts herself off and heads off to have another go.

Mark, Go!

Megan called me while I was on my way home, and told me that Avery was crouching down, saying mark, and then go, and then running around the dining room table. I don't know where she learned it, but I guess she is naturally cut out for track.

DC

We took a trip this past weekend, to a family reunion/memorial service in Reston Va, near Washington DC. We didn't actually set foot in DC, but we enjoyed its various highways and suburbs.

We left at the crack of dawn in the rain. We were about an hour and half into the ride when all of a sudden, Avery sat upright and puked up a banana we had given her a half hour before. She started crying and puking, and saying "boo-boo, boo-boo." I was ready to turn around and head back, but I was overruled after we got her cleaned up. We stopping in Washington PA, where we had breakfast. Apparently feeling better, Avery ate her weight in pancakes and bacon. The rest of the trip, with A/C on, she enjoyed, playing with some new little people, watching a dvd and taking a nap.

After settling in the hotel, we put pennies in the fountain and took a swim. That was pretty much the theme of the weekend. There are a lot more pennies in the fountain now than before we arrived.

Friday night wasn't really so much for the wee-ones, so we left the family dinner before the food arrived and had a Panera picnic in our hotel room. By then it was well past her bed time, and we figured she wouldn't want to sleep in her portable crib, since we were in the room, so we put her in our king sized bed. She takes up a lot of room for a toddler, and none of use slept all that well.

Saturday we got up and took a look at the art show outside the hotel. Lots of neat stuff, but it wasn't really Avery's scene either, so we went swimming. She was not pleased to get out of the pool, but did well during a visit to Aunt Lily's house. After a drive for a nap, we gathered for a picture, eventually, after a final straggler showed up. She was not pleased to be taken from her fountain and pile of pennies for a picture, and made her displeasure known. She had a good time at the "Buffalo style" pub we went to, and enjoyed a walk after, where we met a couple and their doggies.

The trip home was good too, with her taking a long, two-hour nap, playing with little people, and watching a dvd. Overall, apart from want to swim more and spend more time with the fountain, she did very well.

Snack time at the art show.

Swimming!

Pennies with Claire and Colin.

The Haas clan.

Hangin' with 'enry.

Grandma finds an unending source of pennies.

With Claire on the stairs.

Enjoying cheese dip with grandma.

dog attack with Henry.

grandparents and their grandchildren.

hanging out in Herdon. Avery found the hole in the block of rock fascinating, and this was the only way we could get a group picture- by standing near the rock.

What a GREAT Dog

Rosie is such a GREAT dog! She is so tolerant of Avery. Lately Avery like to do everything with or for Rosie, she likes to feed her, take her outside, dry her with a towel, read to her, give her hugs and kisses, etc. Here she is giving Rosie a puzzle piece of a dog...




The puzzle piece wasn't enough so then she shared her hat...



And how about a good body slam?

Little People

Avery loves her little people, she could play with them for hours! We have a whole town set-up in the playroom but sometimes she likes to take them outside for a change of scenery.

Gathering

A pre mothers day gathering at grandma and grandpas house brought the three youngest members of the family together for bubbles, toys and dinner.




Avery chases a bubble.



Henry enjoyed a noisy purple duck. He was about the only one that did.

The Hot Tea Experience

Grammie and Avery have an afternoon ritual, a taste of caffeine-free hot tea.

Avery helps to make it...

And then waits impatiently...

And then gets a shot glass-full.

Dolly Time

Suddenly Avery likes to play with her dollies. After not caring all that much about them for 18+ months she came down stairs one day and wanted to play. She feeds them, rocks them, and asks mommy and daddy to change their diapers.