baby ballerina

Today Averi got a package in the mail from a friend of mine named Holly... it was an adorable baby ballerina tutu attatched to a onesie that said her name on it...possibly one of the cutest things I have put her in! Thank you miss Holly!

One month check up!

Averi had her one month check up this past Wednesday. The doctor said she looked great and is strong and healthy and progressing nicely. she is nine pounds (the fiftieth percentile) even and 22 inches long(the ninetieth percentile), meaning she has grown two inches since birth and gained almost two pounds... GO AVERI!

Memorial day!

Kevin, Averi and I took our first road trip this weekend. We drove four hours to TN to Kevin's family farm for a memorial day celebration get together! What a blessed weekend it was... Averi was such a great traveler, only fussing when it was time to eat!
Almost all of Kevin's family was there and Averi was certainly spoiled, I don't think she was put down once the whole weekend (besides the occasional nap and of course bed time)... she ate up the attention and I dare say Kevin's family ate her up ! We are so blessed to be part of such a sweet family and thoroughly enjoyed introducing Averi to them!... unfortunately I forgot the camera so I have no pictures...sad times!

Averi's nursery!

Her armoire from PopPop
Armoire!

Area rug with Lancey posing!
curtains
bedding!
crib and name!
A sweet pic Kev got me... it's a girl with auburn pom pom and says "in training"!

The cradle, in our room... Kevin was rocking her to sleep!
Glider
Pictures over glider
changing table
Crib

Averi's nursery was one of the funnest things to work on while I was pregnant! I have to admit though I really didn't do much work, I more came up with an idea and had Kevin, his parents and mine executed it!

Her room really was a labor of love! I painted the letters over her bed which I got from Michael's. Averi's Nana and Papa Yates (as well as daddy) painted her walls pink. A family friend gave us her crib and changing table which Pop Pop Buchwald painted black. Nana and Papa Yates bought us the lovely glider chair. Pop Pop Buchwald and Daddy built the armoire which Nana and Papa Yates painted for us! And finally Meemom Buchwald made sheets, a crib skirt, curtains and a pillow for her room as well as buying us the adorable area rug! Thank God for grandparents!

VICTORY!

Averi sleeps so well and so soundly (usually) after she is asleep... getting her to sleep however can be quite the task! Kev and I have been working on helping Averi learn to go to sleep on her own... So without needing to eat or being rocked. Kevin has spent the last couple nights battling Averi's screaming and putting her passy back in her mouth because I can not handle her crying... although I know it a necessary evil! She did better last night then she did the night before which was encouraging. Today however I laid her down in her pac n play to take her nap, after only about two minutes of crying and battling she was OUT! Praise the Lord!

Pictures I promised to post from my third and final shower!

Me and Linz at my last baby shower!
Me and susan... she won the "break the water" game... Go Susan!
Me, Lindsay and Brooke... my sweet friends who threw me the shower!
Me and my cake!

One month!

Today marks one month Averi has been here with us (on the outside atleast!). This first month has been full of shocks, excitement and happiness... the following is a few things we have found shocking exciting and happy since having our baby girl!
SHOCKING...
1. A seven pound baby can poo twice as much as they weigh in one day... I dont know if this is a fact but believe me after changing her diaper for a day it certainly feels this way!
2. Kevin and I have neither one ever felt such extreme exhaustion!
3. We never knew we could love someone we just met SO much!
EXCITING...
1. Averi sleeping four hours straight at night!
2. Seeing all our family and friends after her arrival!
3. Holding our sweet girl for the first time!
HAPPINESS...
1. The little faces Averi makes in her sleep.
2. The way her whole body relaxes when she hears our voices and we pick her up when she fusses... like she trusts us comepletely to make it all better!
3. Walking into the room when Averi and Kevin are sleeping and hearing the ever familiar "hum" they both make in their sleep!

One month and already a t.v hog!
Averi in her new outfit... I LOVE it! The tiny shoes that match, these are the first shoes she has worn, all the rest are way to big!

The many faces of Averi

confused
annoyed
disgruntled
sad

gassy

Happy mothers day!

Averi and mommy snuggling!
Averi in her pretty church outfit!
Averi and mommy on mothers day!

My first mothers day was GREAT! Kev bought me an orchid plant... I know this may sound like a random gift but his thought process was VERY sweet- He wanted to buy me something (that we could afford) that would last and grow with Averi so that when she is older she will know that that was the first mothers day present she got mommy... how sweet!

We had church that morning where we participated in parent dedication, Averi had a special dress that Meemom bought her, it, ofcourse, was HUGE! In the parent dedication Dr. Cook prayed for all of the families with new babies and challenged us to raise our children up in the ways of the Lord. This is something Kev and I take very seriously. We pray that God will give us guidance as we raise Averi and that she will come to know the Lord at a young age... We also pray that the lives Kev and I live will reflect Christ living within us both so that Averi will want to know God too.

Please pray with us that Averi will know God at a young age, that we will reflect Christ in our lives to her and that God will continue to strengthen Kevin and mines marriage and guide us in parenthood!

like father like... daughter

when she is asleep we think she looks more like mommy!
when she is awake we think she looks more like daddy!

Averi discovered her voice within her first week of life, she coos and grunts all the time. The funniest things we have heard her do is hum while she is sleeping. This is so funny and dear to both Kevin and I because Kevin also constantly hums in his sleep... it is fun to see our characteristics in her already!

daddy!

Daddy giving Averi kisses
Averi LOVES Daddy!

Kev has learned and adjusted so much to having a daughter... being 32 I think having a baby here was a bigger change for him then for me! He has absoloutley doted on her since day one but wasn't so good at knowing things that needed to be done... such as diaper changing... He has never minded to change her diapers he just didn't realize it needed to be done unless specifically told that it did!

Kevin has been sweet enough to make sure I get some "me" time at night after he gets home from work... I feed averi and leave her downstairs to have some daddy time while I take thirty or forty minutes to myself upstairs! Every night I have told him if she needed to be changed or anything specific and then changed her into her p.j's after I have "me" time.

Last night however I was upstairs and heard her fussing... I waited a few minutes and heard her settle down so I finished up what I was doing and then went downstairs to check if she was hungry. She wasn't... she was fussing because Kev (WITHOUT BEING ASKED OR TOLD) had changed her diaper (she doesnt like that) AND put her pajamas on... I couldn't have been prouder... it is certainly the small things in life huh?!!!

Kev is a good daddy and learning more day by day... he is a HUGE help and a HUGE support... thank God for husbands!

All in two years!

One of our engagment pictures!
Married!
Mr. and Mrs. Yates on our honeymoon at disney world!
Me and Lindsay at my last baby shower... a week before Averi came...I was HUGE!
And finally Averi Noel Yates.

April 22nd 2006 was the date Kevin and I officially began dating april 21st 2008 was the day we welcomed our precious little girl in to the world! In between we got engaged and married ofcourse!

Many may say we had to much change for two short years... and some days, when things have been particularly stressful, we may agree, most days though we feel incredibly blessed. Blessed that God put us in each others lives and allowed us to fall in love and marry... we feel incredibly blessed that he gave us a baby girl, (even if she came a little bit before we planned!) and that we have been given the opportunity to raise her up in the Lord.

We like to say that it all started april 22nd and Averi marked an incredible end to two years april 21st!

Averi meeting her aunt Ruthie who came all the way from Florida & stayed a week helping- thanks aunt ruthie!
Aunt Lindsay and Lancey... he is in desperate need of some snuggles!
Averi meeting Lil... our ninety six year old friend!
Averi and Missy!
Averi getting some Aunt Ruthie lovings!

Averi and Sarah... sarah came over and let Lance in and out... thank you Sarah!

Averi with uncle Jon and his girlfriend Lauren Averi and Nana and papa yates who helped especially with cleaning, laundry and finishing up the nursery while they were here.... thank you Nana and Papa
Averi and meemom Buchwald.... my mom was there for almost every minute of labor and delivery... thank you Meemom

Abby and Aaron Wilson.... abby came to the hpspital several times... thank you both for all your sweet support!

Averi and Aunt lindsay!
Aunt Lindsay and Brooke waiting for Averi's arrival!
Lindsay and my nurse Kameron after I gave birth... I was a little nauseated!
Averi and brooke- who ran errands for us and was at the hospital waiting for her arrival and visiting after she was born... thank you brooke!

Averi and Lindsay rocking!

Throughout labor,delivery and even adjusting to being at home we had several good friends at the hospital (brooke, sarah, Lindsay, Abby)... they were there to show there support and run errands for us! We want to say thank you to them, our families and all those who brought us food ... you all made the transition to parenthood so much smoother then it may have been!

We want to say a special thanks to Lindsay who stayed in the delivery room when my sister couldn't make it here from Florida in time! I know that it had to be scary for her as neither of us had ever had children, but she was a trooper... constantly encouraging me to push and cheering as Averi came into the world... she was ready with the camera and helped us capture every precious moment of her arrival (after she was on the outside ofcourse!)! She spent the next few days at the hospital as much as she could be and has been a constant support over the phone as she is back at college finishing up finals! She came in this weekend and helped out by doing dishes and changing diapers... THANK YOU AUNT LINDSAY we love and appreciate you SO much!