The Party

my birthday girl {2 years old}

Dear Miss Avenly

I can't believe you have been part of our lives for 2 whole years! And yet, in the same breath I can't imagine our lives without you. You bring so much joy to our lives and we love having your sweet little spirit in our home. However, as sweet as you are, you can be as equally...let's say 'spicy' ... You are teaching your mommy and daddy so much about how to be patient. But we must not be learning it, because you try to teach us again everyday! :) But we know that we are so blessed that you chose to come to us, and we know you will do great things here on this earth. You have such a fun personality and you make us laugh everyday.

We love you so much!!

You are incredibly independent, and very smart....at 2 years old you...

*know all of the colors and most of the shapes

*You can count to 10

*You recognize most of the letters in the alphabet, in any order

*You are always talking. You talk in complete sentences, and are a great communicator, most of the time that is, unless you are upset and then I have to remind you to use your words (instead of screaming :)

*You love to uses the phrases we say to you...like "mommy look at me" (when I'm not paying attention to her) or "don't swollow it" (when we are chewing gum) "chew it up good momma" (when we are eating) and "don't squeak (squeeze) it" - when I give her a juice box, and also "mommy be nice"

*You love shoes and you are always putting on mommy's or daddys.

*You are just now starting to sing. You have always ask us to sing songs, but now you are starting to sing them by yourself. The week before your birthday you learned how to sing the happy birthday song and you sang it almost everyday. Then you would hold up 2 fingers and say, "I'm 2!"

*You still love water and to be outside. You would go for a walk everyday if you could. You love to jump on the bed and hide under the covers. You love books, movies, and anything that has to do with Elmo. You love bubbles, your tiger, and your baby. You will be the best mommy some day. You are so sweet to your baby, you love to take her for walks, feed her and even change her diaper. However you have been blaming your baby for things you've done that you know you shouldn't :)

*You loved your binky. I say loved because it "broke" about a week before your birthday. But I'm sure you would still love it if you had it. I cut a little hole in it and when you noticed it you told me, "I don't like this one, it's broken." so I asked you if you wanted to throw it away. You said yes, so you threw it in the garbage. It has been a hard adjustment for you. You still ask for it quite often and when I remind you that it was broken so you threw it away you say, ok, and thats it. But you have a hard time settling down to sleep at nap time and night time. Hopefully things keep getting better.

*You love to dance whenever there is music on...and it is the cutest thing ever. You get your hands up, bounce and shake your little hips. When we get in the car you say, "mommy music on" then you tell us, "mommy, daddy, dance" she has to make sure everyone is involved if one of us isn't dancing you won't leave us alone until we do.

*You are still my little peanut. Your 2 year old stats are:

weight- 21.10 lbs (2%)

height-33 inches (27%)

*You are a great eater! You especially love fruits and vegetables (the girl who watches you, Miss Jen, is a vegetarian) You also love noodles, cereal, and of course candy.

*You love your family. Mommy, daddy, cousins, aunts, uncles, grandma's and especially your papa's.

*You love Jesus. You point Him out in all the pictures and I know you know who He is and that He loves you by the look on your face. You say the cutest little prayers, it is usually, "Heavenly Father, thank you for day. Name of Jesus Christ, Amen" (without help)

*You give the best hugs and kisses, when you want to. Usually you aren't super affectionate but when you are it melts our hearts.

*You are usually very polite. You always say Thank you. Please has been a little bit harder but we can usually get it out of you and when you say it you also still sign it. (that's about the only sign you still use). And you will say "excuse me" when you burp or need to get by someone.

We love you more and more everyday! Happy birthday sweet baby girl!!

Love, Mommy and Daddy

2 years ago today...

...i fell in love with my sweet baby girl! i can't believe she was so tiny and such a little miracle!! I will post more all about Avenly in about a week after her 2 year well check!

my little helper

Av isn't usually too happy when i wake her up from her first nap, so this time I decided I would wake her up by asking her if she wanted to help me make cookies. She woke right up with a huge smile on her face she was so excited!

She loves to stir it, and she knows that is her job

and of course the best part...licking the beaters! "I Lllliiick it" she says :) I love how she draws out her "L's" right now

love this girl! messy face and all

just for fun

here's a few fun pictures of Avenly...we can't believe how big she is getting, how long her hair is, and how much she talks!! she loves to have her picture taken, if you can't tell, every time we pull out the camera she yells, "cheese!" she is so much fun and very challenging also. But we learn so much every day from her and know we are so blessed to have this crazy little girl in our lives!

crazy hair

so grown up

yes, she is sitting in a metal mixing bowl :)

Christmas at the Jones'

Christmas this year was at my mom and dad's up in Kaysville. I love being able to get together with all of my family at this special time of year. This year we did one of Justin's family traditions with my family...the trap! When Jut was growing up he and his brothers would have to get through a trap on christmas morning with out setting it off in order to open presents right away. If they set off the trap, which they did most years, then they would have to wait until after breakfast, and pictures and other things to open presents. Since most of my family lives in Kaysville, it was only my brother's kids who where in from Tuscan who got to experience the trap this year. I'm not sure if you can tell, but there is fishing line strung back and forth up the stairs that was attached at the bottom to a bucket full of dominoes, so if you bumped the string too much the dominoes would all come tumbling down - making a loud noise indicating that they had set off the trap. Dylan made it through too fast that we didin't even get a picture.

then Gracie made it through

and so did Sage...he was so nervous that he was going to be the one to set it off that he almost didn't even try

presents here we come!!

Av got a new bike and an elmo doll, she just loves elmo right now

books and movies!

and of course all the fun little stocking stuffers

It was such a fun year and I'm so excited for the new year to come!

HaLloWeEn 2010

This year for Halloween Av was a rainbow trout...She still doesn't quite have a grasp on Halloween but she sure caught on quick to candy! and boy was she on a sugar high that night!! she couldn't get enough. We just did a real quick walk around the ward Trunk or Treat and then hung out at Grandma and Grandpa Packers to help hand out candy, but I think Av ate more candy then she handed out. I had a fun time making her costume and I think it turned out pretty cute