So, wow! I've been nominated for a beautiful blog award by my friend
Kacie! This is very exciting for me! It makes me feel like "Ugly Betty" when she won a "blobby"! This is so fun because I started the blog during my pregnancy to try to keep friends and family updated on how things were going, especially Nathan's family in the south. Glad to know someone enjoys reading it!
As part of acceptance for this award, I have to do a few things:
1. Thank the person who nominated you for this award and link back to their blog.As Kacie states in her blog, she and I have babies just a few weeks apart. Her beautiful little girl Caroline was born at the end of August and my cutie patootie Avery was born at the beginning of October. It's so fun chatting with Kacie because she experiences everything a few weeks ahead of me and always lets me know what to expect! We have never actually met in person, but I am good friends with her sister, Audra. I feel like we are bonded together because of so many things we've gone through with the babies. Thanks for the award, Kacie!
2. Pass the award on to 7 other bloggers who have a beautiful blog.1. In continuing my first sentiments, I have to nominate
Audra Laney (and Andrew) for her blog. Audra's was probably the first blog I ever really read. Audra and I have had a very interesting friendship. She and Andrew have been very protective of Nathan since Andrew and Nathan roomed together in Starkville, MS. I'm so glad that he has wonderful friends who love him so much, and they have become very dear to me too. We try to visit with them whenever we can. Now, if we can just get them to move to Indiana... ;)
2.
Amy Tonagel. Amy and I used to work together at the Center Group. We talked a lot about babies and we've had a common interest in the silly "Bachelor" and "Bachelorette" shows. We've had some fun parties together for the finales...complete with chocolate chip cookies! Amy just had her second adorable little man and her husband is the basketball coach for IWU. I miss her!
3. My cousin
Rhiannon Thompson. I actually just started following Rhiannon's blog, but she is detailed and way more of a computer whiz than I. She and I are pretty close in age and she has one super cute little boy. She owns a few of her own businesses and is a mostly stay-at-home mom. We share a lot of the same sentiments of balancing work and kids.
4. My friend
Heather Brinker. She has 3 kids so she HAS to blog so we can keep up with them all! Heather and I used to worship in Fort Wayne together and we were camp site buddies at Pokagen a few years ago. Everything we learned about camping, we learned from Heather and Todd. Todd also does some mean spirit fingers.
5. My friend
Stephanie Barr. Stephanie and I went to FC camp together and then to FC together. We haven't seen each other much since graduating FC, but she does a good job of keeping up with me through the blog. One of these days, we are going to try to get down to Bowling Green for a visit!
These last two I
was following, but they haven't updated in forever!
6. Nathan's cousin
Stacy Seago.7. My friend
Kristy Starr.
3. Notify each blogger of their nomination.4. Write 7 things about yourself.- I have recently started eating multigrain waffles with vanilla yogurt and chopped strawberries for breakfast every day. I can't get enough of it.
-I used to drive 30 miles one way to work, now I drive 1/2 mile.
-I hate winter except for the first snow, but I love sledding.
-I used to LOVE "Mighty Morphin Power Rangers" and was madly in love with the Green Ranger. I just saw reruns of the show recently and I am not sure what I was thinking. No wonder people made fun of me.
-I can't eat squishy bananas. They have to be more ripe. When I was pregnant, I couldn't even stand the smell.
-I got certified as a quadriplegic rugby classifier, but have not been to a single tournament (unfortunately).
-I have been jones-ing for a caramel frappe since before I was pregnant, but I am too nervous to drink one because caffeine affects Avery sometimes and she won't sleep.
Okay, I have reached the end of this post. Thanks again Kacie for the nomination. Have fun reading lots of blogs!
Avery is 7 months old today! Check out how big my girl is getting!
Avery can spend a little time on all fours now...not crawling yet, but it probably won't be long!
Avery with her friend Amelia. They are 10 months apart.
Avery with her friend Miryam. They are 3 months apart.
She likes to "play" on the piano.
So, wow! I've been nominated for a beautiful blog award by my friend Kacie! This is very exciting for me! It makes me feel like "Ugly Betty" when she won a "blobby"! This is so fun because I started the blog during my pregnancy to try to keep friends and family updated on how things were going, especially Nathan's family in the south. Glad to know someone enjoys reading it!
We have FINALLY been enjoying some nice weather on and off the last several weeks. I fortunately had some wintery and summery clothes for Avery from my showers since we have to keep jumping back and forth for what is appropriate for all the crazy temperature changes! It has been great to have some nice weather so Avery and I can get out of the house and play or run errands on my days off.
Speaking of days off, Avery and I had a little snack picnic in the backyard last week. We spread our new blanket out and had snacks and soaked up some rays. That lasted until I saw a wasp in the grass and we were back in the house faster than you can say run. Haha! Avery has been kind of drinking out of a sippy cup, but only if there is something other than milk in it. She refuses a bottle completely now and I still have a freezer full of pumped milk. She drinks a little water sometimes in her sippy now. Our pediatrician said he isn't a fan of sugary drinks or foods so if there was any way we were okay with not giving her juice, that it would be a good thing. She really just chews on the sippy now since she has two teeth that broke through on the bottom. So cute!
Grandma and Grandpa got to come over and play one day last week. Avery is fascinated with grass. I think she would eat it if we let her. Our Southern family is going to be coming up over Memorial weekend. The whole crew! We are so excited!
I can't believe how fast time flies. She looks so big to me! She claps now, shakes her head no (although she doesn't know what it means to do that just yet), and has a fake cough. She is hilarious! She laughs all the time and the kids at church have a fun time trying to make her laugh!
See! She loves laughing! 
Avery is also trying to eat some table foods very occasionally. I've given her some "real" banana and some potatoes. This goofy face is from when I tried to give her a puff. She didn't like them at all at first, but we kept trying and now she'll eat a few at a time. We are trying to get her to learn to put them in her mouth on her own, but we aren't quite there yet. 
Avery likes to play with lots of toys now and can occupy herself for longer periods of time. It's funny because she likes things we have laying around the house more than her own toys sometimes like... remotes, cell phones, spices, spoons, water bottles and lip gloss cases. She lets us know when she is done playing though!
So I have been threatened within an inch of my life to update this blog! Things have been very busy around here lately. Avery, Nathan and I have been spending more time trying to visit some of our shut-ins at church and getting to know more people that we worship with. It's amazing how much fun it is! I have also been baking like a fiend. I got a Betty Crocker 70 recipe book in my email and I have been finding any excuse to bake! I'm turning into a regular suzy homemaker!
Check out my gorgeous new flowers! These are courtesy of my wonderful in-laws...just a little gesture to support me in my new venture starting next week. Friday was my last day at the Center. It has been a good 3 1/2 years there and I have learned so much. It was much harder than I anticipated to leave, but things ended very positively. I start with some orientation things next week at St. Joe and we have lots of appointments going on. Then the following week, I start at St. Joe and Windsor. I'm excited and nervous, but really looking forward to spending more time at home with my beautiful Avery.
Look at my sweet girl! Thursday it was 80 degrees out so Avery and I went down to Highland Park and found some swings. She loved it! She just laughed and laughed. We might have stayed out longer, but neither of us had sunscreen on. I can't believe that we needed it! Last weekend, we were still wearing sweatshirts!
Avery is all smiles now. She laughs and smiles all the time! Friday night, her cousins had her laughing constantly. She really finds kids funny, especially her cousins. She also really likes being outdoors. We've been finding every opportunity in good weather to get out and about. She is also enjoying being out for strolls around the neighborhood in her jogging stroller. One of these days, I'm actually going to jog with her in it!
I guess the big deal now is she is sitting up all by herself. She mastered it so quickly! We had kind of been working on it, but then she decided to go for it. She went from being able to sit about 5 minutes to being able to sit and play and reach for toys at her leisure. She sits in highchairs now in restaurants, and in shopping carts in the stores. She likes the view much better!
I got her a little Baby Einstein piano that plays classical music and talks in 3 different languages. It is one of her favorite toys and she is quickly learning how to push the keys to make it work. I hope she follows her momma's footsteps and plays the piano!
My little barefoot baby in her bibs... Nate wants to make sure she stays in touch with her southern roots. 
We're moving right along with foods and she is eating stage 2 foods now. This is her prune face, but we probably won't be feeding her prunes anymore because they kind of stir up her little digestive system too much. She liked them though.
This is yucky green bean face. Believe it or not, she actually really likes green beans (and peas too). The only thing she isn't enjoying right now is her rice cereal, but we are going to try oats next week. We finally bought her a highchair tonight because she is starting to figure out how to get out of the Bumbo. That has been so handy though.
Avery had her first road trip to Nashville this past week. We drove partway to Louisville, KY and stayed the night. We got up and took our time getting ready. We even got to go for a dip in the indoor pool...Avery's first time! We had it all to ourselves. She is going to be my little waterbug!
So we made the rest of the trip down to Nashville. This is a picture of the championship game of the Mississippi State Bulldogs and Kentucky Wildcats. It was the most intense game I've ever been to! State lost by 1 point (75-74) in overtime. It was wild (and loud!)!
Our hotel was a mile away from the arena and we had to do a lot of walking and taking cabs. It was a major experience for Avery. The weather was pretty nice, a little cool and drizzly some days, but we were really lucky to be able to be out. We have cabin fever. Hello spring!
Avery got to spend time with her Gram and Pops, her great aunt and uncle, and several cousins on the Seago side. We had a really good time with everyone...it is always so great to catch up with family we may not see often.
Showing off our Bulldog pride...
Can't you tell Avery just loved the games? (Check out our seats....awesome!)
Avery got decked out in her "Baby Bulldog" gear...
One big Bulldog family! We had a great time and Avery did pretty well, although the time changing multiple times while we were there has done a number on her schedule. We have a lot of acclimating to do this week!
