11 Months--wowza!!!

Weight: ?? we go to the doctor the end of this month
Height: ??
Head: ??
Moods:starting to show us her TEMPER.  She's a girl who knows what she wants and knows when she wants it and usually that's NOW and not a second later. SueAnne her sitter has noticed this temper also :) Other than that she is still happy and smiles most of the day.
Favorite foods: Still loves everything she's tried.  Her new favorite food this month is blueberry pancakes (w/o syrup).
Favorite new toy: I brought out a toy that her great Aunt Mary and Uncle Dewy got her for Christmas.  It's an elephant that plays music and blows balls out through it's trunk.  She loves it. She even stands with her face against the trunk and lets the balls shoot out on her face.
Sounds: When she's happy it's "da da da da"  When she's sad or mad it's "ma ma ma ma"  Seriously pulling at the heart strings here lil girl.
Favorite hobbies: Sneaking into the dinning room to play in Zoe's water bowl and take food out of her bowl.
 Playtime: Playing time in her new kitchen (thanks Grammy and Aunt Toni) and going for walks in her wagon (thanks Mimi and Pop).
Sleep habits: Same sleep habits as last month.  2 naps during the day.  Bedtime is around 7:30pm-7:00am :)
Teeth: Bottom: 2; Top:4.  She's been drooling a lot lately so I bet some more will be popping through soon.
Milestone:  Avery went to her sitter SueAnne 4 times this month.  She had fun some of the days and others she was sad or upset.  We are hoping this gets better and better each time.  Fingers crossed.

 

 

Lovin' Summer

And the tears begin to swell...

I can easily say this has been the best summer of my life.  Not because I went on an exotic vacation or won the lottery, but because I got to spend countless, wonderful weeks at home with my baby girl.  She has changed so much from my 1st day of summer vacay 'till now.  She wasn't even crawling and now she is on the verge of taking her 1st steps.

We've played in the pool and the ocean.

We've gone on numerous shopping excursions to Target, Babies R Us and the grocery store.  She loves to shop just like her mama.

We've read tons of stories, sometimes skipping a few pages or reading it backwards, but it still counts right?

We walked laps and laps around the house holding fingers.  My favorite thing is when we're walking and she looks up and give me a huge "teethy" smile.  It cracks me up every time.

We learned to dance listening to Elmo songs on YouTube and Toddler Tunes on Pandora radio. This lil' girl can drop it like it's nobody's business.

We went from eating baby food to now trying all kinds of good table food like chicken nuggets, pasta, and all kinds of fruit and veggies.  Her ultimate favorite right now is blueberries.

We've taken TONS of pictures and videos to share with all our friends and family.  Even those who probably don't care to see her every day, oh well, they can delete me if they'd like.

Poor Zoe and has spent the entire summer trying to avoid a hair tug or ear pulling.

We've snuggled every morning after finishing the 1st bottle.  We've even spent days in our PJ's playing all day long.

We've sat in front of the door and waved "bye-bye" to daddy and sat by the door and squealed and giggled when he walked in the door from work.

All of these things have meant more to me than anything else I could have done this summer.  These are the days I will cherish more than anything and I know will never get them back.

As I drop her off Monday morning I hope she has the best time playing with her new friends, but I secretly hope she doesn't forget about me and I hope she looks forward to Mommy picking her up at the end of the day.

I hope it's harder for me than her. 

Mommy loves you Avery :) 

Okay I need a serious tissue here...

The Story of Us... Part 3!

2010

The girl finally graduated from graduate school with her masters degree in Elementary Education and she turned in her National Boards portfolio in March, but had to wait until November to find out if she passed. The boy and the girl celebrated their 1st anniversary at a cute, quaint B&B on Lake Norman.  They spent many of their weekends floating in the Lake at the girl's parent's lake lot.

The boy and the girl enjoyed their 1st year being newlyweds. They boy's brother and his future wife convinced the girl  to go camping with them.  This was the 1st (and so far the only) time the girl has been camping.  She didn't think it was horrible, but it wasn't her favorite thing to do.  She is more hotel with a  continental breakfast kinda girl, but she'll try anything once (maybe).

 
  They began doing things in their town home to prepare it to go back on the market.  The girl packed away a bunch of stuff and stored it at her mom's and grandmother's home.  The girl's dad helped the boy tile the kitchen, 1/2 bath, and laundry room then a few months later they laid laminate hardwood floors in the rest of the downstairs.

The boy atteneded East Carolina University.  He played on the men's soccer team and was very interested in all ECU sports.  A fun fall activity that the boy and the girl enjoyed doing is going to all the ECU football games.  The girl became a pirate fan by marriage, but she still wears black and gold when they play ASU.

 The girl found out in late November that she passed her National Boards for Teaching.  She was super pumped and the boy took her out with her friend and her husband to celebrate.  They girl went shopping and bought herself 3 new friends (see picture below).

 The boy and the girl began thinking of starting a family sometime in 2010, but did not get pregnant that year.  They enjoyed the holiday season together with their friends and family once again, but secretly hoped that there were be a little one to celebrate with the following holiday season.  For Halloween the boy dressed "Billy the Exterminator" and the girl dressed as a cute lil bee. Luckily the exterminator didn't harm the bee that evening. 

Zoe had no idea how great her life was this year :) 2011 was about to rock her world...

One of the boy's favorite gifts was a Pirate beer/cooler- everything he likes all in one little package.

On January 1, 2011 the girl turned 30 years old!!!!!!  The girl's parents through the girl a 30th birthday party at their home in Kernersville, NC.  The girl was so happy to celebrate with her family, in-laws, and fabulous friends who attended.  Everyone had a great time and the girls father even participated in several games of Flip Cup.

The boy and his brothers.

Great Girlfriends :)

yummy food and cupcakes

After several months of a negative pregnancy test, about 3 weeks after the girls 30ths birthday party , the boy and girl got a positive pregnancy test and that is where this BLOG began. Read the girl's 1st post.

the morning of the positive test :)

Maternity Photoshoot

On September 29th, 2011 the girl gave birth to a beautiful daughter, Avery Rae.  After 10 dramatic days in the NICU she came home and their lives were changed forever.The girl wrote her baby a Shutterfly book about her NICU experience.

newborn photoshoot

Of course the "story" does not here. 

"The rest is still unwritten..."

~The Girl

The Story of Us.. Part 2

2009

In 2009 the boy and the girl celebrated their engagement...

3 Morrison girls and 3 Ellington boys

 ...were "showered" with love and gifts... 

 

... and celebrated their last days of being "single".

 Then it was time for the boy and the girl to walk down the aisle.  They had friends and family drive and fly in from all over to celebrate with them. They came together at the beautiful Grandover Resort in Greensboro.

Relaxing after rehearsal dinner in the Grandover hot tub

On July 25th, 2009 the boy and the girl walked down the aisle together in front of their friends and family and promised to love and cherish each other for the rest of their lives.  The boy and the girl were to happy to finally be married and excited to dance the night away.

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.  It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. 1 Corinthians 13:4-7

They boy and the girl left the Monday following their wedding for the Sandals resort in Antigua.  They spent their days laying in the sun and sipping frozen beverages.  They hardest decision they made all week was whether to lay by the ocean or by the pool.  It was a rough life for the boy and girl.  The resort was amazing and boy and girl were sad to leave, but they were happy to be returning as "man and wife."

The boy and girl spend the rest of 2009 being newlyweds and enjoying their new life together. They girl moved to a new school and started a new journey teaching a new grade level.  They also attended other friend's weddings...

...dressed as matching Pirates for Halloween...

...and decorated their 1st home together for the holidays.  They also put their home up for sale, but took it off 6 months later-- more on that yet to come.

To Be Continued... try to contain your excitement :)