Cardinal In May

woah nelly.
I started this post two weeks ago. Time has not been kind to me. Everything lately is taking longer than I think it will--or should. Between our work schedule on the duplex, the slowest internet connection in the world, and friends coming in and going out of town-- my life has been a fast paced wreck lately.

Laundry baskets piled high in our itty bitty shared room at my Grandparents. The bed remains unmade. The dresser remains clutter central and our home is still unfinished. In the midst of all this life has gone on. We have been with my Grandparents for a month now. Avey is a half year old now. I know how to hem a pair of pants and use my Grandmas embroidery machine now.

Though hectic--our crazy, unordinary life is pretty great. Carnivals, honey stores, quilting shops, a vineyard down the street that I am still dying to explore-- life has been busy and exciting and unyielding this past month.

We have been living with two people that work harder and longer than most I know. I have been inspired to work harder myself. Spend less time online and spend more time connecting with people face to face. We are learning a lot-- wipe stain off as you go, oil based paint will leave you with semi-perminate henna-like tattoos, Avey hates it when you say "woah-nelly", and sewing faster does not mean sewing better.

We are learning together--lessons I'm glad we're learning now while we're young and have the energy to take it out and do it again--though not always the patience. We're working on that--I pray that the Lord will always give us something to work on.

hi.
Two Saturdays ago-- after Brady and I got home from working at the dulex (Brady working--me watching) my Grandma took Avey and I sat across from them, waving. To my surprise--after every time I waved she'd put her right arm in the air and wave her hand around.

Sister is smart.


Since a week ago I have caught her waving at herself countless times. Open-close hand movements, turned toward her face as she watches--transfixed. I haven't been able to get a photo yet but I will--mark my words.

Sneaky!! She is laying right next to me waving right now and of course my camera is in the other room!

ave.
She likes to look at me when she topples over. She'll be playing one minute, toppled over on the floor the next, and every time she looks at me like "What just happened? Am I okay? What now mom?" Sometimes I freeze too--waiting for the cry that I am sure she is about let out. Most of the time I cheer and then she laughs, rights herself, and continues to play.

friends.
My Grandparents invited us to a little carnival that their church was putting on for the volunteers and their families. I jumped at the chance and Brady went along with it because he knew I was so excited. We had a ball and bumped into a couple familiar faces.

minus.
Last month my cycle returned (oh joy). It was strange and unexpected. I felt like a 12 year old again. Last week  (If I had regular cycles) marked when I should have started again. Since Saturday I have been obsessing over ovulation trackers, due date calculators, and the chinese gender chart. I said time and time again that I didn't want to get pregnant until I lost some weight but when I saw that if I got pregnant in May that I would have a boy (according to the chart) I got all excited and hopeful.

We aren't using contraceptives. It's a choice that we made together after several uti's from using spermicides and a visit with our doctor where in a round-about way she admitted that all contraceptives (except for condoms and spermicides) can be abortive. We discussed it and decided that we were ready to have a family and we wanted to place it in the Lords hands. A month later we found out we were pregnant with Avey.

After I had Avey I expressed my desire to never again start out a pregnancy over 200 lbs. It was very taxing on my body. I am still about 5 lbs over and I have a ways to go before I get to my goal weight but there was something that excited me at the prospect of being pregnant again and conceiving a little brother for Ave.

So when I saw that little minus sign on the pregnancy test my heart sunk a little.

trist.
My  brother Tristan celebrated his 11th birthday last week. To celebrate Avey got all dolled up in a pretty dress and accompanied him to cold stone where she slept through the joys of candy bars incased in ice cream and brand new 11 year olds whose eyes are bigger than their tummies.

water bottle.
The return of Avey's water bottle love affair. No joke-- if anyone even walks by her with a water bottle she goes nuts-- reaching, stretching, moaning, shaking-- sisters got it bad.

sweet dreams.
People like to nap around these parts. It is such an enjoyable past time-- one I am lucky enough to share in on occasion.

big baby.
Avey was bottle fed for the first month of her life. We began breastfeeding around 2 months old and we haven't looked back. Because of her obsession with water bottles we decided to buy her a sippy cup so that she could drink water instead of spill it all down her front.

Sippy cup day one and she was working it like a pro.

She still refuses to take milk out of anything though. Bottle-no. Cup- no. Water bottle- no. She knows where that comes from and she's hooked. I don't mind. :)

cardinal in may.
Look what we spotted in the backyard the other day...

Life is good.

Up From Here.

the fall. 

When we moved Avey was still sleeping in her basinet and by six months old I promised myself that she'd be in her bed, in her own room. I however did not correctly calculate just how long it was going to take us to remodel our duplex. Avey is going to be six months old next week and poor little thing is still in her basinet. Her basinet that is made for a newborn. So when she pushes her feet against the bottom of the basinet her little body goes up and her head bumps against top. 

Needless to say... sister is not sleeping well.

So instead of putting her to bed in the basinet I had been letting her nap in our bed because there was so much more room. I would barricade her with pillows and position her in the middle of the bed--because sister likes to roll. 

Well she figured out how to throw the pillows off the bed and last week. I was in the computer room having a nice discussion with my Grandmother and I heard an unfamiliar child shriek. I looked outside because it was close, I heard it again, and I realized that it was Avey. I was up and sprinting, already piecing together in my mind what must have happened, and sure enough-- when I came into the room she was not in the center of the bed but on the floor amongst the pillows. 

She was wailing like a banshee. She was more shaken up than anything. She kept trying to calm herself by taking big gulps of air, she'd shudder, sniffle, and then break into hysterics again. I just held her tight and tried not to kick myself. I knew something like this was bound to happen sooner or later--I was just hoping for later... much much later. Like never. 

No soothing word could calm her so I placed her in my lap and offered to nurse her. She readily accepted my offer and after that she was fine. Little nose-- a little scratched. Little forehead-- a little red. But I don't know if that was from the fall or the way that she likes to turn herself over and rub her face into the carpet. 

She survived her first catastrophe as I am sure she will survive many many more throughout the years. 

sale. 

On my way out to Blue Ridge this weekend I passed a sign out front of one of the really big ranch homes that read "Sale". Intrigued I found a turn around. 

A sale?

What kind of sale? My mind reeled with all the possibilities. Maybe there was a little baby boutique back behind the trees. Maybe they were having a sale on all of their little girl things. 

Another sign! "Sale Today!"

A sale today?? Maybe they were selling antiques or jewelry or a lawn mower... Brady needs a lawn mower. Maybe it was a Pampered Chef sale!

I was so excited I missed the turnoff again and had to find another turn around. I was so excited the fact that I could be in danger did not even occur to me. I was out in the middle of nowhere, following signs that read "sale" back into someones private drive, without my husband... or his 22.

Luckily there was no repeat of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre Saturday, May 12th. It was just a measly old garage sale. Disappointed I thought about turning back but I had already been spotted by an older woman so Avey and I went to go look around the sale. 

I'm glad we stuck around because I found a couple things that Brady and I have been needing! 

I purchased this old, solid wood, dresser for the bargain price of 30 dollars! The drawers slide in and out like new. Slap some paint on it and it'll be the envy of all the dressers in Blue Ridge. Seriously though. I'm in love. 

We purchased this entertainment center for 30 dollars too. The woman was so kind I didn't want to negotiate. Heck! She went on about how fabulous my baby was-- I would have given her more! I am going to sand this piece and stain it a deep dark cherry. It's going to be so lovely!

crinkle. 

I don't know why we have so many toys for little one. The only thing she wants to play with is this empty water bottle. She is obsessed. 

water bottle tricks.

mothers day.

My very first mothers day was very special. Brady and I had decided to postpone festivities till later this week so we could get more work done on the duplex. I was not expecting breakfast but my wonderful husband snuck out of bed early to prepare a feast. 

I was spoiled with garage sale furniture, a brand new shiny baby crock pot, a set of girly tools, and my Grandma and Grandpa gave me a cook book that I'd been eyeing for awhile. 

Avey and I took a stroll to the grocery store on mothers day and she fell asleep in her stroller. Walking to the grocery store is going to become a regular occurrence I think. 

two peas in a pod.

lowes.

We've been to Lowes 93592384 times lately. Last time we saw this:

chill.

Living with my Grandparents has been a blast. We all get along so well. 

Apartment living is no life for little ones. Avey lights up every time we take her outside. 

in love.

We are in such a cool season of life right now. Starting a family, building a life, working on fulfilling our dreams-- I can not say that when I was younger this is the life that I imagined. But I can say that this is the life that God designed for me and it fits like a glove. 

Colors have never been more vivid. Love has never been so sweet. The world has never looked so beautiful. 

I am young and I am in love with Brady, and Avey, and life.

I am filled with anticipation for our future together because I know we only go up from here.