Valentines Day & Love Month

1 pm church can be hard.

Ava decided that she wants her potty training prize to be a "frozen bike." Once she did #2 on the potty she had zero accidents after tgat, day or night! We found her this Disney princess bike, which was close enough to a frozen bike, and she learned how to do the pedals pretty quickly. She still needs help steering though.

Proud girl.

I let Ava work by me for a little bit and got her an old keyboard and mouse.

Coen is a snuggly baby and I love it.

On February 10th Brent and I had a mini date after we put Ava to bed. Why February 10? Because it marked SEVEN years since Brent and I met. We watched a movie that we watched early on when we were dating.

Coen deals with a lot. Ava is constantly touching him, pinching him, squeezing him, putting barbies on him, etc. Usually he looks at her with wide eyes like this. Sometimes he cries. And sometimes he smiles.

Some days when Brent is gone to school it gets a little crazy around here. I feel like I could really use a few more sets of hands.  So I put Coen in the Mobe wrap to help. I love how he smiled in this picture.

One day we went to the park with Coen in the wrap.

She likes to put Mickey up front on her bike.

Here is a video of Coen laughing. Once he started laughing my phone filled up with videos of his cute giggle. I could have added a lot more videos here, but I kept it to just a few :)

One night Brent had Coen kneeling up against his legs and it looked like Coen was saying his prayers in his nightie.

Play group at the park- Ava and her two blonde friends.

All of a sudden my friend said to me, I think Ava took off her pants! I looked way over across the park and Ava had stripped down! I went over there and I tried so hard not to laugh but couldn't help it. She told me "it's not funny!" and turned around, which is when I snapped this picture. Hahaha. I found out she had taken off her pants because she had to pee. At least she didn't go in her pants! I text this picture to Brent and he about died laughing.

Ava was super mischievous at the park this day, just look at her face here!

Ava was excited to paint her daddy a Valentine.

 Our Saturday library time was a Valentines Dance! Coen just watched the whole thing with wide eyes the whole time. Ava loved it. Here's a video:

At the library they sometimes have people bring in dogs so that kids can practice reading aloud to the dogs and feel comfortable because dogs don't judge. Ava didn't read (obviously) but enjoyed listening to the girl read a Frozen book.

We went to Chick-fil-a and Coen was happy as a clam there.

Afterwards, we went to the mall to go to the Disney Store. Ava asks to go to Disney World all the time and this is as close as we can get! She loves looking at all the things in the store. Before the Disney store she pretended to take a ride in this ice cream truck.

I just thought they looked cute.

On Valentines Day I had to speak in church. It was on the Sabbath and went pretty well. They also called me to be the Laurels advisor that day. Coen looked adorable in his bowtie.

And Ava was pretty in pink!

At the park one afternoon Ava looked so beautiful. Look at those blue, blue eyes, and gorgeous red lips! 

We had such a beautiful sunset one night! I don't usually notice our sunsets here- they never seem too amazing. But for some reason this night was spectacular.

Here's a video of Coen laughing at Brent:

Coen watching Ava having a bath, he was so entertained!

My baby is getting rolls!

Just giggling

Ava and Coen were so lucky to get Valentines from both grandmas- thanks for remembering us!

I bought myself tulips- one of my favorite flowers.

Ava is loving her little "spot" in the living room behind the couch. I think I would have loved it when I was younger too. She can cook in her little kitchen while I cook in mine. Here she set up a bed with pillows and blankets for her baby.

Keeping it real- here are piles of laundry I had to fold one day, and more was in the dryer.

 One day while I was working I decided to give Coen some tummy time because it had been quite a while. I laid him down and he started rocking. I took a video:

And then right after this video, he rolled. I put him back on his tummy and he did it a few more times.   He was 3 months, I think the same as Ava.

I'm pretty sure Coen is going to have a good sense of humor ;) I am totally loving this age. I love having a baby and just picking him up and kissing his face off! He brings so much joy to me.

 On Saturday Ava made Coen laugh for the very first time. Ava was being a stinker and I was frustrated, and then we had a really sweet moment like this! My heart melted a little bit.

We went to steak n shake and had to document Coen's first time there. And also he got called a girl for the first time because he was wearing a salmon colored shirt.

When they brought Brent his shake Ava asked him, "I sit in your lap?" Then she just sat there with her mouth wide open. Haha.

My mom had a layover at the airport so we went to visit her for the hour. It was so fun and she was surprised at how heavy Coen has gotten! (He weighs 14 lbs, so he has gained 3 1/2 lbs in the month and a half we've been home from Christmas).

Grandma gave Ava her birthday presents, which she loved! She is even wearing the princess jammies she got in this picture.

Our Funny Ava Girl

In honor of Ava turning THREE years old next week, I have written a post about her and the funny things she says because we don't want to forget them!

Oh Ava. How do I begin to describe the energy, joy, love, frustration, and craziness she brings to our home! As she grows older I feel like she is getting even more social- everything revolves around her friends already. She is extremely loving and forgiving, thank goodness, because we are still trying to figure out how to parent this ball of energy. Ava loves anything Disney, pink, princesses, music, most food, friends, Coen, dancing, and much more. Ava loves hard. She is smart and such a sweetheart. We sure love our Ava girl.

Funny things Ava says on a regular basis:

Mom? Grandma Tam's house burn-fire? (she repeats this whole conversation about how Grandma's house burned, and they're fixing it now)

Ament (Amen)

If anyone sneezes, she says "bless you!" and then asks, "You sick? You need juice, soup?"

To any strangers: Hi. Me Ava

To Ava, everyone is her friend. She says my Jesus-friend, my grandma-friend, my grandpa-friend, etc.

Bobbin Hoot (Robin Hood)

Dog-Ations (Dalmatians)

Mee-ah mee-ah  (if her baby is crying or she's telling a story where she cried, she imitates crying like this)

Huffin (muffin)

Cute little Ava moments:

One day she told me, "Coen is my best friend."

Ava and I shared a tortilla. Ava held out her hand to hold mine and said "best friends forever."

When Ava saw me touch my c-section scar, she said, "Don't touch your big owie!"She was still pretty worried about it a couple months later.

Ava calls her belly button her beep beep. She thinks that women have three "beep beeps." When Ava was watching me pump for the first time, she was staring with wide eyes and said "yoh's beeps beeps moving!"

After Ava got the sacrament one day she yelled out "More church water!"

One time as the boys were passing the sacrament I was trying to keep her attention. I asked Ava, "What do we think of when we get the bread?" expecting her to say Jesus. She answered, "umm... dip dip?" (she dips pieces of bread in yogurt sometimes for breakfast!)

Brent made a loud noise to scare Ava. She told him sternly, "Hey! This broke my ears!"

During family night I asked Ava what her favorite creation was that Heavenly Father made. She answered, "mermaids."

This morning I tried something new with Ava's hair, pulling it straight back. Because of her crazy cowlicks, her bangs ended sticking straight up in the front. During sacrament meeting I took Ava to the bathroom. When she was washing her hands she looked in the mirror and said, "my hair CRAZY!" I laughed and said, it sure is! Then she said "grrrrr, me angry! Angry, Inside Out!" She was totally right, she looked like the guy from Inside Out. I laughed so hard right there in the church bathroom.

Happy 3rd birthday my beautiful, hilarious, fun girl!

"Winter" in Texas

The winter weather has been so mild here in Texas! It's been in the 50s and 60s, and even the 70s some days. Yahoo! 

I'm so so so lucky to be able to work from home. I am able to nurse Coen while I work. This is my view after I'm done nursing. Usually he will nap for a bit on me while I work, which makes working so much more enjoyable.

Right when we got home Coen had his two month check up. He weighed 10 lbs 9 oz (11th percentile) and was 22.5 inches (23rd percentile). Basically he's a tiny perfect little dude.

One day I left Coen in the swing and came back to find him looking like Santa Claus. He has reflux and spits up a lot. At his checkup the doctor gave him antacid medicine which helps him be more comfortable and I think also helps with the volume of spit up.

 Despite the reflux, Coen is one happy baby. Sorry that half the pictures in this blog post are just of Coen smiling. But not really sorry.

 Yeah.

 I love how he smiles with his whole body.

 The first week we were back Ava had a cold and she gave it to the whole family. I got pretty sick with the chills and a sinus infection. Luckily we have 1:00 church so we took advantage and stayed in bed all morning that day. I think that is one of my favorite things in the world, just staying in bed on the weekend.

 Little man was cute as can be in this little outfit.

 I bought this shirt before I had Coen because it cracks me up.

 We went out to Chilis on MLK day.

 Brent got Ava back into potty-training and she was pretty excited about her panties. She ran up to show Coen and I snapped a picture because I thought it was so funny and cute that she already wants to show Coen everything.

 Ava's favorite thing to do is dress up and dance. She requests that I sing the "shrek song" constantly.

 My beautiful girl.

 We need to get her in dance classes ASAP!

 Just a little mother-daughter mirror selfie.

 You can tell he has a big sister because he bathes in a pink tub. He's cool with it.

 One day while I cooked dinner Ava set up an elaborate picnic and entertained herself for a while.

 Brent taught Ava about selfies.

 These cheeks.

 He just looks at me with these eyes all day. I'm a little gaga over him.

They asked me to teach Relief Society, and it went pretty well I guess. I felt like a real grown up doing that and then having two kids on my hip. Also, I practiced doing my makeup how Laura taught me. Do I look like I'm pushing 30? Because I am. And it's really weirding me out.

Coen was doing this while I was trying to work one morning.

 And this.

I'm really loving the rolls his thighs are getting. Brent doesn't like them so much, so I guess it's a mom thing to want baby rolls?

 Ava was doing a good job potty-training but still wouldn't do #2 on the potty. Brent one day told her he would give her a ring pop, the blocks from grandma, and a princess show if she would do it. So then, she did it! And she hasn't had an accident since. She was so proud of herself, and we were too! And she did not forget anything Brent had told her she would get.  Here she is with her ring pop.

 Here she is with her blocks from Grandma. I had forgotten about this part of the bargain, but a toddler never forgets.

 Lately during quiet time Ava gets in a dress up and plays in her room. Usually she puts on this purple dress up.

 It was so warm, we went to the park one day to play.

 Coen was happy to be outside.

 We went to Target one night because I wanted to buy myself some presents with some of my Christmas bonus form work. I bought all sorts of random things I've been wanting like cosmetics, hair stuff, a table cloth, and placemats.

Coen is starting to talk to us. A video: 

Coen in his dinosaur outfit

 I couldn't get over the sinus infection from way back when, and then I came down with pink eye. So it was time for a trip to the doctor. I took both kids by myself- it was the first time I took them alone in public. I was finally brave enough! They were good, and I even went to the store afterwards. Here I am at the doctors, keeping it under control.

Just cute.

 I went to the library with the kids and as we were leaving Ava requested I take her picture with the statue out front. She posed all cute.

 Our friends from the library invited us over to their house that evening. They are a cute couple with a little boy younger than Ava. Adam is getting his phd in psychology at UNT and loves movies. Lisa is super cute and fun. When I met them at the library a few months ago I came home and told Brent, I just found us some best friends :)

Adam and Brent took the kids to the park while Lisa and I got the food ready.

 Fun times.

 On Sunday after church the kids looked adorable, so we took a few pictures.

We went on a walk to the park because it was in the 70s!

Coen's hair is coming in, if you can tell from this picture! It's way blonde and sticks straight up.

Little buddy helping me work.

Coen started doing his first giggles a week before he turned 3 months. Here were his first ones I heard, and he was laughing because he blew out an outfit just after I had given him a bath!

We got take-out one day and since Ava is crazy about picnics, we made a picnic in our kitchen. She was really happy about it!

One day during quiet time Ava decided that she wanted to build a house with all of the totes that hold all of her stuff. So she emptied all of the ones she could reach. Ugh. She got a time-out.

 "Look Coen! Princess dress!"

 Coen just sat in his swing for almost an hour and a half the other night while we cooked and ate dinner. He is such a good baby I have to pinch myself.

 I felt totally brave and I went grocery shopping with BOTH kids while Brent was at school.

Ava in her aunt Laura's dress from the Philippines

Ava let me do pigtails, and she felt beautiful.

 I noticed that we all matched!

Then Brent got home and he had stripes on too. 

We invited our new friends from the ward over for pizza and a movie. They are so sweet and have 4 kids- the youngest 2 are our kids' ages.

Video of Ava playing peek a boo with Coen

So that was our January in Texas! We were pretty blessed with good weather and cute kids!