Jam Session

For Avolyns birthday Mike and I bought her a guitar. Since Mike is now working at a music shop we were able to get a pretty good price. Today when Elliott was asleep we were able to focus on Avolyn and this is how it went down...






I took a couple of videos, but they are not wanting to download right now. But you get the idea. She started singing "You Are My Sunshine", it was pretty fantastic. I will see if I can work on the footage.

2 posts in 2 days...I am on a roll!

Drum roll please....AN UPDATE!

Greetings Friends and Family!

So much to share. We have been a busy family the past few months. I hope that these pictures will catch you up. Avolyn had her 2nd birthday last weekend! Can you even believe it!? Pictures will come later from that very special day. She is just such a joy and a very smart 2 year old. We are hopefully going to start potty training in the next couple of weeks. She understands the concept, so we will see if we can put it into motion.

Elliott is now 4 months old. He is smiling often, and becoming quite the rolling machine. He is a very easy going baby. He still wakes up at least once a night most nights, but I bet once we start introducing foods to him he will sleep all night long. At least I hope.

Enjoy the pictures...In chronological order...starting in (gulp, August)

Elliott Utahs 2 month photo shoot.

Elliott sitting in the bumbo for the first time, enjoying the music.

Little Mother Hen

She really did get most of the lasagna in her mouth.

Elliott found his feet!

Avolyn has never really been into watching t.v. For some reason I thought it would be a fun idea to watch this movie that we have had since Christmas. It is the ONLY show that she watches, and when she does, it is pretty much the ONLY thing that she is into, she stops everything and watches the video. There are 5-5 minute segments, all with morals and they are clay animated. I took these photos when we were watching the movie. It does give me 25 minutes to get things done. Even Harper and Elliott enjoy watching it.

Notice Avolyns bracelet, she had been getting into accessories lately.



Avolyn and Cousin Wyatt

Getting ready for the Quaker Day Parade
CANDY after the parade

That about wraps it up. It kills me that I have not updated in so long and for each picture there is a story that I could include. My dear friend Mandi came to Avolyns birthday party and took pictures. As soon as I get those I will post the celebration. Until then...here is a sneak peek..........

Beauty in Movement

Saturday was a day that I do not want to forget any time soon. There were no plans (which if you know me is pretty rare). We did not go anywhere. I did get a few things crossed off of my mental "to do" list. But it was one of those days that makes me so happy to be a mom.

There were few pictures documenting this day. Not because I didn't think about it, or even try to take a few videos. But because I was in the moment with my family, loving every second of it. It was beauty that photos just wouldn't capture. It was beauty in movement.

This is just some of the movement from yesterday...

Avolyn and I worked on a "special project". One trait that Avolyn gets 100% from her mother is the love to organize. Everything has a spot, it is my job (and now Avolyns) to find it. We went up to Elliotts room after our morning routine. It was time to get the newborn clothes in boxes and get all of Elliotts 0-3 and 3-6 month clothes out. I love this time. I am sure every mother knows what I am talking about. Out with the old, in with the new. I love looking at all of the clothes that don't fit anymore, remembering when it was worn, and get ready for everything that is to come. We spent 1.5 putting clothes in boxes, folding, finding things in boxes and drawers. Avolyn even found all of Elliotts diapers, opened them up and one by one pulled them out...then putting them different places around the room. She found several bottles of unopened bathing soaps and other small bottles and very carefully lining them up. Of course doing all of this in song and conversation. Beauty in movement.

Elliott fell asleep in my chest after a bottle. Avolyn was taking a nap and I was able to just watch Elliott sleep. With his checks all scrunched up and the smell of soy formula on his breath. His eyes open and then look at me. I smiled. He slowly fell back to sleep as I sit rocking my baby. He falls back asleep and smiles. I am sure at me. Beauty in movement.

Rose and Harper come after naps are all over for both houses. The music is turned up. Avolyn and Harper start playing...sometimes even with each other, no hitting or screaming. They both start dancing. Harper shows us his mad robot skills while Avolyn is shaking her hips. They both run over to the stairs and try to get the prize spot to sit where the wall and the stair connect on the first step. It is the best spot to run around and stick your head and then body out for all of us (Rose, Mike and myself) to say their name and then run back to the spot. It is pretty funny and sometimes goes on for awhile. Beauty in movement.

As we are getting ready for dinner Avolyn and Harper in Mikes arms spinning around. Both kids are stretching, arching and leaning back as far as possible. All three laughing. Beauty in movement.

After dinner, winding down for the night. The kitchen is cleaned up and the kids are reading books. We have lots of books, but there are favorites. One of their favorites is a book called Hippos Go Berserk. Mike, Rose and I can probably recite the book. The middle page there are forty some odd hippos at a party and it reads, "ALL THE HIPPOS GO BERSERK". Which means everyone in the room must go berserk by shaking our bodies. Rose was the lucky one that got to read this book many times last night. Each time is a party. This is beauty in movement.

So that is Saturday night for you. It is amazing how Saturday nights have changed. I am thankful for all of the different parts of my life that I have been able to experience other types of beauty in movement, but for right now I am completely satisfied.



You know I can't post without a few of my favs from the past week or so...






This is my last week of maternity leave. I am not ready to start work yet, but will be ready by next Monday. I will be taking every advantage this week to spend with my family.

I am complete.

So much to share, but so little time. This past week has been amazing. I am so lucky that I get to spend quality time with BOTH of my babes. I will update soon with enough pictures to make one puke and explain in detail the past few weeks for the Gonsers. Hopefully these pictures will work until then...



I am one lucky girl!

Happy and healthy here still! Life is always movin' and a-grovin'. There isn't a weekend that we don't have something planned. We have enjoyed getting to be outside more.

Mike put up his hammock and Avolyns swing a month or so ago and they love to swing together, but separately. Avolyn is so not interested in laying in the hammock for Mike for more than 2.5 seconds. Avolyn and I have enjoyed going on walks around the neighborhood. Many nights after dinner we go out for a short walk. One of the reasons why I enjoy the neighborhood, a safe place to walk, much different than our country house in Bloomington. There will always be a special place in my heart for that house, but where we are now is much more practical. We still haven't met too many of our neighbors, but I am sure we will be now that things are getting nice out, more people are out.

There was a community yard sale a few weekends ago and we scored big. I was in the market for a bed for our baby boy, a mattress and 2 toilet training chairs for Avolyn. WE FOUND EVERYTHING WE WERE LOOKING FOR! I should give credit to Mom. If you are familiar with my mom and her shopping woes you would be very proud. We walked around until I was getting uncomfortable and then Mom went in the car to scope out farther away houses. She got back and had a chair and a mattress and a crib. What a shopper!! :) The crib was the major find. It was only used at a grandmas house maybe 12 times and had a mattress. It actually looks a lot like Avolyns, and is a 4 in 1 bed. Pretty impressive. Mom is taking applications for being the smart garage sale shopper. Let her know what you need, and she will find it for you! :)

Avolyn has loved playing outside at daycare. She is fearless and loves going up and down the slide. I was one my way home one night from work talking to Mike and he asked if I had talked to mom yet. I replied no...and WHY? He said, "well Avolyn got hurt today outside on the slide at daycare." As my heart started racing I asked , "is she okay??" And his reply was, " She broke her arm but is doing alright." Perhaps you have met my husband the joker. And at times like this I do not remember how funny he is. I started freaking out and Mike says, "She just busted her lip, but that now doesn't sound as bad as a broken arm now does it." There was a pause in the conversation. A long pause. Avolyn had her first split lip from going head first in the mulch. She is alright. Mike is alright. I am almost over it.

Avolyn is talking alllllllllllll the time. I feel bad because some time we have no idea what she is talking about. She repeats everything that is said. A few weekends ago I must of called her princess. I was giving her something, and she said "Thank you Princess". I looked at her and said Princess? and she smiled. I asked her if I was Princess did that make her the Queen, and of course she said 'Yes'. At least I know where I stand in this relationship.

We have moved the bedrooms around upstairs. Avolyn was in the smaller room, and now she has the bigger -what was guest room. She loves it. She is still in her crib. She likes the crib and hasn't tried to escape. I think it is pretty crazy to have a newborn and a toddler that has just figured out she can get out of her bed. So until she falls out of her bed from climbing we will keep her in the crib. She also has a few toys and most of her stuffed animals in her room. I would like to get a chair for her room so we can start reading books in her room before bed. We read downstairs a lot before going to bed but winding down upstairs might be a good thing. We will see. Our babes bedroom is for the most part done. We have a bassinet in our room for him, and all of his clothes and blankets, his crib and such are all ready for him. I think this weekend I will put together our hospital bag and a bag for Avolyn.

I think Avolyn is getting this whole new baby thing better. She still has no idea that I am carrying a baby. Even when we talk about baby, or I have her feel him moving...no idea. But since a few weeks ago when we started rearranging the rooms, getting out baby clothes, talking more about Baby Elliott, she understands that there are things around the house for a Baby Elliott. She was in our room and pointed to the bassinet and said "Hi-Ho Baby Elliott?" I still think it is going to be a shock when we bring Elliott home and no one comes a picks him up. I also think that Avolyn is going to be a very loving big sister. Being a mother of two is just the best already, and it just has started.

I go back to the doctor this afternoon. I really think that I am going to have a June baby. Which is just great. I still have the okay for a V-BAC. Which is promising. We had an ultrasound done last week and he is measuring around 7 lbs and has VERY chubby cheeks. I am feeling pretty good. I have uncomfortable moments, but in no way ready for this trip to be over. My back hurts and I know that parts of my body are moving getting ready to deliver. I am exhausted by the end of the day, but every day is totally worth the work that I put into it. Driving back and forth from Bloomington is getting a little old, but the changing in the colors and flowers has helped the commute.

Whefhoo! No more rambles, I promise.....now PICTURES!

The laughing that was going on in this picture was indescribable.

Grandma Peggy and her special girl

These eggs are with Avolyn 95.5 % of her life right now. Yes, she sleeps with them too.

Grandpa and Avolyn playing copy-cat game

Grand-dude reading to his favs.

A friend from work gave this little table and chair to us. This is the first time that Avolyn checked it out, and obviously LOVES it. She must of just pulled out her hair from a pony...she does that a lot. Anyway, THANKS HOLLY!

Daddy and Avolyn wrestling around. Mike has been getting quite the work out lately.

2 peas in a pod.

Off to the doctor! I will update soon, promise. Perhaps with a new belly picture. Elliott William we already love you so much!