Rhett 15 Months old & These Days with Ava

He turned 15 Months old this week.

He started walking this month! 

Says ma, mom and mama often.

Nods for yes and no. 

Loves to wave and say Hi and Bye to people, even complete strangers we pass by.

He starts repeating "woo, woo" every time he hears a dog bark. (which in this house can be often)

Has 8 teeth. 

Lowered his crib to the last notch.

Still on two naps but might be getting ready to drop the morning one.

Sleeping all night most nights.

Loves to cuddle and will pat our backs when we are holding him.

Favorite foods are still avocado, mac and cheese and milk.

Likes to take a crayon or marker and hold in his hand to scribble on paper. 

Loves to be outside or in water.

Enjoys playing with a ball.

These Days Ava you are loving doing art projects. 

You have an art bin that you love to get down to paint, cut and glue creations. You love to make creations to give to people. 

We pass your preschool often as it's near our house and you get pretty upset at times asking me "why must school have a summer break!" and are so eager to return in the fall. One day recently you asked if your buddy Izzy could go to your school and I told you she will probably go to school on her side of town. Then you contemplated the idea of going to school where she does but you decided you weren't use to those teachers and would miss your school too much.

 It has been interesting watching you navigate social settings and relationships - as the apple doesn't fall far from my tree in that department.  I find you are very thoughtful in your interactions, prefer familiar settings, close relationships within smaller circles and at times need to recharge in low energy settings. 

We went to a church gathering this week at someone house. You made friends with one of the adult ladies there and you came to me excitedly to tell me that I will be so proud that you "got use to her". That's your introvert lingo for making friends. Yesterday we were at a restaurant meeting a friend of mine for lunch. You were going to go play in the play area and asked if any of your friends would be there. I told you no so you proceeded to tell me a well thought out plan you had for maybe finding another little girl that was playing alone that maybe you could "get use to" and maybe you could play with other little girls but told me now more than 3 I think. 

My prayer is you will embrace who God made you to be, you already make a very loyal and loving friend to others as you love so deeply and with such kindness. I pray many will be blessed by knowing and receiving the love you have to give. 

Fourth with the Family

We went to Houston for the 4th this year for our Annual Bell Bash. I loved the lack of plans as mainly we just enjoyed a slower pace with one another leaving plenty of time and space for lazy swims, watching babies play and lingering over meal time conversations. I find too often holidays become frantic with more doing and less being. I loved this holiday felt like we accomplished just the opposite and that in itself ironically takes some intentional planning. 

Man time on the drive way? 

We got to soak up time with our newest spring additions to the family Emilia and Hudson born just about a month apart.

It's hard to say what Rhett loved more the pool or the fireworks. 

lots of cousin time

Meeting Hudson.
Her other favorite thing to do besides pool time was baby lovin time. 

"pop-pop-pop"

His firework face.
 He loved the boom of the fireworks- sister does not.
They are both so alike and so different too. I
 love  this time of discovering who is, who is going to be - even in the smallest of ways.

Saturday Snoozing

Water balloon fight preparations

Warming up for the big game

lots of swim practice time

songs with meme

Some of my favorite worship times are family worship,
Sunday we enjoyed family worship before we hit the road. 

It was nice to have a Sunday morning to not have to wrangle my children during the service.
It was a beautiful way to end a great time together. 

Rhett's Room (13 & 14 month update)

Besides keeping out of town family and friends up to date on our happenings, 

this blog serves mostly as a memory book for this family. I been making it's pages into physical print books so we can keep a record of this season of family life. 

I did a little photo shoot of Rhett in his room the other week in an effort to remember his sweet nursery and capture so many familiar sites that I get to see daily of him right now that I wanted to tuck away for safe keeping:

"Reading" books.
Hair getting lighter in the summer sun.
His baby is fading and glimpses of a little boy are emerging. 

Grandma helped me make the banner.
The sign above the dresser says "snakes, snails and puppy dog tails".
The ceramic soccer ball and glove were from Ryan's room growing up.
His basket of books by his rocking chair has a collection of books I read to Ava too.
I love a good basket of books, I think I have one in every kid space we have in the house. 

I crafted the two canvases.
The dog one is Rory's profile. I just can't help but think of puppy dogs when I think of little boys-
so lots of dogs to go with his yellow and grey. The little owl was very first thing I bought for his room soon after finding out we were having a boy.
 I associate that owl with the growing excitement of thinking about being a mom of a little boy and the growing anticipation of meeting him, pretty sure I will be keeping it long after he's done playing with it. 

That little four tooth grin that will be changing to a six tooth grin any day now. 

Hes been loving his rocking horse that his Uncle Matt made him.
The furniture was his sister's, the rocking chair also a family hand-me-down.
I love that the vast majority of his room was gifted or hand-me-down - It all carries special meanings and memories to go along side the new ones.  

Milestone update for month 13 & 14

He is cruising, crawling, climbing but not walking just yet. 

He says "ha" and "Ba" while waving for Hi and Bye. 

He also says "uh-o" regularly when something falls or he drops it. 

He loves to play in the shower or bath and may would stay in there all day if we let him. 

He started pointing and grunting to try to show us what he wants. 

He may turn into an Avocado he eats them so much.

He stopped nursing a few weeks ago and now sleeps all night most nights. 

He and Ava play more together with reciprocal play instead of just parallel play. 

Favorite game so far that they both seem to love is to take turns putting each other in the play oven and waving bye-bye.  

Summer time!

It's the most wonderful time of year! Summer has always been my favorite. 

It use to be because of camps, slumber parties, pool time, sleeping to my hearts content... 

These days summer has a different rhythm to it than summer's past but the magic of sunshine and a slower pace still draw's me in and fills me up in a way no other time of year does. 

Ava and I have been enjoying what we call flower walks in the evenings in the field next to our house.

There are so many different kinds of wildflowers around our neighborhood, we checked out a book at the library on Oklahoma wildflowers and are learning which ones are which. 

This summer means Rhett is climbing in and out and on everything.

Some sibling love. 

 He is perfecting his don't boss me look for her this summer.

Summer means lots of back yard time! 

Summer also means visits from people we love! 

Happy Summer to you and yours!

Branson Get-away

Last week we enjoyed a week away in Branson. 

There was a nice combination of planned activities and some laid back down time. 

The big kids went zip lining for the first time, we visited silver dollar city, did some outlet shopping, ate great food and the highlight of Ava's trip  - hit the good ole' Dixie stampede dinner and show. On the flip side of that I got to read a couple books, walk the trail in the woods behind our place, spend time at the pool and the highlight of my trip, sleep in a few mornings!

It was a nice not too far drive.

We enjoyed lots of pool time.

There was a nice little trail close by our place perfect for some laid back nature walks.

Always a nice surprise to see a familiar face when traveling. 

At Silver Dollar City Ava barely met the 36 inch cut off to ride some of the bigger rides with an adult. I was so surprised at what she tried and what she liked. I could feel myself wanting to protect from rides I thought she might find too scary but I knew it was better I held my tongue and let her have her own experience and test the waters herself. It wasn't tear free but ratio was about 10:1 on the fun versus too scary and I found I couldn't predict for sure which rides she would or wouldn't like. 

Pots Ride: "That was fun, What's Next!?"

A whole theme park and Rhett was perfectly content to play with a stick and a bush.  

You can't see it in the picture here but I just told him "no climbing" on this and I could predict I would get this smile as he hikes his leg up and is at it again. What is it with boys and climbing everything!

We went to a restaurant one day where the waiter's sing to you. Ava loved getting sung too.  

It was a restful and fun trip and a good combination of old favorites and new adventures.

The perfect recipe in my book for what a good getaway should be.