2014 reflections

As always it was fun to review our year through my favorite snap shots:

This time last year I was wrapping up my management position and stepped into an even more part time role of doing some consulting and training in order spend more time with these two. Even with the hard and sometimes long days that can come with parenting little ones, the times I lost my patience, had Disney songs stuck on repeat in my head and answered the question "Will you play with me?" for the millionth time... I really have loved this year and this time with them.

In March we traveled for spring break to visit the family and spend time with cousins in Houston.
We visited the zoo and had a good time together. 

We celebrated Ava turning 4!

and Rhett turning 1!

We celebrated them with a joint family party at the house. 

We watched Rhett start walking and talking.  

Another year of Ava enjoying all things princess and girly except for once in a while when she liked to mix up with mowing, playing in the dirt or catching bugs. I love that this picture captures her so well at this age. 

In the summer Ryan surprised me with my first real Camera, I am hoping in 2015 to venture off of manual mode and expand my photography horizons. 

In June we went on a family vacation to Branson with the Askew crew.

Ava surprised with all the rides she would ride at Silver Dollar City now that she has reached the first height limit for the bigger rides.

No good vacation is quite complete without lots of pool time.
Ava took swim lessons again this summer and loved time in the water. 

Road trip fun!

Allie got to come visit us for several days in the summer!
To a 4 year old girl, there's pretty much nothing cooler than your 11 year old girl cousin.

We went to Houston over the 4th of July for the Bell family Bash
and got to get to know our newest cousins, Emilia and Hudson.
They are some of our greatest joys for the year to have both of them arrive safe and healthy! 

Ava told us she wants to be a cowgirl when she grows up
but she's pretty conflicted because she really loves babies and
 she told me she's just not sure if she can ride her horse all day and take care of baby
maybe 2015 will bring more clarity for her on her future endeavors.

No summer trip to Houston is complete with out lots of pool time. 

The kids always loved time with their grandparents this year. 

Rhett loved the fireworks this year and we loved watching his shock and awe face. 

We also traveled down to Duncan for a Day trip to meet up visit with Matt and Lori and made a trip to the kiddie park there.  (Rhett seemed excited to ride the train and wanted to sit on the bench next to me but as soon as it started he crawled up on my lap, such a marker of this stage - Let me do it myself, wait I need you)

Rhett's increased mobility over the year lead to lots of shenanigans and I am sure there will be more to come in 2015. 

In the fall Rhett started MDO two days a week at Ava's school.

and Ava returned to preschool as one the big kids. 

I took the kids down to Orr Family Farms again for some Fall fun. 

Rhett loved his first hayride!

We went with an Alice in Wonderland theme Halloween after Ava watched again and again in the fall. 

We hosted a bon fire night with  some friends in our back yard. 

Over Thanksgiving we updated our Bell family kid pictures. 

There are 5 more members of this crew since the last time we did this group picture a few years ago. 

In December we took Ava ice skating for the first time and enjoyed our usual holiday family time in Broken Arrow.

A tiny frog on the drive way. 

I feel like these last two pictures are my favorite of the year and really capture this year for us. They symbolizes the joy of watching their relationship with one another grow and the wonder and magic of this stage of life we get to share along side them. Not all the days were filled with magic there were plenty of messes to go along side it- moments I lost my patience, or they fought with each other, Rhett broke things, or put another random something in the toilet, having tantrums at the same time or the literal constant mess making and cleaning cycle that is never ending at this stage. but I think when I look back on 2014 with all its mess and magic, the magical moments -the moments of Ryan and I making eye contact when they do something hilarious, or being there for the moment they accomplish something new, hearing MaMa for the first time or spending an hour on the drive way in awe of tiny frog that came to visit, those are the parts I am tucking away for keeps. 2015 will be a big year for our house with someone starting kindergarten, someone potty training, and changes I am sure we don't even know about yet. I hope I'm finding that sweet place of wrapping myself in this moment and not mourning what has passed or anxiously awaiting what is next because I know that is the surest way to miss the magic of right now and right now is pretty great. 

Holidays 2014

We enjoyed a fun and blessed holiday season.

Ava dodged a bullet just before Christmas. We were with several other kids a few days before Christmas for a get together and she was the only kiddo I think that didn't come down with the flu, so that was a nice little Christmas Miracle. 

We headed to Broken Arrow 

and spent Christmas Eve with Grandma and Grandpa and the rest of the Askew family. Ava went ahead of us with Aunt Amy the night before and I hear had a great time.  

Christmas day we spent with my parents and grandparents. 

Rhett and his great grandpa Bell

After lunch and gifts we played some games. Candy Land for MeMe and Ava and Grandma and I played a few hours of Racko and another card game and she beat me pretty good at everything we played. 

We got to enjoy a little post Christmas snow over the weekend.

Don't let the sweet face fool you,
he was sweet as can be during the day but had some pretty rough nights while we were away.

Just barely enough snow for snowman making.

Then we headed down to Houston over New Years for Bell family Christmas.

These girls had so much fun together and Ava has been living in her "cozy" night gown she got for Christmas.

Story Time with MeMe

Overall I enjoyed the pace of this season more than seasons past, it felt like we found more of a balance with having some December fun lists things we wanted to do but were more thoughtful about what activities and events we wanted to say yes to and which ones to say no to to keep from being too frazzled during this season.

I always enjoy this time of settling back into normal routines,
reflecting on the past year and finalizing goals for the year to come.
Still simmering those thoughts and looking forward to what is to come.  

First Ice Skating!

Ava has been asking about ice skating for over a year and she had some Christmas money from her great grandparents that she received at Thanksgiving (Grandma I knew you would read this so wanted you to see how much she enjoyed the gift!!) So we headed over to Mitch park Saturday for a special afternoon of fun. Despite the cold, she loved just about every minute of it, it was a special first for sure. I asked her if it was everything she hoped it would be and she smiled so big when she quietly nodded yes as we were leaving. Definitely a day to tuck away for keeps.

Getting started!

.

So excited!

working on their ice dancing routine 

This strategy seemed to work the best, dad's hand on the coat, a little safety net to avoid a face plant. 

I loved those tiny legs in those tiny skates, by the end of the time she was trying it all on her own. 

Even watching them refinish the ice had some magic and wonder to it.

Hot chocolate break.

Thanks to Aunt Amy for keeping Rhett, he's not quite ready for ice skates just yet.  

Rhett: 19 month update

 Rhett turned 19 months over the weekend! More little boy is emerging daily as his baby is fading more and more. He's starting to put two words together here and there. My favorite Rhett words right now are "baff" for bath, "Maaaalk" for Milk, "Maame" for Aunt Amy, "wook" for look. His most said word is "sister". He wakes up saying "sister" and wants to see her first thing. They told me at his MDO today he had a hard day kept saying Mama and they said she'll be back soon and asked him what else they get him and he then started saying "sister". He's doing good with not touching the tree but throwing balls inadvertently has been more of the hazard. He loves to rare his arm back and then come really close to you to play catch. His favorite book he wants to read each night right now is "I love you stinky face", there is a cyclops in it and he loves when we turn that page he says enthusiastically "bear!". I don't know where the association comes from but we just go with it. He loves to fold his hands when its time to pray. I had to move the dog food up on the pantry shelf, he figured out the latch this month and I kept finding him snacking on it. Avocados are still his most favorite actual food. So excited to for Christmas with him at this age and stage.

He would stay outside all the time if I let him.

He loves bath time.

I love him in this little man sweater.

Happy 19 months brother bear! 

Happy Halloween!

Alice in Wonderland has been Ava's favorite movie the last few months so it was an easy theme for Halloween this year. I found a great Etsy find for Ava's dress and then I made Rhett's white rabbit costume with a lot of help from hot glue and spray adhesive. 

Mayfair Trunk or Treat

Our Alice in Wonderland themed trunk

Getting ready! 

Rhett 18 months, Ava 4 and a half years old

Rhett at 18 months

Rhett turned 18 months yesterday:

It's a word explosion time. I've lost count of how many words he says and almost daily he says a new one he hasn't said before. 

None of his canines are in but he has one molar all the way through and one partially through.

He loves pizza, avocados, pretzels and cookies

He loves to wave hi to people and has several ladies at church he will reach his arms out for every time he sees them. 

He is sweet, observant and determined. 

He naps once a day for an hour or two

Ryan's boss gave him a football recently and he loves it and throws a fit when we won't let him take it in the bath or shower.

He has learned to take a wooden puzzle and set up as a ramp on the bottom section of the coffee table in order to climb on top of it. 

We've never had an ER trip with Ava but thinking we might with him some day. He gave himself 3 different black eyes this month, all minor but all involved his climbing or running shenanigans either falling or running into things. 

His favorite book is Little Blue Truck

After a smooth run the first day, he had a rough first month adjusting to Mothers Day Out in September: Being tearful off and on during the days, not eating much of his lunch and then hardy napping. He's teachers and I worked on some things to help with nap time and after some adjustment time now daily I get reports of what a great day he had. We've even had some tear free drop offs the last few times where he will reach out for his teacher when I go. 

Happy 18 months Brother Bear! 

His "say cheese" face

Hair is getting lighter and lighter, his eyes are blue with flecks goldish yellow. 

He loves Rory...

not sure Rory loves him but she tolerates him well.