Avery in August

Our little girl is growing by leaps and bounds. Her first 5.5 months have flown by in a whirlwind of stories and adventures. Last week she tried her first food. Avery has been smacking her lips while we eat for the better part of a month. So we decided to try her out on organic butternut squash from our garden. For our 8th anniversary we gave each other the gift of gardening. We have a space at Historic Bethabara, which was a Moravian settlement in the 1750s. In order to keep the place looking historic, the park offers people the oppourtunity to grow their own vegetables for a nominal fee, then they supply water and soil; tiller and tools. This summer has been a wonderful adventure as we get back to nature and grow things from the ground-up. So far we have zucchini and squash; green beans and sweet peppers on the way. The boys and I tried to plant carrots, but explaining to a 6yo and 3.5yo that they should plant each tiny seed 1/4 inch into the ground is a tall order (even the ones I planted didn't grow). That's how we got to Avery's first food. 

She didn't love it. We have tried again pretty much every night. Avery is still going to work with Ashley to the delight of ALL of Ashley's fellow employees. Ashley's boss, Mary, even applied for grant money based on the fact that Avery and other babies in the office have increased the percentage of breastfeeding clients in the clinic. Mary, Avery, and all won the grant!
Avery is a cutie. A real charmer.

She's full of personality

Where's Thomas?

She delights all that she meets. Also this summer the boys continued to grow in body and spirit. Here Thomas is in my office, deciding that VBS for the day would have to wait until after quality Daddy and Thomas time. Once he realized that I'm pretty boring while I respond to my email, he tried to find a place to rest. I thought it was picturesque.

Avery and her Daddy at Ikea

Avery loves to smile. She loves to ride in the Moby where she can face out and see people. We spent Friday night in a hotel near Charlotte and went to Ikea on Saturday. After Thomas' mid-Ikea mid-three year old meltdown, we left Ikea and went to a park with some old friends. Tony and Christy have spent the better part of the last decade in Seattle while we were living in Arizona and Berkeley. Now that we have returned to the Tarheel state to raise our kids, The Rossi family did as well. You see them here with their kids Wes and Mia

 (Thomas not pictured for personal reasons)

The Kids @ the Hotel

Avery's first wagon ride. Heeey, Mama rock me.

That's all for now. It has been a wonderful summer with a wonderful family. Life is good.