"Who's your Daddy?"

Owen: Mommy, who's your Daddy?"
Mommy: Pappy is my Daddy.
Owen: No, Pappy is my grandpa
Mommy: That's right! Who's your grandma?
Owen: Gram is my grandma and Nonnie is my grandma.
Mommy: That's right!
Owen: And Pop is my grandpa, just like Pappy.
Mommy: That's right!
Owen: Mommy, who is your brother?
Mommy: Uncle Jeff is my brother.
Owen: And he is my uncle?
Mommy: Yep, that's right.
Owen: I love all of them.
Mommy: Aw....that's sweet. They love you too.

Avery - 9 months

Avery went for her nine month check-up this morning. We were worried that it was going to turn into a sick appointment since she is still tugging at her ears, coughing and congested. But, she got a clean bill of health...with the exception of a small cold and perhaps some teething.
Avery weighed 21 pounds, 12 ounces which puts her in the 95th percentile for weight. She is 28 inches long which puts her in the 45th percentile for height. That confirms our analysis that we have a short/fat baby! Her head measured in the 95th...so she has a big head like her brother!
Picture to follow.

"Can I have a daughter?"

Owen: Daddy, who is your daughter?
Daddy: Avery is my daughter.
Owen: Am I your other daughter?
Daddy: No, you are my son.
Owen: Who is your daughter, Mommy?
Mommy: Avery is my daughter.
Owen: And I am your son?
Mommy: Yes.
Owen: Can I have a daughter?
Daddy: No, not for awhile.
Owen: When you are done with your daughter, can I have one?
Daddy: In about 30 years or so, you can have a daughter.
Owen: I will have one with Mommy and Daddy and Nashers. (BIG smile)
Daddy: OK (?!??!)

Owen is always trying to figure stuff out. He has been into family relationships lately. He wants to know how everyone is related. It is fun to try and explain it to him and amazing that he remembers it all.

Potty Training 1.0

So, I think it is safe to blog about this topic now. We have been officially potty training Owen for 28 days and we are happy to report four accident free days in a row with both pooh and pee going in the potty! Not to mention, Owen is now asking to go potty (whereas before we had to tell him and/or take him (kicking and screaming sometimes) to go). Another major milestone!!!
He loves to keep his Thomas and Sesame Street big boy undies clean and dry. And most of all...he loves for everyone to be SO PROUD of him!

We're not ashamed to say that we have used some bribes. Sticker charts were a hit at first. As that died off, we reverted to M&Ms or Skittles. And then two weekends ago, we told him he could have a Thomas train if he went pooh in the potty. That night he did it! We learned a valuable lesson too...have the prize in the house if it is promised! It is VERY hard to explain to a two year old that we have to go to the store in the morning to get it. Oops. I think we are forgiven now though.

It is nice to only have one in diapers. :)

"And then you make a goal, mommy?"

At dinner tonight, I was explaining to Clint a "garnishing tool" that was given to me at the grocery store today. It is plastic and has a tab on it that you use 'score' the peel on a fruit to make it easier to peel. When I made that statement, Owen said "And then you make a goal, mommy?". It took me awhile...but I finally figured out that he thought when I said "score" that I was talking about "scoring a goal".
Another fine example of how confusing and complicated our English language can be!

"You figure it out"

Owen's vocabulary is growing so fast! And...he can put spout out some great sentences. Here was a conversation I had with him tonight while he was in the bath playing with a little bottle of bubbles that he got in a goody bag at school around Christmas time:

Owen: "Mommy, do these bubbles have a Santa on top?"
Mommy: "Yes, they do."
Owen: "Santa brought me trains. He slept at my house."
Mommy: "Santa did bring you trains, but he did not sleep at your house. He is too busy on Christmas Eve to sleep."
Owen: "He didn't sleep at my house. He didn't go nightnights."
Mommy: "That's right, he didn't go nightnights."
Owen: "Mommy, I can't open this."
Mommy: "Oh...do you want to open it so we can blow bubbles?"
Owen: "Ya. I want to blow bubbles. But I can't open it.
Mommy: "Can I help you open it?"
Owen: "Ya...here...you figure it out."

Eight Months old!

Avery turned eight months old last Friday. As usual...we can't believe how fast time is going.
Here are some of the things she is doing:

- Sits unsupported
- Gets up on all fours, but only has the reverse gear mastered
- Can get into a seated position from all fours
- Loves to try and pull up on anyone/thing next to her (mommy, daddy, Owen, Nash, etc.)
- Naps twice a day for 1-1.5 hours
- Sleeps 7pm to 7am
- Drinks four 6-oz bottles
- Eats 8oz of food (4oz of fruit and 4oz of veg)
- Says "da da da da" all the time!
- Blows raspberries
- Sleeps un-swaddled (as of December 21st!)

She is such a sweet little thing though (well...not so little). Avery weighs 21lbs 4oz and her doctor calls her a FOOD LOVER!!!

McMillan/Truman visit

Some of Mommy's family came down from DC last week. We were all delighted to have Aunt Sharon, Uncle Dan, cousin Sarah and her daughter Sophie come see us.

It was Christmas all over again! We exchanged gifts, played, ate some lunch and had a nice visit, which included the viewing of Aunt Sharon and Uncle Dan's photo slideshow from their 45th wedding anniversary party.

Snuggle bug

Avery loves to snuggle and be held. If it is close to nap or bed time, she will often lay her head down on our shoulders and just relax. She is so sweet!

Sadly....she got sick last week. She had been coughing some at night and had a runny nose. Then by the end of the week, she wasn't finishing her bottles and she was tugging at her ear when she drank. Mommy took her to the doctor right before they closed for the New Year's holiday. Turns out she had a case of RSV which then turned into brochiolitis and an ear infection. Breathing treatments through the weekend helped the former and antibiotics are helping the latter.
Other than the coughing, runny nose and ear tugging...you would never know she was sick. She doesn't complain at all!

More Christmas pictures

We had a wonderful visit with Nonnie and Pop at Christmas. We enjoyed playing with all the new toys from Santa, family and friends. We ate great food and enjoyed each other's company. The visit went by too fast, as always.

Nonnie with Owen and Avery

Pop with Owen and Avery

Pop and Avery playing with Zig the Big Rig and the Wheelies cars. Just because Santa brought them for Owen...doesn't mean Avery can't play too!


Owen and Pop playing on Mommy's iPad