Little Earthquakes

Little Earthquakes by Jennifer Weiner is a must read if you have had a baby, especially if you have had time to step back from early motherhood and laugh. The book ties the lives of 4 youngish first-time mothers together with the struggles of relationships, body, emotions, and work pre-and post baby. If you have not given birth yet, don't read it, it's too real. Live in your "my life will only change a little bit once I've had a baby" fantasy for as long as you can!

A quick sidenote of frustration!!!

Well, just like many others, weight loss is one of my New Year's resolutions. Unlike many others, I have not ruined that resolution--yet. To help support this weight loss, the Bevins family is having another Biggest Loser competition, likewise I have joined the Biggest Loser competition at school. However, after one full week of exercising EVERY DAY WITHOUT FAIL, and being on the weight watchers plan, I have lost exactly 0 lbs. Yes, NOTHING. This is really discouraging, especially since I did weight watchers before and lost about 30 lbs. ARGH!

Daddy dandruff and around the house.

After unwrapping our new elliptical, we didn't quite take all of the trash out to the trash can. No doubt, Avery was the one to benefit. I swear that girl loves all things trash! After playing all evening, Bryan sat down to play some Playstation, but I couldn't figure out why Avery was so quiet. I looked over at Avery and noticed that she was working very intently on something. That something turned out to be tearing up little pieces of styrofoam (from our trash) and putting it in Bryan's hair, unbeknownst to him. It looked like REALLY bad dandruff, but at the same time, very funny.

Some other pictures from around the house this week: Avery and her amazing mirror dance, and Avery in her lounge chair.

That January weather

As I'm writing this, Bryan is busy digging us out of 11 inches of snow. Luckily, no school! This morning Avery must have thought something was amiss, with no one saying "bye-bye" in the morning, because she went and put on all MY winter gear, scarf, mittens, ear band, and all. She was so adorable. She kept going to the kitchen door, saying, "bye-bye mama, bye-bye dada."

Last weekend, with another round of snow, we decided to break out the snow suit and let Avery play. No dice! She took one step, fell down, and decided that was enough snow for her. Not to mention the fact that she looked a little like the little brother in The Christmas Story with her gigantic snow suit. Now, everytime someone comes in the door with snow on their snows she says "oh, no!"

Daddy's hat

I have been enjoying the past weeks cold weather, but only because of the school delays and closings. It almost makes it worth going out in below 0 weather if you get paid the same amount for 2 hours less work. Today, school is cancelled altogether because of the frigid temperatures . . . I mean, it's only, like, -13 below right now. At any rate, Avery and I are going to get to enjoy the day together while Bryan goes to an interview in Bunker Hill, IN.

Avery is getting to be very vocal these days, copying everything we say, and saying "I wuf you" to everyone, including Meijer checkout personnel, when she says "bye, bye." This morning, she said "blueberry" as clear as a bell. She is also staring to sing, her favorite songs being "E-I-E-I-O" (Old MacDonald), and Ring Around the Roses. She is also making up lost time for her months of picky eating, now, practically eating everything in sight. This morning, for example, she ate an entire bowl of cheerios and a small container of yogurt. Before, her breakfasts would consist of a few bites of oatmeal. Yesterday, she ate LoMein, Mac & Cheese, sauteed green beans, broccoli, peaches, and sweet & sour chicken at Red Sun, our favorite Chinese restaurant. She ate for an hour! She is definitely growing up right before our eyes. At least she lets me rock her to sleep. I think, for me, as long as I can rock her, she will still be a baby to me!

Funny Faces

Our little copy cat is having fun making faces as of late. She is definitly a ham!

Cross your fingers

So it is about 8 p.m. and no one has tossed their cookies today at the VanDervort house! A great accomplishment. Cross your fingers that the worst is over. Avery is still really clingy and slept a majority of the day and spent the rest of the day sitting or laying with me on the couch. She has been asking to go "nigh-night" for the past couple of days, both for nap and at bedtime. Those of you who have been around Avery knows that she is always on-the-go, so for her to sit around all day and ask to go to bed, you know she is not feeling well. Bryan has been a great help to me and Avery while we have been sick, which is especially admirable since he was sick at the beginning of the week. Hopefully all of us are on the quick road to recovery. I couldn't help, before I was sick myself, to sneak a few quick pictures of Avery on the "sick couch." Even with the flu, she is so cute!

Home with Avery

It has been fun having two whole weeks off for Christmas. I sometimes feel guilty about not getting to spend more time with Avery during the week. She is at a really fun age, copying everything, saying new words everyday, and generally entertaining both Bryan and myself. Here are a few pictures I took this week.

Our budding gymnast

Tiffany . . . this is just for you! Sarah taught Avery to put her head on the ground, but today, she started pushing off and rolling over. So, to avoid neck injury, I helped her do several somersaults. She loved it! She kept clapping, smiling, and running back to me for more help. It is so cool.

Stomach Flu

Bryan has been sick with the stomach flu for more than 24 hours. What a way to spend your days off for New Year's, huh? At any rate, he finally slept for more than an hour last night, so I am hoping that the worst is over. He has been sequestered in our bedroom for the last day and a half. Avery asks me every, oh, thirty seconds, "Da-da?" So, Lysol in hand, I have have been spraying every surface in the bedroom and bathroom. Hopefully Avery and I will have been blessed enough to bypass the HORRIBLE flu strain Bryan has been struck with!