9 months and Monsters *snarl*

Avery turned 9 months on November 20th. She loves to clap her hands and laugh. She says mum-mum-mum in a low voice and da-da-da in a really high pitch voice. She pulls herself up to a stand really well, especially loves to use my legs. And she is starting to walk while holding onto things and even enjoys the risk of letting go to see if she can stand on her own - which only lasts a few seconds at the moment. She loves to eat Banana Nut Cheerios, teething biscuits, bread, and can't wait to eat "big people" food but we are taking things slow because of her food allergies. We trialed dairy again by switching formula to Enfamil and she has done really well. But any time she breaks out in any rash, eczema, etc., we switch back to Nutramigen until we know for sure what she is breaking out to. She loves to play Monsters. She crawls all the way up the stairs and once she's reached the top she sits and smiles with a "look what I did" face. Then Phill or I being the monster, leap at her and growl and she laughs in hysterics, face plants as she tries to quickly go from sitting to crawling, and then scurries away into one of the bedrooms. It's become a daily game, but we all love it.

Gobble, Gobble, Gobble

We had a very enjoyable and laid back Thanksgiving. Avery and I spent the morning at my parents house eating cinnamon rolls and looking at Black Friday ads while Phillip played in the Turkey Bowl with members of the Church. Phill had a great time playing football and even got to play as the Quaterback a few times. Later in the afternoon we went to Aunt Jody's house -Phill's aunt- for our Thanksgiving feast. Avery loved the rolls, sweet potatoes, mashed potatoes, and pumpkin pie - I wish I'd taken pictures. Following dinner we went over to Phill's parents house to watch the Broncos slaughter the NY Giants. Perfect ending to a perfect day.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Willy Nilly Silly Old Bear

For Halloween this year Avery was Winnie the Pooh, I was a Party Animal, and Phill (not pictured) was a Whoopie Cushion. Avery loves Winnie the Pooh and Eeyore. Her room is decorated in Pooh stuff and when I point to a picture of Pooh she giggles or says, "Ooh" and when she's playing with her Eeyore shes says, "Yore, yore, yore". I don't know if its baby jibberish or if she's really saying their names because she's only 8 months and too young to talk, but the doctor says she's ahead in her growth and development. She doesn't recognize Tigger, or Piglet, or any of the other Hundred Acre Wood gang, but she for sure knows Pooh and Eeyore and she never mixes them up. She only says "Ooh" when I point to Pooh. She's a Disney girl like her mom and I couldn't be prouder!

Silly Old Bear

All About Avery

In Avery's first week of life her bilirubin level was 13 and both her skin and her eyes were yellow. So we had to sun bathe her for about a week. We'd place her in her bouncey seat in only a diaper and place the seat in front of a window. On a few occasions both her Grandma Toth and Grandma Waken came over and sun bathed with Avery in the car. We had to put sunglasses on to protect her eyes.



1 month old. At 6 weeks Avery was diagnosed with a milk protein allergy and was switched to a nondairy, nonsoy formula. She was so much happier.

2 months old. My favorite picture - number 1!

3 months - our little Minnie Mouse

4 months - Avery loves to be thrown up in the air. One of her favorite games with Daddy.


5 months - Avery's first time swimming. She loved the water and started kicking like a pro

Due to her allergies the doctors recommended not to start other foods until Avery turned 6 months. Her favorite foods: rice cereal mixed with apple juice, sweet potatoes, squash, and she loves mangoes. She also loves drinking from a cup.


7 months - Avery rolls around and gets into everything. She also army crawls/scoots


Avery is now 8 months. She is crawling, able to move from a crawling to sitting position, and pulls herself up to a stand - especially on the stairs. Only momentary until she starts walking. She is also quite the girly girl. She loves shoes, purses, and rings.

Happy Birthday Baby!!

On February 20, 2009 my water broke shortly after midnight. We made it to the hospital about 1:30 am and I was 3cm dilated. At 5:00am I was 4 cm dilated and the pain had intensified to the point where I couldn't stop shaking, so I had an epidural placed and I was finally able to relax and tried to get some sleep. At 6:00 am the nurse came in and I mentioned to her that I was having rectal pressure. She checked me and I was 100% effaced, and 10cm dilated! Thanks to my epidural, my body relaxed and I dilated 6cm in 1 hour!! Well the oncall doctor wasn't in yet so I had to lay completely still and "do nothing" as the nurse greatly emphasised. The doctor arrived at 6:50 am and we started pushing. I pushed for 15 minutes and at 7:07 am our beautiful Avery Anne was born.

First few minutes of life (camera date is off - was born on 2/20/09)


1 day old

2 days old

Her happy but oh so tired parents

Prego

A few months before our 1 year anniversary Phillip and I were blessed with wonderful news. We were pregnant! The first trimester was very difficult for me and I vomited numerous times a day, every day, until I was 22 weeks. The only thing I could keep down was french fries, popsicles, and Wendy's chicken nuggets with honey -it had to be honey. The popsicles kept me somewhat hydrated. I couldn't drink fluids or they'd come right back up. Water was the worst because I blow blood vessels in my eyes every time. But it did become better.
I first felt the baby move at 20 weeks and it felt like a "rumbly in my tumbly" as best described by Winnie the Pooh, or that my belly was like an aquarium with bubbles.
Phill and I had been looking at names and couldn't agree let alone find a name we both liked. At work I met a nurse named Avrey and really liked her name. I thought about it for a while and thought about middle names that might go with it and decided I really liked the name Avery Anne - Anne after my Grandma T. who passed away a few years ago. I thought of the name and it stuck with me. The next day we went to the doctor to find out the sex of the baby, but I felt like I already knew what the baby was - a GIRL! I told Phill about the name Avery Anne and he felt the same way that the name fit perfectly. Avery was definately very fiesty. She's put her hands on top of her head when the doctor would try to look at her and she'd move all around. From then on at all of our doctor's visits as soon as the doctor would place the doppler on my belly Avery would kick or punch it off.

24 weeks - At doctors awaiting to find out the sex of the baby

32 weeks

38 weeks

On February 19, 2009 Avery was moving all over from side to side. She would take her foot and run it all across my belly and I thought there was no way she'd be born soon because she was way too active. But my checks had said that I was 3cm and 75% effaced. I went to bed at 11 pm that night and after midnight on the morning of February 20th, I woke up to an unpleasant feeling of trickling...

The American Dream

So now to speed things up a bit, Phillip and I lived in the Fox Creek apartments for a year and it was good for our first year together but I can definately say we payed our dues and are happy we've moved on. Apartment living isn't bad; we actually were so blessed to live across from the Mikawa family - who were members of the Church and of the Woodglen Ward, so it was really nice to have members so close to pow-wow with and ask advice from. But like I said we moved on, and thanks to the poor economy and declining housing market we were able to snag a really good deal on a house. So yeah for first time home owners! And it is definately a fixer-upper and needs some TLC. We are slowly getting there but it's liveable and we like it. Plus the bonus is that it is still in the Woodglen Ward boundaries which is exactly what we wanted because we love our Ward Family. We are happy and are living the American Dream!

Happiness and Bliss

On August 3, 2007, there was a beautiful, happy couple named Phillip and Jenny who were married for time and for all eternity in the Denver Colorado Temple. This is where our story begins...


The morning of the 3rd was extremely busy trying to get everything ready for the wedding. I had put our wedding license in my black temple bag to make sure it would not be forgotten and put my dress and temple bag near the door. We were running a few minutes late as my hair was just getting the finishing touches done. Once my hair was finished, I ran to my bedroom to get my bouquet. As I came up the stairs my Mom said that everything was loaded in the car, so I hopped in and we left. It is a 45 minute drive to the Temple and as we arrived and were unloading the car I grabbed my dress and went to grab my temple bag and it was not there! I searched all over the car and asked my Mom where my black temple bag was which came back with the response, "What black bag?"
I burst into tears and my Dad jumped in the car and headed back to Thornton breaking every speed limit on the way. Phillip was so loving and understanding and took me for a walk around the Temple to calm down while we waited the arrival of my Father - who I might add made it to Thornton and back in 45 minutes.
We had reserved the largest sealing room in the Temple, but because we were late we had to all squeeze in a smaller room, but still felt the Spirit just as strong.
In the end result, we were actually truly blessed. While we were getting sealed in the Temple, there had been a large rain storm, and as we came out of the Temple the sun was shining with some cloud coverage - perfect for pictures!


And we were happy

Our families

Family and Friends who attended, or waited outside of the Temple

Phillip and Best Man - Daniel Carson

Jenny and Maid of Honor - Crystal Burningham

Phillip's parents - Phill and Diane Waken

Phillip and his sisters - Amanda, Connie, Megan,

Jenny's parents - Alan and Carrie Toth

Jenny and her sisters - Kira, Allyn, Amber

Jenny with her sisters and brother Kyle

My Grandma Hull made my wedding dress and she embroidered our initals and wedding date onto my dress.


Our wedding rings

Following the ceremony, and all of the picture taking (done by my college roommate Lisa Aragon), we headed to our reception held at the Westminster Stake Center. The night was filled with family, friends, food, and dancing. We loved every minute of it and had so much fun celebrating the start of our journey together.

I love fountains so we had a fountain for our punch.

Our beautiful and delicious wedding cake. Each round was a different flavor.

We also had a fountain under our wedding cake.

Our first dance as a married couple to the song: God Bless the Broken Road by Rascal Flatts

During all of the dancing we had a special dance for the Toth Family. My Grandma and Grandpa Toth (my favorite people) both passed away the year before. In memory of them we had all of the Toth family dance to their wedding song which was Moonlight Serenade

After cutting the cake and all of the special dances: Daddy-daughter, Couple, Moonlight Serenade; we threw the bouquet (an extra one), and the garner, and opened up the dance floor for everyone else to join in the fun. Phillip and I even had a dance to a techno version of the Pirates of the Carribbean theme song where we fought with swords. So fun!!

But when all was said and done, the day came to an end and we left in a bubble parade

True Happiness and Bliss