All in the Family

Sometime in the first few months Jeff and I were dating we were hanging out at my place in Long Beach going through "The Book of Questions" that my friend Cara gave me.  The Amazon.com product description best describes the book: "The Book of Questions may be the only publication that challenges and changes the way readers view the world, without offering a single opinion of its own. Posing 265 questions, The Book of Questions is bound to provoke hours and hours of thought."

I am a very inquisitive person and love seeing how others think, so this book was right up my alley.  (I am the person during the long car ride who poses endless "would you rather..." questions.)  Anyways, Jeff and I took turns asking each other a question from the book and at one point my question to him was "What is the one thing in life you are most grateful for?"  He responded, after thinking for a few minutes, with "the way I was raised."  As corny as this is, I knew right then and there that he was going to be my husband and, truth be told (corny or not), the father of my children.  See, if it were me who was asked that question I would have answered with the exact same response and I think it takes a very special person coming from a very special family to think that above all else in life that you are most thankful for being raised the way you were. 

Jeff and I come from very loving, supportive, responsible and respectable families and owe so much of who we are today to them.  Being parents is the world's best gift (see Dear Avery for more on that...) and if we raise Avery with only a smidgen of the wonderfulness that we received from our families, she is going to be one lucky little lady!!

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The picture below was taken exactly one year ago; the day we told our parents that their babies were having a baby.  I still get chills thinking about that day and all the excitement!  

And finally, to cap off this "family" post, Jeff and I are going to take part in the funny picture time...

 Some things never change...

 A little backyard swingin' sans shirt does every body good.

 With those two as my parents, life is going to be real fun!

Dear Avery,

I never knew what powerful, instant, unconditional love was until I laid eyes on your beautiful tiny little face on September 24th, 2010.  You melted my heart the instant I heard your first cry and I knew in that exact moment that I would never be the same again; that my only goal in life from that point forward was to be your mother.  Comforting you, taking care of you and making you happy was what I have been waking up to do every day for the past four months and it has been the most rewarding thing I have ever done.

Watching the world through your eyes is something everyone said would be magical and boy, are they right!  The intrigue and excitement you get from looking around the room at everything and everyone in view is amazing...I can see your little wheels turning at each new sight you come upon.   

A few new things you love are standing up (with help, of course), playing with your voice (which has offered Dad and I so many laughs) and playing with your feet (particularly the right one).

Your Dad and I love you so much and can't imagine our lives without you.  It's quite funny, but each night after you've been in bed for an hour or so we fight the urge to go into your room, pick you up and cover you with kisses and hugs!   We love watching you grow up and look forward to a lifetime of love being your parents.

You are forever my little baby girl!

Love,
Mommy

Instead of a funny picture I've decided to include a funny movie, which was taken early this morning. 
I was downstairs getting a few things packed for the day when
I heard Avery from all the way upstairs...

Candid Camera

Thank you Erin and Jake Rooker for the gift that keeps on giving...our wonderful Kodak video camera!!  Jeff and I have taken over sixty videos since Avery was born and it's scary to think there have been so many times when we wished we had the camera on us to capture even more! 

There is one recent video that we just have to share.  It was taken on New Years Eve and showcases Avery's beautiful voice, smile and the start of a giggle!

Picture time!

Avery's thought...

My dad rocks.