05.22.2011: Brent's 30-Something Birthday

On Sunday, we went back over to Brent & Alisa's to celebrate Brent's birthday.  He is up in his 30's now so we wont mention his exact age....he is gaining on me though.  Drake came over with us to and met his newest cousin for the first time.  He was sooooo excited to meet her and could not wait to hold her.  He was all cheesed up...and said it was the first time he has ever gotten to hold a baby before.  So cute!!  Avery was quite content...

Kenny and the dogs made the trip down from Flagstaff too later in the afternoon.  This was Kenny's first meeting Avery too!  Big day for the little girl! 

Mom and Dad had bought some yummy steak and lobster for dinner.  Vince did them up on the grill....and when I say "did them up", I mean DID THEM UP!  The steaks at least.  Brent has by far the hottest grill on the planet, and Vince charred him some meat!!! Some of the group who like their steaks well done didn't seem to mind...and actually liked the char.  The lobster came out perfect, as usual.  I can only give Vince a hard time and make it publicly known that he burned up some meat because 100% of the rest of the time it is absolutely perfect.  Haha!!!  So, this was his one and only give-me.  Happy Birthday Brent!!! :)

The kids all designed Brent a big monster birthday card.  Now they are explaining the pictures and what they mean.

 Avery wasnt much help this year...but guarantee you next year she will be blowing out those candles too!



05.21.2011: After-Dance Dinner Party

After Brianna's dance recital we all went back to Brent & Alisa's to hang out & have dinner.  It was nice to just hang out and admire Avery.  The kids played out back with some kites that Mom & Dad brought for them.  Since there was no wind that day, they couldn't really fly them, so we just had them running with the kite behind them to give it some lift.  They were pretty excited about that...and it wore them out!

 

Benny, his wife, and their son came over to visit as well and for dinner.  Benny went to high school with us all...was in Alisa's class and was good friends with Brent.  So, in turn, Benny was always around the house & friends with us all...so we all go way back.  Brent got Benny a job at TPI recently so they moved to AZ about a month ago.  So, was nice to catch up on old ND gossip! :)

 

Up until today, Andrew had yet to hold Avery....however he really wanted to play a SeaDoo game on Vince's Xoom...you know, kids video game.  So, as a bribe, we made him hold Avery first before he could play.  He wasn't happy about the idea at first, but once he held her, he was all smiles!  And he REALLY wanted to play the game! :)

 





 Showing that big brother love...

 Siblings...

 Family pic!

 Daddy's turn with his little girl...

 Making her laugh...

Yukon really not happy about sharing his bed....


The tickle monster made an appearance....kids love trying to tickle Vince...who has the most non-ticklbility! (That means he doesn't get ticklish...he turns it off really well....made up word...but sounded like it should make sense.)  Nana would get her "mad" face on to try to hold him off...but just didnt work...she would lose it every time!

05.21.2011: Brianna's Dance Recital

Brianna had her 2nd ever dance recital today!! Mom & Dad drove out from Riverside, Olivia was there, Vince & I, and of course Brent, Alisa, Andrew & Avery. Yes, this was Avery's first public outing at only 6 days old! She did amazing! Slept thru most of the recital....then just kinda looked around and checked out the rest. No crying, no fussing...amazing baby! But back to Brianna who this day was really about!!! Her class joined with another class of the same age for the recital and they did a Strawberry Shortcake dance. It was really really cute except they put Brianna's class in the back, and they were all smaller than the other girls! Brianna got stuck behind a big girl, and we couldn't see half of her dance...no offense to the big girl, but she should have been in the back :( But we saw most of it...see this link to YouTube video & watch it here! She is in the back row...on the left.

CLICK HERE FOR BRIANNA's DANCE RECITAL

So cute!! We all thought that all the girls did so much better than the Christmas recital. We left after Brianna's dance because we didn't want to push our luck with Avery...and because we didn't really want to stay for "Mo-hop"...for those in the know!

After the recital, Brianna met us outside and she got a TON of flowers...one bouqet from each of us. This was to make up for her last recital where she didn't get any flowers....and for the past 5 months has repeatedly let us all hear about it!! So, she was overwhelmed with flowers this time! It was really cute too because you could tell she was so excited and so proud. She accepted them all with grace. On the way home, she told Olivia "You know how sometimes you get tears because you are sad...and sometimes you get tears because you are so happy. Well, I got tears today when I got all my flowers because I was so happy." Brilliant.... Later in the day, Brianna told me the same thing...."I cried today because I was so happy that everyone got me flowers". What 5 year old gets emotional for that type of thing?? Once again, proof that Nana is a wise soul, way beyond her years...stuck in a 5 year old body. :)

Avery enjoying her outing...can't you tell?? Walking up to us seeing all her fans!

Cute strawberry shortcake outfit & Shirley Temple curls

WOW! Had no problem carrying them proudly!
Tears of joy...

Watery eyes...so happy!!!!

05:15:2011: Avery Meets Her Big Brother & Big Sister

Sunday morning, I took Vince to the airport then headed back to the hospital. Brent left to go home to pick up the kids & Olivia so they could come meet Avery. They were all soooooo excited to see her!! And I am sure that Avery was just as excited to meet her big brother & sister! We all hung out at the hospital all day...at least until Alisa was exhausted and needing a nap! Brent's co-worker Tony & his family came to visit for a bit as well. About 5pm, we all left so Brent and Alisa could get some rest. Avery seemed to have no problem dozing on & off throughout the day. On the way home, I was pretty close to dozing off....it had been a long 48 hours with only about 2 hours of sleep...not highly recommended! Went home & went to bed....slept till noon the next day...right about the same time Alisa, Brent & Avery were getting ready to leave the hospital!!

As soon as Andrew got there, he was hungry!

Olivia & Brianna checking out the baby Yup, That's ME! BIG BROTHERNana would not show off her BIG SISTER shirtSleeping baby...Kids checking out what all the fuss has been about!Brianna could not wait to hold her....she was soooo excited!Andrew didn't want to hold her yet.... First new family pic.... Avery was even smiling Olivia holding her new granddaughter
The kids really enjoyed the hospital bed...especially the speakers in the side rests. The cartoons were semi-more exciting than the new baby.

05.15.2011: SHE HAS ARRIVED!! Welcome Avery Marie...

Well, just like we thought!! Got home, changed, relaxed, and got a text from Brent....they are back at the hospital. Alisa was dialated to 3cm...keeping her to see her progress in an hour. An hour later and she was at 4cm....so they admitted her. I packed up my stuff, got some blankets for the (usually) cold hospital rooms. Vince couldn't come because he was flying out to Washington DC the next morning for business and needed at least a little sleep. So, I got to the hospital just in time to miss the epidural....my favorite part! :( I guess Brent got thru it ok though...oh ya, Alisa too! When I got there they were both dosing & trying to get some rest. Well, Brent was snoring...Alisa was dosing in between contractions. About 11pm, she was 5cm...and the nurse said she would come back in a hour or so to check again...but she went on break & someone else came in....didn't check her but just made sure she was doing ok. When the nurse came back in at 2am, Alisa was dialated to 10cm, and ready to blow! Doc was called, and the birthing team went into action! (And I got my camera ready!)

Literally within 15mins or so, the doc showed up, everything was in place, nurses were ready, and Alisa started pushing. I think she pushed maybe 4 times, and at 2:28am, Avery Marie arrived! It was the fastest birth ever...and Alisa (and Brent) did amazing!!!! So amazing that I suggested they have a few more. They do make such cute babies...so why not!? It would almost be a disservice to society by just quitting like that. We need more beautiful people in the world ;)

Anyways, back to the birth....after Avery arrived, Brent got to cut the cord, and they took Avery to the heater area to clean her up and weigh her. She was 8lbs, 4ozs....a big one!! And 21 inches long. Even just a few minutes old, you could tell she was a mellow baby, and already very alert. Her eyes were open and checking everything out. Didn't cry...unless you poked & prodded her. Her hands and feet were big...so big that the nurse made a comment that she was like a little puppy and was going to have to grow into her paws! Althought slightly offended at the dog reference, she was really cute with her big hands & feets...she would spread her toes out all over the place when she stretched out...so cute!!

The doc & nurses cleaned up the room, got Alisa comfortable, and left. They wanted to wait an hour or so before moving them to the post pardem room...so we just relaxed and waited. In the meantime, the nurse came in and gave Avery her first full bath. She even went thru a whole little bottle of baby shampoo...she has so much hair!!!

About an hour later, they moved the group to the post pardem room where they would spend the next day. In the past, they would take the baby to the nursery for the night so the parents could get some sleep, but turns out they don't really do that anymore! So, they settled Avery into her little bassinette in the room, and left Alisa & Brent for the rest of the "morning". About 5am, they got settled, and I left to go home and get a good 2 hours of sleep before I had to take Vince to the airport.

Whhheeewww what a night!!! I would not have missed it for the world (unless Alisa wanted me out!)...being able to be there for the birth of both of my neices (Brianna 5 years ago and tonight) was priceless and something that I could never express how grateful I am that Brent & Alisa let me be in there. I know it isn't necessarily an experience that most people want company in the room for...so am forever grateful that I could be there and share that moment with them.

Post-birth..taking in the moment

First Mommy-Daughter moment (kinda)

So cute that Avery gripped her finger right away

Daddy-Daughter moment...

Avery's first bath...

She liked most of it...

Clean, Pink bow in hair, smelling like a little baby

Alert and checking out her mommy

Mr. Peanut....

Waiting to moved to post-pardem...

Brent getting his zzzz's in