loving the growing pains

Oh how easy it is to laugh at what I just said. Who loves pain? Why would you? Well since becoming a mama I have found that pain is inevitable but how we grow from the pain is what will determine what kind of mom/person we will be.

Not only is that sweet babe continually growing. nonstop. In every single way. Height, weight, hair, head, feet. Intellectually, emotionally, language, facial expressions. Learning everything from how to be nice to how to listen to and respond to mom/dad. BUT we are growing with them. Avyn is teaching me daily how to be more patient, how to love more, be a better person to not only her, but her dad and all those around me. She is always watching me and viewing me as her example. She uses me as her guide on how to act and react. Means I need to be on my A game — let’s be honest though that doesn’t happen everyday. Luckily there is a tomorrow to try again and work harder at being better.

So how can you not like these growing pains? Yes they test your patience and it makes you feel like you can’t do anything right BUT those sweet little brains are not meant to remember those early days {thank the heavens} which means you get to keep improving and growing each chance you decide to.

I have grown for the better and I can only thank my little Avyn for helping me realize I needed to.

Guess that is motherhood. The good and the not so good. It’s all worth it when your heart is bursting at the seams when you relive moments from pictures you captured {like these}

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She is my daily reminder to be better. To be happy. To love more. To show her what is good. I love her.

my avyn

These are the things I want to remember about Avyn how she is right now.

  • loves to snuggle stuffed animals and blankets
  • waving “hi” to anyone and everyone
  • squeaks and squeels real loud randomly — I call it her energy bursts (like her dada’s “tretz”)
  • LOVES dogs. anytime she see or hears one she “ruff ruff”s” — with her arm jerks too hahaha
  • crawls EVERYWHERE nonstop. up and down stairs. over and TRIES to go under things
  • big fan of playing outside in dirt. enjoyes finding rocks or small things (leaves etc)
  • her sound effects, the best one is her “ahhhh” {the total shocked and stoked}
  • in the evening she looks up into the sky and finds the silouette of the moon and points and does her “uahhh” sound. melt.
  • right before bed time she now snuggles me in her blanket on my shoulder. i die.
  • her walk is hilarious. she like high steps and its so funny to watch her be a little human
  • she dances ALL the time. and I love it immensely. shaking/shimmying her shoulders
  • already being a little sass and giving a little tude {throwing her hands out around her like a no no no. pushing you away. whining and say no to food because she wants yours}
  • Traveled on her first airplane to the east coast then to the WEST coast HAWAII
  • Loves watching little kids (like Nicholas) is super amused by them and wants to be friends but if they get too close she doesn’t like them getting in her bubble (trying to hold her or touch her face hahaha)
  • calls ALL birds “ducks” and I die each time because its so cute
  • she has the cheesiest grin she has started doing recently and I love it
  • found out she isn’t a fan of sand or the ocean
  • can be super sweet and “soft” if you ask her to be 🙂

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1 year. 12 months. 52 weeks. 365 days

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This picture shows what was the beginning of the most life changing day of my life. The day Avyn entered our lives.

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Spring forward to now. I have a ONE year old. I don’t even know how it happened. They are not lying when they say those first 3-4 months fly by and how much fun it is to watch them learn & grow. Then the next 8 months were here and then all of a sudden I wake up and my chubby baby is crawling around thinning out, waving at us and dancing her cute little booty to Drake.

At one year old she is 23 lbs. 30 inches and the cutest little munchkin I could have ever hoped for.

She loves to wave at everyone. Claps her hands ALL the time to say yay me or yay in general 🙂 if I say “show them you’re a lizard” she sticks her tongue out and its the cutest!

She dances with or without music. A Happy little one but has the best scowl when she wants to.

Here she is the morning of her first birthday 🙂

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So since we go to Lake Powell every year and it will fall on Avyn’s birthday I wanted to make this year’s birthday the real deal.

I chose the coral gold and yellow “you are my sunshine” decor. Since she is born in July and is a little sunshine in our lives it only made sense 😉

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She was hilarious with her cake. She only poked it and licked her finger. Then I finally broke the cake apart and handed her a piece and she shoved it in her mouth. Then she must have been full (because she is a foodie) and she started feeding Ty & me. It was cute 🙂 I don’t think she much likes being crowded and watched. After all the fun, present opening and then cake eating — we put her in the bath and she was on a crazy sugar high. It was amazing 🙂 cracking us up. It was a wonderful day and I really enjoyed seeing how loved my little Av is. We are really blessed with incredible family & friends.

Can’t wait to see what this next year with my little boo holds ♥

 

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4 years. cuatro años.

4 years of marriage with this man

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Had our first married adventures in Knoxville {and on the way there & back}

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Came back to Utah. Worked hard. Played hard. Ty got himself graduated.

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We decided to increase the love and make a baby to share it with 🙂

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Had our sweet little girl, Avyn. Ty started his job(s). We bought our first house. Life got crazy, fun & busy.

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Seriously. There is no one that could actually tell you what marriage REALLY takes because everyone’s marriage is different, fundamentally you all need the same things but our experiences together are not ever going to be exactly what other people go through and how they handle them will be different too. It’s had its hard days, its life changing lessons, days where my heart feels so full I can’t help but look out into the world smiling and feel so grateful for what I have been given. I love him more now than I did 4 years ago. Even 6 years ago when I first met him. We have both changed for the better, he is still my silly, fun loving Ty but he has grown as a man. I know I have changed — hopefully for the better 🙂

It’s a new kind of love each phase of life we go through. Dating was that fresh, new love. Marriage was that tunnel vision, crazy intense, happy newlywed love. Today I love seeing him as my baby daddy. I love seeing him work hard and be successful. I love having goals and hopes for our future life with our kids and also after kids. I can’t imagine this journey of marriage and life with anyone else. Eternity will be incredible with you Tyler Jordan. I love you always & forever.

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Ready or Not…

Not ready. nope.

She got teeth! Her two bottom teethers came in at around 7 1/2 months. {She is yet to bite me –hallelujah – cross our fingers}

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{this was when they were baby buds coming through} {ps it is crazy how one day they are nonexistent then BAM they are there!}

So what do you ask am I not ready for? {since the teeth already came} Her to walk! I know my life will completely change once her mobility increases. Right now I have a roller and a scooter/pivoter. I know there are MANY fun new pros to having a walking babe like more independence & their happiness being able to get to things — but that makes me have to be chasing her nonstop. I am excited but fearful.

This little lovable monster loves to screech, holler, hum and blabber 🙂 and I love it. She is ever so curious. I can see her little brain working always.

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She cracks me up daily with her silly face expressions and has started fake laughing or making a scrunched nose smile.

She is eating solid foods and loving it. Sweet potatoes are her fav. She likes oatmeal now {had to try it a couple times}. She loved oranges once upon a time — now she isn’t a fan. grapes, avocado, asparagus, prune baby food, apple sauce, crackers etc.

We had a little trip down to STG while Ty was out of town. Enjoyed the sunny weather. She got herself some Vitamin D and some Grandma Gibson time & Grandpa Gibson & Sydney time! She rocks that babykini like a model 🙂

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We have gone on a hike with Lex. I did some training with Victoria. Had a nice walk to Bridal Veil Falls with Ty. Celebrated Provo’s Birthday @ DevMountain with the Mayor.

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Also monumental moment {because its few & far between when I even see her} we got to have Avyn meet her Great Grandma Gibson who is 95 years old!

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Now I am 8 months going on 8 years! JK that isn’t funny. But she is growing up before my eyes. I can see that sassy sweet spirit coming out. She is going to be incredibly independent one of these days and I am gonna cry about it I just know it. I play dress up with her now ALL the time because I have a feeling she is going to be defiant in letting me do so later…

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Mom putting me in U attire to make dad crazy 🙂 but he still loves her and buys her pretty flowers.

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I have a blessed life. grateful for it and all those in it. happy mama.

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mommy life: I have a 6 month old…say WHAT?

wow. I am completely baffled at how I all of a sudden have a 6 month old  <insert shocked emoticon here>

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time has flown and somedays it was hard and long…but now looking back I feel like where and how did she become so big already? she is the best thing to wake up to in the morning. ALL smiles and chitty chat bug. I love it. I think she got her “morning person” from me. I am more of a morning person {not that I can’t handle nights but I say sleep when its dark ya know? haha}

as of today she is sitting up on her own. ROLLING over. babbling in the mirror to herself. saying “da da” “ga ga” “ya ya”. playing with her cute chubby toes all the time. big time thrill seeker — she laughs when you scare her with big boo’s and loud noises. still a nursing champ and only tolerates trying that “food” stuff. still drooling like a fool. those teeth gotta be coming in hot sometime soon…and she now has her ears pierced 🙂 that was our mommy daughter date.

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can’t even begin to imagine life without her. she brightens our days with her sweet smile and sparkly eyes. {sounds gay but I say they sparkle so judge me. I’m her adoring mom :)} looking forward to each new stage. wish me luck. this week I attempt traveling to grandma’s with just her & I (AND my cute little nephew Nicholas — practicing for when I enter the new world of MULTIPLE kids….whoa too fast) Updates later on that adventure 🙂

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>>update: WHOA so not ready for multiple kids. It was a fun adventure but in NO way is this mama ready for another. not now at least. good practice but I will just keep it at that. Although Avyn found Nicholas hilarious {Nicholas decided to splash crazy like in the tub and little miss encourager laughed hysterically so it kept it going…which was funny. Grandma had fun with that watery mess} the drive down was pretty good. Nicholas kept her entertained. Nicholas cracked me up cuz at 4am he said “hello?? hello?” so I told him to go back to bed… then at 6:30am I hear “HELLO? Is it time to wake up?” haha so I obliged. let him go chase “yoona” around 🙂 crawl through her doggie door and run around like a crazy little boy. good times. then mom & I ran 12 miles while papa played gpapa.

>> NEXT post. CALIfornia with the babe 🙂

{the nursery}

I am slightly obsessed. don’t mind me being that mom who is in love with her baby girl’s nursery. took us….about 3 months to get this thing completed BUT hey give me/us a break. We had a new baby and moved into a new home.

here is the scene when you walk in 🙂 I really liked coral with gold and beige as her nursery theme. I am not a big fan of light pink/hot pink so I wanted a little more classic something I could easily turn into her toddler room OR a guest room if needed 🙂

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this little bookshelf started out as a black piece and I used a little chalk paint to turn it into a fun accent piece for the room.

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the shelves and decor

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k I cannot get over that chandelier. fit for my princess haha. It now makes the room. seriously I didn’t know I married a handyman until I put him to the test 🙂 I think I will keep testing him…

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The pictures in the gold frames above  will eventually be photos of my mom, ty’s mom, Avyn and myself as babies. someday soon I will get those from them

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WELL one room FINALLY done in this ongoing project called my home. Next is the living room and Ty needs to finish benches to complete our dining table.

 

{4 months}

I have a 4 month old. SO weird.

Time has flown by. Her doctor’s appointment went well today – minus the shots – no body likes those. straight up mama’s need a little something to relax us before that happens…

16 lbs 4 oz. 24.75 inches long. she is GROWING like a cute chubby weed 🙂

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OH that eyebrow raise. She is a PROfessional at it. It is to die for. She does this one eyebrow raise with a smile every so often. I can’t. I laugh almost every single time.

the silly faces she makes. the smiles. her personality slowly starting to come out. it’s exciting.

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she has found her toes. it’s adorable. she is also crazy fascinated with her hands these days. like staring at them and moving them one finger at a time. it is seriously the best to watch her be so intrigued and interested — i love watching that little brain work 🙂

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she loves her daddy. beard. mustache. shaved. crazy energetic man. sleeping cuddle buddy. loves him. it’s my favorite to watch her melt tyler.

she has also started teething…I am 90% sure of it. drools like a river. gnaws like champ and will let you rub her gums…plus THAT drool. {bibs are our new friends}

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she had her first Vegas trip with the Richards family. girls shopped til we literally dropped and Avyn got to be strolled/carried around while we did so. she had had enough after 2 days. {a couple freak outs here and there but she did pretty good in my eyes}

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she is really starting to take notice of who she is being held by, what they are doing and just so much more aware. it’s fun to watch it all. I especially love seeing Ty’s parents or mine interact with her. It’s nice seeing someone love her close to how much we do. I really wish I could hire a videographer to just capture her whole life as she grows up and goes through all these changes. I don’t want to miss or forget any of it. instagram will have to do 🙂

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that fur vest.

sleeping Avyn. can’t get enough {just check my phone — too many sleeping pics}

her sideways look with the smile. 1 of my million favorite things about her.

yup she has us wrapped around her chubby little fingers. love her more & more each day.

motherhood

motherhood.

each person is going to experience this journey of motherhood differently but what all of us are, is the same in one way — we are a little humans world. right now I am who Avyn is dependent on. she trusts me that I will feed her, keep her clean, safe and happy. ME. yes I am in charge of doing that all for this little one. it’s so weird. not the actual actions that I have to perform but the fact that we have that connection. it is now a bond we will always have, I am her mother. always will be. she will probably one day fight with me, make me worry immensely about her future, give me lots of sass and drama, think that she hates me — maybe even write about it in her journal — but I cannot wait until one day I get to watch her become a mother herself. because if her child makes her anywhere near as happy as she has made me {which I am guessing will happen} then I cannot wait for her to feel that joy.

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so far we have had SO many explosions – some even on my clothes – lots of naps together, swam, cooed & had many fun new first times together. she celebrated my birthday with us. she had her first halloween {scuba diver/lion — couldn’t decide which one to do} first PRO sports game supporting the REAL Soccer team. met her cousin Nicholas for the first time. gained some chub and we love that — more cheekees to kiss!

{last doc appt @ 2 months: 12 lbs 15 oz = 89% of “average” weight; 22.75 in = 70%; head size: 15.25 inch = 86%}

 

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she loves to have dance parties with me. i think she really just likes seeing me dance around with her singing like a fool. she likest bath time. she is sleeping in her crib and has been for awhile. she sleeps typically a good 8-10 hours. she loves daddy’s goofy sounds & play time with her. she enjoys her bouncer and has started using her hands to grab at the toys which I call her “friends”. she loves bright colors especially orange.  she is drooling like a master or just like a teething baby…not sure yet if she is actually teething. scared for teeth…only time will tell.

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I am going to be real. Being a mom is tough business. long days. being the food source and having someone dependent on you. crying as communication to let you know what they need. rough. BUT It’s definitely worth it because you get to see your own little human you created grow, learn and experience the world. then to see their smiles and hear their giggles. SO worth it. I could melt every time she smiles and giggles. can’t wait until it’s more often. or when she says cute things. {maybe mama? 🙂 }

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she is 3 months old now and I had no idea this little girl would become my world like she has. constantly taking pics and videos of her. I definitely am bias and think she is way more awesome than she probably is haha 🙂 but I love it. I also love seeing her be loved by so many others. Her grandparents on both sides are so loving & dote on her lots! Her aunties & uncles all love her bunches. Then don’t get me started on her papa. He loves her so. And there are no words for how much I love little miss Avyn Mae. so excited for the next 3 months…and so on!

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Blessings on Blessing Day

We had Avyn Mae blessed over Labor Day weekend at our new ward’s sacrament meeting. Tyler did such an incredible job. It was beautiful. She behaved so well. Didn’t even grunt 🙂

It was so wonderful to have all our family and friends come to be apart of her blessing. We had my dad come to town, Ty’s brother came back and our friends, The Ang’s, came from LA 🙂 Then of course all our awesome family from close by came.

I am being serious when I say my heart was full the whole week leading up to the blessing and continued on after. I think part of that was due to my mom coming to town to help us get our house ready for people to come in. NO LIE – if she wouldn’t have came my house would have been a chaotic mess. She is my angel. Can never thank her enough for her help. It also could be all the rest of my family & friends who offered to help and then came over after to enjoy each other’s company. I just felt Ty & I were so blessed after that weekend. I mean I knew we were but it was just so unavoidably apparent that weekend.

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We kinda like her. a lot. she is my little doll.

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Luckily we got great friends and one of ours – Victoria – brought her camera to take some pics for us. love her. look how great these turned out. glad I got to capture this little sweet girl on her blessing day.

 

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She is seriously a doll. everyone says we should be thanking the heavens because she is an angel child.

6 weeks and she is sleeping anywhere from 5-7 hours at night. she LOVES to stick that tongue out like a lizard. makes the funniest faces. grunts still like it’s her way of communicating {pretty sure it is}. now she likes to coo and caw at us. i love that. we have heard her giggle a few times in her sleep – i die everytime. can’t wait until she does that more. she flails her arms & legs and loves the superman pose. fascinated by light and shapes {i think}. she really likes the water too! {my baby for sure} took her swimming and loved it both times.

can’t wait to see how she continues to grow and change — but I kinda can. Time is flying.