Mother's Day

I love date nights :) On Wednesday Steven and I went on a double date with Quinn and Ashley. We had dinner at Texas Roadhouse and because we were there so early in the day it was nearly empty, although there were some elderly people also enjoying an early dinner. The food was amazing and since Quinn owed me money he picked up the bill :) After dinner the four of us went to Big Al's for bowling. The first game was normal, most points win - I didn't do too well. The second game was silly - Quinn and Steven put up the bumper and the point of the game was to get the lowest score possible. I decided to play the second game normal and try to do well. I ended up getting several strikes and did awesome! We ended the date night early enough to get Avery home and in bed on time.

Ignore the blurriness of Steven

My mother in law took photos of Avery and I at the train depot on Friday - I agreed to help her photograph a wedding on Saturday. On Friday we were her test subjects for perfect position and lighting. I was excited to get some pre-mother's day photos done with my baby but Avery was too excited to sit still for more than 1 second. I guess I shouldn't have expected a toddler in a large open field to sit still instead of run around like a small crazy person haha. I'm hoping to get the photos from Yvette soon so I can have them framed :)

Avery <3 Mimi

The next day I met Yvette back at the train depot. My mom had volunteered to watch Avery for a bit until Steven got off work. My job as Yvette's assistant was basically to sit on the step stool she was standing on so it didn't tip over (we were on a slight hill) and holding the little flash thing. We were at the train depot for about two hours - I got sunburned and I think Yvette got a touch of heat exhaustion. We went back to my house after finishing up photos at the depot so we could cool down, eat, and get changed. I had worn shorts and a tank top at the depot but the actual wedding was at a church so I put on a dress and heels. The wedding was beautiful! It really made me want my own wedding - the wedding that Korea ruined. Possibly a 5 year renewal/wedding???

Anyway, after the wedding we drove to a third location for the reception. The food was AMAZING! I haven't eaten that well in a while. After finishing my meal I had to run to Winco to pick up spare batteries for Yvette's camera, I felt really awkward walking around Winco in a nice dress and heels. I bought the batteries and got out of there as quick as possible. I went home after dropping off the batteries so I could be home in time to put Avery to bed.

Sunday was Mother's Day, my second one with my beautiful daughter. So much has changed in a year - last year my baby was only 4 months old, we were still in Korea, and I got an 'I <3 Mom' picture frame (which is currently hung up on our living room wall). This year Steven had to work but it was still a wonderful day. Yvette came over for a visit in the morning to pick up the step stool she left in my car. Her visit worked out in my favor because I realized that Steven had Avery's car seat in his car at work - Yvette watched Avery for a bit while I went to retrieve it.

After Yvette left Avery and I were able to make gifts for her and my mother. We painted two small wooden boxes and used glitter glue to write a little note on the sides. When the first layer of paint dried I dipped Avery's hand in paint and put a hand print on each box. We only got three and a half fingers on my mom's box, and on Yvette's box we got a perfect hand print that Avery quickly messed up - they turned out really cute though. When Steven got off work we went to his grandparents' house for a visit. We managed to get out of there just in time to get to Starbucks before the last day of Frappy Hour ended.

Mother's Day supplies

Avery's first time finger painting

Happy Mother's Day

We went to my parents' house for Mother's Day dinner. They had invited a few of the neighbors and their kids over as well so it was a big party. My parents made me a beautiful photo album with pictures of Avery, myself, and Steven. Avery finally got to use her new bathing suit to play in the sprinklers, Steven even got in the sprinklers too :) That evening Steven bathed Avery and put her to bed then gave me a massage. He and Avery gave me an awesome food processor (I really hate hand grating cheese) and a gym membership!! I had gone to the gym in our apartment complex before and it was awful. Its open to anyone that lives in the complex so all the neighborhood kids go in there and play on the equipment. I am over the moon about my gym membership. It was a wonderful Mother's Day.

Steven's days off were packed full of family time. On Monday Steven took Avery out to get coffee and donuts - a rare treat. Avery licked the glaze off of my doughnut holes then spit them back out onto my plate :/ We toured the Anniversary Inn (which is full of themed hotel rooms) later that day. Avery got to run around and it was free - double win! By the time we got home Avery was exhausted, she took a long nap, we had to wake her up at 5 pm to take Yvette out to dinner for Mother's Day. Dinner wasn't spectacular but afterwards we all went to Julia Davis park and ran around. Yvette and Avery walked down the greenbelt towards Yvette's apartment while Steven and I got the car. We parked and walked the greenbelt as well, it was wonderful.

Recently, Steven and I have been discussing buying a home - possibly next year. "We" want a home before having our next baby and heck I don't want to be 30 by the time I give Avery a sibling. We looked a few houses on Tuesday, just browsing. We ended up finding the most amazingly perfect house with an equally amazing back yard. I called the number listed on the 'For Sale' sign but we were too late, someone had put an off on the house only a few days prior. Steven was pretty bummed after that, it was literally the perfect house for us. We had dinner at my parents' house that night and continued the search for homes online.

Avery Quinn - 16 months