Happy January Birthdays 2011

Spencer started somewhat of a tradition: doughnuts for birthday mornings. The kids love it! I refuse to eat it. He's sweet though trying to find a "healthy" doughnut. I'm sorry but there's no such thing.

So Avery requested to eat at her favorite place: The Olive Garden. So we made it and enjoyed every bite.

The girls were occupied with coloring the kids menu.

While Josh was busy taking out the sweetners and putting them back in. Whatever keeps them quiet and busy.

I had to include this picture of Josh. I'm considering making it sepia or black & white.

On her birthday she gave her Aunt Heather a foot massage using her new lotion. She even put the shower gel and lotion in my bathroom for me to use one night. She's a keeper I tell ya!

Avery loved opening her presents. Grandma & Grandpa Allred came over with Heidi, Heather, and Stephen, Heather's fience'. She sleeps with her Unicorn pillow pet every night and loves to take pictures with the camera. Thanks Grandma Kathy for the pink camera!

I thought this was cute of her! She's so pretty and grown up looking in this picture.

This one too!

I had to get a picture of Josh playing with his trains. See those lips making the "choo! choo!"

You don't get very many opportunities to get a picture of these two sitting down and relaxing. So for the record, they do relax- sometimes.

Singing Happy Birthday to Avery. She requested brownies instead of cake for the second year in a row. Mint brownies, that is.

Avery loves her birthday being on January 1st. We've tried to make it exciting for her with all the fireworks done at midnight and all. I can't believe she turned 9 years old. I suppose it just goes by too quickly for me though. She's been wearing my socks for a year now and is looking forward to me washing a particular white sweater because it shrinks a bit each time so she can have it. She walks around in my shoes and my jackets. I let her wear one to church one Sunday- the sleeves were about 4 inches too long but everywhere else fit. She loves anything girly and feminine.

She is still my best helper and wonderful example to her younger siblings. I feel bad at times comparing them to her in my head. Although I think, "why can't you do ______ like Avery" it very rarely comes out of my mouth. She loves school and does very well. She loves to read! and already has quite a collection of books in her room. I got her Anne of Green Gables, since we had recently watched the series. She said she'd read it over the summer. She is my shy girl, but loves to have fun, and make new friends.

I have a new toy that was a Christmas, birthday, Valentines, anniversary, etc gift. Spencer got me a Nikkon 3100. I love LoVe LOVE it! I really want to learn how to take better pictures and it certainly helps to have a wonderful camera. The kids grow up so fast and I feel like I've missed so many opportunities to capture the moment by not taking pictures. With Avery, I took a lot of unnecessary pictures. With Jake I used the camera from my phone which produced little square pictures you can hardly see. With Emily I feel like I've taken a few pictures but I really have been busy with three. So adding Josh, ummm yeah, I'm lucky if I get some for the major events like Christmas & birthdays. Having this new "toy" though is great and I love being able to take great pictures. Now I need to decide on a photo editing software.

Oh and turning 35 is just another day for me.

But turning 2 is really fun for Josh! For months now he's been telling me he needs to go potty and I've been the one dragging my feet- I'm not ready to deal with it all! He's been doing really well overall and I'm starting to kick it into full gear now that Thanksgiving, Christmas, Birthdays, and Spencer's arbitration is all over. Yeah, it's really been THAT long!

Josh is all boy, but not as rough as Jake and Emily, even though she's a girl- she got stitches at this age! Josh loves to play with cars, trains and firetrucks. He loves Thomas the train and anything with firetrucks! He talks SO much and understands almost everything. He loves to know where everyone is: Avery at school. Jacob at school. Emily at school. Daddy at work. or Daddy sleeping. He's a great helper too. He's great a cleaning up when you ask him to. He's a sweet boy and I can't believe he's getting so big.





Josh loves Thomas the train. Mom is quite the bargin shopper and found a great deal for a set of tracks.



I had to get my little boy a firetruck too. I'm not sure who plays with this more, Jake or Josh. Probably Jake since he seems to put it away aka hiding it.

Emily was really excited when I was opening my gifts. I do love the gummy colas- its one of my weaknesses. Sooo good!

I had to include these pictures of Josh when we sang Happy Birthday to him. Please don't mind the appearance of the cake. With arbitration so close, my mind was elsewhere. Plus I only had like 10 minutes to assemble it, frost it and attempt to make it somewhat presentable. I did a terrible job. Oh well!





So adorable and he blew the candles out all by himself! What a big boy he's getting to be! Sniff. Sniff.