Post for My Avery

If I had a little girl, I would tell her all the things I think she would need to know to be fully prepared for life. I would tell her that there will be good days and bad days, and that she should be grateful for them all. I would tell her that she is always protected, and no matter what she does, she will always be loved. I would tell my little girl that life is full of wonder and excitement, and that it is all available to her. I would tell her to focus on one thing at a time. Enjoy it, taking the most pleasant memories of it into the next experience. I would tell her to be kind to all people, even when they are not kind in return. I would tell my little girl to find something to appreciate about everything and everyone. When you are appreciative, you get more to appreciate. I would tell my little girl that she did not have to rely on people for her good., that she could withdraw all that she needs from Heaven. I would tell her to always tell the truth in the way she would want to hear it; always give her best and never doubt that it was good enough; always remember where she came from and the people who helped her along the way. I would tell my little girl that the best things in life are not things. They are people. I would tell my little girl that it is important for her to honor what she feels. I would tell her that a well-ordered mind will never lead her astray, and that if her mind and life are to be in order, she must put God first. The most important thing I would want my little girl to know is that she should never be afraid of making a mistake, because mistakes, when evaluated, make masters.

Avery Lane is Two Months!

Avery turned two months old yesterday. When I think back to that first week she came home, I'm amazed that we've made it this far. Please don't think she's an awful baby. She's not; in fact, she's far from it. I just so happen to be an over-the-top control freak, impatient, and trying to do it all Mommy. It's my fault. Sometimes I'm not totally sure why she picked me, but I'm glad she did. It was rough at first. I wanted to do it all. You can't. You just can't. One thing I've learned over the past few months is that clean is not what it used to be, but it's still good enough. Not showering for a few days is gross but manageable. You WILL get your body back. Catching her before she screams bloody murder at night insures that she'll go back to sleep faster and happier. An unclean baby is an unhappy baby. The light up star is a life saver. Bella is the best big sister ever. I hate cleaning bottles, and I miss cooking. The most important thing I've learned, though, is to enjoy all these stressful, wonderful, crazy moments. They go by so quickly. She came home at just under 5 lbs, and now she's trying so hard to reach 10lbs. She has fat rolls, double (really, triple) chins, and dimples where her knuckles should be. What used to be gas smiles have now turned into genuine I'm looking at Mommy and loving her smiles. It fills my heart with so much happiness and joy that it's almost indescribable. You know what? I complain about those late night feedings, but when it's dark and quiet and I look down at her, I can't help but be completely overwhelmed at how incredibly blessed I am. Just like she knows what I'm thinking, she will almost always lean back and give me the biggest eyes closed smile I've ever seen just before she nods off. Sure, it might be gas, but I prefer to believe that it's her first expression of unconditional love to me. I'll take it. I don't need anything else.