Home Again Home Again Jiggidy Jig

Since we have been home there have been a lot of things to be thankful for. First and foremost, Ave has her own room and crib to sleep in. While in Houston she slept in our closet in a makeshift bed. The catch was that the closet was also in the bathroom. So if we wanted to shower or brush our teeth or whatever we had to risk waking Ave. Not only is this more convenient for us but it has also given Ave a new sense of comfort. She seems to know it's her room AND her bed. There is a certain amount of peace that comes with a consistent environment. Her schedule is now more than ever set in stone, she wakes at 7:30 am and eats then back to bed until 9 am. Then she takes two naps one at 12:00 pm and one at 4:00 pm. Never fail. For me this has been wonderful, I can now schedule times to complete tasks at hand. 

Another new development since we have been home is we have begun teeth brushing. Ave got her first toothbrush and she really enjoys brushing her 2 (almost 4) teeth and her sore gums. She spends about five to ten minutes everyday brushing away at those little teeth. She especially enjoys brushing at the same time as Mom or Dad. Ave is definitely a mimic!

  As for her other developments she is moving right along at a quick pace:

She can now bear all her weight and pulls herself to a standing position on the furniture.

Her determined nature assures me that she will soon be walking around.... Mom is not prepared.

Also, she is a climber. Her favorite way to scare the crap out of me is to climb the stairs. I think it's time for a baby gate!

She has also acquired a new taste for Canaberry's dog food, I have moved it several times and she continues to find it and grab a handful before I can catch her.

I was worried that her and Cana wouldn't get along but Cana is being very patient and allowing Ave to pull her hair and lay on her. Ave adores her doggie.

Coming Soon: New Family Pictures & Ave's Wellness Check!

On the Road Home

One of our family's favorite things is a road-trip! We absolutely love to get on the road and stop and see kitschy road attractions and find great food. We love listening to music and singing along. We love the calm of an open road and how conversation just flows when you have nothing but time. When we were ready to head home from Houston we jumped at the opportunity to plan some fun stops along the way.

Our first day of driving started out by changing the oil and getting snacks then we said our goodbyes to the crazy city of Houston. And we were off to Midland where Jaimason's grandparents live. One thing that surprised me about Texas was that it isn't a huge desert, there is quite a plethora of contrasting landscapes. There is also a ton of different BBQ places in Texas too... and I had to stop at every single one. My favorite though was Rudy's BBQ just outside of San Antone, we stopped and had brisket, sausage, peach cobbler, potato salad, coleslaw, and of course baked beans. We thought we had just eaten the best BBQ in the big state of Texas...

Little did we know that the VERY BEST BBQ was going to find us the next day in Midland. Our Papa and Granny McReynolds made us the most incredible mesquite BBQ I have ever tasted. It was beyond words AMAZING! They have a big old smoker and they cooked brisket, sausage, and ribs to die for. It was all perfectly smoked, flavored, moist, and fall off the bone tender. Just thinking about it makes me hungry. Granny is the queen of sides, she made butter potatoes, beans, veggies, cheese stuffed jalapenos,  biscuits, corn, and so many other sides. Every single one was delicious and you had to go back for seconds and thirds cause you simply couldn't fit it all on one plate. It was a feast that epitomized Southern Comfort Food for me. After dinner we had good conversation and played games into the night. Papa reminisced about his childhood and it made the night a perfect summer night in Texas.

    Next, we were just going to head straight through to Cheyenne, Wyoming to see one of my good friends. But we couldn't help but be drawn into Santa Fe, it is one of our most loved cities. It also has our all time favorite chocolatier shops, Kakawa, so we had to indulge in the impeccable gastronomic aztec dark chocolate! We got a basil, peanut and chili, white pepper and jasmine, and a chili carmel truffle. And my new favorite was their decadent brownie with 80% dark chocolate and barley flour! We tried to save a few pieces but it was gone in a few minutes... We should have stocked up!

We are firm believers in the best way to find the best food in any town is ask a local in an artsy or foodie shop. Of course we asked at Kakawa and they directed us to Counter Culture. Nestled in a little artsy district, "the SOHO of Santa Fe" we found the gem surrounded by a glass blowing studio, an herb shop, a bead shop, and mineral shop. It was charming and exuded the spirit of Santa Fe.

Now I can't help but tell you about the FOOD! Their menu was gargantuan, and had a myriad of flavors from across the world. We chose the Portebella Mushroom Burger and the Middle Eastern Salad. The mushroom burger was surprisingly meaty tasting and had a richly flavored basalmic glaze, big flavor with a wow factor. And the salad had a hummus flavored with cumin, chilies, lime, and calmata olives, which was Ave's favorite. We sat out on the patio in the perfect weather sipping home made lemonade and once again found bliss in Santa Fe.

After a nice looong lunch we decided to hit the road again and drove through Taos, NM. We didn't get to stop but decided it was on our list of new places to explore. Then began the long drive up north to dry and cold Wyoming. As soon as we got there my throat felt itchy, small, and dry and I thought how sad it was to leave the humid warmth of Houston. But to make up for it I got to visit with my good friends Barbara and Ryel and meet Ryel's new baby Bryer.

We ate at Sanford's one of my favorite places in Cheyenne and I got to eat my favorite fried pickles with peanut butter. In theory it sounds horrendous I know, but in reality it is delish! We were planning on staying longer but we were ready to get Ave home. She had been a trooper the whole ride but she was definitely over the car and carseat. After a little discussion and walk we decided to drive through the night to home sweet home. Through the mountains we drove stopping here and there for quick naps and complaining until 5:30 am when we finally arrived back home. Jaimo was the best for keeping focused so he could get "his girls" home in our own beds. He is still my prince in shining armor saving me from a distressful circumstance.

 Walking into my own home was the best feeling in the world after that long drive. It was just as gorgeous and lovely as I remembered and it felt so comforting like the house was giving us a big hug to welcome us back. I have found a new appreciation for my sweet little home. To have a bed for my baby to sleep in and a constant environment to grow up in.... Aw what a lovely trip and a beautiful end too!

AND THE THREE LITTLE MCREYNOLDS WERE HOME SWEET HOME....

Ave and Evie Talk Up a Storm

We have Evie all week and overnights this week. Ave and her will get so involved in their playing that they seem to talk to each other the whole time they play. I had to catch a movie of them trying to climb the diaper and wipes boxes and discussing the best way of accomplishing the task. Ave is always so determined!
Ave's speech gets better every day. She now says MA MA MA when she wants me or sees me and DA DA DA when she reaches for Jaimo or when he comes home. She also strings tons of different sounds together as if she is talking her own alien language. Another of her favorite vocal tricks is to gurggle it sounds like she is putting saliva in the back of her throat and gurggling it or sometimes it sounds like she's rolling her tongue. She has so much to say already and I can't wait to hear it all!

Ave My Cheesy Girl!

Ave is quite the little eater these days. I think she has tried more food than most grown adults. Some of the out there foods she has ate: Frog legs, crawfish, alligator, unknown Indian dishes... And many others. At first I was so nervous to let her eat anything besides "baby food" so I slowly introduced her to different things. She started with the basics fruits & veggies one by one, then continued until she started table food. She has never had a reaction to any food and she is so into her food! Which makes us happy cause we are pretty into our foods too!

Some of Ave's favorite flavors are: Frank's hot sauce (she won't eat her eggs with out it), Banana, Curry, Carrots, Hummus, Sharp Cheddar Cheese, Indian Rice, Pita Bread, Cucumber, Broccoli, Bacon Pinto Beans, Ribs, Veggie Straws, Cherrios, citrus fruits including lemon, and vanilla yogurt. She has a pretty wide pallet of taste and is always willing to try things out. Very rarely she will spit things out.

We both agree that Ave probably isn't afraid of new flavors because she has been exposed to a plethora of big tastes since the womb due to us being "foodies." We also think because of this she is a cheese lover just like us. The first cheese she had was a basic aged cheddar and she just consumed it at a rapid pace. The next day her diaper smelled like cheddar though! She had no reaction to milk products, thank heaven! And we plan on sharing our love of great cheeses with her throughout our lives.

I am so grateful for Ave's adventurous spirit and willing attitude. She is such a great friend and daughter. Her personality just oozes out of her now and she's such a beautiful brew of Jaimo and I and our families, with her own special bits that are just so her.



ANOTHER ADVENTURE RECORDED BY THE THREE LITTLE MCREYNOLDS!

Playin Hooky at the Aquarium

This Saturday, we decided to let Jaimo play hooky from work and we went out on the town. First, like any self respecting Texan we went and grabbed a late brunch at Goode Co. BBQ. Ave quite enjoys going out because she LOVES to try new food. We let her try all the meats we got: turkey, brisket, sausage, ham, ribs, and chicken. Her favorite is still the ribs, I think she really likes having a bone to hold on to and gnaw with her new teeth. She also really liked the jalapeno cheese bread and the potato salad. Jaimo and I liked the Boston baked beans and the brisket best.



Once we were fat and happy we headed to the downtown aquarium. Jaimo and I love the aquarium and figured it was time to introduce Ave to the wonderful world of the great blue sea.



We saw a lot of different exhibits and at first Ave didn't really seem interested until we saw the big huge coral reef exhibit. She was immediately mesmerized by all the colors and shapes. It was really funny because once she figured out that the fish moved and were alive she kept trying to grab them. She is a very determined little lady and tried to grab every fish after that.



After we pried Ave off the glass we went to the stingray exhibit. Which made Ave just tickled to pieces because she actually got to splash in the water and touch the animals. She got really into it and wasn't nervous at all. She got to touch the stingrays and some fish that I don't remember it's name. I was more nervous than she was about touching and after seeing my 7 month old dive right in I decided to try it out. I really enjoyed the stingrays they were really smooth and agile and they would swim pass and wave. Pretty neat experience!




Next we got to see my favorite fish ever! The Pirana! I actually didn't think this fish was cool until I saw one for the first time here. What made the Pirana so neat to me is that it was all glittery. The glitter attracts their prey to them and then they attack. They look seemingly innocent until they open their mouths and you see their sharp dagger teeth! Also, if you look closely you can see where they have eaten chunks of each others flesh. They are fascinating animals!



Also included in admission to the aquarium was a few rides and a splash pad. We went on the shark train that took you through a tube of sharks, the ferris wheel, and the carousel. Ave was not that impressed with the sharks she just ate instead of paying attention. But after waiting in the huge line for a quick glance at some sharks we were all pretty hot and so we hit up the splash pad. Ave can't get enough of the water.



I don't know what it is about playing in the water but it always makes us hungry and tired. We had to succumb to the extortionate prices for refreshments at amusements. We got two waters and a pink cotton candy and it cost us $8! It was ridiculous... But I always want cotton candy at places like this. Plus, it gave me an excuse to experiment with Ave's reactions. We gave her just a little bit of cotton candy and she thought it was a whole lot cooler to tear in apart and squish it than eat it. When she did taste it she just acted unimpressed.




Next on our list to do was take the baby girl on her first carousel and ferris wheel rides. My two favorite rides! We carefully selected a beautiful sea horse to ride and let the fun begin. Ave loved the mirrors, lights, and music, she just soaked it all in. As cheesy as it sounds riding the carousel is still magical to me. I love picking out the animal I get to ride and how they are always so beautifully painted. The music makes you feel whimsical and light hearted. It just feels sparkly :)







You know how there are always games and other things that suck you in at places like this? Well we got sucked into face painting, but Ave wasn't having anyone put crap on her face. The lady tried but we only got part way through it and called it quits. I was getting ready to pay the lady and she was like "uh, don't worry about it. . . It's not my best work." HA HA! I was fine with that and because she made Ave cry she gave her a free little shark toy you can see in the pictures. So minus the five dollars to get face painting and three dollars for shark toy at the gift shop!



Our close to the day was a ride on the ferris wheel. The line was short and we were done and Ave was ready for bed. SO we took our last ride to a fabulous day at dusk. It was a really pretty ride, you could see the Houston skyline and it was a nice calming end to our evening.





JUST ANOTHER GREAT DAY IN HOUSTON FOR THE THREE LITTLE MCREYNOLDS! MUAH!

Buddies and Baby Food!

I am under the opinion that it is extremely important to a child's emotional growth to be social. Because of that belief I try to constantly expose Ave to new people and play situations. Since we have been in Houston I have been watching Evie, who has become Ave's new buddy. They are pretty funny together and are about the same age. Today Ave and Evie decided to "help" me put away dishes and the door of the washer soon became a drum. It's awesome to see Ave pulling herself up and standing!

Evie went on vacation and hadn't been over for awhile so when Ave saw her she wasn't sure about the new comer. But they both remembered each other shortly. They love to crawl right next to each other and what one does the other one has to copy. Evie is about a month and a half older so she challenges Ave to try new tasks. In the picture below Evie is whistling and Ave is absolutely AMAZED by this!

Ave is also learning from Evie how to share and play. They are extremely vocal as they play together! Ave's new favorite toy is the Panda Box, she climbs all over it ALL day long.

BABY FOOD

After the girls finished helping me in the kitchen it was time to get breakfast ready for Ave. Evie's Mom sends food for her so I just have to pop the top and feed. But I try to give Ave fresh organic food from scratch. I admit it is a bit more work but well worth it. Ave never has gas or colic and her BM's are very well formed and scentless. It's kind of weird but our family bases how our health is according to BM. What can I say when your husband changes diapers for a living you start to notice these things. Today I made Ave Eggs & Banana Pineapple Oatmeal enriched with breastmilk due to Ave no longer being interested in feeding. But I am determined to get a whole year of breastfeeding in as recommended so I pump and use it in her solids.

NOTICE: The yellow Bumbo seat that Ave is sitting in is a $3.99 find at the Goodwill! Just had to tell ya!
So this is Ave before we began to eat, she is always super excited and loves to try new things. She gets pretty impatient though, we are trying to teach her to sign "more food." She almost has it down, it's amazing how smart babies are.

This is during her feeding. She refuses to eat unless she can hold the spoon and put the food in her mouth. Because of this independence she is a huge mess when we are done eating. Jaimason always says, "Does she get any of that in her mouth?" And frankly I think a large majority of it doesn't make it! But it's our regular schedule now to bath after we have breakfast.

If you look closely in these pictures you can see Ave's little tan lines :) She loves the water and bath time! She especially likes splashing in water that is coming from the faucet. And I can't help but love her little bum!

Ave is growing and learning so fast! She has the cutest little personality and I feel so blessed to be her Momma!

New Blog Under Construction

Hey Everyone,

We are going to try Blogging again to keep everyone updated on Ave and her growth. So stay tuned for more updates!

Love Ya'll!