A Florest Family Year in Review

I can't say that I'm entirely sad to see 2009 go. Between cancers, radiation, surgeries, heart attacks and losing loved ones, it hasn't been my favorite year. We've definitely had some great moments so that is what we'll focus on in this post! We've had some wonderful moments with our little family and are thrilled to add on to it in January. We bought our first home and have already created some great memories here. Ava has changed so much going from a little toddler to such a big kid in a year. She went from saying a few words and signing words to talking in full sentences and really letting her imagination show through. Here's a look back at 2009!

JANUARY
We kicked 2009 off with poor Ava getting sick with the stomach bug. Not exactly how we wanted to ring in the New Year. Ava started toddlers and suddenly turned into a big kid. Her language really picked up and she's been doing so much more now.




FEBRUARY
I celebrated the big 26! Ava went sledding for the first time & settled into being a big toddler. We spent lots of nice days at the park and enjoyed the snow on the colder days.

MARCH
Talk about Spring Fever! We spent a lot more time outside. Ava loved playing on all her outdoor toys and going on long walks. I became a licensed teacher in the state of Mass. Ava started sitting on the potty at school and riding bikes with the big kids. We spent a day in Boston at the Boston Children's Museum where Ava had an absolute blast!

APRIL
We started the house hunting process & bought our first home! Ava reached the stage where everything is "MINE" and wants to know "what that?". We enjoyed a wonderful Easter and trips to the zoo, library and parks.

MAY
We found out baby bean number 2 was on the way! Steven turned the big 2-5 and we celebrated eight years together! Ava started talking up a storm, counting & naming colors. We celebrated Mother's Day, watched Uncle Mike play baseball and spent a lot of time outside soaking up the sun. Steven got a promotion and now has his own office which Ava helps decorate with all her art.

JUNE
We closed on our first home!! We got all settled in and started on some house projects. We celebrated Father's Day and Ava announced the big news that she was going to be a big sister!

JULY
We hosted our first party at our house and spent lots of time in our new yard. Ava moved into a toddler bed and has been chatting & singing up a storm. We got rid of the binky & enjoyed some nice day trips.


AUGUST
We took a trip to the Acton Children's Museum and spent lots of time at different parks. Ava got her first swing set in our back yard and she loves it. We had a great trip to Newport and to the Waterfires in Providence. We found out we were having a little boy and couldn't be happier!


SEPTEMBER
We set up Ava's big girl room and started to get the baby's room ready. We had weekend after weekend of painting and decorating and making the house "ours". Steven went on his first out of state business trip & Ava and I enjoyed a girls weekend. Ava started counting to 10 and knows all her colors.


OCTOBER
Ava celebrated the big TWO with a ladybug party! Steven & I celebrated three wonderful years of marriage. We finally finished the bean's room. We enjoyed the fall weather with pumpkin picking and leaf jumping! Halloween was so fun with Ava has a Pats cheerleader and my belly as a jack-o-lantern.


NOVEMBER
We had a lot to be thankful for this year! We did our first Black Friday shopping & started getting ready for the holidays.


DECEMBER
We enjoyed the snowfall, got ready for the holiday season and found out we were expecting one big baby! We spent New Year's as a family and can't wait to see what 2010 brings!

Here's to a happy and healthy new year! We can't wait to see what 2010 has in store for us and we especially can't wait to meet baby bean in two weeks!

an early big sister gift

Ava got an early big sister present from her little brother! We {ok I} was back and forth about getting the Tag Jr for Ava. She loves books and we read a lot but I wasn't sure how I felt about electronic books. We don't know anyone with one and so I read a ton of reviews on it and decided to try it out. Thanks to hubby, we waited until the set went on sale at BJs and bought it for her at a great price. She was SO excited and kept thanking the baby and asking us to open it. We tried it last night and I really didn't think she'd get it right away. I was so surprised that she played with it for 1/2 hour until I made her go to bed. We set up the colors book and she totally got it and understood the questions and found all the right answers in the book. As soon as she got up this morning she wanted to play and set it all up. I attempted to help her with one thing and she told me "No, mama, I do it ma-self".

she loves that everything fits in the case

{bump watch 2009} 37 weeks!

Bean is now full term & I'm ready for him to vacate! Granted we still have 2 more weeks until c-section date but I wouldn't mind if he wanted to make his grand entrance a little earlier than that. Not that we are ready---we still have to clean his room from Christmas, install the car seat, & pack the hospital bag. I probably should get on that before wishing he'd come out :) Bean is pretty much out of room and by the end of the night I'm in a lot of pain. My back and ribs hurt and I'm just plain old uncomfortable. Not that that is shocking since I'm barely 5'1" and am carrying an estimated 10 pounder. It took me about 10 minutes and Ava's help to get my socks on the other day---if it wasn't in the single digits I probably would have gone out in flip flops.

Bean and I had a nice trip over to L&D on Monday. I was having a lot of bad cramping and thought I was leaking water. They ran the tests and monitored me and I'm fine---no leaking and no contractions. I had my 37 week appointment today and everything looks great! The doctor was going to do an internal but since this baby is in the 93rd percentile and about 8 1/2 - 9 pounds right now he figured I'd be having a c-section if I went early any ways so we skipped it. The nurse was laughing at how my belly appears in a room 2 minutes before the rest of me :) So we have one more appointment and then the big day! We bumped up the time of the c-section to 11:30 instead of 1---although last time we were scheduled at 11 and went at 2 so we'll see.

Steven left work early today and set up the pack & play with Ava. She was practicing giving the baby kisses and putting him to bed with her babies. It was really sweet but we'll see how long that lasts :) We went shopping today and picked up some milk. I had a slight panic attack that the expiration date on the milk is January 14th---that means this baby is coming soon! Here are a few belly pictures from today:

me & Ava Lou
{she insisted on being in the picture too---please excuse the messy hair :) }

weekend updates!

We spent the weekend cleaning/organizing & getting ready for the bean's arrival! We were really spoiled and slept in well past 9:30 every day---it was much needed though! We took all the Christmas stuff down the following day and got all the baby things out like the swing, papasan chair, car seat etc. It's so crazy having all of Ava's stuff back out! I was afraid she would take over all the baby's things and use them for her baby but, so far, she just points them out every once in a while and tells us they are for her baby brother.

We rearranged the playroom to make room for Ava's new toys and for some things for the baby. We found these great interlocking mats on clearance at Target that we put down on the floor so it isn't so hard/cold for the kids to play on. They are really soft and Ava loves doing somersaults and playing on them. Steven & I used to have an office in this room but we are slowly getting pushed out :) We also organized the kitchen drawers and pantry/hall closet and it all looks great. We even got some shelves for the garage and organized that, too. Can we say nesting? :)

We also picked up our first box of baby diapers. Of course, we used the baby's room to wrap and set up gifts so it's a mess again but hopefully by the time he comes it will be clean. So now we're in the final homestretch---7 more days of work and 17 days until bean's arrival. I probably should get packing on my hospital bag at some point! Hope everyone had a wonderful weekend!

Merry Christmas!

We had a wonderful Christmas! I love that Ava is starting to "get it" this year. There is nothing better than how excited the little ones are at Christmastime! We finally woke Ava up at 8:30 to get started on presents. Steven lit the tree while we walked down to the living room. Ava went right over to the cookies and said "Santa Claus ate my cookies and left me presents! And he drank my milk!" She was so excited to see that. We started with Ava's stocking and she was so excited pulling everything out of her stocking. She kept saying "Look what Santa gave me! He bring me books!" After the stocking, Ava went right over to her big present and started playing. We got her the Rose Petal Cottage and she was so excited! She LOVES this! I found this after Thanksgiving for $15 at Toys R Us. We picked up a few more pieces for it that were also ridiculously cheap. She insisted on opening all her presents in her new house. Santa also brought her a doctor kit, Melissa & Doug slice & bake cookie set, princess dress up clothes, Candy Land and PBK mixing bowls and spoons that she can really use in the kitchen to cook with us. She was very good in Santa's eyes! Santa even brought us our new tv and a gps for me along money, clothes, mixing bowls, shoes, gift cards, a wet vac along with a bunch of other goodies for us!

After opening our gifts, Steven made cinnamon buns and we cleaned up a bit and got ready for everyone to come over for Christmas. We hosted our first Christmas but really my mother-in-law and mom {and Steven} did most of the cooking/cleaning {thank you, thank you, thank you!!!} We had a ton of yummy food and it was so great celebrating with everyone! Ava got even more wonderful gifts from her beamy/beepa & nana/papa and her uncles. I know I'm going to forget a bunch of things but she got clothes, the PBK pram and cradle with bedding for her babies, baby clothes, puzzles, Melissa & Doug pizza party, snow tube, baby doll, and dora magna doodle. She was so excited about everything! I was surprised she didn't get too overwhelmed with everything combined with no nap---she really did great.

looks like Santa stopped by!

and ate the cookies!

heading out---Ava was not too sure about what was going on

"Santa came to my house!"

checking everything out

opening the stocking

her big gift!

very excited!

opening her gifts in her house

mama & my gps

dada & his calendar we made for him

taking her baby's temp

a doctor and a baker!

ready to party!

building her castle

her new pram and cradle

heading out for a stroll

she wouldn't let go of the pram while opening the rest of the gifts

pizza making time

putting together some puzzles

Ava taking mama's temp & checking my ears

apparently my temp is "eleven-twelve"

rocking her babies to bed

showing off her new hat

Ava was in charge of putting away the ornaments {thankfully none were broken!}

After everyone left, we just relaxed and played with all the toys. I laid down for a while since I think I had overdone it the past few days between being sick & pregnant and getting ready for the holidays. We watched Rudy on tv and during the game where they all chant "Rudy...Rudy...Rudy" Ava started chanting "Rudy" along with them. She kept asking where Santa went after our house so I asked her where she thought he went. She told me "Santa sleeping because he's so tired like mama". I'm sure she's right!

Ava, however, was not so tired like Santa and wanted to stay up super late. We finally all headed to bed and all slept in until well past 9am on Saturday! It was soo nice and much needed! We hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas---we sure did.