December 3

Decorating the tree has always been one of my favorite parts of preparing for Christmas.  I love how the rituals of the Christmas holiday visibly demonstrate Michaela's growth from year to year and will for Avery as well.  Michaela celebrated her first Christmas at three months old, so we didn't even have to worry about her touching the tree.  Avery is nine months now and all over the place so her first Christmas will be a different experience.  This year, Michaela was more than excited to decorate the tree.  She loved opening the boxes and looking at all the ornaments from last year and adding the new ones into the group.  Her strategy for the decorating did not change much from last year; many ornaments ended up on the same branch on the bottom right side of the tree.  Ryan made the interesting observation that she put all the ornaments on facing the tree too.  Once all the ornaments were on the tree we asked Michaela which ornament was her favorite and she said "Tinkerbell".  Tinkerbell was her new ornament for this year and like years past it commemorated her Halloween costume.  We tried to include Avery in the decorating as well and not surprisingly she was more interested in trying to get the ornaments into her mouth.  Her ornament was a Baby's First Christmas ornament of Pooh and Piglet together.    

December 2

The 2nd found us making a day trip up to Green Bay in order for Ryan to attend the Packers game (a birthday gift from his parents).  We got there in time to attend church with Ryan's parents and then sent Ryan and his Dad off to the game.  The girls and I headed back to the house with Gramma to enjoy the game.  Ryan and his Dad had a great time and we were all able to eat dinner together before heading back home.  Even though the Packers won and the Bears lost :( it was a fun day.    

I love including different aspects of our family life in this album.  Getting to include memories from Ryan's day is important to me so that his story is represented as well.  On a side note, while I was determined to stay on top of this album things just seem to pop up and what can you do...that's life.  Avery has been under the weather the past few days preventing anything much from getting done.  So I still need to get the Instagram pictures printed, but I included them in digital form...

A day for Dad - This is what 34 looks like...

Ryan's caption on Instagram "Perfect way to celebrate a birthday...with 75,000 of my closest friends! Go Pack!"

December 1

We were lucky to have a slow Saturday (our first in months)!  We enjoyed time together and only ventured out in order to get Ryan his birthday gift.  Ryan was in definite need of a new phone and has been patiently waiting to get the iPhone5.  We made that happen a day early since we will be heading out of town for the his actual birthday.  Michaela loved the phone displays at the store and enjoyed calling people on several of the models.  We ended the day with a family dinner (Avery did awesome picking up and eating her peas). 

A very simple Day 1...

Prepping for December Daily

I wasn't sure if I could logistically commit to participating in the December Daily project this year.  My workroom has turned into Avery's bedroom, the girls commute with me every work day now, and we have our house up for sale which means cleaning, cleaning, and more cleaning.  Then, as I was pulling our Christmas book basket together I was so happy to be able to add my first December Daily album.  I realized how much I love the project and I had to do my best to make it happen, but I also realized I had to make it as simple a process as possible.  So, after my work on Avery's baby book using the Project Life system I thought I would order a few more "plastics" and make that work for my December Daily as well.  I decided I liked the 6x12 size and made the album myself by making my own cover/back and adding rings.  I filled the book with design H, design I (the instagram size...definitely excited about incorporating instagram photos because I take pictures with that app so often!), and I can also use the regular 6x12 size if I choose.  In addition to making the album simple, I wanted to try and use supplies I already had on hand.  The snowflake on the cover of the album came off of a gift bag we were given last year.  It came together so easily that I am thinking I can actually make this work and keep up with it...we'll see how that part goes.  Happy December!   

Happy Halloween!

Happy Halloween.

Craving the pumpkin.  Daddy put her up to this, but she did a good job acting!

Tink and Peter Pan...costumes thanks to Grandma

Love these cuties!

Right Now...

Avery (7 mo.) is creeping quite quickly and efficiently and very close to a full crawl.  She will get up on her hands and knees, rock a bit, and then decide she'd rather "creep" to where she wants to go.  She loves to be on the floor, move in all directions, and explore everything.  She especially enjoys going for things she can't have like Michaela's toys or the television remote.  Avery is still all smiles and LOVES all things Michaela.  No one can make Avery laugh quite like Michaela!


Michaela (3 yrs.) is entering a new phase.  While she still remains her sweet little self, she is definitely exploring what she can control and making it known what she wants to control, which is just about everything these days.  She is loving time outdoors, playing her made up game with the made up name, "Up-rah" (I have no idea!).  She loves wearing dresses, but still want to play "chase" and jump off of or climb everything.  She is very into reading books herself and making stairs for her dolls out of stacked books.  She is struggling with bedtime.  Sometimes she struggles because she simply wants to stay up and others because she is developing a fear of the dark.  Michaela is still super sweet to her little sister.  She even rushed into Avery's room the other day to comfort her while she was crying.  Michaela sat down next to her crib and started to read Avery a book and of course Avery stopped crying and listened intently.  

Ryan is finishing up work on his doctorate and keeping busy at work.  He is enjoying time with his girls and is such a good Dad to them.  He is making time for exercise and watching football.

Besides commuting, working, and being Mommy...I am exploring pinterest (oh boy, can that suck you in!), trying to find time to work on baby books for both kiddos, and enjoying football on the weekends.  I am remembering how important it is to document what we are up to, before we hit a new stage or before I forget the details.

Right now, I am loving our ordinary life!

She's 3

We have been busy the last few weeks planning, prepping, and carrying out birthday festivities for Michaela.  We have loved watching her get to be in the spot light, something that doesn't occur as often as it used to with a new little one in the family.  Happy Birthday Michaela, we LOVE you!

Front and back of Michaela's birthday invitation

Then and...

Now

Disney Reflections

When we decided to go to Disney World with a two kids under 3, I thought we were crazy.  I knew Avery wouldn't remember a thing and figured Michaela wouldn't either.  Plus, everything we read said not to go in July...the weather would be too hot and the lines too long.  However, Ryan had a conference to attend there in July and children under 3 get free admission to the parks.  So, we decided to go for it.  The trip and the timing of it couldn't have worked out better.  Sure it was a little sticky during the day, but the evenings were beautiful and we broke up the outdoor time with shows or meeting characters inside.  We did get a bit lucky when a rainy afternoon sent most people back to their hotels.  I think once it rained the majority of the afternoon, families decided to make it a resort day and not return to the parks.  When we headed back after nap time we had no trouble getting on any rides we wanted.  We got so much done and had no trouble with the crowds.  The whole trip was just amazing!

Day 1

Meeting Minnie and Mickey

Taking in a show on Main Street

On our first evening we also went to see the Monsters Inc. comedy show and really enjoyed it.  They even put Avery up on the big screen and talked about her in the show.  She's already a star!

Day 2

Started the day at Disney's Hollywood Studios

Waiting to see Buzz and Woody

Ended the day at EPCOT

Epcot at Night

Day 3

Breakfast at Chef Mickey's 

Avery LOVED Donald

Animal Kingdom took up the rest of our morning

The rain during the day kept most people from heading out to the parks in the evening.  Due to the lack of people, we had the opportunity to take the resort boat by ourselves to the Magic Kingdom.  It was definitely a small thing, but it added a bit of special Disney Magic to our day!

Michaela looking back at the resort on our private boat ride

Meeting Rapunzel...and shyly LOVING IT

Day 4

We made our final day at Disney World all about the Magic Kingdom.  We went on all the rides we missed earlier in the week, visited with characters like Tinkerbell, and made a point to see the parade and fireworks.  

Summer Travels and a finished scrapbook too

Our Summer has been filled with fun travels and visits with family and friends.  Getting back to a "normal" routine at home has taken a few weeks, but we are now enjoying the last bit of summer before school resumes.  The first of our travels took us to St. Louis for the National Athletic Training Association (NATA) Annual Meeting.  My Mom was kind enough to join us so that Ryan and I could both get continuing education units and attend the conference.  

Grandma and the girls outside the Arch

Our second stop was Chicago to visit with family.  My sister Jennifer and her husband J-P were in town from Pennsylvania and were meeting Avery for the very first time.  We spent a few days catching up with them and enjoying the Spa.

Loving the Spa

Then it was off to Door County, WI to celebrate the 65th wedding anniversary of Ryan's grandparents in addition to celebrating Ryan's grandpa's 90th birthday.  What a blessing for us to still have Ryan's paternal grandparents with us so that Michaela and Avery can know and learn from them! (They are also lucky to still have three other great-grandma's as well)

Ryan and Avery at dinner

Ryan and Michaela in Lake Michigan

Next it was back to Chicago for the 4th of July and to celebrate my Dad's birthday.  We ran in the annual family firecracker 5K, relaxed with family, watched fireworks, and Michaela even went bowling for the first time.

Michaela willing the ball to knock some pins down

The final leg of our travels was also the most exciting.  Thanks to Ryan's doctoral conference in Orlando, Florida we had the opportunity to take Michaela and Avery to Disney World for the first time.  During our planning for the trip, my sister Andrea expressed interest in coming along with her boyfriend.  Then when my Dad got wind of that he and my Mom decided they had to be there to see their grandchildren experience Disney for the first time.  So, it became a family trip and we were very thankful for the help.  We had a fabulous trip (I will have to post a separate entry just on Disney) and we are already talking about what we want for the next trip!

Our first task at the Magic Kingdom - meeting Mickey and Minnie

Our final family event - parade and fireworks

In addition to all our travels I was also able to complete my first full scrapbook (I have more than several in progress)!  I finally finished my December Daily album from 2010....yes, you read that right, an album from two years ago, but it's done and I feel accomplished!  Now I feel a little stuck because I can't decide what to tackle next!

What I want to remember...

What I want to remember is...

...how Michaela says in her little kid voice "wanna play in my woom"

...how Avery likes to hold tight to my finger when she drinks her bottle

...how Michaela always says "I wanna see Avery"

...how Avery looks up at my eyes and watches my mouth when I am talking to her

......how Michaela whispers to pink baby (that is what she named her) as she plays so that I can't hear what she is saying

...how expressive Avery's face is already!

...how Michaela "reads" books that I have read to her and is pretty darn close to the real book

smiling as we drive through the tunnel

...how alert Avery's eyes are when she is awake

...how Michalea's face lights up when we go through the new highway tunnel or when we tell her she can have a hot dog for dinner (the all beef kind of course)

...the glimpse of a beginning friendship between the two of them every time Michaela gives Avery a kiss on the forehead without any prompting from us

I just LOVE those girls!

And then there were 4...

We welcomed Avery Elizabeth into our family on February 13th, 2012.  

And now we are the Wilkinson 4!

Birthday Weekend

 This past weekend was my birthday weekend. It is always nice having a birthday that falls over a weekend.  Saturday was my actual birthday.  My big request was to have breakfast out.  There are few things I love more than breakfast out with family and/or friends.  The weather was pretty great for early February so we were able to play outside and make use of one of Michaela's Christmas gifts...her tricycle.  It was fun to watch her bike up and down the sidewalk.  She would drop her head close to the handle bars and peddle as fast as her little legs would go.  Occasionally, she would get so into going fast that she would even forget to look where she was going.  The fresh air and the biking definitely wore her out.