The Zieminski Family

Big Boy Bed!!

2012-01-30T13:40:00.000-08:00

Well, Aven is officially a big boy! Mike and I had been debating whether or not to get another crib for the baby and figured it's probably best since Aven was still content in his crib. About a week after that conversation, sure enough, Aven started trying to climb out at nap time. I would sit and watch the monitor for an hour before he finally fell asleep in hopes that he wouldn't fall out of his crib. We realized then that something had to change and that next weekend went looking for "big boy beds". At first, we thought about just converting his crib into a toddler bed, but we figured it makes most sense to just move it into the nursery so Holt can use it :) It didn't take long to decide then that Aven needed a car bed to make the new transition easier! We opted for the twin size (so glad!) so we can crawl in bed with him to read books and such. Aven is absolutely loving his cool bed and this new found freedom that came with it! We got very lucky!

Aven's reaction when he saw his new car bed for the 1st time!

Checking out the tires...

His new bedding that we got.

Found him passed out reading a book! The kid looooves his books!

Night night, speed racers!

What a difference a year makes...

2012-01-17T17:31:00.000-08:00

Speechless. My chunky monkey has become this little person. This little person who continues to amaze me every.single.day. I am one proud mama...

A boy and his boots...

2012-01-11T19:41:00.005-08:00

Nothing cuter in the world than a boy and his boots. So of course, I took plenty of pictures to prove it :) Who is this little stud?

Happiest kid in the world. This boy loooves the outdoors!

And last but not least, Aven and John Deer. Fast friends.

First Haircut

2012-01-10T09:46:00.000-08:00

I'm a little behind in posting this, but Aven finally got his official "big boy haircut" right before Christmas! I have been trimming it up a bit here and there so it doesn't turn into a mullet of some sort, but I realized after our trip to Lubbock that his straight, fine hair was getting a little out of control. We went to a local kids place which was super cute. I was convinced he would love sitting in a car getting his hair cut, but of course, he had to be in my lap the whole time. We caught a few pictures of this first for Aven :)

Cousinly Love

2012-01-06T19:45:00.000-08:00

I watched my niece, Savannah, the other day while my sister had some things to do in Frisco. We had so much fun! These two loved being around each other and kept each other entertained the whole time. Of course, I kept following them around snapping pictures...but I think I got some cute ones that just may embarrass them when they get older!

I love this one...it looks like one of those engagement pictures you see sometimes. Savannah is just staring at Aven, so sweet!

Playing Hide-and-Seek. I wonder where they could be! Even Zoey is in on the fun.

"Gotcha!"

I put cute little Savannah in pig tails! She looks just like her Aunt Shelby used to!

"Here Aven, you can wear my bow!"

I love the look on his face. He knows he's a stud. What can I say!

Oh dear...kissing cousins!

Happy New Year and Third Trimester!

2012-01-03T19:41:00.000-08:00

I feel like I've been so behind in the blogging world and now that I'm frantically trying to play catch up, realize that I haven't even posted much at all about this pregnancy! So I will definitely touch upon that later in the post :)

First, Happy New Year! Wow...2012! The year that we welcome our second bundle of joy into our lives. The year that Aven turns 2. The year I celebrate 4 years of marriage with the one I love. The year that we continue to get older and have birthdays in our 30's...blah. The crazy thing is I know so much more will be happening this year and yet, only God knows what we have in store. I pray it's a good year and am very excited to see what is around the corner.

With the new year, comes my third trimester! How is it that time already?! Of course on one hand, I do feel like I've been pregnant for awhile, but then it seems like the whole process is going way too fast! I'm trying to mentally prepare myself for life as a family of FOUR. But it's not possible. I know I won't be able to know what it's really like until Holt gets here. Aven is loving the baby belly and will point to it numerous times a day and say, "Baby"...well it doesn't quite come out like that. Sounds a little more like "Bob" for now but hopefully that will change soon ;) He will hug and kiss my belly. Such a sweet boy. Feeling so blessed and so excited that Mike and I will be giving him a friend for life. Wow.

My pregnancy has been good so far. The first trimester was a breeze (other than the extreme tiredness!) and the second one has been a little more uncomfortable. I've been in pain more this time around and I'm sure it has everything to do with the fact that I'm chasing after a toddler all day plus my body knows what to do so it's already getting ready for birth. Good Lord. I haven't taken as many pictures this time around as I did with Aven, but I will post the progress ones I've taken so far. 12 more weeks, little man, until you make your big debut. No sooner please. 12 more weeks.

Trains, Trains, and more Trains!

2011-12-28T19:41:00.000-08:00

T-R-A-I-N-S!!!

Anyone that knows Aven, knows he loooooves anything with wheels! He is such a little boy! He loves cars, trains, planes, you name it. So we were very excited to get to take him to North Park Mall this year to see their train display. We met up with my mom, sister, and niece. Aven was in awe of the trains going by and had a really good time. I'm glad I got to capture some of these moments in pictures.

Christmas Time!

2011-12-27T09:36:00.000-08:00

I can't believe it's already Christmas! This holiday season passed by so fast! I feel like I blinked and now it's over. This Christmas was really wonderful :) Aven is at such a fun age and I feel like he is beginning to understand (at least a little) about Christmas time and Santa! We were fortunate enough to have both families over on Christmas day. Lots of eating, presents, and fun! Happy Birthday, Jesus! Thank you for this blessed day :)

I love the look on his face here. He's like "what in the world is this, mom?"

Santa brought him a Tool Bench!

Thanking Santa for his cool presents!

He's still the best present of all!

Awesome new toy from Grammy and Papa!!

"Look at me, mom!"

Constantly on their new phone...I don't know where they get it from!

Opening Rockin Elmo!

Sooooo much fun on Christmas day!!!

Santa...take two!

2011-12-24T07:34:00.000-08:00

Let me just preface this whole post by saying that at home, Aven LOVES Santa! He points to Santa on TV and says, "Ho Ho Ho" or will play with Santa in our dining room and they have lots of fun!

Hugs for Santa...

Playing hide-and-go-seek with his best bud...

Aven was even so excited to meet Santa! He was running all over the mall with Savannah in anticipation for the big event...

It's almost time!!!!

But when it came time to tell Santa what he wanted for Christmas, let's be honest....all he wanted was Mommy! That's my boy!! :)

And just for laughs, an old photo from 2010. Ho Ho Ho!

Baby Boy has a name!!

2011-12-22T07:31:00.000-08:00

I have always LOVED boy names...so as much as I was excited to use another name I liked, it was also a daunting task. Once we had decided on Aven's name, that was it. There was really no runner up. So to me, it was kind of like starting from scratch again. Mike always seems to mark off the majority of my names from the get go. So once he had quickly "narrowed it down", we came up with our favorite name that just stuck out to us. We also wanted to find something that went well with Aven, and to us, this name was it! It's perfect in every way...just like this little boy is!

Drumroll please....We can't wait to welcome to our family......

We can't wait to meet you!

Polar Express and SANTA!

2011-12-18T07:33:00.000-08:00

While we were in Lubbock, we got tickets to Polar Express! It was a real train which recreated the events from the book. We all got dressed up (in matching pjs of course!) and the kids had a lot of fun! Aven was old enough to enjoy it, I think, although of course he wanted to spend most of his time running up and down the aisle. The best part of it all though was Aven meeting Santa...don't worry, I've attached a picture at the end ;)

Aven looking out and seeing all the lights

Sweet Ellie and Landon taking in all the Christmas fun!

Jolene and Landon!

The Graves girls :)

Wild Child!

And last but certainly not least...Aven and Santa's big moment! He was soooo excited, let me tell ya!

Lubbock Road Trip!

2011-12-17T12:02:00.000-08:00

Since our good friend Hallie lives in Lubbock, Jolene and I knew we wanted to go and visit sometime soon. It made sense to drive there during the week since Jolene and Hallie were on maternity leave until January. We knew it would be an adventure to say the least with just us and the babies and a car full of stuff! But we survived, and I'll try and sum up our trip as much as possible.

First off, the trip as a whole was a BLAST! We had a really good drive there. Took about 6 hrs and with 2 kids, we were surprised how fast we got there. On the way back, was a different story! 9 hours to get home in stormy weather and a wiper falls off! But let's be honest, that's what kind of "adventures" I thought Jolene and I would encounter anyways so at least we can look back and laugh now!

I'll write another post about Polar Express, but for now I'll attach the sweet pictures we took around the house of our sweet kiddos. Aven had so much fun being with the other kids/babies and that helped me realize too just how much he's going to love having a little brother around. He has such a big heart.

Our sweet babies...time sure does fly!

Aven loving on Landon :)

My silly boy!

He sure did looooove Miss Lilah!

Playing Peek-A-Boo together

Sisters!!

Our attempt at having a group shot...Aven did NOT like that.

Riding on the big tractor with Lilah!

My heart.

One afternoon, we went to a little Jumpin Jungle type place and Aven and Lilah had a ball! Aven's favorite thing to do was just run around and chase the big kids, but he did go in the blow up jump houses for a bit too. I see that a little bit of an adventure side in that kid, and I must say, it definitely comes from me. All me.

Running around...

Lilah helping him up the BIG slide!

I think we can safely say, we had a goooood time!

So much to be thankful for...

2011-11-30T07:02:00.000-08:00

I can't believe it's already Thanksgiving time! The holidays are here already and I am so excited. As always, we have so much to be thankful for, and this year is definitely no different! I feel beyond blessed to be loved by such an amazing God, have a fantastic husband and father to our sweet son that has been such a joy in our lives, and family and friends that continue to be by my side through all of the changes in life.

Attached are a few pictures of Thanksgiving day in Rockwall with both sides of the fam. Life is good!

The Z Family side

Sweet cousins!

Hogue Family

The BIG 3-0 and Mexico!

2011-11-23T06:15:00.000-08:00

My good friend, Tessa, got married in Playa Del Carmen this year! It just so happened that her wedding day was on my 30th birthday which actually worked out great! We got to celebrate a friend's wedding while also enjoying my 30th birthday in MEXICO! I can't believe it's been a little over 3 years since Mike and I got married there. It was definitely nice to be back! It was also the last time Mike and I would get away before the new baby comes soof course, it was very enjoyable to have this time to relax on the beach every day! Although we missed our little one like CRAZY, a big thank you to our wonderful parents who continued to spoil Aven while we were gone!

Mr. and Mrs. Greg Lindley!

All of the bridesmaids!

They sang "Happy Birthday" to me...so embarrassing!

Hotel

View of the beach from our hotel room...Beautiful!!

Me and the Hubs

Gender Reveal Party! It's a....

2011-11-09T20:11:00.000-08:00

Holy cow. I can't believe that I haven't even blogged about this pregnancy at all! Just shows how time consuming chasing around a toddler is. I barely have time to sit down, yet blog. Well, at 16 weeks, Mike and I went and had an ultrasound done to find out the gender of this baby. We wanted it to be a surprise so we made sure not to look and the sono tech put the gender in a sealed envelope. Then, a baker made a cake with blue or pink icing in the middle so we could find out with friends and family. I loved this idea because as much as I'm impatient, I do loooove surprises!

We were so blessed that 30 of our closest friends and family came to lunch to find out with us! Everyone wore pink or blue depending on what they thought the baby was. Needless to say, I was right ;) So it looks like Aven will be getting a little

BROTHER!!!!

I could not be happier! I must be doing something right for God to bless me with another one! Boys are sooo much fun and I love that Aven is a momma's boy! I know Aven and this baby will be so close too since they will be just 21 months apart. Just like Mike and his brother! God has given me another little boy to take care of and I can only hope that these sweet babies turn out to be just like their daddy! God is good!

Time to cut the cake!

It's BLUE!

Happy Family :)

Our picture keeps getting bigger! Adding another boy to the mix!

A Funfilled October!

2011-11-07T18:36:00.000-08:00

So much has happened in October that it will take too long to try and catch up so I'll combine it into one October post!

-First off, I LOVE October! I love the cooler weather, football season, the Fair, and of course Halloween!

-Aven went to the fair for the first time and it was a blast! He enjoyed a Fletcher's corny dog, but most of all loved seeing the animals at the petting zoo!

-My mommy group had a Halloween party and it was a lot of fun! Aven was a dragon and I was a "bun in the oven" with Mike being a chef :) I'm so lucky to have met such a wonderful group of ladies!!

-We also went to the pumpkin patch and picked out a few pumpkins to take home this year. Aven loved to help put the pumpkins in the wagon and sat still just long enough for a good picture!

And finally......HALLOWEEN!!!

I was so excited about Halloween this year because Aven is at such a fun age. We wanted to take him around the neighborhood for a bit so he could "trick-or-treat" for a bit, and he did really well! He got the hang of it right away and would march right up to the door and grab a piece of candy and then hand it to me. Smart boy ;) I guess it does work out nicely that he can't eat most of it and I'm pregnant! hah!

Baby Landon is here!

2011-11-01T19:36:00.000-07:00

I'm getting behind again in the blogging world, so I will try my best to catch up. My best friend (since 4th grade I might add!) had her beautiful baby boy, Landon Joe, on September 28th! I was literally racing to the hospital as if this baby was mine, because in a lot of ways, it is :) I was so excited to be able to spend the entire day by her side as she went through labor and that evening, Landon finally decided to join us! And we are so glad he did! He could not be more perfect!

Whistle while you work...

2011-10-05T18:54:00.000-07:00

Aven amazes me up on a daily basis but today he discovered that he could whistle! He usually will blow on his "hot" food and realized that noise came out and laughed and laughed. He's a hoot. I tried to catch some of the whistling on camera. This boy sure does love to be filmed!

What is it?

2011-09-29T10:36:00.000-07:00

Hey cute boy...what does your shirt say?

I can't quite see it...

"This little monkey..."

"has a BIG secret!" What is it!?!

You are going to be a BIG BROTHER!!!

YAY!!!!!!!

Well...it's official! Mike and I are expecting another little blessing from God this April! We are beyond excited and are extremely happy that Aven will get to have a best friend to run around with soon. I am 13 weeks so luckily, I'm beginning my 2nd trimester now which is always way better than the first. I've felt really good so far just very tired, which with a toddler running around, I doubt that will change any time soon! This has been a very different pregnancy already than my first so I feel very lucky that I wasn't sick every day like I was with Aven! We are just so excited to share the news and cannot thank God enough for continuing to bless us with a growing family!

What a difference a year makes...

2011-09-27T10:15:00.000-07:00

We celebrated my dad's birthday this year and of course, had to take the same picture as we did last year. Wow...what a difference a year makes! It's crazy to see how much Aven and Savannah have grown. And it was so much fun to see them play together :)

Savannah- 4 months Aven- 2 months

Aven- 14 months Savannah-16 months

Somebody sure loved her Uncle Mike!

Playing together

One year photos

2011-09-06T18:27:00.000-07:00

I just realized I never posted any of our one year pictures we got taken of Aven and the family. They were taken by a girl I found on Groupon, and I think they turned out really great! Thank you Lord for this sweet family of mine...

Where did my baby go?

2011-09-04T13:42:00.000-07:00

I can't help but look into this sweet face and wonder what happened to my baby? He looks like such a little boy now and the rate at which he is learning/growing still amazes me. I've decided not to do the updates every month anymore now that you are a big one year old, but here are some things that I want to make sure I document.

We caught you holding the water button down on the Ozarka cooler the other day and while I went over to tell you "No", I realized you had your sippy cup underneath it. And what's even cuter, is your sippy cup was in fact, empty. How do you get mad at that? My smart boy!

You are so dang tough it's scary. Let's just say you have fallen off things, tripped, hit your head....and 9 times. out of 10, no tears. I thank God for giving me such a tough boy as my first, because let's face it, mommy is still learning ;)

You point with 3 fingers instead of one and I love it. I like to think it must be 3x as important to you :)

You love putting on our shoes and walking around like a big boy! It's so cute to see you try and walk in shoes that are wayyyy too big for your little feet! I'll have to post a video of it soon.

You have definitely reached the climbing stage! As if you weren't into enough things before, you are now on top of many more fun (and wobbly) items too. This goes back to why I'm glad you are a boy. You are rough and tumble and I know you will be ok. Definitely my little monkey for sure!

You are still soooo into books! Here's a picture I took the other day of you so content reading in a pile of books!

And last, but not least....like father like son! Wearing burnt orange and playing video games. You are definitely your daddy's boy...

Divine Consign!

2011-08-31T13:52:00.000-07:00

The fall Divine Consign event was this last Sunday and I went with Jolene so she could see just how awesome consignment sells are! My mom and sister were there and so were a lot of girls in my mommy group. We got to shop an hour early which was great! I took some pictures of my fabulous finds! This may just be my new hobby (just don't tell Mike!). The only things not pictured are some more outfits, tons of books, and puzzles! I think we had a good day!

Aven now has a little garden activity center :) Let's hope he has a greener thumb than his momma!

A cute jungle activity table for Aven to sit at!

A puppy rocker!

Forget what this is called, but it's a smart toy for my lil genius ;)

And last but not least.....my favorite find.....a TECH windsuit!!! I can barely contain myself!

Celebrating Baby Landon!

2011-08-24T08:56:00.000-07:00

I can't believe it's already August! This summer has quickly come to an end (although you'd never know by the 100+ temps outside!) and as the teachers all head back for another school year, I feel blessed to be able to stay at home another year with my sweet boy. It's definitely exhausting to say the least, but so worth it!

Last weekend, the girls and I threw Jolene a baby shower for Landon! All of her friends and family met at Tessa's house in Rockwall. There was great food, drinks, and of course my amazing OREO balls made with love just for Jolene ;) It was such a great time and I can't believe in 6 weeks, we will be welcoming Landon Joe into the world! What a lucky little boy he is...

Clothes line for Jolene and jungle letters I made for Landon's room :)

Nothing better than a Costco cake!

Pretty Baby Mama!

The Hostesses!!

Happy Birthday, Aven!

2011-07-20T09:44:00.001-07:00

It's my party and I'll cry if I want to! (No...thank goodness this wasn't how you acted on your actual party...but it was too cute not to post!)

Well, I've already written your one year post but wanted to make sure I included some of the things you are into and some pictures. Plus, talk about how much fun your party was!

Here are a few more thing you are into at 1 year:

-Playing peek-a-boo makes you so happy

-You absolutely love brushing your teeth!

-You are becoming pickier when it comes to food. You love some mac and cheese, yogurt, and cheese! Wait...did I mention cheese? You are your mother's son, that's for sure.

-You sleep from 7:30 a.m.-7:30 p.m. with one nap a day now.

-You've started bringing me a book and sitting in my lap so I can read it to you. It's my favorite thing in the world.

-You've always had such a good sense of humor. You know exactly when mommy is trying to make you laugh.

-You say mama, dada, baba, yummm, and I've sworn I heard you say some other random things like how pretty your mommy is...
-You love anything that spins! You are obsessed with wheels. Pushing strollers, shopping carts, wagons, or you'll just flip over your push toys and spin the wheels. Definitely all boy!

-Your two favorite shows are Sesame Street and Mickey Mouse Club House. You start smiling and clapping as soon as you hear the theme song.

You are 22lbs and 31 inches long! You are wearing 12 month clothes.

Your first birthday party was a BLAST! All of your friends came (ok...maybe they were your mom and dad's friends) and your family was there too to help you celebrate. Unforuntately, your Grandpa Z went to the hospital the morning of your party so he had to miss it. He was soooo incredibly sad. But everything was ok and you were so excited to see him a few days later! You opened presents, talked to everyone, ate good food, and had your very first CAKE! At first you were a bit intimidated with everyone staring at you and singing to you, but you caught on quickly. You got all messy! We all had such a great time.

Lilah (on the drums), Me, Aven, Aunt Courtney, and Savannah

With Grammy and Papa!

CAKE!!!

We can barely see you behind all those presents!

You have changed the lives of so many people around you in such a short amount of time. We are in awe of you every single day. Your mommy and daddy love you more than you'll ever know.

Thank you God, for each second I have with this sweet child. My cup runneth over.

Love you.

Birthday Playdate

2011-07-18T06:59:00.000-07:00

A couple days before Aven's birthday, we had some of our mommy friends/babies over for a birthday playdate. It was a lot of fun! Aven did really well watching everyone play with his toys :) The highlight of the day for Aven was kissing all over his new crush, Sophia. He is such a flirt!

We feel so fortunate to have found such great people who have quickly become our new friends!

ONE year ago...

2011-07-12T20:09:00.000-07:00

Of course anyone that knows me well, knows I already have tears in my eyes as I write this post. I can't help it. I wear my heart on my sleeve. Just one more trait that I hope my son gets from me.

I can't believe I am writing Aven's one year post. Seriously, where has the time gone?? I love this age and just wish time would stand still. I think back to last summer when I was pregnant and we were sooo ready to welcome Aven into our lives and now he's turning ONE?! He has been such an unbelievable blessing to Mike and I and has turned what once was just a loving relationship into an amazing little family. One I always dreamed of.

Oh Aven....you came into this world guns blazing and haven't stopped for one second! You are what I like to call "a man on a mission" and I know, without a doubt, you are destined for great things. From early on, you liked things to be a certain way and slowly, but surely, we are finally catching on!

I see so much of myself in you it scares me at times. We both get bored easily (Go figure! Thank goodness for our new playgroup!) You get frustrated at things but are bound and determined to figure it out. As soon as you saw a baby crawl, you started crawling. No surprise there. You have always been active and at 7 months learned to crawl and stand up in your crib on the same day! And walking at 10 months...you haven't slowed down for one second! A funny little thing about you is you love getting your fingernails trimmed and ears cleaned...which, let's be honest...who doesn't! I think you just like to be pampered ;) But it's so cute to see you sit so still for mommy and smile as I clean you all up. You still LOVE bathtime and it's your favorite part of the day! You love books, especially the kind that make noises :) You love to dance and it's the cutest thing in the world to watch you bounce up and down! You can't get enough of our dogs and we all wonder what we would do without them! You thought you were a dog for awhile, but it looks like you have since figured it out.

You have the biggest heart of any little one year old I know. Everytime you walk into the room, you give the first cute girl you see kisses! Many lucky little ladies have already received their first kiss from you. Let's just hope their daddies don't find out! You love kissing your mommy the most though! I will gladly accept slobber all over my face if it comes from you. You also get soo sad if mommy tells you "No" and as you burst into tears, it breaks my heart into a million little pieces. You, my friend, have my heart wrapped around your little finger and I'm sure it took you two seconds to figure that one out.

Even before you were conceived, I prayed for you. God not only blessed me with a child, but He gave me YOU. No gift is greater than that. You are my light, my laughter, my love. If I feel like this after just ONE year, I can only imagine how much my love for you will grow. You are such a special little boy and I can hardly wait to see the things you accomplish. Thank you for making a mommy out of someone who was dying to be one.

It's official. I'm bawling like a baby. And that, my child, is how much I love you...

Happy 1st Birthday, Aven Garrett!

My Little Firecracker!

2011-07-06T18:15:00.000-07:00

I can't believe it's already July! For the 4th, we packed up and braved a road trip to Kerrville where Mike's best friend, Shaun lives. Aven did really well on the way there and back which was nice since travelling with a toddler these days is much more difficult than it used to be! It was nice to be able to relax and catch up with Shaun and Carrie. We swam, cooked out, played games and definitely enjoyed our time there! Needless to say though, Aven was happy to be back home and see his toys and most of all...CRIB!

On the way there...

Playing peek-a-boo! Silly boy.

His Mickey Mouse book kept him well entertained!

Someone is such a ham around cameras ;) I have no idea where he gets it from.

This one was too cute not to post. Love his little walk....I'm sure the ladies are already drooling over this cool kid.

Don't be fooled...Shaun looooooves kids ;)

This one's for you, Dad!

My two lil swimmers. No need to be alarmed that Aven is tanner than Mike. We're working on that ;)

For as long as I live...

2011-07-02T11:47:00.000-07:00

What started out as "I do" has since turned into the sweet family I am blessed with today. I can't believe it's been 3 years since Mike and I got married. Life has been crazy ever since, that's for sure! And I have a baby boy that is a constant reminder of the love that Mike and I have for each other. I am so lucky to have these two men in my life.

Mike- you are not only an amazing husband, friend, and father in my eyes...but you are the man that I can't imagine my life without. I am so glad I get to call you my husband and have you by my side for the rest of my life. For as long as I live...I will love you.

Say it isn't so...11 months old?!

2011-06-15T15:07:00.001-07:00

Holy cow! I can't believe you are just 1 month away from turning ONE! You aren't a baby anymore and with each passing day, become more and more of this little independent person that continues to light up our lives.

Here's what going on at 11 months old:

-You now have 5 teeth! Those gums have sure been busy!

-You're walking everywhere now!
-You clap, wave, sing, say "MAMA" and "Dada" now ;)

-Currently HATE getting your diaper changed. You won't sit still long enough!

-You are losing interest in baby food and just want to eat what mommy and daddy eat.

-Still LOVE books and pretend you are reading them all the time.
-Everything makes you laugh! You are such a silly boy and it makes mommy and daddy so happy to hear your sweet laugh :)
-You dance like it's your job! And you have inherited your mother's skills. Lucky dog.

Looks like the chair picture may be history now...you are on the GO alllll day long!

We have a WALKER!

2011-06-01T19:37:00.000-07:00

We knew it was going to happen any day, but on May 20th, Aven took his first steps!! He was so proud too and I'm glad I was able to capture a little bit of it on video. Since then, he is walking more and more each day and getting the hang of it :) My baby is growing up!!!

Savannah turns 1!

2011-05-31T15:15:00.000-07:00

Happy 1st Birthday sweet Savannah!! We love you!!!

Mother's Day

2011-05-27T19:07:00.000-07:00

Here's an article I read the other day that I found fitting for my Mother's Day post.

25 Things That Change When You Have A Baby

1. You finally stop to smell the roses, because your baby is in your arms.

2. The sacrifices you thought you made to have a child no longer seem like sacrifices.

3. You respect your parents and love them in a new way.

4. You find that your baby's pain feels much worse than your own.

5. You believe once again in the things you believed in as a child.

6. Your heart breaks much more easily.

7. You think of someone else 234,836,178,976 times a day.

8. Bodily functions are no longer repulsive. In fact, they please you. (Hooray for poop!)

9. You look at your baby in the mirror instead of yourself.

10. You become a morning person.

11. Your love becomes limitless, a superhuman power.

12. You discover how much there is to say about one tooth.

13. You don't mind going to bed at 9 p.m. on Friday night.

14. Silence? What's that?

15. You realize that the 15 pounds you can't seem to get rid of are totally worth having.

16. You discover an inner strength you never thought you had.

17. You no longer rely on a clock — your baby now sets your schedule.

18. You give parents with a screaming child an 'I-know-the-feeling' look instead of a 'Can't-they-shut-him-up?' one.

19. Your dog — who used to be your 'baby' — becomes just a dog.

20. You learn that taking a shower is a luxury.

21. You find yourself wanting to make this world a better place.

22. If you didn’t believe in love at first sight before, now you do!

23. No matter what you've accomplished in life, you look at your child and think, "I've done a GREAT job!"

24. You can have the most wonderful conversation using only vowel sounds like "ahhh" and "oooo."

And we saved the best for last...

25. You just plain love life more - everything comes together and becomes better because of one tiny person and your love for them.

It's been an amazing first Mother's Day this year! Looking at that sweet miracle I call my son, makes everything in this world worthwhile...

10 months old!

2011-05-18T19:44:00.000-07:00

Well, another month has gone by! I swear the months are going by faster and faster if that's even possible. Aven is now 10 months old and it's so amazing to see how much he has changed!

Here's what you are into at 10 months old:
-You are almost walking. Any day now!!
-You now have 2 teeth. Yep....TWO!
-You love shutting doors and opening/closing cabinets now
-You really enjoy books now. Now mommy just needs to teach you how to read ;)

You are such a fun loving and silly boy! Your personality is coming through more and more each month.. Hearing your sweet laughter makes my entire day :) We love you precious boy!

Hoppy Easter!

2011-04-28T14:06:00.000-07:00

We celebrated Easter with both sides of the family this year. Aven was spoiled rotten by grandparents and relatives with Easter baskets full of goodies! I attached some pictures of the fun Aven had :)

My little bunny :)

"What in the world is on my head??"

Kissing Cousins! Aven is SUCH a flirt ;)

Aven's 1st Easter Basket

Loving the gifts from Grammy and Papa!

"Wait...what do you mean there's no Easter Bunny?!"

Only kidding....of course there is ;)

POOL time!

2011-04-18T18:09:00.000-07:00

It's been so nice lately and I've been trying to think of some fun, outdoor activities for Aven and I to do. I'm guessing by this summer he'll be walking and we'll really need some things for him to do so he doesn't completely tear the house apart every day (please see previous post). On that note, I thought a little whale pool would be fun for him to play in, especially since he LOVES bathtime so much too. So today was the perfect day to try it out and sure enough...it was a success! Here are some pictures of him splashing around!

And last, but not least.......standing up all by himself!

T-R-O-U-B-L-E!

2011-04-17T20:30:00.000-07:00

This post doesn't need any explanation. The pictures below sum up a day in the life of a BOY mom....prayers are always welcome :)

**Please note- No one was injured during these pictures. Well...I guess the stairs, but that was a different day :)

Um....where has my baby gone?

2011-04-16T17:45:00.000-07:00

He just can't get enough of us...and who can blame him?? ;)

Cutest little 9 month old I've ever seen!!

Can it be? Aven is 9 months old?! He has "officially" been part of our family for as long as I carried him in my belly :) I can't believe how fast time is going...

What you are into at 9 months old-

-You are into EVERYTHING! You crawl, walk around furniture, climb the stairs (all the way to the top, I might add), push your lion around the living room. One minute you're here, and the next...you're gone!

-Have technically said your first word which I guess was "Dada". I'm not too sure. I think between all the "lala, baba, gaga, dada" you were really searching for "Mama". I think the verdict's still out...

-You can stand on your own for a few seconds at a time! Now we are just waiting to catch you take that first step!

-Sleeping and naps have really taken a turn for the better these past few months and you are finally getting the hang of it ;)

-You've now tried baby food meats (gag!) and seem to like it. But again, I am in NO hurry to get you eating big people food. No, no, no...

-You still have one itty, bitty tooth. I think you've scared the others off.

-I think you are finally starting to look like me! I like to tell daddy, the cuter you get...the more you look like me ;)

-I know there's more, but really you are just becoming so independent and I just can't get over how much joy you have brought into our lives! My heart continues to grow every day, little one. I love you!!!!

"Enough of this...I'm out..."

Our first accident...

2011-04-09T18:50:00.000-07:00

How did you let this happen to me?!

Well....I would like to just bypass this incident all together and pretend it didn't happen, but I do feel it's somewhat important to document it as well. Let's just hope by the time Aven is old enough to read this blog, he will love me too much to take me to court for child endangerment...

Because Aven is so mobile now and into everything...he has learned how to climb the stairs! He has done it a few times with Mike or I right behind him as he practically races to the top. We have a gate at the top of the stairs, but not at the bottom yet because of the way the banister curves out. So one afternoon I noticed Aven making his way over to the stairs. I got off the couch to go get him and by the time I got close enough, he was already a few steps up. Then all of a sudden, he tumbled face first onto the tile at the bottom of the stairs as I heard his poor little head hit. Of course there was tons of screaming and tears and then Aven finally calmed me down when he looked up and smiled as if to say everything is alright (and you're starting to embarrass me, mom). He did have a pretty bad bump which we iced right away. He is such a tough boy and although I know there will be many more boo-boos to come, this was rough on my soul. I'm just thankful there was no blood involved or I might have really lost it. Needless to say, we ran out to the store and got a whole gated contraption thing which I know he can figure out but at least it buys me some time. This motherhood thing is tough...but I guess along the way, I hope to figure out that I'm tougher... :)

The Graves come to town!

2011-04-07T18:04:00.000-07:00

Hallie, Clay, and Lilah headed east and came in town to visit!! Jolene and LB stayed the weekend too and we had so much fun catching up with everyone. We went to the Ft. Worth Zoo on Saturday and it was a lot of fun. Mike and I have never been so we were excited which helped because I'm sure my sweet Aven could have cared less. He was a great sport but I know a bit young to take it all in and fully enjoy the zoo experience. Lilah got scared a bit too by the animals...and let's be honest, so did I ;) Life-like dinosaurs are not needed at the zoo. That's all I'll say. Here are some of our zoo pics!

The girls (and Aven!)

My little monkey enjoying the zoo!

Although he looks asleep...he's taking it all in for years to come...

Aven showing the other giraffes who's boss ;)

And for your viewing pleasure...the cutest bath picture around!!

As always, the weekend went by way too fast, but we all had such a great time! Oh, I meant to add, Hallie is pregnant too and just a week behind Jolene!! How crazy! It's bizarre to think that we were just a bunch of college roommates back in the day at Tech living it up and now we are all having babies. I am so blessed to have these girls in my life.

Crawling is for BABIES...

2011-04-06T17:45:00.000-07:00

Aven is such a big boy these days! He was having so much fun this afternoon cruising around with his lion friend. I just love this stage so much...I don't want you getting any bigger, Aven! :)

Bathtime fun with Z-O-E-Y!

2011-04-02T18:25:00.000-07:00

Zoey loves to be right beside Aven at all times so fortunately tonight I caught some cute pictures of them at bathtime! I'm waiting for the day where she just jumps in the bath with him :)

Having fun in the bath!!

Comparing "paw" sizes. I know Aven thinks he's a puppy ;)

Telling each other secrets...

"Oh no...say it isn't so, Zoey!"

My Little Chatterbox...

2011-03-24T18:27:00.000-07:00

Aven is so funny. I found him just talking away while "reading" this magazine today. He's so serious too, like he's looking for something in particular. He's a mess. Actually...now that I think about it, maybe he's just trying to immitate his mommy. Hmmmm...

Free Entertainment

2011-03-19T18:02:00.000-07:00

Who needs toys??

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

2011-03-17T10:34:00.000-07:00

How could you not want to kiss this Irish baby!! :)

8 months...wow!

2011-03-15T12:42:00.000-07:00

Well, it's true. It's getting harder and harder to take these month-to-month pictures! Crazy boy!

Hey, I know these people!

Here are some of the things you are into at 8 months:

-You are crawling everywhere! You love pulling up on everything and are exploring so much!

-You are so funny. You laugh so much now (and not just when we tickle you!) If you see mommy and daddy laughing, you laugh too!

-Your personality is really coming through. You are still weary of strangers (especially all the weird people at stores who try to talk to you). You are definitely a flirt...who can blame you. You are very social around other babies and can be bashful at times too.

-You are becoming much more vocal. Let me rephrase that, you are becoming much more vocal in a good way ;) You are becoming chatty like your momma, although we have yet to hear any first words.

-So far, you are not picky whatsoever! Even if you are unsure of it at first, you will still eat it because you trust me :) And because of mommy's fear of choking, we are going to stick to baby food forever!

-You love, love, LOVE frozen yogurt!

-You FINALLY cut your very first tooth 2 days ago! For months, we've been thinking you were teething!

-You will play around in the crib before you fall asleep and you'll actually turn on the mobile yourself. You are getting so independent!

It seems with every month that goes by, you become a happier and happier baby. You are such a joy to be around and light up our lives on a daily basis. I look at you all the time now and wonder where my little baby went. You are growing way too fast. I find myself holding on extra tight as you try to squirm your way out of my arms and although I'm terrified that you may never look back, I realize you'll always be my little boy. The boy who stole my heart the second I looked into your eyes. I love you sooo much Aven!

Happy 8 months, little man!!

I love you to the MOON and back...

2011-03-13T18:12:00.000-07:00

Thank goodness you are too young to be embarrassed by this picture and my obsession with your sweet cheeks! I love you monkey!

Best dollar ever spent!

2011-03-10T18:05:00.000-08:00

Aven, like any man, loves the remote control! I will find it in his mouth all the time and he loves to change the channel. So I figured I might as well get him his very own remote control...one he can drool all over. So thanks to the dollar store, Aven has a nice, new clicker all to himself!

I think someone likes it!

And in a side-by-side comparison, he chose the right one ;)

Someone thinks his puppies are funny!

2011-03-03T18:18:00.001-08:00

This video makes my heart smile in so many ways. To hear you laugh, Aven, is the best sound in the world!! And one thing is for sure...you definitely love those puppies :)

Bring on the Spring!!

2011-03-03T18:12:00.000-08:00

Last Sunday it was so pretty outside which was a nice change from the cold weather we'd been having lately. As you know, I'm a fan of the cold, but to be honest, I'm over it. Having Aven now, I am looking forward to pretty days where we can walk outside again and go to the park and play. So Sunday night, Aven and I sat outside and watched Mike wash our car. It was soooo beautiful! So of course I had to take a few pictures of my baby enjoying it! I think this household is ready for the spring!

Aven helping daddy wash the wheeels :)

...And we're off!!!

2011-03-01T06:08:00.000-08:00

Well, it's official! My little man is crawling! Less than a week after he turned 7 months, he took off and hasn't looked back since...

Aven is getting so big! The same day he started crawling, he started pulling up too. So much for me to handle in one day! I can't believe in just 7 months, my little baby is becoming so indpendent and learning to do so much! Wow!!!

My best friend is engaged!!

2011-02-26T05:42:00.000-08:00

Jolene and Laurence got engaged!! LB proposed last weekend and then we all left for Winstar for a much needed night away! I am so thrilled for them both! They are absolutely perfect together and cannot wait to help my best friend of 20 years plan the best day of her life! I love you, Jolene!!!

The group at a Stone Temple Pilots concert at Winstar Casino :)

7 months!!

2011-02-19T10:51:00.000-08:00

Once again, Aven has turned yet another month older and I can't believe it! 7 months have gone by since my sweet angel entered this world! I love you so much, monkey!

Here are the things you are into at 7 months:

-You gives kisses all the time and especially when we ask you to!

-You have been practicing drinking water out of a sippy cup and are getting pretty good :)

-You sit up really well and can push up now to a sitting position

-You push up on all fours and scoot around the room. Any day now, it will become an actual crawl!

-You get sooo excited when daddy gets home! As soon as he walks through the door, you squeal with excitement! I know that's his favorite part of the day :)

-These horrible teeth have still not made an appearance! I'm convinced they aren't coming now and am ok with that!

-You are wearing 9 month clothes and size 3 diapers. I feel like your weight has tapered off. Last time I weighed you, you were about 19 lbs of pure muscle.

You are full of energy, love, and personality! I love you more and more every day little one...

You write about what?!?

2011-02-11T18:24:00.000-08:00

I assured Aven it was all great things, but somehow I don't think he believes me...

K-I-S-S-I-N-G

2011-02-10T17:27:00.000-08:00

Aven has been giving full open-mouthed kisses for awhile now but it gets a bit more aggressive by the day. What's so funny about it is now when you ask him to give you a kiss, he will do just that...

16 Things I Have Learned About Being a Mother...

2011-02-10T17:17:00.000-08:00

I'm copying an article I read that I thought was really cute. It's for all the mothers out there, who can relate :)

"I have mostly learned from other mothers.

I have discovered over the years that mothering isn’t about the big issues: breast vs. bottle, to circumcise, or not, cry-it out or never sleep again… No, the things that matter most are the little things, the small lessons we pick up along the way. They are the legacy we pass on to our children. They are the things our children will remember us for, good or bad.

Here is a small list of lessons I have learned:

1: The color white should be avoided. At all costs. In everything. Walls, cars, bedding, towels, floors, and let’s not forget clothing.

I had thought since my youngest is approaching six years old that I was past this rule. I put my favorite white summer skirt in the laundry room to handwash it. (Because it is not only white but also linen and really, I must be crazy.) My son came home with all of his sweaty, dirty, disgusting football work-out clothes and threw them on top of my beloved skirt. By the time I noticed the next day, my skirt had MOLD on it. MOLD.

The lesson here, white leads to heartbreak. Brides wear white because once they get married and have children they will never get to wear it again. True story. It has nothing to with purity.

2: Baking cures all ills. There are no pains that some sugar, flour, and chocolate mixed together in some form can not assuage.

3: One day your child will shout that he hates you. Although you logically know this isn’t true, it will cut you to your core. Take solace in the fact that this means you are doing your job right. You aren’t your child’s friend. You are their parent. You probably hate you too, sometimes.

4: When your kids are behaving in a way that makes you least want to give them affection and attention, that is precisely when they need it the most.

5: The healing power of a hug. Hugs rank right up there with baked goods.

6: You can never have too many vases. If you are lucky they will always be filled with flowers. Sometimes those flowers will look an awful lot like dandelion heads. You will love them the best.

7: You have an infinite reserve of patience. Yes, you will be tested. Yes, there will be times when you think you are right at that edge of your sanity. But then your kids will push right over to the other side and you realize, with surprised joy, that you have not strangled them nor has your head popped right off. And at that moment, you should feel proud.

8: The loss of a child is something that you will never get over. My mother-in-law still mourns her child, who died 50 years ago, with an intensity I cannot even fathom.

9: Don’t worry what other people think of you. Don’t compare your inside to everyone else’s outside. Live your life in a way that makes you happy. You know the old saying: If mama ain’t happy, ain’t nobody happy. It’s true.

10: Make your words sweet, for you never know when you will have to eat them. Criticizing the way any of the children of your friends behave is a sure way for that behavior to be visited upon you by your own children. Ten fold.

11: You will say completely ridiculous things to your children. Just like your mother said to you. You will claim to have “eyes in the back of your head.” You will ask them if they “live in a barn.” You will threaten to “pull this car over right now!”

12: Don’t wait for your house to be perfect to entertain. As long as you have children it never will be.

13: You can never have enough pens or pencils. Considering affixing one to your counter otherwise you will never have one when you need it.

14: Cheerios. When your children are small you are required to carry around a container of them. Always. I am not sure if any kids actually eat the Cheerios. BUT THAT IS NOT THE POINT!

15: Smile.

16: Never underestimate the healing power of a good cocktail at the end of the day."

Snow Day- Take Two!

2011-02-09T10:23:00.000-08:00

Someone is awfully excited to play in the snow!

Well, I guess I spoke to soon awhile ago when I said Texas has disapointed me this winter. It seems the mother nature heard me and decided to step it up a notch. Last week it snowed once again! This time, Frisco got about 6 inches of snow and it lasted for days! Mike and I weren't really prepared for the whole metroplex to shut down but I was definitely excited that the roads were too bad for Mike to go to work :) He got to stay home and play with Aven and I for 4 days!!! We were all kind of getting over the cold/congestion crap that's been going around so we just hung out in our pj's and watched tv. Friday morning we woke up to some more fresh snow (it was mainly ice earlier in the week) so since we were all feeling a bit better by then, I had to go take some pictures outside!

Yes, my son's midriff is showing and it's freezing outside. What do you expect?

Loving the snow just like his mommy!

Daddy and Aven

The dogs LOVED the snow! Molly is more reserved of course, but please note Zoey in the background digging in the snow like a mad woman. No surprise there!

And this is what happens when it all freezes to your face...the girls enjoyed a nice, warm bath after this!

Finally a family snow picture!

Don't even think about putting me down in that snow!

Oh wait, I like it! :)

What a great snow day!

Splish, Splash...

2011-02-03T16:14:00.000-08:00

Aven loves his baths! I finally took my camera with me tonight while we gave him a bath so I could capture just how funny he is with his new bathtime toys! I swear this kid keeps getting cuter every day...

Stay away from my turtle, Daddy!

Soooo good! Much better than that baby food junk she keeps feeding me!

This is more like it :)

Getting mommy's hand ready for our bathtime trick...

Open wide!!

Now wasn't that a fun bathtime? Love this baby boy! MUAH!

No way, Jose!

2011-02-02T09:10:00.001-08:00

I've attached a video of Aven doing what he does best...shaking his head :) He's so funny...

"Hey Mr. DJ, put a record on..."

2011-01-27T09:28:00.000-08:00

I wanna dance with my baby....

Gotta love him! That's all there is to it. Such a good sport for all my daily photo shoots ;)

6 months old already?!

2011-01-17T09:45:00.000-08:00

My sweet, handsome boy is already a half of year old?! Really? Oh dear...he's not so much a little baby anymore! Aven, here are some things you are into at 6 months...

-Bathtime is still your favorite and now you love playing with all your bathtime toys! I will have to post a pic soon!

-You have gotten good at giving high fives! My smart boy...

-You have now started kicking out of your pjs during the night! That's right...I come to your room with your chubby legs completely out of the nighty. Crazy!

-Your favorite toys now are your giraffe, Sophie, and Mr. Turtle which you've learned to pull down now and watch as it vibrates back up. That one never gets old to you!

-You've learned to shake your head no and sometimes it's at the funniest times. As if you know exactly what we're saying. I filmed you doing this too and will post!

-You have a hearty appetite which is no suprise. We've moved on to baby foods and you are eating fruits and veggies now!! Big boy! The only thing you've turned your nose up to is squash...and let's be honest, mommy doesn't blame you ;)

-While feeding you a bottle, you love to pull on my nose and tug at my mouth. Your little hands roam all over mommy's face which is funny although I swear I'm going to get a black eye from you one day soon!

I will say, these last 6 months have gone way too fast although I love seeing the little man Aven is becoming! Sometimes I catch myself with tears streaming down my face as I rock Aven to sleep at night, asking, "How did I get so lucky?" Here is he is, perfect in every way. The best parts of me and Mike and such a joy to be around. He has forever changed me and makes me a better person every single day. Thank you Lord for choosing me to be his mommy and allowing me to feel this unconditional love for this human being for which you created just for us. I would do absolutely anything for this little blessing and for that, I am grateful. I love you sweet boy...more than you'll ever know! Happy 6 months!

Where have the months gone??

2011-01-15T18:47:00.000-08:00

As I sat down to write Aven's SIX months post, I realized I never posted anything from months 1-4. So I decided to add some pictures of my sweet baby from these last few months of his life so you could see the comparison! It's crazy to see them side by side and notice how much he's changed! Slow down Aven!!!

An itty bitty 1 week old...

1 month old!2 months
3 months 4 months 5 months And drumroll please......6 months!!

SNOW day!!!

2011-01-11T11:07:00.000-08:00

If you know me well, you know I love cold weather! I don't know what it is really, but I love getting bundled up and just the time of year that comes with the weather being cold. So needless to say, I've been sad that it hasn't been as cold as it normally is during the winter months. But all my sorrows went away when we found out Saturday night that snow was coming the next day! I am just like a child when it comes to snow and am so excited now that I actually have someone to play with me outside!! Aven has no choice in the matter really...he will learn to love snow just like his mommy :) Clearly, Mike is the responsible adult here and doesn't give in to my pleas for him to help me build a snowman outside. Plus, growing up in Chicago, he could do without snow for the rest of his life probably :( So Sunday came and so did that snow! Jolene and LB came over to experience Aven's first snow together with us! We were so excited it stuck and got some great pictures in it! It was so much fun!!!!!!

All bundled up and ready to go!Catching the snowflakes on his tongue :)

You can tell he's a fan of the snow already!

BIG kisses for Aunt Jo to thank her for coming over!!

My little snowbunny! Oh what fun we had :0)

Who loves Raspberries?

2011-01-02T11:14:00.000-08:00

Aven does! He has been "blowing raspberries" now and finds it so entertaining...or wait, maybe that's me who can sit and watch him forever as he practices his new skill. Of course, I had to grab the camera and catch him in action which in turn, produced some quite hilarious pictures! Enjoy!

Concentrating so hard...

Look at those lips!

Aven's 1st Christmas!

2010-12-30T18:20:00.000-08:00

Well Christmas has come and gone and I can't believe the holidays are already over! It just hasn't seemed like Christmas (I blame the warm weather we've been having!) Although, I will say this year is so much more fun because it's Aven's first Christmas and it was awesome to be able to experience Christmas through the eyes of a baby. Both sides of our family came over to our house which was nice and especially convenient for us ;) Aven got LOTS of cool toys and clothes and anything a baby would ever want and more! These relatives of his are spoiling him rotten already! I posted some pictures below of the mayhem that ensued...

Aven opening presents with Aunt Kasi and Uncle CraigCousin Savannah, 7 months and Aven, 5 months- You can tell they already know they will be taking many, many pictures like this for years to come ;)

The Zieminskis and Watkins

Merry Christmas from our house to yours...

2010-12-20T17:45:00.001-08:00

Happy 5 months old, baby boy!

2010-12-20T16:57:00.000-08:00

Well I'm sad I haven't done the monthly updates for the past few months, but there's no time like the present! I can't believe it's been 5 months since my little monkey blessed our lives! He is a ball of energy and I love watching him grow and discover new things each week.

Aven- Here are some of the things you are into at 5 months:
-You love putting your hands in your mouth! We keep looking for teeth...we're thinking any day now!
-You now love cereal and will pretty much lick the bowl clean every time!
-You love our puppy dogs! You sit and smile as you watch them play or wrestle with each other. You love to pet them too.
-We have to have a bib on you at all times! If we don't, there would be lots and lots of outfit changes.
-You love splashing in the tub! Sometimes you look so serious too while you kick around and watch the water go everywhere!
-You love anything that makes noise and lights up! I can't wait to see you with all your new toys on Christmas!
-You are rolling all over the place! Pretty soon, mommy and daddy are going to need to baby proof the house!
-You have the best laugh in the world! You giggle all the time now and it's the best thing I've ever heard!
-You love sleeping on your tummy now and you usually squirm up to the top corner of the crib where you fall asleep. Silly boy.
-You love to stand and feel like a big boy on your feet! I'm realizing you will be crawling and then walking all too soon and it makes me sad :(
-You are absolutely the light of our lives and thank you for making these past 5 months the best months of my life!

Hair today, gone tomorrow...

2010-12-18T17:34:00.000-08:00

Well in the spirit of giving...I decided to give 8 inches! I've been wanting to chop my hair for some time now and finally did it. I figured it would motivate me if I actually donated my hair and so I booked my appointment asap. Although I was a little scared to actually go through with it, I was extemely ready for a change. My hair changed a lot through pregnancy and such so I wanted a much easier do. I must say, this is much easier! And so far I'm surprised how much I like it :)

"Santa, you're not my daddy!"

2010-12-15T17:52:00.000-08:00

The holiday season has been extra special this year because we have Aven and Savannah now and it's great they are so close in age. So Courtney and I wanted to get together and take a Santa picture with the babies together. After 5 hours of waiting at NorthPark (clearly we are first timers and learned our lesson!), we finally got a chance for our treasured photo. Well my sweet, observant son wanted nothing to do with Santa or his scary beard. I don't blame him. Poor Aven. Even as "Santa's little helper", he was terrified of the jolly, old man!

Ice, Ice Baby...

2010-12-06T17:27:00.000-08:00

On Saturday, Mike, Aven and I headed to The Gaylord Texan to see their ICE exhibit. We've been wanting to see it for sometime now and figured it would be fun to take Aven and make it a family outing! Plus, this was the perfect year to go since Mike loves the Peanuts characters! The theme changes from year to year and this year it was "A Charlie Brown Christmas", so it was definitely a sign! The ice sculptures were amazing to look at and although Aven may be a little young to really enjoy it, he took it all in! We have such an alert little guy! The freezing tempertatures (I think it was 9 degrees) didn't seem to faze him at all. We just kept him close to daddy in our bjorn, and he was happy :) Can't wait to go back!

Bundled up inside the exhibit!

Aven and Daddy in line before we went in. He can hardly wait!

So much to be THANKFUL for!

2010-12-02T18:14:00.000-08:00

Well as we embark upon the holidays, it's hard not to reflect on how much has changed this last year. God answered our prayers by blessing our lives with this sweet baby boy. Mike and I could not be more thankful to be a family and be celebrating this holiday together. Last year at Thanksgiving, Mike and I were so excited to tell our family we were expecting! It was such an amazing feeling! Of course we are always appreciative of family, but this year we see things from a much different perspective now. To be able and experience the everlasting love we have for Aven, we now understand how our parents feel about us. For that, we are grateful. Our hearts are definitely full this year and our cup runneth over...

We were also very excited to spend Thanksgiving in Rockwall with both sides of our family. Aven is a lucky little boy to have such amazing grandparents!!

Got Milk?

2010-11-25T17:30:00.000-08:00

Well, I've known from the beginning that my child likes to eat! He is very much a "healthy" little guy! So I was definitely ready to see how he would take to solids. Well on November 20th, we tried giving Aven some cereal and of course, he had quite a response to it! We are still working on getting him used to his "big boy food" so for now, I think we'll stick with milk :)

What are you feeding me??

Rollin, Rollin, Rollin...

2010-11-17T17:02:00.000-08:00

Keep that Aven rollin'! Well looks like my baby boy is rolling over! On November 7th, I put Aven down on his back and went to get a bottle 2 steps away. When I walked back over to him, he was on his tummy! I thought, "How in the world did I miss that! I am with his 24/7!" But luckily, the little squirt did it several more times and I got to catch it on video :) A week later exactly, he rolled over from belly to back! My little guy is growing up!

Thinking about rolling...

Halfway there...

Yay!! Go Aven :)

Mommy is sooo funny :)

2010-11-16T18:53:00.000-08:00

Aven is changing so much! He has so much personality now and he smiles all the time! But, for the first time, I heard a full out giggle which made my heart melt! By far, music to my ears! Of course, I had to catch it on video so hope you enjoy! And please disregard my crazy hair :)

The Big 2-9!

2010-11-15T17:57:00.000-08:00

Aven found out how old I am...

I can't believe another year has gone by! I remember last year I received the best birthday present ever and discovered I was pregnant right around that time. No one knew yet except Mike so it was so hard keeping it a secret! And now, I have my sweet Aven with me to celebrate my 29th birthday! Since Courtney's birthday is the day before mine, we always go out to dinner as a family to celebrate. I've attached some cute pictures of us all on my birthday dinner. All in all, it was a great day!

Aven's Best Friend

2010-11-02T19:35:00.000-07:00

Happy Halloween!!

2010-11-01T17:53:00.001-07:00

Well since Aven is only 3 months old, this Halloween we didn't really get to participate much. I did dress him up however as a cute, little monkey (of course!) and took some pictures of my little pumpkin! We did put him in the baby bjorn and walk around as the kids were just beginning to trick-or-treat which he loved. But then, it was off to bed! I'm excited to see what a difference a year makes and how he will be next Halloween!

Road Trip to Lubbock!

2010-10-19T18:07:00.000-07:00

Thursday afternoon Mike, Jolene, Laurence (Jo's boyfriend), Aven, and I packed up and headed west to the land that I love so much! Aven's first road trip was a success! He did AWESOME on the way there and entertained Jolene and I in between naps. We stayed with Hallie and Clay of course and Miss Lilah has changed so much! We visited a pumpkin patch on Friday and on Saturday went to the Tech vs. OSU game. Although we lost, Aven was pumped to see where he will someday be playing ball. It was such a good time!!!

Strike a pose...

2010-10-11T18:13:00.000-07:00

Because I wholeheartedly believe I have the cutest child in the world, I LOVE taking pictures of him! Here are a few that I took around 2 1/2 months....such a little stud!

It's been awhile!

2010-10-10T17:57:00.000-07:00

I can't believe it's been so long since I blogged! Clearly, I've been a little busy with a certain little someone ;) I will try to catch up the best I can and stay on top of blogging. I know I will want to look back and see how much he's changed and be proud that I kept track of it all. So let's just say the first 10-11 weeks of Aven's life were somewhat of a blur. I hands down believe now that Aven had colic because it just mysteriously went away one day. Pretty much just lots of crying for no apparent reason and little to no sleep! Of course I read several different sleep books and it was lots of trial and error but you then discover there really isn't much you can do except know that "this too shall pass". Of course as a first time mother, it was overwhelming. I know you can never really know what to expect, but I knew something wasn't right. Luckily the weeks went by fairly quickly and now I have this smiley, happy baby that sleeps 12+ hours every night and is such a joy to be around!

The day my life changed...Welcome Aven Garrett!

2010-08-04T13:27:00.000-07:00

Well I can't believe it's been almost 3 weeks since Aven was born! My birth story is pretty short and I'm very fortunate that everything went amazingly smooth.

I went in on Wednesday night (7/14) to get induced. I was slightly worried because I still hadn't dropped yet, but after talking with my doctor, we decided it was best to be induced. So on Wednesday night, I had Cervadil put in and at 7:30 a.m. Thursday morning, the nurse started the Pitocin. I was 1 cm dilated at this time (which was what I was for the last 2 weeks now). At 9 a.m., my doctor came in to check me and I was 3-4 cm dilated and then she broke my water. After that, things really started moving along. Contractions got more and more intense and at around 10:30 a.m., I got my epidural. Let me just say that it wasn't at all bad but the anesthesiologist had to do it TWICE! Not fun. At 12:30 p.m., the doctor came back in and checked me. I was 5 cm dilated and had dropped! Once Mike and I found out that I had dropped, we were so relieved! There was a good chance I could have been in labor all day just to find out I still haven't dropped and then need a C section. From there, I was feeling good and thought I would be able to take a nap. But about an hour later (1:45 p.m. to be exact) I was feeling a little more pressure so the L&D nurse checked me and said I was at a 10 and ready to push! Needless to say, we were in complete shock! Mike and I just kept looking at each other in disbelief that this was really it! The nurses prepared everything and I did a couple of "practice pushes" and waited for my doctor to come. About seven pushes later, out came Mr. Aven Garrett Zieminski! I can't really put into words the emotions I felt at that moment. I just remember I kept saying over and over as I held him, "He's absolutely perfect!" And that...he is :) Thank you God for this miracle! It was truly such a wonderful experience and I am in awe of this little guy every single day and how he makes my heart melt!

Born at 2:51 p.m. 7 pounds, 7 ounces 19 1/4 inches long

"For this child I have prayed, and the Lord has granted the desires of my heart." Samuel 1:27

2010-07-14T09:04:00.000-07:00

It's very surreal writing this post because I know it will be my last one before Aven joins our little family. We check in the hospital tonight and I will be induced tomorrow morning! In some ways I feel like I have been pregnant forever and then on the other hand it's gone by so fast. I have always wanted a family and I think some people take for granted how difficult that can be at times. You grow up thinking that as soon as you are ready you can snap your fingers and it will just happen. That wasn't the case for us. Not to say that Mike and I had to go through tons of heartache to get to where we are today, but we definitely experienced our fair share. Because of this, I know Aven was truly meant to be in our lives and that God is, and always was, an intricate part of the bigger picture. God is good...always.

Sweet Aven-
Mommy and Daddy definitely prayed for you and with God's timing, He placed you so perfectly in our lives. Nothing has been the same since and we've just been patiently waiting to meet you so you can know how much we love you. We will see you soon!

Aven...is that you?

2010-06-28T06:43:00.000-07:00

As I was compulsively cleaning (as I do quite often now), I came across this old photo that Mike and I took a couple years back at Dave and Busters Restaurant. It was where they morph your photos together. I completely forgot about it until now! Although the child slightly frightens me, I find it somewhat cute too. I'm trying to wrap my mind around the fact that this has been growing inside of me for the last 9 months ;) Now other than the bow outfit, this may just be what Aven turns out looking like! We shall see...

2 years already?!

2010-06-27T07:03:00.001-07:00

I can't seem to get over how fast time flies. Mike and I have been married for 2 years today! It seems just like yesterday, we were in Mexico surrounded by all of our family and friends saying "I do" to the one we love the most. I remember since the second I met Mike, I couldn't wait to marry him. I just knew. And it continues to be the best decision I ever made. These past two years have been full of joy and although there has been some heartache we've experienced on some things we can't control, I realize that it's life. And there is no one I would rather experience these ups and downs with than my husband. I know with God in control, I need not worry about anything and He continues to stay true to that promise. Thank you God for bringing this man into my life.

Mike, you are an incredible husband and I remind myself daily just how lucky I am to have you. I can hardly wait to see what kind of dad you are to our son and can only imagine that seeing you with him will make me fall in love with you on a completely different level. Life just keeps getting better and we are truly blessed beyond measure. I love you more than my heart can hold...

Aven's room is ready to go!

2010-06-25T19:08:00.000-07:00

Only 3 1/2 more weeks to go...wow!

Here are the latest pictures of the nursery. We painted and set things up months ago, but as of now, things are officially done! I am so happy how things turned out and it's exactly what I envisioned months ago when I was convinced we were having a boy! I loved the idea of a "jungle theme" and then things pretty much took off...Enjoy!

Changing table area

The "reading corner" with the glider :)
The crib all set up and ready to go!

His dresser area.

The nursery view when you walk into the room.

More Maternity Pics...

2010-05-25T09:59:00.000-07:00

Well because of the chilly weather last go 'round, Jolene was nice enough to come take some more maternity pictures of Mike and I. I am always so impressed when I see the outcome because she really has a way of capturing some great candid moments :) Here I am at 32 weeks. We took these at the new elementary school playground that will be opening up this fall across the street from us. Ironically, Aven will be going to school here which is what makes this place even more special to us.

Introducing Savannah Leigh Watkins...

2010-05-23T18:34:00.000-07:00

My sister had her baby! My niece, Savannah Leigh Watkins, joined this world on Friday, May 21st at 7 lbs. 2 oz. and she's absolutely perfect! I still can't believe she is here! It's also crazy to think that in less than 8 weeks we will be welcoming our little bundle of joy into this world as well. I hope you are ready for your little cousin Savannah...

Proud grandma looking on as Savannah gets checked out in the nursery

New Grandparents so happy!

Mike and I meeting Savannah for the first time.

Mother's Day!

2010-05-11T12:05:00.000-07:00

Well this mother's day definitely took on new meaning this year. Mike and I were busy focusing on what to get our moms and deciding when we would get to see them to celebrate the special day when I almost forgot about how important this day is for me too. I don't need a baby in my arms to know how great it feels already to love something so unconditionally. Sometimes I wonder how it's going to be when I first lay eyes on my little man. I know then I will be putty in his hands for sure.

I have always known I wanted to be a mother and give lots of credit to my mom for showing me how great and rewarding it can be. I can't even believe that in less than 9 weeks, I will have a sweet baby to hold and nothing will ever be the same. Thank you to my amazing husband today for blessing me with this baby boy. I love you more than you know!

I've attached some pictures that we took on Mother's Day and my 30 week belly :) Enjoy!

April Showers...

2010-04-30T12:15:00.000-07:00

My wonderful hostesses! Jolene, Lauren, Sara, (me), Jen, and Hallie! Love these girls!

Courtney and I at our "double shower" in Rockwall.

At Courtney's baby shower (Court-34weeks, me- 26 weeks)

And boy did I go to a lot of them! There were a total of 4 baby showers just in April that I went to. My sister's shower was first which was really nice. I helped host and she got a lot of cute things. Of course having a girl, the clothes she got were adorable!

The next day, some of my mom's friends in Rockwall threw Courtney and I a shower. It was fun to be part of a double shower and everyone couldn't get over how we were pregnant at the same time. I was so amazed to see how generous everyone was here. Some people we had just met that day, but they came with presents for both and so happy to be there. It was such a nice shower and I had a great time!

My friend Talia at work had a shower that next weekend. We are just one week apart which is really fun. It's been neat to go through this whole experience with her and I can't wait til her daughter Maggie and Aven get to meet!

And then there was my shower! Ahhhh...I can't say enough great things. I decided to just have one with everyone that's closest to me than several different ones and I'm really glad I did. Saying it was fun doesn't quite cut it. It was a perfect day and I was surrounded with such great friends and family, I couldn't have asked for more. I was literally blown away with everyone's generosity once again and know for a fact this little boy is going to be S-P-O-I-L-E-D! We got everything we could ever need. Mike was shocked when he got home to a house full of presents. We feel so loved! Of course, being the impatient person that I am, I couldn't wait to start putting stuff up in his nursery! We are definitely ready now for this little boy to join us...now all I need to do is wait for him to be ready!

7 months...

2010-04-26T12:37:00.000-07:00

Well time is moving right along and I'm already 7 months! Doctor appointments move up to every two weeks. I also had my glucose test too which wasn't too bad. I'm getting over this needle thing pretty quickly since I've been poked and proded throughout my whole pregnancy! Guess it's different now that it's not about me anymore :) One more trimester left! Woo Hooo!

6 months and growing!

2010-03-30T14:04:00.000-07:00

Well I'm trying to take pictures every so often to chart the progress of little Aven and my ever-expanding belly. I'm definitely not as good at it as I thought I would be though. I know I'm going to regret not taking as many pictures so hopefully I will stay on top of it these next couple of months. Here is week 24- the big 6 months!

As far as what's been going on lately, baby Aven is moving allll around! The movements are so much more distinct now and it's incredible to feel. It seems every time I would feel a kick, I would yell to Mike to come quick, and then Aven would go into hiding. But luckily a few weeks ago, Mike not only got to feel our future soccer player's kick, but see it as well! My whole stomach would move with each kick. It was crazy! I've heard stories where you can literally see you baby move from one side to the other or see a whole elbow sticking out later on in the pregnancy but I was very surprised to see it so soon. So far the second trimester has been great! I can't believe only a few more weeks left and I'll be in my last trimester! Woo Hoo :)

Spring Break!

2010-03-17T18:18:00.000-07:00

I know I say this all of the time, but time is really flying by! I can't believe it's already Spring Break!! This could not have come at a better time as the kids at school have been really restless lately and I know we were all ready for a break. So far this week I've just lounged around and really enjoyed catching up on my sleep :) On Friday, Mike and I went to Lowe's and picked out the paint for the nursery. The decision of what color to paint the room had been ongoing for quite some time now, but luckily with much thought and many sample cans later, we finally decided. It's a very pretty light green which turned out great! On Saturday, the work on the nursery continued. I had lunch with Jen and Mike and his friend picked up the crib and magically put it together in no time! I was so impressed with him this weekend. The room is already looking much more like a nursery and I can't wait to see it finished :) Here are a few pictures of the nursery so far. I will post more once it's complete!

Nursery before... After we painted! The crib is ready to go :)

Letters I made for his room!

Halfway through!

2010-03-04T18:05:00.000-08:00

My 20 week appointment was last week and it went really well. I can't believe I'm halfway through already! This second trimester has been great so far and I'm feeling good! The dr. visit was pretty routine. We got to see Aven again as the technician zoomed around to different body parts on him to make sure things were just the way they were supposed to be :) Everything looked great! Our little guy is rapidly growing. It still amazes me that I am carrying this precious life inside of me. Wow...God is good.

His little foot that I've been feeling more and more...

What's in a name...

2010-02-26T19:37:00.000-08:00

Well anyone who knows me well knows that I'm obsessed with baby names! Literally I have been making lists of my favorite names since I was about 7 years old. If there was a career out there that was a professional baby namer, I would gladly take that job! So when I found out I was pregnant, I thought naming our child would be a daunting task. So many names, but only one child in my belly. Surprisingly enough, Mike and I soon decided on a name for him (long before we knew for certain it was a him!) and have been referring to Baby Z as that ever since. Drum roll please.........

Aven Garrett Zieminski :) Long story short, Mike heard of the name Aven through his good friend Shaun. Once I found out I was pregnant and we began talking more seriously about names, Mike mentioned the name Aven. I loved it. It was just different enough without being completely made up. I didn't know of a single Aven and loved the fact that our son would have a unique name especially for him! His middle name Garrett was an easy choice because it's Mike's middle name. I've always liked that name and it went perfectly with Aven! So there it is. Aven Garrett...my main man...coming this summer :)

Loving me some Lubbock!

2010-02-22T19:09:00.000-08:00

Jolene, Mike, and I packed up Thursday night and headed out to Lubbock to see Hallie, Clay, and Lilah! It was so much fun spending the weekend with them at their place and hanging out with Lilah is always a blast! Everytime I see her, she has gotten so much bigger and changed so much! She is now walking all over the place and so so funny! I can't believe she's already 1 1/2. We went shopping, ate out, and just hung out while we were there! I wish you guys lived closer Hallie! I miss you too much!

Beautiful girls!

Like mother like daughter...

Showing off for Mikey...who can blame her!

Caught her in action! Look at her go :)

Texas Snowstorm and Fort Worth Fun!

2010-02-17T18:46:00.000-08:00

Last Thursday Texas began to look like Colorado outside! As I was driving to school, snow started coming down in sheets and didn't stop the entire day! Needless to say the kids were CRAZY at school, but it was fun to see such pretty snow accumulating outside. Overall, DFW received 12 inches in 24 hours which was a record high! I feel like it's the most snow I've ever seen at one time. Luckily, Mike and I were able to bundle up Thursday night and I crossed my fingers for no school the next day. My wish came true and school was definitely cancelled. I woke up and took some pretty pictures of the snowstorm that headed our way!

Molly and Zoey being swallowed by the snow. You can barely even see Zoey cause she's so white!

That next day (Friday) my friends and I had tickets to a Miranda Lambert concert at Billy Bob's in Ft. Worth. It was really nice to catch up as always and go out for a night of fun! This time was definitely different being 18 weeks pregnant, but always fun when you go out with these ladies!

POP goes the belly!

2010-01-31T18:11:00.000-08:00

Well, I would like to say I have officially "popped". I hear that one day you look normal and the next minute it's very obvious you are pregnant. I'm 16 weeks now and feel like I've just been in that awkward stage where people can't tell if I'm just fat or actually pregnant. This morning I woke up and when I got dressed, I couldn't believe how round and out there my stomach was! Of course I took a picture so you could witness little Baby Z getting bigger and bigger!

Surprise! It's a.......

2010-01-30T08:52:00.000-08:00

BOY!

Mike and I went for an elective ultrasound today to get a glimpse of Baby Z again :) My parents were able to come to the 12 week sonogram which was a really cool experience for them. We wanted Mike's mom to come to one as well and since she couldn't make it to the 20 week one, we figured this would be a nice surprise. I woke up early this morning so ready to see my little one again on camera! It's amazing how different they look each time you see them. Once we were at the sonogram place, the lady asked if we wanted to know what the sex of the baby was and of course we said YES! Baby Z was not cooperating though and was curled up in a little ball the whole time. It's legs were crossed and I could tell it was showing us already who was boss. Almost 30 minutes later after a lot of poking and proding...Baby Z finally opened it's legs long enough for us to get a peek! Needless to say, a baby BOY will be joining us in July and I couldn't be happier! I had a gut feeling for awhile now that I was having a boy but I'm soooo exicted to know for sure now! I already love this little guy so much it hurts...

Upside down, curled up in a ball...

3D image of the face. His little hand is next to his cheek. So cute!

A little surprise I already had for daddy to celebrate our baby boy!

Sick, Sick, Sick

2010-01-29T08:46:00.000-08:00

Well, I haven't posted much lately because in all honesty once school started back, nothing much has been going on. The weeks are flying by which is great and I'm just counting down the days now til Spring Break! On another note, this last Tuesday I woke up with the stomach bug! Of course, the second I get done with the first trimester and my morning sickness starts to go away, I get sick again! At first I wasn't sure if it was just morning sickness just creeping back, but I could tell right away it was different. I was sick for several days and finally the dr. gave me some meds on Thursday helping me feel semi-back to normal again!

Room Renovations!

2010-01-27T18:24:00.000-08:00

With the baby on the way, Mike and I wanted to switch around a few of the rooms upstairs so we can make one of the rooms the nursery. This has been on our to-do list and last weekend we finally finished two of the rooms and they look great! Mike did good :)

The junk/workout room before...

Which is now the new office!

The old office became the guest room. We decided it was easiest to leave the red walls. Not quite done with the decorating.