Sunday, January 30, 2011

Weekend Fun

This weekend, Mom and Dad gave me four choices for activities: go to the zoo, the Children's Museum, Nana and DD's house, or have Hannah over for a playdate.

After thinking for a little while, I asked Mommy, "Does Nana still have a food dehydrator? Because I really want to go to her house and make raisins."

Mommy called Nana, who, alas, did not still have a food dehydrator. I came up with what I thought was a good compromise: Nana and DD's house on Friday, and playdate with Hannah and Abigail on Saturday. Mommy agreed, but I think she was a little surprised that I didn't pick the zoo or Children's Museum... a girl knows what she wants!

CLICK HERE FOR PICTURES OF THE WEEK (and a super cute video of Kate)

Love,
Avery

Monday, January 24, 2011

Life with a Bunk Bed, the Progression

Week One: Everyone falls asleep quickly. No one climbs around or talks after lights out.

Weeks Two and Three: Kate realizes that if she stays awake for about 30 minutes after being put to bed, Avery will come join her. And then the real fun begins. Avery is usually tired, but isn't quite old enough to ignore Kate's taunts. Kate climbs the bunk bed ladder, claims she needs hugs, to potty, or a tissue. And new last night: Ooh Ooh, the puppy lovey, sings and barks until Avery yells for Mommy or Daddy to come help. Sometimes Kate will come out of her room to tell us, "Mommy...? Daddy...? Kate ah' done in beh."

It's no problem to stay up late for Kate, since she's been taking 3 hour naps every day to make up for the lack of sleep. Avery, who no longer naps, is pretty tired by the end of the day these days. But, still, three weeks in, there is nothing sweeter than the mornings. Whoever wakes up first begins to sing to the other sister, "Ka-a-ate? (Or: Ehhhh-ggggy?) Are you ready to wake up?" over and over until there is a response. And then the two of them climb to the top bunk and spend the next 10-20 minutes reading, playing Leapster, or giggling together. It's beauty.

Monday, January 17, 2011

Nana and DD's Big Day

Every year for Mother's Day and Father's Day, Nana and DD get a gourmet meal prepared by the entire family. Since Trey and Erin live so far away, it almost always happens months and months after the actual days of celebration, so that they can be in town for it.

This year, the theme was Iron Chef. Nana and DD picked an ingredient for each course and the guys squared off against the girls in a course-by-course competition. Nana and DD were the fair and impartial judges, with score cards and everything.

Even though Kate and Avery kept everyone busy, Amelia was scared of Trey and needed her Mommy the whole time, and one of the chefs had to stop for her mid-day pregnancy nap, things went off without a hitch (unless one meal prepared in 6 hours is considered a hitch).

The guys presented Avocado Critters for appetizer, Spinach-stuffed lamb for the main meal, and Bananas Foster for dessert. The girls countered with Avocado Bisque, Spinach-Almond Pesto on Bow-Tie Pasta with chicken and veggies, and a strong (but amazing) Rum Creme Brule. The competition was tight - a one-point victory! (There was some discussion on if the ladies were to be deducted points for having the judge - DD himself - grill the chicken for us...)

Next year, there is some discussion of if we can pull off a six-course meal again (with four kids instead of three!), but everyone agreed, it was a fun, delicious way to honor everyone's favorite matriarch and patriarch.

Sunday, January 9, 2011

Big Bunk Bed!

(Our big news, as told by Kate:)

"Kay-Kay-Kay-Kay New Bed! Kate-Kate boh'um. Eggie toh bonk."

In other words, this week we got a new bunk bed! Kate sleeps on the bottom, and I sleep on top. Mommy and Daddy are rearranging and redecorating the whole upstairs. The game room is all done (the rest of the house is in process).

My old, purple room is being used to hold a bunch of stuff right now. Kate and I both live in the pink room now - in bunk beds! Mommy is working on making my room a Fancy Nancy "flowers and butterflies" room. She says it's going to take a long time and Daddy is going to paint some, but this week we got all new furniture and got to put all of our clothes and toys away in our new room! I love to play Rapunzel on my top bunk and use my lovey as my long hair. Mommy gets to be Mother Gothel and Kate gets to be Flynn. The fun never stops in a room with new furniture!

Two special things happened when I started sharing a room with Kate. I get to spend nap time on the couch playing my Leapster Explorer instead of staying in my room, and now at night time, I get to do something important with Mommy or Daddy for while after Kate gets in bed. Some nights I watch a show with Daddy, some nights I fold laundry or sort toys with Mommy, and some nights, we color or play Play-Doh. Mommy says it's to let Kate fall asleep, but some nights she just plays and waits for me to come to bed. Those nights are especially fun - we chat and sing to each other until we can't keep our eyes open anymore.

Sharing a room with sister is so much fun!


Love,
Avery and Kate "Bunk Bed Buddies" McClinton

Sunday, January 2, 2011

About a Baby

About our bonus baby, that is.

This summer, Jordan and I started feeling a sense of completeness, like our precious family of four was everything we could've asked for. The decision to be done having kids is a huge one, so we began praying that we'd know what to do, and specifically, that God would protect us from making a decision that was outside of His will for us.

We became completely settled in the idea of calling it quits, and even started planning our future around a family of four. But, God is gracious to us and answered our prayers. In November, to our absolute shock, we found out we are expecting our third baby (due July 21st). What a blessing to know without a doubt that this baby belongs in our family, and that nothing - not even us making up our minds to the contrary - would've stopped her (or him) from joining us. Praise the Lord for His wisdom in our lives!

In about two years, I am likely going to sit down and attempt to make this baby a scrapbook. I won't remember anything, though, so this is my attempt at chronicling the first trimester memories I am sure to lose.

This first trimester has been blessedly less intense than the other two. I still struggle with illness, but it is not nearly as all-encompassing as it was with Avery and Kate. The flip side to that, though, is that it lingered about double the time. Less intense for longer is still a win in my book, so I can barely complain.

I was worried a little about being sick during the holidays, but as it turns out, the timing was an immense blessing. I have been able to lean heavily - and I mean heavily - on my family - my sister, parents, grandparents, and of course, husband - during this time. It worked out beautifully for me to be too ill to manage a meal when my kids were well loved, cared for, and distracted by my amazing family. I kept telling my sister I hope to pay her back someday...

We'll go in to meet the baby via ultrasound this upcoming Friday. Now that first trimester exhaustion has begun to wane, I am all abuzz about rearranging the upstairs, combining the girls' room and redecorating, and preparing the way for all things baby to come out of the attic.

The most common comment we receive when people find out that we're pregnant again is something along the lines of, "Fingers crossed for your boy this time!" We feel pretty strongly that if God has given us this baby, He knows much better than we do what gender our baby should be. If every good and perfect gift is from the Father of Lights (which it is), then who are we to hope for one gender over another? And how could we look at the beauty He has given us in our first two children and not delight in the thought of another one of them? Which is to say, we are excited to know the gender (hopefully by February) and plan to walk whatever road God has called us to with excitement, joy, and His full equipping.