Avery's Sonnet 43

How do my Nana and DD love me? Let me count the ways...

My Nana and DD's love is like lots of date nights for Mama and Daddy so their marriage can be blessed and I can be fully known by my grandparents.

My Nana and DD's love is like a 6 am wake up on a Saturday.

My DD's love is like driving through Whataburger on the way to a pizza joint so that everyone gets to eat their favorite meal.

My Nana's love is like a trip to Sam's to load up on snacks.

My DD's love is like a questionable nickname that stuck.

My Nana's love is like a big hug when no one else gets me.

My DD's love is like a castle... or wands... or anything mom or I dream up for birthday parties.

My Nana's love is like a swim in the middle of September when everyone else has said goodbye to summer but I just can't bear to yet.

My Nana and DD's love is like a date to the theatre to see Mary Poppins or Annie.

My Nana and DD's love is like a sick kid (or adult) that needs nursing back to health. Or a sickness that gets passed around because of all the cuddles and love.

My Nana and DD's love is like a band-aid on a make believe boo boo without question or doubt.

My DD's love is like hours of my favorite movies on repeat.

My Nana's love is like new literature, old favorite books, and the ones that she could read from memory.

My Nana and DD's love is extravagant, sacrificial, dependable attention, affection, and comfort.

And I am blessed by them!

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Love,

Avery Blessed McClinton

Happy Two Months, Reese!

Reese turned two months old on Tuesday. During the last month, she has been busy...

Between four and six weeks, she started really using her neck muscles and holding her head up to try to see the world.

At six weeks old, she began smiling at Mommy, and by the end of the week, she was blessing everyone with her smile. It is heart melting and so earnest. We are suckers for her smile.

Right now, Reese still takes a 3 am feeding (11 pm, 3 am, 7 am), but if she's realllllly tired she'll skip it from time to time - which gives this Mama lots of hope for the future!

That baby is the biggest McClinton baby by a long haul. She's already in 3-6 month clothes (it feels like she's trying to grow faster than even time dictates! And time already goes by too fast!) Her 2 month stats are: 11 lb 9 oz (68%tile), 22.75 inches long (63%tile). Reese was born into roughly the 50th percentile for weight and height but isn't following the average bell curve... she's jumping up to the heavy weight division. We're super glad that she's so healthy and so unique. Way to grow, Reesie!

Reese is an active girl, although she still lays flat on her back most of the time. The girls like to giggle when Reese flails her arms and legs and make up what they think she's doing. "Mommy, Reese is fighting with the air!" or "Mommy, now Reese is trying to ride a bike!" She's quite the mime.

Reese has earned herself even more nicknames. Kate's favorite is "Ree Hee Poo" (Reesie Poo), but Reese also goes by Ree Ree, Cheeks (sometimes Cheeks McGee), Pieces (yes, after Reese's Pieces) and sometimes even Piecie.

The most accurate nickname she's been given, though, comes from Nana. When we text about the kids, we always use their initials... "K had so much fun in the pool!" or whatever. Reese, on text, is "TGTBT". Too Good To Be True.

And she really, really is. She is an angel of a baby and goes along with whatever the family is doing. If an infant can learn to be a team player, then my kid has done it.

Reese, you bless us with your precious cheeks, your easy-going demeanor and your endearing coos and gurgles. You are pure, ridiculous cuteness and joy.

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While Big Sister's Away...

At first, when Avery went to Kindergarten I thought it was unfair. She went off to important big girl school every day and I was stuck at home...

But this week was different. I guess it just took a little while for my life to get exciting, too. Now, I go to big girl school twice a week, do gymnastics (which I keep calling ballet), and my playgroup even decided to start going on field trips this year! On Wednesday, we went on our first field trip of the season - to The Children's Museum. It was such a special time playing with my best pals and having Mommy focus more attention on me. I liked the Children's Museum so much that I wouldn't stop talking about it in front of Avery. Since she thought that was sort of unfair, we had an encore visit to the museum on Saturday. Tell me that isn't an extra bonus of having Avery in school!

Don't get me wrong... I miss Avery when she's gone. But a girl could get used to the extra attention and activities!

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Love,

Kate My Turn McClinton

Epic Week

It was an epic week...!

On Sunday, Avery, Mommy, Daddy and DD all got to take a trip to the ER for a badly sprained ankle.

On Monday, Daddy wrapped a special brace on Avery's foot and she hobbled off to school. By midday, she felt fine and the brace came off.

On Monday, Kate also took her first gymnastics class (without Mommy) at Westwood. Nana came to watch (and to babysit afterwards), and Katie did pretty well... until one of the coaches tried to correct her stretch and startled her. Then she cried for the next 15 minutes, until Coach Nichole helped her feel better.

On Tuesday, we made preperations for someone special's big day.

On Wednesday, Avery turned 5! She celebrated with a cookie cake at school, a dinner with Nana, DD, and Nonnie, gifts, and a princess cake.

On Thursday, Kate went to her classroom's Meet the Teacher. She did amazingly well; while Mommy and Daddy were greeting other parents, Kate disappeared into the home center and played happily the entire time (in the same Belle dress that her sister used to wear in this class!).

On Thursday, Mommy also came down with a mean case of mastitis and Daddy played Mr. Mom and nurse on top of his other duties.


On Friday, Kate had her very first day in the Froggie Class at St. Peter's. She loved it! She practically skipped into the class and didn't cry a single time the whole day.

On Friday, Uncle Trey and Aunt Erin also came in town to meet Reese and spend some time with the family.

On Saturday, Nana and DD got their annual Mother's/Father's Day feast, put on by the entire Wales clan (and Mommy started feeling better!).

On Sunday and Monday, everyone enjoyed more time with Nana, DD, and the Lances and Wales IIIs.

It was a week full of fun and family. We're so blessed!

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