Ava Update

Our sweet Ava Rae just turned three! 

This little one is FULL of spunk! She keeps us laughing! :)

Fun facts about this little love:

-She goes to our church preschool two days a week and loves it! It was her first year going somewhere outside of our home, so it took some adjusting... but once she got the hang of it, she was fine. Mrs. Carrie, her teacher, is so fun and is a great match for her! She also goes to "Keke's" house two days a week. This worked out so well for us and we love Mrs. Chrissy. She loves Ava while Mama works... and we couldn't be more thankful. :)

-Ava gets to spend Fridays with Daddy and Aubrey (and sometimes Mommy). Since Eric is off on Fridays, he keeps the two young girls. This helped Ava bond with him more before Aubrey arrive... a huge blessing! :)

-Ava loves pretend play! Kitchen, house, school... anything! In the picture above, she told me that I could work in the playroom while she read me some books. :)

-She wants to be just like her big sister! We couldn't think of a better role model... Ava loves to play what Addie is playing, say things that Addie says, do things that Addie likes to do. It is really sweet to watch and, most of the time, Addie is pretty patient with her. :)

-Ava marches to the beat of her own drum. When I say this, I simply mean that the girl is strong-willed. :) I'm hoping and praying that one day this trait does more for her than drive her parents crazy. ha :)

-While she may be a bit headstrong, the girl still loves... and she loves BIG! She's affectionate, caring, and has come to really love babies! She takes her role as Big Sister very seriously... and sometimes passes that leadership role into other parts of her life. ha :) She's learning to balance everything, but for a new 3 year old, she's doing a pretty fantastic job!

Some of her other favorite things:

Paw Patrol (specifically Chase)

cucumbers and ranch

chicken nuggets

cheese pizza

cooked carrots

corn

mac and cheese (the cheap kind :)

grapes

bananas

"marshmallow" cereal (Fruit Loops or Lucky Charms)

sausage

baby dolls (anything to do with them!)

puzzles

reading books to her "class"

play doh

legos

pretending to write

coloring/painting

watching "Neckliss" (Netflix)

Disney princesses

Doc McStuffins

Minnie Mouse

riding her scooter

falling asleep with Mama

playing dress up
any kind of music
singing last year's VBS songs :)
watching "bideos" on Mommy's phone
playing the iPad or Kindle Fire

Oh, my little doll...

You make our world so much more fun! Your smile, laugh, and infectious personality are all one of a kind! We love you big!

Mama and Daddy

Addie Update

My Addie girl is now 6! Can't believe it. From this:

to this:

This girl is amazing! Here are some fun facts about her:

-She is an awesome Biggest Sister. She loves Ava and Aubrey, constantly makes sure they are okay, plays so well with Ava, helps us feed and take care of Aubrey... you name it, she's (usually) willing to help! :)

-Addie LOVES kindergarten! She goes to the school where I used to teach, so she was very excited to see all of my friends when she started back in August. Plus, it's just an awesome school. Her teacher, Mrs. Reckman, has been the perfect match for my sensitive soul of a child. She's gone above and beyond to help Addie continue to grow this year. Ad's reading and math levels astonish me on a daily basis... and as a teacher, I know how hard it is to meet the needs of students like her, so all of  her teacher's efforts have been very appreciated. Addie loves to learn, and that's all I need. :)

-She has been dancing at Children's Ballet Theater this year and loves it! She performed in "The Nutcracker" in December (right after Aubrey was born!) and was just the cutest mouse. Now she is preparing for the spring performance.

-So far, Addie has lost 6 teeth! Crazy. She still gets a little antsy when they are about to fall out, but she's getting better... and the poor Tooth Fairy must be tired of leaving her money at our house! :) Addie's sweet smile right now looks like a jack-o-lantern... some growing in, some not... some straight, some not... :)

Some of her other loves include:

Shopkins

My Little Ponies

Disney princesses

reading

math

writing

making cards for people

going to church and life group

salads (cucumbers, carrots, lettuce, and dressing)

pizza

strawberries

Fun Dips (ha!)

nutella

riding her scooter or bike

playing outside with the neighborhood friends

playing Go Fish

playing any board game

reading to Ava and Aubrey
singing
playing the iPad or Kindle Fire

As you can see, this girl is growing up before our eyes. She weighed around 45 lbs at her check up and is just about 4 feet tall. Sometimes I watch her sleep and can't believe what a miracle she is. You would never know what she went through when she was born. Testimony to God's protection and faithfulness? I think so.

Addie,

You are my favorite 6 year old! I hope you always have such joy in your heart! I just LOVE you to pieces!

Mama

Big changes for us :)

Sooo... it's been a hot minute since I've had time to blog, but I have got to get back in the habit so we have some of this information recorded here. 

The biggest change in the Jackson household:

We are now the Jackson 5!

Miss Aubrey Gail Jackson arrived on December 9, 2015, at 5:47 AM. She weighed 6 lbs, 14.5. oz, and was 19 inches long. She came a little over 4 weeks early, but Mama knew it was time... and Mama was ready! :)

Now, for the record, we weren't planning on adding to our family... we weren't "finished" but we were going to wait and let Ava get a little older before we decided for sure. Well, God knew we needed this little love here and now, and we honestly, despite all the craziness that comes with having three girls under 6, couldn't imagine life any other way.

When I tell you that her big sisters love her, I mean they LOVE her! We never worried about Addie adjusting. She is such a rule-follower and a "little Mommy" that we knew she would take the new role of "Biggest Sister" perfectly... and she has. Now, Ava, on the other hand, was our concern. She is very much a Mama's girl. Well, God totally answered our prayers and she has been amazing with Aubrey! She loves her, loves helping me with her, loves holding her... you name it. Hallelujah! :)

I mean, really.

See? LOVE.

Aubrey is SUCH a great baby... she just goes with the flow. She rides with me to get the big girls to and from school, activities, etc... At home, she hangs out in her swing or on her play mat, she tolerates the noise of the big girls, and she eats and sleeps like a champ!

Baby girl,

We are just smitten with you! YOU, my love, are everything I never knew I always wanted!

We love you so much!

Mama, Daddy, Addie and Ava :)

Ava at 18 months :)

OMG. This sweet child is growing so quickly! Here are some lists of things Ava can do at just about 18 months old. She's learning something new every single day! This age is super fun! :) 

Words she can say:

Mama

Dada

Addie

Nonna

Papa

Katie (tae-tee)

dog

baby

milk (sign)

apple

all done (sign)

wa-wa (water)

book

up, please

please (sign)

open (oh-doe)

whoa baby (thanks, Michelle on Full House)

juice

door

thank you (sign)

hello

bye

hiiii!

bird

shoes

eat (sign)

eyes

peek-a-boo (peek boo)

fish

Doc (as in McStuffins)

out (more like "ooouuuutttt" when she wants to go outside)

bubbles (in the tub, outside, and when she sees the Bubble Guppies :)

hot

Animal sounds she can make:

dog

monkey

bird

elephant

lion

Other fun stuff:

loves to dance

loves to shake

likes to sit and put shoes on

can give a hug and a kiss

When we ask, "How big is Ava?" She raises her hands for "sooo big!"

When we ask, "Who stinks?" When she does, she raises her hand. :) ha

loves using her fork

Body Parts she can identify:

hair

eyes

nose

teeth

tongue

hands

feet

belly

ears

cheeks

neck

back

Ava's favorite things:

Addie

anything Addie does

anything Addie says

dancing/music

play doh

paint

baby dolls

push toys (popper, vacuum, stroller)

color (color wonder markers!)

macaroni

water to drink

pizza (eats the cheese off the top)

donuts

fruit snacks (slightly obsessed)

bananas

watermelon

canteloupe

chicken nuggets

carrots

green beans

biscuits

bath time

climbing stairs

climbing onto the couch

cook at her kitchen

play in the water outside

learning to play games

going to the library

"The Wheels on the Bus"

sitting in Mama's lap

playing "Where's Ava?"

sitting in her chair w/ Addie and watching a show

Doc McStuffins

Mickey Mouse Clubhouse

Full House

Annie

Frozen

going outside

playing at the park

the iPad

washing her hands (w/ soap and water and hand sanitizer)

slushes from Sonic

ice cream

Dislikes:

going to bed at night

when someone takes her toy

having her diaper changed

getting dressed (sometimes)

being told "no"

Sizes:

shorts/pants: 6-9 months

shirts: 12-18 months

diaper: 3

dress: 12 months

Here are some of my favorite pictures from the past few months:

She loves falling asleep with us on the couch or in the recliner... some of my favorite moments. :)

She climbed up by me, opened her computer, and "worked" just like Mama. :)

Water? Yes!

Anything Addie can do, Ava can do it, too. :)

Fun playing under the table!

Dress up? Yes!

Peek-a-boo!

Ava,

Words can't express how much we love you! Your personality is amazing and you bring smiles to our faces every single day! We love how much you love us, how much you love your sister, and how much you love learning new things. We love your beautiful smile and your sweet little curls. We love your sound effects and your sweet dance moves.

We just love you! :)
Mama and Daddy