Being a Girly Girl

Yesterday morning Ryleigh decided that she wants to wear bows. I only have two bows that I bought for her a couple of years ago that she has never worn becuase they just didn't go with her green camo shoes. Ryleigh has never been a real girly girl, but right now it's alllll about being a princess. Anywho...

I set out yesterday morning to find her some bows. These are surprisingly hard to find, little girl bows. Wal-Mart and Target both had a very limited selection. That's when it dawned on me, it must have been so much easier when I was a child during the 80's, to find bows that is. Back when 30 year olds wore bows, they had to of been everywhere. I know that we had an extensive collection...they still haunt my dreams...:)

Just Us Girls

Today we saw Daddy off for a 5 day trip out to the rig. Ryleigh seems to be getting pretty used to him going out. I think it's actually gotten to where it's tougher on him than us. I've gotten pretty good at taking care of the girls on my own. Especially since....drumroll.....Avery has began sleeping through the night. And not just those pediatrician described 5-hour nights, we're talking 11 hours of straight sleepin', at least for the past 3 nights. Being a second time mom, I know better than to think that we're home free on the sleeping front, but it's a good start. And, rested momma es sooooo happy.

Ryleigh gets her new glasses tomorrow, so I'm going to try and get some new pictures up of Ryleigh in her new, oh so big girl, glasses.

Avery celebrates the completion of her 3rd month on this earth on Friday. Wow. Never has three months gone by so fast!

Off to bed for that much needed rest.

God Bless those poor Cowboys...we'll always have next year!

Back in Business

We finally got a new battery for our laptop and now I'm back in contact with the world. So much has been going on the past few weeks, it's going to take a few posts just to get caught up.

One of the highlights of the past few weeks was Ryleigh's first trip to the dentist. She's way over due for her first check-up so we headed in on Monday. She did remarkably well. She let them take her x-rays and clean her teeth. The really good part was when the dentist let me know that her teeth are in great shape. No cavities and very normal looking enamel. Hearing that made all those wrestling matches in which I forced Ryleigh to brush her teeth and all those tears that I caused when I refused some sugary thing she was begging for seem totally worth it. I have made a child and I have taken care of her enamel. Score.

Avery is growing like a weed, like a really adorable weed that looks like an angel when dressed in pink. She's given a few giggles here and there over the past week, but last night she really stepped it up. While dinner was cooking and we were waiting on daddy to get home, I kneeled in the floor while holding Avery so we could play dancing with Ryleigh. The dogs gathered around us and when Rocky came nose to nose with Avery she began laughing. Like crazy deep breathing kind of laughs. The best part is that Jeramy walked in right then and got to see her big gummy smiley laughingness. -tear-

Things are going pretty well. Jeramy has gotten situated in his new office building and is getting to know all the new people that are around as a result of his company's merger. I've formed a little weekly coffee group of SAHMs with babies and I'm working on a few upcoming charity events, I'm even co-chairing one event.

We tried out a new church last week and may have found a winner. Ryleigh has become very intested in learning about God and Jesus, so we're trying to embrace that curiosity while it's there. When I picked her up from school a few days ago, the weather had gotten a bit chilly since the morning. She asked me why it was windy and cold and I told her that God just decided to make it that way today. She just shook her head and said: "Silly God"

And I Shall Watch The View Every Day

I have decided to stay home.

I gave notice at work yesterday. I will not be returning and I will be accepting the title of Stay At Home Mom. It's been a huge weight lifted off my shoulders too. I'm excited to be able to remain by Avery's side, to watch her grow and help her reach her milestones. I'm excited to be able to spend more time with Ryleigh, to be able to have breakfast together in the mornings and to be able to make dinner together in the evening. Ryleigh will continue to stay in school part-time, as she has since Avery was born.

Jeramy and I have been toying with this idea since last summer, however with his company going through a merger, we just didn't see it as a good idea until we knew what was going on with his job. Last week he was offered a promotion within the new company. This sealed the deal and made our decicison very easy.

We had a great time in West Texas. Avery has started to make lots of cooing noises and follow objects with her eyes. She especially loves to talk to her bugs that Sara and Kalman gave her that hang from her car seat. She has also started smiling a lot. People, her smile could melt the polar ice caps. She is certainly all girl and Jeramy and I were just talking about how we haven't had a single person mistake her for a boy.

Our family computer is temporarily down, but as soon as we get a new battery, I will be posting lots of pics from our vacation.

Conversation

Mom: "Ryleigh, where did you get those scratches on your arm?"

Ryleigh: "Hannah's cat did it."

Mom: "What did you do to the cat?"

Ryleigh: "I didn't do nuthin', she's jest mean."

Mom: "We've officially spent too much time in West Texas, you's talkin' like Grandma."

Why I'm Here

We've now been in West Texas for five fantastic days. The girls seem to really be enjoying their bonding time with their grandparents, uncle, second cousins great aunts and uncles and great grandparents. Ryleigh has spent a lot of time with Papa Dale (my mother's father). He even took her to a basketball game in Ft. Stockton. It's so great to have her at an age where she can kind of do her own thing. She begs everyone she comes across to play with her and usually wins them over with her big smile. There have been many, many bear hunts and lots of hide and go seek. Avery is just hanging out, doing her thing. Her thing includes, eating, sleeping, filling her diaper and puking on my shoulder. Daddy should get her tomorrow and then Aunt Becca and Uncle Blake on Saturday. We're going to really have a full house. Here is our crazy schedule:

Saturday Night: Wood Family Christmas in Midland
Sunday Morning: Church in Monahans
Sunday Afternoon: Robinson Family Christmas in Odessa
Monday Evening: Steen Family Christmas in Monahans followed by the annual viewing of National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation
Tuesday Morning: Presents at my parent's house
Tuesday Afternoon: Combined family dinner for 30 at my parent's house
Wednesday: 6 hour drive to Granbury to visit Richey Family
Thursday: 4 hour drive home to Sugar Land

Merry Freakin' Christmas Everyone!

love, the montgomery clan

Updates

Avery went to the doctor last Thursday for her 2 month check-up. She weighed in at 10 lbs. 3 oz. and measured 21 inches in length with a head measuring at 15 inches around. All her measurements are right where they're supposed to be on the growth curve. Everything else about her checked out just fine as well. I got a little more lecture on why I shouldn't let her sleep with me. However, the doctor at one point looked at me over her glasses and said...you and I both know that babies have been sleeping with their mamas for thousands and thousands of years...yes ma'm, I promise that I am very safe.

On the same day, Ryleigh went and had her eyes checked. All is stable on that front as well. She has a small change in her prescription and we can ease up on the patching a little bit. Of course, the best thing about the appointment is that another surgery was not mentioned. So long as she has her glasses on, her eyes are staying straight.

Currently we are out in West Texas, visiting lots of family. Ryleigh is driving everyone crazy and Avery is winning over all the relatives. The plan for the week is to pretty much just hang out. On Friday we're going to have a birthday party for Jeramy and he should be in that day. I have some pictures that I need to get uploaded, but not today, maybe tomorrow.

Happy Holidays to all...jenn