Dare Devil

 Avery is quite the dare devil on his trike, rolling around on flat ground just isn't enough for him. He has to find every little hill and roll down it, usually saying “Weeee” on the way down. He finds the slightest decline (aka hill) and will go up and down it over and over. The  first “hill” Avery found was the between our driveway and the neighbor’s driveway. It’s only about 3 feet, but he loves it. The other hill at our house is in the front yard, which is a little longer ride, maybe 5 feet, which he also loves. Most nights we can be found rolling down one hill or the other after supper.

Rolling down the "hill" in the front yard 

Sort of a big bump at the end, but he doesn't mind

 One night we were visiting a friend and had brought Avery’s trike along and he discovered a decline just outside of the garage, so he muscled up the incline and rolled down, all night long. The same friend also has a larger actual hill on the side of his house so Jon and I took Avery over to give a big hill a try. He wasn’t too sure at first but a one ride down he loved it!

 He went down a few times before we had a crash. Mid way down Avery got off balance and before I could catch him, the tike tipped over, sending Avery over the handle bars. Avery was fine after his crash, a little scared but nothing mom and dad couldn’t fix with  hugs and kisses. With our little dare devil getting more daring all the time I am glad he always wears his helmet. Maybe we should have named Avery, Av-“Weeee” instead.

First Weekend of Summer

For most people the summer starts after Memorial Day, or the last day of school but officially Summer starts on the Summer Solstice (June 20th). That makes this past weekend the official first weekend of Summer! How did we spend our first official weekend summer? Jon played in a 2-day softball tournament in Waseca, and Avery and I went to watch, the last game on Saturday at least.

Avery playing "Bags" before Daddy's game

Avery wins!

 After the game we headed to a friends house to grill some brats for supper. Avery got to take his first spin in a power wheel John Deer Gator. He loved it! Avery did a good job holding on while the Gator was moving, usually to the steering wheel or his driver’s shirt.

Gator ride with friends

You can always tell how great of day we’ve had by how long it take Avery crash out on the way home, lets just say he didn’t get to far before falling asleep Saturday night.

Tired Boy

Sunday while Jon was still playing softball Avery and I spent the day with family, first at my parents for lunch and then Jon joined us for supper at his parents.

Avery filling his new pool on Sunday morning

 It really was an uneventful Sunday playing outside and spending time with the ones well love but it was the perfect way to end our first official weekend of Summer!

Take Me Out To The Ball Game

Avery & Daddy at Caswell

Last night was the first time this season I have been able to take Avery to watch one of Jon’s softball games. Avery has been to a few of my Monday night games but all of Jon’s games have been past Avery’s bedtime or the weather has been bad, but finally last night it was a 6:15 game on a perfect night. Taking Avery to softball is totally different this year, he doesn’t just sit in his stroller and look around any more, he wants to run and explore. 
When we first got to the game Jon was playing third base so we sat right by the fence and watched and waved to him. After spending half an inning with Daddy while his team was at bat we moved on to the bleachers, where parked the stroller and started exploring. Avery made a new friend, Noah, whose daddy plays on the same team with Jon. After a little motherly encouragement the two little boys were sitting at the picnic table sharing goldfish crackers and cheerios. After their snack  I got out the few cars we brought with us and the boys played. Losing interest in the cars Avery decided it was time to explore again.  As he ran and explored, he had a little shadow. Another little boy was following Avery every where he went, it was so cute, Avery kept looking over his shoulder to make sure his friend was still there. They never said a word to each other, just ran and smiled.

Being silly with Daddy

 Avery was a real social butterfly last night, he didn’t talk too much but he smiled and waved at everyone he passed. He is such a great little boy, I just love him so much!

Fishy Fun

This past Saturday Avery, my mom and I explored Art Splash, the art fair that is held on the a lawn outside the North Mankato Taylor Library. It was the perfect day for an art fair, maybe a bit hot but not raining. Avery wasn’t too interested in the jewelry, painting or other art/crafts that the artists were selling and he was too young to take part in the make-n-take- class that were going on, but he enjoyed seeing the people and puppies that we out walking around. The highlight of the day really wasn’t the art fair at all, it was visiting the Taylor Library. It was the first time I have ever taken Avery to any library, knowing his love for books I thought he would really enjoy seeing all the books but he was too distracted to even notice all the great books. What was the distraction? A fish tank! 

Checking out the Taylor Library's fish tank

Avery has always liked fish tanks. We have a very large fish tank that is build into the wall above the back counter of our wet bar at home, but the critters that currently live in our tank (crayfish) aren’t as fun as the bright colored tropical fish that were swimming around the library's tank.

Playing Hide & Seek with the fishy

Avery loved watching the fish swim and hide in the rocks and coral. Guess we need to plan a trip to the zoo and aquarium. Watching Avery experience new things is always so much fun, maybe next time we visit the library we will start with the books then check out the fish.

Father's Day 2012

Avery’s gift to his Daddy this Father’s Day was sleep, Avery slept in until 9, then he and I got up for some breakfast and played some before finally waking up Jon so we could get ready for our Father’s day plans. Our plans weren’t too elaborate, just spending time with our families. Up first was lunch with my family. 

Avery and His Dad, My Dad and My Grandpa

After lunch Avery delivered the card he made at daycare to his Daddy, and the picture I made for his grandpa to Papa.

Avery modeling the hand colored tie book mark
he made at daycare.

Delivering Papa his Father's Day present

Last year I used my Photoshop skills and put Avery in the bag on the side of my Dad’s motorcycle, keeping with tradition I again used my skills to put Avery in bag on his new bike this year....

Hitching a ride in Papa's motorcycle bag

A bigger bike for a bigger baby boy, maybe next year Avery can just sit on the motorcycle and I can skip the Photoshop part of the project.
Next up was supper across town with Jon’s family. After some pictures, food and play time Avery gave GT the special apron we made him.

Jon, Avery & GT

GT showing off his new apron

Then it was time to head home and put our tired little boy to bed. Avery is a very lucky boy to have one of the world’s greatest dad’s and two of the world’s greatest grandpas who love him so much. Happy Father’s Day to all the world’s greatest Dads and Grandpas out there!

Air Spectacular

Oshkosh, Wis 1983 - This was my 3rd time at an Air Show
(2nd since I was born) I am the about the same age
as Avery is now in this picture

I have been going to Air Shows since before I was born, so it very was special to be able to take Avery to the Air Spectacular at the Mankato Airport this weekend. My parents have boxes of photos of blue sky with dots of grey, black (jets), blues, reds and yellows (prop planes), most followed by streamers of smoke.

It’s images like that and being at those air shows with my parents and grandparents that make up a majority of my childhood summer memories. Sunday I got to share those memories with Avery when Avery, Jon, Jon’s dad, my dad and myself went to Air Spectacular featuring the Blue Angels.

Avery & Grandpa at his first air show

  It was great to go to an air show it had been a really long time since I had been to one and it was fun to see some of the same acts that I saw as a kid with my dad again, but this time with my son and his grandpa.

I have had my picture taken many times with a plane,  this was
Avery's first picture with a plane.

Checking things out with Daddy

Having a great time at the Air Show

After looking around the ground displays we found a nice spot and settled in to watch the show. It took a little help from mom and dad but Avery finally got the idea that the show was in the sky, but soon he was pointing at the sky and saying “weeee” as the planes flew by.

Watching the planes

Avery had a great time watching the planes and running around. When it was time for the Blue Angels we put ear phones on Avery to protect his ears and as I held him so he could see the Blue Angel’s F-18s getting ready to take off, he fell asleep.

Blue Angel F-18 (#5)

Sleeping thru the starting up of 6 jet engines 

Taking a break from the air show

After a fly by he woke up for a second
 but went back to sleep for a few more minutes on daddy 

He was one tired little guy. Avery didn’t miss the entire Blue Angel show, he woke up form his cat nap in time to catch the end. It was a great day! I am so glad that I got to share it with my Dad and Avery together.

My Dad. Avery, Jon & Terry

85th Birthday Celebration

Saturday Avery, my mom, aunt Kathy, cousin Robin and I, and my dad on motorcycle headed to Bloomington to celebrate my Great Aunt’s Margaret’s 85th Birthday. It was the prefect day for a party. 

Checking things out

Gpa Papa, Avery and Gma

There were old pictures to look at, great food, and of course cake!

Kathy and my mom looking at the picutres

Avery was a little shy with so many new people around but he came around once he laid eyes on Chance, the Golden Retriever, who welcomed Avery to his home with lots of kisses. Chance even shared his toys with Avery. What a good puppy.

Avery and Chance looking outsie

 Happy Birthday Margaret, thanks for the party.

Heading home after the party

Seventeen Months

17 Months!

Avery is 17 months old today. This past month has been a tough one for him with an ear infection and HFM but he made it though. In between being sick Avery has learned and grown so much it hard to sum up all the great things he can do now, I am just so proud. At 17 months Avery wears a size 4 diaper, 18-24 month shorts, 18-24-2T shirts and an infant size 5 shoe (soon to be 6 I think). 

Little Rider

One Avery’s favorite things to do is ride,  two, three, four, six wheels, he doesn’t much care as long as it was wheels and he can sit on it and go. His Strider is one of his favorite ride-on toys, he used to be a little afraid of it but after a little practice and encouragement from Mom and Dad, Avery is now a solo Strider Rider!

Solo Strider Rider!

Check out the video of Avery riding, popping wheelies, and crashing  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DEw2QYhx_fc&feature=share


We also recently assembled his tricycle that he got for Christmas and even though he can't reach the peddles he can really make that thing go!

Avery loves his new ride!
Peddles... who needs peddles

Avery loves to ride so much he even tries to ride toys with wheels that aren't really for riding.....silly boy.

Trying to ride a little train

Paarmann Fun Run/Walk

In April we found out that a teacher, colleague, friend and all around great guy Neil Paarmann was diagnosed with Acute Myelogenous Leukemia.  He is young, has a extremely healthy lifestyle and tons and tons of support, I pray that this is more then enough to help him to beat this.

Showing our support for Paarmann!

Today Jon and I, along with 250 some others, participated in the Paarmann Fun Run/Walk and ran and walked to show our support and raise money.

Finishing out lap

It was great to see so many people out to support Paarmann, he and his family have touched so many lives including Jon, Avery’s and mine.

Paarmann Supporters

Paarmann was at the Run/Walk, and in his typical style, cheering the runners and walkers on.... We were all there to cheer him on and show our support to someone who has given and done so much for so many and there he was cheering for us....typical.

Paarmann cheering for us.....typical

 I wanted nothing more to run over and hug him and make sure he knew that we were here for him and his family and anything they needed to just let us know, but I didn’t with Avery having Hand-Foot-and –Mouth this past week, I wasn’t going to chance sharing it with him. It was a great day, with a great turn out. It could be a long road but he’s a fighter and you can’t keep him down for long.

Let's Go !!

Sibley Saturday

After a day or so of “rest” Avery seems to be feeling a lot better, so Friday night Avery and I took a little walk around the block to the park behind our house to play and start our weekend off right. 

Play Time! 

Up I go.

I love to slide!

Avery had a great time, we had never been to that park before and we had the place to ourselves. The only thing I didn’t like about the park is that it has a bridge between two slides that in my opinion doesn’t have the proper safety bars on it. There is a hand rail that is maybe 36” high then a second cross bar maybe 8” down then the remaining lower section is open, and the bridge is fairly high off the ground, It made me nervous, I wasn’t sure if I should be on the bridge with him or below.

Saturday afternoon we continued or park fun. Jon, Avery and I went to Sibley to see the animals and play at the park on the animal side. Avery has been to Sibley before with GG & GT but this is the first time we have gone with him. He looked at the animals some, but seemed to enjoy the playground the most. He also made a friend who shared his soccer ball with him. We climbed and went down the slides, tetter-tottered, ran, and swung. 

Goats aka Puppy

Lamb aka Puppy

So cute!

Sliding.

Climbing in the chicken coop 

Riding a Chicken

Tetter-tottering with Dad

Let us down....

Weeeee

Next time we go to Sibley we might skip the animal side and go to the river side and explore the park over there.