happy birthday monkey boy

so today, my love turns 32!

i found the perfect card.

it reads:

aw hell,

you're really not old.

i think they call it

"VINTAGE"

these days.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY.

nick,

happy 32nd birthday!

you are hands down the best thing that has happened to me.

you taught me how to love again.

you opened my eyes to what true love is.

you gave me the best gift in the world, a beautiful child.

thank you for being my best friend.

thank you for being the best father in the world.

(and for putting up with all my shenanigans!)

i hope you have a wonderful birthday.

you only deserve the best.

i love you!

love,

bertnie

(sorry for the cheesiness. maybe...just maybe, he'll check the blog and find this little note.)

Happy Birthday Love!

354 pictures!

that, my dear, is how many pictures we took over the BIG birthday weekend!

so....

please excuse my momentary pause while i sort, edit, delete and collage all of them.

an update of our birthday parties is only a couple of days away.

nailbiting. i know!

this weekend

is ALL about this little girl!

(i'll get to my monthly post about avery a little later.)

i can't believe my baby girl is almost 1!

it is both sad and exciting.

this time last year i was hoping, wishing and praying that i would pop this baby

out of me.

i was LARGE

and

uncomfortable.

but, i gave birth to the most amazing and beautiful

angel i had ever laid my eyes on.

i was so scared from the moment i laid my eyes on her.

she was perfect.

i didn't want to ruin that.

i think nick and i have done a pretty good job at keeping her

just as perfect as the moment we met her.

she has forever changed our lives.

she has made us grow.

she has made us love more deeply.

she has made us happier than we thought was ever possible.

she has also made us count to ten on more than one occassion.

avery,

thank you!

thank you for choosing us as parents.

thank you for loving us.

thank you for making us laugh and cry in the same day.

thank you for staying that perfect angel.

we love you more than you will ever know.

happy 1st birthday to our perfect little midget.

this weekend is all about you.

we can't wait to CELEBRATE!

love,

momma and da

(pronounced daaaaaa!)

our midge's NEW fake laugh

this makes us laugh.

it might make you laugh too!

enough said.

love her!

the zoo jerry...the zoo!

i had heard the weather was supposed to be awesome on sunday and decided that we were going to the zoo to enjoy the weather and each other.

it was 66 degrees and perfect!

the last time we went was for mother's day and ave was only six weeks old.

this time was SO much different!

avery went nutso there!

she was so excited and kept pointing at the animals and screaming in delight.

i kid you not.

my heart melted over and over again watching the excitement through the eyes of a child!

she may not know exactly what each animal was...

BUT she was so ecstatic over the new baby elephant zuri.

she kept pointing at her and screaming.

so.....cute!

she walked as if she owned the place.

she ate animal crackers from the beastro.

(yes, that is how it is spelled.)

she got her picture taken by the lion statue's.

she was pure joy to be around.

we invited my two sister's, smash and tia, to go with us.

as well as nick's sis linds.

we have a family pass.

(thank you andy and mandy!)

we upgraded to TWO children and a guest.

so, we will be going ALL THE TIME now!

Woo HOO!

Here are a boat load of pictures from our fun day!

look guys! i'm a BIG girl and am facing forward now!

tia, lindsay and smash.

eating yummy animal crackers.

entranced by baby zuri!

such a coot ephalant!

so excited to see everything!

pointing at the giraffes.

pointing at the little girls cute hat!

i told avery this is why i don't do yoga. it looks painful!

ave loves her aunt smash.

goofballs!

walking everywhere!

our little monkey girl!

where's ash?

there you are!

Nick's 32nd Birthday Party

we held nick's 32nd bday party a little early since the midge's party is coming up.

we gathered some friends and headed to a little bar/restaurant called the bayou in downtown salt lake.

it serves southern gumbo style food and has a selection of over 100 beers.

deeelish!

i had called earlier in the week to try and get a reservation.

they do not take them.

they take a "heads up".

whatever that means.

i showed up 30 minutes before everyone was supposed to be there thinking we would maybe have an hour wait.

i thought that would be perfect timing since alot of people run on their own schedule.

ha! we waited TWO HOURS for a damn table.

horrible customer service if you ask me.

i was stressing because i had hired a singing telegram to come and embarrass the birthday boy.

she literally showed up 15 minutes after we sat down.

phew!

i had given her some info on nick earlier that week.

when she walked up to our table she announced
"HEY EVERYBODY IT'S NICK LACHEY!!!!"

everyone, and i mean everyone, in the joint looked at nick.

priceless!

she did a great job.

AND

my goal of embarrassing him and giving him the attention he thrives for was completed!

oh the joys of marriage.

the night turned out good.

some great friends were there that have supported us through thick and thin.

here are some pics of the night.

Myrna!

Total Embarrassment.

Nick had a lipstick stain for an entire day. Ha!

Happy 32nd Burfday Husband!

(On March 31st.)

Thank you for putting up with me.

Love you!

our little model

we were SOOO lucky to be able to use Julie Burton again for Avery's 1 year photo shoot.

if you haven't already, check out more of her work here.

seriously.

she is so fun to work with.

she is talented.

she is so good with kiddo's.

she's beautiful.

she is an absolute gem!

here is a preview of some of her fabulous work with aver's!

thank you again Julie!!!

we were going to get another family picture done.

but, due to crappy weather, we moved it to another day and just focused on aver's.

it is HER birthday after all!

i love my baby & just love how purdy she is!

Attention Family...Averys Birthday Party is just around the corner!

to help save costs, we did not mail invitations for avery's party to out of town family members.

(we hope you understand and would LOVE you all to be able to come.)

so...without further ado

avery's 1st birthday party is just around the corner!

we are so excited for the fun activities we have planned.

so parents, bring your kiddo's in clothing that they can move freely in.

(and they will probably get a bit messy from rolling on the ground and from eating cupcakes!)

also, plan on your kiddo's to be TIRED afterward!

can't wait to see all you monkey's there!

(if you need directions, let me know. it is SUPER easy to find!)

Kennedy's 1st Birthday

oh i am SO behind in blogging.

all THREE of us got the same virus and needless to say....march has not been fun so far!

we are all doing much better, but all have this nagging cough. yuck!

anywho...

we welcomed march in with a fun party for my little niece's 1st birthday.

avery was in heaven seeing and playing with kids her age!

kennedy was so cute and so happy.

we just LOVE her!

my step sis aubrey made the cutest cake, sandwiches with homemade pink bread and other fun treats.

we also let avery have her first taste of jello with whip cream!

(it was a HIT!)

cute cousins

happy birthday sweet girl

yummmmmmmmm

uncle ty, mom and ave

silly daddy

but mom.....i don't want to go!

Sickling

poor little ave got what her mommy had.

even with being in isolation for two entire days, we could not avoid getting our midge sick.

seeing your child down in the dumps is no fun.

you feel helpless.

you feel at fault.

you feel so sad.

luckily we are now getting better.

cross your fingers nick doesn't get sick.

(because us wifey's all know when the man get's sick...they act like babies. just sayin'.)

ave went to the doctor twice in four days.

our poor pediatrician probably thinks we are hypochondriacs. (sp?)

BUT.....

we had reason to be alarmed.

ave's weight has dropped 1.5 pounds!

she is now what she weighed at her 9 month appointment.

YIKES!

(she had a bout of diahrea for a couple of days.)

so...my mission is to fatten her up.

i mix pedialite with her juices.

i'm giving her muffins as snacks.

i am trying to give her jello pudding.

(she dislikes vanilla. she is crazy for chocolate.)

i put an extra slice of cheese in her grilled cheese.

ugh....i am not the best at this.

she is such a picky eater as it is.

if you have any advice....please share!

(funny story. we left the pediatricians with a prescription. for ME! my cough has lasted over ten days, so he gave me some more cough medicine. funny!)

(she had NOT been crying. her poor eyes were so sad!)

and now for some fun ones:

my little aver's has an early obsession with chocolate!