Made in the Shade

Hello! We are having fun here in Florida and taking advantage of the nice weather! Things new with Avery are that she has started to giggle out loud (mostly at the crazy monkey on her bouncy seat) and occasionally at her crazy parents. It hasn't been all giggles though, Avery seems to have a new fussy period which starts at 3 pm and is off and on until she goes to bed anywhere between 7 and 9 pm. Although, today has been better so maybe it is just her way of adjusting to her new surroundings. I too have had a fussy period as it seems I have a gallstone...let me tell you tons of fun. Mike thankfully has not been fussy. Anyway, somehow the warm weather has a way of making fussy babies and gallstones not so bad so all in all we are thankful to be here! Tomorrow Grandma and Grandpa are coming for 10 days so we should be doing plenty of fun things for us to share with you! By the way, Dunkin got a great report card from the Cassetta's so we are feeling relieved about that too! Miss you all and talk to you soon!

Happy Birthday Nuna!

Greetings from Florida and HAPPY BIRTHDAY NUNA! We are getting settled in Florida nicely. Avery is napping and I am blogging in my flip-flops....aahhh, this is the life. We miss all of you but are happy to be here with Mike! Our first set of visitors (Grandma and Grandpa) are coming to visit us on Monday so we are looking forward to that! Today our plan is to go for a stroll through the walking path that is right next to our condo and filled with palm trees and little tiny lizards (you know I love stuff like that)! Hope everyone is doing well and once again HAPPY BIRTHDAY NUNA!!! We love and miss you...have a piece of cake for us! xxxooo

Avery is 2 Months Old!

Avery is officially 2 months old and gets cuter everyday (I know I'm biased..but she is)! We had our 2 month check-up today and Avery weighed in at a whopping 10 lbs 4 0z and is now 22 inches long! Unfortunately, it was also time to get her first series of shots which was very traumatic for the BOTH of us! I didn't think it was possible for her to be even more scrumptious but she has started to smile and coo which is really stinking cute! Her little voice is sort of raspy and deep which is funny coming out of this little peanut. The past month has been very crazy preparing for Nuna's surprise party, Avery's Baptism and party, and getting ready to meet our new friends in Florida! I will be sure to post some pictures from all of that soon! Thanks for reading our blog to check in on Miss Avery's progress and we love to read all of your comments...so be sure to leave us some!!!

Avery in History

I thought it would be cool for Avery to know exactly where she was during this moment in history! She seems very peaceful...hopefully a sign of what's to come with our new President!

Avery is 1 Month Old!

It is hard to believe that our little Petunia has already been here for 1 month...it has really felt like one continous day (in 2 hour eat, sleep, and diaper change intervals) and we have enjoyed every minute of it! Sorry it has taken so long to post to our blog again but between the holidays, visitors, and trying to sell our townhouse things have been CRAZY!!! Thanks so much to all the visits, texts, phone calls, and emails we have received from everyone and all the wonderful gifts people have sent Avery (she is one loved and well dressed little girl already)! We are slowly but surely figuring this parenting thing out and can see Avery develop some new talent everyday (pooping at this point is still a giant feat for her)! We are also SO proud of our dog Dunkin, who has taken to big-sisterhood like a champ (she deserves plenty of treats Auntie Nancy and Terri)! Hope to keep the blog posts coming strong and looking forward to sharing Avery with you all!

A Few of Avery's Firsts

The pictures above are a few of Miss Avery's "firsts". The top left picture is of Avery's first walk with mommy and Dunkin as we were lucky enough to score a rare 60 degree December day! The top middle picture is Avery after her first official non-sponge bath (as you can see she wasn't a fan)! The top right picture doesn't look like much but I refer to it as the "It's a miracle" picture. This picture got this nickname for several reasons! First, Avery is actually sucking on a pacifier which I had begun calling the "infuriator" as they seem to have an adverse effect on her! Second, she is napping and not swaddled which has never happened before (and only happened once again since). Third, Avery was not sound asleep when I put her in the crib and managed to fall asleep on her own (again, has only happened once more since)! The bottom left picture is Avery's first bottle of pumped milk and in the bottom right picture is when Avery discovered she has a tasty thumb to suck...which was stinking cute if I do say so myself!

Avery's Birth Story

Baby Reinold was originally due on December 5th but decided that he/she would need a little medical intervention to come into the world. On December 10th, Mike and I arrived at the Labor and Delivery ward of the hospital at 8:00 pm to start the induction process. The hospital told us that we would be given one pill at 8 pm and then we would need to leave the hospital for 4 hours and return for a second pill. Upon returning to the hospital we would then be admitted to our delivery suite (I use that term loosely). After waiting for 45 minutes we were finally brought back into the triage room for monitoring and finally given our first "magic pill" at 10:30 pm. The hospital staff then had to monitor the baby for 1 hour after introducing the medication which means that Mike and I had to then leave the hospital at 11:30 pm and go find some dinner (we didnt eat because they told us we should go get dinner in the 4 hour waiting period between pills)! Needless to say, we were starving! We drove to Boston Beer Works and to Game On only to be told they weren't serving food (it was almost midnight on a wednesday)! We finally found a Mexican place "Tequila's" on Lansdowne Street that was open and still serving food! I was halfway through my chicken enchilada's when the pain started...but I was in denial it was actually labor starting. However, within an hour I could no longer deny that labor had begun...full blown contractions had started and from the start were coming at 1 to 2 minute intervals. Ouch. Mike and I arrived back at the hospital by 1:30 am and they brought us into delivery Suite #8 where they decided I did not need the second "magic pill" as the first one did the trick! By 4 am I was ready for my epidural (at only 2 cm...wimpy I know). When they checked me 2 hours later I was already at 5-6 cm. At 6:10 am I felt and heard a pop...my water had broken! By 7:30 am I was at 9 cm and we were waiting on my Doctor to arrive at 8:00 am in time for pushing! The pushing began at 8:45 am and "It's a girl" was announced at 9:15 am. That's how Baby Reinold became Avery Eleanor Reinold on December 11th and we are so happy to have her!