Daddy vs. Avery and the Battle of Bedtime

Avery is usually very good about going to bed. We have a nightly routine that involves getting pj's on, brushing and flossing teeth, and then a book in our bed and some time snuggling and visiting about our day. Then, usually not long after the book is done, Avery asks to go to her own bed. Brandon carries her there (or flies her like Tinkerbelle, or gives her a piggy back ride) and tucks her in and closes her door. 95% of the time, we listen to her chat with her stuffed animals and then she falls asleep withing 5 minutes or so. But there have been a few times lately that she and Brandon have been in full battle of the wills. I, because I have not been home these nights, have found these stories awfully funny! Here they are:

Avery was tucked in, and decided she had to go potty, then had to get a drink, then had to check on something...  and on.... and on... and on... so finally, Brandon one by one started taking her stuffed animals out of her bed each time she got up. When that wasn't working, he told her that he was taking ALL of them if he had to go back in there one more time! Well, of course, he had to go back in... and took every last animal off of her bed. She was full of tears and he was completely out of patience.

Then, he hears her bedroom door open one more time "daddy..."
And of course, he is fuming, and has no animals left to take and is out of ideas... when she sticks her hand out the crack in the door holding her stuffed owl... "Daddy... You forgot to take my owl" and closed her door and went right to sleep!

She is really something else!!!

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A few nights later, Brandon had tucked her in and was waiting for her to fall asleep before he jumped in the shower. After 45 minutes of her not making any noise, he thought he was safe to hop in... just as he steps one foot in the shower he hears "DAAAADDY!" At this point it is almost 10:00, and he thought she was sound asleep, so he quick throws on a towel and opens her door, saying "what to you need Avery?"  She responds, "Daddy... Did you fold up that black little chair, you know the black one that matches your black pants?"

We had used a folding chair for dinner that night when we had company over and apparently she was laying in bed for 45 minutes worried that Daddy wasn't cleaning up after himself! She is totally my daughter!!! 

Transportation

This week we learned all about transportation! We talked about the different forms of transportation (land, water & air), talked about the types of jobs that different vehicles can do, and of course, played with toy matchbox cars for hours and hours this week! Avery is a little motor head and LOVES the train table and cars with ramps. She was making connections in real life too - while driving to and from the Murray's she was naming vehicles out the window! 

"Look! A Jeep, Grandma Grandma has a Jeep! 

Look! A Semi-Truck, that is SO big of a truck!

Look! A Train! Choo choo choo choo, choo choo choo choo, up the railroad track, choo choo...

Great Grandpa Ray has a airplane! I ride with him in the sky.

Daddy's friend Lance has a tow truck, like the one My Truck is Stuck, like from that book" 

I set up a "car wash" for the girls by giving them toy cars, a tub of soapy water, and some paint brushes, a sponge and a washcloth to dry and polish! They had a blast! I also downloaded the song "Car Wash" by Christina Aguilera from the movie Shark Tale! we all had a blast singing and washing cars almost all morning!

We sang "The Wheels on the Bus" and took turns driving the bus! Avery had a great idea to be the mommy and hold a baby to "shush" at during that verse!

We designed our own license plates, Kinsley was able to choose three letters and three numbers to put on hers, but Avery and Emma were able to just decorate theirs!

We painted by rolling toy cars through paint and across paper! We talked about the different kinds of wheels and tired leaving different marks on the paper!

Here were our two favorite books from the week:

(this used to be my book when I was little, Avery found it at GG's house and asked to take it home)

The weather is finally getting warm enough to play outside again, even if its only for a 15 minute stretch at a time... it's worth every ounce of effort getting them ready and outside for fresh air!

Duckie Heaven is for Real

Tonight as we were getting dinner ready, I heard a lot of loud quacking out of no where and immediately knew what had happened... I flew into our room and saw exactly what I knew I heard... Holley... and the ducks. Holley + Ducks = Less Ducks.

I was devastated to see that Mike had been the victim of Holley. Brandon had left the door open after taking a shower and Holley let herself right in and decided to take care of the ducks her own way. She had been getting more jealous of them each day, and we knew she couldn't be alone with them. I was mad at Brandon, he was mad at Holley and we had to figure out a way to tell Avery. I quietly took care of Mike and went out to tell Brandon what had happened. We had dinner, the whole time I was trying to think of how we were going to tell Avery what had happened... thankfully she had not yet been into see them that evening since we had gotten home. I came up with three options...

1. Holley is a puppy and puppies like ducks... she tried to play with Mike and played with him too hard. (But how to you tell your child that the dog they love, killed the ducks they love?)

2. Get another duck tomorrow and pretend it's Mike like nothing ever happened.

3.Tell her that Mike went to Heaven, but don't blame Holley.

We decided to  go with number 3. I told Avery that while we were gone at The Murray's that Mike went to heaven to be with God and the he isn't here any more. Here is a glimps of our conversation after dinner...

Avery's reply: Well, when he is done being in heaven, he will come back right?

Mommy: No, I don't think so hunny.

Avery: Well, he could come back right? After he is done in heaven?! Why did God take Mike to Heaven?

Mommy: I don't know why sweetheart, sometimes God likes to take care of people and animals in Heaven. Should we say a prayer to God?

Avery: Ok. Dear God, now I lay me down to sleep. Amen

Mommy: Dear God, please take good care of Mike in Heaven. We love you. Amen.

Avery: ok, I need to see my duckies now, please come!

And we cuddled the two that are still here, Abbie Kadabie and Sully. Avery talked about Mike quite a bit the following days, and told everyone who came to visit what had happened, but she was perfectly content with the answer we gave her regarding the situation. I think we made the right choice by telling her the truth about the loss, but not giving her any reason to be upset with Holley.

Knuckle Head

The famous quotes of Avery Elizabeth...

"I'm just gonna touch it with my little bump" (her knuckle) when she wanted to touch a piece of my jewelry.

Ouch I just hurt my foot wrist (ankle). I have heard her refer to her "foot-wrist" several times now, and think its quite adorable, so I haven't corrected her! :)

Quack, Quack

A lesson of responsibility for Avery...

We had 3 "baby duckies" join our family today for a temporary few weeks to help Avery learn some about the different needs of animals and how to help care for another little life! She is very excited to show her new babies off to everyone she knows! It had been a fun day watching her play "mommy" to them. 

She named them right away, on the car ride home as she held their box in place so it wouldn't tip over. The yellow fluffy one is Abby Cadabie, the yellow one with a light brown spot is Mike, and the mostly black one is Sully (Abbie is from Sesame Street and the other two names came from the movie Monsters Inc. - which she hasn't even seen more than 10 minutes of but absolutely loves it)! 

Here is Avery, choosing the three perfect ducks to bring home!

Keeping them safe on the car ride home!

Being a big helper to set up their bedding, food and water!

Welcome home Abbie Cadabie, Sully & Mike!

Holley also seems to be very interested in these ducks, she has been pretty calm around them most of the time, but keeps a close eye on them. She just can't figure them out!

Avery made sure to call EVERYONE she knew and invited them over to meet the ducks!

She even got her duck call out and was "talking" to the ducks... As if she was the mama duck and those were her babies! 

A Camping We Will Go...

We set up a camp site in the basement this week and had quite the adventures! Our campground had hiking trails, a fishing pond, a campfire pit to roast marshmallows and sing campfire songs, a place to pitch our tent and even had a real bear in the woods! We worked together as a team on Monday morning setting up our tent and arranging the basement to make room for all of our amenities! Cullen was home from school and I'm so glad he could be a part if it, for a little bit at least! He had fun reading to the girls by flashlight in the tent!

We went hiking one day in search for bugs, after making toilet paper roll binoculars and paper bag hiking vests! I hid plastic bugs all around and they girls had to go find them, then used their bug encyclopedia to identity what kinds of bugs they found!

After hiking, Avery said "I am too tired for hiking, I am done with that! I am drinking my banilla iced mocha to feel me better"! Sitting by the fire, drinking Vanilla Iced Mochas sounds like my kind of camping, that's my girl!

Our campfire had to be the biggest hit! Every morning the girls would come down and "build" their fire! Kinsley had her guitar out and lead campfire songs, we told fun stories and drank "coffee" to stay warm!

We had a really fun time making pretend s'mores over our tissue paper and paper towel roll fire, using sticks with cotton balls glued to the end! We also made real s'mores for a snack over the stove top! This is always so fun! Definitely, not the same as a campfire roasted marshmallow, but in the middle of winter - it does the trick! 

                  

And as if that wasn't enough... I just had to make these delicious s'mores bars that I had over the summer at a neighborhood block party... I've been dying to make them again, and this was the perfect opportunity! THEY ARE DELICIOUS!!! So we put our aprons on and got busy in the kitchen! 

                 

                 

S'more Cookie Bars

Prep time:  20 mins    Cook time:  35 mins     Total time:  55 mins     Serves: 25-30 bars

Ingredients

• ½ cup unsalted butter, room temperature
• ¼ cup brown sugar
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• 1 large egg, room temperature
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1⅓ cups all-purpose flour
• ¾ cup graham cracker crumbs (about 8 graham crackers)
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 2 king-sized milk chocolate bars
• 1½ cups marshmallow Fluff (not melted marshmallows because they harden when they cool)
• 
  

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and/or line an 8-inch square baking pan.
2. 
   
3. In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar until light. Beat in egg and vanilla.
4. 
   
5. In a small bowl, whisk together flour, graham cracker crumbs, baking powder and salt. Add to butter mixture and mix at a low speed until combined. Divide dough in half and press half of dough into an even layer on the bottom of the prepared pan. Don't worry if it seems thin; the baking powder will allow it to rise.
6. 
   
7. Place chocolate bars over dough (don't layer the bars, just break them to fit if you need to), then spread the marshmallow Fluff over the chocolate bars. Finally, top the Fluff with the remaining dough by forming the dough into sheets with the palm of your hands and laying it down (as shown above). Don't worry if the dough isn't covering everything! It'll spread out as it bakes.
8. 
   
9. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until lightly browned. If the top is browning too quickly, you can always cover it with tin foil for the remaining baking time. Cool completely before cutting into bars. If you don't allow them to cool completely, they will crumble when you try to cut them. 
10. 
    
11. Makes 16-20 bars.

Some other fun activities we did this week were:

-Read Camping Books

                                           

- Took Photos of our Trip & used Binoculars to look at EVERYTHING!

-Packed our cooler with tons of food, in case we got SO hungry

-Put together Forest Animal Puzzles

-Used Flashlights to see when we turned off the lights and put on Thunderstorm sounds!

(This App has EVERY sound we needed for added sounds effects) 

We used it every day and made up fun camping scenarios!

-Went Fishing at the Sensory Table Fishing Pond

-Took a nap in the tent one day!