Avery and Peeps Make an Invention

Avery brought a spinwheel to Camp Toad Hall. She wanted MayMay to fly it out the window, but that wouldn't work, so Peeps and Avery decided to make an invention. They wedged it between the grab handle and the headline, positioning the spinner right beneath the a/c vent. Peeps said "propeller." Propeller is too big a word for Avery right now, but she gets the idea. Peeps has three outboard motors at Toad Hall. Three Evinrudes: A 10HP, a 6 HP, and a 3 HP. He also has a 2HP at the home of Avery's Mommie and Daddy. Avery's Daddy and Peeps fixed the 6 HP during craft time at Camp Toad Hall. They made lots and lots of blue smoke come out of the garage. Uncle Brother helped Peeps and Avery's daddy with the project. Mostly he kept the cigar lit and took pictures and videos.

The Reality, Not the Illusion

Day 6

"The God-begotten are also the God-protected. The Evil One can't lay a hand on them. We know that we are held firm by God." 1John5:18; great news to start any day.

After breakfast and bath, MayMay explains to Wittles that we will be taking a field trip to Barnes & Noble. "Oh, the places you'll go," she says.

Once at Barnes & Noble, Peeps and Avery stroll the stacks, aimlessly; somehow we got separated from MayMay. Let's go find her, where shall we start? Let's look in the Children's section. Peeps hums Allen Levi's song, If you Teach a Child to Read, and soon we find MayMay, standing in front of the Dr. Seuss books. She's holding three books; guess what they're about? "Huff," Avery says when she sees the books. Peeps' eye catches Avery looking at a copy of Clifford the Big Red Dog. "Want to see?" he says. "Huff," Avery answers very efficiently. Huff is a good answer for just about anything. Just then an announcement comes over the loudspeaker, "The children's will start in 5 minutes. Let's stay we say to each other.

The week is flying by TOO fast for us!

This morning it was all smiles when she started cooing - it's time to get up - maymay and peeps. We gladly went in and retreived her(although she might have like to have cooed a little longer, judging from the squint the overhead light though dimmed produced.

We went downstairs, started with the soymilk bottle which she now requests with her cute little baby sign language accompanied by her little 'bas' and once that is done, we served up cheerios and banana on the patio. She seems to love it out there, what an awesome way to start up the day for us too. We joined her in breakfast and scurried out to do a few errands...we went to the drive in dry cleaners where our vendor said she looks like a doll. We ageed. After that, we went to the bank to deposit a check & the teller there exclaimed, what a cute baby....then off to the post office and finally to Earth Fare where we needed to pick up some things which aren't available at HT. Then Peeps pulled up to the garden center at Lowe's and let MayMay go in and see if impatiens were less expensive....while I was there I found some Hosta's on sale and that the impatiens were indeed about 1/2 or the New Garden price.

We came back about 10:30 and put her down about 10:45 she laughed and cooed and talked until about 11 so we let her nap till 12.

Fun Fun - Justin and Millie came over for lunch and she had deli ham(which was more fun to play with than eat...and some crackers, banana, and whole wheat pasta and more animal cracker pieces than she probably should have had!! We ate on the porch...it was sweet and fun.

Then we dragged down a blanket from upstairs and ratted around the back yard for about 45 minutes and shhh...we didn't have clearance from headquarters, but we did paint her cute little toenails which she mostly wiggled through. It was fun, she is cute as pie.

Back to nappie - down pretty quick and up at 4 just like clock work, then off to the Farmers Market to see the flowers and get some berries

Home again and off to a wagon ride, dinner, visit with the May family, who all wanted to hold Avery of course and even though tired, she had a blast with them, smiling and laughing and being her 100% cute self. What a fun day with her.

Then off to bed saying goodbye to the huffs as she went.

laughing out loud

day 5

While MayMay ran into Lowes Garden Center, Peeps started sneezing his head off. Avery started laughing her head off. Avery loves any sound: a burp, cough, hiccup, sneeze. An abosolutely delightful errand-running campanion. After the sneezing subsided, Peeps gave her the pink/green water cup while he drank a bottled water. We scooted off for home; naptime. More later.

not yet wiver...bwekfwast not over yet

River is ever ready to start cleaning up after any meal and he always starts his cleanup at Avery's place...

Peeps invents Oxygen sensor add-on for baby monitor, makes $10 million overnite; all Smith/North relatives are set for life!

Day 4

Avery awoke at 6:30 am, fussed a little, and then went back to sleep. She woke again at 7:45; Peeps brought her downstairs after he changed a big diaper. He told MayMay that when he went in her room to get her up, all he had to do was "followed his nose." Over breakfast, Peeps announced he was inventing an Oxygen sensor add-on for the baby monitor, betting that there would be a huge market for such. Georgia & River said they understood "sniffing technology" and volunteered to help.

Following breakfast consisting of a sunny side egg (she liked it yesterday but not today), banana, and cheerios, Avery decided this would be the perfect time to apply a little egg/banana mouse to her hair. When she was finished, she looked just like she had stuck the tweezers into an electrical socket because her hair was standing out over.

Morning bath time is a happy time. Her favorite bath toy was a little two piece silver tea bag strainer...and a yellow duck. MayMay brushed Avery's teeth, and then Avery wanted to brush her teeth. After plenty of water play, MayMay plucked her out of the water and plopped her into Peeps' waiting arms and bath towel. In a minute or two, Avery got all spiffeyed up and ready for the day, looking pretty as could be. Peeps brushed her hair as long as she would let him, then Avery took over and fixed it how she wanted it.

This morning's field trip was sponsored by New Garden Nursery where MayMay wanted to check the market in impatiens. $16.99 per flat! Wow. MayMay took Avery's picture taken beneath a huge hanging basket. Peeps and MayMay strolled the grounds looking at shade periennals and such while Avery watched everything perched up in Peeps' Kelty Journey Backpack. (afterthought: Lowe's has them for $8.99.

Wow it only takes 15 minutes to do a 60 minute field trip! Where does the time go? We hurried home for nap (30 min. past schedule). Avery fell asleep after talking to herself for about 30 minutes.

Lunch time, oh, boy!

Aunt Millie and Uncle Justin joined us for lunch out on the porch. Maggie and her dog cousins played all around, to Avery's great delight; "huff, huff, huff, huff," she was overheard saying. Three dogs is a lot of fun when you are 14 months old! She must have said "huff" 200 times so far this week.

Justin and Millie packed up lunch and went back to work, and MayMay and Peeps and Avery went to Friendly Pets, formerly Petland. Oh boy!!!

We saw: wabbits; parakeets, parrots, finches, 3 cats, and a hundred little dogs, "huff, huff, huff, huff," said Avery. She was most interested in the fish tanks; while Peeps held her up close, Avery traced her little fingers around the little fishes. She also saw some little crabs and really big fish. She marvelled at all these wonders. Peeps and MayMay decided she would be just perfect to enjoy the NC Aquarium.

We headed back home just in time for naptime (Avery's naptime). Peeps gave her a dry diaper and laid her in the pack and play. She must have been ready to dream about dogs and cat and wabbits and chinchillas and birds and fish because she went right to sleep.

After naptime she got up and played with blocks. She was still playing with blocks when Aunt Millie and Uncle Justin came back over to play and join us for supper. MayMay fixed Avery some chicken tenders, cauliflower, banana, and whole wheat pasta. She fixed the grownups the same thing, with mushrooms and chicken broth added and all stirred up together. Avery loves family dinner and cleaned her plate...well, truth told, River and Georgia and Maggie helped clean her plate and her high chair tray...

Mealtime is unhurried time and everybody gets a chance to talk and listen. Avery seems very well content to just "be" and we are certain she feels she "fits in" and "belongs." It's so totally obvious her Mommie and Daddy love her (and each other), else how could she feel so much security at such an young age. Their unconditional love for her paired with a predictible, sound schedule has put a strong foundation under her. She definately knows Aunt Millie, Uncle Justin, River, Georgia, Maggie, MayMay, and Peeps are her "family."

We aimed for bedtime while she's still happy, because when she's too tired to compute "today is gone today was fun," it hits her and that's when the tears start. We had run out of PJ's, and Peeps started a load of Avery's clothes during supper, but they didn't dry before the tears started, so we found something that would do, said our prayers, and jumped in the bunny patch.

Today was fun. Lots of fun.

Oh the wonderful places we will go

Day Three: Tuesday

Avery woke at 6:30 with an exclamation....no doubt ready for another day of fun but seemed to go back to sleep as we heard no babbling or gurgling or noise at all until about 7:45 and when we went in to get her, she seemed pleased as punch and raring to go! Peeps took her down to start her SoyJoy and MayMay finished her shower and dressing and took Avery some clothes down including sox and shoes as it seemed a bit chilly. As soon as she finished her Oh Boy Soy Joy the whole bottle full to the top she had some cheerios(breakfast of champions) & a whole banana. We topped this off with a dose of vitamins which came back up as fast as they went down but they didn't seem to bring anything with it. Next was bathtime and she seemed to love it. Peeps and MayMay had some challenges getting there with everything from upstairs but we did and we washed the banana mousse out of her hair.

All dressed and ready to go to JSCO. After posing with the sign, she went inside to her public and she made sure everyone was working hard. We had a little trouble getting away by 10 but did manage to get her here with no tears and just a few yawns by 10:30. She then slept till 11:30. We started this lunch with about 2/3 cup of Soy Milk and then some cut up grilled chicken, avocado and broccoli(her mom called these trees when she was little) she still seemed hungry so we cut up a sunny days bar and she woofed that down. Not really knowing what to feed her and she isn't sweeping off her food to the floor or making hair mousse from her lunch, we agreed she might still be hungry so we tried half a banana. She ate most of that before she was tired of this activity so we did the ALL D thing and swept it all away.

Deciding that this was the ideal time to go to the petting zoo at the natural science center. Now i don't think we had been there in 20 or so years so no telling how long it has been closed but it is. Fortunately for us, the stuffed animals and the not all that cool displays were interesting enough for her. She was happy as a clam in Peep's new backpack and we had a most wonderful time, just strolling the halls looking at the science exhibits and the dinosaurs. At 2:00 we headed home and she had some water and we put her down about 2:30. It is 3:18 now and she isn't fussing, she is talking and a nap doesn't seem to be in the offing. I don't know what that means for later. Actually she just started whining a bit maybe she will drop off.

She awakes about 4:30 and is smiling an giggling when we go pick her up. She indicates more please with her cute little hands and says ba (which we translate to soy milk bottle please) it is ready and waiting in the frig and MayMay and she have a little girl time together...slurping it up all the way. In a while Millie came over and she and Peeps had a LONG walk around the block or blocks as it was. Avery seems to have full command of being a back pack passenger and loves it. May May meanwhile is cooking some chicken and planning on Avery's next meal - which we decided to serve in the living room because it was rather warm outside. She rejected MayMay's chicken as it was on the overcooked side and opted in for some avocado, soy yogurt and of course the standby banana. She really does do the oo oo ah ah thing when she sees the banana course. Then we just played on the floor, cruising blocks, books, and punctuating most things with that cute little 'hi' which just MUST be recorded along with wuff, huff, what's that, who's that, and flove(short for flower in our best estimate)

She is ready to punch out at 8 and we take her up, dress her, and kiss her good night. I think she must have kissed peeps 20 times on her way upstairs. She is cute in every way. She has that wonderful gentle spirit which says to us that she has grown up knowing that family and friends love her well and that she has a schedule which gives her great predictability. Ali and Johnathan - you have done a wonderful job. What a peach! What a wonderful day we have had.

Yipee another day at Toad Hall

Avery woke up while MayMay just bounced outta the shower and with her hair still wet and peeps and pups were still slumbering. We all got up and went to get Avery up. She woke up happy – exclaiming HI! To all!!!

We scampered downstairs let the wuffs or the huffs (we aren't sure which is the noun and which is the verb) out and cooked a yellow of the egg – sunny side up which by my estimate is the only way you can cook the yellow of an egg…. She seemed to like that with some banana on the side squealing with delight with the oo oo ah ah ee ee sounds attributed to monkeys we hear with of course some cheerios on the side and a sip or two from the endless soy cup but seemed to like to play with that more than drink it. We called in the small brown automatic vaccum to get up the leftovers off the floor and she seemed impressed with the automation here. I imagine Scout cleans up as she goes at home.

Boy there isn’t much time between getting up and going back down but we did manage to squeeze a quick trip to REI for Peeps a backpack for toting around the grandchildren. I think he believes it will help his back pain !! Avery also shopped for a kayak and other outdoor gear. She loved going there and seeing all the colors and stuff.

We rushed back to get her in bed for the early morning nap – tongues hanging out from the schedule….

MayMay and Peeps sit on the back porch and munch on some shredded wheat with the wuffs in careful attendance.

TIME TO GET UP AGAIN – she cries at the stroke of eleven and we go up to get her up. We don’t really know what to do but decide she might be thirsty and settle down with her on the back patio with the rest of the soymilk from breakfast that we were careful to put back in the frig when it wasn’t making too big a hit at breakfast.

At about 11:30, MayMay and Avery got into Peep’s Suburban and went to the HT to pick up our grocery order and lunch from Chick Fila

About noon we arrived back at Toad Hall with some grilled chicken sandwiches and various accoutrements. I warmed up some broccoli florets for Avery and cut up some banana and a snack bar. She also had about 1 ½ inch square of grilled chicken cut up into tiny pieces, she gobbled that down. The wuffs helped with lunch. We ate on the patio with Uncle Brother.

May May’s long walks from yesterday left her knees hurting a bit – so Peeps hauled out our her beach bike and she rode in it while Peeps pulled Avery in the wagon.

Avery seemed tired when we returned so about 2 o’ clock we put Avery back down for a nap and decided to catch up on the events of the day.

At 3:45 it is a little voice talking and cooing not fussy at all and when MayMay went to get her up, she was standing in her packnplay hands lifted up.

We decide it is time to try out the backpack so after a big snack, we try it on for size but it is catawampus and she screamed dissatisfaction. We thought it best to trot back up to REI and ask the expert from Cary. He was there and happy to get it situated on Peeps for comfort and then helped Avery find her place in it but she still wasn't happy about the prospects of backpacking at least not yet. The nice guy from REI said that frequently that is the response of the initial test drive but said after you got going, the response was usually good. with those words, peeps took her crying real tears towards the front door. By the time they got to the cool bikes for wee ones near the door, the tears had turned to smiles and all was well all the way to the HT. Mommie brought the car over most of the way in case the smiles turned back to tears so we could make a quick getaway...

Upon picking up a few forgotten things from the HT we returned home about the time Millie got there & it was time for Avery's dinner... Some leftover chicken, avocado, more brocoli and topping it off with another cup of SoyMilk and a couople of animal crackers. She was good to go on a long stoll with Peeps and Millie. MayMay stayed and cooked dinner for them and Justin came by and took his ala car.

By the time they got back it was off to bed without much of a fuss and we settled in for our regular 24 viewing.

When we put her to bed, Peeps quoted the now famous 'Today is gone, today was fun, tomorrow will be another one - every day from her to there, funny things are everywhere!'

Avery's big adventure

Camp Toad Hall Monday April 22- Friday April 27, 2007

Ali and Johnathan brought Avery to Toad Hall Saturday April 21st. they had just been to Asheville NC to see the sights and look at some houses and just get a feel for the real estate there.

That Saturday night MayMay and Peeps had already made plans to go to the rotary function with Uncle Brother and Silly Aunt Millie.
DAY 1:
Sunday morning – we woke up and had breakfast and Mom and Dad hit the road to Wrightsville Beach about 11 am(while Avery was napping).

Avery woke up about 12 ish and we had lunch banana snack bar and broccoli florets and some soy milk about ½ bottle then MayMay and peeps took her on a wagon ride with our wuffs River and Georgia around the block – we saw Linda and Jeff Hayes and their wuff Rex then we saw bob and Linda Thompson down in the park having a picnic… we came back in time for a little play time and another nap

Avery took a nap from 2:30 – 4:30 and MayMay and Peeps took her on a long ride in the stroller with our two wuffs. We looked at everything and had a good time. About 6;15 we took a short car ride up to the service station taking the sailboat up for airing up the tires. Hooking up the boat to a car was nothing new for her!!!

We came back and got her the same time as Uncle Brother and Aunt Millie. Justin and Millie played in a little corral they made in the LR floor while MayMay got ambitious and test drove some LeSeur Peas and Yellow Squash for dinner – REJECTION – so we used the stand by Banana, Cheerio, and some Soy Yogurt. She seemed happy and full and we thought we could keep her up a little past 8 pm…but she let us know that enough fun was enough fun on the way up the stairs… She crashed and burned and slept soundly till 7:30 the next morning.