it's the little things.

...  a baby who found her thumb.

...  a family dinner where everyone was happy for 10 minutes.

...  charlie being around for a bit. 

...  a bubble bath.

...  watching a and e interact with each other.

...  baby belly laughs.

...  two clean kids. 

...  cloth diapers drying in the sun.

...  binge watching jon stewart with charlie.

...  twinkle lights. and how avery calls them "kiss-miss lights". 

...  a baby who naps!

...  some time alone with avery.

...  grocery shopping on a friday.

...  a cat who naps with the kids. (even when he wakes them up)

...  thoughts of spring.

...  watching mary poppins with avery.

...  snuggling with my favorite people in the middle of the night.

...  napping with ellie.

... coffee.

it's the little things ...

...  a dual nap.  no matter how short.

...  eating a hot dinner.

...  a husband who always makes the coffee.

...  sleeping in-between two of my favorite people.

...  watching avery eat cereal. 

...  ibooks.  a book on my phone makes reading possible these days.

...  watching ellie sleep.

...  hearing avery say i love you.

...  a phone conversation without a crying baby in the background or a toddler stealing the phone.

...  FaceTime.

...  cooking on a weeknight.

...  having charlie and my dad here for 5 days!

...  dessert.

...  baking with avery.

...  clean sheets.

...  cloth diapers with a newborn.  they contain all the messes.

...  clean kids.

...  coconut oil.  i've been using it for everything.

...  the crock pot.  it makes dinner possible these days.

...  the hour or so at night after both kids are asleep.  

...  playing blocks and animals. 

...  when avery says "hold you". because i know someday soon she'll be saying "hold me".

...  amazon prime.

...  march!  spring is coming.  someday.

...  reading books with avery.  and ellie, too!

...  avery wearing sunglasses.

...  that moment in the car when everyone is quiet.

...  discussing future house plans.

...  catching up on hulu after the olympics.

...  texts from charlie when he's traveling.
...  watching ellie grow up.  grabbing toys, sitting in the bumbo, and laughing.  it really is just as good the second time around.    

it's the little things ...

waaaay overdue for one of these.  i really do miss them but never seem to find the time anymore.  

...  thunderstorms.

...  taking avery to the aquarium. 

...  ollie snuggles.

...  unprompted kisses from avery.

...  when charlie gets avery in the mornings and lets me sleep in.

...  open windows.

...  fires in the firepit.

... smores.

...  watching avery play by herself.

...  productive naptimes.

...  a solo target shopping trip.

...  donuts. 

...  watching this baby grow.

...  hanging out outside.

...  morning snacktimes with the dogs.

...  how avery calls the dogs and cats outside.

...  rocking a sleeping baby.

...  reading a book. 

...  trips to the library.  

...  walks in the rain.

...  looking forward to a vacation.

...  packages in the mail.

...  our 'new' nightstands.

...  rearranging furniture.

...  art by avery.

...  watching avery walk.  not sure it will ever get old.

...  peanut butter m&ms.

...  summer nights.

...  charlie getting my car cleaned.

...  alone time.

...  cool summer walks.

...  seeing back-to-school stuff in stores.

...  a new pen.

...  baking with a toddler.

...  eating that cake with said toddler.

...  reading a book and drinking tea with the windows open after avery goes to bed.
...  clean cloth diapers.  dirty cloth diapers.  cloth diapers period.
... pigtails.
... naked babies.
...  a random cool summer day.

2012.

this year was the best.  seriously.  and i blame avery for it all.  i'm so, so thankful for our little family.   

in january i was on maternity leave and spent most of it cuddling a very tiny baby.  charlie's parents came to visit and meet their granddaughter for the first time.  we also started house hunting in colorado and then debated about moving back to d.c. for a bit before finally deciding on staying in colorado.

in february i went back to work, we celebrated a very mellow valentines day, and avery met her cousin for the first time.

in march we made an offer on our house and read a lot of books.

april brought a lot of packing & work on getting ready to move.  my mom also came out for a week to spend some time with avery.

in may we finally moved and my sister came out after she finished finals.

we had a visit from charlie's mom in june and spent a lot of time working on the house and taking avery to the pool.

we took avery on her first roadtrip to telluride in july and then came home to a visit from my parents & then had another visit from family at the end of the month.

we finally made it to the reservoir in august.

we did some hiking in september & alex and jeff came to visit for labor day weekend. 

in october we took a trip back to maryland to see lots of family and friends and celebrate a wonderful wedding.  we also celebrated avery's first halloween.

we celebrated thanksgiving in november.  

and we finished the year with two family visits, two birthdays, and christmas in december.

it's the little things ...

...  sweet baby hugs.
...  a rearranged living room.
...  a husband who is home after being gone for a week.
...  grilled cheese & avocado sandwiches.
...  an afternoon trip to the swings with the baby and dogs.
...  attempting to make something sort of crafty and actually having it work.
...  counting down the days until my mom and sister visit.
...  looking forward to birthday celebrations this week.
...  being done with christmas shopping.
...  watching avery learn new words: ear and paw are her favorites right now.
...  watching avery learn new things and then being more excited for her than she is for herself.
...  a baby who's attempting to walk.
... spending a morning drinking coffee, listening to christmas music, and reading christmas books.
...  weekend mornings with the family.
...  a glass of wine on a friday night.
...  a baby who's sleeping through the night (some of the time).
...  evenings with charlie after avery's in bed.
...  clean laundry.

it's the little things ...

love this.

...  functioning appliances.

...  a husband who takes the baby so i can sleep in.

...  clean laundry.

...  gorgeous fall weather.

...  guests who help eat the leftover halloween candy.

...  afternoon walks.

...  a baby who slept 10 hours one night.

...  watching avery eat peas.

...  a clean house.

...  a week where everything returns to normal.

...  putting the winter quilt on our bed.

...  a computer with a working battery.

...  a baby who plays hide and seek.

...  a dog who lets the baby climb over him, pull his ears, and grab his nose.

...  a babyproofed office.

...  when the broncos win.

...  watching henry & avery play.
...  watching charlie & avery play.
...  christmas decorations.
...  our chalkboard door.
...  watching a baby swing.
...  how excited the dogs get when they go outside in the morning.
...  coffee + oatmeal + fake sausage = breakfast
...  leftovers for lunch.
...  cooking with my dutch oven.
...  clean sheets & vacuumed floors on a friday night.
...  a hat on a baby.
...  when avery naps in her crib for longer than 20 minutes.
...  finally having all of the trim and doors painted (on the first level anyway).
...  watching avery try new foods.
... a beer after the baby's asleep.
... hulu.
...  reading a book on the couch after avery's asleep.
...  caramel hershey kisses.
...  ice cream after dinner.
...  holiday weekends.
...  waking up to the sounds of a happy baby.
...  afternoon trips to the playground with henry, too. 

thankful.

i'm thankful for so many things this year, both big and little:  all the time i've been able to spend with this lady this year, the fact that we're all feeling better enough to eat turkey today, a husband who is not only my best friend but a great dad, and all the friends and family we couldn't celebrate with this year.  but mostly it's the family thing.  right now we have a turkey in the oven, a baby napping on charlie, and we're already full from riceballs and stuffed mushrooms.  if thanksgiving happened once a month it wouldn't be such a bad thing.  

it's the little things ...

... a baby reading books.

... a cozy living room.  just in time for some snow flurries.  

...  a baby who naps.  

...  when avery sleeps past 7.

...  a glass of wine on a sunday night.

...  the leaves changing colors. 

...  pumpkins on the porch.

...  watching avery try new food.

...  how excited avery gets when i let her sit in the cart.

...  when henry tries to play with the baby.

...  a husband who cleans and mows the grass.

...  watching a movie with charlie.

...  fall tv.

...  meatballs in the crockpot.

...  cooking a dinner that avery approves of.

...  cooking any dinner at all.

...  reading a book.

...  a nice walk on a fall day.

...  coffee on weekend mornings.

...  facetime.

...  watching the broncos.  even when they lose.

...  clean laundry.

...  when avery falls asleep in my arms.

...  how avery's hands always smell like whatever she ate:  strawberries, meatballs, it's always something good.

...  a crawling baby = a happy baby.

...  clean cloth diapers.

...  avery wearing my old clothes.

...  how excited avery gets in the morning when she sees everyone for the first time.

...  avery saying 'uh-oh' as she drops things onto the floor.  i'm sure this will get old eventually but it's cute for now.

it's the little things ...

watching these two together is probably one of my favorite things.

...  changing leaves.

...  a lazy sunday full of football (or playing with the baby and talking to friends while football is on).

... fresh flowers.

...  a walk in cool weather.

...  applesauce in the crockpot.

...  a fun saturday with my little family.

...  avery napping in the car.

...  a baby who only wakes up once in the middle of the night.  

...  clean diapers. 

...  a movie on a saturday night.

...  flannel sheets.

...  sleeping with the windows open.

...  when henry comes in the bed to cuddle in the middle of the night because he gets scared of the wind.

...  when charlie get's avery when she wakes up.

...  listening to charlie and avery play while i cook dinner.

...  how excited avery gets whenever she gets her hands on a phone.

...  a clean house.

...  mondays.  lovely, relaxing mondays.

...  when charlie doesn't travel.

...  reading books with avery.

...  how our entertainment comes from the baby instead of the tv these days.

...  hiking.  i've really missed it.

...  a full tank of gas.
... sunday morning coffee with charlie.
...  watching avery try and say cat.
...  how the stroller and the car and the ergo will put her to sleep every time.
...  grilling our dinner.  i'm going to miss this in the winter.
...  snow in the mountains.  i'm not ready for it here yet.

it's the little things ...

...  the way avery reads books now.  like really reads them.

...  watching the two people i love snuggling on the couch watching baseball.  this is otherwise known as the 30 seconds that avery sat still for once in her life.

...  a baby in cute baby pajamas.  

...  avery's messy hair in the morning.  

...  watching the kid walk/stomp her way around the house while gripping tightly to someone's hands.

...  a cold dog nose shoved in my face in the morning.  i love you too, henry.

...  taking a shower without avery in the bathroom.  

...  starbucks in the morning.  this happens so infrequently but is so good.

... that first day with fall-like temperatures in september.

...  september.  one of my favorite months.  

...  clean sheets and a really old but really soft quilt.

...  a baby who may crawl one day.  the jury's still out on this one.

...  a clean house on a friday night.  so we may not be exciting but we do have a clean house for the weekend.

...  watching avery try new foods.  

...  watching an entire movie without falling asleep.

...  visiting friends.

... a happy hour drink and a long walk through boulder.

...  having charlie as my co-worker.

...  a nap with the baby.

... going grocery shopping after those last few days of 'we really have no food in this house, not even an egg to boil'.

...  chocolate covered pretzels.

...  a freezer full of baby food.

...  tickets booked for our trip to md.

...  when all the diapers in our house are clean.

...  when charlie cooks breakfast.  

it's the little things ...

hahaha.

...  the way that avery wiggles her toes when she's in the stroller.

...  when the cats are in for the night before it gets dark.

...  getting texts and pictures from my dad.  getting an iphone was the best decision ever. :)

... when i'm at work and charlie sends me a picture of avery.

...  when avery wakes up only once in the middle of the night.

...  hanging out on the deck on a friday night as a family.

...  walks with my three (sometimes four) favorite people/animals.

...  taking a shower without a screaming baby in the bathroom.

...  when i leave the room and avery doesn't scream bloody murder.

... 2 hour naps.  

...  making a new dinner and actually having it be something good.

...  grilling out 90% of our meals.

...  grocery shopping with charlie.  and avery too, of course.

...  facetime.

...  watching avery eat cheese. so  cute.

... and drink out of a straw for the first time.

...  when she get's in her really happy moods and laughs at everything and screams for no reason at all.

...  how good ollie is with her.

...  and dunkin and henry, too.  toby's learned to run away.

...  watching an entire movie.

...  when charlie comes home and i wasn't expecting to see him.

...  going to the pool.  i never thought i would say that.

...  a clean house.

...  when all the diapers are clean.

...  cool mornings.

...  opening the windows.

...  holding a sleeping baby.

...  when the sleeping baby stays asleep as i put her down and leave the room.

...  when charlie puts avery to sleep.

...  getting sleep myself.  sleep is a very big thing around here.

...  emails. non-work related.

strawberries.

this sweet baby had her first strawberry today.

i'm not sure what was sweeter: watching her take bites while smashing red berry juice all over her face or the fact that she's now sleeping on my lap, wearing nothing but a diaper, and smelling like fresh strawberries.

it really is the little things.

it's the little things ...

he's a good one, this cat.

...  a family nap.

... white trim.

...  clean diapers. 

...  charlie reading a book.

...  baby snuggles at midnight.

...  rain.

...  a lazy saturday morning with my 2 favorite people.

...  a glass of wine.

...  dogs.  they're fabulous company.

...  drinking a cup of coffee before it gets cold.

...  a movie on a friday night.

...  folded laundry.

...  the smell of cut grass.

...  my snuggly, sweet cat.

...  and the mean one, too.

...  a half empty house and a half full one, too.
... a new kitchen (to us) with so many cabinets.
...  a mowed lawn.  this feels weird to say.
...  2:30.
...  afternoon walks with avery and the dogs.
...  how our neighbors already want to come over and play with the dogs.  (they're 10).
...  avery's new room.  it's pink.  i cannot believe i did that.
...  when charlie gets home from a work trip.
...  watching charlie play with avery.
...  van morrison.  he's saved our evenings lately.
...  continuing the trend of monthly visitors.
...  thunderstorms.
...  watching henry play in his backyard.  and (hopefully) chase away all the rabbits.
...  vacation plans for 2012 and 2013!

it's the little things ...

this picture cracks me up.

...  watching new girl with charlie while drinking a beer.  a beer!

... putting avery to bed at 7:30 means 2 hours with just my husband.

...  corona lights.  makes me think of manassas.

...  a baby who was pretty much perfect during an almost-three-hour closing.

...  avery's toes.

...  sleeping in on saturday.

...  running into charlie at the end of his run on our walk and then walking home together.

...  watching henry roll around in the grass.

...  baby laughs.

...  ice cream.

...  taking a nap with the baby.

...  rain.

...  cuddling with a clean baby.

...  showering at night.

...  when conference calls get cancelled.

...  grilling season = no cooking!

...  a 'free' kitchen island in our new house.

...  a baby who naps.

...  when charlie takes the recycling out.

...  a baby who likes running errands.

...  the ergo carrier.

...  watching henry play with a new toy.

...  when charlie makes the coffee.

...  fresh pineapple.

...  pink lady apples.

...  picking out paint colors.

...  a healthy, growing baby.

it's the little things ...

it's been a while.  lots of little things to be thankful for.

...  watching charlie rock the baby to sleep.

...  quick weeknight dinners that still meet the definition of cooking. 

...  family visits. 

...  avery falling asleep in target = wandering around the store to let her sleep.

...  re-reading farmer boy for the first time in probably 20-some years.

...  books in the dollar section at target.

...  charlie taking the recycling out.

...  the black bean burger at smasburger.

...  friday night pizza night. 

...  putting avery to bed at 7.

...  baby snuggles in the early morning.

...  ollie sleeping on top of me.

...  midnight thunderstorms.

...  watching charlie read to avery.

...  a rollin', movin' baby.

...  the huge smile i get first thing in the morning.

...  rocking the baby in the middle of the night.

...  a clean baby.

... baby laundry. 

...  amazon subscribe and save.

...  pasta jays for lunch.

...  touch and feel books.

... the bumbo & sophie, especially on work days.

...  books. 

...  70 degree weather on the weekends.

...  spring.

  

all the little things i don't want to forget...

despite the fact that everyone keeps telling me how tiny my baby is -  hello people, she comes from two pretty tiny parents, what did you expect? i can't help but think how BIG she's getting.  the other night during her evening 'i want nothing more than you to pace up and down the halls with me' session, charlie was walking with her and she fell asleep.  and really, is there any better time than when the screaming baby falls asleep?  i think not.  anyway, i was watching them and she just looked so grown up.  she was all floppy, one arm was dangling down, she was sockless, and one pants leg was hiked all the way up to her knee.  and she looked all big and sweet at the same time.  

my favorite thing would have to be nursing her, my second would have to be holding her when she's alseep, and my third would have to be watching charlie hold the sleeping baby.  

some of my favorite little things are when she yawns and sticks her tongue out at the same time, that big grin that i get first thing in the morning, her look of intense concentration when she's trying to figure something out, how she snuggles up to me in the middle of the night when she's eating, how she'll hold onto my shirt with one hand when she's eating, moving her top leg when she's eating, a big sigh when she's fed and perfectly content, how big her eyes get when she's somewhere new and trying to take it all in, her fatty fingers, chunky cheeks and thighs.  

and that's it for now.

it's the little things ...

she was mad.

...  almost 60 degree weather in february even if there were 70 mph winds.

...  walks with the dogs.

...  how charlie takes the dogs out in the morning.

...  a rare morning when we all sleep in until 7 am.

...  avery sleeping a 7 hour stretch last night!

...  checking on my sleeping baby and watching her sleep for a few minutes.

...  the moby wrap.  so many things get done because of this.

...  when avery falls asleep with each of her hands wrapped around one of my fingers.

...  an afternoon coffee with the family.

...  walks around fort collins.

...  real estate agents who do the home finding for us.

...  clean sheets.

...  when charlie gives avery her bath.

...  watching avery grab a handful of ollie.  just you wait cat, this is only the beginning.

...  a cold snowy thursday.

...  working from home.  (although this has been quite a big thing for me)

...  flickr, blogger, gchat, and facetime which have helped us stay in contact with people.

...  all of the clothes that people have given us for avery.  who knew baby clothes were so expensive.

...  gap baby clothes.  so soft.  although only worth the money when they're on clearance.
...  chunky baby thighs.
...  cooking dinner with charlie.

it's the little things ...

toby likes books, too.

... when avery's tired and lays her head on my shoulder.

...  dessert.

...  valentine's day packages.

...  with homemade cookies.

...  clean sheets.

...  2.5 hour naps.

...  maternity leave.  even if it's unpaid, it's so worth it.

...  flowers.

...  melting snow.  spring seems like a long way off.

...  baby smiles in the middle of the night.

...  baby smiles in the morning.

...  how happy avery is in the bath.

...  when she holds on to my shirt when she's nursing.

...  soup on a cold day.

...  moby naps.

...  when all the laundry's clean.

...  watching a movie.  it took 15 hours to finish it, but it was still nice.

...  weekly video chats.

...  working from home.  (this is a big thing.)

...  being in the middle of a good book.

...  weekends.

it's the little things (colorado) ...

leash free and quite happy.

...  the rocky mountains.

...  voice and sight control.

...  hiking the flatirons.

...  pasta jays.

...  rooftop outdoor seating.  it's the most.

...  cool summers.

...  open windows.

...  snowy winters.

...  weekend trips to the mountains.

...  boulder.

...  nice people.

...  july thunderstorms.

...  no waits at restaurants.

...  reservoir camping.

...  amazing beer.

...  bug free summers.
...  aspen trees.
...  14ers.
...  small babies.
...  glacier fed lakes.
...  canoeing with the pups.

it's the little things (d.c.) ...

not sure why i like this picture so much but i do.

...  family.

...  rio grande.

...  fresh crabs.

...  weekend beach trips.  

... driving through berlin and eating at old mill.

...  dates with charlie sans baby.

...  soft skin and flip flops.

... rain.

...  trees.

...  east coast falls.

..  trader joes = 2 buck chuck.

...  people to celebrate with: birthdays, holidays, etc.

...  free concerts at christmas time.

...  the solar decathlon.

...  the billy goat trail.

... walks along the potomac.

...  shenandoah.

  ...  no need for 4 wheel drive.

...  driving east over the bay bridge.

...  cornfields.

...  pumpkin and apple picking.

...  wood burning fireplaces.

...  western maryland.

...  quiet waters park.

...  old town alexandria.

...  mike's/coastal flats/sweetwater tavern.