Christopher Michael and Ava Grace

Happy Mother's Day to all the moms! I had a few minutes, so I thought I would update the blog with some new pictures...

All is well here in the Hess household. Ava just went for her 9 month check-up and is weighing a little over 21 pounds and is about 28 inches long. In this last week she has started crawling and clapping :) I don't know what I'm going to do with 2 of them on the move now! Ava has 4 teeth and is in the process of getting 4 (yes, all at once) new ones. She has not been the happiest camper these last couple of days, but I guess it's better to get 4 of them at the same time and over all at once. Ava is eating all table food now, and she has not met a food that she doesn't like...unlike her brother who has not met a food that he does like. Once she had a taste of real food, she did not want to go back to the baby food. I've been making her lots of sweet potatoes, green beans, macaroni, pierogies, rice and quesadillas :)

Christopher is also doing very well and is talking up even more of a storm than he was a month ago! At times he enjoys playing with Ava now that she interacts more, and at times, he does not want her around at all. We are going to have to work on sharing our toys with her. Overall, they get a long pretty well, and he has really started enjoying playing with her and making her laugh. He is getting better at golf (which Dad is loving), and is still loving exploring the outdoors!

Helpling Pa work around the house

Practicing our golf swing

Sweet boy

We do NOT like help

This is what Ava thinks about her brother golfing

Chubba Wubba

Easter egg hunt!

There are actually treats inside?!

Silly boy

Weekend morning fun

Ava and Mary (friends from Chicago who just moved back to Atlanta)

Ava loves the swing :)

Ava and Mary playing

Christopher and Caroline reunited!

Happy 2nd birthday, Caroline!

Christopher loves to help Ava

Book club

Bath fun

Picnic at the park

Christopher did a little shopping at the gas station

Hello Everybody! It's been a few months since I last updated the blog, and I figured it was about time to add some more pictures. The past few months have flown by, and the kids are growing like crazy!

Christopher had his 2nd birthday in January :) Such a big boy! He had his 2 year check-up and is 36 inches tall and weighs 34 pounds...wowza! Needless to say between carrying Ava and helping Christopher, Mom's back is usually sore! We have become VERY independent, too. Not that it wasn't already in his personality, but it has really come out lately. We love to test the limits! He is still loving his trains and letters and playing outside. Now that it has gotten warmer, he is loving being able to spend more time exploring and playing outside. He loves going to daycare and is learning so much there. He has learned to read about 40 words (crazy I know, but he LOVES his letters) and is talking up a storm! Once a week he gets to play Soccer at school, which he REALLY looks forward to along with music class on Fridays. His best friend at school is Holt (picture below), and we've heard that he even has a girlfriend, Ella Claire (or at least she thinks so). Christopher wakes up asking to go to school most days, so it makes going to work for Mom and Dad a little easier knowing that he loves where he goes each day. He's been pretty sick with a cold this past week, but after a few french toast sticks, a banana, and a pop tart this morning, I'm thinking that he is feeling much better!

Little Miss Ava is doing great, too :) At her 6 month check-up she was about 20 pounds. Following right in her brother's footsteps! She has her two bottom teeth and her two top teeth are about to pop through. We think that Ava's hemangioma is done growing. It shouldn't get any bigger than it is now, and it should start getting smaller and fade over the next few years. We've been seeing a pediatric dermatologist for it, and he has just been monitoring it and thinks that it is doing fine. They don't recommend treating them unless they are compromising a vital part of the body such as the eye or nose. They usually clear up on their own and then the leftover can be lasered later on if needed. Ava's hair will cover hers when she FINALLY gets some! Ava seems to really enjoy going to daycare also. She is one of 5 babies and is the only girl. She sits with her friends at the table and talks to them and will even hold hands if they are sitting right next to her :) Ava can now sit up on her own, although, we do topple over after awhile, and she is looking like she is attempting to crawl these past couple of days. She should be on the move soon! I'm not sure if that is a good thing or a bad thing...