All About Avery

On Saturday, 25 August, Devon, Avery, & I left the hospital together for a picnic at Washington Park in Portland. We tried to really enjoy ourselves while playing with Avery at the park, but it was very difficult. It was the first time that the three of us were on our own anywhere, since Jordan was born. Many times the four of us went out together, but more often than not it was 'divide & conquer': one parent out with Avery, one at home with Jordan (even if out just meant out in the yard). Devon and I both suffered from the feeling that that was what our lives would feel like without Jordan someday -- not a happy feeling (despite the fact that going out with Jordan or 'dividing & conquering' are both extremely difficult in themselves).

Saturday at Washington Park with Avery

Since Jordan was in the hospital for 18 days (and I got used to not being at the hospital 24/7) which was followed by the in-home nursing we are currently enjoying, Avery has really been reaping the benefits. I felt terrible (& terribly guilty) leaving Jordan home with the nurse, but at the same time Avery & I took advantage of this and spent the afternoon at the Oregon Museum of Science & Industry (OMSI) & the library.

At the fake beach, with nice, clean, dry sand

Giving a puppet show to anyone who would watch. Her imagination is really taking off these days. . . .

Shopping with Troy, the aggressive checker

Let's play chipmunk & hoard acorns for the winterBuilding her own forestEven the infant area was fun -- and why should those babies be the only ones with a ball pit anyway?

Gotta get some water play in

This last Saturday, in 'divide & conquer' mode, Devon & Avery scouted for new cabinets for the downstairs bathroom (even though that's probably months away), went to for a hike at Horsetail Falls, & then finished off the day at the Vancouver Sausage Festival for dinner & carnival rides. I hung out at home with our new nurse, and started cleaning out the playroom in order to repaint the blue & touch up the off-white (it was also a great time to high-grade the toys, since Avery wasn't around to hinder the process). We slapped this room together so quickly last fall that a lot of details, big & small, were brushed aside. Time to take advantage of the extra hands and get that room finished up once and for all.

Where's Avery? This game could take a long time. . . .

There she is! Phew, daddy found her pretty quicklyGood thing there was a female there to read the map
This is even cooler than looking at the map

Tape & plastic, again. Seriously, it's never-ending in this house.

And due to the duress we were under last October & November we ended up with a non-matchable blue -- so I had to repaint the 2 walls entirely. Oh well, at least it was only 2 walls. I like the new color better, but Devon liked the old one. Believe it or not, these two colors were as close as we could find on swatches.