Christmas 2011

Christmas was tough this year. Avery got the flu Christmas Eve night (so she may look a little peeked). With Avery sick and Zoey soon after, we struggled to get many photos after Christmas morning.

Avery, Santa, and Zoey

Santa at the Noga's

For the second year in a row, we went to Jay and Molly Noga's house for a Christmas party. Santa showed again with a gift for each child (and Uncle Mike?!). Each kid got a chance to sit on Santa's lap and tell him what they wanted for Christmas.  You both went together and we're great until we tried to take a picture. Then Zoey freaked. But, she and Avery really liked their Sesame Street Cell Phones.
After dinner we went to eat with Uncle Mike, Aunt Jessie, and Cousin Addison. Avery may be brewing up a crush on Uncle Mike.

Man's Best Friend? Zoey's Best Friend!

Zoey loves cuddling with KaBoom!

 

Thanksgiving 2011

Thanksgiving Eve we went to dinner with the Repola crew.  Avery just kept reaching for mommy's lime in her drink.  SO we finally gave it to her.  Funny faces.  But after the sour went away she grabbed the lime for round 2. . .then round 3.

Walking

Zoey is always trying to learn how to do something. From getting her socks on or off to learning to switch on the fan when she is on the changing table (sometimes I really need that fan moving the air). As Avery has been content to crawl, Zoey kept attempting to stand. Zoey started with leaning on something, then tried to do it freestyle; constantly pushing her limits. Then she really enjoyed getting her self standing with aid of furniture then "walking" to mom or dad a few steps away. When I say walking I mean a controlled fall. She was so excited to have accomplished this, but still unsatisfied. Soon two steps became three, then four. All while Avery sat near by watching. Taking mental notes. As soon as we were about to proclaim Zoey as walking, Avery stood up and was nearly as good as Zoey.

When the girls were very young they had a lot of trouble with acid reflux (heartburn). Avery seemed to have it worse than Zoey. Our doctor told us Avery would have a very strong core from flexing and manipulating here body to ease the acid reflux pain. The doc said Avery would have an easier time with learning physical things like walking because of this strength. Well, we were seeing it with the walking.

So in mid November, we officially had walkers!!

Halloween

We knew it wouldn't be easy dressing you up this year but your mom insisted on it. We bribed with puffs during a photo shoot the day before Halloween and managed to get a few nice shots.

On Halloween night, you both absolutely loved the trick-or-treaters coming to our door.  You were thrilled to show off your costumes and how adorable you looked when the visitors came but the minute the door closed, off came the head pieces, wings and tails. Grandma and Grandpa also visited on Halloween night and surprised you with some treats.

Last Days of Fall

To celebrate one of the last really warm days of fall we hung out in the backyard.

Chores...

I hope you always love the dishwasher!

Until we can walk...

...we like to do this in the mean time:

"If you're not going to read to me, then I'll just have to do it myself!"

Thirteen Months already...

With all of the excitement in your first year of life, I thought things might slow down after your first birthday.  NOPE! 




Happy 1st Birthday A&Z!

Avery and Zoey, you are some very spoiled 1 year old babies!

One year Ago by Daddy

Tuesday, September 14th seemed fairly normal. I drove into work because we had a team meeting. I remember it was the day I told my co-workers I was going to go part-time because we were having twins. After work, I drove to practice to get the team prepared to play game #3 against Rocky Mountain HS in Fort Collins. After practice and talking to Matt Loyd about the week's plan, I got in the car to head off to get dinner and then home. It was normal operating procedures to call and make sure your mom was OK and to see if she wanted a snack or dessert. So just about 8pm I called home and was shocked when she said she hadn't even had dinner. So I got her order and called California Pizza Kitchen. Just short of 9pm I got home with pasta for me and pizza for your mom. This was when everything began. . .

A year of memories

. . .game day lunches with Myers at the hospital cafeteria after seeing you. . .I wish my head was "Rooooowwwwnnnd". . . the #@*#$ oxygen meter and it's ^>%#@ beeping. . . rocking sweet jaundice glasses . . .driving your Flintstones cars everywhere, til you were exhausted . . . You don't know it yet, but you love sports. . .Mom getting to hold both of you for the first time and dad simply melting. . .Shawna getting a lesson from Zoey on how to properly put a diaper on. . .Addison renaming Avery, VeVe. . .Dad saying "We're not having babies tonight" on September 14th . . . Zoey singing Michael Jackson songs (with a little help from Dad). . . Dad watching lots of bowl games with you as his Paternity leave was during the college bowl season. . .Getting your ears pierced at a Tattoo shop by this dude . . .Spending your first couple of months living in vibrating Bouncy chairs. . . the perfect army crawl by Zoey. . .Photo Shoots. . . Playing dress-up with Avery and Zoey . . . milk management. . . IVs in arms and heads. . . Daddy learning the proper massage technique from the "Massage Specialist" in the NICU, then over-doing the Spa by giving the girls the massages and then painting their tiny finger nails with a Sharpie. . .Easter Dresses . . ."Where's VeVe?" - "There she is!" . . . Bozy, ZoBo, Big Z, Bozy Bozied, OhhE and her sister AJ, V, VeVe, Vree . . .The DirecTV guy meeting Zoey and asking her age, then later when introduced to her twin sister, asking "How old is this one" . . . Happy Hour Sonic Slushies during nap time . . . Avery's low raspy giggle that lasted only a couple of weeks . . .Meeting a completely different person when the oxygen came off . . .Acid freaking Reflux is terrible. . . Working behind the scenes to get good photos. . . Aunt Stacey completely taking care of the girls' reading needs . . . Swimming lessons and Zoey kicking and propelling and surpassing the rest of her class to beyond exhaustion . . . Dancing, lots and lots of dancing that Avery nearly falls over her hips are moving so fast . . . couch time between dinner and bed time . . . Puma driving shoes compliments of Memaw and Papa . . . Kangaroo care . . . the whole family contracting MRSA, yuck! . . . first Christmas presents, the rocking horse and Fritz, the rocking frog . . . Avery's serious case of Man anxiety . . .

Tah Dah we're 11 months old! Uh-oh!

Uncle Jared

Uncle Jared made a trip to Colorado and stopped by to see everyone. He sure is photogenic! (Better pics after the Jump)

Avery, Uncle Jared , and Zoey

Swimming Lessons

10 Months Old

We just went to CostCo for diapers. . .

Seems like every time you go to CostCo for 1 thing, that 1 thing sneaks like 5 or 6 of his odd-ball friends into your cart. We go for diapers and end up with diapers, 6 gallons of mayonnaise, a kite (a Tina Bode recommendation), enough canned chicken to make enchiladas for a football team, dress socks, and a 4 foot 5 inch tall stuffed teddy bear. Yes a stuffed bear whom is taller than both of you if you were standing atop each other. All in all it was the most fun we have ever had at CostCo!!

Avery and Zoey in CostCo

4th of July!

Fourth of July was a very eventful day and you both started out in some very cute and festive outfits:

Avery and Zoey

Avery enjoying Zoey's pinwheel work!

The 9 month match-up

9 months Battle-Roy-Al!!  In the first ride-em sock-em rock-n-chair war we have. . (Ding. . .Ding. . .Ding)

Zoey and Avery

1st Father's Day

Hi, this is Daddy just stopping by to thank you both for a great Father's Day!  The first Father's Day is weird from "this" side.  I went golfing with Grandpa JimJim and Uncle Mike at Flatirons Golf Course in Boulder.  Then followed with a B.B.Q. at Grandpa JimJim and Grammy's house.  Thanks to all the family, friends, and even former players for the First Father's Day wishes, gifts, cards, and texts.

And thank you Avery and Zoey for my new edger for Dadadadada Day!

Zoey, Avery, and the Edger

Random photos

Zoey and KaBoom looking guilty for sticking Avery under the bed

The Tiki Bar Party

You both joined Steve and Sally (Papa and Memaw) whom held their annual Tiki Bar Party on Saturday. Perfect weather to sit outside and enjoy a boat drink or a teether.

Zoey, Sally (aka Memaw), and Avery

The Instigator and the Giggler...

...see for yourself:

Old Chicago

Aunt Laurie and Uncle Jared came to town a couple weeks back to visit and where did the Francis family go...well, duh!...we went to Old Chicago. 

Well, that wasn't fun...

We experienced our first head colds and it wasn't too fun! 

Bouncy Bouncy

Due to kind donations we have two Jump-a-Roos.  Zoey took to it like a duck to water.  Bouncing as hard as she could to get it to go.  Avery was a little reserved (both following their developing personalities).  But when we added the second Jump-a-Roo, you love to bounce together.  You both are funny, but, Zoey's "Bouncy" face is hilarious.

8 months

Increased Mobility

You are figuring out how to move. Lumbering roll-overs have turned to to quick log-rolls in either direction. Zoey, you have nearly mastered sitting up. Leaving the sitting up position is far from mastered, mostly ending in face plants and shocking rolls backward. Avery, you are a little more content to be stationary, but you will join Zoey in wrestling matches.

More from Easter...

You were in your Sunday Bests:

Baptism

Easter Sunday this year marked a very special day for you both. You were baptized during Easter church service at Arvada Presbyterian Church. You both behaved so well despite missing your late morning meal and nap.

Aunts, Uncles, Grandparents, Great Grandma and the Bode's made it to the baptism. A special thank you to Uncle Mike and Aunt Jessie for being the sponsors of Avery & Zoey at the baptism!

The following are some pictures at the church. Greg and I got married in this same church and Greg was also baptized there.

Lisa with a joyful Avery and Greg with Zoey

Ears Pierced

After talking to two mom's of young girls, Marci and Tina, we felt like we would like to get the your ears pierced. We found a place we liked, that was more of a traditional tattoo parlor than a mall piercing place. We went in to get it done and got completely educated on piercing by the place's piercer and self described body-modifier, Chris. Chris told us more than we really needed to know, but in the process sold us that he was the guy whom cared the most about doing this right. He said he would call us back when he found the right earrings to safely place in a baby's ears. Finally he got back to us and set the piercing up for Saturday. The girls, all three, did great. After a few minutes of crying you were fine.

Zoey - Chris - Avery

7 months

You both are really starting to develop personalities, so while we didn't have any major doctor appointments with measurable results this month, here is the latest on your "growth":

Avery and Zoey Disagree

You had an argument this morning. It was a good debate, Zoey had me won over. We three agreed their shoes are fly.

Zoey and Avery

Zoey rocking Penn State

Going to Solid Foods

On April 7th we decided you were ready for solid foods. We decided to go with a vegetable rather than a fruit because it would be hard to have you go to vegetables after fruit. We decided to start with a bland veggie, so the choice was squash.

Avery, you seemed like you wanted to tell us it wasn't so good. . .

Zoey and Talia

Tina, Talia, and Simon stopped by to hang out today. Dad was weak on the camera skills today. Only got this one:

Zoey and Talia

Adding a Comment

After hearing from a few of you, we found our comment section was difficult to use. We fixed it. Now you can select Anonymous or Name/URL. The Name/URL can simply be your name (you can leave the URL blank).

Zoey asleep at the Wheel

Rockies Opener

The Rockies Home Opener is today. Just an excuse to play dress-up with you.

Avery, you were a little upset; you wanted to wear your Minnesota stuff, Zoey, you wanted the Colorado gear. But we all agreed the Yankees suck!

Ready for the Season

Addison joins the fun!

Jessie has the week off for spring break and brought over Addison to see "Ohhey" and "VeVe".

Avery ("VeVe") - Addison ("Addy") - Zoey ("Ohhey")

1/2 Year

You checked out great at your 6 month appointment.

Avery, you weigh 13#5ounces and is 24 inches tall both of which are in the 3rd percentile (50% corrected). Zoey, you weigh 14#1ounces and is 25 inches tall (10-25 percentile; 50-75 corrected).  You both have big heads thanks to your daddy! 17 inches which is in the 50-75 percentile (90 corrected)!!!!

SPDO 2011

Avery & me

Sunglasses or Hair Bows? You be the judge...

180 degrees

Dear Mommy and Daddy,

Perhaps you finding me this way will help you get it; I am a big girl and I do not need a towel under my head nor a wedge under my mattress.

Love,
Zoey

Girls Day Out

On Saturday February 26th, Lisa and I got you ready for a girls day out to Shannon Repola's wedding shower. Getting all three of you to look at the camera and have a smile was hilarious. . . (see the Pics)

Neither Avery or Zoey

They're not dogs for goodness sakes...

Okay, so as a first time parent, I found this rather astonishing. Today, Zoey, you rolled over for the first time. The first try took you about 20 minutes and the second only 2 or 3 (anything to get out of that horrible tummy time).

Technically 5 months old - but really 3 months...

On Valentine's day, you turned 5 months old (3 months adjusted) and you have decided that you want to be big girls.  You are growing up so fast and transitioning from newborns to infants right before our eyes. Today will be the first day we try just four feedings instead of 5 (Auntie Shawna will be the first to experience this new mission) and Zoey, you have appeared to successfully graduate from the bouncy seat and sleep nicely in the crib. Now we just need to work on the torticollis in your neck.

Avery still enjoys her bouncy seat :-)



The Varmint

So, about a week ago, during the bitter cold few days that we had, your dad heard a strange scratching noise while in his office that seemed to come from the garage or basement.  It was confirmed that he was not going crazy when the dogs became totally frantic by the noise.  It took us a few days to learn where it was coming from and then another day or so to determine what it was.

Feb -6 Nursery is finally completed!

When you decided to join the world over two months before you were scheduled, things got put on the back burner.  Things that are critical to getting you fed, pooped, and slept are priority one.  So decorating the nursery was a low priority.  When you finally came home from the hospital, you had a pink-painted room with one huge habiscus flower and a beach mural.  Nearly five months after your birth and over three months of being home, YOUR ROOM IS FINISHED!

Zoey

Today Zoey, for the first time, you realized that you are not alone :-) And, both of you seem to love T-Pain's Bartender but are not a huge fan of Green Day.

Football

Well pro football didn't go quite as well as we had hoped but at least you and your dad look good!!

Avery

Zoey