I have to make note of this picture because it makes me so happy!  My kids are the type that will never give a natural smile in a picture.  They are always looking off to the side or closing their eyes or making a goofy face...it drives me crazy!  But we recently went to the zoo where I was able to get this pic of Gavin.  This is the happy boy I know!

I love watching how girlie Avery's nature is.  The other day I sat her down in a room with toys all over the floor.  The toys, of course, are all either boyish or gender neutral items like star-wars figures, balls, blocks, musical instruments and stuffed animals.  We own one doll that I bought for her last Christmas (because I couldn't resist) knowing that it would be ages before she would ever play with it.  The second she saw the doll she went straight for it, picked her up and hugged her!  I couldn't believe that she even knew what to do with a doll - I never showed her!  The only time the doll was played with before was when the boys were swinging it by the head!  I love that she, at 11 months old, already has a nurturing nature.  Needless to say she and her dolly have been inseparable ever since.

Happy Fourth!

Luke joined our family on July 1st (Gavin's Birthday) I'm sure you can guess that he is named after Star Wars!  He is a Puggle (half pug half beagle) and he's a whole lot of fun.  When we introduced him to the kids they screamed "don't let him touch me!" - Not really the reaction we expected, but they love him more every day.  Avery likes to laugh at him from a distance, but when they get close to each other they both can be a little rough.  Her first word aside from "momma" and "dadda" was "dog".