GG Turns 90

This year was a special year for a very special lady. My Grammy (the kids' GG) turned 90 years old this year. Grammy has always been a very present grandparent in my life and though she lives far away, my kids have a wonderful relationship with her as well. For this, I will forever be grateful. We have been most fortunate that she has been able to travel up to NH quite often to visit and we have been able to go to Pennsylvania as well. The kids always love their visits with her. This year Grammy's whole family got together to celebrate her big year. We started the week with a fun day at Hershey Park and then we spent lots of quality time visiting with family. The kids always enjoy seeing their cousins and it was nice to see them playing games and reading with their great-grandparents. It was a wonderful time to celebrate a wonderful lady.

This blog not only holds pictures of our time celebrating Grammy, but pictures of her time with my kids as the years have passed. So many special memories have been had with her. She has shown so much love for me, Chris and the kids over the years. When she visits she is always present; wanting to read, play, bake or chat with the kids. She is always interested in what they have to say. The kids know this, and because of this, they have formed amazing bonds with her despite the distance and our unfortunate time away from her due to Covid. Grammy is the kindest, purest, most loving, gentlest, most amazing person in the world and we are so blessed to be able to call her our Grammy/GG. She is simply the best of the best.

Usually my blogs are about the kids, or for the kids. Basically journaling for them in the future to look back on. This is my first one that isn't really about the kids. Grammy has always written in journals and now has enjoyed reading mine. When I started writing these blogs, she was probably the most excited about them and the most grateful for them. I do hope that one day the kids will be grateful for them too, but for now, I am thankful for my Grammy. She is my biggest fan and it only makes sense that she get her very own blog entry. I love you Gram - this one is for you! <3

Grammy & Pappy with my sisters and I circa 1991?

Our week in Pennsylvania to celebrate GG's 90th birthday:

Our Sweet Girl Turns 7!

Year six has been quite an adventure! This little girl has grown leaps and bounds. Avery, you have almost finished 1st grade. Your cautious nature made you a little nervous about a new school this year. Hand in hand we walked into your school to meet your new teacher and after that you never looked back. You have excelled this year and we could not be more proud of you. Academics are always important but what we love most about what your teachers continuously say about you is how kind and nurturing you are. You are always helpful and encouraging towards your classmates. It is not always easy allowing you to navigate some aspects of life on your own but you continue to show us that you are very capable; whether you know this about yourself or not. You’ve built incredible friendships and have blossomed into an independent young girl, navigating your world. You have never been a follower and you continue to hold onto this virtue; sometimes so stubbornly it makes me want to pull my hair out! No bribe can convince you sometimes when you have made up your mind.

Your self confidence, though not always there yet, has most definitely improved. You are more willing to take risks and make mistakes. You are a perfectionist and not doing it right the first time has been a challenge for you. You have pushed yourself and your skills. At the beginning of this school year, you would only read books to us if we asked you to and they were usually books that you have practiced prior. Now I will catch you reading books on your own. Picking up a book that you have never tried to read and reading the whole thing. You are a confident reader and love to read on your own and especially to Oliver. You absolutely killed it this winter with your skiing; tackling black diamonds with dad. You’ve conquered your fears with swimming and by the end of your swim lessons were jumping off the diving board into the deep end without floaties.

You continue to thrive with creativity. Everything you do, your artistic abilities shine. There are constantly drawings, maps, pictures, crafts scattered around the house. Thanks to you and your brother, at one point this year our entire downstairs looked like one giant art craft! You inevitably come home with something you created at school on a daily basis.

This year has not always been easy. You were fighting fever after fever in December; including Christmas Day. The next day daddy brought you into the doctors and insisted on an x-ray even though you were breathing fine. Thank goodness he did because the phone call I received from the doctor a few hours later said “Bypass Elliot hospital and go right to Boston Children’s hospital.” You ended up with necrotic pneumonia which was thankfully found in time to make a full recovery. Your little body fought hard and you met your daily goals and we were able to make it home to watch the ball drop on New Years Eve. You came to the hospital with so much Harry Potter paraphernalia that by the end of your stay, doctors were showing up to our room dressed in their own Harry Potter gear. You are truly our little Gryffindor.

Now our little girl is 7. I can’t believe we have a 7 year old. Happy birthday to our always sweet, sometimes sassy, kind, energetic, eye-roll perfectionist, nurturing, creative girl, Avery Lynn. The world is brighter and more beautiful with you in it. I can’t wait for another trip around the sun with my favorite little girl. I love you more than you’ll ever know.