That time of the year again...

NO GOOD!

It's that time of the year again...Christmas card time! We love it at the Dorr house, and I look forward to it every year! This is our 6th Christmas as the Dorrs, and it's always fun to take a few pictures and slap them on a photo card for friends and family at Christmas time. It usually takes about 10 minutes to take a picture of the two of us, but that has changed drastically this year with our new addition! It took us two days, and about an hour to take pictures.

The first batch we took was on Saturday, and we were somewhat coordianted in our outfits. The pictures were really frustrating to take using the remote clicker with the camera on the tripod. We quickly got frustrated, and the pictures didn't even come out that good. They looked too formal, and just not 'us'.

I decided we'd take pictures again (on Sunday) in whatever kind of clothes, and make it something fun. Our friend Claire came over to visit just in time to be our photographer. The second session was way better, and more fun too! We got a whole bunch of candid pictures, which came out really good!

Stay tuned for this years Christmas card :)

Pocohantas dress up

Avery demanded an Indian Princess head dress yesterday on Thanksgiving. So of course I had to make her one. Pocahontas has nothing on Avery Dorr :)

Happy 1 Month, Avery Dorr

Avery is 1 month old today! In some ways the last month has gone by really fast, and in other ways it feels like Avery has always been a part of our lives. She's changed so much since she was born. She was 9 lbs 6 oz when she was born, and now a month later she's weighing in at a very healthy 10 lbs 14 oz! The doctors are blown away by her weight, and continue to say she's a nursing champ!

Over the last few days she's begun to smile out of expression...not gas, track different voices, and coo/make noises to express herself! John and I's favorite time with her is when she's just hanging out on the changing table in her diaper making noises, and moving around. She's such a happy baby!

She's met Nona and Poppas (my mom and dad) and tons of friends in her first month, and will be meeting Mim (John's mom), and Auntie Rebecca within the next month :)

Bath time

Avery's umbilical cord FINALLY fell off Thursday night- phew...that took a while...4 weeks to be exact! We are finally able to give her a real tub bath, instead of the sponge baths we had been giving her. She didn't know what to think of all the water at first, but ended up really liking it! Here she is so fresh...so clean!

Gatherings...

My mom, Avery, and I...3 generations

Claire and Kai (7 wks), Avery and I (4 wks), Katey and Piper (3 wks)

John, Stewart (and Kai), and Jon

Claire, myself, and Katey

Katey and I
Matt surprised as he walked in, and saw everyone there!

My mom, John, and sweet Avery looking like a 6 month old baby. Haha!

Claire and I

Last night we went to VA Beach for Matt's 30th surprise birthday party, and had a great time! Katey has been planning this party since the summer, and not only was it a surprise, but the REAL surprise was that his whole family came into town to surprise him! His parents from Colorado, siblings, and kids from different states- how cool?!

It was fun to hang out with friends, and get out for a bit. I was able to get some pictures of the 'threesome'...Kai, Avery, and Piper! Kai is almost 7 weeks, Avery is 4 weeks, and Piper is almost 3 weeks old.

Did I mention my mom is in town?! She was in for two weeks when Avery was born, and had Thursday and Friday off of this week, so she came in Wednesday, and leaves Sunday. A short visit, but it's been great! She is super helpful when she's here, and I'm able to get out with Avery (and without) much more when she's here. It's so great to have an extra set of hands to help out...with the big, and little things.

Professional Newborn Pics

When Avery was 9 days old (10.30.10) we had her newborn pictures taken at the house, and they came out precious! Terresa Shaw was the photographer who took them, and she did our maternity pictures at the end of July as well.

As soon as I got the CD with the pictures on it, I started working on her birth announcement. I'm hoping to order them this week, and have them mailed out by the weekend...so exciting!