We're Back ... & We Have News

First, and most exciting these days (in case any of you who read this haven't heard; I'm sure there aren't many), we are expecting Baby McConnell #3 on June 7!! We aren't going to find out if it's a boy or girl, so don't ask. =) We also don't know whether we'll use another "A" name, so don't ask about that either. =)

As for the rest of life, I know it's been a while, but following is a quick timeline of our last month of life:

Oct 21: Put our house on the market (thinking it would take months to sell)

Oct 23: Receive a final contract on our house

Oct 25: Decide we better start looking for a new house to move into for the next 7 months of life

Oct 27: Find another place to live

Oct 28: Decide we have to move in the upcoming weekend because there will be no more free weekends between now and date of closing

Oct 28 - 30: Pack (with a lot of help from 2 little girls, who really like to unpack more than they like to pack)

Oct 31: Move into another condo (same complex, short commute, same big hassle) with the help of some great friends Nov 1: Drive to LA for the day to visit some awesome friends

Nov 3 - 5: Allison goes to NY for a business trip

Nov 7: Try to unpack some boxes

Nov 8 - 14: Super family trip to Hawaii; I get to meet my little 'niece' Addyson for the first time, who is super-cute

Nov 17 - 18: Allison goes to CT for a business trip

Nov 20 - 25: Allison's brother, sister-in-law, and cutest 5-month old in the world, Ava, visit SD

Nov 22: Allison goes to ER for some crazy stomach bug

Nov 23 - Present: Allison's mom visits; the whole family gets sick; Thanksgiving is postponed by a day; Now we're all feeling great!

So I know that was a lot of drama and probaby way too much detail, but I just wanted to prove that I have some legit excuses for being so far behind in blogging. Now the bad news is that in the midst of the unpacking, I am still unable to locate our card reader (so no still pix on the blog today). I'm also sorry to say that I was extremely lax in taking any videos either in Hawaii or from Ava (and B&B's visit), so I'm includng only one video from Hawaii. Thanks to our very cool friends Dirk & Annie for their extreme hospitality (and just overall coolness) during our visit!

Audrey's First Haircut

I've cut Audrey's bangs many times, but yesterday was the first time she's had the rest of it cut. We went to a kids' salon and she got to sit in a little red car as the "hair-cutting chair." She didn't really love the cape that went around her, mostly, I think, because she couldn't use her hands. But the woman did a great job and she put a little braid in the top of her hair when she was done. It's so cute and I need to learn how to do it!

So here are a couple of pix (I had a hard time getting her to pose, so these will have to do). Also a couple of them from the children's museum yesterday.

Random things

First, I have the most amazing husband and children in the world!

Second, we listed our condo for sale today, so if you know anyone who needs a really awesome place in SD, send them our way. =)

Third, how do children learn to lie? Last night, Audrey was playing downstairs with Iain (cleaning the front porch; see point #2) and when she came up, she was filthy. I told her it was time to get into the bathtub. Her first reaction was to run between her headboard and the wall and say "I can't, I'm too far away." What? So I told her to come closer. Pretty simple. Then she said "I can't, I'm sick." What? You're not sick. Where does she get this stuff.

Fourth, a very cute shot of them at their music class today, dancing together.

Dance Class

It's been a busy few weeks since I last posted anything. The girls are growing and learning and keeping us very entertained! Audrey wants to know about everything. "Where is the airport, Mommy?" I tell her it's about 2 miles away. "What does 2 miles away mean, Mommy?" I tell her it means it would take us about 5 minutes to drive there. "What is 5 minutes, Mommy?" And this could go on for hours. Meanwhile, Avery is copying everything Audrey does (which is usually good, but sometimes not so much). Last night, Audrey sang ring-around-the-rosie for about 10 minutes non-stop, while the 2 of them ran around in circles around the table and threw themselves down at the appropriate times. When Audrey stopped singing, Avery stopped running, looked up, and started to whine until Audrey started singing again. So cute.

We also found out this week that Iain was selected for grad school next year, so all signs point to us being in Washington DC at this time next year. We like SD, but we're ready for the next adventure (especially since the next adventure takes us closer to family)!

Here are a couple of pix from Audrey and Avery at their dance class today (which is mostly a 'listen-to-music-and-shake-cool-toys-to-the-music class', but which is awesome for them). They are going to have a recital in December (Audrey has to learn how to bend her knees and put her arms in the air), and I'm already anticipating a whole lotta' cuteness coming out of that!!

A Day at the Aquarium

For Daddy. Love, Audrey and Avery.

Potties, Gates, and Going to Bed

So we're working on getting Audrey potty-trained. But Avery has been watching. Here she is from a couple of days ago, practicing her own skills. =)



The second video is from today. This is a daily occurrence ... as soon as Avery gets her shoes on, she knows it's time to go, and she goes to the gate, waiting to get out.



As for going to bed: Iain had to work tonight so the girls and I went to have dinner with him. As we were getting ready to leave the base, Iain was standing next to the driver's side door, talking to me. We heard Audrey start singing, to the tune of Mary had a little lamb:

Now it's time to go to bed, go to bed, go to bed, now it's time to go to bed, and put our jammies on.

So that was pretty cute (I had never heard her sing this before). But then she just busts into verse #2:

Now it's time to take a bath, take a bath, take a bath, now it's time to take a bath [slight pause, a little thinking], and then we brush our teeth.

Even cuter. But then she realized she knew a third verse:

Now it's time to take a bath [I know, this sounds like verse #2, but it has a better ending], take a bath, take a bath, now it's time to take a bath, [get ready for a really long ending], and then we brush our teeth [and then in the same tune, as if it's the first ending] and then we comb our hair [and then a pause, and in the same tune again for the ending] and then we put our jammies on [and another pause, and another ending] and then we go to beeeeeeeeddddddddd [and she carries out this last word for as long as her breath would allow her, as if she knew that the last note of a song should just be carried on and on].

Iain and I were silently cracking up, almost crying, it was so funny and adorable.

Daddies

My dad died 10 years ago this past week. A third of my life, I have spent without him, which seems almost impossible to grasp. But I am so thankful that he was MY daddy. Brantley and I are so blessed to have grown up with him. A man of virtuous character, he was also hilarious, giving, and he loved us without exception. I wish that our girls, and that Ava, could have known him. They are missing out!

Mom and Brantley, I love you guys. I wish that Dad were here to celebrate with us in the amazing joys of the last years, but I'm thankful to have you both, along with Becki and Iain and those precious angels.