Road Trip and Babies!!!!

Avery went on her first road trip last week to south Florida. My cousin Jessi and her family now live up in Pennsylvania and came down to Florida for a week with her family. So, on Monday, December 13th, my mom, sister, Avery and I loaded up the car and made the drive to New Smyrna Beach to visit Jessi, Shelley and the rest of the family. Jessi has two children, Elijah (3 years old) and Anastasia (5 months old). It was so much fun getting Avery and Anastasia together while they are so young. Anastasia is 3 months older than Avery and it's so crazy to think that Avery will be that big soon. Time sure does fly by.

Avery slept most of the way and we stopped twice for feedings. So, what should have been a 6 hour drive was more like an 8 hour drive, but she did great! We got to Shelley's house in time for dinner-- she made us baked ziti and it was delicious! After dinner we had a photo op with Avery and Anastasia in their matching dresses from my mom and even got to iChat with Chris! Around 9pm Aunt Debbie, Uncle Chuck and David arrived and we all spent the evening playing with the babies and watching Elijah run around with all of the dogs. It was a great visit, just too short. Enjoy the pictures from our few hours in New Smyrna with the fam!

{Aunt Shelley and Aunt Amanda with their nieces}

{Jessi and me with our girls}

{Kisses from cousin, Elijah}

{Mike and Jessi with the girls}

{Avery- 7 weeks; Anastasia 19 weeks}

{COUSIN PICTURE!!!}

{Cousin David meeting and holding Avery for the first time}

{The sisters with their daughters and granddaughters}

Tuesday, December 14th was spent in Stuart, Florida with my dad's side of the family. My cousins, Ansley and Kimberly (sisters) both had babies this year also. Ansley had her little girl, Ali, just one month before Avery was born and Kimberly had her twins, Cole and Carlilye, 13 days after Avery was born. We spent the day at Will and Kimberly's house and were surprised to find out that Ansley and Ali had flown in from Atlanta. It was so much fun having all of these babies together for the first time. The living room was a sight to see with all of the baby gear and four babies laying on the floor.

{Ali-11.5 weeks old and Avery 7 weeks old}

{Cole and Carlilye- born on November 7, 2010}

{Amanda with Carter (3) and Cade (7)}

{Cousin Steven with Avery}

{Photo op with Ali, Carlilye, Cole and Avery}

{Avery and Cole}

{Avery and Ali}

{I love this! Ansley, Kimberly and me with our babies!}

I am absolutely thrilled that we were able to take this trip down South for Avery to meet her cousins. These are special times that I will always remember and I look forward to showing Avery these pictures in the future. What wonderful memories of her and her cousins. We are so blessed to have such a wonderful family and I am so thankful for our close relationships with each of them. Thank you Shelley, Kimberly and Aunt Nancy for having us!!! I wish we could have stayed longer, but I am THRILLED we had the opportunity for all of us to get together. Meeting Anastasia, Ali, Cole and Carlilye was so special.

Thank you, Christopher, for letting me take Avery for a few days to visit family. I know that had to be hard for you being away from your little girl for the first time, but I am so thankful that we were able to go and see family while Avery was still so young. I love you!!