Family Vacation!

We just spent the last week on a family vacation in Orlando Florida! 13 of us drove in/flew in from North Carolina and Pennsylvania to spend some time together as a family.

It was so amazing watching Owen play with his 4 uncles, 2 grandparents, 1 aunt, and 3 cousins. He would wake up in the morning and play really hard until nap time, then play again until bedtime. It is so amazing to watch the 4 kids play together. As a child I absolutely loved playing with my cousins, and I just love seeing Owen enjoy the same experience.

While in Orlando we enjoyed swimming, golfing, family time, The Magic Kingdom, Sea World, and tons of fun. I have so much to say about our trip so stay tuned!

Getting to know you, and a giveaway!

It makes me so happy that Amy’s Avenue has gotten as popular as it is. In the last week I have had 1 person email me about doing a guest post and 3 companies contact me to do giveaways! It made me start thinking… who are my readers? I love watching my subscription number go up.

In the comments, please fill out the questionnaire below for 1 chance to win a $15.00 Target Gift Card. Because really, don’t we all love Target?!?!? I am so excited to get to know you all better! Giveaway ends Sunday April 24th.

Amy’s Answers, see below for a blank question list!

1. How did you find “Amy’s Avenue” ?

It is my personal blog that I started when I found out I was pregnant with Owen. I have enjoyed sharing family photos and stories with my readers.

2. Do you have a blog? If so please link to it! If you do not have a blog, please make sure to leave your email address so that I can contact you.

n/a

3. What time did you go to bed last night and were you alone?

I went to bed around 11pm last night with John. Owen was up several times with bad dreams and I ended up in the guest room at some point.

4.  What is your favorite TV show of all time ie you've seen them all, can watch it over and over again and quote lines from it?

FRIENDS! Best show ever. In college my roommate and I downloaded every episode and would watch all 10 seasons pretty regularly. Those are some of my favorite memories!

5. Your favorite item of clothing and why?

A comfortable hoodie! I love to snuggle up and stay warm. I also love really soft pants. I can not stand wearing jeans in the house so you will always find me in comfortable pants!

6. What’s the next planned event you're looking to in your life?

A family vacation to Disney is coming up. There are 13 of us going. I can not wait to experience all of the new and exciting things with Owen.

7. When was the last time you cried laughing and why?

I do this all the time! Owen cracks me up almost every day. Yesterday he embarrassed me terribly and part of me wanted to laugh and the other part wanted to cry. We were at the Pharmacy waiting for a medication and Owen looked at an old man in a wheelchair and said “ Owen wears diapers. Do YOU wear a diaper too”?? The man did not answer, and awkwardly looked away. YIKES!

BLANK LIST!

1. How did you find “Amy’s Avenue”

2. Do you have a blog? If so please link to it!

3. What time did you go to bed last night and were you alone?

4.  What is your favorite TV show of all time ie you've seen them all, can watch it over and over again and quote lines from it?

5. Your favorite item of clothing and why?

6. What’s the next planned event you're looking to in your life?

7. When was the last time you cried laughing and why?

 

disclosure- Target is in no way sponsoring this giveaway. It is just my favorite store and I want to share my love with someone else! COmments must be received by Sunday April 24, 2001.

The greatest devotional

A few weeks ago my friend turned me onto the most amazing devotional. Just as always, Beth Moore's words have had the most resonnating effect in my heart and in my mind. This is one of those devotionals that you sit wondering how it had the exact content on the perfect day to challenge you and make you grow stroger. If you are in the market for a great devotional I definitely recommend checking this out!

So much!

Such a simple phrase, “So Much”, but it packs such a punch in our family.

Myself, growing up without a stable family, I always wanted inside jokes. Things that were just ours. My sister and her mother always call each other Buddy and I envy that. I love things like that.
Well, my precious Owen and I have an inside thing, and it is just amazing. “SO MUCH”.

For months now I have been telling Owen that I love him SO MUCH!
and recently he has started saying it back to me.

“Owie Loves Mommy SO MUCH”.

WOW! AMAZING. Our phrase as a family is now SO MUCH! I ask him how much Mommy and Daddy love him, and he screams SO MUCH!. He walks up to me daily with that amazing smile, and says SO MUCH.

I finally have a family catch phrase. An inside joke with my child. And it feels simply amazing!
Because for the first time in my life i can honestly say i love something SO MUCH. Without thought, without stipulations, without any regard. And it is the best feeling in the world.

SO MUCH!

I have a vision of taking Owen to college and us saying SO MUCH to each other. A vision of me dancing with him at his wedding and saying SO MUCH. A vision of him having his first child and me telling him SO MUCH.

Wow, such an amazing phrase, and it is ours! BEAUTIFUL!

12 days older

As soon as Owen got home on Saturday I noticed some huge changes in him.

1. his face looks older and more mature.

2. he is speaking more clearly .

3. he is talking more often, he never stops talking!

4. he learned so many new words and uses them in the right context.

5. he is even funnier and tries harder to make me laugh. he learned to raise his eyebrows up AND to roll his eyes while he was gone. he loves doing both at the craziest moments to make us laugh.

I seriously have no idea if he just got simply even more amazing while he was gone, or if I had a huge epiphany… but my kid is AWESOME! Today we sat and discussed farm animals and politics (ok not really) for hours and it was so amazing. He sleeps in a big boy bed now without any trouble. He communicates with me in the most amazing ways.

And we have a secret code, this boy and I. A secret saying, just between the two of us, that makes our love for each other so amazingly strong. I foresee this being our code word for 18+ years, and that is amazing to think about. Stay tuned!

The best few days

I have so greatly enjoyed having my family back together for the past few days. All is right in the world once again!

Owen has become quite the singer! Here is a video of him singing Twinkle Twinkle. He is pretty proud of himself. Please excuse his face though. He fell down the porch stairs yesterday pretty bad!

If you can not see the video automatically, please click the link below!

Owie’s Boo-Boo

http://s854.photobucket.com/albums/ab108/amysalotti/?action=view&current=413778c1.mp4

12 Days

It has been 12 days since I saw my baby boy and he will be home now in about an hour!!! AHH! I am so excited. I am so lucky to have family that is willing to step in when needed! Owen has been in Pennsylvania since Monday the 21st since I have had gallbladder issues out. In the last 12 days I have met with my surgeon, scheduled surgery for Monday the 28th, went in for pre-op on Thursday the 24th and was sent in for emergency surgery a couple of hours later. I spent 2 nights in the hospital with a pain pump and an obnoxious roommate, came home, I have lost 10lbs (just in time for a trip to Orlando!), gone to the ER to have my belly button drained, and now I am finally ready to be with my boy again!

I can not lift him for another 3 or so weeks so we converted his bed into a toddler bed. Tonight will be his first night not in a crib or pack n’play! I am praying the transition goes well. I got him some new pajamas today to get him excited for bed!

I am also going to attempt to sew an oven mitt i have had my eyes on the last month or so! HAPPY SATURDAY!