Tag Archives: avery post

A Baby’s New Year’s Resolution: Master the Kettlebell

01/01/2016 R.C. Liley 2 Comments

This was originally posted on New Year’s Day last year, the beginning of 2015, but wanted to repost to show how much smaller our little girl was. She’s obviously a master at working out now, and only getting stronger! Enjoy the post and Happy 2016 now!

Hi babies, Avery here, and I’m here to tell you Happy New Year!! Oh, and to reveal one of my biggest resolutions for 2015. Can you guess what it is?

I’m staring at it right now.

Yep, this here is what you call a kettlebell. Simply put, it’s a cast-iron ball with one big handle on top. Kettlebells vary in weight from a wimpy 2 pounds to well over 100lbs!

This one is only 45 pounds, and I figure since I saw daddy pick it up and carry it around so easily, I’d like to do the same. So, this New Year, I’m making one of my resolutions to master the kettlebell! Starting today, I’m beginning my journey to increasing strength and endurance with kettlebell training!

*Uuugghhhh* Okay, just need to get a better grip first…

Yak! My foot slipped! Oh yeah, and my grip is all wrong, I need to hold it from the other side. Here we go…

Fine, I’m letting my ego get the best of me. Just because daddy walks around with the weight in one hand doesn’t mean I have to…..yet. For now, I’ll stick with using both hands. Let me just regain my footing here.

Annnnnddddd go! *Grrrrrrr*

Holy diaper explosions, is this thing bolted to the rug?! What is wrong with you, hands?!

I think I need to focus more on my leg power and thrusting in the hips.

Whoa, talk about diaper explosions! I think I had a New Year’s firework just go off!

Nope, I passed the smell test, so I’m good for another go at this kettle…..no, dumbbell. Ha ha ha! Oh yeah, they have those too, crap, I’m already turning corny like daddy! I better work on my strength just to stand up to bullies picking on my corniness. Thanks, dad…….NOT!

Ah ha, I moved it! Take that, heavy ball with a handle!

Guess that answers my question…..it’s not bolted to the rug. Phew, that was an exhausting workout, but I think it’s safe to say progress has been made. Avery – 1 : Kettlebell – 0

And that, my baby peers, is how to start the New Year off right; by attacking your resolutions in full force right off the bat! Don’t put it off, you’ll only find more and more excuses as the days pass. Plus, if you never conquer your goals, mommy and daddy will continue doing things like this to you…

Not my proudest moment, obviously. Anyway, I’m off to work on my other resolution; getting these darn colorful balls in the right colored hole! They aren’t heavy like a kettlebell, but for some reason they keep throwing me off with their 3 different colors.

Go on now, go enjoy 2015, I’m sure you’ll see me again soon!

Happy 2015!!

The Love-Hate Relationship: A Toddler’s View

11/11/2015 R.C. Liley 2 Comments

Hi there! It’s me, Avery, I’m taking over Daddy’s blog for a quick explanation about love-hate relationships. Don’t worry, he won’t mind, I practically have him wrapped around my finger…..or at least on my shirt. See?

I’ve had a certain stuffed bear around me my entire life, and no matter how many times we fight, we always seem to make up. Well, now there’s a new animal in the house, Lamby, and he’s become my new favorite stuffed buddy. Even though Bear can make me feel like dancing at times…..

…..he usually just bums me out.

Finally, I decided I must tell him about Lamby and how he is no longer my best stuffed bud. I kept pushing it off, but finally, during breakfast, there was an awkward silence.

I looked over to initiate the conversation with my old plush pal.

He seemed to sense my uneasiness and simply refused to respond or even look at me. Eeek, that awkward feeling got even awkward….er?

Knowing that I must get closure, I was the ~~bigger~~ only person and walked over to him so we could talk, pretty blue eye-to-beady glass black eye.

Then, all of the fights we had, the times he kept getting in my way when sleeping, and how Mommy and Daddy obviously didn’t like him since they just tossed him at me built up inside. I couldn’t help what happened next, my toddler rage took over and wrung his neck!

Just leave me alone, Lamby and I are happy without you!!

I didn’t know I had so much anger inside of me, but I immediately felt bad. I think I even heard poor Bear sniffle a little. Or maybe he has a hidden squeaker…oooo, that would be cool. No, getting sidetracked here, I simply felt the guilt sink in and only grow stronger. We both needed a big bear hug!

I’m so sorry, Bear, I promise, we can still be friends.

And now it’s right back where we started. I still love Lamby more, but Bear thinks we’re all good again. This love-hate relationship stuff is hard, and is truly exhausting….ugh.

Well, whatever the case, I don’t like these confusing relationships one bit. I know I love Mommy and I love Daddy, and apparently I love to hate Bear. For now he can stick around, but if ever goes near Lamby, well, here’s how I feel about that, and no, I’m not pointing at the red “R”.

Life, Parenting

What Happens When a Toddler Sees Her Shadow?

07/03/2015 R.C. Liley 6 Comments

We all know what happens when a groundhog sees its shadow, we get six more weeks of winter. But what about when a toddler sees their shadow? Well, I mean when they first acknowledge they are the ones making that silhouette on wall or any other light-colored surface.

Avery recently discovered her shadow and seems to get a kick out of her dark twin. I’ve been pointing it out to her when changing her diaper for a while, but just the other week she finally reacted to it and made her hand move across the wall. She’ll say something in toddler talk and smile, and I smile too because it keeps her occupied while changing her.

Now anytime we are somewhere that her shadow is visible, I can say look at your shadow and it will keep her busy at least for a minute. I love watching her learn something new and can only imagine what’s going on in her head as I explain how the light casting down on her creates that dark object called her shadow.

Just the other day, she was busy removing every item from her basket when I asked if she could find her shadow.

She seemed stumped and maybe a little hesitant at first.

But then she turned right around to come face to, ummmm, face? with her darker, less detailed self.

I asked her if she could find her shadow again and she immediately pointed to the dark figure. Still working on getting toys out of the basket, of course.

She closed in to investigate further with an almost accusatory point of her finger.

Squatting down, she was amazed at how her shadow followed suit.

Back up and a little hand movement just to test the boundaries and she finally accepted her shadow was there to stay.

That’s when she looked away and saw there were more toys to take out of her basket and drop behind me as I cooked in the kitchen.

That’s also when I ~~politely~~ asked her to stop everything! To which she replied with….

Yeah, heart = melted. Oh, and look, she has a heart! Then I offered her a green smoothie which she happily accepted.

It makes me so proud when she enjoys drinking the healthy green smoothies I make. What doesn’t make me proud is when she then proceeds to climb on the couch, throw the pillows off, and eat the rim. green mouth and all.