For her fans

Happy Friday, everyone!

Our Little Picasso

We bought Ava a Magna-Doodle for Christmas and she's just now really able to use it.  She's starting to hold the pen right and really scribbling up a storm.  Next, we're on to crayons!

This video is a little long, but hang in there to see the latest of Ava's tricks.  

She can point to most of her body parts!

Old-Fashioned Train Ride

This weekend we got a real treat.  We went with the Hoffmans and the Freedmans to Boulder City to ride their restored train.  It was really beautiful and a really good time.  The train runs along a seven mile track and, once it moves up into the mountains a bit, it's easy to imagine that you're really on an old-fashioned train headed into the Wild West.

Ava loved the train ride.  One of the four cars was open, so we got to enjoy the real sights and sounds.  Despite the cold and the rain, it was awesome.  We'll be ready to go back next time we have visitors!

    

Good thing we got to take the coolest chic in the world with us on our trip.  :-)

End of an Era

First there was this....
Then there was this...

And, coming soon, the exciting newest development for our family.  (It's just  got to be light out when we're all home!)

Headgear

Ava loves to put things on her head.  

She comes by that trait quite honestly, as you can see.  In fact, there's a bit of genetics on both sides that lead to this particular delight of hers.  

Anyway, you might remember that right after moving to this house, Matt dug out a couple of metal mixing bowls and played "moon hats" with Ava.  

Well, those moon hats are still in the toy box and still come out to play a lot.  But, as a sign of how much she's grown, Ava's moon hat doesn't fit anymore.  Sigh.  Doesn't mean she won't wear it, but balance is more of a factor in keeping it on her head now.

Guess she'll be ready when NASA wants to go to Mars.  At least she'll know which hat to pack.

Ava's New 'Do

The girl got a haircut courtesy of Momma.  Isn't she just the cutest?

Don't mind the ketchup-face.  :-)

One more.  Just because she's pretty...

Bike Ride

Finally bit the bullet and bought a bike for myself.  Didn't manage to get a picture of that.  

We also bought a rickshaw-type thing to haul Ava around in.  Managed to get pictures of that.  :-)

She was set-up like a queen in there with a blanket, milk, snack, dolly, pacifier...the whole smash.  Her helmet didn't fit so great...we're returning it and will get another.  Overall, she liked the ride.  It was, though, pretty windy and colder by the minute.  We'll go earlier in the day next time and she'll do just fine.

By the way, the rickshaw will carry two passengers.  So so so tempted to put Libby in, too.  Think she'd like it?  :-)

Oh yeah, she liked it.  :-)

Got the Knack

Did we mention that our pool pump went kaput a couple weeks ago?  Well, kaput it did and Matt spent his free time over the last couple of weeks fixing it.  He replaced the bearings and the impeller and the thing is like new.  I think he was a little nervous as he reconnected it and hooked up the electrical.  His fix-it skills (and a $700 savings) were, after all, on the line.  But, when all was said and done, it works perfectly (knocking on wood {so to speak}) and it's even quieter than before!

Truly, if we weren't sure of it before then now we really know Matt's got the knack.  

Of course, it would seem that the knack is genetic.  We've got proof.

Bundles of Bows

Hey, friends!  I need you to go check out my good friend, and fellow Bond girl, Carrie's new Etsy shop.  She's making and selling some adorable hair bows.  (She was TPS-famous for her bow tying abilities.)  I've just ordered two for Ava and can't wait to use them.

After you've browsed around, pop over to her blog and let her know what you think.  If you comment on her blog, she'll enter you in a contest to win some of her creations.  Fun, fun stuff!  :-)

Also, if you haven't yet discovered Etsy, now's the time.  All the items there are home/hand made, unique and affordable.  Gift buying (for self or others) has never been more fun and easy.

I'll post pics of Ava with her new bows as soon as I get them in which, knowing Carrie, will be sooner than later.

Have a great end of the week!

Cutting Teeth

Living with a toddler cutting 4 molars...

...is like living with a bi-polar elf.

Thank goodness she's cute.

Joy

Cloth diapering just got a whole lot easier in this house.  What a great way to start the weekend.  :-)

Because we've been so blessed...

I don't do email forwards.  I try not to get caught up in the story of the day.  But, today, I read the blog of a friend who had shared the link to another family's blog.  (This is what happens...you link and link and link and then you're somewhere.  You don't even realize how you got there.)  Anyway, turns out the story was about a Kansas family who had just lost their 11 month old daughter to cancer.  So, so sad.  I'm tying myself to my chair to keep from climbing in Ava's crib with her for naptime.

You'll find the family's story here.  Then, go here to see all the wonderful items available on Etsy to support their efforts to build a playground in their daughter's memory.

I'll be thinking of this family a lot in the coming days and weeks.  I also know I'll be holding Ava closer to my heart - she is a gift.

Dancing Partner

Ava's got a new dancing partner.  She discovered her shadow tonight and spent the better part of an hour walking up and down the hall dancing with her.  Cute stuff.

On another note, we went for her 15 month well-baby today.  She's just perfect.  She weighed in at 23lbs, 4oz, and was 32in tall.  That puts her in the 50th percentile for weight and 90th percentile for height.  She's also cutting four molars, all at once.  If it weren't for that, she'd be feeling great, I think.  At least she's got a new buddy to play with as she grows!

Catching Up

So, it's been just a little while since I've updated here.  First off, thanks for all the kind comments on my last post.  She's a sweetie.  But, just in case anyone doubts the reality, that afternoon she was a total terror.  Luckily, even the terrifying days can be kind of funny.  See?

Things have been pretty busy here.  Matt's working his butt off at work, although he's been home more nights a week lately than previously.  He gets home for sure on Tuesdays and Thursdays to pick up Ava while I'm in class and then they get to play and do bathtime together.  He always gets her all done up after a bath...and he remembers to take pictures.  Isn't she cute?

Of course, Daddy dressing can also turn out like this...you're seeing that right, her pants are tucked into her socks.

We had a really nice Valentine's Day around here.  Instead of the camping trip we expected to take with the Hoffmans, we decided to swap date nights.  Given the weather that weekend, it was probably the wiser choice.  We're looking forward to the camping, though, sometime in this beautiful spring weather I just know is on the way.  So, we got to go to dinner and see He's Just Not That Into You.  Super cute.  Of course, we didn't get pictures of ourselves that night, but here's a cutie of our littlest valentine on the big day.

And here's that sweetest of hearts in a less ladylike pose...

See Libby there, waiting intently?  She does a lot of that.  Especially now that Ava has these new snack bowls.  They've got it all worked out, see.  Ava gets the fun of pulling the animal crackers out of the bowl and Libby gets the fun of eating them.  At least she's patient about it.

In addition to all our professional goals, Matt and I have decided to set a few fitness goals also.  We're working on the P90X plan (maybe you've seen the infomercials) and are just completing our first week of twelve.  The good news is, we're setting a great example for Ava.  See...she already knows how to stand at the end of her mat and "show up and press play."

And, finally, to sum up this marathon of a blog post, we went to the park yesterday in Boulder City.  Cutest little town.  Maybe I'll try to get us to move there before we leave here.  We'll be due for a move in about 12 weeks anyway.  :-)  Regardless, Ava had a great time climbing up stairs and sliding down the slide.

Whew.  That was a long one.  Anyway, if you made it this far...good job!!  I'd offer you a cookie, but we don't have any anymore.  Instead, here's another little video, although I'm pretty sure it'll only interest the grandparents.  :-)  Have a happy week, friends!

Dearest Ava,

Today, just now, there are things I want to remember about you as a 14 (almost 15!) month old toddler.  Since I'm not the kind of mama to keep a journal or a baby book (although I wish I was!), I thought I'd write them here.  I have hope that the Internet will still be around when I want to remember these things later, I guess.

-I love that you think you're hot stuff because you can walk backwards, creep really, into anything you want.

-You think you're cool because you can turn in a circle.

-You like to smash Cheerios with the bottom of your juice cup.  You also like to make the tray bounce and send them all over the floor.  Libby has gained two pounds due to your efforts.

-You use your timeout spot as a place to just take a moment and get under control.

-You want to sit in the grown up recliners...by yourself, no adults touching the chair.

-Your favorite book is I am a Bunny and you can point to birds, ducks, flowers, and monarch butterflies (thanks to Daddy for that last one).

-You now only take one nap a day.  Today it was three hours long.  Welcome, toddlerhood.

-Apple slices are merely vehicles for peanut butter.

-You love animal crackers.  You love broccoli more.  

-You have very few words yet, you sing.

-You respond to two songs...Itsy Bitsy Spider and The Chicken Dance.

-When you sleep and get all sweaty, your hair almost curls around your face.  This only happens at naptime.  Your nighttime sleep is so peaceful and deep your hair is straight and flat every morning.  I'm certain you'll curse it when you grow up.  

-The back of your hair does the weird swoopy thing mine does.  You'll curse that too.

-You have a tiny little face and perfect skin.  You look just like a little dolly.  You're beautiful.

-You're stubborn, ornery, and really funny.  You actually have a sense of humor.  Right now, it's mostly of the physical variety, but I'm sure you'll grow into sarcasm soon.  

-When I leave you at Sarah's you cry.  By the time I pick you up, you're so over it, you don't necessarily want to leave.

-When we get home, you stand inside the garage door and wait for Libby to come meet us.  You squeal her name and give her hugs.  You make that "tickle, tickle" sound as you scratch her neck.  You are good pals to each other.

Every day you are so different, it's a challenge to keep up with you.  Thanks for taking me and Daddy on the ride.  We do love you so.

Love,

Mama

The post in which I will say it with pictures.

Grandmom's are cool.  They share Cheerios.

All the excitement around here is really starting to wear Libby out.

Yep, she is truly Matt's child.  Of course, some genetics on the Renfro side may also be a factor.

Sure wish she'd had a bucket on her head when she decided to topple over onto the sidewalk at the park...probably wouldn't have cut her lip so badly.

Drinking milk from a big girl cup is messy...but really fun.

Don't say it.  She is not, in fact, a big girl.  Don't let the pigtails fool you.  

See...she still eats shoes.

But there is wisdom in that smirk, I think.

No matter how big she thinks she is, though, this is the only driving she'll be doing for a while.

Because, after all, the following is still a very accurate representation of her day-to-day activities.

This is ok...for now.

Kids do the darndest things.  What can you do, but laugh?

Ten on Tuesday (The Wednesday Edition)

Sorry for the lag in posts....here's 10 to make up for the time.  :-)

1.  How about that America, huh?  Whether we all agree or not, power has once again transferred peacefully between two leaders who share little more, politically, than a great love of our country and our freedom.  Isn't it amazing?  Love it.

2.  John P. Casey is back on this side of the Atlantic.  Very exciting stuff.  Even better, he came to visit for the long weekend.  There was a lot of Wii Star Wars being played and a lot of just hanging around.  It looked a lot like this...

3.  And sounded a lot like this...

4.  Ava got to go pick out her first toy.  She got a gift card from her Uncle Wes for her birthday and we've just gotten around to taking her to the store.  She's now got her first ride-on toy, a turtle, and she loves it.  She can get on and off by herself, but needs about one more inch to get it moving by herself.  So, we've turned it into an adult pull toy...

  

5.  When we got to this house, our hot water heater needed to be replaced.  We managed to get that done about four months after we got here.  It was then that we realized that the water softner was leaking too.  Thanks to having a knacky husband and a great idea about using boat sealant (Thanks, Dad!), we were able to take it apart, patch it up, and save ourselves $1000.  Gotta love knacky husbands.

6.  Our good friends, the Hoffmans, are expecting a second child at the end of August or so.  We're so excited for them and can't wait to meet their new little one!

7.  Speaking of the Hoffmans, Sarah is out of town this week, so we're short one (fabulous!) childcare provider.  Luckily, my mom was planning a trip out here at some point in January anyway and was able to come stay with us for the week.  Gotta love parents who help out in a pinch.

8.  When Grandma is here, Ava gets lots of spoiling.  Unfortunately, since Mom and Ava are here by themselves most of the time, their visit together hasn't been as well documented as it should be.  Gotta love self-portraits.

Like that bruise on Ava's head?  She really smacked her head on the coffee table this week. Gotta love toddlerhood.

9.  This seems to have been one of the longer weeks on record.  Cannot wait for Friday.  Cannot. wait.

10.  And this about sums it up.  Just when you think you're too tired for it all, something really makes you laugh.