Adventures of Ava

2008-09-29T16:21:00.003-07:00

Hula

Ava doing her best little Hilo Hattie impersonation, playing dress up, and giving her best "smile".

Testing out the big kid swing at our favorite park.

Trying on goggles for swim lessons.

Getting a piggy back ride from Daddy.

2008-09-11T15:48:00.005-07:00

Ladybug on a string

Ava went kite flying for the first time last weekend. She and daddy picked one out together, then took it to Gasworks Park for some serious stunt kite shinanigans. Well, maybe no stunt kite tricks, but they definately had a good time.

So proud of my new kite!

Carrying it up the hill at Gasworks park.

Wanna come fly with me?

Go, ladybug, go!

2008-09-09T15:24:00.003-07:00

Preschool

It's that time already. Two and a half and off to school. We are only on day 3, but Ava seems to be having a great time meeting new friends and learning from Teacher Jackie. Her preschool has a play structure with a slide so that is the talk of the day. That, along with how much fun it is to pack her lunch in her backpack and wear it. Ava came home today covered in marker and with her ponytail totally dishevelled. Definately signs of fun. From her first few days of preschool:

Paining during Child Welcome Day.

Coloring with Teacher Tiffany and some friends.

Checking out the book selection.

Posing in front of the school with her backpack on.

2008-08-23T15:29:00.005-07:00

BFF

Ava has been spending lots of time with her BFF Phoebe lately. Phoebe became a big sister 2 weeks ago so we have been helping out her mom and dad. We love playing with our neighbor Phoebe who is a sweet and silly girl.

Riding motorcycles.

At the park.

Going for wagon rides.

Playing with sidewalk chalk.

2008-08-15T13:47:00.005-07:00

Little fish

Ava has been spending much time in the water this summer. We have had epic adventures at the wading pool, as well as weekly swim lessons. The lovely warm (and occasionally hot) weather has provided tons of opportunity for my little fish to practice her water skills. At swim lessons Ava does "big arms", kicks and floats across the pool, and climbs out of the pool by herself. When she is feeling brave she will swim underwater or jump in by herself. Soon she will be surfing like dad or scuba diving like mom.

Wading pool fun times.

Warming up at swim lessons.

Getting instructions from teacher Emily.

Using the ladder to climb out.

Running through the sprinklers on a hot day.

2008-08-10T07:12:00.006-07:00

Self Portrait

i love the camera! i have taken after my daddy and my favorite new hobby is taking pictures. mommy and daddy get annoyed because whenever they get the camera out all i want to do is take it from them. ha ha! but i have taken some pretty sweet self portraits lately. check 'em out.
my chin

my eye

cute feet

bunny, of course

2008-07-20T13:37:00.003-07:00

Ava's seldomly updated blog

I've had good intentions, really, I have. But somehow something always gets in the way. Like, oh, I don't know, sunshine maybe? I'm making a better effort now so here we go...

My favorites from the last couple of months:

Getting ready for a bike ride.

Hey, look, they fit on my fingers!

Feeding koi fish at the nursery.

Getting a better view at the Fremont Solstice Parade.

Just unbearably cute.

I promise, promise, promise to post more often. Pinky swear.

2007-12-04T21:05:00.000-08:00

Trifecta of transportation

Ava went to visit her grandmas for Thanksgiving. On the way to the airport she rode in a car, then on a bus, then on a train, and finally an airplane. All in one day! I guess that's not a trifecta, but it made a good title. Thanksgiving was spent riding around in a wagon and playing at "Starbucks", a cardboard building made by the fabulous Rox. Ava did so well on the flight that we decided to give a 6 hour flight to Hawaii a try. Let's hope we survive!

2007-11-18T20:17:00.000-08:00

Rocket ship to the moon!

Ava's friend Frank loaned us this fabulous Red Ryder rocket ship. It's one of Ava's favorite toys. She loves to push the buttons so it says "3-2-1 blastoff!" She rides it around the house saying va-va Ava!

2007-11-13T14:30:00.000-08:00

Return to the Blogosphere

Yes, it has been exactly 4 months since our last entry, and I won't bore you with the excuses as to why it has been so long. So quit your whining and be glad we're back. Much has transpired in Ava's adventures so let's start with the most recent holiday- Halloween.

Trying to figure out this trick-or-treating business at a pre-school carnival.

Taking a juice break from all the activites.

Feeding chickens and picking out pumpkins. Perfectly sized for Ava!

Trick-or-treating with cousin Halo, I mean Darth Vader.

Finally, more fun times with our friends Phoe-bee, and Alden the penguin.

2007-07-13T10:21:00.001-07:00

Pool Party

Ava and I were bannished from our house on Wed. due to some construction going on in our basement. It turned out to be a 97 degree day and we sought refuge at the zoo in the morning. We were joined by friends Anna and Henry. Later we spent a little time at Grandma's house and then we went to a pool party at Hillery and Frank's house. Hooray for wading pools!

Ava with Frank and Henry

Splashing around with Henry and Malia

2007-07-12T09:45:00.000-07:00

Monkey

Ava loves to tell you what sound the monkey makes. She also does piggie and thinks it's hilarious when she says "Momma, oink, oink, oink!"

Here is my little monkey eating her favorite snack.

And my favorite photo of the moment, Daddy and Ava trying out their bike helmets.

2007-07-09T10:09:00.000-07:00

my super sweet 16

i'm 16 months old today! we had a very busy weekend because as everyone knows the tour de france started on saturday. mommy and daddy spent a little too much time in front of the tv in my opinion, but we still spent a lot of time outside too.

i went to grandma's house for some fun times in the wading pool on friday, and yesterday mommy and daddy set up mine in the backyard.

checking things out on the 4th of july bbq at grandma and grandpa's house.

my newest occupation- hairstyling. one hair clip was not enough. i wanted 5!

2007-06-29T09:38:00.001-07:00

Mushroom

I suppose it's hard to tell from these photos, but Ava has lots of beautiful hair right now. Her hair is growing out in a way that it reminds me of a mushroom. She has fabulous curls in the back and lovely wisps and bangs in the front. How marvelously stylish.

At Ava's first art show, aunt Natalia's show opening at Beehive Salon.

2007-06-21T15:58:00.000-07:00

Summer in the City

I love summer. Ava loves summer, too. I especially love Ava in summer dresses. Bring on the sunshine!

Just smiling for the camera.

2007-06-18T20:09:00.000-07:00

Sunshine in Seattle

Not so long ago there was a sunny day in Seattle. Ava, Mommy, and Daddy went to breezy Gasworks park to watch people fly kites. It was crazy big fun, lots of walking and crawling through grass happened, as well the newest sport to hit the Northwest- baby wrestling. Despite her petite size Ava won by a landslide.

2007-06-17T16:34:00.000-07:00

A Toddler Among Us

Just some recent photos of Ava being her cute self.

Ava has weaned herself off of baby bottles and now prefers Mommy's sports bottles.

Helping Daddy assemble his new bike.

Cheering on Daddy's cycling team at a race.

Doing yoga in her sleep. It's not called child's pose for nothing!

Helping Mommy put away dishes.

Riding around in my automobile.

2007-06-15T15:12:00.000-07:00

Pitter Patter

Ava started walking about 2 weeks ago. She has been practicing for months so it was about time! She started out by taking a few steps between mommy and daddy here and there. Then one day she decided she would just walk down our halway for giggles. She has been unstoppable ever since. Watching her walk for the first time was so exciting, it will be etched in my memory forever. She still startles me sometimes when she walks into another room or comes up to where I am since the pitter patter of her feet is so quiet. Much different than the thumping sound of crawling.

2007-06-07T15:09:00.000-07:00

Hood Rats

Ava's first official noun was "hat". She has an obsession with hats, hoods, and all things related to being placed on the head. Ironically, she won't tolerate a hat on her head. She just likes them on your head. But especially on daddy's head.

2007-05-06T16:17:00.000-07:00

Brush-a-brush

mommy and me went to the store the other day and i got an elmo toothbrush. mommy thought it might be time for me to get my own toothbrush since i now have 5 1/2 teeth. i like to watch mommy brush her teeth, and i think it's really funny. sometimes i try to use mommy's toothbrush which is another reason i got my own. now, instead, we brush-a-brush together.

2007-05-05T18:56:00.000-07:00

Granola

Ava is taking after her mother and going just the tiniest bit granola. We ventured out on our first hike yesterday for a couple of miles through Discovery park. Ava did very well in the hiking backpack, and we were joined by a couple of other mommies and babies. On our hike Ava saw some beautiful old trees, all the while munching on some veggie booty. We are excited to go on another hike soon.

When we returned to the car Ava finished her lunch then decided she would drive to our next destination. She had keys and directions in hand, but found it difficult to reach the pedals so mommy took over.

2007-05-04T07:41:00.000-07:00

Little drummer girl

This little drum was gift from Aunt Natalia for Ava's birthday. She has been learning to play with a little help from daddy, a former drummer himself. She is quite the musical talent lately. Perhaps a music class is in order?

2007-05-03T09:20:00.000-07:00

A cut above

...the eye unfortunately. My little bug was playing beautifully in her room this morning, putting her nursery rhyme cards up on the chair and taking them down again when she slipped. She hit her eye on the chair and suffered a nasty little cut. At first I thought she had hit her eye, which could have been very bad, but it was only on her beautiful little eyebrow. I realized that oustide of vaccinations it was the first time I have seen her bleed. But I am very certain it won't be the last. In other news, Ava sprouted another tooth for a new grand total of 6.

2007-05-01T21:51:00.000-07:00

Miss Piggy and the case of the curious belly button

Shortly before Ava was born, for a baby shower gift we received a hooded piggy towel that looked so big I thought a baby would never fit in it. Well, surprise, surprise, Ava now fits in it quiet well. After her bath while she is in the towel we call her little Miss Piggy. Miss Piggy has recently become very facinated with her belly button. The fascination also extends to the changing table and anytime she sees a belly button belonging to someone else. This could become very interesting in the next few weeks. I'll keep you posted.

2007-04-27T09:29:00.000-07:00

It's only rock 'n' roll

Well I'm embarrassed to admit that Ava is already a better guitar player than I am. Considering the fact that the number of years I have actually owned a guitar out-numbers Ava's age by about 16. She has inspired me to write lyrics and sing songs, but I rarely actually pick up the guitar to set them to music. Maybe it's time to start. I'm sure she could teach me a thing or two. It's probably only a matter of time before I hear "Stairway to Heaven" emanating from her bedroom. Really.

2007-04-19T15:50:00.000-07:00

My future's so bright...

I gotta wear shades!

Or not. I just have to look cute.

I realize that there have been several recent phots of Ava eating, but things are getting interesting. For example, today Ava determined that eating pureed blueberries with your hand was more fun than with a spoon.

Trying to escape to the wild front yard where grass and bugs abound.

2007-04-16T09:30:00.000-07:00

On My Own

Ava stood on her own for the first time on Friday. I don't think she was aware she did it but it was an accomplishment all the same. Luckily, I had a camera at the ready and was able to capture the moment.

Mommy and daddy got a break this weekend when Ava had a slumber party at grandma's house on Saturday. We spent a sunshine-y Sunday at the park with cousin Halo and aunt Natalia.

2007-04-13T09:26:00.000-07:00

Welcome back, spoon

For the last few months, since Ava has been able to pick up little pieces of food with her fingers, the spoon has been banished from her meals. Lately she has become re-interested in learning to use the spoon and "help" feed herself. She is great at getting it into her mouth but needs a little more practice actually scooping up the food. I'm very happy that spoon has re-entered our lives because now I can actually get her to eat spoon-fed delicacies such as yogurt and oatmeal. You try not using a spoon for 3 months and see how far you get.

2007-04-08T20:49:00.000-07:00

Happy Easter, Happy Spring, Happy happy everything

We spent Easter with grandma Grace, aunt Natalia, and cousin Halo. Unfortunately Daddy and Natalia were both sick so it wasn't the most eventful Easter. However, thank you to everyone who blessed upon Ava a book, bunny, or other Easter trinket.

Enjoying some recent sunshine at the park.

Snuggle time with Daddy.

2007-04-04T21:45:00.000-07:00

Delicious Fishes

Just some funny photos to brighten your day.

Ava likes to chew on this fish and make her version of a fish face.

Trying to memorize daddy's new business info via osmosis.

2007-04-04T16:59:00.000-07:00

Birthday Rewind

my mom got all wound up in some books she checked out from the library recently so she has been bad about posting entries. don't worry, though, the books have been returned and she has emerged from her cocoon once again.

my birthday party last month was a big hit. it was fabulous to have so many family and friends here to celebrate with me. i went to the doctor recently and besides some nasty shots, it wasn't too bad. i'm still little (no surprise there) as i weigh 16lbs, 7oz and am 29 1/4 inches tall. i'm eating lots of new foods and my favorites are gardenburgers, quesadillas, and pasta with veggies. mommy is so proud, i even eat broccoli. lately i love to walk my stroller and toys around the house and climb the stairs. mommy and i have been getting outside a lot and we love to crawl around the grass and pick up leaves. mommy panics when i eat the dandelions.

2007-03-09T16:28:00.000-08:00

how i spent my birthday
by Ava Marr

my mommy came to get me first thing in the morning and she told me it was my birthday. i didn't know what a birthday was so i just smiled really big like i always do. my parents sang happy birthday to me really out of tune. after my morning bottle mommy took me jogging. i went fast in the stroller and squealed like a little piggie. then we came home and had the real breakfast of champions- cheerios. then i opened the drawers in my dresser and had lots o' fun pulling out my clothes until i slammed my all important sucking fingers in the drawer. next i took an uber-long morning nap just 'cause i could, then mommy let me have tons of veggie booty for lunch. she tried to sneak in some oatmeal, but i wasn't having any of that on my birthday! later we went to the children's museum at the seattle center and i crawled around in the crazy fun baby section. i splashed in some water, crawled up steps then went down a slide, watched the fishes in the aquarium, and played with some big blocks.

my mommy's camera ran out of batteries so she had to take pictures on her camera phone. after my afternoon nap mommy, daddy, and i made an art project with my hand and foot prints.

then daddy and i wrestled on the floor. where was the opening of presents you ask? well my parents gave my my present early if you remember, and i hear there is a rumor about a party for me this weekend with lots of family and friends. now that should be big fun!

2007-03-09T10:44:00.000-08:00

365 days

Today is Ava's birthday. She is one year old. I'm having a hard time today with the fact that my baby is technically now a toddler. But then I remember the hilariously fun stage she is in right now, and I start to feel better. She is so active and big all of a sudden. She loves to "sing" and dances to music. Lately she is very much in to petting Astro and continues to explore her surroundings. I'm amazed at the things she has learned to do in just the last month. A year ago she didn't know her hands were attached to her body! And now she can use them quite well. They say it all goes by so fast, and it really does.

Being a goofball on my birthday.

2007-03-07T14:02:00.000-08:00

La Nina

Just two short days ago Ava was enjoying the sounds of the ocean while napping peacefully during our morning walk.

We are all sad today to be back in the gloomy Seattle weather. Our trip started out great since Miss Ava took a 3 hour nap on a 4 hour flight. When we arrived we she was in a great mood and had patience to deal with the chaos of international travel, renting a car, etc. By the time we arrived at the hotel we were all ready to soak up some sun and eat copious amounts of Mexican food. The locals loved her fair skin and blue eyes from the start, and paid her more than her share of attention. She ate it up being the ham that she is.

We spent most of our time at the resort either strolling up and down the beach, or relaxing by the pool or ocean. When we felt like venturing out we drove to nearby towns of Bucerias, Sayulita, and Puerto Vallarta.

Ava's firsts while in Mexico:
stair climbing
dipping toes in the ocean
shaking her maracas (literally)
playing with sand
splashing in a swimming pool

crawling in the grass

gift from a stranger- this little sundress

meal at the grown-ups table

We miss you Mexico.

2007-02-25T16:11:00.000-08:00

Yo, yo, yo!

i'm goin' on vaca yo! down to sunny mexico! my new hizat is where it's at yo! check it out.

2007-02-24T10:11:00.000-08:00

Zoom Zoom

mommy and daddy bought me the most awesome birthday present! they cheated and gave it to me early, but that's okay 'cause i love it. it's a walker/push toy with not one but, count 'em, TWO spinners! i have been pushing it around my bedroom because it's carpeted so it doesn't go too fast. i'm actually learning to take steps. later, when i'm bigger, it folds into a little car that i can ride around on. 2 toys in 1, genius!

2007-02-23T10:18:00.000-08:00

Toddler Eyes

There comes a time when all babies all of sudden seem to become toddlers. Their eyes become big and round, with one little crease underneath. The hair comes in and perhaps starts to curl a bit. They quickly get a mouth full of teeth and become so active. Ava has reached this stage. She has so much hair that it requires a barrett and her cheeks are chubbier than ever. She now sports two teeth, with 2 more just moments behind. She loves to pull herself up onto furniture and then lower herself back down. She looks like she is doing calisthenics! Favorite activites include exploring the house, pulling things off of shelves and out of baskets, taking off socks, and touch-and-feel books.

2007-02-14T11:50:00.000-08:00

My Funny Valentine

Here is Ava after unexpectedly waking up from her morning nap today.

And here is Miss Ava after finding out it is her first official Valentine's Day. She dressed appropriately in her red hearts sweatshirt and has been reading her Elmo book.

2007-02-13T15:35:00.000-08:00

Wheels

Ava is gaining superhuman speed at pulling herself up to standing. She was peacefully playing in the living room the other day while I was in the kitchen. She became very quiet all of a sudden so naturally I peeked in to see what she was up to. She had pulled herslf up to standing inside her little train. She looked like she was about to push off and take her first skateboard ride through the living room. Needless to say, she was quite proud of herself!

Ava has been spending lots of time in her highchair lately as well. Each meal takes a minimum of 30 minutes, but she loves feeding herself Veggie Booty and drinking from her sippy cup. If the meal involves a spoon she is not interested. She has to do it all herself!

2007-02-03T14:34:00.000-08:00

A bunch of sickies

Month 10 of Ava's life seems to have come and gone, but all we did was be sick. Last week Ava was horribly sick with a recurring ear infection on top of a terrible virus. She had every imaginable symptom. I caught the bug from her and now she is on the upswing, but I'm miserable. We didn't even get many pictures taken this month. However, Ava is hard at work at learning to stand on her own. She loves animal sounds as well, and thinks it's hillarious when mommy makes them while she is eating lunch.

2007-01-22T09:33:00.000-08:00

Snuggle bug

Ava has the most adorable new habit. She loves to find something soft like a blanket or stuffed animal, put it up to her face and snuggle it. Her favorites right now are her pink fleece blanket and a stuffed bunny. It's quite possibly the cutest thing I have ever seen.

Yesterday daddy was putting up a baby gate at the top of the stairs and miss Ava wanted to help out. She mostly read the directions to him, and she must of done a good job because the gate was successfully installed.

2007-01-19T15:14:00.000-08:00

Good Ears Gone Bad

First of all, I apologize to those of you who read this blog on a regular basis for not updating more frequently. Miss Ava has kept me extremely occupied with mommy duties. She is crawling at warp speed now and exploring the house constantly. Just doing her job, really. Favorite activities include climbing up the fireplace grate (with mommy always right behind her stating "NO touch!"), crawling up to Astro and pulling his tail (Astro does not appreciate this, but seems to tolerate her for now), and turning over a basket full of daddy's cycling gear.

On the down side, Miss Ava has had a cold for the past week that turned into an ear infection. So she is now on antibiotics, but seems to be dealing with it quite well. It's only the second time she has been sick in 10 months, so really she's exceptionally healthy. Let's hope it stays that way.

2007-01-05T10:05:00.000-08:00

Off with a bang!

Ava wanted to start the new year off right and suprised us by crawling forward. She has been crawling in reverse for a couple of months but now learned how to shift into forward. She spent an hour or so on New Year's day chasing a little ball across the floor and squealing. She has also started pulling herself up onto things, especially mommy and daddy. But I think her favorite new accomplishment is using her pincer grasp to pick up those cheerios!

2007-01-02T16:36:00.000-08:00

Christmas Elf

Ava's 1st Christmas came and went and what an adventure it was. The little elf spent several days opening presents although the big hit was the wrapping paper and ribbons. She was very spoiled with many gifts and lots of attention from grandparents. Mommy and Daddy are already looking forward to next year's Christmas and a visit from Santa.

2006-12-22T14:35:00.000-08:00

Start 'em when they're young

A newfound facination in all things not toy-like has come over Ava, one of these items being mommy's coffee cup. She loves to hold my coffee when we are out walking Astro, or when we are just sitting at home. She also loves the Christmas tree, but has managed not to pull off any ornaments just yet. Additionally, her new favorite "toys" are a wire wisk, wooden spoon, and measuring spoons. A future chef perhaps? Mommy would be so proud!

2006-12-20T15:30:00.000-08:00

Bookworm

my grandma sent me Christmas books and i have been reading them everyday. i really like the counting one that lights up. mommy reads to me before naptime and bedtime. i like to look at the pictures and when i'm not too tired, to turn the pages. besides my Christmas books i also like 10 little ladybugs, guess how much i love you, and brown bear. hooray for books!

2006-12-12T15:40:00.000-08:00

I want that one!

Miss Ava chose the most beautiful Christmas tree. She pointed and daddy hauled it away to pay. We came home to decorate it while she was sleeping. She awoke to twinkle lights and ornaments hanging on display. Then daddy decided she would be the tree topper. What fun for all!

2006-12-02T09:41:00.000-08:00

Peek-a-boo

...is my favorite game. i love to play with mommy when i wake up from naps. she hides below my crib and i pop up to see her. we also play behind the doorway or when i hold blankets in front of my face. mommy and daddy love to play games with me and can't wait until we play hide and go seek when i'm bigger.

2006-12-01T09:42:00.000-08:00

In Reverse

What's this? Ava is crawling?! Unbelievable! Well it's more like scooting, and it's only backwards. She is getting stronger every day, but has yet to actually crawl forward. I hear that crawling backwards first is quite common and it might take her a while to shift into forward. She seemed quite pleased with herself the other day while she was exploring her room from her new vantage point. If only she could stop getting suck under the crib...

2006-11-30T10:58:00.000-08:00

Winter Wonderland

We wanted to take Ava to see the snow up in the mountains last weekend, but the snow came to us instead. We had a week of icy temperatures and lots of snow. It's not the first snow of Ava's young life as it snowed on the day she was born. But it was definately the first snow she actually saw. We ventured out for a couple of slippery walks, Ava of course wore her snowsuit and squealed with delight.

2006-11-29T20:37:00.000-08:00

Tofurkey Day

Thanksgiving was almost a week ago, sorry for the delay! Ava's first one was lots of fun and a great success. She sampled some delicious sweet potatoes with us at the dinner table and was a trooper through all the commotion and no afternoon nap. Cousin Halo shared with us his book of things he is thankful for (Ava among them), mommy had fun dressing her up in her little holiday outfit, and daddy ate more pumpkin pie than we thought humanly possible.

2006-11-27T20:53:00.000-08:00

Busy Bug

November came and went and Ava had a month full of adventures. She had her first slumber party with grandma, aunt Tals, and cousin Halo on the 11th. Mom and dad were nervous wrecks all night, but she did fine. In fact, when we came to get her in the morning she barely noticed we were there because she was having so much fun with grandma. So the whole event was a lot harder on us parents than it obviously was on her.

The following weekend Ava attended the latest event sweeping the nation, BabyLovesDisco, at local night club Chop Suey. All the hippest babies and kiddos boogied the afternoon away to sweet tunes spun by a local DJ. Ava loved the bubbles, other babies, and even got a cool musical egg to commemorate the event.

Later that same weekend we drove up to Camano Island to visit with grandparents and great-grandparents. We spent the weekend practicing crawling backwards and being spoiled with gifts and affection. We love this photo of four generations of Marrs.

2006-11-09T20:00:00.000-08:00

8 months old and lovely

At 8 months old Ava is:

very smiley and giggly

loves to roll and is practicing getting up on all 4's
teething?
having a hard time with naps and bedtime
very social with new people and other babies
learning to wave hello and goodbye
loves to eat oatmeal, carrots, and "real" food

2006-11-05T21:00:00.000-08:00

International baby of mystery...

Ava is officially an international traveler. We drove to Vancouver, Canada this weekend to visit her great Aunt and Uncle and cousins. It was a short, but highly enjoyable trip. For the adults there was much feasting and catching up. Cousins Peter and Halo entertained each other with Hot Wheels. The littlest one had great fun knocking down blocks and being passed from one grown up to the next. She barely had time to practice crawling, but managed to squeeze in a work out.

2006-11-01T18:23:00.000-08:00

Brrrrr

It has been frightfully cold in Seattle this week, dropping into the 2o's at night. Naturally, Ava has dug out her winter attire. Could she be any cuter?

As promised cousin Halo, aka Darth Vader, stopped by last night along with the many other ladybugs and monsters out trick-or-treating.

2006-10-31T13:54:00.000-08:00

Happy Halloween!

what a busy halloween season i have had! first my neighbor phoebe and her mom hosted a party for babies. i was one of the few not crying, maybe because i wasn't actually in costume. but i had lots of fun and even took home a new rattle.

then came a trip to the pumpkin patch where mommy and daddy picked out some pumpkins and we took a short hayride. i amused myself by eating leaves.

i can't wait until tonight when all the ghosts and goblins come out. cousin halo, i mean darth vader, is supposed to make an appearance too!

2006-10-12T14:49:00.000-07:00

California, here we come!

Ava's first venture across state lines happened last weekend. The trip itself was a roaring success. The flights, however, were another matter. Airplanes are definately not Ava's cup of tea. I think we'll be waiting a while before Ava takes another flight. While in California Ava met many new family members including Aunt Katie, Uncle Kevin, Great-grandma Lee, and Great-aunt Diane. She also met lots of mom and dad's friends and thier kiddos. We trekked all around the Bay area including Santa Cruz, Half Moon Bay, San Francisco, and Fremont. Here's the proof.

2006-10-02T13:29:00.000-07:00

Kangaroo

woo hoo, i'm a kangaroo! i love my new bouncy thingy. it was actually cousin halo's but he outgrew it about 5 years ago. now it's my new favorite chill out spot. located conveniently between the kitchen and the living room i can see mommy whether she's cooking or watching tv. i also love it because it puts me right at astro height and when he walks past me i can pull his hair. big time lot's o' fun!

2006-09-28T19:04:00.000-07:00

Um, yeah

Let's just say we were successful at getting Ava to eat some sweet potatoes. She was also interested in exploring how to use the spoon while it held said sweet potatoes. Needless to say, the result was documented. Unfortunately, while I was photographing the experience Ava lost interest in the sweet potatoes and gained interest in trying to eat the camera. Today we explored applesauce, also with success, but with much less mess.

2006-09-27T09:35:00.000-07:00

New Skills

check out my new skill! i love helping mommy and daddy type on the computer. i also really like to "eat" anything i can get my hands on. mommy is frustrated that i won't actually eat real food yet, but i'm very interested. i like to gnaw on apples when mommy has them for lunch and i'm very curious about what she does with all that food that goes in her mouth. when food goes in my mouth it just seems to come right out again. i'm sure i'll get the hang of it eventually.

2006-09-15T10:40:00.000-07:00

Getting Hefty

Ava went to the doctor this week for her 6 month checkup. When they poked her for those mean and nasty shots she only cried for a moment and otherwise did great. She now weighs in at a whopping 13 pounds even and is 24 3/4 inches tall. Developmentally she is doing very well. Now if only we could get her to eat!

2006-09-10T21:09:00.000-07:00

Cereal is Delicious!

But Ava doesn't think so. Her first attempts at solid food have been abysmal. We have been trying for a week now to get Ava to eat rice cereal. I don't think that she has actually injested any of it and most ends up on her bib. I have to remember that she is new to eating and just like everything else it takes practice. Soon we will be moving on to real food like fruits and veggies. I think I would prefer yummy fruit over rice too.

2006-09-08T09:42:00.000-07:00

Visit with Grandparents

Grandpa Chuck and Grandma JaneAnne came to visit over the long weekend. We spent lots of time watching Ava show off her new tricks. Ava seemed to get along very well with her grandparents and even allowed mommy and daddy to go on a couple of short coffee dates without her.

2006-09-05T11:08:00.000-07:00

Milestone 843

Ava is sitting up on her own! She has been hard at work practing and seems to have mastered this skill last week. She loves to grab toys from this position and is taking in the world from a new angle. Uh-oh, crawling is next. Better get on that babyproofing pronto!

2006-09-04T21:32:00.000-07:00

Cycling and Celebrating

friday was mommy's birthday. daddy and i decided to try her bike out for a ride, but my legs are a bit short still it turns out.

we had lots of fun celebrating mommy's birthday with grandma grace, aunt tals, and cousin halo. those who eat solid food had brunch at hi-life while i played with trucks and giraffes and rings and things.

2006-08-30T09:36:00.000-07:00

Fashionista

Little peanut is a bit young to explain to me her taste in fashion, but I just couldn't resist these adorable outfits.

Goin' surfin'

Ready for Fall

Wild Side

2006-08-18T15:38:00.000-07:00

Highchair

Ava hasn't started solid food yet, but she has been practicing sitting in her brand new highchair. She is still a bit small for it, but once you put those toys in front of her it's big fun. She likes to hang out in the kitchen with mommy when mommy is eating lunch.

2006-08-12T09:58:00.000-07:00

5 month old peanut

Ava turned 5 months old this week! She is hard at work practicing rolling over from back to front and loves to grab things including toys, Astro, or anything she can get her hands on. When Astro comes near her she gets very excited and starts bouncing and flapping her arms. She also loves to take him for his morning walk. I strap her into her baby bjorn and she loves being up high so she can see everything.

2006-08-08T16:40:00.000-07:00

Big Girl

i went out in my big girl stroller yesterday and today. mommy and i walked around the neighborhood to run some errands and i didn't have to be in my carseat anymore. i can ride in my big girl stroller instead. it was big fun because i could see everything and still play with my delicious rings. i like to put them in my mouth. yummy.

2006-08-06T09:03:00.000-07:00

Ava's amazing "feat"

Ava spent the month of July practicing a new trick. She is now ready to show it off to the world. Now imagine if you too could stick your feet in your mouth while laying on your back. She's really quite good at this new trick and loves to show it off on the changing table. She also practices on her playmat or when she is just lounging in my lap. I know you're jealous of her mad crazy skills.

2006-08-05T08:36:00.000-07:00

Excer-saucer

mommy put together my new excer-saucer the other day. when she first put me in it i thought it was mighty cool, even though i'm still too small to sit in it all by myself. mommy spun me around slowly to show me all of the toys in each section. i really liked the sun toy and i tried very hard to eat it. when mommy put me in it the next day i didn't like it so much. mommy says i made pouty face and started to cry. maybe we'll try again another day when i'm a little bigger.

2006-08-04T15:17:00.000-07:00

Bath Time Lots of Fun

When Ava was a few days old she didn't like baths so much.

Now she thinks they are great.

Me too.

2006-08-04T14:55:00.000-07:00

Punk Rock Baby

Ava's sporting a new do these days. While trying to beat the recent heat her hair always seemed to end up in a mohawk. Her daddy likes to think that she was just trying to wear her hair like his.

2006-07-30T14:43:00.000-07:00

Trip to Bellingham

Ava took her first trip out of town last week. It wasn't far, just 1 1/2 hours away to Bellingham, but it is the farthest she has been away from home so far. We went to visit friends Kelly, Todd, Avery, and Ben. Daddy Brian was very excited when he found out that a pirate ship used in the filming of "Pirates of the Carribean" was docked in Bellingham Bay. We took a tour, of course. Luckily none of the pirates on board made us walk the plank and we got away safely.

2006-07-25T14:23:00.000-07:00

Freaky Freckled Feet Eater

Daddy has been home for the last month on paternity leave, but somehow he has turned into freaky freckled feet eater. Baby feet are a delicacy I hear. Daddy Brian's other pursuits have been clear-cutting the forrest that has become our backyard, refinishing the deck, watching the Tour de France live at 6 am, and, of course, spending lots of time with miss Ava.

2006-07-20T19:32:00.000-07:00

Time Flies

It's been 2 weeks since Ava's last post and much has happened since then. The grandmas from California visited again and we had lots of fun. Grandma Rox made a toy box for Ava and customized it with her name. It's beautiful, good job grandma! While they were here we visited the zoo and the locks and took lots of pictures (to be posted soon).

We also had Ava's 4 month checkup. Ava is a little muffin, in the 5th percentile for weight and height, and in the 25th for head size. Otherwise she is doing very well meeting all her developmental milestones on time. Unfortunately she had to have 4 more immunizations which gave her a lovely fever the next day.

Lastly we have been spending lots of time with cousin Halo and riding his tiger friend, Miss Percible.

2006-07-04T12:09:00.000-07:00

Crabby Pants

Miss Ava had her first fever the other day, for no apparent reason. She wasn't sleeping well during the night which is not normal for her, and napping even worse during the day. We checked her temp. and were surprised to see 100.8 on the thermometer. A dose of Tylenol broke the fever but she continued to be a crabby pants (as would I). She didn't seem to be congested so is she teething I wonder?

2006-06-30T20:53:00.000-07:00

Double fistin'

i am getting soooo good at holding stuff! just look at me go with both hands. and that one in my left hand is heavy too. good thing i didn't knock my teeth out. oh wait, i don't have any yet.

also my cousin came over to visit today. he likes to hold me and play with me. i think it's fun to look at him because he smiles a lot. someday he will teach me to sing songs and play games. it will be good fun times.

2006-06-30T20:14:00.000-07:00

Quick, Ava, look cute!

that's what my daddy always says. he doesn't know that it's really quite easy for me. my giant grin gets him every time. now that i can hold on to things like my friend stretch the giraffe i look even cuter. just wait till i can giggle. that will really slay him.

2006-06-30T16:28:00.000-07:00

Ava goes to the car show

There was a car show in our neighborhood last weekend and Ava was excited to go because it was sunny outside. She got to wear her fun little sun hat. Friends Kris, Cristine, and Jayden came along too. Things were going well until some idiot decided to start his car, show off his engine and drive said car down the crowded street. Note to idiot: Sleeping babies do not like reving engines.

2006-06-30T16:06:00.000-07:00

Rolling Over!

Sometime in the month of June Ava surprised her mom by rolling over for the first time. They grow up so fast, don't they? She is practicing every day and will soon be able to go from back to front as well. I can't believe how strong she is and how much she changes every day. This parenting thing is starting to be lots of fun.

2006-06-30T15:54:00.000-07:00

T-Shirts and Photos

father's day was lots of fun. mommy and i made a t-shirt for daddy with my name on it to tide him over until he can get my name tatooed on him. we also printed lots of pictures of me and him and framed them for his office. he likes photos so it was a nice present. in the morning daddy went for a ride and then we went to the fremont solstice fair. no naked bicyclists this year, but my parents indulged in lots of tasty treats while i napped in the stroller. a good time was had by all.

2006-06-30T08:22:00.000-07:00

Ava's Hobbies

Favorite pastimes of miss ava include tummy time, reading colorful books, and being cute. Tummy time was once disliked, but is now enjoyed because rolling over is being practiced. Her favorite books are "Ten Little Ladybugs" and "There's a Wocket in my Pocket". As for being cute, well that's not much of a challenge. Here is some documentation of her in action.

2006-06-30T07:54:00.000-07:00

Mother's Day

i made my mommy's first mother's day fabulous. i took her to my grandma's house for brunch. my daddy, aunt tals, and cousin halo were there too. my daddy and i gave her a beautiful necklace made of my birthstone. i had the present in my crib with me so that my mommy would see it right away when she came to get me first thing in the morning. i was excited to give it to her. my aunt also gave her a necklace but this one said my name. my mommy wears it all the time. my mommy said her first mother's day was great. i'm glad.

2006-06-29T14:55:00.000-07:00

Lions and tigers and bears, oh my!

Ava's first trip to the zoo, accompanied by our friend Jay. Jay apparently loves the zoo and was most excited to go. We saw some bears, but I don't think we made it to the lions and tigers before nap time set in.

2006-06-29T14:43:00.000-07:00

Grandpa after Grandpa

Ava's adventures continued when she met grandpa Zbigniew for the first time, followed shortly by grandpa Chuck. What a lucky girl to have so many grandparents! She spent time at home with grandpa Chuck just chillin'. Grandpa Zbigniew took her to the Children's museum with cousin Halo and aunt Tals.

2006-06-29T14:41:00.000-07:00

First Visitors

When Ava was 2 weeks old "the grandmas" from California came to visit. "The Princess of Seattle" was sung and somebody went a little crazy with the hat stamping...

2006-06-29T13:35:00.000-07:00

The Adventures Begin
Ava Lucja's adventures began March 9th, 2006. She started life as an easy baby, but quickly changed her docile nature and turned into a raging crier. Months of seemingly endless screaming ended as suddenly as they began. Now her days are cheery, smiley, and full of new adventures. And so begins her story...