Happy Birthday Aunt Margie

Happy Birthday Aunt Margie.  I hope you are enjoying Disney World, wish we could be there to enjoy it with you! 

Happy Birthday Aunt Tiffany!

Happy Birthday Aunt Tiffany!

We hope you are enjoying this wet, cold day and they aren't working you too hard!

After Dinner Tickles

After Dinner Tickles

Dawson and Daddy

Got your toes

makes the little guy happy

altogether now:  awwwwww

Our Visit to the Fire station

Last week (before we left for Las Vegas) we visited the Fairfield Township Fire Station with my MOMS Club.  I was lucky enough to be able to leave little guy alone with the grandparents.  Carter loved seeing the firemen's bedrooms, but he was scared to death of the firemen in all of their "gear." 

Ava was also really frightened of the firemen in his gear.  She wouldn't even look at him!  She just buried her face on my shoulder.  What a fun, exciting, learning experience!

Pumpkin Patch Time

I'll admit it, I LOVE taking our kids to fun places like the pumpkin patch.  We have been so busy lately with soccer games, visiting family and errands to run that we haven't made it there yet.  But today we fixed that, and took our little crew to Barn-n-Bunk.

There was so much fun stuff to do!  Carter's favorite was a little hay maze that ended with a slide into more hay.  It was pretty humorous to watch Mike crawling around on his hands and knees through the hay, with the flashlight app on his iphone lighting the way!  He didn't want Ava to get scared in the dark, what a sweet daddy.

This little girl loves to jump!  So I was not suprised at all that her favorite was the bouncy house (good thing we remembered socks this year!)

Although I don't have any pictures of it, Dawson's favorite was the hay ride.  I'm calling it a hay ride, but really it was a wagon ride pulled by horses.  Dawson refused to sit on my lap, and he wiggled and squirmed until he was standing up on the seat at the rails edge.  He loved watching the world go by, with his hair blowing in the breeze (WIND!) and waving to the passing cars, trees and pumpkins. 

But there were also train rides

and shoulder rides for the littlest one.

Playing in the hay is always fun

Playing in the buggy

(Funny story:  Carter got into the buggy and asked "How did they go to the grocery store?"  Pretty smart observation by a four year old about the lack of trunk space.)

Tractor Fun

Today was so busy, with a trip to the farmer's market, a soccer game and then after nap a trip to Barn-n-Bunk.  Then we topped it all off with a trip to Chick-fil-a.  I love that restaurant with kids, it almost feels like date night for Mike and I.  While the two big kids play in the play place we have time to talk to each other and moon over our littlest.  What a great day! 





Vegas Pictures

Just in case you were wondering, we had a great time in Vegas.  I forgot what it was like to be able to have a lesiurely meal with no interruptions, to sleep as long as you would like, and to not plan your day around kid's napping schedules.  It was a great break from reality, but I'm so happy to be home with my babies!

2.5 years old!

My little Avaroo, today you are 2.5 years old. 

What are you up to right now?

Well, currently you have started Mighty Max, a mommy and me preschool class.  You love to participate in the music and movement activities.  You love to answer all of Miss Gena's questions, and you love, love, LOVE to do the art projects. 

You make all kinds of friends wherever we go.  Recently we went to a bookstore and we were looking around the children's area.  Another little girl came to look at books and you walked up to her and said "Hi, What's your name?"  The little girl didn't respond and you looked at her Mommy and said "It's ok.  She's shy.  I'm Ava."

Here are some of your favorites:  the movies Tangled and The Princess and the frog, Sesame Street, Hello Kitty,  the Disney Princess Collection Book, anything PINK, spaghetti, sunbutter sandwiches, bananas and milk.

Your favorite pastime:  Jumping on the bed

Some of your achievements since you turned 2 years old:

• Counting to 14
• identifying your colors, although you will sometimes call red pink
• can identify your shapes, but we are still working on hexagon and octagons
• can make your prewriting strokes: circles and lines.  You have also written a lowercase a.
• You can now jump and get your feet off the ground
• still working on potty training, we have had a few accidents but you are in underwear
• You can open door knobs (sounds so silly, but we had to work hard on this.  Carter kept closing doors and effectively locking you into rooms.)
• You can climb up into your carseat, although I'm still buckling you in
• You have started snipping with scissors
• Your language has absolutely exploded.  You are our little conversationalist.
• You love to sing ABC's, twinkle twinkle, you are my sunshine, and pinky is so stinky

Daddy just reminded me to talk about the pink baby phenomenon.  You have always loved pinky, your blanket, but pink baby has become your closest pal.  Pink baby was the gremlin baby doll from christmas that was deactivated.  You MUST sleep with pink baby and she MUST be with you at all times.  I draw the line at bringing pink baby into the world, but she follows you closely around the house.  By the way, pink baby is the baby's given name.  Given by you, of course. 

You love to play babies (of course) and cook tomatoes and coffee on snakes in the kitchen (sounds delightful.)  You like to play cars, bears and tag with your big brother.  With baby Dawson you will "read" him books, push his cars around, stack his blocks and roll the ball to him.  You are the first to rush to one of your brothers to give them a hug if they start to cry.  

With all these wonderful things that I have written about you I must add:  if you toned down the attitude a touch it would be appreciated.

You are my sunshine, my Avey sunshine, you make me happy when skies are gray.  You'll never know dear how much I love you.  Please don't take my sunshine away.

We love you girl!