3 and 3/4 going on 16

I started working on this post months ago and never finished it until now. Better late than never. How do you really capture what someone is like in a blog post? I have to try, because I just can't rely on my memory. I think about how quickly Ava is growing and it makes me feel like the time I have with her is already slipping through my fingers! It sounds strange and I don't really know how to describe it.

Here are some tidbits about Ava:

Ava truly is a girly girl. She loves dressing up and adores finding clothes to try on at any clothing store we go to. One time she made sure she was ready to get her fashion on by asking, "Where is the dressing room?"

Ava is obsessed with the concept of age, getting older and growing bigger. She likes to ask nice old ladies who talk to her "Are you an old lady"? Pretty embarrassing.

Ava likes to give me random kisses on my hand, arm, and leg. She says "Mommy, I want to go home and snuggle on the couch."

Ava always wants to go on Daddy-Daughters dates. David and Ava have an anthem when they go on one that goes something like this "Daddy-Daughter Date! Woo-hoo!" They've been on a couple, with their trek down to the Doughnut Plant being the most memorable one.

Ava will say one thing and say the complete opposite thing in the next sentence. So basically she's saying a lot of cute nonsense.

If David and I are having a disagreement (usually about the dumbest stuff ever), Ava will stop us and say "Why are you not being nice together?" Good thing Ava is around to keep us in check.

A few notable quotes:

"Thank you, cow, for this milk!"

"This is not good for our bodies, but it is so yummy!"

"Mommy, why are you still in your PJs, you should change into your day time clothes!"

While shaking her bottom, she'll say, "I don't need to go pee pee, I'm just shakin' my booty!"

"I'm not pretty because I'm not wearing a dress." She usually says this when we go to the playroom and she's not dressed up like she wants to be.

I opened our front door and Arden made a dash for the hallway. Ava called out "Arden come back! You are family!"


So Ava is for the most part a sweet, well-behaved girl, but I find myself losing my patience with her a lot these days. Ava likes to pick on Arden when she is bored or tired. Ava doesn't like to listen to us when we ask her to do something and I find myself raising my voice a lot. I know I need to work on myself a lot and just remind myself that Ava is three!

Ava got all dressed up for the Royal Wedding party that Lesley threw. Lesley did a great job celebrating Will and Kate's big day. The crepes were delicious!

I had to throw this picture of Arden in. She was enjoying herself at the Royal Wedding party too.

Ava all decked out in her rain gear. Thankfully we don't have much use for the gear these days.

The city girl riding in a "taxi". These mosaics are so cool at Grant's Tomb.

Ava with one of her best friends-Jan. Jan lives next door to us and has been a special friend to Ava since we moved to NYC. She used to take Ava to the park a lot, but lately she does story time once a week before bed.

Ava, the diva, and I at Highline Park.