2 year old joys and blues

Ava is still a lightweight at less then 22 pounds. At least she's getting taller and is a little over 34 inches.

Something terrible has happened with Ava's sleep habits. I was just bragging about her sleeping so well less than a month ago and now here we are back in sucky sleep land. She takes horrible naps now and has already started sleep delaying tactics by saying "tummy hurts", "more books", "give me sippy cup", or "want some oatmeal". Ava makes requests for lullabies by saying "Mary had" (Mary had a little lamb) and "Papa" ("Hush little baby"). One can only sing all 8 verses of "Mary had a little lamb" so many times before one wants to fling oneself down the stairs. Once she's asleep, whoever is putting her to bed has to creep out and pray that she doesn't hear us. But that girl has some crazy good hearing.

We've re-entered the world of co-sleeping since Ava wakes up in the middle of the night and wants to snuggle with mommy and daddy. No one, including Ava, really sleeps well in this arrangement. Ava shouts out random words in the middle of the night ("No!", "Ants!", "Armpit"!) so I can only imagine what she is dreaming about. Although I must admit it is quite sweet to watch her sleep in the morning. She looks so beautiful and angelic. Also, when David leaves for work before 7am, she usually makes sure daddy gives her a proper goodbye by saying "give me kiss" even though her eyes are half-closed. Usually I hope Ava will stay asleep until 8am, but sometimes she'll start giving me kisses and pull my hair while she waits for me to get my tush out of bed.

Ava has a very cute little personality and likes to giggle. She is still kind of shy but once she warms up to someone, she gets a little obsessive with that person. She loves My Gym and wants to go there all the time, especially to see "Manda", who works there. She likes to say rhymes likes "Panda Manda" all day long. She says some other really sweet/funny/weird things:

"Don't be cry, mommy, be happy, mommy." I like to fake cry in front of her so that she'll listen better. That tactic will probably backfire on me soon. When I pretend to be mad at her and turn away from her, she always tries to turn my head back to face her and says, "No, no, mommy."

"Let me see armpit. Other one". She is always requesting that I raise my arms. Don't ask me why.

"Come on, stinky." She said this to me the other day when she wanted to go downstairs.

"I love you, TV". The TV gets a hug and kiss too.

When David is at work and I ask her where daddy is, she always says "mall". She must know something I don't.

Ava loves to watch music videos on the computer and her favorite videos are "Hey, Mickey" (Toni Basil), "Shake It" (Metro Station) and "Boom boom pow". We'll have to put up a video of her dancing to one of these songs.

Happy Birthday, Ava!

Ava turned 2 on September 5, and we threw a little party for her the day before. I thought Ava turning 2 was such a momentous occasion that it was definitely time for a party (no party last year). We had it at Monkey Joe's, which is pretty much a warehouse of inflatable slides, and where children run themselves ragged. About 9 of her little buddies showed up. Unfortunately I didn't get pictures of everyone playing, which I am bummed about. I think the party went very well and hoped everyone who attended had a blast! We are so appreciative of the support everyone showed and for the presents! I don't think Ava really understood what was going on exactly, but when everyone sang "Happy Birthday" to her, she seemed to enjoy that. It was a special moment.

Ava's Elmo cake. No, I didn't make it...I didn't want to shame Ava with anything I would make

                                           Jaws of pure fun

                                           Ava couldn't stop smiling

                                   Her buddy Gavin agreed to pose before running off to play

                                    Heather and Bailey...even Bailey got to go down the slides

                            Marijo and Quincy. Quincy wasn't interested in the food...just the slides!

                               Michelle and Chase showing us what pure happiness looks like

                                      Come on Khari! Their friendship has really blossomed

                                      Kate waving her arms like she just don't care

                             Pizza, juice, cake and ice cream...the four food groups of a toddler

                                       Ava sharing her birthday seat with mommy

                             Ava was proud of her Elmo cake. She kept saying "want some Elmo cake"

 

              I had this ridiculous idea of sending Ava and Chase down the slide by themselves. Ava's arm looks like it's about to be ripped out of the socket. She was quite upset...so was daddy.

                                    Ava loved climbing around by herself

 
                                     Her special glasses that she got from Monkey Joe's-she loved them

Funny language

Ava has a funny way of saying lots of words. She gets a little lazy with her pronunciation. I'm hoping these funny pronunciations aren't too permanent. Here is a dictionary of Ava's language:

 strawbaba: strawberry

api: octopus

 ah nu (she has said "I wa you" but gets lazy I guess): I love you

babysuit: bathing suit

kowawa: koala

bluebaby: blueberry

crocodukudu: crocodile

Bashu: butterfly

isee: elephant

Shodo: cereal

zippy: zebra

gotch: dog

BDD:DVD

wayu: raspberry

dadu: downstairs

make you: thank you

badup: balloon

She's finally putting two or three words together and just getting a lot more vocal. Some of the sweetest things she says is ""Bless You" whenever we sneeze, or "Sorry, mommy" when she knows she is in trouble. Sometimes she'll whisper "I wa you" (I love you) in our ears if she feels like telling secrets or randomly say "give me kiss". She melts our hearts!

 One day she randomly said her ABCs from A through K. I was very surprised since she just did it out of the blue. But the miracle of all miracles right now is that I can put her down in her crib, say good night and walk away! No more sitting on the floor and singing countless lullabies and trying to hone my ninja skills when I sneak out without making a peep.  This works for nap time too. This is just a huge deal! I don't want to go anywhere and leave our home for a night for fear of messing this up. 

Block Island!

We headed up to Rhode Island for a Smock family reunion in mid July. The weather was gorgeous except for one rainy day. It was kind of fun to be cooped up that day and play games.

 You have to take a ferry (our ferry took almost 2 hours from Newport).  I don't think Block Island is over commercialized, and it's the type of place where there is something for everyone. David and I actually got to go biking once, and that was very challenging for wimpy me. The trails are beautiful and looking out for poison ivy is always an adventure. David got to go swimming in the lake quite a few times and loved it. I really enjoyed roasting the hot dogs and making the s'mores on the beach. 

Ava loved being with all of her cousins and still lists some of them off these days. There really is nothing like being around family! It always makes us sad to think about not having family nearby.

There was an episode of Ava running around butt naked all over the beach and she put on quite a show. Wish I had pics because her cute little buns were just too adorable!!! 

Ava and mommy at the tip of the island by the North Light House

Apparently it was a windy day...

Why settle for 1 bag of chips when you can have 50?

Another generation of pasty white legs :)

Watching the cousins catch clams at Andy's Way.

Ava finding Uncle Dan's 'stache quite amusing

Just a couple of FOBs (Fresh Off the Boat) 

Hanging out at the cool kid's house-we felt very priviledged to stay at the famous Jens Risom A-frame house

Nothing like wind blowing through those golden locks

Hello Block Island

Taking a stroll in Newport

Mom better think twice about taking any of these fries

Creepy Eyes strikes again!

Waiting for our ride at the hotel

On the ferry back to Newport

Cheeky girl

Ava's new thing is lifting up her butt cheek to let out a toot while she is sitting down. Where did she pick that up from? It's the cutest thing. She does it so nonchalantly, like she was born to do it. She also likes to announce that she just tooted by saying "Toot!" and giggling.

Ava is 21 months old!

My little baby is 21 months old! Ava sure is a sassy little thing. She's a mommy's girl but wants to be independent too.

Her favorite activities are:
-watching Signing Time videos. She flaps her arms around when she wants to watch it (she's trying to do the sign for "play)
-having lots of books read to her. She's constantly saying "Read! Read!"
-Playing with my tummy fat. She really likes lifting up my shirt and squishing my tummy fat (lucky for her there's plenty of it). She likes to finish her fat fondling session by blowing raspberries on my tummy. This happens at least 5 times a day. She doesn't like to play with David's tummy because it is hairy, or as she describes it "Yucky".
-Being tickled by Daddy and waiting by the door when Daddy comes home for work.



Her new favorite foods are:

-"Man Tou" (Chinese bread)
-soup
-sushi
-noodles from Trader Joe's. She's always trying to steal mine!



Ava's still not too much of a talker. She doesn't put more than two words together really, but she's picked up a few more words recently: Toot, Touch, Wall, Okay (a pig also says "okay"), Read, Cuppa or coop for book, yucky, Hand, Owl, Toy, Boy, Elbow, Ernie, Oscar “occo”, Opi for open, In, Dora, Whoa, and Whoa Joe, Ah Gong (my dad), Ah Yi, "Hua" Chinese for “flower”, Turtle, Shu Shu, Beep beep, "Yu" Chinese for fish, Bunny (she says buddy), Amen (she says amee), Happy, Unnies (for undies), Fork (she says "fook"), car, Monkey, Sticky, Cow, Hold, Sit (sounds like swear word), Peas, Clock, Grape, star



End of the boob era: Ava hasn't been breastfed in almost a week! She'll ask for "he mi mi" at random times during the day but I try to distract her. This is hopefully the end of a long and bittersweet love affair.



Here are some pictures of her around 21 months:

This was the most pitiful day of Ava's life. She had a fever, couldn't fall asleep for a nap, and just cried all day. It was a sad day for all.

Strutting around in mommy's red shoes. She walks better in them than I do!

Nothing like pushing a stroller in mommy's boots.

She likes to ride her "horsey"

Sunglasses on her head. She's a cool little chick.

Bonnie Lass

We went to the Scottish Festival in Mint Hill on May 23. We loved all the kilts and bagpipes! David enjoyed a lovely bridie (Scottish meat pie). We didn't dare try the haggis!

Checking out the strange hairy cows

Ava wanted to carry my purse around all morning. She could barely walk.

Ava is turning into such a blondie. Her hair looks slightly reddish too.

Men in kilts competing in the "Highland Games"

Bagpipes and kilt in a rock band. It was pure dead brilliant (Scottish saying for "exceptionally good")