Ava kate scuba goggles

Tribute to Eyes

They say that eyes are the window to the soul. Ava-Kate's eyes have taken my breath away since I first looked into them. From the color, that I don't think the options on a driver's license will ever be able to describe, to the beautiful almondey-shape.

She has her father's eyes.

I love that.

I've also heard that the eyes are the first thing people look at when they see your face. So how fitting that they would make me fall in love with her as though it were the first time, each time I truly notice the details of her face.

Though they look sad in this picture, I think that the camera has captured a part of their beauty. People have always told us how expressive Ava-Kate is and always has been. Her eyes can tell her story. As her mother I love that through her eyes I can see happy or sad, mad or hurt, or even sickness. Maybe part of my awe in eyes is from my anatomy/physiology background, and how truly miraculous it is that we can see the world around us, but even more miraculous that the world can see us through our eyes.

Halloween 2011

Halloween 2011 was the most cost effective of our marriage! We spent a grand total of $1.50 between the 3 of us. Unfortunately the cameras were against us on this Hallow's Eve so these pictures were taken with my phone AFTER trick-or-treating and Ava-Kate was much more interested in eating all of the candy than posing for the camera. Ava-Kate was/is a princess. We already had everything she needed in the dress-up box so it worked out really well. She LOVED the concept of trick-or-treating after the very first house. She would knock, say "treat", take a handful of candy, say "thank you", then turn and say "más treat" translated to "more treat". *side note: our baby girl speaks a lot of spanglish Finally, we went to a fabulous party put on by Crowsh and Mario. We went dressed up as the Royal Couple, Kate Middleton and Prince William. Unfortunately James' camera deleted ALL his pictures without warning, so we are trying to track down a group picture. So maybe we can be them next year again, although it won't be as cool unless they have something fabulous happen to keep them in the media. Anyway, our first trick-or-treating Halloween with Ava-Kate was a success and so fun! The candy's not too bad either :)

Nope! Not premature at all!

Ava-Kate is doing fabulous with potty training. We no longer have the resistance and fear of number 2 :) She just has to go when she has to go. She refuses to even try and sit on the potty if it's not on her terms. She also can only wear underwear, pull-ups are viewed as diapers and therefore free game to wet and soil (I hate the word "soil" but sometimes it's the only word that works). We only have accidents once in a while and usually it's my fault for not watching her to make sure she goes when she holds herself (which is so funny, what if adults still did that every time we had to go really badly?) Anyway, we can even go to the park, mall, grocery store, and any other errands if I time it right and leave right after she just went potty. I just am still trying to figure out how to make her know it's ok to go on the big potties in public restrooms. Oh well. The little funny things you take for granted. All in all, I think it was mostly me that had to be ready. Ava-Kate has probably been ready for a long time, I just had to buckle down and prepare myself for dealing with it. I've been worrying about potty training since she was born, and now I realize it wasn't so bad. I can't imagine going any longer with changing diapers all day long! So to mommies now and mommies to be, good luck, you CAN do it! Oh, and I'm sure your tot can do it too! :)

Potty Training

This may be a little pre-mature, and I hope I don't jinx the process by posting this, Ava-Kate went poo poo in the potty today! We've been potty training on and off for a couple months now, but I was so worried that AK was too young. A friend of mine at play group said last week that when they start to take off their diaper they're ready. Well, that did it. I gritted my teeth and decided we're only doing underwear from now on, except for nap and bedtime. Ava-Kate's been really good at going potty for pee pee but has never gone poo poo. I mentioned this at play group this week, and the same friend said that she would take a doll, or a bear, or whatever and put that on the potty. Then, using something like beans (I used un-cooked black beans), you have the doll go "poo poo". Later today I tried it, and brilliant! Ava
-Kate went poo poo 15 minutes later in the potty! We also borrowed this book from the library,

and though graphic, it was great to teach that we don't go poo poo or pee pee on the floor, but in the potty. Oh how I love the miraculous joys of motherhood. I don't think I ever thought I would put this much energy in, or get so excited about, the basic functions of the human body. But oh, how excited I was when my baby girl finally went! So, crossing our fingers and hoping the accidents will be fewer and further between.

Ode to Google

I love google! I've loved it for a while, so much even that James once ordered me a shirt that says "I 'heart' google" I wear it with pride. I'm not sure I would be able to live without google. Both as a parent, a student, a wife, and a person in general. Here is a list of the things I have "googled" lately:

How to wake up early and workout

How to cook eggs in the microwave

Shutterfly

French Interior Decor

French diet: how are they so thin

haha. I've learned so much just from those searches. And don't even get me started on the thousands of things I googled while pregnant and baby-related. I was actually banned from it while I was pregnant because I would get so worked up over every little thing. Now it's nice that I don't have to call the Dr. over every little thing. I wish I would've been able to buy stock in google. I would love to own a piece of the magic. I'm sure if they created some sort of Google-land, I would definitely put that on my bucket list.

Blue vs Red *article from the Daily Herald

LEHI -- More than 4,000 players took part in what sponsor Property Solutions is calling the world's largest dodgeball game on Friday evening at Thanksgiving Point's Electric Park.

A Guinness Book of World Records moment, the challenge was a fundraiser for Camp Kesem, a charity for children of cancer patients. Strategically scheduled, the event was organized to take place the night before BYU and the University of Utah played their annual football game. Blue won this round.

Co-president of Property Solutions, John Hanna, said the idea for the tournament came from David Bateman, the company's CEO.

"My idea," Bateman said. "But it wasn't my idea to do it in the rain though."

A lot of the advertising for the event was done through social networking.

"To be honest a lot of it's viral, by word of mouth and on Facebook, stuff like that," Bateman said.

The company, which develops software for apartment complex managing, had ordered 2,500 red and blue T-shirts for the participants and ran out well before the game began.

There were 760 red and blue balls that flew high and low toward the opponents' side of the field. Once hit you were out of the game. Last player standing won for their team.

Brexton Wilding, a BYU student, said he learned of the game from a campus flier.

"My roommates were going and it sounded like fun," Wilding said.

James Carpenter married into a staunch BYU family even though he is a U of U student.

"We're here for a date night," he said. Both he and his wife, Tara, wore blue.

Property Solutions's goal was to raise $20,000 while matching donations up to $10,000. Ben Zimmer, company co-president, said the event would give the company instant credibility.

Hanna wasn't as sure."I thought it was dumb," Hanna said. "I wanted to break the lightning record in basketball."

On the flip side, he said it was one of the best things they have done as a company.

"We are growing very rapidly and we want people to know who we are and this gives us instant recognition," Hanna said.

** to see a video of James and me click on the link below and on the left hand side under "related videos", I think we're the first one. We looked pretty silly but it was the second take, the first take was good but the back ground was too loud. The game was crazy fun and James planned it all by himself!

Read more: http://www.heraldextra.com/news/local/north/lehi/article_7085a6ae-b7db-58df-9adc-c6a8dfcbeccb.html#ixzz1ZLr3yeud