Ava kate and alex

catching up

I have no reason for not blogging. So I won't even make up an excuse. Well maybe just one, that I've been watching way too much netflix. I'm quite obsessed with "Lockdown". This national geographic documentary series on prisons across the United States. A lot really has been going on actually. I've thrown 2 baby showers which were both huge successes in their different ways. I'm so excited for all the babies being born. Bringing me to my next point, no, we're not planning on having another baby anytime soon. We're having too much "fun" trying to handle Ava-Kate by herself, let alone adding another one! :) Ava-Kate is growing up so fast though! She has such a personality! One thing that is both frustrating and hilarious is her shoe fetish. She's very very very particular about her footwear. She went through this phase where she always had to have her boots on.

Ava-Kate ready to go outside with her bag as her "purse". No we didn't go out until she had some actual pants on. She insisted on the hat as well. haha

Then she moved to some pink jelly sandals that she would wear even when it was snowing. Yes, I would let her, with socks of course, and I carried her, it's just not a battle I'm willing to fight each day. Thankfully it's warming up because now she takes OFF her shoes and socks the moment she gets into the car! She's talking and talking and just being a doll. Except when she's not, because sometimes she's not, I'm afraid that sometimes she screams and screams. We're working on that.

As for myself I'm growing my bangs out. Ah! I have had bangs for almost 5 years I think, so it's really weird to see my forehead all the time. What do you think?

Also, it's dance competition season! And with that super-sister comes to the rescue when Mom can't make it for whatever reason. Which I love! I did Robyne's makeup and hair for the cutest dance. "Tea Party" If you ever have the opportunity to watch Robyne and her team dance, jump on it! She's so talented and I love watching her. It's also giving me good practice being a "Dance Mom" because I'm thinking it might be Ava-Kate's destiny as well. She dances to all music at any time! And she loves sitting in the kitchen watching her Aunt Robyne practicing her dances.

As for James he's LOVING his job with Fidelity. I'm so happy he's finally doing what he loves! We only have one more year of his undergrad woo hoo! Then we'll see where it takes us. We're both keeping pretty busy though. James has school, work, and now he's in the elders quorum presidency. I have baby and I'm in the young women presidency (the best calling). I love my girls. I do however find myself lacking seriously in the adult conversation skills. I'm either speaking "baby" or "high school" with my teenage girls, (yw). We're also excited for Shad's mission call to Frankfurt, Germany and are so proud of him. I'm going to miss his terribly though, and I'm not even his mother :). We're also planning on going to California in June to go to my cousin's wedding and hopefully see A LOT of family that we haven't seen in a LONG while. Hope everyone is doing well, that's pretty much what's going on with us :)

Christmas Morning

Thanks to everybody who sent us love and presents. It was so fun having a baby to have Christmas with this year. Ava-Kate doesn't know who Santa is, or anything else about Christmas, but she sure knew how to open presents and be excited about it. She received a lot of great presents from all her Grandparents. Everything from a princess purse book to a cell phone, to a baby doll with a stroller, and play jewelry. Ava-Kate is turning very much into a girly-girl. She loves shoes, jewelry, hair clips, makeup, and purses. She cracks me up and is still just a precious ball of energy. Her latest achievement is her first spanish word! James has been very diligent in speaking spanish to her almost exclusively. Uncle Brett actually realized it though, haha, she says "dah-dee" while holding out her hand, translated to spanish is "dame", translated to english is "give me". Also, the only TV show she'll watch is "Dora the Explorer" which is funny because even I'm learning a little more spanish from that. I love seeing her begin to have "favorites". She loves anything "Dora". We were at Wal-mart and she was walking around in the baby aisle and she brought us a Dora beanie with gloves. So fun! She's also sleeping really well through the night and throwing fits and kissing anybody!

The last 3 months....

Ava-Kate and me at the Hogle Zoo; can you tell she missed her nap?

Ava-Kate still loves her bumbo and baba.

Trying on mommy's clothes

Throwing a fit while trying on mommy's clothes

Waking up

Halloween 2010. Cutest costume EVeR! Thanks to Aunt Annika

We didn't take pictures of Thanksgiving, and I'll put up some of our Christmas festivities in a bit. But for news James started a new job on Nov 15 with Fidelity Investments. I am no longer working! WooHoo! Ava-Kate had her 15 month appointment last Tuesday and she is so smart!

Dr. Cramer said that she's an over achiever with her development.

She's talking so much now, she learns a new word almost daily it seems. My favorites lately are "not-not" =knock-knock

"bye-bye"

"dypa"= diaper

and her favorite= "uh-oh"!

Everything is "uh-oh" even when she drops something on purpose. She's also climbing on everything! Ahhh... what a fun age. If I had to describe Ava-Kate in one word it would probably be "energy". She is full of it! Or "flirt" because that's what she is. She loves people and loves making them laugh. Lots of Love to all our family and friends that read this blog and as Ava-Kate would say "mmmmmm" which means she wants to give you a kiss! xoxo

Mamas Who Know

I just now found a fantastic blog that every woman, especially mothers should add to their blogs- to- follow- list. It's Mammas who Know. It gives inspiration to live and teach the gospel of Jesus Christ to our children. When I was pregnant with Ava Kate, my greatest fear was that I wouldn't know how to teach her to love the gospel as I love it and the happiness it brings to my life. That I didn't know enough, or that I wasn't perfect enough in my devotion and faith. But I'm so grateful for all the resources that Heavenly Father has blessed us with as mothers- and fathers- to teach our children. My father-in-law and his wife also gave us a dvd from www.lds.org called "Teach the Children", it's also a great resource.

Ava Kate Turns One....a while ago!

Ava Kate's party was a family event full of fun! I have never had so much fun at a birthday party, especially one where the birthday girl had no clue what was going on! James' sister Alison flew in from Alabama to share the day with us, and even though being hugely prego in the heat of Summer was miserable I love having her birthday near Labor Day because it's a whole long weekend of fun! The decorations were the creative child of Brett's wife Annika, I wish I could take credit for those cute cute flowers, but alas, she's the crafter.
All of those presents on the fireplace are hers! Van said he wants as many presents as Ava-Kate got for his birthday. She received clothes and clothes galore from both grandmas and grandpas and aunts. A piano and quiet book from mom and dad. A backpack from U. Van. a TuTu and wand from A. Annika and U. Brett. And a cute plush bowling pin and ball set from Nana K.


Once AK figured out "opening presents" she was all for it, especially when the applause came at the end. Which the picture above is her giving herself a clap. Ava Kate also gave us a beautiful piano concert...enjoy!

Ava Kate Turns One... Tomorrow!

I haven't been great at keeping our out-of-town grandma's, grandpa's, aunts, uncles, etc. updated in what Ava-Kate is really like. First and probably craziest is she walks! EVERYWHERE! She loves just walking down the street, yep that's right, the street, she will not stay on the sidewalk. I'm afraid I have a shopper in the making. When we go to stores she will walk up to the displays, or racks, or shelves and touch whatever is at her level, but she touches it very gently, and will kind of squat and look at it, smile, then move on to the next display. It is hilarious! I should really get that on video. She LOVES dancing and singing. She'll dance to any music no matter where she is, so if you ever see us at the grocery store, when I think nobody is looking I'll dance right along with her. Her singing is really cute too, it's mostly to the radio when we're in the car she'll kind of just ooh and aah musically, it's hard to describe, but I know it's singing. Ava-Kate is already trying to talk and mimic everything we say. So far her words are gog=dog; top=stop; maaam= I'm hungry/thirsty/more; pop=pop (as in: goes the weasel); bah= boo!; uh-oo= uh-oh. She loves banging and making all the noise she can possibly get out of anything and everything. She is really testing out her independence, but only if I'm close by for a little bit of safety. It's impossible to get anything done around the house because she either wants to be held (while making dinner, doing the dishes, or laundry, or I have to be sitting by her so that she'll play with her toys. We're weaning her off "the bottle" which is quite the journey but she loves peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, string cheese, bananas, yogurt, oatmeal, and whole milk. oh! and beets! What!?! That's right, she LOVES canned beets! Random story as to how that was discovered, but it's one of her faves. Finally, she loves herself! Here's a video of her in the car, and then of her watching her video of her in the car. enjoy!