"I'm Getting Tired"

This first time EVER in her almost 25 months has she EVER admitted this. I know she's only been talking for a little over a year, but even through non-verbals as a baby did she ever, EVER tell us she was tired. NEVER. She could be exhausted with her eyes half shut, bb in hand, and sucking the life out of her lip (what she does) and we'd ask her if she was tired. "No!"

Just needed to document this.

That's all.

Enjoying a Spring Morning

One of Ava's favorite Friday hot spots includes going to the duck pond, usually followed by story time at the Wells Branch Library since it's so close. This was such a lovely spring morning. While we are there she just loves to explore and feed the ducks. I usually hang out a step or two behind her (except for when I'm in her face snapping pictures, lol) while she does her own thing, makes observations and asks question after question. It is a great time and place for just the two of us.

I love this picture of her walking alongside the water looking for anything and everything to pick up and observe. It's serious business.

She is getting really good at throwing the bread right in front of the ducks.

Taking a rest on a rock.

A brave girl feeding some brave ducks. I guess when the duck bit her finger when she was a baby, it didn't traumatize her after all.

I just love this little neighborhood park. I thought this picture captured the pond perfectly, a little girl exploring, a mother pushing her baby in a stroller and a little elderly lady sitting on the bench while watching her husband fish.

Ava telling the lady on the bench all about the duck on the wall. Ava thought this was hilarious. After all, it IS a duck on a wall, how silly is that?!

She was mesmerized by the elderly woman. It was so sweet, they were both in awe.

Her Newest Masterpiece

As I was cleaning the bathroom one day, something of which is not out of the ordinary, I noticed that it had been several minutes since I had heard from Ava. Like I said, I can do something for a few minutes away from her and she, for the most part, is playing by herself and keep herself occupied.

However, this silence seemed a bit different. I could feel something wasn't quite right. I stopped my cleaning and looked over to see her little back to me, head down, concentrating on something. As I got closer I realized that she had a BLACK PERMANENT marker and was drawing on herself. I can't believe I'm going to say this but the first thing that came to mind was thank goodness she didn't decide to do a masterpiece on the walls or furniture! I can handle bodies. I calmly (after a few breaths) explained that this is a special kind of marker that stains and she does not need to use it. We have markers for Ava, I said. If you want to draw, just tell me.

You can tell by the second pic how sad of a moment this was for all involved. I was trying so hard not to laugh at her face when I told her I needed to take a picture of it to show daddy when he got home. She was not happy about daddy seeing it.

He walked in the door and she immediately said, "daddy happy?" Since he already knew about it, he had to do his best to act disappointed and not laugh.

Oh, and for the most part it came off immediately. There were definitely residuals that lasted a few days.

The not-so-perfect days

I debated on whether or not to publish the previous post (A Perfect Day) because I don't want to make it sound as if our days are filled with absolute perfection, day in and day out. Sooo not the case.

So I thought I would sieze the opportunity and talk about a few 'imperfections' we are battling right now. You may have heard of them......you know......the terrible two's? Since 'terrible' sounds a bit dramatic, let's fluff it up and call them 'taxing' or 'trying' two's.

I was inundated with the "Trying Twos" about the week she turned two, ironic enough. Some 'trying' behaviors that I speak of include:

-hitting

-defiance (ex: "Aves please don't dump that out". Looks right atcha.....DUMP!)

-refusing anything and everything (We joke that the word of the year is "no", it has such a new meaning now than it did when she first spoke it as a baby.)

-frustration with others leading to physical aggression (i.e. pushing, hitting)

-day-to-day tasks, like putting on a diaper, are 'taxing'

Sooo, I know these behaviors are normal as they seek boundaries and figure out the world around them. And as for Ryan and I, we are reading, talking, researching, asking questions, etc. all related to how to handle this. It is slowly getting better and of course we have our setbacks, but I have to remind myself that she is TWO (thanks Amanda). It's going to happen and we just have to be prepared and consistent, which is really helping. I actually set up a modified behavior management chart (don't laugh) that she really understood. Stickers were rewards for listening to mommy (our biggest need at that point) and once she got that, it helped. I can't help it, it's the teacher in me, poor girl.

However, the mother in me knows that this is the same girl who is pushing a friend one moment is giving bear hugs the next. And the same girl who hits the cat one moment and in the next is telling him "I sorry Boo". She can go from an upper-cut (a little exaggerated) to a eskimo kiss all in a matter of minutes.

Once we get through this, she's going to be fine, absolutely fine.

I know it.

(Although I *hear* 3's are even more taxing, ::wink, wink:: Jill and Kara)

A Perfect Day

This morning was one of those perfect days with Ava. She woke up around 7:30 this morning and we did our morning ritual of laying in mommy and daddy's bed and watching Sesame Street or whatever is up to her liking that day. This morning we actually ate Cheerios in bed straight out of the box at Ava's request to "eat them like a big girl". I don't know why she thinks this is how big girls eat Cheerios, who knows.


Then we showered where she loves to "wash" the shower and herself w/ mommy's shaving cream. Our shower discussion included asking her what she wanted to do today and she wanted to go to the "pet tore". (store)


Next we packed a picnic and headed to Starbuck's so Mommy could get a Frappacino and Ava a milk. Before we got in the car, it started to drizzle. So much for an outdoor picnic, mommy should really check the weather more often. Ava HAD to play in it. So after about 10 minutes I didn't want her to be too soaked, we loaded into the car and headed off.


Got our Starbuck's and went to Petco at the recommendation of Aunt Jill. We usually hit up PetSmart, but a new Petco opened and she said cousins Abby and Emmy really liked it because of the child-size carts there. Sure enough, those were a hit with Aves. And we got to see everything from ferrets to turtles and geckos to rats (yuck!). Ava was loving it. I had planned to try to make it to story time at the library, but she didn't want to leave the Pet store.


Once I persuaded her to "buy" her item and get back in the car we headed home to have our indoor picnic. Only, once she stepped foot out of the car, she saw rain puddles. So we strapped on the new rain boots (see previous post) and played in the rain puddles for just short of an HOUR! No doubt it took about 15 minutes for the boots to come off and for her to sit in the puddles only to insist on getting "nakey", but I did insist on her keeping her clothes on if nothing else. She obliged.


Then we had our indoor picnic; pb&j, goldfish, watermelon and raspberries. She wanted to "talk about my party", which is her conversation of choice these days. And so we did.


I am so amazed by my little girl. I catch myself just staring at her and wondering if anything so perfect has ever existed. She is the cutest thing in the whole world and I can't believe how fortunate I am to be able to experience perfect days like these. Absolutely. Perfect.

Rain Dance

It finally rained! It must have been a combination of buying rain boots and dancing in the rain because it POURED last night. Here are some pics of the "calm" before the storm, literally.

Ava showing Mia the "gigi poppy dance" that was taught to her by Gigi and Poppy. You know the one, where you move your knees back and forth and switch your hands off and on. Hard to describe, but oh so cute! Aves will stop in the middle of a store and whip out this dance.

FUN times in the rain mist!

"Hey Mia, look what we can do next!" "SPLASH!!"

So much fun!!

Such good friends.

Wordless Wednesday: Picture Perfect!

What I love about my 24 month old!

1. I love how you are turning into a little girl right before my eyes-with your mannerisms and your words and just your overall look.

2. I love when you tell me "I need to talk" and we lay on your floor and talk about your "birthday party", or your "friends", or your "bouncy place".

3. I love when you shout out "Baa-baa black sheep have you any wool!" like it's as common as "hello"

4. I love when you say "awwww" when you see a baby animal.

5. I love when you sing full renditions of "Happy Birthday", "Twinkle, twinkle", "Baa Baa Black Sheep", and "If You're Happy and You Know it".

6. I love when you help me sing "You are my sunshine" filling in the blanks for me when I pause.

7. I love how you say "Good Mornin' Boo" to Eli.

8. I love when you are doing something that takes concentration you say "care. ful. ly"

9. I love how you are concerned about mommy's feelings and check to see if "mommy's happy?"

10. I love the way you give daddy and I "eskimo kisses" followed by "real kisses".

A Playdough Tea Party

The menu according to Ava:
Banana
Broccoli with cheese
strawberry
apple
peas

Working hard at cutting and slicing

Finished the meal so that Ava's farm animals could join our little Playdough Tea Party.

Butterflies and Bad Dreams

Setting: Ava's crib. 2:00 o'clock a.m. on the dot.

Mommy awakes to a cry unlike any other and goes to check on Ava.

Ava: "I scared, mommy".

Mommy: immediately picks Ava up "Oh no, what scared you?"

Ava: "The butterflies are bothering me."

Mommy: "Did you have a bad dream."

Ava: lays her head on mommy's shoulder "uh-huh".

Umm, this conversation left me heartbroken. Go away butterflies, stop doing whatever you're doing to my baby girl in her dreams!

Ava has been really interested in feelings and emotions for awhile and it was so surreal to hear her articulate to me what she was feeling and vividly (as much as toddler's can) describe why.

She slept with mommy and daddy for the rest of the night.

We were a part of the 2007 BABY BOOM!

Just an interesting tidbit....

More babies were born in 2007 in the United States than any other year, beating the old record set in 1957 post WWII.

Here's the article (from yahoo news)

ATLANTA – Remember the baby boom? No, not the one after World War II. More babies were born in the United States in 2007 than any other year in the nation's history — and a wedding band made increasingly little difference in the matter. The 4,317,119 births, reported by federal researchers Wednesday, topped a record first set in 1957 at the height of the baby boom.

Behind the number is both good and bad news. While it shows the U.S. population is more than replacing itself, a healthy trend, the teen birth rate was up for a second year in a row.

The birth rate rose slightly for women of all ages, and births to unwed mothers reached an all-time high of about 40 percent, continuing a trend that started years ago. More than three-quarters of these women were 20 or older.

For a variety of reasons, it's become more acceptable for women to have babies without a husband, said Duke University's S. Philip Morgan, a leading fertility researcher.

Even happy couples may be living together without getting married, experts say. And more women — especially those in their 30s and 40s — are choosing to have children despite their single status.

The new numbers suggest the second year of a baby boomlet, with U.S. fertility rates higher in every racial group, the highest among Hispanic women. On average, a U.S. woman has 2.1 babies in her lifetime. That's the "magic number" required for a population to replace itself.

Countries with much lower rates — such as Japan and Italy — face future labor shortages and eroding tax bases as they fail to reproduce enough to take care of their aging elders.

While the number of births in the U.S. reached nearly 4.3 million in 2006, mainly due to a larger population, especially a growing number of Hispanics, it's not clear the boomlet will last. Some experts think birth rates are already declining because of the economic recession that began in late 2007.

"I expect they'll go back down. The lowest birth rates recorded in the United States occurred during the Great Depression — and that was before modern contraception," said Dr. Carol Hogue, an Emory University professor of maternal and child health.

The 2007 statistical snapshot reflected a relatively good economy coupled with cultural trends that promoted childbirth, she and others noted.

Meanwhile, U.S. abortions dropped to their lowest levels in decades, according to other reports. Some have attributed the abortion decline to better use of contraceptives, but other experts have wondered if the rise in births might indicate a failure in proper use of contraceptives. Some earlier studies have shown declining availability of abortions.

Cultural attitudes may be a more likely explanation. Morgan noted the pregnancy of Bristol Palin, the unmarried teen daughter of former GOP vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin. The young woman had a baby boy in December, and plans for a wedding with the father, Levi Johnston, were scrapped.

"She's the poster child for what you do when you get pregnant now," Morgan said.

Teen women tend to follow what their older sisters do, so perhaps it's not surprising that teen births are going up just like births to older women, said Sarah Brown, the chief executive for the National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy.

Indeed, it's harder to understand why teen births had been declining for about 15 years before the recent uptick, she said. It may have been due to a concentrated effort to reduce teen births in the 1990s that has waned in recent years, she said.

The statistics are based on a review of most 2007 birth certificates by the National Center for Health Statistics, part of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The numbers also showed:

_Cesarean section deliveries continue to rise, now accounting for almost a third of all births. Health officials say that rate is much higher than is medically necessary. About 34 percent of births to black women were by C-section, more than any other racial group. But geographically, the percentages were highest in Puerto Rico, at 49 percent, and New Jersey, at 38 percent.

_The pre-term birth rate, for infants delivered at less than 37 weeks of pregnancy, declined slightly. It had been generally increasing since the early 1980s. Experts said they aren't sure why it went down.

_Among the states, Utah continued to have the highest birth rate and Vermont the lowest.

CDC officials noted that despite the record number of births, this increase is different from occurred in the 1950s, when a much smaller population of women were having nearly four children each, on average. That baby boom quickly transformed society, affecting everything from school construction to consumer culture.

Today, U.S. women are averaging 2.1 children each. That's the highest level since the early 1970s, but is a relatively small increase from the rate it had hovered at for more than 10 years and is hardly transforming.

"It's the tiniest of baby booms," said Morgan in agreement. "This is not an earthquake; it's a slight tremor."

A Bear for Good Measure

Newborn

One Year

Two Years

Making Music Together

Another Music session has come and gone. As we wait for the spring semester to start back up again, I realized that Ava has been in Music Class almost 2 years this summer! She has learned so much and truly LOVES it! As you can see, Heartsong Music is full of music AND movement.

In these next few pictures, I was able to catch Ava singing "The Goodbye Song" and you can see how much she loves to sing.

First Ponytail!

Ava's 2nd Birthday Party

Since she loves the song "Old McDonald Had a Farm" and loves animals in general, we had an "Old McDonald" themed birthday! It was so cute and so much fun! It was a perfect little group and the kids all had a blast as well.

Her cupcake cake. We just added the animals.

The Birthday Girl!
With mommy
With Daddy

Singing Happy Birthday!

Ava and mommy with Mimi

Jumping on Ava's new "bouncy place" as she calls it.
The whole crew of toddlers

Ava deciding that now would be a good time to pose with her "silly face"
That's what she thinks about pictures Hello and Goodbye from "Old McAva"

She's got....

Personality.

Personality.

Personality.


This series of pics with Ava and a bowl on her head in the bathtub capture her personality perfectly.