Wordless Wednesday: Eating Toes

Quirky Quotes by Ava

Mommy and Ava are checking out at Target.

Cashier: "Thanks and have a good day. "

Mommy: "Thank you. You too."

Ava: "Good job using manners, mommy."

----------------------------------------------------

Mommy and Ava are driving in the car.

Ava coughs and simultaneously sneezes.

Ava: laughs "I bless you AND cough."

----------------------------------------------------

Mommy and Ava are getting out of the car to eat with friends.

Ava: "I see a telescope!" (she saw a sign for a store that did in fact have the shape of a telescope.)

----------------------------------------------------

Who's Under that Hat?

Ava's Artwork

I just wanted to chronicle all of Ava's artwork throughout her whole two years. I included all pieces that were created by Ava.

Her first time painting, 13.5 months.
Her first marker piece, 14 months.

"Body Painting", 15 months.

"Playdough", 15 months

"Mommy's Pen Pal" 15 months

"Body Painting 2" with a paint brush, 16 months

"Leaf collecting and sorting" (with a little help), 17 months

"Triangle Hat", 17 months

"Shape Sorting", 17 months

Creating "Wheels on the Bus" and her own addition of needing a sheep, pig, and baby on the bus, 18 months
Her very own "Couch Creation", 18 months

"Playgroup Painting", 18 months

"Magna Doodle", 19 months

"Rock Painting", 20 months

"Holiday Crafts", 21 months

"The Oh-so-Permanent Marker Art", 24 months"Painting mommy's toenails", 24 months

"Alphabet Free Choice, S's and O's" sticker art, 25 months

As you can see, Aves is on her way to being an art officianado. Whenever, wherever and with whatever we she can find, she'll create a piece of artwork. Her favorite, however, is to get down and dirty with body painting. Go figure.

**IT Happened!

Warning: This post is about POOP! If you don't like to read about POOP, then you might want to leave ASAP. OR you can pretend that the picture I'm about to show you is a bit of dirt....or chocolate (ewww).


What you are seeing is exactly what you think it is. I'm only blogging about this to journal that it did in fact happen to us, although I never thought in a million years that it would. Lesson learned for mommy, don't ever think your child is incapable of doing ANYTHING and never say never.

When Ava wouldn't go down for nap, which isn't entirely odd, as she goes through phases, I didn't think much of it (especially since mommy missed her usual nap time b/c we were having too much fun playing at the park and feeding the fish/ducks). However, what is odd is that she fussed and cried this time, which she doesn't usually do. If she fights nap, she'll sit in her crib and sing or talk or play. Only this time, she cried.

Well, I gave it a few minutes, ten maybe, and went in to console her and tell her it's at least "quiet time". I had already been in once when she screamed about having her shirt stuck on her head when she tried to take it off herself. I just never imagined that she would have removed any other article of clothing. When I entered, though, I smelled poo. I figured she had a poopy diaper, I would change it, and all would be back to normal re: naptime. That's when I noticed that she was not wearing a diaper.

It slowly started to sink in, a blurb of brown streak on her crib behind her. Ava just sitting there starring at me.

Needless to say, the crib was sanitized, the bedding, blankets and animals washed, and a little girl was put in the bath. Truth be told, it wasn't awful (as awful as it could have been). There was only the one smear (seen above) and nothing else. One time was all it took for her to realize the nastiness, hence the crying.

Sooo, mother-of-the-year over here warns all her readers: When your child is crying at naptime, maybe, just maybe, it might be worth going in and checking on them.

I'm in Love!

That's all.

Having a say in her wardrobe choices

While getting dressed a few weeks ago, Ava was adament that she wear the following:
Her cowboy boots
A belt

She's always been good about making choices when I give them, as far as what to wear. However, she doesn't really care to about picking things out herself.

Lately, however, she definitely has opinions on accessories. And pretty good ones at that!

So much to love at 2 years, 1 month

Continuing on with my list of loves for Ava each month, here is what I love about my budding 2-year-old:

1. I love that when I say something and she needs me to elaborate, she says "What does that mean, mommy?" instead of a simple "why?"

2. I love when she sees daddy and mommy kiss, she says "awwww". It cracks us up! Literally to the point of tears one night when she kept making us peck over and over again and each time she would say "awwww" as if it was the first time each time.

3. I love how she absolutely adores big girls. She looks up to them so much and you can see the admiration on her face, especially her cousin Abigail.

4. I love when she offers to give a variety of kisses, from "eskimo", or "ladybug" (her own made-up version of butterfly kisses....she just really must not like butterflies), or "real" kisses before bed each night.

5. I love, love, love when she wraps her arms around my neck and squeezes for dear life to give me a giant bear hug.

6. I love that she listens for different instruments in songs, particularly classical music and Music Together songs, and can distinguish the sounds made by a triangle and a trumpet. She totally started doing this one day in the car on her own when we were listening to a song, "I hear a trinangle!" she said. Then another, "I hear a trumpet". Blows me away.

7. I love her obsession (playgroup--this is it! her true obsession, like we spoke about) in talking about the "yo yo" or "radio" (rodeo) every single day; during meals, bath time, bedtime, you name it.

8. I love her amazing memory. She'll come up with things that happened in October of last year and reminisce on them.

9. I love when she's found a good thing and she wants more of it, "do it again" she exclaims. One example that comes to mind is when we are dancing together. She never wants to stop!

10. I love that she does NOT like when I have a ponytail in my hair. I mean, it can be a bit annoying, but she'll protest "no ponytail, no ponytail!" until I take it out. It makes me laugh everytime.

11. I love that she says "bless you, mommy" when I sneeze.

12. I love when she gets excited to say "thank you" and "your welcome" so that she can come tell me "I used manners!"

13. I love that she shares so well, she'll say it real fast..."Ya want some?" when she is offering us some of her food.

14. I love when she pretends to read words in books by running her finger along the words as she just talks and talks. She gets embarrassed when she sees that I am watching her.

15. I love that when I picked her up from her "fap" (faux nap) today that she was totally nakey and singing in her crib.

The Rodeo Animals

As promised, here are the second set of pictures from our fun day at the rodeo. The animals. Oh, the animals. Not so much mommy's favorite part, but it was exciting for Ava. Needless to say, we were covered in anti-bacterial cleanser from head to toe.

Here we are in the "petting zoo", seeing goats and deer. We even saw a kangaroo. Ava is STILL talking about them. They were sleeping and away from the others so daddy didn't see them and I don't think he believes me, but yes we saw the pouch and everything....kangaroos!

After she pet the calf, she was so excited!

Perhaps the star of the show, in Ava's eyes, a monkey. "A real monkey. With clothes" she says, as we tell stories about it everynight. She and daddy gave him a high-five.

Lastly, she went on a pony ride. She'd done it before so it wasn't quite as exciting and it wasn't "Copper and Ranger" (from Kiddie Acres) so she was a little bummed (and tired) at this point.

Wordless Wednesday: My Sleeping Beauty

Just because sleeping picks are few and far between as she gets older, I had to take one the other day.

Her Many Emotions

Ava really enjoys reading about and talking about feelings, or emotions. She has many faces for these feelings and here are a few.

Happy face.

Silly face.

Sad face. Look at that lower lip.

Scared face. She can hardly keep a straight face on this one when she "shakes" it gets her tickled.

Shy face. She'll look away and cover her eyes.

Wordless Wednesday: The "Forward" Roll

A Natural-born Scientist

Aren't they so naturally creative and exploratory? It's amazing!

A few weeks ago, Ava and I went out to play in what was left of our thunderstorms and rain. I let her play by the street because that was where the puddles were and the best location to splash around. Of course, when cars came by we had to move up on the sidewalk. Safety note aside, I had to take pictures and just loved watching her play.

She is totally in her element when she can be outside and free to explore. She must pick everything up and investigate or do a little experiment with it, as you'll see. Also, her little imagination goes wild when she's outside. Here she is practicing, what else, jumping. Mommy had to bite her tongue when she got up on the curb in her new boots (we all know new shoes = uncertain coordination) and just let her try. Sure enough she landed on her feet.

The clothes slowly started coming off, no doubt.

Here she is "swimming like a sea turtle".

Then she became mesmorized by taking objects and letting them go and watching the force of the water carry them downstream to the drain.

She found a flower.

And a stick. And then tried a rock, not pictured, but it wouldn't budge.

She waves bye-bye to them as they float down the drain.

Jumping and splashing.

Off with the boots, she needed to feel, really FEEL the water. "Brrr, it's cold" she said.

When you see the finger point and the serious look, you know she is telling you something very serious and you better listen up.

Didn't I say that she needed to FEEL the water?

Taking it all in.

Little Feetsies.

On our way home.