A day in the life of a TWO-year-old!

We celebrated Ava's TWO year birthday yesterday. Here are some pics that I captured.

Ssssssstttttrrrrreeeeetttttccccchhhhhhh! Waking up to mommy and daddy singing.

Mommy and Ava first thing in the morning. Daddy and Ava giving morning smiles. Nutella toast with hand-cut strawberry hearts. A sweet for my sweet!Enjoying it...of course! Ava's choice of birthday dinner:

Mac-n-cheese

Broccoli

Fries (mommy made them sweet potato fries). What a meal!A birthday bubble bath!Silly birthday girl.
Now that's a look of determination if I've ever seen one. You couldn't wait!Blowing out your candles. What a good job you did!
I loved celebrating your birthday and making you feel so special, Ava, because you are! We had a fun-filled day and you are just my sweet little angel face!

A letter to Ava on your 2nd Birthday

Dear Ava, my two-year-old-baby-girl,

Your second year of life has flown by, something of which seems to describe you perfectly....flying. You are so busy with everything going on around you, flying from one thing to the next that our days are always filled.

There is nothing like watching my daughter learn and grow right before my eyes. We are so lucky to spend the time together that we do. I will always, always treasure it because in no time, you'll be flying to and from other things in your life and I won't always be there to see ::tear::.

Some of your interests during your second year include:

-shapes: you love to sort, name, point, draw (cirlces), etc. Everything about shapes you love.

-counting: you showed an interest in counting very early and love to count objects. You also are starting to count in Spanish.

-animals: you love reading, seeing, touching, talking, telling stories all about animals. You knew animal sounds before you could even talk. We had an Old McDonald (or EIO, as you call it) birthday party for your 2nd birthday because you love animals so much.

-food: always was an interest and continues to remain an interest. YUM!

-music: when you hear music, your little body doesn't stay still. You love to dance and sing along as well.

-pretending: you love to pretend to cook, clean, put on make-up, have teaparties, etc. You are so clever when it comes to make-believe that I often find myself amazed at what you're doing.

During the days, we do things like go to the park, music class, gymnastics, picnics, playgroup, the bookstore, chik-fil-a, the duck pond, and the pet store. We are such buddies and best friends!

There is nothing like hearing you say something for the first time that you weren't just repeating. Of course you've heard us say these things, but when you said them to me, in context, without any prompting, I melted.

Some of my favorite sayings of yours include:

1. "Go for it, sister!"

2. "Let's talk."

3. "How's it goin?"

4. "Let's Hang Out."

5. "What doin?"

6. "I love (nuv) you"

My favorite things about this year:

1. Learning to talk, especially in sentences.

2. Having a tea party with you, daddy, and your animal friends.

3. Watching you shake your booty.

4. Taking bubble baths.

5. When you give random hugs and kisses.

6. Your jumping that is non-stop.

Oh, how much we've gone through together. You are just amazing, amazing Ava. I look forward to all the years and all the firsts that we still have to go through together.

Happy 2nd Birthday!!

I love you,

Mommy

My Tummy Girl

Tummy Girl by Roseanne Thong

Ava and I both love reading this book together. It makes her smile from page to page and it makes me cry every. single. time. It encompasses everything we've experienced with Ava in the past 2 years and will continue to enjoy, no doubt.

So, my lovely little girl, as you approach your 2nd birthday, here are some pictures reflecting on who you are in the whole two years that you've been on this Earth. The most blissful years that daddy and I have ever experienced.

Once there was a tummy girl...

....A full-of-warm-milk yummy girl,

A round-and-jiggly tummy girl,

Pink-as-a-piggly tummy girl,

Who loved to cuddle up and curl.

Once there was a bubble girl...

A getting-into-trouble girl,

A sudy, wudsy bubble girl,

A washing-off-the-mudsy girl,

Who made the water swish and swirl.

Once there was a hiding girl...

A dash-from-mommy's side-ing girl,

A crawl-behind-the-curtain girl,

Beneath the chair, for CERTAIN girl,

Who scampered off just like a squirrel.

Once there was a waddling girl...

A teeter-totter toddling girl,

An "I can do it!" waddling girl,

A wrapped-in-cotton-swaddling girl,

Whose diapers started to unfurl.

Once there was a feeding girl...

While-mom-and-dad-were-reading girl,

A nice-big-spoonful-munching girl,

A drippy, milky, crunching girl,

Who stirred her breakfast with a swirl. Once there was a running girl...

An in-the-rain-and-sunning girl,

A racing -through-the-thickets girl,

A chasing-bugs-and-crickets girl,

Who loved to dash and dart and whirl.
Once there was a swinging girl...

An "I'm so high. I'm singing" girl,

A try-to-reach-the-rooftops girl,

A love-to-feel-the-raindrops girl,

Whose [short blonde] hair would spring and curl.
Once there was a dancing girl...

A stomping, bomping, prancing girl,

A two-step, three-step dancing girl,

A "you and me step" dancing girl,

Who loved to skip and jump and twirl.

Once there was a treetop girl...

As-far-as-she-could-see-top girl,

A lovely-place-for-snacking girl,

A nothing-here-is-lacking girl,

Who made the branches bend and curl.

Once there was a dressing girl...

Who-always-kept-us-guessing girl,

A-fancy-hat-and-sundress girl,

A flashing, dashing, fun-dress girl,

Whose face was just like a precious pearl.

Soon you'll be my older girl,

A taller-than-my-shoulder girl,

An "I can do it!" older girl,

A bigger, braver, bolder girl.

And though you'll grow up in a whirl...

...You'll always be my tummy girl.

Fire Station Field Trip

Aunt Jill invited us to go on a trip to the Fire Station with some friends of hers and of course cousin Abby and Emmy. Ava and I also got a special treat and got to take Mia with us. Kelly and Hannah also were able to meet us.

It was really neat to see the girl's little faces light up to see the firemen and the trucks. They shared great information that was easily modified for a 2-year old level. Basically, fire fighters help people. When people need help they call them and the firemen get in the firetruck and hurry, hurry, hurry to get there. They need the lights and sirens to tell people they are in a hurry.

Touring the quarters of the fire station. Not the most interesting part for them, but part of the process.

Wow! Inside the fire truck!

Look how big the tires are!

Mia's turn to drive the fire truck.

Now, it's Ava's turn. Ava touched every gadget she could find while driving. It was a very intense job for her.

Mia really enjoyed chatting with the fireman.

She let the fireman pick her up to look at the pretty lights.

Ava and Mia on the fire truck with the fireman.
Cousin Abby trying on the fireman's hat and smiling oh so cute!

Mia's turn.

And finally, Ava's turn.

Getting a "badge" to show they completed their fire station tour

Here is Ava, ;ooking so little and cute on the fire truck.

Hugs goodbye. Although they weren't leaving each other, Ava and Mia will find any reason to hug.

Hannah giving good-bye hugs also.

Getting a big girl milk at Starbuck's, sitting together looking so CUTE!