What a Difference

A year makes!

Last year:


This year:

Merry Christmas

Ava has started using "Alissa" when talking on the phone. She'll say "Hi, it's just Alissa. Hi Alissa." When I first heard her do it I thought it was pretty funny. Obviously she has overheard me on the phone. In the car the other day, I asked her what my name was. She said "Dominick."

She loves talking on the phone. She will talk to anyone, and sometimes to no one. Nowadays she talks mostly about Santa Claus and Christmas trees. She will sing songs too. She knows a bunch, and her favorites now are "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" and "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star." For not even 2 years old, she amazes me with her ability to learn.

Ava also loves fire trucks, ambulances, and police cars. She can spot them all the time. When we're at home and we hear a distant siren, her eyes light up.

Christmas for her should be really fun this year. She sat on Santa's lap and did such a great job. We even got a decent picture. I will scan it soon and post it. Last year she was only 11 months old and cried her eyes out. That was also the night of the ear-piercing torture. Anyway, she is very aware of "Santa," and it looks like she will make out like a bandit. There is one big gift on the way which I am very excited about, but I'll post about it when it actually gets here. And no, it's not a baby brother or sister.

It's very late, so I'll pot pictures another night. Hope everyone has a great holiday!

Gracias!

I don't know why I chose that as a title, it just popped into my head. I have been bad about posting, and I think I might be even worse now. This past weekend I bought this this game and I am hooked. Yvie - I suggest you buy this game for Dad for Christmas. You might not see him for a while. One of the best things about it is that I have finally found a game where I kick butt and Brent stinks.

Things have been pretty quiet around here lately. Ava has been so chatty lately. She talks to us, talks to other people, to herself, whatever. She likes to talk on the phone, she sings songs to herself, and she makes up stuff too. Now she talks about Santa Claus and Christmas trees. This morning she was upset when I told her that we had to turn the tree off. In the car I told her that we had to turn it off or it might catch on fire. She went on and on almost the whole car ride about fire and fire trucks. She loves fire trucks.

Work is busy, and I am in a wedding in a couple of weeks and I have a bunch of appointments for it. Ava will probably have to spend the weekend with her Grandma, just due to the rehearsal dinner and the wedding itself. I feel so bad - I haven't even begun Christmas shopping yet. I figure we can have Ava done in one shopping trip. We can't go nuts with presents for a couple of reasons - money, of course, and space. Our house is so crowded as it is, I don't know where we would put more toys. I really want to get her a kitchen set though. We just might have to put it on the patio.

Hope everyone has a good week. I am already looking forward to the weekend!

Moments...

Happy Thanksgiving! We had a very nice day at Brent's brother & sister-in-law's. Florida Thanksgiving is interesting, because the weather is so warm. We ate Thanksgiving dinner out on the deck by the pool.

I need to start keeping a daily journal of the things Ava says lately. Everyday she says something that suprises me or makes me say "where did she learn that?"

Today she said "It's kinda hot" when we got in the truck.

She had her first real phone conversation today too. Normally as soon as I put a phone up to her she gets really quiet and won't talk. Today I was talking to Brent on my cell and she wanted it. I gave it to her and she chatted away. She was answering his questions, she told him she had fun with Grandma, said something about Grandpa, and told him we were going to the store. It lasted a couple of minutes, and when I took the phone back she wanted to talk again. It was so cute.

I can't remember all of the things she says, which is why I want to write them down. It's so nice to be able to ask her a question and have her respond in the correct way. I ask her if she's hungry, and she'll say "no." I ask her if she has a poopy diaper and she says "no."

Yesterday morning she was sitting on the couch hanging out with Daddy, and all of a sudden she said, "bye, I'm gonna go brush my teeth." And she went right in the bathroom.

She calls our cat "Wuwa" for Lula, and she tells her "kitty - get out of the way!" or "Stay inside, kitty."





Our Thanksgiving setting:

Grouch

I haven't been good about posting! Ava has been being such a bear lately that I think the terrible two's came early. Her favorite word is "NO!" and everything that comes out of her mouth is whiney. Actually, she seems to go between being totally silly and playful to the next minute being cranky and whiney. I am working so hard with her on "please" and "thank you" and it is wearing me out. She's pretty good with the "thank you's" but not good at all with "please." One amazing thing is that this week she pooped on the potty for the first time. I'm pretty sure that is baby-blog worthy. At least to me and Brent it is. Saturday we took her to Busch Gardens again and she was a grump. She had the most fun on the carousel, and she made us ride it at least 6 times. She LOVES the rides, and she shows no fear. Sometimes her cousins can go with her, but other times they are too big so she has to go on herself, and she is totally fine with that. She is my little daredevil.

She has been doing a lot better in school. I had a conference with her teachers on Nov.9 and they agreed that the transitions with the teachers has been hard, but they still feel it is beneficial for her to be there. I will keep her there as long as I feel it is still productive for her, and they believe that it is. She has not been crying when I drop her off, and Wednesday they said she didn't cry the whole time.

Too Late for Halloween?

Ava & Isabelle

Fall in Florida...

Feels a lot like spring & summer in Florida. We are not known for our seasons. However, we like to pretend, so we took Ava to the pumpkin festival this year. We did it last year too, so maybe it will be an annual tradition. We had more fun this year then we did last year, since Ava was older now and could enjoy it more. And this year it wasn't as HOT as it was last year.

Then:


Now:

So it let me log on tonight but it wouldn't let me last night. I think our computer is on its way out. Anyway, yesterday was a very frustrating day all around. Ava has been weird about school. One day she'll be fine, the next day, not so much. She only goes 2 days a week, from 9am - 1pm. Ava is a girl who likes order and playing in small groups. She does not like chaos and she is very aware of her personal space. If a stranger violates it, she gets unhappy. Monday morning I was dropping her off, and she was fine until a group of 3 boys kind of surrounded her near the top of the slide, and 2 of them touched the buttons on her shirt. She looked at me and started crying. I was not happy. They are just little kids, but I don't like boys surrounding her. Yesterday she was fine until we walked into her classroom. Normally parents drop the kids off on the playground, but yesterday it was raining so they had all the kids inside, and most of the classroom was blocked off. So all the kids are in the front of the room and it was a little crazy, and it threw Ava off. She got a little clingy. I directed her to some baby dolls in an area that was out of the way, and as I departed I heard her crying. Then when I went to pick her up she was crying. So, school is not going as well as I'd hoped right now. I think it has to do with the fact that her 2 teachers that she had in the beginning, Guilianna and Jessica, both quit. Now there are new teachers, and I don't think Ava has bonded with them very much. The good news is that my bosses, Darwin & Jennifer, hired both Guilianna & Jessica to work at the house with us. Jessica works with us in the office, and Guilianna is the new Nanny to Ava & Max. Ashley is no longer with us (in a working sense). Ava LOVES Guilianna, and even better - Guilianna has a 4 year old daughter that she brings with her and Ava LOVES her even more. Isabel is like a big sister to Ava, and is a refreshing change from playing with just Max. They giggle like little girls and chase each other. Guiliana has been working with us for 2 weeks now, and Ava has been so happy. I never hear her cry or whine during the day. With Ashley, Ava cried just about everyday at some point. Today for example, Guiliana took Ava & Max to her house to play in Isabel's room, then they went to the library, the park, and then came back to the house and went swimming. They dance, and Guiliana (an artist on the side) has them doing art projects and keeping journals, and it is so cool. The only down side is that the house is VERY crowded now, and I wish I had an office to work in. I don't want to leave Ava, but it really is hard to get a lot done with so much distraction. But I am very happy with the child care situation, and so is Ava. The only time she cries now is when it's time to leave! Hopefully, the school thing will work itself out.
Ava's language has really started to develop, and she is really talking now. She sings a bunch of different songs, and learns new ones really quickly. She says whole sentences now. Last Friday night we went out to eat and she was sitting with Brent, and out of nowhere she hugged him and said "I love Daddy." It brought tears to both our eyes. Tonight she was giving me a whole bunch of kisses and for the first time she was actually kissing me, rather than just putting her mouth on my face! She learned to make the kissy noise. On Monday I took her to Publix and they gave her a helium balloon. She refused to let it go, even after we got home. I told her she could let it go, that it would be okay, and she kind of thought for a second and said, "No, Ima hold it now." Everyday when we get home she says, "Ima go in the grass now." She loves to just run around the front yard. She likes when Brent takes her on "tractor" rides (the riding lawn mower). She is also becoming so independant, and she says "Ava do it" when we try to read to her or get her dressed. The other night she pulled her diaper open for the first time, and this morning she managed to open the fridge by herself.

I am rambling now, it's late. Brent just turned off the light so I can't see what I'm typing. I'll post some pictures soon.

Frustrated

For some reason I cannot log in to Blogger from my home computer. As soon as I can figure out what the problem is, I will be posting.

Alissa

Good Times

Brent got a good raise today! YAY! We close on our re-finance on Monday! YAY!! Mommy and Daddy have a fun date night planned for tomorrow night! YAY!!!

All good things.


Busch Gardens pics:

Pictures

Making brownies!








Ava's first high school football game

She is conducting the band




I bought this power wheel at a yard sale for $1.00




The best time to go to the beach is at sunset

Back to Normal

Ava must have read what I wrote last night, because today she was wonderful. She was great all day and when we went out to dinner she was awesome. I wish it was always that way when we went out. Not that she is bad usually, but tonight she was perfect.

Ever try these? They are the best cookie ever. Don't look at the nutritional info, you won't like it. They are so chocolate-y you can only eat 2 at a time anyway.

Ava has been so bratty lately. She is having some major mood swings, and I don't quite understand them. Last week she was happy and really good. This week she is happy one minute and throwing a fit the next. She has started this phony crying thing that gets on my nerves so bad, and she drags it out too. Brent says she's just being a typical girl, but I am not sure. I am almost worried, because she seems so moody. She has a really runny nose so I'm thinking she has a minor cold and just doesn't feel good. I just hope it passes soon.

We got rained out of Bush Gardens last weekend, so we ended up back at the Florida Aquarium. Ava was great that day. She is usually great in general. When we go out to eat she is usually one of the best behaved kids there (knock on wood). She liked the aquarium, but we were a little over it since we had been there and to Mote Marine recently. We had a fun day with the cousins though.

No big plans this weekend, but hopefully we'll find something fun. I am typing in the dark since Brent went to bed, so I'd better sign off.

Deep Thoughts...

Ava has been so good this past week, and such a chatter box. My favorite phrase of hers is "I see the _____!" It could be a plane, or the moon, or a bird. She says it with such enthusiasm and joy, and it comes out sounding Jamaican - "Aye see de plane!" or "Aye see de burd." I love it that she can actually sing now and recite nursery rhymes. The other night in the bath she started singing "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star." She claps for herself everytime she finishes, even if she leaves out half of the words. Today I caught a glimpse of her at work, and she was behind Ashley, running out to the play room while saying to herself, "Ava comin!" She also remembers and stores way more information than I think, and she'll suprise me with it sometimes. It's bittersweet for me. On one hand, I am so proud when I hear her say a nursery rhyme or correctly identify something new. But on the other, I think of how fast these times are going, and before long this will pass and she will just keep gettig bigger. Also, I feel sad that I am not the one who taught her some of these things, that she learned them from Ashley or her teachers. It is great that she has people around her who care about her and teach her, but it makes me feel like I should be doing more. I know, that is silly.
Shocker - I just realized I don't have any new pics to post. They are still on the camera and I am too lazy to download them. Maybe tomorrow!

Bad Blogger.

Ava has been enjoying school. This was her third week - the first week went fine, the second week wasn't so good, but this week was great. I think the first week she didn't quite know what to make of it, and we had built up a little excitment. The second week she knew what it was about, she knew mommy left and lots of strange kids and adults were around, and she wasn't happy. She only had one bad morning, and it was much harder on me than it was on her. Walking away from her while she cried for me and ran to the door was extremely hard, and actually brought me to tears. However - I found out from one of the other mom's that it only lasted a minute and then she got distracted and was fine. This week, she went right out to the playground without even waiting for me, and she gave me a kiss and said "bye bye" and that was that. She only goes 2 mornings a week, so it isn't bad at all, and she does have a lot of fun. Her favorite thing to do is swing. Plus her buddy Max is there with her so she has a familiar face.
Please disregard this bragging moment, but she is so smart it amazes me. The things she picks up on and so quickly - it's a wonderful thing. She can now say 75% of her ABC's, she recognizes her name when spelled out, she can point out circles, squares, stars, hearts and triangles. She recites Patty Cake, and has learned Humpty Dumpty somewhere along the way. She also recites lines from books we read her, and is working on numbers 11 thru 15. She has 1 thru 10 down. She also tries to repeat everything we say, including the bad stuff. So far, it's been "crap" "suck" and "dammit."
Okay, and now I'm done. The posts have been seriously lacking, and I'm not sure anyone even looks at this anymore, but for Ava's sake, I am going to keep posting. I want her to be able to read this stuff when she's older.
Ava at Mote Marine

Ohhhhh-io

Ducks follow us wherever we go...