Family of sickos

I'll be posting soon. I am getting over a bad cold and have been going to bed early. It's nice. Going to bed early I mean - not being sick.

We didn't have a very good day today. Ava was good but she got hurt a couple of time. And she choked on a piece of apple and Ashley had to do the heimlich on her. I was working, Ashley, Ava and Max were out on the patio. I was on the phone with an agent when I heard Ava start crying the bad cry, the one that lets me know she got hurt. Ashley brings her in the kitchen and is holding her. I rush the agent off the phone (they think we are in an office, not a home)and run out there and Ashley tells me what happened. Luckily, Ashley noticed right away when it was happening, and it only took one good hit to Ava's back to dislodge it. I think Ava was more scared than anything, and maybe a little hurt from getting hit. I took her to a bedroom and laid down on the bed with her, and after a while she was fine. It just scared me so bad, I am always afraid of her choking. I kept thinking what if Ashley hadn't noticed in time, or what if she couldn't get it out. I can't focus on what if's though. Ava is fine. No more apple until we get more teeth!
Blagh, I changed the template of the blog obviously, and I don't really like it at all. All of the pictures on the side are gone, and it just looks all funky. I can't get back the old template so I guess I'm just going to have to work with this one.
In better news, we booked our tickets to go to New Jersey in May. We are going up to visit with my Dad. It will be Ava's first plane ride (oh god) and Brent's first time in NJ. I am a bit nervous about the plane trip with Ava. She will be 16 months old, walking, and will be riding on our lap for almost 3 hours. How do we keep her occupied and still for that long??? I tried to schedule the plane times around her nap times so hopefully she will sleep some of the time. How sweet would that be?
Happy Valentine's Day!

Party time!

Let me first say "thank you" to you, Ava. You let me and your Dad have a very nice walk around the mall and a nice dinner out tonight. You were so well behaved - we have actually had people tell us what a good baby you are. You have your moments, but you really are the best, I don't know what more I could ask for. Well, other than for you to change your own poopy diapers.

Now, on to your first birthday party -

THE GUESTS: mommy & daddy of course, Grandma & Grandpa, Grampy, Nanny, Aunt Nicole, Uncle Gary & Aunt Megan, Uncle Eric & Aunt Gina, Uncle Mike & Aunt Sue, Uncle Dan & Jennifer, cousins Zach, Skylar, Dylan, Brittnee, Sierra, and friends Tara and Nathan. Gram wanted to come but she had to work.

THE GIFTS: a potty chair (omigod), some princess jammies, fruit snacks, butterfly earrings (so cute!), pretty outfits from Aunt Gina, money for shopping from Tara & Nathan, a musical ladybug, some cute stuffed animals, and gift cards for more shopping! I hope I'm not forgetting anything.

The day started out rainy and cloudy, but it was all gone by party time and it ended up being a beautiful day. For your cake I put your high chair out on the patio and I was going to strip you down to your diaper, but it was kind of chilly out, so I put you in some old clothes. You liked it a lot, even though I scraped about a pound of frosting off the top. I let you get a couple of handfuls and then I had to take it away. I didn't want you to get a stomach ache from all the sugar! My only mistake was that we forgot to light the candle and sing Happy Birthday! I bought you one of those big number candles, and a pretty cake, but we just sliced it up after you tore into your little cake, and no one thought to sing. After everyone left, I found the candle and felt so bad, so I put it in a piece of cake and I sang to you and we blew out the candle. It wouldn't be a birthday without singing!

We had such a good time, and we're so glad that everyone came to celebrate with us.

Tennis, anyone?

Hanging out with cousin Skylar

What's Grandma gonna do with those racquets?

The "Before"

Such a good sharer

The "After"

Presents!

Oh My...

I can't listen to this song without getting choked up. There are lots of songs out there that describe the parent/child relationship, but I think this one does it without the cheese, and it has Alison Krauss in the background so I love it for that reason too. These words are dedicated to my Ava, with love, from mom.

The One Who Knows

Words and music by Dar Williams

Time it was I had a dream

You're the dream come true

If I had the world to give

I'd give it all to you

I'll take you to the mountains

I will take you to the sea

I'll show you how this life became

A miracle to me

You'll fly away

But take my hand until that day

So when they ask how far love goes

When my job's done

You'll be the one who knows

All the things you treasure most

Will be the hardest ones

I will watch you struggle on

Before the answers come

But I won't make it harder

I'll be there to cheer you on

I'll shine the light that guides you down

The road you're walking on

You'll fly away

But take my hand until that day

So when they ask how far love goes

When my job's done

You'll be the one who knows

Before the mountains call to you

Before you leave this home

I want to teach your heart to trust

As I will teach my own

But sometimes I will ask the moon

Where it shined upon you last

And shake my head and laugh and say

It all went by so fast

You'll fly away

But take my hand until that day

So when they ask how far love goes

When my job's done

You'll be the one who knows