Table Food

My little angel must be starving...for independence that is. Tuesday night she had her dinner and bath and was getting ready for bed when Daddy came home. He and I sat down to eat and we put her in the highchair to be social. I fixed her a little bowl of mashed potatoes and peas just to see what she would do with it... WELL, she knew exactly what to do with it. She didn't miss a beat. She stuck her fingers right into those mashed potatoes and ate them before I could even sit down at the table myself!!

Ava's First Snow...

The past two days have left us covered in WHITE...about 8 - 9 inches of the white stuff. While this may not be a big deal to many, my southern belle roots wanted to be just like the kids and sled down that big hill {which I did ~ once, I was too wimpy to climb back up the hill to try again}. Boy, it was fun and really made me feel carefree!! I can't wait to try again!

Here's a few pictures from today. Our friends lent us this totally cool sled with a "seat" for Ava to sit in. We pulled her around for at least an hour. She was content as long as we moved...

This tells the story of how she felt about the snow...


Our house...covered in snow~ What a beautiful sight!!

Shots of our neighborhood with lots of snow...

What a ham - must be like her daddy...

Ava shares a BIG cheesy grin for the camera!! What a cutie...I am a very proud Momma.


Sometimes she thinks that everything in her path is a climbing toy. She loves to climb on her doll stroller, her play table and her mail cart. It won't be long before she'll be able to climb up on the couch.

Caught red handed!! She loves to take her books off the shelves...she doesn't care much for reading {or listening} to a story but she plays with the books very well.

See, quite a little monkey. She wasn't letting go of her toys for anything!! We thought it was too cute a picture to pass up. She was having a great time playing and walking with her toys. We tried to pick her up to eat but she wasn't ready to give up yet. She's pretty strong I'd say...she picked that cart up off the ground about a foot! Don't worry...she LOVES to be upside down, she laughs a really deep belly laugh!

Sleepy Head!

Let me just say that my daughter is not a real snugly baby...she only gives love when she wants, and she is very independent! Never sitting still for long - However, she didn't sleep well last night and was having a tough time being patient with me while I got ready this morning. As I was dressing I turned around to snap this picture. She was actually laying on the floor of our bedroom...very content to just "be"... Who is this child and where is my Ava???

Really sick :(

Poor Ava...last night was the first real sick time we've had. We were up ALL night, finally we got about 4 hours of good sleep. Up until now we've just had colds: runny nose, sniffles, cough...well we had a little touch of the stomach bug. She was quite a trooper and came through it strong. Thankfully!! Of course it is apparently very catchy as I seem to have a touch of the bug now! :) Oh well...just the first of many times we pass things around I guess.

Fun times

Here are some fun pictures of Ava playing. She loves her new magnets...she knows where they are and goes right to them. Thanks Uncle John and Aunt Jennifer for helping Ava learn her sounds.

Isn't she just a ham! She really has started to wrinkle her face and give me a big grin...she even laughs while she's smiling! She is really starting to figure things out.

She loves to share. Here she is trying to hand me one of the letters. Kinda hard to share while I'm holding the camera!

She knows how to put the letter in and make it sing. Her Aunt Nancy and Uncle Mark got her the magnetic farm...we are gonna put that one up soon so she'll learn about animal sounds!

Just too cute for words. I love this little outfit on her. She has gotten really good at standing alone and trying to walk...what a big girl!!

Eleven Short Months

Eleven months has come and gone. The days have passed so fast but have been filled with such wonder and joy as we have watched our sweet Ava grow from a helpless infant to an almost toddler with an emerging determined personality. This month you have mastered many things and tried many more. You started the month with excitement and lots of "talking"...you've become very good at "bababa", "mamama", "dadada", and "yayayaya". You love to crawl around the coffee table and have us "chase" you...it makes you laugh.
We had Christmas with Grandma and Grandpa and you got some fun toys. You especially love the little purse you got. We went to Mississippi to visit Nana and Pawpaw. We got to see all the cousins...you loved to spend time with all the girls. You enjoyed following them around. You got a little pony that you can ride on....you very quickly learned how to go backwards!!
You have learned that you have magnets on the refrigerator and go straight to them to play. You have started to "point" at things that you want. I am amazed that you are so alert. Today after your daddy left for work you held your arm out toward the door. We walked to it and you put your hand down on the door knob...wow... You did the same thing at the door to go outside. I guess you were looking for your daddy :) You also figured out that you can lay on your tummy and look under the couch. You stopped and put your arm under the couch then pulled it out...then you did it again...like you were trying to figure out what the space was.
You have become a lot more cuddly and lovable. That makes me happy...I love to get hugs from you. We ask for a kiss and you either turn your cheek toward us or either come toward us with an open mouth!!! How sweet!
As I am writing this I am in the process of planning your first birthday. It is going to be fun...and although that day is coming too soon, I am looking forward to it. I look forward to watching the new things you learn everyday and seeing the beautiful little girl you are turning into!

Here you are trying to get on your little pony...


Checking out baby's fingers-



Cheesy smile for the camera...



Hugging your baby!

First Steps

What a great start to the New Year!! Ava took her first steps today. She had been thinking about taking a step for several weeks but hadn't gotten the courage. Well, today, when I picked her up from the sitter...I got the news that she had tried a few steps. I was excited. I knew to come straight home and get the video camera out. Of course, the video camera was a Christmas present so I haven't figured out how to get the video downloaded yet...oh well. So, this is one I got with my digital camera but it gives you a few steps to watch!! We hope you all are well...take care. We love you!!