Three Christmases

Christmas Number One: Christmas Eve
We visited church with the Brakemeyer's tonight to see "The Music of Christmas". Ava loved the music. She danced and shifted from one lap to another. Our friends came over for Christmas Eve lasagna. Matt and Ava exchanged gifts...Ava gave Matt the "Hungry Hippo" game and had tons of fun playing with him!




Christmas Number Two: Christmas Morning
Ava had such excitement on Christmas morning. She was still trying to wake up at first but once we showed her how to tear into the paper, she was an unwrapping machine!

She loves the car her Nana and Pawpaw gave her! It's her first set of wheels...can we count on ya'll again in about 15 years?? Look at that smile :)




Oh! Look at that excitement...Ava has her own chair!



What fun it is to unwrap presents!!






She already knows to go to Daddy for help opening those difficult little twisty ties that hold the toys in the packages! ;)




Look at her...she is ALL girl! Talking on the phone with her foot up in the seat with her...



Christmas Number Three: Christmas Afternoon
We spent the afternoon at Grandma and Grandpa's house. We got to see Uncle Mark and Aunt Nancy! It was such a fun time. Ava got lots of lovin' and spoilin'...just what is supposed to happen at the grandparents!













That smile sums up our day! Ava was a doll and she loved Christmas time in general. She loved to see all the lights outside and on our tree. She learned quickly how to turn our lights on and it soon became the first thing she asked for each morning. I so enjoyed watching her experience the joy and excitement of Christmas this year! I look forward to hearing her share that laugh and excitement with us more in 2010...

Yogurt Baby

What a *fun* evening we had tonight!

I came home with a ton of groceries this afternoon and decided to let Ava have some yogurt while I put the food away. She loves yogurt {usually} and likes me to put it in a "bowl" so she can feed herself. This is what I found soon after I put her yogurt in front of her...

...yep we got a bath very quickly!

On a happier, cleaner note - Ava can count to 5. She likes to sing. Her version of Row, Row, Row You're Boat is "row row dream". And she adds a little personal touch to Jingle Bells.

This morning as we were getting dressed {I was *helping* her put on her socks} she looked at me and said "socks first". Such a smarty!!

After her bath, Lily started barking...Ava said "Dada home?" She really catches on quickly. I am amazed at how she learns, remembers, and tells me how smart she is. We are so blessed to have such a sweet, loving, and amazing gift!!

My TuTu

Decorating the Christmas Tree

Well, supervising anyway!

Making the cut ~

Trying for our Christmas card proved challenging. We took several hundres shots literally {thank goodness for digital cameras}...here are some of the less than "card"worthy...

Lazy day fun at home

Helping her"self" to a mid-morning snack...


Grooming her horse while riding? Notice it's the dog's brush, guess it goes to show she relates dogs and horses in all aspects.

Christmastime

Merry Christmas Ya'll!

We have had lots of fun decorating. Ava loves to turn the lights on and off on the Christmas tree. She comes downstairs and turns them on every morning. She loves the lights!

Here are some pictures of her and her friend Matt. They are like siblings, they play, then they don't like each other. In these pictures...they are friends!

My friend Matt

Hanging out at the house with her friend Matt. She adores him. Everytime we leave or come home she always asks "Matt's house?" If the answer is no...she cries. Of course like any older boy, Matt isn't sure he likes Ava cramping his style. But there are special times when they act like friends rather that siblings - I caught this time on film!




I guess the real horses she rode at Thanksgiving are a distant memory. For some reason she thought she could ride backwards. I hope Ringling Bros. isn't in her future! ;)