A little tumbling

Ava has recently discovered her love for "gym-astics". After spending some time with her cousin Brooke in the beginning of May, she quickly picked up the skill of doing "trips" {or flips as we would say}. So, her daddy and me decided to put her in a little summer session at the gym to see how well she really liked it...turns out she's a natural!! I only hope that she continues to grow and have FUN with it :)

The Magic House

Dave's request for Father's Day this year was to be together and do something as a family. He choose to go to the Magic House which is the Children's Museum. There are a lot of hands on fun things to do for children of ALL ages :)





Ava gave "PeePaw" a work out using all the different pulley systems. We learned with our own body weight that more pulleys = easier lifting!!



As if we don't spend enough time in the water...



They had a little house set up. Everything was just "Ava size". She had fun sitting at the table drinking her juice and making phone calls.





PeePaw taught Ava about electricity. She liked the ball but she LOVED turning all the knobs and watching the lights go on and off :)





Play time with balls and hoops. Ava knows just what to do with these.





MUSIC, MUSIC, MUSIC!!
We learned about all the different sections of an orchestra and got to hear each section isolated when we sat on different seats. It gave whole new meaning to musical chairs...





Ava made music with so many different things. She played a very large wooden piano, a huge guitar, and with Daddy's help turned a big wheel to make music with a baton.





Jack and the Beanstalk...
Ava climbed this indoor beanstalk.

She needed a little encouragement...

but soon had the whole climbing thing down pat. I think it took a bribe and snack to move on :)

Sweet sayings...

Some Ava originals-

Today we were riding in the car and we passed a house that had a barn. Ava looked out the window and said, "a red barn!" I said, "Yes, like Pawpaw's barn"...to which Ava responded, "it's the tractor's house."

While I was folding laundry Ava was playing with one of her puzzles, it has multiple shapes in different colors. She took one of the shapes and went over to the fireplace. She put one finger in the whole in the middle of the shape and then she put her finger on the fireplace...then she said "I painting"! Blooming quite an imagination :-)

We were recently on the highway when Ava saw a garbage truck in front of us...as we passed it she said "I catched the garbage truck!"

Everything she says has such excitement and energy. I am amazed at all the learning and growing she's doing. Even her memory is getting so sharp. When I put her to bed at night I tell her what she's gonna do the next day...she wakes up and asks if it's time! Too smart for me...

Glad I get to be her momma though...

Blowing Bubbles

Ava just grasped the concept of "blowing" so bubbles are her new favorite thing! Look at that messy spaghetti-o mouth...

Visit with Aunt Nancy and Uncle Mark

Eating "Chicago" style pizza...



Watching Uncle Mark make a snake out of the straw wrapper-




The top of the Sears Tower (or Willis Tower actually)...





We loved Millenium Park...especially the fountains :)





These fountains had faces on them that would smile, frown and pucker. When the face puckered, water would shoot out the mouth...kids would rush in like crazy to get sprayed!






We took a boat tour of the river... and tried some new foods!










...and another fountain at Navy Pier...







Grabbing her purse!