Wednesday, December 31, 2008

Best Christmas Gift Ever

Aunt Jenny gave Ava this fancy ballet costume for Christmas, and Ava spent the next few days twirling and dancing and generally feeling fabulous!


Tuesday, December 16, 2008

The wonder of the season



Christmas, this year, is two-year old Ava thinking that by saying "Turn on, pretty lights!" , the Christmas tree lights up! She loves the houses on our street all a-glow and the new songs (I sang "Rudolph" about 50 times yesterday while giving her a bath)and the treats and the plans to make cookies this weekend. The commercial part of Christmas has not hit her yet, and we hope it never does, but we know that it's almost inevitable. We are focusing on the season, explaining that it's a time to see friends and family and count our blessings.

Monday, November 17, 2008

Sunday, November 02, 2008

Halloween

We took Ava to a Halloween party the night before Halloween. Ava was a lion and her friend Lucy showed up in the same costume. So the two little lions had a wonderful time, running around, eating candy, more running around.... On Halloween a bunch of little munchkin friends came over for a night of eating and trick or treating. On that night Ava chose to be "Toddler who refuses to wear costume." And that's the way it goes sometimes with toddlers. They are tricky, moody little beings. She still had a wonderful time and people still gave her candy!



Monday, October 20, 2008

Ava's Birthday Party






Lucy enjoys some birthday cake





Birthday parties rock!!

Wednesday, October 15, 2008

Tuesday, September 23, 2008

Hanging out with "My Lisa"



Aunt Lisa and Uncle Philip visit from Orlando. Just before they arrive, Ava plants herself on the sidewalk in front of the house. Ava, what are you doing? I'm waiting for My Lisa. And so it goes all weekend- Mama, where My Lisa? There's My Lisa! It is hysterically funny- Aunt Lisa is "My Lisa" and Uncle Philip is "Uncle Philblow".

I love toddler talk.

Monday, September 15, 2008

Little munchkins at a dinner party

Leon, Lucy, Ella, Ava, and Ava enjoy some baked ziti, cucumbers, and Thai noodles at our house last Saturday night. They ate, they played, they fought over toys, and they stayed up waaay too late for their own good. But they had fun! And the adults had a good time as well.

Tuesday, September 09, 2008

Here we go- The PRINCESS stage



I was cleaning out a dresser today in one of the guest rooms and pulled out this little costume/princess dress/ballet-type thingie that someone gave to us a while back. Ava lit up when she saw it and within seconds was out of her pj's and into her "Pincess-dress". She danced and twirled around the house for the rest of the morning. I managed to get it off of her for a trip into town and a nap, but it went right back on afterwards - and that is how Zan found her when she came home from work, waiting for her Mum Mum, on the steps, in her "Pincess-Dress".

How did this happen??

Thursday, September 04, 2008

Almost two



She's almost two and she's got a lot to say, and do. Constantly moving- chasing, climbing, running, scaling fences, couches and walls - and chattering about it the entire time. This a rare moment of Ava being still, with nothing to say. Very rare, indeed.

Friday, August 08, 2008

Eating


Ava does a salsa tasting at a recent bbq

Ava has always been an adventerous eater, willing to try anything and usually liking it. I think she takes after her Aunt Jenny, a pickle and vinegar lover since her toddler days (and still is today). Ava loves things like pickled ginger, mango salsa, vinegar-based salad dressings, garlic... Don't get me wrong, she loves her mac and cheese, pasta, chicken, and pretty much anything you can dip in to ranch dressing, like every other toddler. But we also give her whatever we're eating at home, and when we go to a restaurant we order an appetizer for her, rather than something from the children's menu. And that is how Ava has come to love chicken satay, yellow curry, grilled scallops, sliced tomatoes dressed with olive oil and vinegar just like my mom used to make, Thai coconut rice, salmon, asian spring rolls, rice and beans, asparagus and onions... the list goes on. Oddly enough, she's not a fan of cheese (unless it's in a quesadilla) or yogurt- but bring on the curry and spring rolls! I hope she's always like this- it's great fun to watch her eat with such enjoyment and gusto.

Tuesday, August 05, 2008

Vacation

We spent a week at the Cape. The girls had a wonderful time playing in the sand, chasing crabs, swimming in the bay, watching the boats, eating ice cream almost every night after dinner.... What a life! It was a lovely time, and Wellfleet- as always- was good to all of us.


Ava and Joanie have a snack on the beach


Playing in the sand


In the backyard


Joanie ALWAYS had room for ice cream after dinner!

Monday, July 14, 2008

Our CSA and the wonders of u-pick vegetables


This year we joined a local CSA so that we could enjoy fresh farm fruits and vegetable. The farm is gorgeous, with wonderful mountain views and lovely fields of rye. While I knew we would love the wonderful produce, I didn't realize how much Ava would love the farm. We go every Friday and spend quite a few hours out there romping and picking things. She is has been eating the peas straight off the vine and strawberries too. Her favorite all-time activity, however, is dirt- digging in the dirt, rolling in the dirt, pouring dirt over her head, or better yet, encouraging her friend Leon to pour dirt over her head. Ava loves dirt!

These pictures are from last Saturday- we took Zan to pick strawberries. She doesn't usually get to go because of work so this was a real treat for Ava.



Monday, July 07, 2008

Ava and Amrit

Cousin Amrit came to visit from Virginia (and Aunt Medge!) and Ava was in HEAVEN! She thinks her "Ama" is the best, and Amrit is very, very sweet with her. It was a short visit, but we managed to visit with Grandad and Grammy in Vermont, and also get some swimming in.




Tuesday, June 24, 2008

Tuesday, June 10, 2008

Buddies

Ava and Joanie- May 2008


Ava and Joanie- May 2008

Wednesday, June 04, 2008

Adoption Day

In which Zan takes time out of her hectic schedule of feeding, bathing and clothing Ava, not to mention the countless other parental tasks that she does daily in addition to her full-time job, so that the state of Massachusetts can recognize her as Ava's true 2nd parent, other mother, whatever you want to call it.

Having said that, we are grateful that in our state 2nd parent adoptions are allowed (there are still places in which they are not) and that it is a relatively easy process.

Saturday, May 24, 2008

Ava - 19 months

Believe it or not, this was a relatively calm hair day for Ava. Her hair is as wild as she is.

Sunday, May 11, 2008

Mother's Day

We had a nice Mother's Day doing not much of anything.... took a walk in the beautiful sunshine to our favorite breakfast place, went to the playground and then back home for a nap (Ava) and housechores (us). Ava did her usual playing in the front yard, pushing her babies up and down the sidewalk in her stroller and saying hello to every car and person that comes by.

This, by far, is her new all-time favorite activity. First there is an announcement of what, or who is coming by, as in CAR! or DOGGIE!- and then the greeting- HELLO CAR! HELLO DOGGIE!- followed up by the goodbye, complete with a wave- BYE BYE CAR! - BYE BYE DOGGIE! , and further followed up by a conversation about it that will last a good 5 minutes after they've left- CAR BYE-BYE, DOGGIE BYE-BYE..................... PLANE!
and here we go again....



Friday, May 09, 2008

Flash-back Photo

Ava and Joanie hanging out with some stuffed animals last summer. I can't believe how much they've both grown since then!