More family time

Kay Kay and Bri came to visit us this weekend since they had a few days off last week and Monday for MLK. They must really love Ava to make that long drive all the way from Corpus just to spend more time with her. They will be back next month too for one of Brianna's cheerleading competitions. Ava is growing up so fast so I am glad they are able to see her a lot in the next few months. My mom always makes me laugh and that Bri is one sweet aunt to Ava.

Sitting with Bri and watching her Praise Baby DVD.

I got to go on a date with my hubby since our babysitters where in town to stay at the house with Ava. We went to one of our favorite restaurants from when we lived in Uptown, Cremona's! The original location burnt down but they reopened another restaurant nearby. It was just as good as we remembered it. It's not crowded and stuffy like some other restaurants in Uptown and it has such an authentic Italian feel to it. Besides the great food they always play Frank Sinatra. We had dessert at a restaurant called TouLouse, also very good.(there is my adverstisement for all the Dallas people). Brianna was too cute because while we were gone she straightened all the shoes in my closet and turned down the sheets on our bed. What service!

Another playdate

It's been awhile since we got a group picture of the babies from our playgroup (minus Tyler) so I quickly took a few while they were all awake and happy. The babies have all grown so much in the last month we were all together. Ava is Miss Crawler of the group so she is by far the most active. Her and I didn't really sit still much so I didn't have the nice chats with the other mommies like I would have liked but we still had a fun time as always!

Carter, Ava, Brinley, and Jake

This is a cute one of Jake giving Carter a hug while both were looking to see what the little Miss was up to.

The big kids of the group! Hard to believe they are going to be a year old in 2 months!

Ava found Danielle's stairs and immediately started to climb them like she has done this before. The girl is full into exploring mode and has NO fear.

I followed close behind her. Notice how she is pushing me away. I ruined her fun. So sorry!

I can't wait for our music class to start in February!! We all got in the same class so it will be so fun for us all to experience together. I know the babies are going to love it!

Sneak Peak

Here is a little preview of what I am planning for Ava's 1st birthday in March. It will be a butterfly garden theme and the birthday girl will be wearing butterfly wings of course. I just found these this weekend so I wanted her to try them on. She didn't quite know what to think about those big things. My hope is that she will be walking by her birthday so she can toddle around with her big wings. :)

Table Food

We've entered a new world of food. For the past couple of weeks we have been giving Ava table food (aka mommy and daddy's food) and finger food that she can eat on her own. At first I was worried about what to give her and if she would like the new textures but she has adapted well. Basically we give her what we are eating, with the exception of a few things the pediatrician recommended we stay away from for now. We have added a whole list of new foods to her diet. Over the past few weeks she has had spaghetti (her favorite of all), pot roast, vegetable soup, mashed potatoes, turkey, oranges, kiwi, strawberries, blueberries and later on today she will be trying black beans and a taste of enchiladas since that is what we made for dinner last night. Feeding time does take a little longer because I have to cut up everything so fine and it takes her longer to "chew" but I like that she can now eat what we eat. I want to expose her to all different types of food because I dont want her to be a picky eater.

First time eating spaghetti and she loved it! Good thing too because we make spaghetti ALL the time.

Videos from the holidays

I forgot to include these videos in previous posts. We have taught Ava the "all done" sign and she waves bye bye, which I have mentioned before, so she has been doing both a lot lately. They look pretty similar but she uses them in the right context most of the time. Also on the video is her reaction to Deshka, Alli's dog. She loves her...to say the least! I could watch these things all day!

Make an on-line slide show at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Christmas with Papa and Gramielle

Our final Christmas celebration was with Papa and Gramielle. They came in town 2 days after Christmas and we exchanged gifts and played with Ava. They got to see more of Ava during the day because she barely napped while they were here. I think the traveling and all the people in and out of the house was finally starting to affect her. We enjoyed everyone's company tremendously but I have learned that when things are out of the norm that they really do affect these little ones. Especially scheduled ones like Ava. Thank you Papa and Gramielle for coming to visit us!

Touching her new toy (she likes to use just her pointer finger which is so cute)

Dancing with Papa

This ornament has become a favorite toy lately. I would sing Jingle Bells and she would shake it over and over and listen to the jingle bells.





Christmas is now over and all our visitors are gone. We made some good memories this Christmas. Wishing you all many blessings in the New Year!

Home for Christmas

We were so happy to be able to wake up in our own home on Christmas morning. Since this was Ava's 1st Christmas it made it extra special. This year was also the year for all the Vaughans (dad's side ) to get together for Christmas so we hosted the family on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. 15 adults and 3 dogs equals a whole lot of love and laughs! Just about the time that everyone arrived on Christmas Eve it started snowing!! It was perfect. We will always have memories of Ava's first Christmas as a White Christmas.

My dad wasn't able to be here on Christmas day but he came up a few days before and stayed with us. I couldn't have asked for a better visit with him.

She loves her Papa

As soon as it started snowing on Christmas Eve I threw a jacket on Ava and went outside to get a quick picture.

Side note- we had a Pajama Themed Christmas Eve so that is why I am wearing PJ's at all hours of the day

Ava met her Great Uncle Mark who flew all the way from Minnesota

And she met her 2nd cousin Dani

We played Apples to Apples and Wii

Is Santa here yet?

No, but my daddy is!

adorable

The Vaughan family is always full of fun so part of our Christmas tradition is to draw names and go shopping for the tackiest Christmas gifts we can find. Kinda like White Elephant but you can't trade your gift. We all crammed into our cars and drove through the snow to the Dollar Tree...in our PJ's. Funny how no one in the store found it unusual that we were all walking around in our pajamas.

Dani, Mark, Kassandra, Granny Jean

Ava was so tired by this point but she did great the whole day.

Let it Snow Let it Snow Let it Snow

Most of the gang

I wonder what Aunt Alli got me?? We have to wait till morning.

Uncle Matt gave Ava The Night Before Christmas

So Daddy read it during Storytime

The house on Christmas morning

Oh look it's a rocking giraffe! Thanks Aunt Alli. You give the coolest gifts!

Macy gave Ava another Sandra Boynton book, Snuggle Puppy

Surrounded by all her gifts

What a blessed Christmas it was!

Early Christmas in Corpus

The week before Christmas we made the long car ride to Corpus to have an early Christmas with Kay Kay, Bri, and the rest of the Wier family (mom's side). Once again we traveled at night and Ava slept peacefullly the whole 7 hours. Alli and her dog came with us so Alli kept Mikey company while I took naps here and there. In Corpus we just hung out at Mimi's house while Ava crawled and explored the new territory. She was very entertaining and just happy as can be. Mimi's house is home to me so I was excited to bring Ava to a place where I have spent so many holidays and have such fond memories from my childhood. Ava has grown up so much since a lot of the family has seen her last so it was fun watching them get to know each other again.

"Smiling's my favorite"

Know the movie? It's one of my favorite Christmas movies!


Aunt Bri loved playing with her niece

And Ava's feelings were mutual

I am so glad that we introduced books to Ava so early. She loves being read to and looking at all the pictures.

Ava got a bath in Mimi's sink just like I used to

Playing with my Kay Kay

Ava met her Great Uncle Bobby for the first time. Normally she is very shy with men but she crawled right over to him and started touching his beard. We loved seeing her so drawn to him.

What better way to get to know someone than poke their eyeballs

Kisses from Great Aunt Lisa

Ava's 1st ornament from Mimi- Every year she gives each of the grankids an ornament with their name and year. We have a tree full of these special ornaments and now Ava has her own to add.

The best part of opening gifts...the paper!! What a cool sound it makes.

Loving the new hat and outfits that Kay Kay gave me

Kay Kay needed a picture of her "kids"

Ava got a toy that she can stand up and walk with. For now, we just play with the buttons and sounds on the front but walking is in the very near future! She is becoming so brave with standing and even lets go and stands on her own for a few seconds. She also likes to side step along the couch and ottoman.

One night we drove to this house to look at all the decorations and lights. In the background you can see some little Santa figurines and then a big one in the sleigh. They are kinda creepy because they all move their heads side to side. The man that lives here also sets up a speaker system in the sleigh and when parents walk up to his house he asks what the kids names are and then he secretly talks through a mircophone and calls the kids by name as if Santa is talking.

Aunt Lisa and cousins Ryan, Reagan, and Rachel came along as well

My sleeping beauty slept through it all

Ava and her 2nd cousin Ryan

I love being at Mimi's house!

Love this one of Ava and her great grandpa, "Big Bob". It reminds me of when we used to walk on Big Bob's back when we were litte. Next trip Ava will be ready!

Alli and Mom