Ava's First Birthday

Ok, so Ava's now 14 months (today!) and I'm just getting around to a birthday post.  Oops!

On her actual birthday, December 26th, we had a family party at our house.  Just some dinner and ice cream cake...and a stomach bug for me!  I wasn't feeling myself all day but it didn't fully hit me til all our family was already here.  So please excuse how I look and focus on my pretty pretty princess!

again, we're terrible with family photos!

Ice Cream Cake!

Ava's Smash Cake

Maxx getting in on the cake smash action

Then we had her big first birthday party a few weekends later.  We rented a local fire house's banquet hall and, although it was a lot of work, it turned out excellent!  I had some little elves help with the setup the night before which was the best and I thank them so much!

A few shots of the setup...

play area for the kiddies

centerpieces

dessert table

yummy and gorgeous cake!

Unfortunately, Ava wasn't feeling so hot so she was like this most of the time...

But she did rally after a little nap and some food and she played with her friends!

playing in the bounce house

Ava's BFF beautiful Brielle

crazy cousins hamming it up in the photo booth

cousins coloring

Ava loves Aunt Sarah

There were a ton of people there.  We are so lucky to have such amazing friends and family that they all came to celebrate our little cupcake's first birthday!  I say I'd do it all again next year but Little Gym or one of those places where you just show up with a dozen cupcakes and they do the rest is definitely calling my name!

Dinner Date

I've come to the conclusion that I'm pretty bad at blogging! Oh well, I'll update when I can!

We had a pretty low key weekend with NO PLANS! Weekends like this are few and far between so we took advantage of it. We cleaned, relaxed, shopped, played and relaxed some more! We also had a date with this little man...


Can you even deal with his cuteness sitting in that chair eating roasted broccoli and brussel sprouts?!?! (yes, I see the knives right in front of the 1 year old, he couldn't reach them!) Rick, Erica and Maxx came over Saturday to play and have dinner. Ava and Maxx loved playing together and were pooped by the end of the night. Love seeing them together! We got to skype with Grandma LoLo and grandpa down in Florida. Ava and Maxx were both confused with the whole thing but it was cute.



Ava also enjoyed her dinner; however, hers was doused in ketchup...her new favorite thing!

We have been trying to get Ava to eat what we are eating for dinner. Some nights it works, some nights yogurt wins! She surprises us though with the things she eats...like this roasted beet hummus. Couldn't get enough!


AND we have a walker! She will walk a lot at school but not that much at home. And if we try to take a video of her doing it or try to make her walk to us, she immediately sits down! Oh well, it will happen soon enough!

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Christmas Recap

I know it was forever ago but I never got around to uploading and posting about it.  I'm using this blog as a little snapshot of our life so I have to get this in there since it was our baby's first Christmas!

Christmas Eve was spent at my parent's house with the Kukuckas.  The Giants were playing the Jets so we did a more casual Christmas Eve day type thing since our family is Giants fans and the Kukuckas are Jets fans.  Of course things worked out perfectly since the Giants won!  I don't have many pictures but here are a few of Ava and Maxx decked out in their Giants attire!

Ava doesn't get the whole hugs thing yet!

 Then someone thought it would be funny to dress them up as Jets fans...so sneaky!

 Maxx and Ava with Grandma Lolo

We spent Christmas morning at our house.  Our parents, Grandma Gerry, Uncle Jimmy and Aunt Sarah came over for breakfast and to watch me Ava open gifts. 

little elf girl

jammies

hello belly

After all the presents were opened, I needed a nap we headed up to Nick's aunt's house where we had a nice dinner and got to spend time with the family.

I always said that once we had kids, I wanted to stay home for Christmas.  I want to be able to relax and let the kids play with all their new toys and just enjoy the day.  Since Ava was only 1 this year, traveling wasn't too big of a deal because she didn't know what was going on with all the boxes and new things in the house anyway.  Next year may be a different story though.  We shall see.

Next up, the little miss turns 1 :::tears:::

12 Months!

My sweet, sweet baby is 1 already!  She was actually 1 three weeks ago, but who's counting?  So I haven't even gotten around to posting about Christmas yet but I'll do a 12 month update, Christmas recap (just so I have it somewhere!) and then the extravaganza that was the FIRST BIRTHDAY!

So Ava Jo, you are 12 months old.  A whole year.  Mommy is crying!  You continue to amaze us each and every day and we don't know how we ever got by with out you!  (although we did sleep more!)

Here are some of your 12 month stats:

• you have 2 1/2 teeth...2 bottoms and 1/2 a top.  those suckers take a long time to come in
• you wear mostly 18-24 month clothes and size 4 diapers
• you have become quite the picky eater.  we can always win you over with yogurt, applesauce and mac and cheese but most other things are hit or miss.  you have been enjoying the puree pouches and suck them right out of the pouch in no time.  maybe your teeth are bothering you and that just seems more appealing now
• we are (and have been) down to 2 bottles a day, morning and night but now we are off the smelly formula and drinking whole milk!  you drink milk out of a cup as well so it's only a matter of time before we say bye bye to bottles completely!
• sleep is a steady 2 nights on, 1 night off deal.  you have been congested for what seems like all winter plus teething so we'll say it's that.  or you just want to be closer to mommy and daddy!
• you got so many new toys for christmas and your birthday that i don't even know what your favorites are anymore!  you love your cupcake kitchen and all your baking accessories, your drum and instruments, rody, rocking horse, little people cars and bus, and so many more.  honestly, we haven't even opened all of your toys yet because you can't possibly play with them all.  we will rotate them in, don't worry!
• santa brought you baby signing time volumes 2 and 3 for christmas so now we have some variety in our lives.  daddy and i already know all the songs and i've caught you signing shoes (as well as saying it) and thank you!
• when asked what sound a cow makes, you say moooooooo!  and you also do TOUCHDOWN for our awesome GMEN (go big blue!)
• still not walking!  but we're fine with that
• you have developed this new scream cry that sounds like you're on the brink of a temper tantrum.  i fear that the ricky shuffle is right around the corner!
• you love your new chair and all your new books!  you literally sit in the chair for 30 minute periods and read or watch baby signing time.  you pick out a book, sit down and read, throw it on the ground and get another one.  repeat ten more times.  
• when you wake up in your crib and we go in to get you, you hand us your blankie and binkie before we can pick you up.  i love when you do little things like that
• you are doing so well at school.  your teachers love you and i really think you have a great time there.  i am so thankful for that
• i swear the week you turned 1, you started babbling like crazy as if you were ready to have a conversation.  you don't say momma or dadda that much anymore, it's more just crazy babbling.  and you have this new smile where you look like you're saying cheese and you resemble grandma lolo very much!

cheeeeese!

not the best example but if you know lolo, you get it

 So baby girl, you are turning into a little girl right before our eyes but just know that you will always be my little baby smooshie tushie little bugs ava jo ava jo the prettiest girl I know!  Mommy and Daddy (and everyone else who knows you) love you so much and are so excited that you are 1!  We couldn't have asked for a better first year with you.  Thank you for being the best!

Merry Christmas...I'm exhausted!

I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas! We sure did. I'm exhausted and have a stomach bug so I'll have to post all our festivities another day. And now the little miss is 1 and hasn't stopped having a blast!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!



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Cherish the moment

I was home with a sick Ava all day yesterday. She got sent home from school an hour after I dropped her off. She was fine when I dropped her off but by 8:30, she had a 101.7 fever. Her fever spiked to 103 later in the day so off to the doctor we went. It seems to be just a virus so not much we can could do besides motrin and extra cuddle time! No complaints here!

She slept through the night and was fever free this morning but I kept her home just in case she spiked a fever again. Nick had a client coming in this morning so he went into work but is coming home so I can go into work for a few hours. I've got to try and save my time where I can since I depleted it while on maternity leave.

As I was rocking Ava for her nap, I kept thinking ok little miss, it's time to go to sleep so I can get in the shower and get ready for work so that when daddy gets home I can go. Ava had other plans of exploring my face...today it was eyelashes. She would crack up every time I opened and closed my eyes and batted my lashes. At the sound of her chuckle through her binkie, I forgot all about the rush to get ready for work. I just simply cherished the moment we were in. I work everyday and don't get to spend these moments with her. I have to cherish them when I do. Almost a whole year has flown by before my eyes and it's not going to slow down. Before long, she was snoozing away...



Yes, she sleeps with a blanket in her crib and sometimes a seahorse or two! Don't judge, it works for us.

So what that I got in the shower later than I thought.
So what that I didn't get fully ready before she woke up (short nap).
So what that I didn't get to finish cleaning the kitchen.
So what that there's enough dog hair on my floors to fashion a little brother for Thor despite the fact that I vacuum every other day.
So what that I just lied about how much I vacuum. It's more like every weekend!
So what that the gas station has their Christmas lights up before we do.
So what that I'm only a quarter of the way done Christmas shopping.
So what that there are more birthday decorations around my house than Christmas ones. (they're not up, I'm just in the process of making them so they are out)
So what that my living room is full of toys. I love that quote "please excuse the mess, children making memories here!" or however it goes.
So what that it looks like a fedex packing facility downstairs. We shop online and have yet to open the packages and wrap the gifts!

Will it all get done? Of course! Ask my mom, she knows me! I'll get it done at my own time. We are getting our tree today and will hopefully get all the Christmas decorating done this weekend.

I'd rather be soaking up this smooshie face when she needs me most than checking items off my never ending to do list!



That's her yummmmm face while eating!
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11 months

Ava my love, you are 11 months!  Can it be possible that almost a whole  year has gone by?

YAY!  You are becoming such a little girl right before our eyes and I don't know if I can take it.  I know I probably say this every month, but the stage you are at now is soooo fun and I love it!  You are developing your little personality and it's delightful to interact with you.  I look at the little things you do each day such as raise your eyebrows when we talk to you (is that a precursor to eye rolling?), and I think how could my little baby be becoming such an adorable little girl?

Here are some things you are up to these days...

• your 2 bottom teeth finally came in and the 2 top are bursting through any day now.  
• your still in size 12-18 and some 18-24 month clothes and size 4 diapers
• you pretty much eat everything except nuts, strawberries and fish.  
• as soon as i take yogurt out of the fridge, you get this huge smile on your face so i'm going to assume that is still your favorite.  black beans and guacamole are some new favorites as well.
• you have figured out the whole "throw my food off my highchair and watch the dog eat it" game
• you are adjusting to daycare so well.  you love to play with the kids and have even made art projects for Halloween and Thanksgiving!
• sleep has gotten better (only in the last week or so).  it started to become a little bit of an issue since you were joining us in our bed every night around 4 am AND refusing to nap in the crib at school.  so at home, we let you cry (don't worry, mommy watched you in the monitor the whole time to make sure you were ok) a little and after 2 nights, you've been sleeping through the night!  at school, they started you on the cot (3 inches off the ground) and you've been taking 2 hour naps almost every day!
• your favorite toys are your music set, stroller and piano.  i just love the way you get on and off the seat of the piano as if you've been doing it all your life.
• we're waiting for those first steps on your own.  you cruise everything, stand on your own without holding on and even can drink from your sippy cup or dance while standing.  you're just a little hesitant to actually walk.
• you've become a little sensitive when we tell you no.  like when you stand in the bath tub and I tell you to sit down, you sit down and cry.  then you stand up, do it again, sit down and cry.  this happens a few times a bath.
• you love to dance, wave bye bye, clap (you actually wake up clapping sometimes, clap the whole way to school, clapped through Kara's whole christening...maybe you'll be a cheerleader!), laugh
• you say momma, dadda, dissss (like this...for everything)
• you crack up when we kiss your cheeks or tickle your belly

 I'm excited to see what this month will bring with Christmas time and your birthday coming up so soon!  I have a feeling we might need to get a bigger house for all the new things coming your way.  You are loved by so many and they all want to spoil you!

Happy 11 months beautiful girl!  You are the best Christmas gift I could've ever gotten in a million years!  Mommy and Daddy love you so very much!