Welcome to Ava's World...

I've been faithful to keep up with Carter's monthly posts, but I thought I should take some time to document what Ava has been up to lately.  She is changing and growing up in so many ways, I can't hardly believe my little girl is just weeks away from turning 2!  We are on the doorstep of the so called "terrible two's" and although I would agree, she is so much more challenging right now, nothing about this little sweetie is terrible.  She has a strong will and yet, a tender heart.  She is BUSY and always on the go, but also loves some quiet time to herself and is still the bookworm we've predicted she'll become.  Here's a more thorough glimpse into Ava's world...

I often find Miss Ava entertaining herself all around our house.  She is so good at exploring her world and

finding something to occupy her curiosity.  Sometimes she needs some direction about what she's allowed to explore and what is off limits, but I love to find her tucked away in a corner or next to a window, holding her stash of precious trinkets and chatting or singing away.

Part of this stage she's currently in involves making lots of daily messes.  This is an accurate view of my living room these days :) Toys, toys and more toys.  But I love that I can put a basket of something in front of her and she is as thrilled as the first day she laid eyes upon each toy!  We are working on learning to clean up after ourselves, but we definitely have room to grow in that area :) If she's "in the mood" she's a great helper, but catching her in that mood is key! Ha Ha!  I'm learning to pick my battles and extend grace when it's just not a matter of character development or true importance.  I love that she is teaching me that.  Hopefully as she and Carter grow up, this Mommy's rough edges will be worn and smooth.  Embracing the mess is part of my gift to her creativity, right??

One of her more recent developments is her fascination with putting her own clothes on...and as we recently discovered, taking them off.  Particularly her pants.

She loves to put her pants on, one leg at a time and now she's thrilled at the freedom she feels to also take them off!  At home it's one thing, but last week we were at Church on Wednesday night, waiting for the junior high kids to come and I caught her trying to pull her pants down :) We evidently need to have some talks about modesty already!  I did have an "episode" that made me stop in my tracks on Sunday morning...I was getting her dressed for Church in the outfit I laid out for her.  As I put a sweater that she's worn many times on her, she immediately began to cry and pull at it saying, "Please Mama, noooo, Please!"  As I tried to figure out the source of her tears, I realized she has some newfound hated for that particular sweater.  As soon as I brought out a different one, she was happy as could be.  No more tears. 

Good grief!  Are we really going to battle over clothes already??

 

Just like her Mom, one of Ava's favorite things to play with are her cars.  She talks about them constantly!  I also loved little matchbox cars as a kid, which makes me laugh, and I guess she does too! 

But, what is so fun and entertaining to us, is that she does the same thing with them everytime.  She takes all of them out of her basket and lines them up.  Then she rearranges them and lines them up again.  No idea why, but it's so funny to watch her do it.  She loves it and she talks and sings the whole time she's doing it.

I'm hoping thinking maybe she's got some natural organizational skills :)  

Just recently, she's started to actually watch TV.  Her favorite things are still Praise Baby DVDs, Dora and the movie, Annie.  She loves Annie!  I think because of all the singing and dancing??  She walks around and sings, "Ammorrow, Ammorrow, I wuv you, Ammorrow!! Only a day, wayyyyy!"  Here she is sitting with my Mom, who also loves Annie, totally thrilled as you can see :)

Last week, Aunt Jennie and her friend Cady came to spend the night with us and Ava was so excited about it!  She LOVES when we have visitors here and it doesn't take her long to think that they are here ONLY for her benefit :) She likes to tell us to "sit down" now, which means to sit and play with her! 

Carter is still her favorite playmate though :)

Mostly because he just grins and watches everything she does with huge eyes.

Who doesn't love a captivated audience??

She is still a wonderful eater and I'm so thankful.  You'd never know it because she's just tiny, but this girl eats like a horse!  It's constant and most nights she licks that plate clean :)

Spaghetti is her favorite, hands down. 

She attacks it and it ALWAYS warrants an immediate trip to the bath!

For some reason, this little seat is such a treat for her, so sometimes we have lunch or breakfast in this.  It's quite helpful actually, it's one of the only things that I can still strap her into! 

This is my ticket to a shower some days :)

At her core, God has given her a very curious spirit.  She is fascinated by what happens outside our windows and LOVES to sit and watch cars, trucks and people, often giving me the play by play.

Oh man, her little profile just slays me.

I could eat her with a spoon!

Like a true woman, she is a multi-tasker already!  We're in constant discussion about what she "needs" to bring with her in the car and what can stay home.  She has her piles all over the house of things that are precious to her.  I've recently enlightened her to the joys of a purse!  A place to put all that "stuff!"

And she has no problem role-playing!

I love to watch her march around the house, drink in hand, purse on her arm, sunglasses on her head and usually talking on a phone.  I have no idea where she gets that....

Ava's vocabulary is just amazing to us right now.  She talks constantly and can string together 4 or 5 words now.  I can't believe it!  It's getting easier to have a conversation with her, but I'm the one who understands her the most, probably because I'm with her all day.  We are having to really guard our tongues now because she is repeating MOST of what we say.  Lately, she's picked up on the fact that I call Daddy, "Travis or Travy."  Obviously she has no disrespect in her intentions yet, but she thinks it's so funny to call him Trav or Travy or Travis.  Probably because we struggle to keep from laughing when it comes out!  Usually she does it when Travis is not paying attention and it goes something like, "Daddy!  Daddy!  Daddy!  Travis!  Trav!  Travy!" and then when one of us says, "Ava", she throws in another "Daddy!" with a giggle!  Oh it tickles us, but we definitely don't want her calling us by our first names so we are doing lots of correcting :) Last night however, I put Ava to bed and Trav was finishing up with Carter, who is in an adjoining room.  I kissed Ava and told her Daddy would come kiss her too when he was done with Carter.  I guess after I left and when she got impatient, she starting talking as loud as she could in her bed, saying "Travis! Travis!  Travis!  Travy!  Trav!"  Oh that stinker!!

I am so in love with my sweet Ava.  She is a delight to my soul and so exhausting at the same time!  Just when I think I'm going to lose my patience with her, she pulls out a "Sorry Mama, forgive you?" and my heart melts over her.  We are challenged at this particular season, but also loving it.  I'm so grateful for my firstborn and so thankful that God saw fit to give her a little brother. 

She's a keeper!  And worth every gray hair I keep finding :)