Ava's 4th Birthday!

At this very time 4 years ago I had already been pushing for an hour and had another hour and a half to go!  It's almost hard for me to imagine Ava as a baby.  Last night we made a birthday cake for her and today we celebrated with just the 4 of us with cake, presents and chik fila.  We started out the day with princess pancakes and I packed a princess sandwich in her lunch today.

singing happy birthday to buggie

Enjoying sissy's birthday cake

Ava is such a sweet, intelligent and loving little girl.  She is cuddly, polite, very girly and spirited.  I'm so very proud of her.  She's finally outgrown the tantrum stage for the most part.  She can dress herself, fix her own drinks and get her own food and silverware, put her dishes in the sink when she's finished eating, start the DVD player, buckle herself in her car seat, dress herself and so many other things.

She loves her Lizard and wants to marry her daddy when she grows up.  She says Brynny is the best baby ever and that she'll never move out of our house :)  She still only drinks milk with orange juice in it, loves fruit, crazy for pink donuts and pediasure, won't eat anything with sauce on it but will eat broccoli, green beans and peas like candy.  She loves princesses, playing dress up and getting mani/pedi's. 

Tomorrow she is going to stay with Grandmother and Granddad for the night and she is soooooo excited for her sleepover.  She has been counting the days by school days "mommy only 2 more schools and I can go to granddads house"

The way she pronounces some words still cracks us up, and she still refers to herself in 3rd person.

Something = suffing (mommy Ava needs to tell you suffing)
Shade= shave (Ava's hot I want to sit in the shave)
car seat = cartseat
porch = corch
Brynn = piglet blimey

Happy Birthday to my most beautiful Princess and blessing from God.

Sibling Reunion 2012

My siblings and I were not fortunate enough to be raised together and were all 4 raised in different homes/families.  A couple of weeks ago we were all 4 together for the first time in our lives!    Of course Brenda, Kristi and I all kept in touch over the years, we just didn't get to live together, but this was the first time any of us had met our brother Justin.  :( We all met in San Antonio at my sister Brenda's house for our first reunion. It was so much fun and we had a blast. Our mom made it out too, so it was quite an event for her as well.We went to the Guadalupe and floated the river, we went out to the riverwalk for my birthday and then visited the Alamo and the rest of the time we spent at home just hanging out and spending time with the kiddos.  I took the girls with me and Ava had so much fun playing with her cousins.  She and Ali are just 3 months apart so they were inseparable.  They jumped on the trampoline non stop, did the slip and slide etc.

Ava & Aunt Kristi singing and dancing



Ava & Lauren conked out

the whole gang - Kennedee who was napping

The waiter kept staring at us and finally asked if we were twins.  haha!

There was plenty to celebrate and lots of celebrating going on

Meeting Justin at the airport

Me and my baby brother :)

mom and her new style on the river

Goldilocks

We have no idea where she gets these ringlets but Steve always knew we'd have a lil girl with blonde curly hair and blue eyes.

Her hair is actually past her shoulder blades when it's wet and straight!

Proud Big Sister

I should mention on here that Ava is so proud of Brynn and will tell anyone that listens.  The first thing she tells everyone she see's is "Brynny can walk and talk and she can say Ava, and even mommy and daddy and biscuit and magnum.  Then she goes on to say (if the person is still listening) "Cuz she's getting bigger and bigger like Ava"

I love my sweet girl, can't believe in just a few days my baby is going to be 4 years old. 

The Girls

The girls have totally warmed my heart over the last few weeks as they are finally playing together.  Today I asked Ava who her best friend was and she said Brynn.  I feel so happy and blessed that we were able to give her a baby sister to grow up with.

Brynny at 15 months

Brynn had her 15 month check up yesterday and had two shots.  Poor thing.

She's 25lbs and 31 3/4 inches long.  85% in weight, 80% in height and 97% in head circ. 

Brynn can say so many words now!  Of course most of them are toddler speak, but we know what she's saying:

Ava
Emma
all done
more
don't
no
Christy
Barney
Elmo
Lizard
blackberries
bye bye
hot dog
applesauce
diaper
Magnum
Biscuit
Cheese
several of the kids from schools names

She loves waterplay

She can also put pants on, feed herself with a spoon and a fork, drink from a regular cup, climb anything and everything, comb her hair, put make up on, open and close doors etc..  She may not be able to say much yet but she understands EVERYTHING. 

In the mornings when I'm getting ready she's always digging around in my make up drawer and in the mirror putting eye liner, powder and blush on.  It's so cute to watch! 

She is also crazy for Barney

She's also suddenly decided that she likes her pacifier and requires it at all times now, especially during bedtime.  She is still a wonderful sleeper and goes to bed so easily.  She still loves cuddling her blanket.  If she has her blanket and her paci she is down for the count.  She is a total mommy's girl and wants me and only me most of the time.  She still has an aversion to strangers and people she doesn't know very well.