I feel like this is going to end up being one big catch up post including all things December and I might even throw in a belly picture...since I am 13 weeks now and there has been a belly down here since about week 8. Number 2 is definitely a little different than I remember Number 1 being!
First, let me get in an Ava update. Christmas was a stinking blast with her this year!! Two has been the best yet! Terrible two's? Barely. I mean we have our moments with her, but overall she's talking clearer and communicating what she wants and needs, which helps with the frustrating moments. I hear the 'terrible two's' really don't hit full on til they're 3 sometimes, so we've still got time! ;o) She's very concerned about her happiness right now. And our happiness. She likes to make sure we have happy faces on at all times. She'll get upset about something (usually its when I won't let her watch any more Dora epidsodes) and throw her bottom lip out and through these huge crocodile tears she'll say, "noooo, me wanna watch doorrrraaa". The push-over in me then usually says, "ok, ONE more and that's it...then we have to play with blocks or play doh," to which she flashes me the biggest smile ever and says through the tears still sitting on her cheeks, "me happy mommy, me happy!!!" At this point, if daddy is around, she'll go to him and ask him to wipe her tears away, "git me tears daddy" and he takes the bottom of his shirt and wipes them away, then she'll come snuggle up on the couch and cuddle under her blanket and watch Dora without moving a muscle for the following 20 minutes. It's unbelievably bitter-sweet. Bitter because she throws a fit about not getting her way...sweet because we absolutely cannot resist her. Sometimes I'll ask her if she's ready for bed, and she'll reply, "nope." Then I'll ask her if she needs to go potty, to which she replies, "nope...me happy mommy." She's just a happy girl...and that's her favorite way to be. :o) Bless her little heart.
Her emotions are definitely blossoming these days. Along with sharing how happy she is all the time, we've also seen her show fear of things lately. She's kind of acting afraid of the dark, so she's been sleeping with a little flashlight that came on one of her books she got for christmas. Being the christmas season, there was plenty of "the Grinch" airing on TV. One evening we sat down to watch the cartoon version and not 2 minutes into it she was running to me saying, "me cared mommy." I'd ask her what she's scared of and she'd say, "da gween ginch!" Soooo, we turned that off and will attempt it another time...like next year. Here's a funny story....The other night we went out to eat for dinner. We sat down at a booth and Ava sat on my side, like usual, but didn't stay there long, like usual. She prefers to crawl under the table over to daddy's side and stay there for a few minutes and then decide she wants to come back over to my side, and this continues pretty much the entire meal. We've given up fighting it...hey, at least she's not running in the aisles tripping the waitresses. Anyway, I had a pair of winter boots on that have fur around the top. Lots of fur...brownish colored. Ava had been back and forth under the table a couple times already, but the next time she slid under the table I felt her brush up against my leg and then she started screaming bloody murder, climbing back up onto the booth fighting for her life. This was a fearful scream...not a painful scream...you mom's know what I mean, you can definitely tell the difference! I scooped her up into my arms and she was shaking and screaming and sweating!! I calmed her down a little and said, "Ava what happened honey, what's wrong?" She's clinging to me for her dear life at this point. She said, "me caaaared." "What are you scared of Ava?" "unner da table...a chicken." Eric and I looked at each other. Did she just say she's scared of a chicken under the table? And she obviously believed it because she was a hot mess! I asked her, "you're scared of a chicken under the table?" Her whole body still shaking, "....yea." What!?!?!? I couldn't help it...I was busting my guts laughing at this point. I showed her my boots and said, "No honey its just mommy's boots, there's no chicken under the table." She replied, "nooo mommy, chicken boot!" We actually had to remove her from the table...she could not relax and we were pretty much done eating anyway so Eric took her to the car, I paid, and we went home. The girl obviously has a thing against chickens. She never likes them at my mom's either. They really freak her out. Oh and to top it off, after her bath tonight I was getting her jammies on her in her room when Portia's tail knocked against the wall downstairs and made a noise. Ava said, "me heard dat mommy." I said, "yea, I heard it too..what was that?" She got very quiet and still, put her finger up to her mouth and whispered, "a chicken mommy." I said, "what! there's no chickens in this house Ava!" She started to freak out again, but everything was okay when she said, "me shut da door! chickens out dare!" So she shut the supposed chickens out of her room and all was good. My gosh...what an imagination...one that gets a little outta control it seems!! :o) She's a blast! Gotta watch those chickens... hey, I don't blame her...I'm scared to death of roosters. They are mean little devils.
After all that, I just want to cut to some pictures...so here they are...enjoy!
Silly girl...
Check out that hair!!! I like to call her Albert Einstein on days like this! :o)
Back in late november...picking out a christmas tree at Cackler Family Farms.
We (I mean, Eric) cut it down this year instead of picking one of the pre-cut.
Haul it away daddy!
Helping daddy water the tree...
Back when I wore jeans...I've worn probably one pair in the last month. Straight up uncomfortable.
And here's why jeans are so uncomfortable! This is my 11 week belly. This was taken on a particularly 'bigger' day. It's always a little more out there in the evening. Just at an awkward stage right now...too small for maternity jeans...too big for regular jeans (unless I leave them unbuttoned or loop a hairtie through the hole...and that's just too much work). So it's been yoga pants and jogging suits for me....everyday!
Christmas at mom's.
Aunt Tammy ever-so-graciously got Ava a drum set...complete with a tamborine, christmas bells, and noisy shaker eggs. Thank you so much sister. :) :) :)
Funny story...my sister and I both got mom a rooster calendar...the exact same one! We knew before she ever opened them that we both got her calendars...our 1st "dohh!" moment...but didn't know what the other one's design was. And we made her open them at the same time, only to discover that they are exactly the same!! "Dohh!" #2! We do that too often...same dishwasher, same stove/oven...we should know better. :o)
Ava got a toy box made by papaw for christmas! She likes to crawl in it... :)
Ava with her cousins in their christmas jammies...Mahala, Torie, & Brianna.
She got blocks for christmas and loves building "kye krapers" (skyscrapers), "castles," and "choo choos."
"Kye kraper" in progress...go Ava!
Her idea, not mine. I tried removing the basket before setting her on the toilet, but she insisted that I leave it there, "nooo mommy, my hat!" Okay girl, whatever! :)
Portia was pampered this christmas. We took her to the groomer where she got an oatmeal bath, nails trimmed, and ears cleaned. She, however, didn't enjoy any of it except the oatmeal scrub I'm sure. :o) Ava was happy to have her home!
Opening gifts at home on Christmas Eve. We shouldn't have given her this present first...it was her favorite by far and she didn't want to open anything else! It's a LeapFrog Laptop...or a "puter" as Ava calls it. :)
Daddy got a finger-print gun safe! We had a very bad scare a couple weeks ago at our house when someone tried to get in our house, through the front door, around 4:30am. A man was outside the house jiggling the door knob, knocking, and ringing the doorbell. Eric's mom was staying with us for the weekend and it woke her up. Not knowing what time it was, she came downstairs and went to the door thinking that Eric had locked himself out of the house or something. When she thought to ask, "who is it?" and got no reply, she looked out the front window and saw a man, definitely NOT Eric, standing at the door still jiggling the door knob. She said her stomach dropped to her knees and she ran upstairs to wake Eric, who promptly flew out of bed, threw on a robe, grabbed his hand-gun, and ran down the stairs. I grabbed my cell phone and dialed 911, somehow, its amazing how slippery your fingers are when you're panicked and trying to dial three simple numbers. I told them some man was trying to get into our house through the front door. She kept me on the phone, and in the meantime Eric was yelling at the man through the door that this was not his house and he needed to leave. He peeked out the window through the curtain and tapped on the window, when the guy looked up at Eric he shoo'd him away and told him to leave again. Aaand the weirdo went right back to trying to turn the door knob and put his key in the doorknob. So, Eric tapped on the window again, this time with his gun, which apparently sobered the guy up enough to realize this wasn't his house and he turned away and quickly walked off down the street. Well, my husband was not about to let him out of sight! So he went out and hopped in his car and slowly followed the guy down the street for what seemed like seconds before the police cruiser pulled up and put the sloppy drunk in hand cuffs. When the officers came to check in on us they said the guy was 'toasted' and they would give him a wake up call. We haven't heard anything about it since then. It was just really scary having a creep outside our house who was relentless on trying to get in our front door. I still get a little uneasy at night...especially if I'm home alone. Creeps me out just sitting here typing about it!! Anyway, it's over and Eric has been asking for a fingerprint gun safe for awhile so I thought that would be a great christmas present...I guess...even though guns freak me out! After this incident however, with Eric frequently going out of town, I will know how to use his gun. Don't make me bust a cap in your ass! ... ok sorry, but talking tough supposedly helps make it possible to do that if ever needed right? ugh...don't even want to take my mind there. Ok, now onto more pleasant things!!
Pleasant things like iPads!!! The Mr. went waaaay overboard this year and I was completely shocked that he got me an iPad. The lil sucker. ;o) This thing is amazing though. I absolutely love it. Get one for yourself soon!
Oakley ski goggles! I made him promise he wouldn't mud them up by wearing them 4-wheeling like he has the last 3 pairs of ski goggles he's owned.
Boo bear loves this minnie mouse camera. It flashes and the viewfinder changes pictures when you take a picture.
Pretty in pink! She's my girl...
Mooching off daddy for some of his cereal. She woke up and her pj's were turned completely around...just one of the many things she does in her bed before she falls asleep at night. :o)
Daddy snuggles and cartoons...two of her favorite things. She'll tell us, "me daddy's girl" when she's with daddy, and "me mommy's girl" when she's with me. She's just the sweetest babe ever.
Hope that works as an update for now! I'll try to keep up now for awhile. Hopefully my energy comes back soon and I won't require daily naps while Ava naps. ;o)
Hope everyone had a Merry Christmas and Happy Upcoming New Year!!
