Bayou Wildlife Park

Thursday Ava, my dad, and I started off our Easter weekend with a trip to the Bayou Wildlife Park. It was pretty cool. We found a little piece of the African Safari in Alvin, TX!! We all had a very good time. Ava especially enjoyed herself. She liked feeding all the animals, seeing them up close, and especially riding on the white horsey.


We will visit again!

Yost Puppy

Funny Story: On the way home from school Ava & I chat about almost anything or we sing (well I sing & she has to listen…poor baby). Anyhow, our conversation always starts off with me asking how was her day at school, then what ever else she wants to chat about. Some days the cars & school buses, other days the flowers & trees, but yesterday she noticed a sign for a lost dog. She told me, "momma yook at that puppy." She was pointing to a Lost Dog sign that was posted next to the light. I told her, "Ava that puppy is lost. He ran away from home and cant find his way back. So his owner put a sign out for him."

Then today on the way to school with Ryan they were at the same light. Ryan said Ava started yelling at him telling him, "yook daddy, that puppy is yost". Ryan couldn’t figure out what she was saying until he noticed what she was pointing at and realized she knew what the sign meant. He dropped her off at school and immediately called me. He couldn't believe Ava knew what the sign meant. I had to inform him, no your daughter cant read. LOL!! I told her yesterday about the dog on the sign. She is just one sharp kiddo and remembers everything!

Easter Bunny 2013

We took Ava to the mall last weekend to get a picture with the Easter Bunny. She didn't cry, but she sure didn't want to see him.
Then today the Easter Bunny made a visit to her school...and once again she didn't care to see him.

You Got Mail

Ava's Great Granny (Ryan's Maternal Grandmother) sent her an early Easter gift. Granny Bentley is the best at sending Ava thoughtful holiday gifts.

Jacob's 1st Birthday

This was the last birthday party for March. Ava & baby Jacob are buds because Ashley and I went to the same college, were in the same sorority and in each others wedding. I was actually 19 wks pregnant with Ava at Ashley's wedding.

Anyhow, Ava was pretty excited about going to Jacob's party once she got in a better mood after her nap. Funny Story: We were about to leave and Ava darted off to our restroom. She was pointing at the counter saying "odorant" & "fume" (aka deodorant & perfume). She wanted to put some on before we left. Then she asked her daddy to smell her. Silly Girl! Once at the party, she had a good time playing outside picking up sticks, rocks, and trying to pick the nice planted flowers. By far her favorite part of the party was when Ashley gave her a goodie bag & balloon. I, on the other hand, enjoyed my time chatting with another BFF Nicole about her pregnancy. I just love all my girls are having babies…I don’t like that we are getting older, but like that we have been in each others life for so many different phases of life.

Country Living

Kind of....
I love where we live. We are far enough away from the city, but a hop on the west park and can be anywhere in no time. Plus we have the feeling of country living right around the corner. Every time we go to Walmart or on our way home from school Ava and I pass cows, horses and goats. If there are not any cars around I will stop and roll down her window. She will just gaze at them for a few minutes and then ask me to buy her one. Haha!

Potty Time

Ava is slowing showing interest in using the Potty. At home she will sit on her potty & ask for toilet paper, but she isn't consistent. Most days she will come up to us and say, "I potty", "I wet", "I poo poo" or if we catch her in the act she will say, "I not finished yet". So she totally gets not sitting in a dirty pull up. Now the challenge is to get her to tell us before she goes in her pull up.

On a HAPPY note! She did go potty at school twice this week!!!

Katelyns 3rd Birthday

Another weekend. Another birthday party. This one was pretty special! It was Katelyn's 3rd birthday. Her mom Kelsie and I have been best friends for over 13 years now. AXO brought us together as sorority sister, then room mates in college, each others maid of honor, we live in the same neighborhood, and now our baby girls are growing up together. So special to share special days together and make memories.
Ava had a great time playing with all of Katelyn's toys. She had the best time waiting for the big kids to break the piñata open and all the candy to spill out (double fisting lollipops).

Booster Seat

I love our Britax Car Seat, but Ava didn't feel the same. She is 32lbs and the seat was looking a little snug. So I purchased this Evenflo. It still has the 5 pt harness (until she reaches 40lbs), but is also a booster seat (so we'll use for a long time). It's much bigger and is contoured just like seat. I can already tell Ava likes it!

Rodeo Day

Ava's school had Rodeo Day. Ava was dressed in a cute western shirt. Ryan did his best to get a picture, so this is all he got.
The school also had a petting zoo. Ava rode on a pony and held little farm animals. When I picked her up from school she told me she wants a pink horsie.

Morning Routine

Oh boy, how I do not envy Ryan's morning routine with Ava. From what he says, she can be a little brat somedays. For example, I always lay Ava's outfit out the night before. Well today she did not like what I left out. She kept telling Ryan, " I no wanna wear that. I what to wear green." Currently her favorite color is green…and pink. Her favorite shirt is a lime green shirt with a hot pink strawberry on it. So today was one of those days she was a little brat!! Needless to say, Ryan won that battle. On top of that she wants to pick out the color bow she wears in her hair. So most days when I pick her up from school her bow doesn’t match what she is wearing.

Good Company

This weekend we had one of our favorite families come visit us. Chris, Nadia (baby Miles) & Heidi come in town for a short visit and stayed with us Saturday. We always have a great time with them. We stayed in, cooked dinner, chatted all night and the girls played. Ava loved playing with Heidi. There were an occasional "you need to share" moments, but over all the girls had fun.

Our little fishy

Ava is loving swim lessons. She is not afraid of the water by any means and has already mastered 2 things.

Sweet Ava Memories

Oh Ava Bug.....I love you so much!! You are the cutest little thing ever. You bring love, laughter, and happiness to your daddy & I. We truly are enjoying this age!! I want to remember all the things you do and say.

You are talking non stop. You say new words every day and speak in full sentences. Sometimes we are shocked by how well you express yourself.

I want to remember:
"I want hug." Then we squeeze each other.
"I want smooch." Then I tell you I want a smooch and you kiss me on the cheek.
"Huh" - I dislike you saying it, but you sound so darn cute
"Peas" - Please - I still love hearing you say this
"Yes ma'am" - just cute
"That’s scary" - you heard the printer one night and said this.
"Cover me" - you tell me when I lay you to bed
"I go Mimi's house" or "I go Mimi's" - you say this when you don’t get your way at home

Your favorite things:
Still dinosaurs! You carry a purse filled with all your dinosaurs. You tell us their colors almost every day. You enjoy watching Dinosaurs on Utube. Your favorite is the Dinosaurs Song. When you are at your Mimi & Gramps, you and Gramps will sit at the computer all evening watching dinosaurs or playing the Dinosaurs Song over...and over...and over.

You also like "Horsey's" as you call them. You also carry these in your purse. You have a name for everyone. They are basically their color or size. You have 5 favorites right now you call brown, tan, white, spot and baby horsey. The white one is by far your favorite. Then you have all you little pony's and you have one special horsey. You say he has poo-poo, but we actually bought him at the tracker supply store, so he has all his male parts..aka the poo-poo.

Then you have this crazy tendency to line them all in a row. Your daddy said he used to do the same thing.

You have several purses. 1 clear one for all your dinosaurs & horseys. Then you have one special "Dora" purse that you keep all your "moneys" in. Dad will give you a dollar here and there and you know exactly what purse to stash it in.

When you go to bed we have narrowed down your toys in the crib. You used to take your big green dinosaurs, lately it’s a toss up between your green little pony or your orange and white striped horesy. Then you have your pillow pet, stuffed Hello Kitty, your BIG stuffed cow, your "white" aka white blanket and I cover you with your "pink" your pink blanket.

You have a pink soft ball you call "base-ball game". You must have it when you play in the backyard.

You love to pick flowers.

You STILL love to jump/roll around on mommy & daddy's bed. I think daddy also likes this special time with you. Ya'll have been doing this for as long as I can remember. Teddy even joins in the mix sometimes.

You STILL ask daddy for piggy-backs.

Your daddy is still the enabler of the pacy. When we get home from school you never ask me for it....I don’t even think you think about it, but as soon as your daddy gets home you ask him. He tries to change the subject and some days it works others he gives it to you. You have broken all but one pacy (bit a hole in them). I keep telling you once you break this last one, that’s it...no more pacy.

You love bubble baths. Now that you take swimming classes, you will lay in the bath on your back and say "I'm swimming".

News things:
You are now wearing pull ups all the time except when you sleep. At 1st you didn’t like them and kept asking for the "Monkey ones" aka baby diapers with Monkeys on them.

We bought you a stepping stool, so now you stand on there and brush your teeth (with a little help).

For some weird reason you don’t like wearing you pant pj sets. You don’t like them touching your feet. So now mama has to sew them all into capri's or shorts soon.

When we get home I take off your shoes and now you want to take off all your clothes. So most evening you are running around in just a diaper.

You now prefer Diego over Dora.

You hate for the bedroom doors to be open. You will shut every one or shout to us to "shut doors".

Hunters 4th Birthday Party

Ava has been Miss. Popular. We had a birthday party last week, one this weekend and 2 more this month. We were a little worried about Hunters Birthday because it was right smack at her nap time. She typically naps from 1-3 on the weekends. Hunters party was 1-4.
We left right at 12:30 to get there on time. Ava took a little cat nap on the way there and woke up for the party festivities once we got there. She was pretty good for about an hour or so. We fed the fish, watched the boys rough house in the bounce house, but Ava really enjoyed the balloon lady. She made Ava a Hello Kitty in a pink dress. Ava though the balloon lady was the coolest person ever and stayed by her side until it was time to go.