Monday, May 30, 2011

The Grocery Store Blues

Ava hates sitting in a shopping cart.  Apparently, its the equivalent of forcing me to sit through a televised football game without a magazine, or access to the internet. Pure torture.  The minute I attempt to swing her feet into the little holes where her legs should go, an epic tantrum begins, and the screaming only subsides if I can quickly locate the one item in the store entertaining enough to distract her from her misery.  I've gotten pretty good at not only finding said item, but at stealthily swiping it from her while she flirts with the checkout attendant. I walk out thinking, "Voila!  Another job well done."  

And just when my arm starts to get sore from all the patting myself on the back, my girl decides to prove to me that I'm not as smart as I think I am.  Prior to a recent trip to Wal-Mart, I had yet to choose a distraction that Ava couldn't live without.  Enter, the Talking Baby Doll.  It cooed, giggled, and "Mama"d its way right into her heart, and my attempt to put Baby back on the shelf was met with heartache I just wasn't prepared for.  I caved.  The connection was so complete that it was hours before Ava would even let me take New Baby out of the box. 



If this keeps up we're going to need a bigger house.

Safety First


Enough said.

Summer in Denver
Summer's here, and that means time outdoors with friends.  Ava and Brady recently took advantage of some gorgeous weather and spent a morning at the botanic gardens.  Have I said before that I love this town?



They were both soaked from head to toe by the time we left, but what's a dry kid compared to a happy one?  No contest.

Grandma and Grandpa Lundstrom were just here for a long weekend, so stay tuned for some fab new pictures and stories.  Happy Summer, all!

Monday, May 16, 2011

Dude, stop sitting on me.

Children always want what the other kid has.  This simple, irrefutable fact has sparked many a playground tussle, been the impetus for thousands of swapped lunches, and forced millions of parents to listen to an endless barrage of "please, please, pleeeeeeease!!!" in toy stores all over the world.  Toddlers, I am now discovering, are no exception to this rule.  They swipe each other's toys (and whack each other over the head with them, if you're not quick enough to stop them), steal food right out of the mouth of the unsuspecting tot next to them, or - in the case of Ollie and Ava - refuse to find a place to sit that the other one isn't already in. 



I love that fact that he's just decided to sit on top of her in this one. 
What's really funny is that she doesn't seem to care.
And people wonder why I never leave the house without a camera. 

Sunday, May 15, 2011

It's a Grandma thing.

Grandmas love their grandbabies.  There's something about the opportunity to get the good cuddles, buy the pretty clothes, play all the super-fun games, and not have to worry about paying for college that makes being a grandma an experience worth waiting for.  And boy is my mom living it up.  She was here a couple of weeks ago, and here's just a taste of what she and Ava were up to...

Ava picked Grandma up from the airport and filled her in on all the fun to come.


They spent some time at the botanic gardens...


Did some swingin'...


Had a ball clowning around, and decorating Easter eggs...


And even managed to talk the Easter Bunny into showing up with the basket goodies a day early so Grandma could enjoy the festivities.  Cuz Grandmas just have those kinds of connections.


Canvas and Cocktails
I have no artistic talent.  So when I heard about a place that would serve up wine and blast top 40 tunes while walking even a novice like me through a canvas painting, I was all over it.  I managed to talk Grandma into handing Ava over to Andy for the evening, and we headed out to Canvas and Cocktails for a girl's night out.  It was a blast, and an experience I fully intend to repeat.
Mom named these "Blobby Flowers on Sticks"
We hated to see her leave, but eventually - with the promise that she'd return soon - Grandma did have to head home.  Fortunately, until we see her again we have a funky painting hanging in the bathroom, and a closet full of new clothes for Ava to remember her by.  We love you, Grandma!!  Can't wait to see you again!

Monday, May 2, 2011

Vintage Ava

This video was never posted, but I can't deny you the opportunity to see it any longer. Cuz it just makes me smile.  Andy was doing some ab exercises and started counting in a funny voice to make Ava laugh.  It worked.  Enjoy.