Being this fabulous is a full-time gig.

Do you ever stop to wonder how much work it must be to be Ava? Constantly being so adorable that it keeps the grandparents, aunts, and uncles coming back over and over again, and ensures the really good gifts on all major and minor holidays? Picking just the right moment to do something precious, pausing for dramatic effect, then laughing and clapping until everyone joins in? Never missing a chance to wave "Hi" or "Bye Bye", even when no one's going anywhere? I mean, those dance moves alone have to be exhausting. But thanks to all of you out there that adore her, I can see in her eyes that it's all worth it.

Anyone out there disappointed in her efforts? Grandma and Grandpa Rankin sure weren't. They stopped in to stay with us on the way home to Florida, and Ava pushed the Cute pedal all the way to the floor. She gamely posed for pictures...

and showed off pushing her walker around - without falling - like it was no big deal.

Of course, it didn't hurt that the grandparents were passing out smiles and hugs like they were candy at Halloween. :)

Since I'm a little behind on posting, and I have a few items to report, I'll add a few mini posts at the bottom here for your viewing pleasure...

Nemo has been found
His big, bright-orange tushy was recently found floating in our toilet. On top of Ava's blankie. In my rush to remove a proudly smiling Ava from the scene and rescue the victim's of her favorite new game, I didn't manage to get any pictures of the crime in question, but I can assure you that both blankie and Nemo survived, and after a (very hot) date with the washing machine, are both as good as new.



This seems like a bit of a step backwards.
It took some time, but Andy and I had reached a point where we no longer had to hose off the high chair every time Ava had a meal. But since she no longer has any intention of letting us feed her, it was time to hand over the spoon. I think the video speaks for itself.

It took some scrubbing, but I was able to return Ava to her original, squeaky-clean state. Here are the before and after shots to prove it.


I'm starting to understand the animosity.
Mina still isn't quite the fan of Ava that the rest of us have hopelessly become. I think I'm beginning to understand the problem. Guess who's bed Baldilocks is playing in here...


Are you surprised this kid is happy?

What? Is this wrong?

Up until recently, I don't know that you would have described our girl as particularly adventurous. That's not to say she doesn't love a good thrill when she comes across one, but seeking them out hasn't really been her thing. Now however, she's into everything and Andy and I are struggling to keep up.

To give you a prime example, the stairs were never of much interest to Ava. It was the daily gateway to sweet dreams, and an avenue that Mommy and Daddy occasionally used to temporarily disappear for who-knows-what purpose. Sad, yes, but since we always came back she never seemed to feel the need to give it much thought. Then yesterday I looked over from the bottles I was washing to see this...



Today I glanced over again and found this...



It appears that we are now venturing into an entirely new frontier. So far Andy has talked me out of covering Ava in bubble wrap, but no one said I can't line all the surfaces of the house with it.

Is that wrong?

Old McDonald was crazy.

I think we can cross "farmer" off Ava's list of potential career choices. Some friends invited us to spend an afternoon at Belleview Park, a fab little family paradise complete with petting zoo and miniature train. We started with the petting zoo, naively thinking Ava would see all the animals as big, fun dogs and enjoy sinking her little hands into their soft coats. Instead she kept a wary distance from the sheep and goat, and practically climbed me trying to get away from the pig. (In her defense, he was kinda gross.) She did however love the train, made a new friend (Hi, Josie!), and discovered the divine treat that is red licorice. All in all, a successful outing.

I'm guessing veterinarian is off the list as well.

Independence has its drawbacks.

In an effort to foster some of the freedom that comes with toddlerhood - and hopefully get Ava to try eating something that isn't a Cheerio - I decided to attempt a little experiment. I thought that perhaps if Ava had free reign over her food, then it might make it more interesting to eat. So, I warmed up some macaroni and cheese, gave her a spoon, and let her at it. The result? A bath, a clothing change, the taking apart and cleaning of the high chair, and - no surprise here - not a single noodle anywhere near her mouth. But boy did she enjoy herself.


In keeping with the theme of free will, I've also stopped putting Ava into toys that restrict her ability to move around the house as she pleases. No more stationary bouncers for her; its crawling and climbing and rolling around all the live-long day. And she has started using that newfound freedom to help around the house. For example, she recently rearranged the tupperware cabinet...

And reorganized the diaper bag...

I don't know what I'd do without her.

If you're thinking of hiring her for some projects in your house, forget it. Her hourly rate is outrageous.

Happy Birthday, Sweet Baby!

It's hard to believe it's been a whole year since our lovely little angel was born. And what a fabulous celebration we had, surrounded by the love and laughter of friends and family. I know I've said this so many times before, but our Ava is one lucky girl. The smile on her face says that she knows it too.

The tutu and sash say that her mom got a little carried away at the mall. But you have to admit that she looks adorably fancy.

Despite missing a nap and being a little over-tired, Ava managed to pass out smiles to all the revelers, and was the perfect birthday trooper as she was handed (and kissed, and hugged) from person to person.

And then it was time for.....the cake. I'd been anticipating this moment for months, and admit I was skeptical at best. I expected her to poke at it a little, maybe give the frosting a taste, then stare at me until I replaced the offending thing with a pile of Cheerios. I put the strawberry confection in front of her, lit the candle, and joined in on a rousing rendition of "Happy Birthday". After the candle was out, I put a little frosting on her lips, and waited. And boy was it worth the wait. She went after it with a gusto I was unaware she was capable of. Mama was proud.

And of course, what would a birthday party be without gifts? And what a haul it was! A brand new pink and purple tricycle, and a state-of-the-art two-seater wagon complete with canopy...

...puzzles, stuffed animals, and a set of musical instruments that turned Ava and her cousins into a rock n' roll sensation. I know you're dying for a copy of their first album, but we're still shopping around for the right record deal. We'll keep you posted.

It was the perfect way to celebrate the first year of our beautiful baby's life. Thanks so much to all of you who came and shared Ava's day with her. And to those who couldn't be here, you were sorely missed. We love you all.

In my next life, I want to be Ava

My life is pretty darn good, but hers is positively fabulous. She spends her days playing on her swing set, splashing in the local pool, and since I never met a toy I didn't like, she has an endless array of colorful diversions that sing, light up, and giggle. Our house is a paradise for the under-2 set, and when we're not at home, things like carousels are eagerly sought out by parents that are still young at heart...

To further make my point, Ava and Ollie recently spent a day at the baby nirvana known as Monkey Bizness. For the older kids, there are rope swings, giant lakes made of balls, and gauntlets worthy of a Richard Gere movie. For the little ones, it's a giant walled-in section full of age appropriate, and soft climb-worthy items that thrilled the target audience. We will be going back. Repeatedly.

One of the faves turned out to be this seemingly boring little 4-key piano. Ava crawled over and made like Beethoven, while Ollie lurked in the background, planning his takeover. It wasn't long before he pounced.

Eventually, they made beautiful music together.

Ava had a blast riding the little foam animals and twirling the knobs and buttons on whatever this big thing is.

She also spent the week getting love from Aunt Marianne.

Ava is starting to really get into eating "people food" so we're offering her everything that looks soft enough for her to tear apart with her three little teeth. The only problem is, she seems to be the world's youngest Junk Food Junky. Here's a perfect example: In this photo we've given her the choice of a cucumber, a whole-grain fruit bar, and a french fry. Guess which one she chose.



She's also shown an affinity for ice cream.

Officially, I'm horrified. Unofficially, it kind of makes me giggle.

Happy Friday.

And....she's off!!

The moment you've all been waiting for is finally here! Ok, so maybe that's overstating things a bit, but we're pretty darn excited around here. After months of demonstrating, cajoling, and attempting to entice her with absolutely anything she might find remotely appealing (see the picture below of a toy pile I created and placed just out of reach), Ava has finally decided it was time for her to be on the move. She's not setting any land-speed records yet, and she's really only interested in using it to get to whatever she has her eye on, but the bottom line is that she's crawling, and we're so proud of her. Let the baby-proofing begin!


I knew you wouldn't believe me without proof, so here is a short video for your viewing pleasure. I assure you, no stunt babies were used in the making of this film. Enjoy.