The Big TWO

Ava is officially two years old today, as of 4:03pm.  We've come a long way since her 4-weeks early, 6lb arrival.

Her birthday was celebrated on Saturday, with lots of family, friends, cake and presents. 

And even though I didn't put as much thought and planning into it as I did last year for her 1st birthday - due to the fact that last year I had a student teacher and lots of time on my hands - I actually think this year's party turned out better.  Maybe that's because Ava herself could really enjoy it.  She's two now, and can do big-girl party things, like play dolls with friends, put a sticker crown on a paper princess, open her own gifts, and eat cake with a fork.  She not only enjoyed her party, she participated in all of the required birthday activities!

It was definitely fun having a few little friends over to help celebrate.  Ava and Ella zoomed around the house together, pushing toy grocery carts, feeding bottles to naked baby dolls and giggling in the cute way that little girls do.  Claire toddled around after them, screeching, "Mo'?  Mo'?!" and Kate sat in the midst of it all, happily keeping herself busy with discarded plastic spoons and pretend baby food jars.

 Once she saw this purse, that was it.  Game over.  No need for more presents!  She got what she wanted!

The one thing we'll have to work on for next year is blowing out the candles.  Although she can sort-of blow her nose, she doesn't understand blowing air out of her mouth.  This may also be why she doesn't spit toothpaste yet.  Or maybe that's because we haven't shown her how...but I digress.

Fabulous cake made by my co-worker & friend, Kristi Mendel!

Overall, the party was a huge success.  The adults enjoyed good food and conversation, the kids ran around on a sugar-high...and our cat Mela hid out in the office where no one could bother her.  Now we have a whole year of TWO.  I'm looking forward to this summer when we can take Ava out on her new tricycle and Big Wheels, go on play dates to the pool or the park, and color on the driveway with chalk.  I can't wait to see her figure out how to jump, how to draw a straight line and start recognizing letters and colors.  And I especially can't wait to hear all of the funny and amazing things she will say during this year that she is two years old.

Happy 2nd Birthday sweet girl! 

Ebb and Flow

The waves came crashing down last week as I dragged myself out of bed each day and gave little pep talks to my brain to just make it through five work days.  I somehow managed not to lose my mind when one of my classes decided it was time to rebel against me.  I have tried all sorts of tricks and rewards and punishments with this class, my newest strategy being behavior tickets.  They start over each week.  If a student gets three in a week, it's a write-up and they have to see the dean.  But it's become a joke to them.  All I heard over and over on Friday was little voices in the room saying, "Ticket!  Ticket!" as I tried to explain an assignment.  Waves crashing down...

Thankfully the weekend came and with it, a reprieve from the daily grind.  Jeremy and I celebrated Valentine's Day by attending an 8-course dinner with wine pairings at the Indianapolis Propylaeum.  It was a fun and unique experience, and a great way to wind down from a long week.  And...I got this little number:

It's Ava's birthstone and absolutely perfect!  Dainty, feminine and meaningful.  My husband is the best!

After spending an evening as a couple, relaxing, chatting with new friends, eating wonderful food and sipping wine, we were rested up for an eventful Saturday.  Ava's favorite friend Ella was turning three, and it was time to celebrate!

There were a ton of kids there, almost all of them older than Ava.  It didn't take long for her to warm up though.  There were puzzles to be done, coloring books to scribble in, games to be played and cupcakes to be eaten!  All of the kids had a blast, running around on a juice-filled, frosting covered sugar high.

Ava tried to play pool with the big kids...

Ella seemed very pleased with all of her gifts.  What more could a girl ask for?  Cute clothes, ponies, dolls, Play-Doh...it's all you need in life!  Ava wanted to be right near the action too.  She sat on Kelli's lap for quite a while, amidst wrapping paper, bows, bags and boxes.

The flow of the weekend came to a grinding halt on Sunday when Ava woke up with a runny nose and a cough.  She was thankfully her usual playful self, but I knew she wasn't feeling well when she asked to go to bed at 6:37pm.  She slept fitfully, coughing and whining in spurts.  I tiptoed into her room this morning to check on her, but couldn't tell if she had a fever or not...

Sure enough, when Jeremy got her up while I was already at work, the fever had worked its way into her body.  He called me and I immediately went into MOM mode, calling and emailing the necessary people to get a sub for me so that I could come home to my sick girl.  But...no dice.  There was apparently no sub to be found.  Hello, Ebb.

I am not sure what tomorrow will bring.  This is the sad state I found my usual spunky girl in as soon as I got off of work:

Lethargic...heavy eyes...a faucet for a nose...and a nasty cough.  She spent the day with her daddy, alternating between half-heartedly playing and whining, napping twice (unheard of these days), sucking down liquids and nibbling on food. 

My mom used to say she could tell when we didn't feel well as kids just by looking into our eyes.  Now, I know exactly what she was talking about.  It's awful when your child isn't feeling well and there's not much you can do about it.  I only hope that she's feeling better tomorrow...or else I WILL be staying home with my girl!

The waves are crashing down on us again, but they cannot last forever.  Ebb and flow.  It's time to gear up for Ava's second birthday this coming weekend...and pray that everyone is healthy for the party!

What She Says

Ava is quite the talker these days.  There are a lot of words we understand...and a lot that we don't.  She's sweet, funny, and caring all mixed together with a dash of almost-two-year's-old-craziness.  I'm afraid if I don't start writing down what she says, I may someday forget!

• She is very much into books right now - but NOT us reading to her.  There's a little independent streak in her nature that makes her want to do it herself.  She babbles as she "reads" and it's the cutest thing ever.  When she does let us sit near her when she's got a book, her little fingers point to pictures and she says, "Wha dat?"  Over and over and over.  Sometimes she knows what she's pointing to, but she gets stuck on that phrase. 

"Wha dat?"

• We once had a conversation that went like this:

"Ava, it's time for bed."
"No!"
"Yes, it's time to go upstairs."
"No!"
"Come on Ava, bed time."
"NO...dammit."

I have no idea where she heard that word.  But kudos to her for using it in the correct context!

• The sweetest thing ever is hearing her little voice say, "I wuv ooo."
• She's got a puzzle of shapes - rectangle, circle, square, etc.  She knows where all of the pieces go, but will put a piece on the wrong shape and then say, "Noooooo" in a long, drawn-out way.  Only after that does she put the piece in its correct spot.
• She knows all the kids at daycare and we often talk about who she played with during the day.  Today she told me that she played with "Tay."  She means Kate.  
• If Ava asks you for an "ale," she wants a wipe.  If she asks you for "no," she means milk.  

• I think we're moving past this phase, but for the longest time, Ava asked for "Cheer-o's" at least ten times a day.  First thing in the morning?  "I want Cheer-o's."  Getting home from daycare?  Cheer-o's.  Driving in the car?  Cheer-o's.  
• She only likes it when I sing to her at bedtime.  If I sing any other time, she looks at me and says, "No, Mama."  I guess I won't try out for American Idol.  I can't even impress a 23 month old.
• What we do sing at bedtime is the ABC's.  Ava sort of knows it.  "A-B-E-F-P."  She's only missing a few letters, right?
• Ava and I get home before Jeremy during the week.  Every little sound she hears outside, she thinks he's just gotten home...and she looks at me and whispers, "Dada?" in a hopeful voice.  
• She loves her friend Ella so much that she has named a Strawberry Shortcake figurine from a Happy Meal after her.  Don't call her Strawberry Shortcake.  It's ELWA!

• She has become quite the boss around our house.  If she tells you to sit, you'd better sit.  And she's very specific about the spot where you sit too.  Often, she wants you to sit in one of her PlaySkool chairs...and those things are not sized for adult behinds!
• Besides Cheer-o's, her favorite foods are: pasta (pa-pa), crackers (cacka), bread (breah)...you know, no carbs or anything.
• Every old man is "papaw."  In the store, on TV, in magazines..."papaw."  

I'm anxious to hear all the things she says and comes up with as a two year old.  Her language has blossomed so much lately, and it's amazing to listen to that sweet voice...even when she is saying "dammit."  

Gearing up for TWO

Hi there...it's been a while.  Have you missed us?

We've had quite an exciting winter over here in Indiana...lots of snow and ice, which has resulted in two early dismissals from school, two 2-hour delays, and now, THREE "snow" days.  Ice days, really, since the entire ground outside is one huge skating rink.  We're surviving here at home...taking it easy, staying in our jammies, playing with baby dolls, solving puzzles and reading books. 

We're gearing up for two over here...and by two, I don't mean two kids in this house.  Not yet!  I mean two years old.  Ava's birthday is right around the corner, and I've been busy making invites and sending them out, scouring websites for party paraphernalia and debating trips to the Dollar Store for plates and napkins.  The theme is settled.  Can you guess what it is?

Nice baggy pants, kid...

Have you guessed yet?

Two more weeks to get ready for this shindig.  It'll be the first party where Ava's little friends will be there: Ella, Kate and Claire.  I think the girls are going to have a fabulous time!  Speaking of good times and friends, Ava and Claire recently had a play date.  The difference in their age - only 7 months - is still quite apparent, but nevertheless, they seemed to have a great time together.

What does two years old mean, anyway?  Everyone warns about the "terrible twos," although I've heard three is worse.  What's so terrible about a young one learning and growing each day?  About asserting his or her independence?  Yes, it takes ten times longer to let your little girl put her own shoes on, but look how happy she is to have accomplished the task!

And soon, putting shoes on by herself will be second nature...and then she'll move on to something else, like scouring magazines for good articles and recipes.

I know there are going to be tantrums.  I know that the little things to her are a BIG deal, and I will try my hardest to give her space to do things on her own.  She'll still need her mama for a lot though, and that is what will keep me going. 

Right now, we are at a good spot in Ava's life.  She has the freedom to play on her own or with us, whichever she chooses.  She colors with crayons, markers, pens...whatever she can get her hands on.  We have our own little baby doll daycare that Ava runs all by herself, feeding and changing diapers and taking the babies on walks in their strollers.

She is a little mama through and through, loving on these baby dolls, speaking so kindly to them, always concerned about their well-being.  She sets them in their high chairs and says, "There you go."  She stirs spoons in jars of pretend baby food and asks, "Wanna bite?  Wanna bite?"  When they "poo" in their diapers, it's a must to use baby wipes and REAL diapers to change them.  Where did this precious little almost-two-year-old come from?

Two years old...it's right around the corner.  We're ready!