Dr. Ava

One of Ava's favorite new toys is her Dr. Kit.  She's always checking our "Haart, Eyeees, and Errs."  She also likes to take our temperature and give us shots. 

Dr. Ava at your service

Let me check your eyes and ears

Time for a shot

Say Ahhhh

Bumm Bumm

Swimming Play Dates

Since we love swimming, we love swim play dates too! We've had a couple recently.

Wet Pitter Patter

We met up with Roxy before she moved to Washington DC.  Ava loved Roxy and even made her laugh.  It made me a little nervous with Ava around a small baby.  She has good intentions but can be a little rough.  She liked tickling her!

Roxy was a pro at kicking

Chloe

We also met up with Chloe.  She and Ava both liked jumping in the deep end!

Seriously the cutest picture EVER!  Captured by Stephanie.

1..2..3.. JUMP

Sand Box

Ava has never played in a sandbox before. At the adoption picnic she really enjoyed playing in the volleyball sand court. She didn't want to get out! I think we are still sweeping up sand around the house.

Adoption Picnic

Our Adoption Agency helped our KC playgroup host a family picnic. It was the first one ever done, and with the great turnout we are hoping it can become an annual event! There were 18 families there plus about 10 adoption staff. Several families traveled from St. Louis and one from Iowa. Some of these families I've been keeping in touch with on Facebook and it was awesome to meet them in person! The agency also had BBQ catered in plus homemade desserts!  The kids had a great time playing at the park, in the giant sandbox, and with the water guns.  Even a little rain couldn't ruin the fun.

All of these families created by the gift of adoption.  Adoption is awesome!

The park, or "wee" as the kids called the slide

Playing in the volleyball court (AKA the giant sandbox)

Do you notice this little boy?  If you follow along you've heard of Crosby, Ava's boyfriend.  He got his curls cut off.  He looks so grown up!

Ava playing with Georgia.  These two were instant pals.

Georgia

Ava swinging with Charlie.

Jayvan

Evelynn

Paige

The kiddos loved the park

Ava in Action { Deep End Swimming }

Ava is no longer impressed with swimming in the shallow kiddy area.  She always wants to be in the deep end.  She even climbs down the ladder and scoots in, then swims to the shallow end.  Here she is getting in the deep end.  So funny when she says, "I Stuuck!"

Ava In Action { Performing }

Ava is such a hoot!  I'm so glad I finally got this on video.  She loves performing and having her audience scream and clap for her.  She even bows and thanks them (which I believe she learned from the Bubble Guppies!).  As you can see in the video she will do just about anything to get applause.  The video also features her new skill of jumping off 2 feet. 

Seriously, it's very funny you must watch!

 

23 Months

Pure Beauty

This month has been all about pretending.  You pretend you are sleeping and you pretend you are a baby.  You love to play Dr. with your Dr. kit, checking our eyes, ears, and heart.  You also pretend play with your dolls (feeding them and pushing them around in the stroller) and your doll house.  You especially love when I knock on the front door of the dollhouse!
 

You are soo active!  You love to be chased all around the house, over and over again.  You have attempted to crawl headfirst down the steps.  You jump on two feet.   You’ll run from one end of the room and “bulldoze” us over.  You love dancing and singing.  You are also a performer and love an audience to applaud you.  You’ll do just about anything for attention!

You love swimming.  You now climb down the ladder into the deep end and will swim from the deep end into the shallow (with your puddlejumper of course.)  You still love your water table and playing with the hose.  You are getting better in gymnastics class and will now hold onto the bars and lift your legs.  You also love planking on furniture.

Communication

Your communications skills continue to grow.  You are putting together commands like, “come in”, “lets go”, “what is it?”, “come on”, etc.  Some other words you started saying this month are mine, eat, hot, cold, yummy, stuck, blanket, and pull.  You still jibber jabber as well.  Sometimes you’ll say the same sentence over and over and I just have no idea what you are saying!
Another way you communicate, you just pull my arm and walk me all over the house until I figure out what you want!

Fun things this month

Fathers day, swimming, water table, Dr. kit, reading books, dancing and singing

You also got to stay the night with grandma for 4 nights while dad and I had our first mini vacation away without you.  You did very well and we were excited to see you when we got back!

You are a total momma's girl!  I can't even go upstairs or leave the house without you throwing a fit.  Dad has to take you in another room and distract your so I can "slip" out!

Ava in Action { Swimming in the Water Table }

Our water table has turned into a kiddy pool.  Usually Ava climbs in it, clothes and all.  As long as she doesnt stand up I let her play in it. 

Strawberry Invite

It took me months to pick which invitation I wanted to use for Avalyns Birthday.  I finally decided on this one!  I think it matches the theme and colors perfectly!

Ava in Action { Singing }

Ava loves singing and dancing.  It cracks me up when she sings.  She'll mumble along and then belt out the few key words she knows. 

Like this song below, the end makes me laugh every time!  "OF HEEEEERE!"  The video features some cute dance moves as well!


singing dancing backyardigans from Rachel S on Vimeo.

Here she is singing the Yo Gabba Gabba "Wiggle" song.  She gets into it and is singing so fast, lol.  I love the "Hold Stilllll" part at the end.  Such a performer!

July 4th

We played at the pool on July 4th.  No crazy fireworks for Avalyn this year.  Maybe next year.

Ava is getting pretty good at swimming.  She can foat on her tummy and kick to get around.  She can also float on her tummy and then bring her feet back down to a standing position (before she'd get stuck on her tummy).  She'll also float in the deep end and kick her legs.  Video below!

Blowing bubbles

Fire Lake Camp - Tea Lunch

I enjoyed myself so much the last time I went to Fire Lake Camp (for the Cooking with Herbs Class) that I had to go back. This time I took my mom with me. We had a yummy tea lunch and then got to relax by the lake.

Lunch was a variety of tea sandwiches, scones with herb jelly, mint cookies dipped in chocolate, and lemon cake

This time the gardens were in bloom. They were really pretty

Cutest chicken coop I've ever seen!

Relaxing by the lake

It was a fun Mother/Daughter day!