On the Move...

I thought I would post a few pictures of Ava on the move. She has been walking almost 2 months now and is better and faster than I could have ever imagined at this age. Everyday there is something new to do and she is now always finding something she didnt know was there before.

She loves her dora sandals that are handmedowns from my friend Sara. She insists once she is up that they go immediately on and she will wear them all day. I have been usually waiting until she falls asleep to take them off then once she is up, we put them back on.

She is way better with her sippy cup now and can say 'Cup' when she wants it. She usually drinks 2-4 full cups a day. Lots of wet diapers but she loves her water and juice and a little bit of tea. :)



Like I said before, she is always finding stuff, this was on the floor getting ready to be put in the trash, she decided it was hers and played with it for about a half hour. She threw it around the kitchen and tried to drink from it.

Grandma Sue bought her a few purses and we can spend hours putting things in them and taking it out. She loves putting her binks in there and then going back and getting them out. She will come out to the kitchen with one purse on each shoulder, her tigger in her hand, and blankey wrapped around her and I am supposed to pick her up. So we usually walk around with everyhing.


Under the table.....I have no words, it was funny when she did it, she crawled under there (she no longer can walk under without hitting her head) and then sat there and found a puff that she wasnt supposed to eat on the floor. Well before I could say 'no' it was in her mouth. Oh well.

Jewelry Party!!

Last week I had a Premier Jewelry party. I had a few guests and they had a good time. But I will tell you who had a GREAT time. AVA!!!!

She ate off of everyone’s plate, had probably 2 or 3 full chocolate chip cookies by herself and of course some sweet tea. She loved watching Bev, my jewelry lady, show the jewelry. Ava sat on Aunt Anna’s lap forever eating cookies and watching.

The show was successful and I had a good time with my family.

The County Fair

The first week of August we had our county fair. Monday night was the coolest night they were predicting so we chose that nigh to go. I got home from work and loaded Ava up. Off we went.

Our child is soooo MY CHILD when it comes to big events with people. She was people watching and talking to everyone. She wasn’t too sure about the animals, they made noise and she would hold on a little tighter to my shirt and look at me.

We ran into everyone we knew and are related to, so they got to visit with Ava and she took full advantage. Down at the horse barn, she and Ella had a fun time chasing one another around and laughing at each other. She wasn’t even scared of the truck pull, she sat there and watched a little bit with Kenny.

I am sure next year will be more fun for her since she will be older, bigger, and more mobile but I think she had a pretty good time this year. She drank lots of sweet tea and some butterfly potato things with cheese.

She crashed on the way home, dirty and tired. When we got home, she was wide awake (I think the sweet tea was working), so she got a bath and an hour later we were all asleep.

Mommys Little Helper

Ava has been walking over a month now and she has gotten more stable, faster, and into everything! LOL

A few weekends ago, Kenny and I were doing chores around the house and she helped with everything. She was taking dirty dishes out and trying to hand everything to Kenny while he was trying to put the dirty dishes in the dishwasher. She watched the whole time he was cleaning up the counters and putting stuff away.

While Kenny was in the kitchen, I began laundry, about 4 loads, I decided to just take it to the living room to fold. Well as soon as Ava saw me with the basket, here she came. She had our clean laundry everywhere. She kept trying to take shirts out to Kenny in the kitchen and had socks thrown all over the living room.

She had a fun time though and laughed a lot as we kept saying “No Ava put it back.” She loved it.

BFF's for a Loooong Time

This past weekend I joined a great group of people to celebrate one of my longest BFF's upcoming arrival. Alicia is due for her c-section on August 23rd with a little boy.

Alicia and I have known each other since 9th grade where we had like 4 or 5 classes out of 7 together so we were bound to be friends! In high school we were pretty close until boyfriends and cars came along. We each made our own life but always found time for each other. After high school it became a little hard to visit as much as we would like, I started college and before I knew it Alicia was a married woman!

Throughout the years we have remained close through email, calls, and texting. As we have grown so have our families.

In 2008, Alicia announced she was expecting. I was sooo happy for her. A little baby to spoil. By the end of that year, I got to meet Carrington, one of the most beautiful babies I have ever laid eyes on. As Cari was approaching her first month here in the world, I was announcing that I was expecting. It was so exciting to think our kids were going to be that close in age. They have met a few times but the age difference still has them a little baffled at each other. Cari is walking, talking, and figuring things out while Ava is about 10 months after her and just starting the whole walking and playing with others. They are both learning.

Now as Ava will be approaching 11 months old this month, Alicia will be giving birth to Camden. It is so awesome. I couldnt be happier for her and Justin.

To think of our 12 or 13 year relationship and the times we were stuck to each others hip and the times that we couldnt align up the schedules to see each other, but we still care for one another and now each others kids. I hope our kids grow to know one another and to be able to rely on each other as Alicia and I have.

I know that will take a while, because it takes a while for their little brains to develop and to even get the concept that they should play together and not by themselves, but when that comes I think it will be a great thing.

Life is amazing and I treasure every moment of it. The people in my life are what make it special and I am really thankful for them all.

It's Finally Over....

In 2008, before our wedding, Kenny decided he was going back to school to get his Paramedic and maybe work at a Fire station or somewhere. Well in July 2008, he tested for Martinsburg FD and was hired in August.

School also began in August. So our adventure began. Kenny was working 24's and taking night classes. I was so happy for him, he seemed really happy. I was busy planning our wedding.

January 2009, we found out that we were expecting our first baby, Ava Marie. He was in full swing: working, school, and clinicals. I slept through most of my first trimester and was busy in the last months preparing for her.

September 2009, Ava came into this world. I think being away became harder but it was life and we had to do it. He had break coming up in December.

2010 we could see the light, it was his last semester. Ava was becoming more mobile and beginning to recognize that daddy isnt home all the time.

May 2010, he had his last class and last clinical and his schedule was a little more free. Trust me Ava is enjoying it. Her love for her daddy has grown and she now will call out 'Dada' or 'Daddy' if he isnt in the room and she wants him to come. It's so cute that she has learned that.

August 2010, he's finished. I couldnt be more proud of him. He truly is my other half and I am lucky for it. He keeps me grounded and calm and helps me out with decisions that I wouldn't like having to make on my own as a mom. He looks out for me and Ava. He's just the best.