Our Life in Charleston

Time. Something that I do not have enough of now that Ava is a toddler. (I cannot believe I am actually saying toddler!) She is busy busy busy. Also, she only takes 1 nap a day now which makes me quite choosy with my down time. Thus, I have not blogged for the past 5 months! So you might wonder what we have been up to. Well let me fill you in.

First things first David got into PA school in Charleston West Virginia at the University of Charleston. So after living with his parents for around 8 months we packed up our bags and got out of their hair. (I'm one of those lucky girls with wonderful inlaws (sorry to all of you out there who cannot say the same, mine just stole all of the goodness from yours). So here we are in West Virginia and I LOVE IT! I have such a wonderful support group of other PA wives, as well as other member's of our church. It makes me so thankful to be a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. I always know that no matter where we go in our lives that we will always have people to help us out and make sure we taken care of. I feel so blessed. We do play dates weekly and have been able to stay busy and meet wonderful people! It will be hard to leave after enduring PA school for 27 months with the other PA wives....it just naturally has bonded us together! :)

David is also busy busy busy. He wakes up at 4 a.m. each day to get ready and is out the door by 5-5:30 a.m. and then I pick him up at 5 p.m. He is a hard worker, but loves every minute of it. He is doing so well in school. I just knew that he would! I couldn't be more proud of him.

So how is Ava?! Well, Ava is doing AMAZING. Seriously, I just love each day with her. Some days can be frustrating with her increasing desire to be independent and climb on every things and take all sorts of new risks. Yet, I sit back at the end of everyday and talk to David about how amazing she is and how much we love and adore her. I don't even know where to start! WARNING: this is an Ava update overload....for those who care:

1. Ava is 14 months old! Gahhh.. where has time went?

2. She has an incredible vocabulary. Seriously, it is amazing! She is just a little repeating parrot. She says many things like: Doctor, Tennis, Pilot, Pirate, Drive, Ride, Walk, Night Night, Tired, Water, Noodles, Cheese, Shoes, Bath, Bear, Ball, Candy, Door, Beam, Jesus, Belly, Side (outside), Duck, Jack-Jack (pixar short...lol), Book, Bow, Fly, Diaper, Pretty, Help, Baby, No, Go, Teeth....and those are just a few! It amazes me

3. She loves bath time and swimming on her belly.

4. She has a sweetheart named Jace (she calls him Jace Jace) who she gives hugs and kisses to. They are so fun to watch!

5. She loves feeding herself with a spoon or just eating on her own in general.

6. She loves pixar shorts.... (yes, I get bad mommy points for letting her watch TV)

7. She hates having dirty hands when eating, but would play in the dirt outside all day if she had a choice.

8. She loves to go shopping and help push the cart! This sometimes makes shopping quite the task...but oh well, its all about the experience!

9. She no longer cries herself to sleep! You just put her in her bed and she goes to sleep! 

10. She is a climber! I took my eye off her for a minute this past week and later found her standing up on the toilet! I didn't even know she was big enough to climb up on it!?

11. She is such a sweetie! She gives hugs and kisses when she does wrong (or when she wants her way) and hates to see others sad. 

12. She has a tender little heart, and gets so sad when she gets in trouble (especially by daddy). It is so sweet.

13. She loves peak-a-boo and hide and go seek! She will tell you to go bye bye once you find her...she especially loves to do this in the cabinets!

14. She is also still picking up on signs, but I only use them when I notice she is frustrated and cannot communicate something to me: more, please, eat, book, read book, all done, open door, close door, Up, Fish, socks, (currently working on: tired, sorry, time for bed, play)

Okay...so there you have a quick little bit about miss Ava. We also had some family pictures taken when we were still in Texas!! We love them...Julie Johnson is amazing. She did our wedding pictures as well and I just love her work!

  
 

Old Post, That I Never Posted! (From October)

Okay, so life has been CRAZY since we moved and started PA school, and I have been an absent blogger. So I found this little gem the other day, and aparently I never posted it. It was just to cute not to share! But, I am also working on a current one as well. After all Ava is 14 months old now!!! AHHH... time come back!!
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I really love fall. Everything about it makes my soul happy. The crunchy leaves that change colors, the smell of apple cider, pumpkins carved on porches, and of course all the wonderful decor that is lavishly placed in ones home. I also love that it means there are so many holidays right around the corner. Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. I am overjoyed this year to be celebrating these holidays for our first time with a more aware Ava. I mean, last Thanksgiving she was born...so perhaps this thanksgiving will be a little less shocking to her. She is doing so many wonderful things now a days. It just makes me beam. I cannot get enough of her, it amazes me! She will be ONE (I know...it is crazy crazy crazy) next month! She is growing and learning more each day. It is such a miracle to be able to witness it all. They just learn so quickly and show you new things everyday. She also dressed up for her first Halloween: spoiler alert.... SHE WAS THE CUTEST 11 MONTH OLD ZEBRA EVER!

I love my life so much. We love our little family and watching miss Ava grow. She does so many things now that I don't know whee to start!

1. She is starting to walk! Awesome, yet scared for the constant bumps!
2. Ava has signs for golfer, banana (chomps mouth and points), milk (or sleep...uses it for both), more, and all done. It is so cute! And if she has no sign..she just points at what she wants and then at you to go and get it for her!
3. She blows kisses!!! Love this!
4. Ava loves to give awe's to other babies...aka "a smooch"
5. Ava can knows commands such as, "where is your Joey?" (Her kangaroo) "where is dada?" "Where is Ava"s baby?" "Go get a book!" (Her nonna would be proud!) "give that to momma." "Come here Ava", and "Ava NO!"
6. Ava points at everything she wants and does excited hands when you understand!
7. She feels emotions strongly... And knows what she wants!
8. Bananas are her favorite just like watermelon!
9. She is starting to understand above,below, up, and down.
10. She also loves baths and understand when I tell her to sit on her booty!

This really is just the tip of the iceberg... But you get it! This girl is the apple of my eye :)

Here are some more pictures of her when she was 10-11 months old. These are some of her daily must do's...

New Hair!

Yes, I chopped my hair. I love it! This is a much more sensible hairstyle for me now since I have a little one. Less fuss, less time, and easy to do! Long hair was such hard up keep, and hard to keep healthy! So here is my new do: (the ones on the right are right after getting it cut/styled) the first picture is of the next day just wearing it messy... this "do" makes bed head so manageable!)

Just To See You Smile

Life here in Texas is going great so far! The heat might be starting to die off, and that excites me to my core! I am not one for the heat. I do like warm weather, but not "hot" weather. Simple put it makes me sweaty, sticky, and grouchy. It also makes it hard to take Ava out and about unless I stay somewhere indoors. So that has made the mall, target, Walmart, and the rec. center some of my favorite places to go if I need to get out and stay cool. I have started to exercise lately, and it has helped a lot. Not only am I happier, but I lost weight! Woo-hoo!

David has also been working out each day. He bought a nice bike to ride to and from work (5 miles each way). He gets a great workout, and has really enjoyed it. I have been so grateful because I get to have a car so that Ava and I aren't stuck at home all day. Speaking of David, he got an interview for this coming monday at the University of West Virginia. It starts in January, and could be a fun little adventure for us if he gets in!! Fingers Crossed!

Ava is getting bigger and cuter everyday. Honestly, sometimes I find myself laughing most of the day at all of the cute things she does! Today she learned to make the cheerios launch off of her high chair! haha I just lost it! It was so cute! And then she lost it because I was laughing! I guess you could just say we are two happy peas in a pod together. She has been picking up on all sorts of things lately. She is now 9.5 months old and can do the following:

1. Stand on her own without support
2. Say: "baby" "moo" "bahh" (sheep), "dada", "mama", and "puh puh" (puppy), and "wee, wee, wee" (piggies)
3. Ava can sign "milk" and wave "hi" and "bye bye"...she sometimes gets "more" and "all done" but they are still pretty hit and miss!
4. Ava can recognize "NO!" and listens to it
5. When asked "where is _____" *mostly daddy, baby, and Nonna* she looks for them
6. She has unfortunately taught herself how to stick her fingers up my nose when she nurses
7. When told to give her baby "Awes..." (kisses) she soaks her baby dolls cheeks with slobber. She also gives mommy good kisses! I love em'
8. Throw great fits
9. Pinch (...and it hurts)
10. Ava can also play the "drama queen" role pretty well. I hope this is no indicator to her future! ;)
11. She sleeps through the night
12. Loves to feed herself (miss independent!)
13. Give mommy the best morning snuggles... I LOVE mornings with Ava!
14. She also LOVES to read books...we have gone through over 10 books in one sitting! She turns the pages and can even point to some of her favorite things! 

Here are some recent pictures:

Ava thinks very highly of watermelon.....and this face she made while eating it just killed me! Buzz Lightyear anyone?! lol

We had a chilly day this past week, and the duckies were not out when we went for our morning walk. This is Ava in order looking around for the duckies. I love her "questioning" face in the middle far right picture! It's like she is saying ,"Where are they mommy??...I don't know why they aren't here. I have bread for them!"

Ava pretty much rocks the splash pad don't ya' think? She loves the water, and as long as she has her sassy shades on she is game for water everywhere including her face! Isn't she SO CUTE! I could kiss her little face right off!

Ava has been standing on everything lately. I love seeing her grow and develop, but the bumps and bruises still make my stomach jump up to my throat. Poor girly! She is such a trooper.

So as you can tell, I love being a mommy! I live to see Ava grow and mature from infant to little girl, in fact I actually get teary just thinking about it. There is something so amazing to see them learn new things right before your eyes. This is by far my favorite time of being a mommy so far. Ava is learning new words, and really recognizing and learning more and more about the world around her. The choice to stay at home with her and watch it all unfold before my eyes is something I will NEVER regret! She lights up my life!  I know the Heavenly Father helps me each day to be the best mother I know how to be for Ava. Some days are admittedly much harder than others, but it is those days that I feel the love of my Father in Heaven the most buoying me up. It also helps that I have a wonderful husband who adores Ava and loves her. I love when he comes home each day and spend time with Ava, watching Ava and Daddy together tugs at my heart strings, and makes my love for David beyond something I can put words to. I am happy. Life is good.

Relax in San Diego? Don't mind if I do!

Ava and I have been so lucky to be able to take a couple of vacations this summer. The first was to Indiana to see my family in May when Ava was going on 6 months old! The second was to San Diego in July to visit David's Grandma, cousins, and Uncle when Ava was 7 almost 8 months old. It was so much fun! I went with David's Mom (thank goodness or else the flight would have been pretty difficult since the plane was so packed), which was so nice because she took Ava for me while I snorkeled in the ocean for my first time. It was amazing. A little chilly, but so amazing. I loved watching all the colorful fish swim beneath us when we fed them, and the seals play in the distance. I would go back in a heart beat. Not to mention, the weather was perfect. Not to hot or too cold...a light jacket at night was all we needed! I was in heaven. This was our first day in San Diego. We walked the beach and Ava got her first sunburn (its hard to realize your getting sun when the weather is only 75-80 degrees!) This is her and I on our walk toward seal beach:

Ava enjoyed herself as well! (she crawled for her first time in San Diego!! But that has been a while, cause now she just cruises everywhere.... it's too cute!) We sure did miss Daddy though. Poor Dave has been working his tail off this summer and has no vacation days. I miss him while I am away from him, and being mommy without his help makes vacations a bit hard. Yet, they always recharge my battery! Ava did some things for her first time while in San Diego...one of those was to ride the carosel for her first time... What did she think? Well just see for yourself:

Yes... that is my beautiful little girl just giggling from head to toe! She makes me one happy momma. Motherhood is so rewarding. Just when you think life couldn't get better step back and take an inventory. Perhaps you will realize you have more to smile about then meets the eye! I know I do!

So other than a pretty packed summer we are still just enjoying the ride here in Texas. David got his first PA school interview in West Virginia at the University of Charleston and flies on September 16th! If we get in we start this coming January! We are pretty excited...but time will tell where that all goes. Ava is almost 9 months old now.. (on the 24th of August) she is doing new things all the time.
As for me, I am on a weight loss journey currently. It has taken time for this baby weight to come off and I am getting tired of it. So hello gym membership! It can be month to month and I needed something to push me, after all it is too hot outside to work out! It has been amazing! I have shredded my first 7 lbs!... I am stoked. I do the workout classes at the Frisco Athletic Center, and they kick my rear! It has been good for me...I feel healthier, happier, and super motivated to get my body back! I will post before and after pictures once the journey ends! For now though I still have about 20 lbs to go!

Getting Up To Date

I have to say that it is so much harder these days to find time to blog. Most days when I have extra time I am using it to shower, exercise, or sleep. Yet, today I have found it in me to blog. I have always enjoyed keeping all my family up to date, and if Ava keeps napping well, perhaps I can blog every once in a while. Speaking of which, she is sleeping through the night here and there. Waiting for her to do so has been a long ride, but momma is feeling much more energized nowadays. Ava is just growing like a weed, leaning new things, and eating new things all the time. She has new favorite foods like: peach popsicle, watermelon, cheerios, bananas, chicken and rice, prunes (weird huh??), and crackers. She also loves to swim in the pool, go to books and babies, play with her baby doll, and observe her surroundings...especially other kiddos. She also enjoys night time walks and feeding the duckies in the mornings...(Dave would tell you that feeding the ducks is more for my enjoyment than hers...I can't help it the baby ducks are so darn cute) We try to get out as much as we can, but are pretty limited with one car, and hot weather, yet we make do. :)

Our little miss also likes to do things ALL by herself, can you say "autonomy"? Apparently her momma was just as independent growing up... ;) The newest thing she is doing is sitting up all by herself, getting mad when you take toys away (or anyhting she shouldn't be playing with for that matter) and pulling herself up on things!!  She seems to surprise me everyday. For example, I have been working with her on waving to people for a while now, and today she has been waving all day! And I LOVE how she giggles when she does it because she is so proud of herself! I think she is officially becoming a little girl, or easily put...she is no longer a little baby! And you know what?? I LOVE IT! The baby stage is cute and I understand there are some people who love it...but this older stage is definitely for me!! :)

Now only time will tell to see if she will even crawl....maybe she will just walk which she seems to have a keen interest in! I am kind of excited for her to be mobile...the mommy train is getting worn down! She also abuses the mommy train, so I think I am probably slowing down her ability to crawl. She gets frustrated sometimes when she is trying to get a toy that is just out of her reach...and so she will try to crawl up on my lap so that I can help her get it! I could go on and on about our little cutie. We just love her to pieces. In any case, here are some pictures of what has been going in our lives recently:

Brigham Young University Idaho Graduation

David and I both graduated from BYU-Idaho. David graduated with his BS in Neuroscience and I graduate with my BS in Child Development! (Now I can put that degree to use and raise a super awesome baby! Yes, I LOVE being a SAHM... ("stay at home mom")  I wanted to do the whole cap and gown thing because this was a huge accomplishment for me at this point in my life. I plan to go back in the future but for now I am being a mommy, something I have always wanted to do! David wasn't as interested in walking and so he is going to wait until he finishes PA school. I cannot wait for us to be all done and move past being forever students! Also, Jeremy, Rach & Jaden came up  from Utah to support us...I miss having them close!! Ava and Jaden really enjoy one each others company, and I really enjoy Rachel's company. She is like my sister from another mother. Maybe in the future life will put our little families close together again...

Mother's Day & Mother's Day Dinner

 

Having Ava out of my belly and here with us this mother's day made it complete! She gave me all sorts of kisses, and let me dress her up for church! (I love playing dress up with her!) Then I got to enjoy a wonderful dinner with the family. Dave's mom is an amazing cook...if you didn't already know that then the secret is out! She knows all about cooking and how to do it right. Yes we are spoiled, and yes you should be jealous! We has Shish Kabobs, Fruit Salad, Rice Pilaf, some super yummy broiled asparagus, and 7OC for drinking! Also this was their 30th Anniversary!!! Happy Anniversary to the most amazing in-laws a girl could ask for! (I really am so lucky...)

Father's Day

I have a wonderful husband and this year we celebrated his first father's day! He is my other half, my prince charming, the best daddy, and most of all the love of my life. He makes me laugh, smile, and still get butterflies. More than anything though he leaves me smitten when I see him as a Daddy. It is one of those feelings where everything just seems to be right in the world as I see him with Ava. On Father's Day this year my heart was so full!  It is one of the most amazing feelings to know that he and I together get to be parents of our little angel. I love to see him light up each day when he comes home from work, picks up his baby girl, and loves on her. She loves her daddy, and frankly he is absolutely smitten by her! When she gets upset she often cries for daddy it sounds something like, "da da da da da da da...." It is just precious. I always pictured David being such a wonderful father, and I just happened to be right. He is my forever love...

Fourth of July

Yes she slept right through the fireworks, yes we saw them from a secret AMAZING spot, and yes they were breath taking. I love everything about the fourth of July. It has been ingrained in me from when I was young....and we will always celebrate it! I am so grateful for the independence of our country, and for all those who serve and protect us.

Ava's First Haircut

She was getting a little bit shaggy.... also the picture on the left is one of many that came from Ava and her run in with watermelon. That will have to be the next post though... isn't she a doll?!

Texas, Indiana, and Summer Fun!

The past couple of months have been busy busy busy for David and I. We are both officially now graduated from BYU Idaho!! We got our diplomas in the mail just this week! It feels good to finally say that we both did it. After graduation we moved to Texas where we will be staying with Dave's parents for the next year to save money for PA school! They have been wonderful to live with. They basically have turned their home over to us all day! Ava seems to really like it here, we both are adjusting to the heat slowly! Now I can focus all my energies on being mommy. Dave is working with Alzheimer patients and shadowing as well to prepare for PA school. We cannot wait to find out where we will be going! The summer has been enjoyable so far. We have been SUPER busy with the big move to texas, and then two weeks later I went home with Ava to Indiana! I finally got to see all of my family after about 6 years! I missed them all SO much. It was good to be back...I think it was just what I needed. The grass felt unbelievable on my toes, the air smelt better than ever, and the camp ground was incredibly relaxing! We stayed at my Grandma Kay's house and loved every minute of being home with all the babies! At night it was back to good ole' times of play card games with Grandma and Grandpa, eating good food, and enjoying some laughter therapy. I came home feeling like one rejuvenated mommy! (Now I just need to use the massage David got me for mothers day) Ava loved being home and meeting everyone. She was all smiles a lot of the time! So many wonderful memories were enjoyed there.... I cannot wait to do it again in the future!! Pictures will come soon! Ava is getting so big and uses up so much of my time! She is busy this summer with swimming lessons, books and babies, vacation to Indiana & California, as well as trying to learn to crawl! She is currently enjoying some new food! She is not a huge fan of green beans yet, but she does really enjoy bananas and watermelon! (yes, I was notty and let her try watermelon...)