Happy 2nd Gotcha Day!

July 1-July 4, 2007


Ava and her foster-mother, Blanca
Our first moments with Ava



And now, July 2009...my Mayan Princess!









Happy second Gotcha Day! I cannot believe that it was two years ago that my dad and I went to get Ava. What is really difficult this year is that my dad is no longer with us. It is hard to wrap my head around how much can change in such a short time. It seems like yesterday that we made the journey to Guatemala together and yet nothing is even merely the same. While I still celebrate today for the miracle of my child, my heart is heavy for the loss of the only other person who was there on the pick up trip. I am so thankful that he came with me and we had the time together that we did. I will remember the look on his face when he held Ava, he would light up. He was so proud and pretty convinced that there was not another baby anywhere in the world that was as pretty or smart as his Ava.

Ava, you have grown so much this year! You will always be my baby but you are no longer a baby. You are a little girl. You are so funny and so bright. You are still so snuggly and affectionate. My favorite line is when you say "I want to nuggle you". You are social and love your little friends. You are compassionate and you get sad when others are crying or hurt. You only had a brief time with the "terrible twos". You are just such an easy and pleasant child. You make everyone smile.

You learned to ride a tri-cycle this year and a scooter. You got the scooter once you agreed to stay in your big girl bed--yes your crib is gone now too! You became potty trained this winter beginning in November. You were so fast, you basically trained yourself! You gave up bottles without a problem and refuse to use a highchair or booster seat. You remain the indepedent force that you have always been repeatedly telling us "Me do it myself!". The one saving grace for me this year is you finally learned to like the car! You continue to be my dancing queen and speaking of Abba, you love "mama mia" and sing every song.

We have had a tough year Ava and without you it would have been unbearable. We all know that. Your happy little spirit got us through some of the darkest and hardest days of our lives. When your grandfather died so suddenly and without warning we were lost. But you kept us grounded and focused. He died shortly after your second birthday and he was so cheated to only have you for a year. I can only hope and pray that he gets to see you. He would get such a kick out of you now! He thought everything that you did was amazing...and you are by the way, very amazing!

We had to keep moving forward for you. I know that everything was pre-planned, God moved you into our lives for a reason. The timing of it all amazes me. Your grandpa always said that life goes on, that babies prove that. It is not always easy but you make it manageable. I am so glad that you see his pictures and wave up to the sky and say "Hi Grandpa". I promise that you will always know how much he loved you and what a big part of my adopting you had to do with him. You would not be here with me if it were not for Grandma and Grandpa.

He will always be part of your story. Happy Gotcha Day Ava--you are by far the best thing that has ever happened to us!

Memorial Day and recent happenings...

Ava climbing her first tree...

Sarah, mommy and Ava at the parade...
Dan, "Scotts" and Ben
Ava loved the parade....
Ben & Ava patiently waiting...
waving to everyone who came by
These two are so cute together!
Ava before church on Sunday...
This girl still loves her shoes...thanks Georgina for letting her wreck your closet!
Check out these poses and my little bathing beauty below
"Big Smile"
Loves for Ben...
The grill master Matt and Victor (thanks for cooking!)
A little after party dip for the two crazy dancers
Scott and "Grandma Connie" watching the performance
Tim, Jennifer and baby Gracie
These two danced to "I like to move it" at least 10 times in a row!
Look at them go!
Too funny
Aunt Leslie and Georgina
Ava's best buddy Mimi
It was a bit chilly so some warmed up by the fire...
We had over40 people so I'm glad the rain mostly held out!
Family and Friends...
Sofia and Baby Gracie...I cannot believe she is sitting up already!
Going for a swing...

She is too funny with all of these poses!
Watching the flag wave...
Oh the "Ava look"
Ava's new scooter which she got for staying in her big girl bed
Testing out her new pool
Finally...warm weather to enjoy the yard!
On the way to daycare...she is always so tired in the morning...
Okay, this child has never had a dance lesson but you would not know it!
She will begin ballet in the fall



Ava walking her bunny
Ava is full of stain...she really helped me with staining in the yard
No more crib!
She looks so little
We are past two weeks without a problem...go Ava!

We are so ready for the summer! I have 10 days of school left--yippee!!!! We had a Memorial Day BBQ and it was great. Lots of family and friends. We enjoyed the weekend with two other parties at our friends home and the parade. Ava was all decked out in her American gear...she will soon be in her Guatemalan wear for her 2nd Gotcha Day. We will honor both countries of course.

Ava is doing great--chatting away, showing her independence and pushing every button possible! Perfectly two.

We have so much fun stuff coming up so let the summer begin!

Mother's Day and recent pictures...

Katie is very smart to get on Ava's head...she is not always so kind to her!
Austin
Dylan
Grumpy looking bunch in this shot! LOL...Aunt Kim, Uncle Rob, cousins Diane and Danny, Grandma and Sarah
Blowing out Birthday Candles with Sarah

Riding around on her Dora tricycle
Taking a break with Aunt Kim
Ava absolutely loves her cousins Dylan and Austin
I try to get a good shot and my little monkey sticks her tongue out!
I try to forget she is sitting in my garden and focus on her cuteness!
All of these totally posed shots were all Ava! She hates the camera unless I say to model and then she does this. I have never taught this to her...who knows where she got it from!



I love this one!
It is finally looking like spring in our yard!
Uncle Rob, Aunt Kim and cousin Danny

My new desktop photo, too cute...
Gran, Aunt Melissa and Aunt Amy
Pop-pop, Eric and Uncle Ed
Trying to pretend that it wasn't cold out!

She did not want her picture taken and right after she reached in her water bucket and smeared it on my leg!
Grandma taking care of the cleaning--thanks mom!




The king of the household taking a nap with the Yo-Gabba-Gabba gang




Ava got a new bed and I need to take down her crib but it makes me so sad!
I made her take pictures in it before I disassemble it
Ava took this picture of me taking a picture of her...pretty impressive for a two year old
Another shot for Ava to be mortified by...I came in and she emptied the entire roll of paper and then said there was not any more left!

I went shopping and when I came back Ava was all done up! Yikes...reminds me of those scary pageant tikes!
and then the princess fell asleep
This is Katie who is so needy she always wants to be with us...she was hanging out in the window so she could see us on the deck

This is not a great picture but look how old she appears...
Ava insisted on wearing my pjs...
of course she kept losing her pants!

Ava potato head!
This is the most I have blogged in a long time! Mother's day was nice although a bit cold. I was happy to finally be able to have people sit around our chiminea though. We had a good day and Ava had a blast with her cousins. She likes when we have "parties". She did not take a nap and fell asleep around 5:45. I thought she would be up all night but she slept until this morning. Poor little monkey was all worn out.

So we are taking down Ava's crib and putting in a twin size bed...sad. I do not like the idea that she is getting so old! I know I have to do it though so she can sleep better.

School is almost over! I cannot wait to stay home with Ava everyday.

More pictures...

Ava admiring the flowers she helped plant

Ava uses the fountain to wash off her toys...whatever works!
Being silly for the camera...
A new pair of converse...
Welcome Baby Mason....Ava wanted to take him home!
Congrats to our friends on their new arrival...look how sweet Ava is touching his head...
and this is when she has had it with the camera!
this is Ava's supergirl pose...not even sure where it came from!
Mommy and Ava at the prom
Ava shaking her "oove" thing...she sings shake your oove thing instead of groove...so funny
showing off her moves
she was actually bending over putting her butt in the air and shaking it! Scary....
The older kids did not intimidate her!
I love this shot of her from behind
Not so cooperative...
downright mad!
flirty with the camera
full attitude shot!

Mixed Pix

zonked out on the way home from "Dora Live"
Ava and her best friend Naffi showing off their souvenirs

Nothing fun about two pre-schoolers in NYC in the rain...with umbrellas
All excited on the way to the show


Ava at the Habitat for Humanity Walk....
Asleep 15 minutes into the walk....

It was way too hot for this walk but it was a good cause!

She surprisingly stayed in her stroller a lot longer than usual!

This is Ava who took the stage at a local restaurant--dancing all by herself!

Ava in her Easter Dress...look at her dimples which have appeared since her cheeks have gone down some

My little Diva wearing my lipstick which she applied by herself quite neatly I might add!

Little Miss Hollywood

Ava and her light up fairy wings which comes with a microphone...she likes to entertain

This is the "I am going to do something bad" look

She insisted we were going to buy this dress--I am sure it was because of the tutu

Things are hopping around our home lately! We saw Dora Live in NY and Ava loved it. Her daycare provider wanted to bring her so we all went...it was fun. My poor little bean has been sick for over 4 weeks. First it was an ear infection and pink eye in both eyes. Then one night we ended up in the ER because she couldn't breathe, stuff was blocking her ability to get air in! Scary evening that I do not want to relive. Now she has been coughing so hard in her sleep that she vomits so I'm constantly worried she will choke again. We went back to the doctor who said she has another ear infection and gave her stronger meds and something to keep her asleep. I have felt so bad for her--she lost 3 lbs. but it gaining it back.

Easter was nice and she looked so cute. I don't have more than one picture though because I got a new fancy Nikon and blogger will not accept the pictures! Anyone know how to fix this?

We went to the prom on Friday and Ava boogied on down with the big kids. I'll post pix later. Last weekend we were out at a restaurant where the kids play in this giant sand area and the parents can actually talk and eat. Well at one point I couldn't find her--heart attack moment-yet I knew she could not escape or get by me. So I start to walk around only to find Ava on the stage dancing in front of a lot of people all by herself happy as can be. The woman next to me said "Brittney Spears is nervous". She is such a performer. Lately she sings into the mirror making up dance routines that she teaches me. I apparently never do it right! LOL.

Ava is getting so big. She talks in real sentences and makes sense! It's amazing. I have to say that 2 is my favorite age so far. She continues to be my snuggly bug. She constantly offers words of wisdom like "mommy, don't put poopies in your mouth". Yikes! She will tell me to be careful when I am going to work, it's so cute. She hugs me and says "your my best friend mommy"...that is until she gets to her peers and then I get bumped out of first position. She was sitting in her car seat this morning watching the wiggles and she said to me "mommy I need to get out, I cannot shake my hips when I sit". LOL. At almost two years since her homecoming there are still those emotional moments that take me by surprise that she is actually here and is my child. I am so lucky to have her in my life.

I'm going out of town to Washington D.C. for a couple of days. I hope she is well when I'm away! Not that I am much good--I absolutely panic when I think she is in true distress!

I've been a slacker...again!

Ava is resistant to giving me any smiles these days once the camera comes out!

Potty training now consists of needing books and then she kicks me out, which I am glad for! On February 18th, Tricia and Jamison came to visit!

We have not seen each other in two years...since our kids were little peanuts in Guatemala

Eating breakfast...

A day at "Jumping Jakes" where Kristen and Bianca joined us! 3 of our gifts together

Bianca & Jamison playing videos games

Eating "chocolate icey pops" which Ava asks me to make warm!

Chilling out watching some Wiggles...lots of Wiggles actually!

Bath time! They were so cute together...both of them scream like you are pouring acid on their heads when you put shampoo on them

Cutest little duckies ever!

One happy duckling...and one not so much! This is Ava's mad face

Visiting Grandma and Toby....poor dog dealing with two toddlers and a leprachaun hat!

Miss Cheesey....when she wants to be

All bundled up in NYC

We ate at Mars in Manhattan...it was definitely different

How handsome is this boy?!

They loved jumping on the bed

Visiting Orange County Choppers

This is the "I'm about to sob if you don't put that camera away" look

Running all over the mall

Bribery pops to keep them in their strollers, clearly as evidenced by the above picture, it didn't work! It just revved them up

More "tubby" as Jamison calls it

Tricia and Jamison contemplating dinner choices

Valentine's Day

She looks even older :( with her hair up!

Ava and the other man in her life, Ben. They had their own little dining experience for Valentine's Day

Notice the little finger that was pointed at me seconds later saying "no pictures"

Things as usual have been crazy busy! Ava continues to be her funny little self, independent self I should say. Everything is "I do it myself". She is so entertaining and helpful too. She loves to help cook dinner and to clean. We finally got outside for a full day and she loved it. She threw dirt on me and said "I told you you were dirty". That's a new phrase, "I told you". It's not in a mean way, it's so cute. I think she gets it because when I pick her up from daycare I'll say "I told you mommy was coming back". So everything now is "I told you". She has been very clingy lately. She says "I want you" and it breaks my heart when I have to leave her. When I come back from working in my home office she will say "mommy I lost you". She is old enough now to know when I'm leaving for work and she will literally wrap her legs around my waist and beg me not to go. I am getting used to it but it is not fun. She is in full mommy mode. I try to enjoy it now before the years come that she wants nothing to do with me!

She enjoys playing with her image in the mirror. She dances and sings and finds herself quite funny. Last night she was singing "shake your groove thing" and she was! She loves make up and nail polish. One night several of us let her do our make up. It was so funny. We looked like some rejects from clown college although she said we looked "beautiful". She is obsessed with polishing her toe nails and finger nails...and tattoo's. She wants them on her stomach all the time. Today she went off to daycare with a mermaid adorning her belly button.

Ava's little attitude is so apparent. I have to look away to not laugh sometimes. She rolls her eyes, stamps her foot and yells "not me" whenever I tell her no or something she doesn't like. That whole time out thing, she is not getting it! She doesn't care. On a positive note she is quick to apologize. She has learned the fine art of manipulation too. One day at daycare she wanted what her babysitter was eating. So she turned to her and gave her a hug and said "you're my favorite". I am in for it with this one! She also is beginning to tell stories and have lengthy conversations. It's just so fun. Her dolls are now engaged in conversations too that are so cute to watch.

Tricia and Jamison came to visit and it was so fun. We met on our visit trip in Feb. of 2007. To watch the kids together was so amazing. After all the frustration that we shared trying to get them home it was so special to actually watch them play in person years later. We miss them! I also realize that having twins much be interesting! It was a nice change to have a boy in the house. There were some toddler wars but for the most part they did great. Ava kept calling him "boy". She would say "the boy is awake", "the boy is crying". Now she points to where his carseat was and says "the boy went bye bye".

I love 2 1/2. It's a great age. I cannot wait until summer so we can spend all day together.

p.s.--I am well aware that she will not be happy about the potty picture one day but I couldn't help it!

Catching up...lots of pictures!

I am so jealous of this girls hair!
Ava's valentine's cards
Lots of Ava hands...
messy but fun!

silly girl!
Opening presents from Aunt Jenn, Uncle Kevan and Kaylie
She was so excited...

Ava's first real Barbie

Future librarian! She is wearing my shoes
2 different ones though
Ava, so excited about her card from Aunt Kim, Uncle Rob
and Dylan and Austin
Introducing Max! Our new lop bunny. Clearly he endures
a lot living with a toddler


You cannot see it in this picture, not only is she in her undies but she has black mary janes on!
Ava loves her bunny
Max watching Ava play with her legos
He is such a cute little fella
This is the day I returned home from 4 days in Phillie
Ava surprised me with flowers and a picture
loving on her Max

Ava is very into the Princess world...thanks Kaylie for the hand me downs!
How sweet is this picture!

Ava and cousin Kaylie sharing some Chinese food
Ava--decorating herself with stickers
Ava with her "raff"
Princess nightgown....
She just cracks me up...

"Hold everything"
Ava's new dress from Aunt Leslie..it's for spring but she insisted on putting it on

Ava is obsessed with pjs so I dress her and have to put them back on over her clothes just to get her to daycare in the morning

Adjusting to the snowy weather we have had
Ava's first attempt at snow angels