Ava's new tricks

Some of these are not new tricks, but just a look at the super fun cuteness in our home these days...

 

She's the peek-a-boo queen!

Nap time... she was sitting up with her feet out of the crib when she finally gave in and "fell" asleep.

You can see Ava's first goose egg on her forehead, on the right side of the picture...

She bonked it on a table trying to stand up and let go. She didn't get the memo that she is JUST a baby! Girl, you are 7 months old... You are NOT a toddler! She cried hard for a minute.... Then there was this...

No problemo...

Boxes are fun!


So are cribs! We dropped her crib mattress down a notch and 3 days later I found this!

So down another notch we went!

Where to next??



Smiley Curley....

Staring contest...

Gig 'em!

She is the smiliest baby ever!!!!

She can get both feet in her mouth at one time!

Friday before last was tooth-day! Her first tooth cut through on 11/15. Her favorite thing to chew on is fabric... Anything made of fabric. Like burp rags...
Or bunny love's ears...
My scarves are another favorite...


I don't think I mentioned Ava started crawling a few weeks ago... And pulling up and trying to stand and walk and climb all at the same time! 
She's a busy busy busy girl!


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So I know what we did last summer - Fancy Nancy camp

After dropping Leah off for dance camp was a success... We decided on fancy nancy camp with a couple of friends!

We should have named Leah Fancy Nancy instead. She is so much like the character in the book. More is better. Big words should always be used in place of simpler ones. No such thing as too many accessories....

Fancy Nancy camp was the ticket... They made tons of crafts, read the F.N. books and did all sorts of fancy things...

Day 2 was "dress up fancy day." This was Leah's favorite dress all summer. She thought it was fancy because of the intricate pattern... Plus it twirled... She wanted to wear it all the time and of course on fancy dress up day... And everyone needs a scarf when it's 100+ degrees outside... Everyone who is fancy, that is.


So nice a quiet in the house with big sister at camp... Ava even napped out in the living room!


Pajama day was Leah's favorite day... And she wanted baby giraffe ears too.


"You mean I get to wear my pajamas all day? And outside the house??"


She wanted her picture taken everywhere...


She was STOKED!!!


On pajama day Ava and I had lunch with our friend Rema...


The next day was makeover day... They made their own cosmetics and applied them. They made soap and lipgloss and had fingernails painted and hair braided. She even came home with a pink hair extension... My oh my.


The last day was tea party/dress up day! Leah's cousins Jax and Mady gave her this Fancy Nancy dress for her birthday last year... It was just the thing.


Giggle made this "veil" to go with her dress.


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Look at her grow - Ava's 6 month check-up

Only 6 weeks late... check out Ava's check-up!

"Just a-waitin on the doctor... and a-holdin on to my foot... Does anyone know what this thing is on my head?"
Big Sis came too, because she needed her flu mist!  I have to point out that Ava is wearing the dress Leah wore to her 9 month check up... she is definitely growing at a faster rate than Leah did at this age.  She's already skipped right over a whole box of hand-me-downs!
Growing....  26 1/4 inches! (55th percentile)
And growing....  ALMOST 18 lbs!!!  (75th percentile)
She is a big brained baby too, just like the rest of her family ;-) 
Head, 17 1/4 inches (75th percentile)
Once again... extra head weight causes a little shift in the height/weight ratio. Ha!

She weighed as much at 6 months as Leah weighed at 12-18 months!  At first she ate constantly... but she doesn't eat any differently than Leah did at this age. It did take her about a month longer to drop down to 4 feedings a day. Breakfast, lunch, dinner and bedtime. She has about 4-5 ounces of milk at a time... plus some solid foods now 2-3 times a day. Purees only... puffs and baby crackers still make her gag.

She was laughing and smiling and babbling CONSTANTLY at this age... except for when she was screaming and grunting. But rest assured she is always making noise of some kind. She was reaching for everything, grasping at batting at everything... sweeping objects away from her. Sitting in her high chair at home... and she jumps if you stand her or hold her in the air... she tries to jump right out of your arms! Right around this age she began throwing fits if you walk away from her.  She is completely intrigues by Beans and she LOVES LOVES LOVES to watch Leah run around!  

She was sitting up for about 30 seconds at a time by 6 months of age... but boy you should see her now! ALOT has changed in 6 short weeks!  More to come!

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So I know what we did last summer - Leah's half birthday

Leah turned 4.5 back on August 9! And we like to celebrate a half birthday around here. Ok... well... I like to celebrate them and, of course, so does our party animal, Leah.





For her half birthday celebration she chose to make a heart shaped cake... Half red, half yellow...





With icing... Half pink and half purple...





And a flower on her head, if you please...





Four and a half candles of course... And a song... "Happy-half-birthday to you!"






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So I know what we did last summer - Princess dance camp

Some of our baby boot camp/playgroup girlfriends invited Leah to do princess dance camp this summer. Would this interest my girl you think? Um... Dancing in a princess dress of her choice on recital day... Enough said.

Princess dance camp was the first time I have ever dropped this child off for a program of any kind... and left the building... yes, she's a bit sheltered... But neither one of us shed a tear! :-) And yes, I prayed a lot as I was away from her... So.... Here we go! She's growing up faster than I can believe.





Day 2... They had free-style dancing, learning routines, crafts, princess movie time and lunch time each day.


Friends...

Silly friends...

Recital day! Leah had the biggest entourage of all... it was a little embarrassing in the tiny room! :)
 


Daddy was standing by the music and was asked to start each number. The girls would yell "Hit it Mr. Kevin!" And he would start the music.... with his fairy princess wand???


Sissy... (that comment is for the picture below... not the one above...  hahahahaha!)

Cinderella and Princess Aurora...

Aunt Les...

Daddy...

Pops...

Gig...

 

Bib...

And I was there too! Taking pictures. :)

They learned 3 routines... This was by far my favorite. Not the best one, just my favorite because of Leah's moves as she gets in to it. They did jazz, tap and ballet routines in 3 days!

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