Summer!

What a summer it was! We had some really great times and also some very challenging days! Wow! Being a stay at home mom is NOT easy! I loved spending time with my little love but...it was exhausting at times Lol! One of my big goals this summer was to have Ava Potty trained...we did not not totally get there but Ava did learn a few things this summer including her last name and what street she lives on! Love it that she is so excited to learn new things! 

In July we found out that Ava is going to be a big sister in March 😀We are all very excited! 

Here are a few pictures of our Summer fun. 

Our Pregnancy announcement :) 

Swimming, fishing. Library, parks, Birthday party, Animal Land, fun with cousins and Ice Cream 

Chalk, hiking, Hoffmans :) 

Ava's brother or sister :) 

Ava turns 2 and other summer fun

July 30, 2013

 We had such an amazing day celebrating Ava and her 2nd birthday. We lucked out with the weather and were so happy that all of our favorite people could be there. Here are some pictures of the day and some other pictures of things we did this summer. 

The yummy desserts 

The food table

Ava in the reading corner

Friends playing at the bubble stations

Checking out the gifts :) 

Loving listening to everyone sing to her! 

Our family 

So proud to be 2! 

Zade, Ava and Lauren 

Zadem Ava and Lexie

Ava and Grady

More Summer time fun

Ava with Daddy Uncle Joey and Noah

Many trips to Lowes to help Daddy build our awesome deck! 

Being a good listener at story time

The park in Saratoga with this awesome water feature

Adirondack Animal Land

Ava's'first pony ride

Fun in the pool 

I love...

This post was inspired by Chantel..Thanks for the idea :)

All you need is Love!

February 14, 2013

 Happy Valentines day! I have to admit that I am not a huge fan of this "holiday" however; it is so much better now that I have have a family to celebrate it with :)

Lately, I have been doing a lot of reflecting about my life and the people in it. I am constantly reminded how lucky I am to have such a wonderful group of people around me and to be in a job that I truly love. What more do you need to be happy?

I have not mentioned this before on this blog but, in September (the day before school started)I found out that I was pregnant again. Jeremy and I were in a state of shock for the first couple of days and to be honest a little worried...about how we were going to handle 2 kids so close in age. Unfortunately the pregnancy ended up being ectopic and after months of not knowing what was wrong with me and the pregnancy it ended in a surgery where I had to have my right ovary, fallopian tube and my appendix removed. It was a very scary and painful time for me (emotionally and physically) and it is something I think about every day! The truth is..I am scared. I am really scared! So many "what ifs" enter my mind every single day. What if we have trouble conceiving? What if I never get pregnant again? What if this happens again? What if having two kids is too hard??

One thing I know is that having a child is hard but also the most amazing thing that I have done in my life thus far.

It has always been an issue for me to "live in the moment" and I feel like with Ava this is the most important thing to do right now. She is growing so fast! She turned 19 months this month and she is really starting to develop a personality!

Having a week off with her this month was great and also VERY tiring! LOL I have such a new found respect for stay at home moms!! :)

Here are some recent pics of Ava that really show what she is up to.

Ava's first time sledding

Ava on the way home from Sesame Street live :) 

Ava and Papa waiting for Meme to get out of surgery <3

Silly Lauren and Ava during a playdate 

Ava's new thing is asking for her sunglasses when it is sunny outside. 

What do we think of pigtails?? I really tried doing her hair while I was of from work :-/ LOL

Ava and Brayden eating lunch. 

SO very blessed!

December 21, 2012

 Merry Christmas!

As I think about the last year I am so very grateful. We have had our share of ups and downs this year for sure. The latest tragedy in the news has once again made me appreciate what I have and that having a healthy family is such a blessing that I try to NEVER take for granted. 

Ava is 17 months old this month. I know I say it in every post but it is SO amazing to watch her grow and learn every day.

Here are a few things that I am loving about Ava at this age: 

1. The way she sings songs with me!
2. The way she swims in the tub
3. The way she gives hugs and kisses
4. The way she colors
5. The way she dances to music
6. The way she uses her step stool to get up on the furniture
7. The way she swings her feet when she is eating something she likes! 
8. The way she remembers EVERYTHING
9. The way she says "bye, bye" to me when she wants to be in her crib at night
10. The way she babbles/sings herself to sleep
11. The way she counts (knows up to 13)

I am SO excited for Christmas with her. She is loving all of the "ho-ho's, lights and trees in the stores. 

Here are a few recent pics:

Ava's first time standing/touching snow :) 

Our latest family picture! 

Silly Ava :) 

Reading in the basement 

A little of this and a little of that

November 19, 2012

Ava is almost 16 months old! I cannot even believe how fast she is growing. Here are some things that I feel are worth sharing about her right now and that I really want to write here since I cannot seem to keep up with a baby book.

• She loves to sing and dance. I am so excited for her to be old enough to join a dance class or something
• She is able to count to 5 (and do this when taking objects in and out of something)
• She knows some colors (purple and red)
• She is starting to want to "swim" during tubby time
• Her vocabulary is expanding every day. Right now I am starting to teach her about Christmas and she is able to point out Ho Ho, wreaths, bells and trees when we are out. 
• She is still a pretty good eater. Her favorites still include eggs, ravioli, grapes and cereal
• She loves to look at pictures of family members and identify them 
• She is able to point to and say (head, eyes, fingers, hands, knee, toe, ear, nose, mouth, teeth, and back)
• She just started using a step stool to get up on furniture and is SO proud of herself
• She loves to pretend play with dolls. She feeds them and puts them to sleep (it is SO cute)
• She loves to ride in the bike seat and have daddy take her for a ride
• She is starting to be VERY strong willed (has had a few tantrums)
• She likes to be silly and make people laugh
• She still does not like having her diaper changed or to get dressed
• She is only nursing at bedtime

Here are some recent pictures of my lovey! 

What a difference a year makes! 

"Ride, Ride, Ride on a bicycle" That is what she sings the whole ride :) 

Playing with her friend Zade

Ava's first Mani....done by Papa :) 

Sleeping on a road trip to Rochester (well actually on the way home)

Meeting her new cousin Noah (Nono) 

Life is so precious...and too short

There has been too many times and events over the last couple months that have made me stop and think about how lucky I am to be healthy and to have a beautiful healthy little family!

Ava is such a blessing and I am so grateful for her! She has a way of making me smile and feel proud even on my worst days. She is such a caring loving little girl and I can only hope that she stays that way forever. She amazes both Jeremy and I every day the way she takes everything in. She is a smart little girl to say the least.

Here are a few recent pictures of my "sunshine"

Such a lover! Even to Elmo

Ava and mommy making out silly faces :) 

My Pretty Girly

Silly girly! 

My Bumble bee on Halloween 

Such a clown! 

Coloring!