No Clowning Around

Today we went to our sweet friend Lillian's 6th birthday party! She had a clown performer there! Ava walked into the door where several 5 and 6 year olds were enjoying the clown act. Ava spotted Lillian and went over to give her a hug and tell her "happy birthday!" When Ava turned around, she locked eyes with the clown. Was she overcome with joy and laughter? Um, that would be a negative. She gave a look of terror and began sobbing as she ran into her daddy's arms. She proceeded to watch the entire act in daddy's arms and even gave some smiles as the act went on. Daddy does not like clowns either. Like father, like daughter!

The funniest thing was that sister suk Aubrey was audibly laughing at the clown. She thought he was hilarious! Our three year old terrified of the clown, our 5 month old laughing with joy at the clown! What a sight.


The party ended with a bike riding party in the garage. Ava had the motorized vehicle and kept crashing into everything, which she found to be a great source of joy! I guess we know what we will be getting her for her birthday!

Madison and Ava

The Birthday Girl and her new bike!

Thanks for an awesome party, Lillian!

Snowball Fight & Love at First Bite!

Yes, it is snowing again in Texas in March. This is the first day of spring, yet you wouldn't know it if you looked outside! Ava wanted to go outside to make snowballs with daddy.

While they where outside, Aubrey had a stare down with Ernie!

Dinner time ended with Aubrey's first taste of rice cereal. I wonder if she liked it? You be the judge! Several pictures to follow because there were so many sweet ones to choose from.

Did I mention she is a happy baby? :-)

Ava's Prayer

After dinner today Ava was asking about Berkeley and Buddy. She asked me if I could tell them "hi". I replied, "do you want to talk to Jesus tonight about them?"  Ava immediately folded her hands together, closed her eyes and said this:

Thank you for Bay, Jesus, and Buddy.
They are my friends.
Please help them come back to see me tomorrow.
We love you Jesus. Amen.

Milk & Cookies kind of day......

Today was a fantastic day with my girls! I love my days off, especially when it is a great day like today. Ava asked if we could make cookies. After baby sister went down for her nap, Ava and I made some chocolate chip cookies. She loves to cook with me and is a wonderful little chef! Ava suggested we have milk with our cookies. I thought this was a great idea, so I poured myself a glass too! We took our tray and ate our snack on the couch together. Ava proceeded to dunk her cookies into my milk! I have never taught her that, but decided to join her! After each dunk she would take a bite and then give me a kiss. She was really enjoying this "Ava & Mommy moment!" I love these simple moments in life. It is these moments that give me the most joy!

First you dunk the cookie in the milk......

Then you get ready for yumminess......

Then you eat it.......

Yes!!!! Happiness is here!

After our milk and cookies snack, Ava took a bubble bath. She began singing the following "nuh huh nu huh nuh huh nuh it eh ood....nuh nuh nu huh nu nuh ne new i euld.....nu huh nu nuh nuh nu nuh eu aw ight......eu huh nu huh nuh huh iiiiiiight......." . The tune sounded familar, but I couldn't quite place it. I asked Ava what she was doing and here is how the conversation went:
Ava: I'm singing, it's my favorite song.
Mommy: Where did you learn it, at school?'
Ava: No, with mommy and daddy in the car.
Mommy: Sing it again.
Ava: "nuh huh nu huh nuh huh nuh it eh ood....nu huh nu huh nu nuh ne new i euld.....nu huh nu nuh nuh nu nuh eu aw ight......eu huh nu huh nuh huh iiiiiiight......." (bopping her head to the music).  It's my favorite.

Was it Jesus loves me? The wheels on the bus? This is the day?  Suddenly I realized what it was.........no it wasn't any of the beloved children's songs......It was "Leaving Louisana in the Broad Daylight" by the Oak Ridge Boys! She was singing the chorus. Lyrics  are as follows:

Mary took to running with a travelin' man
Left her momma crying with her head in her hands
Such a sad case, so broken hearted

She say, momma, I got to go, gotta get outta here
I gotta get out of town, I'm tired of hanging around
I gotta roll on between the ditches
It's just an ordinary story 'bout the way things go
'Round and around nobody knows but the highway
Goes on forever, that ol' highway rolls on forever.

Lord, she never would've done it if she hadn't got drunk
If she hadn't started running with a travelin' man
If she hadn't started taking those crazy chances
She say, daughter, let me tell you 'bout the travelin' kind
Everywhere he's goin' such a very short time
He'll be long gone before you know it
He'll be long gone before you know it.

She say, never have I known it when it felt so good
Never have I knew it when I knew I could
Never have I done it when it looked so right
Leaving Louisiana in the broad daylight.

This is down in the swampland, anything goes
It's alligator bait and the bars don't close
It's the real thing down in Louisiana

Did you ever see a Cajun when he really got mad
When he really got trouble like a daughter gone bad
It gets real hot down in Louisiana

The stranger better move it or he's gonna get killed
He's gonna have to get it or a shotgun will
It ain't no time for lengthy speeches
There ain't no time for lengthy speeches.

She say, never have I known it when it felt so good
Never have I knew it when I knew I could
Never have I done it when it looked so right
Leaving Louisiana in the broad daylight

It's just an ordinary story 'bout the way things go
'Round and around nobody knows but the highway
Goes on forever, that ol' highway rolls on forever.

Yes.....this is her favorite song! Yes, this song is on our I-Pod and we like it! Daddy and I are so proud! :-)

The day ended with a beautiful rainbow! Ava LOVES rainbows. This one was a complete one with one side of the rainbow having two rainbows! Beautiful!!!! Ava could not have been more excited! Thank you God for the proof of your promises!

Ohhhhh........a rainbow!

Great day! Thank you God for it!

A 4 month old and a 2 year 10 month old.........

Aubrey is 4 months old today!  A few days ago I began storing her newborn and 0-3 months clothes. This makes me a little sad. I also just upgraded her nipples to size 2 and increased her formula to 7oz every 4 hours except night time.....this also makes me a little sad. This is what she is up to these days: She is constantly trying to sit up by performing what I call a micro-crunch. I can already tell that she will be a girl on the move as soon as she figures out how to do so. She is grabbing at toys and is particularly fond of Ava's Burt she got at the Sesame Street show, which Ava kindly shares with her! She loves to laugh and make all sorts of noises.....I already here vowel sounds which makes me wonder if she will be a talker like her big sister. She loves it when we put her in front of the mirror. She also laughs when I prentend like I am asleep and then "wake-up" suddenly. She is able to hold her bottle at times and pulls it out when she wants a break with minimum assistance. She loves, loves, loves to watch Ava and has the funniest facial expressions when she is watching her (as well as others). She also enjoys the T.V. She likes to be in the mix......if me, Anthony or Ava leaves the room, she will cry. But once we return, she is all smiles! She likes to take walks outside (just like Ava did!) She enjoys taking baths with her sister, but does not like it when we take her out to dry her off. She always crys until we get her dressed again! She has the sweetest disposition and is so easy to please! By far my favorite thing about her is her sweet smiles. Her entire face lights up, especially her eyes. She typically smiles with her mouth open, accompanied by some drool, and a small crinkle at the space on her forehead between her eyebrows! When she smiles it makes my heart smile!

Ava is interacting with her sister more and more. I think she is understanding that as Aubrey gets older ,she will be able to do more things with her and Ava finds this exciting. Ava likes to teach Aubrey everything she knows......like animal names and the noise they make, colors, shapes, food, etc..... Ava tickles Aubrey and likes to make funny faces to her. She occasionally gives hugs and kisses, but she holds her hand often. It is so sweet. Ava will often say to us "Aubrey is looking at me" or when Aubrey moves her legs and they graze Ava, she will say "Aubrey is kicking me" with a disgruntled look on her face.Too funny! One of my favorite things Ava is currently doing is out of the blue look at me and say "I love you Momma." Over the last couple of months, she calls me momma instead of mommy. She will do the same thing to daddy, but she will put her delicate hands on his beard and rub it while saying those sweet words. She is quite the daddy's girl these days! She will also say "I love my little sister!" Ava is very into story telling. She is a jabber and will tell a story that stretches from one subject to the next. The stories typically involve Mr. Bay, Buddy & Berkeley in heaven, mommy, daddy, Aubrey and of course monsters. We rarely have a story without monsters in them. One day, I need to record one of her stories. Hillarious!

Aubrey in the wonderful, innocence, happy, seeing things for the first time, exploration stage of infancy. Ava in the saying and doing something new each day, asserting her great independence, silly, funny, imaginative, "push the limits if I can" stage of toddler. I love both stages for the wonderful things they bring. But more than the stages, I love and feel so very blessed to be a parent to these sweet, wonderful girls!