Ava in real life!

We've spent a lot of time training our dog Cleo to sit, stay, and come. Ava probably hears us say those phrases at least 15 times a day. So now she's training us . . . You can hear the authority she thinks she has in her voice:)

Ava's on top of the world . . .

In way of news . . .

As many of you know, (or can remember), there is a lot that goes on with a toddler in the house and a baby in the womb. The last 8 weeks of pregnancy haven't been really bad, but I wouldn't say pleasant either. I've been much more emotional this round. I know it's silly, but on my bad days, my almost 2 yr. old can hurt my feelings. A "no mommy", or refusal to hug/kiss can really get to me. Luckily, Chris is never short on affection and is more than happy to give me either whenever I want:) I'm now 4 months along and beginning to show a bit. Still not enough to tell the differece between being pregnant or just putting on a few. We'll find out the sex of the baby on Dec. 3rd . . . only 2.5 weeks away. According to an ancient Chinese birth chart it's going to be a girl.
Next week we leave for a cross country road trip. From here to Indiana where we'll visit with Chris' family and then meet up with my parents and brother to travel to Pennsylvania to spend Thanksgiving with my side of the family. Lots of memories to be made.

Strike a Pose!

Lately Ava has really enjoyed the camera. She'll ask for us to take picutres of her and then she wants to see them immediately. We probably oblige this way too much, because when she doesn't get her way it is DRAMA, DRAMA, DRAMA. I actually got to catch it on camera!

If you're wondering, no, I don't enjoy seeing my child cry, but sometimes it's just so cute!

Some of her happier moments in front of the camera . . .

Ava's Big Girl Trike

We picked up a couple great things from the Harvest Fest . . . Ava's first trike with old school bell & a goldfish! We'll see how long that lasts:) The poor fishy has been moved from a plastic bag, to a fruit bowl, to a mixing bowl, and is currently residing in pitcher! Maybe I'm too cheap to have another pet, but Ava loves waking up and saying hi to her fishy and puppy Cleo!

Happy Harvest!

Our church hosted a Harvest Festival for the community. We've done it several years in a row now, and it's always a nice alternative for those of us with kids who don't love venturing out after dark in the weather with the rowdies! There was A TON of candy, great costumes, free food and fun games for the kiddies. Ava's favorite game of the night was the trike track (below with Daddy). Chris & I took turns going round and round, and the only thing that would pull her away was . . . you guessed it FOOD.

I didn't want to waste the energy it would have taken me to come up with Egg costumes for me and Chris, but wouldn't that have been great . . . a baby chicken and 2 eggs! Instead Chris picked up a sherrif's costume for me and RUN DMC for himself. If you are as clueless to who that is as I was, it was a rapper in the '80's.