Labor Day....My Karaoke kid

Cute picture but this little girl was so mean to Ava!
Eventually they all got along...








On Labor Day we went to a friends house on the lake. Ava had a blast. She loves to hear herself singing and grabbed the microphone and belted out numerous kid favorites! It was so funny, I know this child will be on stage someday!

Summer Happenings

on our way to cousin Dalton's graduation party...

This was the outfit Ava chose to go food shopping in! The most worn Abby Cadabby costume ever!


Ava and the boys...Noah, Nate and Ben
Check out Ava playing drums along with her band!
Little Miss bathing beauty...in the nude at night!

At cousin Dylan and Austin's birthday party




Ava and Ben...how cute are these two! I love Ben's face like he is showing off his girl and Ava looks so smitten!
Swimming...
Ava and cousin Kaylie....the two princesses


Being silly...
Going out for a stroll in their princess wear!


Too funny!


Can you say girlie girls?
Catching fireflies...



Mommy's Birthday

Summer vacation 2009--Cape May Point

Gran and Ava...getting ready for the bicycle parade
Zaza and Ava on the beach


Papa and Bean reading...
cousins Emily and Erik
Meeting our blog friends at the zoo (Greta Jo and Carson)
Ava and Carson...

Ava will not go into the ocean so we brought her pool...
Just like her momma...relaxing in the sun

Ava and Aunt Amy
Life guarding with Aunt Melissa
It's smores time!

Finally....Ava goes on a ride without screaming
Our professional photos on the beach!







4th of July and "forever family day"--two years ago Ava became a citizen today!






My big girl riding her bicycle in the bike parade

Miss Patriotic!
Some gymnastics on the beach...
At the Atlantic City Aquarium

Strolling down the street....stopping for an occasional pose
and a snack...


Hula hula baby
Okay, vacation was a long time ago! We are well into fall...but life is busy so blogging has to wait. We went to Cape May and as always had a great time! Ava still is not a huge ocean fan but was more willing to play in the sand although not thrilled. Her daily quote when I said lets to go the beach was "maybe later". We did some day trips and a lot of relaxing. Life is definitely better at the beach!

Froggy Adventures

Uncle Tony and Ava's great frog hunt--summer 2009!


There were thousands of baby frogs running all over Grandma's yard...Ava loved them

Gotcha Day Celebration

At the Dairy Queen with Dan and Ben

Ava and her daycare buddies celebrating with cupcakes...
4th of July--the anniversary of Ava's arrival home!


Okay so this is 3 months late! Life has been busy. On Ava's gotcha day we had a party at her babysitter's house and then went to her favorite place--Dairy Queen. Ava will tell everyone that she is from Guatemala. It is so cute. She recognizes the flag and the dolls--she claims to remember me coming to get her when she was "tiny tiny" and being on a plane. One day a little girl said that Ava was in my belly once. I explained briefly that she was not. Ava turned to her and so bluntly shouted "I did not come out of my mommy's belly, I came from Guatemala!". Very true sweet girl and we cannot be prouder to have you here with us!

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!