We are out of here!

Toby came to visit for a week

Grandma got this dress for Ava in the Amish Country
Ava thinks Toby is a horse!

Doesn't everyone wear their swimmies on their head?!

Ava's first pony ride, this girl had no fear at all yet she is petrified on the carousel!

She loves all animals




We're headed out of town for vacation at the beach! Thankfully Ava is much better in the car now since we have a long ride ahead of us. We got a new car today which has a DVD player, this of course helps too. Ava was so confused when I picked her up today in a different car with a new car seat, her old one made me crazy. It had so much padding it would push her off the seat and she could never sleep in it.

We have been busy as ever. The pictures above are from a local little zoo, she loved it. Toby, Grandma and Grandpa's dog, came to visit and she gets sad when he leaves. They shared several meals. I would hear Ava open the snack drawer and say "look woof woof, yum..." She also goes around saying "no no no woof woof" because it steals her food right out of her hands. We have been going to a music class called "musical munchkins" and it has been a lot of fun. She joined right in without hesitation. It amazes me how quickly she catches onto things. We also went to a tumbling class and her favorite was the balance beam. She also liked falling off onto the mats and would do it on purpose.

Ava is talking up a storm all of a sudden, she has about 70 words down and makes up short sentences. Sometimes it is so funny to hear her. I picked her up from the babysitter one day and she said "momma home juice snack lala" which translates to take me home and give me juice, popcorn and put Sesame Street on. She calls all cups "babas" so she will tell me "momma, juice in the baba". Too cute! She is so feisty, she says no and she is not kidding! 2 is so coming and it is not going to be pretty! She will stand her ground though and I see this as a good thing.

We have some fun stuff coming up even after vacation--a trip to Sesame Place and floor seats to the Wiggles! I cannot believe how much money we spent to go and see these people but to watch Ava makes it worth it!

Gotcha Day celebrations and time at the beach....

Grandpa & Uncle Al at the restaurant
Aunt Rose & Ava

Ava looked too cute in her Guatemalan-wear!
Loving her cheese tortillas
Grandma & Ava playing...
We had a great time at dinner...
Sarah & Ava

This is a shirt that Ava's fostermom had sent her for her first birthday

Ava has had it with the camera, she now yells "no" and turns around!

My cool kid!

Ava's cake on the 4th of July

Ava was excited to feed mommy which is what she was doing here....

My little beach bum....
People watching....
Shopping in Cape May
Out cold!

Getting ready for the bicycle parade
Ava loves being on the bicycle
Ava & Uncle Sam at the parade
Ava getting a police badge sticker

Ava in 4th of July clothes

Waiting for the parade to start
Trying on her new bicycle helmet

Ava's first time on the beach this year...
Building sandcastles...
Look at this beach body!

We had a terrific gotcha day! We went out for dinner on the first of July which is the day I got Ava. She wore her Guatemala clothes, she looked adorable. Then we went to the beach for the long weekend. We celebrated on the 4th too since it was the day we came home. We also were in a bicycle parade that they hold each year and it was fun. I got a new bike for my birthday with a seat for Ava, she absolutely loves it. I had not been on a bike in years and I was scared I was kill us! We survived. Whenever you say the word bike, Ava points to her head and goes "hat" and is ready to go. The only problem is that Miss Bossy tries to push me out of the way so she can see, not realizing I am her engine! She yells, "momma move". We're headed back to the beach for a week at the end of the month and cannot wait! Unfortunately Miss thing is not so into the actual water. I think she will warm up to it. It's a nice feeling to know that we have been a family for an entire year.

Being home with Ava is fun but boy is she going on two! She is such a feisty one. Everything is "uh-oh"...I keep trying to get her to understand it's not an uh-oh if you do it on purpose! If she gets into a bathroom it is all over! Toilet paper everywhere and anything that fits will be swimming in the toilet. She is learning new words everyday. This week it's "hi buddy" to everyone. It's too cute. She is mommies big helper, she loves to clean and sweep with me. She helps with the laundry and if you tell her what room it goes in she will deliver it, although it won't be folded anymore.

We are in a music class and she is loving that. It's very fun to watch her with these other kids and so amazing how she keeps up with it all. Other than that we have just been relaxing which is nice.