Grandma & Papa Come To Visit!

This past weekend, Grandma & Papa (Mains-side) came to visit us for a three-day weekend. It was so special to have some quality time with them, and Ava had SO much fun getting spoiled with love, attention, and constant play companions :)

They arrived Friday, and we all (puppy included) went to Boudin's at The Fountains for lunch. We love that they allow dogs on the patio so that we can bring Paisley (extra bonus is that all the excitement from people passing by to pet her and say "awwww, how cute!" really wears her out)! After lunch we went into a few stores, including Paisley's favorite - Pet Food Express. Here Ava, Daddy, Paisley and Papa are outside that store...

Happy Girl!...

We also had to pop into Crazy Eight where I bought this adorable shirt on-sale for Ava

That night, Dee and I got to take advantage of free, amazing babysitters and go out on a date! We went to Studio Grill - a new dinner movie theater, which is awesome! We got to watch a movie in comfy leather chairs while ordering drinks, appetizers, dinner and dessert whenever you wanted throughout the whole movie.


The next day, Papa and Daddy got a bunch of yard work done, including cutting down the annoying willow tree we've been dying to get rid of in our backyard for years. Then, they helped us get our home garden started. Dee and I are so excited to grow our own food and pray that we're successful (I have a tendency to inadvertently kill plants). So far, we've planted cilantro, basil, sage, thyme, rosemary, spinach, romaine lettuce, mixed lettuce, and kale. Next weekend, we'll finish with a bunch of veggies (hence, the unfinished planter in the middle with just rocks).

Later that day, Grandma and I took Ava to Costco so we could get groceries for dinner and a few other staples. Grandma and Papa spoiled us by insisting on buying us everything we needed, including an ADORABLE Easter dress for Ava!


The next, and last, day we went out to Breakfast before they had to leave. We went to our favorite, Waffle Barn. Ava enjoyed sitting in the high chair, making an absolute mess munching on her teething biscuits, rice cakes, and reaching for our food non-stop. She also enjoyed squeaking and singing for the whole restaurant to hear too :)

We're so glad Grandma and Papa we're able to come visit us, and help us out so much too! We miss them so much already!!!

 

Ava - 8 Months

***Please forgive the fact that this post is 1.5 months late! We have a dare devil baby that is crawling at lightening speed and learning to walk...keeping us insanely, yet joyfully, busy and leaving next-to-no time for us to blog*** :)

January 26, 2015

Ava Girl -

How are you EIGHT months old already?! Another month has slipped right by - you continue to grow faster and faster it seems!

Your eighth month has been so much fun. You experienced your first New Years, your first trip to Hawaii (and with that your 6th and 7th flights and your first, first class experience), and you began pulling yourself to stand. Now that you can stand you LOVE to try to climb everything...including the walls. It's a full time job watching/chasing after you to make sure you don't split your head open climbing up everything!

You have so much energy...you crawl and crawl, stand and dance, climb and fall....and you never seem to get tired from it!

You continue to be such a happy girl - every single day you laugh, and we just can't get enough of that amazing sound!

You cut your top two teeth this month too. They hurt you much more than your bottom two did, but you took it all like a champ. You have loved the homemade allergen free teething biscuits I make for you...it's your favorite daily treat!

Speaking of treats, you love solid foods. Your favorite continues to be avocados (or, AVAcados), but you also love spinach. When we want some variety aside from your two favorites, you like butternut squash, pumpkin, blueberries, and prunes. I still make it all myself - while it takes forever, it is so much fun!

Your personality continues to emerge - in addition to being such a happy girl, you're also mischievous! You know where you're not supposed to crawl, and as soon as you get to the edge of a certain off-limits place, you'll pause, turn back to look at me, give me this adorable mischievous smile, and then scurry off in the direction you're not supposed to, giggling all the while as I yell "heyyyyy!" It's your favorite thing to do it seems. I can see already what a spunky, bubbly handful you will be when you start walking....and, I can't wait! :)

We love you so very much - more and more with each passing day, week, and month.

Here are some pics from your 8th month of this crazy, beautiful life!

On New Year's Day with your bud Emersen...

You loved going for walks in Hawaii...

 

And you looked so adorable in your "I'm Whaley Cute" Onsie we bought you in Maui!

 

Having fun playing with your puppy. Goldendoodles (and Labradoodles) are seriously the best family dogs. You climb all over her every chance you get, pulling her hair and ears and tail (and HARD I might add), and all she does is lick you. Watching you two become best buds warms my heart...

 

Face-timing during my first business trip away from you (hardest 3 days of my life!)...

The "uh-oh" moment daddy and I experienced one morning when we learned you can now get to a stand all on your own (you've been able to stand if we placed you since you were three months old, so I guess it should be no surprise that 1 week after turning 7 months you could do it on your own!)...

My little grocery shopping buddy!...

All smiles...such a happy girl (even with your non-stop teething!)...

 



 Janella ("Auntie Ella") sent a little package in the mail shortly after we returned from Hawaii. It was this little balloon you were fascinated with, and we popped together to find the "will you be my bridesmaid" question in (yayyyyyyy - so excited btw!!!!)...

 

You love your teething biscuits....if the pain gets too much, instead of giving you medicine, you'll gnaw on one (or two as you can see in the pic below) of these forever, and they always make you feel better!....

 



 Shopping at Sprouts (our favorite grocery store)...you love to hold all the produce for me. Here you are holding the peppers...