Crazy Love Gamble-Style

Free baby. So she isn't getting any better yet. Just working on testing our nerves more. She IS sometimes cute and snugly like I let on in the last post but since I had to go and write that down she has of course changed that to annoying and demanding. We were planning a little rare family outing this morning and she totally blew it. She even woke up and STAYED UP at 5:30 AM!!! So like I said, free baby. Let us know. We need a date night.

"I'M NOT SICKY MOMMY!!" She get's that from me. Never admit it, whatever you do. Nothing too serious just a terrible sounding cough and a little bit of a fever. Pretty sure she is going to live. We still manage to have fun & laugh. I must admit that I LOVE how crazy-snugly she gets. It's a great excuse to just sit around hugging and loving on each other all day. : )

John and Ava took the new trike out on it's first outdoor spin (she has been riding around in the house since her birthday.) She looked so cute in her helmet which she wasn't super thrilled about wearing. She loves to put in on but not a big fan of keeping it on. Here she is in all her glory: Ava has been begging to go outside when ever she gets the chance so I gave the outdoor toys a good cleaning and sent her out to play in the water tub, something we used to do in a swimsuit but now the rain coat seems like a pretty perfect solution. This is her "say cheese" cheesy smile, eyes closed, perfect. Thanks for that Ava. Here are few other shots of her, I am loving the hair!! For one of our favorite indoor activities we headed over to get some play time with Colton: I love this mid-air action shot!

Linda with Grandpa at Christmas I adore my Grandpa Don, he is the last of my living grandparents and very dear to my heart. He went into the hospital last week and is home now feeling a little better. I have been on a quest this week to find him a comfy place to live a bit closer to us (he currently resides in Salem). I think I have found the "dream spot" or The Ritz as I like to refer to it. The place has the best feel to it, I am sure the whole family is going to love it and want to gang out there with him all the time! I am getting really excited to help him move into this next step in his life. I am certain that this is going to make things much better for him and his true happiness is just around the corner. Me, Scott, Grandpa & Kim

And they say money can't buy happiness, clearly "they" have never been to Build-A-Bear. It all started with many promises to Ava that if she was a cooperative participant in the shoe buying process we would in turn take her to "play with her friends" which meant that she would be able to go to the kid-crazy play place at the mall. She was dying to go there so every time she started to become a bit naughty or annoying I could wrangle her back in with the threat of canceling her plans "you do want to play with your friends, right???" Then try on these shoes!!! My manipulation was working wonders. With a darling new pair of shoes on her feet (thanks Grandma!) we ran off to fulfill our part of the bargain. When we approached the play area the security guard was coaxing all the children out and dragging the sign out in front that says "CLOSED FOR CLEANING". Perfect. Ava was absolutely devastated. So was I. I hate promising her things and not

The videos were not working on this site for a few days but I think they are up and running again so we shall celebrate with a few more videos! The first is Colton singing Twinkle Twinkle Little Star (scroll down a few days to see Ava's turn, they sometimes share, even the spotlight) My favorite part is the taaa-daaaaa!! This next one is an old one that I came across the other day that I just LOVE!! My favorite part is when she randomly kisses John's knee, so stinkin cute!! The quality isn't great on this one but I think it still has it's charms...

John has been using our camera for work these days and I feel like all I have done is miss shot after shot. STOP BEING CUTE AVA! Ok, maybe that is not the solution : ) Anyhow I thought I would share some recent favorite photos in the time being until John fixes this travesty... These two are from Ava's birthday: I LOVE how absolutely TWO she looks in this one: Colton, Ava & Tyler Her new thing: Ditch the jammies. (Notice them lying on the floor next to the crib) Daddy Snuggles: Uncle Chris:

Here she is singing: ...and dancing: I didn't say we thought that she was super talented or anything, I just thought you may want to see what we are working with. : )

Ok so there were no planes but we did start the weekend off by playing our favorite train game. Friday, Dad and Angi came over and brought a wonderful Zab Thai feast which was followed by Angi's first run at Ticket to Ride. I wasn't sure Dad had been bitten by the bug or not until I got a phone call from him wanting to come over and give it another try (he looked frustrated and angry through the first round a couple weeks ago) and sure enough I think we may have him hooked. We will see when the next call comes in. : ) Next comes automobiles...the longest trip to a baby shower ever! I love Meka and wanted to go to her baby shower, but Tacoma, seriously? Sure why not? Ava.....Enough said. We survived though, it wasn't too bad. I am not sure I have ever heard her say "Mommy" so many times!!! Or her other favorite phrase "I need something else" What does she need? I have no idea, but we definitely didn't have it. The shower was a lot of fun

One of the many things I love about Ava is the way she is with other children. At Pump It Up the other day a set of two children were putting their coats on ready to leave and Ava waves to them & says "Bye friends! Thanks for coming! Drive careful!" We were at the park the other day and a little girl who was just about 6 months older then Ava kept going down the slide. Ava would wait patiently at the bottom of the slide and encourage her saying "Good job!" She then would get right in her face and say "IT'S MY TURN!" There is a good balance to this kid. Erik says she will do well in the corporate world. She also gets crazy excited about peanut butter. A food she has not been allowed to have until this week. She jumps up and down giggling and laughing, chanting about peanut butter. Just wait until I give her coffee. She really has her eye on that too. Tea party with Colton & Elmo!

Ava loves asking me that, "Is that funny mommy?" Yes, Ava, you ARE funny. She also loves asking me "mommy what doing??" and she has started picking up some of the things I always say. One of my favorites is "rabble rabble", she also has begun the use of something else I happen to say quite a bit, well sort of, it comes out "what eber". Cute & funny...so far.

Big thanks to Billy & Amelie for passing down so many cute outfits to Ava! Here are just a few of the recent wardrobe additions (that coat kills me!) : (Thanks mom for the trike too!)

We went to Pump It Up today. Ava LOVES it there. She can hardly stand how fun it is, running, jumping and just going crazy, kid style. Today her good friend Sammy and her handler Tracy met up with us. Ava absolutely adores Sammy. She talks about her non-stop. The girls had a great time letting off some steam and Tracy and I enjoyed chatting (I love Tracy much like Ava loves Sam). The only problem with this place is you often run into wild, poorly managed children that pose real threats to your own child's safety & well being. This time there was one very problematic child, well he had a brother much of the same temperament but the older one was MUCH worse. I was torn between feeling really sorry for their mom or getting the cute little family kicked out of the joint permanently.

I wrote this to Ava when she was nine months old, I intend to add on to it sometime soon but for now I thought I would share this: Dear Ava, You are nearly nine months old and I thought I would take a moment to give you a glimpse at what it is like raising you, a bit of insight into my world of motherhood. The first thing I did right for you was made sure I picked a man that would love and cherish you and teach you how to grow up to be a wonderful person that knows what to expect from the man you will eventually choose. You are absolutely blessed to have John as your father, he is wonderful. I always knew that I wanted children. I knew when I met your father that he was “The One.” When we got pregnant with you we were ecstatic. The days of pregnancy went by so slowly, riddled with worry over what could go wrong. I just so desperately wanted a healthy little baby to carry home from the hospital. I warned John not to expect a good looking baby, most come out looking like a creature