Trick or Treating

Grandma and Grandpa Stoddard came to visit today. Ava has been very fussy this weekend...teething is not our friend :) Ava took both a morning and afternoon nap so we were hopeful that trick or treating would go well. After dinner Mommy got Ava dressed in her costume with her black undershirt and tights to keep her warm. We put her hair in high pigtails and looped the headband through to hold it in place. Finally we added a nose and whiskers...Daddy's idea! Ava practiced putting candy in her bucket and we were off. We headed down towards the park. Our favorite was the house where the people who lived there were dressed like Sesame Street.....they were giving out glow bracelets! Ava started yawning about half way around the park but we made it all the way. When we finished Grandpa pushed Ava home in the stroller. We wiped off the nose and whiskers and put on our pjs...READY FOR BED!

Pumpkin carving

Ava got a fever on Sunday, 103.4...no good. She was sleeping ok, so at least that was a blessing. Monday I stayed home and we went to see Dr. Hirsch...he said it was probably a virus and we had to wait it out. A few luke warm baths and lots of infant ibuprofen later the fever final broke at 1am on Tuesday. We didn't take any medicine today! Although Daddy did come home a little early so we could carve our pumpkin. This was Daddy's first pumpkin he ever carved....I can't believe it! He did a great job meticulously carving Mickey Mouse. Ava didn't want to stick her hand down in the pumpkin but she got more into the process as time progressed. She helped me separate the seeds to roast them in the sink...a big mess but lots of fun.

Fall Festival

Today was the fall festival at the Washingtonian center. There were lots of kids in costumes and a petting zoo. Ava seemed very excited at fist and was happy to pet the animals through the fence but when she went inside it was a little too close for comfort. There were miniature horses, chickens, goats, and a miniature alpaca.

New Shoes

Ava's first pair of shoes is getting too small. After work today we took her to stride rite in the Lakeforest mall and got 2 new pair. She wore the pair Daddy picked out home. We also got a pair of black dress shoes she can wear with her Halloween costume and lost of other stuff.

We are home!

No pictures because we were to concerned with loving and kissing Ava. We came up the stairs and Ava screamed at the top of her lungs....it was the greatest feeling in the world! We feel like she learned so much while we were gone :) She is much more stable on her feet. She now says...Dad-dee! She also air kisses at Rusty while following him around. So glad to be home!

Aunt Alexandra is Mid-Penn Volleyball Champs!

We are so proud of you and love you!

Mommy and Daddy are so excited to come home and see Ava tomorrow!

Corn maze with Am-ma and Aunt Alexandra and Uncle Shannon

Earl and I enjoyed our time in Florida. The weather was perfect and it was great to know that Ava was having a wonderful time. She got too excited while trying to talk to me on the phone and always ended up hanging up on me :)

She calls Grandma, Am-ma...too cute. On Sunday they went to a corn maze with lots of slides...Ava's favorite.

Happy Birthday Grandma

Earl and I flew out to Ft. Lauderdale this afternoon for some R&R before I have a conference Monday-Wednesday. Unfortunately that means we are missing my Grandmother's 75th birthday party. We recorded a message for her when we got to the hotel but the internet was down. Hopeful she get to see the video today. Love you Grandma...HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

Ava's new Ride on Toy

Ava loves to play with the Ride on toys at daycare so we decided it was time to invest, via craigslist of course. I got this lion for $10 and it looks brand new. It isn't the best design so I wouldn't recommend it. The wheels don't seem to be in a great place although she is starting to get the hang of it.

Pumpkin patch

This morning we went to Butler's Orchard (http://www.butlersorchard.com/). We got there right when it opened and hopped on the hayride out to the pumpkin patch. Ava found a great little pumpkin just her size. We also found a perfect pumpkin to carve as a family later in the month..stay tuned :)


We got back on the hayride and headed to see the farm animals. Ava liked to look at the chickens but was too afraid to get close to the coop. The pigs were all the way at the back of the pen so we didn't get to interact with them and the sheep were hiding. The goats were smart and were right near the fence. They ate right out of our hand...Ava laughed because their tongue tickled.


Ava went down the tractor slide all by herself and she went down the big sack slide with Mommy. Daddy didn't quite get the picture but it was great fun. Before we left we had a yummy caramel apple...fresh from the orchard trees.

The park

Since the weather has been so nice we have been trying to go to the park as much as possible. Ava is in love with both the slide and the swings. There are always lots of kids at the park. Today a little boy followed Ava around for 10 minutes and eventually gave her a hug...too cute.

When we got home Ava decided she wanted to try her straw cup again. She has tried a few times before but hasn't been able to figure it out. Today it was like magic....she drank a whole cup of water!

Hello

Ava is obsessed with cell phones. She was carrying around Earl's cell phone tonight after dinner screaming Hello, Hello...Hello!

Tooth shot

Sunday Grandma and Grandpa Stoddard came to visit. Ava was napping when Mommy got home. She was ready to play after a good nap. Grandma, Mommy, and Ava walked though the fall festival in king farm. They had a ton of blowup jumping toys - I can't wait until Ava is old enough to enjoy things like that. Then we went to the park. After G&G went home Ava had some down time reading books. As Ava was running towards me I snapped this shot were you can see all 4 or her teeth. She looks a little crazy but still adorable :)

Weekend with Daddy

Mommy spent Friday, Saturday, and Sunday morning on the other side of DC at National Harbour for the ASCO Breast Cancer Conference so Friday Ava and Daddy had an adventure riding the bus to daycare. Saturday morning Ava watched cartoons as Mommy finished getting ready and Daddy got his last few minutes of sleep. Daddy and Ava had a great day and Mommy got a great big hug and kiss when she got home just in time for dinner.