Ava's Antics

Life with Ava is busy but oh, so fun! She is such a little character and provides us with lots of laughs. These days she loves packing a purse, putting on any shoes or boots she finds available (she is not picky...any size or style will do), swiping a pair of keys, and trying desperately to find a way to sneak outside. Doug can often be heard asking, "Has anyone seen my keys?" He needn't look any further than Ava's purses...it's only a matter of finding which purse she has stashed them in. :-) When my cousin Kristin was visiting, Ava put on a baby coat, packed a bag and escaped to the back deck where it was raining. Oh, and did I mention she didn't have anything else on except a diaper and her boots. She didn't last long outside but I was able to quick snap a picture to preserve that memory, which you can see below.

Ava also enjoys helping me or Doug in the kitchen. She loves helping me bake something and wearing her special apron and hat. I recently realized that Hannah and I did much more baking together when she was Ava's age - I guess life is just busier with two. Now I'm trying to be intentional and provide more baking opportunities for Ava too. Helping unload the dishwasher, setting the table and putting things away are also ways that Ava loves to help. She's actually quite a good helper...I'm sure the novelty will wear off at some point, but I'm enjoying her enthusiastic help while I can. :-)

Her bunny is still her favorite thing in the world (next to her family, of course). She sleeps with it every night and nap and often totes it around with her - it looks well-loved. We gave her bunny on her Gotcha Day in China and it's been her special lovey ever since. She loves to snuggle the blanket part under the two fingers she still loves to suck on (although not as much as when she was a baby). In a picture below, the multi-talented Ava is demonstrating the proper placement of bunny while simultaneously showing the angry glare she learned from her big sister. I had to include that picture because it is rare to have a picture of Ava not smiling.

We love to see Ava growing into an independent and often determined two year old but are sad to see traces of her as a baby fading away. Thanks goodness for lots of pictures and great memories!

Little Miss Leah

Recently, my cousin Kristin and her daughter Leah came for a visit. It was so fun to have a little baby in the house again - Ava suddenly seems so big to me! Leah came decked out in an outfit that my mom-in-law had given us when Hannah was a baby. Ava wore it too and then we passed it along to Leah. We have such good memories of our girls in that outfit that it was so fun to see it again on Leah. She looked adorable. The morning passed quickly but not before we captured some photographs. Notice the junior photographer in the photo below who insists on holding the camera towards her face. :-)

An Evening with Butterflies

A few weeks ago we went with my dad to a special evening butterfly event at the botanical gardens in our area. We have often gone to see the butterflies fluttering around during the day so it felt like an adventure to shine our flashlights and hunt for them in the dark. There were several other special activities we enjoyed doing as well. Hannah loved making the craft and getting a butterfly tattoo and Ava loved dancing and getting her tattoo also. We're glad my dad could go along with us. Unfortunately, my mom wasn't feeling well because of her meniere's disease. She has since been doing better - yea!

MoMo

Hannah's Auntie Di and cousin Jen gave her a special gift this Christmas - a fish she has named Nemo. Ava affectionately calls him "Momo" and loves knocking on his bowl to say hi. I'll have to admit I was a little leery about Hannah having a fish. The seemingly tragic memories from my childhood of frequently dying fish came flooding back. Happy, Speedy and Lucky weren't happy, speedy or lucky for long. They were just several in a string of fish that came into my life and then quickly departed. I had such a tender heart as a kid that I shed very real tears for these fish (this was long before losing loved ones). I chuckle now when I think back to the burials of my fish. I made little coffins using paper jewelry boxes and sprinkled fish food in them in case they came back to life (seriously!), and then buried them in the backyard. Yes, I was pathetic and realize that I was a tad dramatic (hehe)...after all, they were just slimy fish. Nonetheless, I know my daughter has a tender heart like me and I was worried that her fish would die right away like mine did and she would be crushed.

Amazingly, Nemo has thrived despite a neglected and too small fish bowl (he is HUGE!), loud knocks from an eager little visitor, and inconsistent feedings from little helpers and their parents. In the past three months he has won me over! I love seeing how happy Hannah is to finally have a pet. She proudly shows it to anyone who comes over - friends, family, Ava's speech teacher, and even the TV crew who came to shoot footage for Maranda. Nemo has worked his way into our hearts. Even so, he will probably not experience a lavish burial like his ancestors...unless Hannah has other ideas. :-)

Girls Just Wanna Have Fun

Little girls (and their mommies) love having fun! Here's a glimpse of some of those fun times during the past month.

Hula girls - Hannah and her friend Cara

Little Mermaid and a Princess

Hannah and Chloe enjoying the fruit kabobs they made

The Dancing Queen and her Little Princess

Trying to build an igloo before the snow disappeared...by the next day it was gone

Mommies wanna have fun too!

Enjoying an overnighter with my dear friends Kristin and Sue

Lovin' Our Cousin

Ava and Hannah are enjoying spending time with their new cousin Ajla. Ajla is only one month older than Ava so they have loads of fun together. As you would imagine, two 2 year-olds can also get into double the trouble. :-) We discovered this when Ajla spent a couple days with us while Mark and Mirsada were on their honeymoon. They kept me on my toes and drove Hannah to spend some alone time in her room. Nothing beats hearing two year olds giggle with glee though!

Mark and Mirsada's Wedding - 2/14/09

Valentine's Day was extra special this year because my younger brother Mark got married! Mark and Mirsada's wedding day was beautiful - just like the happy couple. We had so much fun sharing in their celebration. I was very honored to be a part of their bridal party and relished my role as Maid of Honor - actually I suppose I was a Matron, but who's keeping track?! :-)

The day was filled with a mix of Bosnian and American traditions. We had a blast dancing to some Bosnian music at the reception. Bless Mirsada's mom Razija for trying to teach a bunch of Hollanders how to dance Bosnian style. I couldn't help but think of "My Big Fat Greek Wedding." It was awesome to see two cultures come together to celebrate Mark and Mirsada.

Hannah and Ava had a blast at the reception. There were lots of other children there so they enjoyed running and dancing around the dance floor. I was grateful for my wonderful husband and parents who helped watch and entertain the girls while I was often busy with wedding and reception details.

It took me quite awhile to sort through all of the wedding photos. I have finally finished putting together a slide show of Mark and Mirsada's special day. Mark and Mirsada, we love you and are so happy for you! Welcome to our family, Mirsada and Ajla!