Christmas pictures

Birthday fun! Ava's first bday party!!!

We had a cookies and milk theme for Ava's first birthday party :) We decided since Allie's party was so wild with so many people we would just do family for Ava's party....good decision! we still had around 35-40 people but it was pretty calm (or maybe my version of calm has changed greatly since having babies...haha)!

LOVE my little sign :) Reminds me of my grandmother...she used to sing this to me ALL the time and I had it both girls party (actually had it made to go in Ava's room but it ended up being to big) 

Our beautiful birthday girl :)

And her beautiful big sissy :) 

sweet cousins :) 

She was SO busy and she didn't even have time to sit for a picture! 

There were presents to open no time to sit still :)

Exactly what she wanted! And let me tell you this band ("van" as Allie calls it) has been very well loved :)

I think Allie was more excited about Ava's presents than she was at her own birthday party! She was VERY excited!

We sang "Happy Birthday" to Ava :)

So I caught the cake topper on fire when I lit her candle...no one even noticed :)

Then it was her favorite part of her party :) Cake time! This girl may be small but she can put down some food! 

She had a wonderful first birthday party :) And it couldn't have gone any better :)

My sweet 4 year old

Oh Allie,

    What to say about you...I wish I could just take a picture of how my mind sees you :) you are so very special to me and I want to describe it somehow but I just can't! You are so sweet, smart, fun, sassy, wild, funny, loving....you have so much personality in that little body and I just adore you! You are at such a cool age right now...you understand me/I understand you, we can joke and laugh and play, you believe in miracles and have so much passion for everything...nothing is impossible to you, you are becoming a little girl and it breaks my heart and makes me happy at the same time! Sometimes I do feel like you get fussed at a lot about little stuff and we do have some minding issues and listening issues right now (just like every other 4 year old alive) but I want you to know your mommy loves you with every fiber of her being...I honestly do! And sometimes I feel guilty because I do have to take care of your sister too and I don't want you to feel less important because that is not the case and hopefully I am doing a descent job of proving that? I love you doll baby and I can't/ nor would I ever want to imagine my life without you in it! You are my "shunshine" forever :) I love when you point to me and mouth the words "you're my best friend, I'm your best friend" over and over! I hope we are best friends forever!

I love listening to you pray every night before bed and I never know what on earth you will pray for :) Tonight you prayed: "Dear Lord, I pray you'll watch over me, and mommy, and daddy, and pink blankie, and Ava Grace. Help us to love each other. Thank you for all you do for us. Thank you for watering the flowers. Help us to find our elf in the morning and help us to find her easily. Thank you for making the earth. Thank you for taking us to Heaven and thank you for letting us die. In your name of pray (which she repeats several times throughout her prayers) AMEN."
You want both Mommy and Daddy putting you to bed every night and we still sing "Jesus loves me" "Jesus loves the little children" and "You are my shunshine" most nights (in that specific order).We each have to pray (also in order...Allie, Daddy, then Mommy).

A little Q and A :) Favorites according to Allie Kate :)

1. Favorite color?  Baby pink
2. Favorite toy?  Pink Blankie
3. Favorite fruit? Watermelon
4. Favorite t.v. show? Sophia the first and Henry Hugglemonster
5. Favorite food? Pankcakes
6. Favorite outfit? Jasmine costume
7. Favorite game? Candyland
8. Favorite snack? Saltine crackers
9. Favorite animal? Elephant
10. Favorite song? Jesus loves me and you are my "shunshine"
11. Favorite book? Llama Llama home with mama
12. Favorite sports? I don't like sports I like to dance :)
13. Favorite drink? Chocolate milk
14. Favorite holiday? Halloween
15. Favorite meal if you could have anything? French fries, chicke-nuggs, and sweet tea (she is so my kid!)
16. What do you want to be when you grow up? a clogger
17. If you could change your name what would it be? "diamondy"

My little one year old

Sweet Ava grace,

      You can't be one already!!! Say it ain't so :( I can't even let my mind wrap around that or I may (ok who am I kidding) WILL burst into tears! You are the sweetest baby! You are so loving and sweet spirited :) your big beautiful eyes are so bright and full of life and I want to remember every detail of your perfect little face and features because sadly I know they'll change all too soon. You make me smile at least a million times a day and I am so thankful for you my sweet girl! 

Some random things:

*at 12 months old still no walking, you will hold on and walk but will not dare let go

* you just learned to clap a few days ago during the iron bowl because mommy kept clapping and cheering for our team (even though I have pleaded with you during pat-a-cake to please clap) and you still aren't a pro at it ;) 

* size 3 diaper and size 2-3 shoe (still in a  2 but they seem to be getting snug) 

* you say dog, bite, dink, mama (both your favorite and mine), dada, no no (accommodated with head shaking and finger pointing), bye bye, hi, ball, you said "juju" once when ain't ju kept saying it to you and the other day in sissy's bedroom we were looking at her nativity scene and you would point and I would tell you what things were and you said "Jesus" twice...and not one person has believed me when I told them that! Not even Allie Kate and she was sitting right there when you said it! Haha

*you still get bottles randomly...you LOVE them and cry for milk at bedtime and some nap times too...and if i offer a sippy cup it just makes you crazy mad...you take 7 ounces!

* great eater! You chow down! I can't feed you fast enough...you are chewing and fussing for more quicker than I can give it to you! You eat pretty much anything...green beans (you love), ham, pancakes, peas, granola bars, oatmeal, ponytail holders...haha pretty much anything you can get your pudgy fingers on :)

* you are on whole milk...that started when we went to Disney world

* 2 naps a day...each about 1-1.5 hours) bedtime 7:30...you lay down by yourself big girl ( I give you a bottle before of course sometimes...ok most times, I just don't like going on record saying I still give you a bottle after you are one...I feel like your pediatrician is going to jump through the screen and scold me or call dhr or something). You wake up around 7-8am for the day ( and you wake up anywhere from 5-6:30am for a bottle and go back to sleep).

* you think your sister is awesome (and she is :) she can look at you and you giggle like a goofball :)

* you have 4 teeth and you like to grind them and I can NOT STAND IT! I about lose my mind!

I don't know your stats for sure yet but I weighed you today and you weighed 18.6 pounds :) and I can't even imagine trying to measure you at home...we will leave that up to the doctors :) (I just guessed according to your sisters stats at your age in your bday sign)

I love you my little sweet cheeks :)