Vacation-poolside

We just got back from a 9 day vacation in Palm Springs and Disneyland. It was so nice to see some sunshine and warmer temperatures, although cooler than we would have liked (60s), but still nice to see the sun. Nathan was actually able to take a vacation with out working which hasn't happened in about 2 years. We spent the time with my in-laws at their home in Palm Springs for several days, visited with our friends the Riedel's for a day, and spent 2 days in Disneyland.

Most of our time we spent lounging by the pool. We woke up every morning, went and grabbed coffee at my favorite coffee shop in California, The Coffee Bean, headed back to the house and Andrew swam. The first few days he wanted to wear his life jacket, but after a few days he decided that he didn't need it anymore. He got really comfortable in the pool and would even put his face in the water a few times.

Andrew loved helping Papa clean the pool! After it warmed up a bit, he decided to go swimming.

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Papa bought Andrew a remote control boat. He had fun watching it go all over the pool. Unfortunately it broke when he sank it. I think he loved playing with it broken more that he loved using the remote control :) Ava enjoyed this float a little more than last trip. She would relax so much in it that she would lay with her feet up behind her, like she was laying on her stomach.

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He looked so cute in his sunglasses but didn't like wearing them much.

Andrew did not like being in the tube!

All 3 boys reading their books poolside.

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p.s. Unfortunately our lens on our camera broke the first day of our vacation. We brought our small camera but forgot the charger and it didn't have much charge on it. Most of the pictures are from our camera phones, my mother in laws camera and our small camera. Hoping we get our nice camera fixed soon!

9 months

Ava turned 9 months on Valentines day. I can't believe that in a few short months she will be 1! She still has no teeth, isn't crawling, and is a big time mama's girl. She is starting to talk a lot more and make her voice known. She loves to scream when she wants attention, not necessarily because she is mad, but because she just talks in a loud scream! She is starting to babble dada, but has no idea what she is saying. She's not sure about strangers talking to her, or anyone that she isn't very familiar with....she won't even smile, just stare them down. She loves bath time and seems to always poop in the bath if she is in it for more than 5 minutes. She still nurses 4 times a day and is now eating 3 solid food meals a day. She is only in the 10% for weight and still weighs less than 16 pounds. She loves to sleep but won't sleep unless she's in her crib. She loves to be tickled and is starting to move around a lot more. She scoots and rolls to get where she wants. She is starting to get on her knees, but not a ton. She still has no teeth. She is loving standing up while holding on to us. She now takes her hair clip out of her hair and chews on it. She tends to do it more when she is tired and if one isn't in her hair she grabs at her hair when she's tired. She does this cute little thing where she scrunches up her nose and makes a sniffing noise. She thinks she is being so funny! Here are a few pictures from her 9 month photo shoot.

This is what she looks like when she is talking loud....it's pretty funny!

Heart Day

Nathan and I celebrated Valentines on the 13th. We went to dinner at Jory and it was amazing....they seriously have the best food! Valentines day I took the kids to Starbucks in the morning and we had Ava's 9 month pictures that afternoon. The kids opened their gifts and we took them to Red Robin for dinner. It was completely crazy busy there and we will NOT be going there again for Valentines. I think ever parent had the same idea as us. We spent the evening running a few last minute errands at Target and packing for our trip to Palm Springs.

The kids looking at their new Valentine books.

Andrew helping Ava open her present- a toy picnic basket....and she loves it!

Andrew opening his new Chugginton track. He'd been asking about it for a few weeks and was so excited to get it!

Andrew 3.5yrs & Ava 9mo

Valentines Party

Yesterday Andrew had his Valentines party at school. They frosted cookies, made heart necklaces, painted, and gave their friends valentines cards. It was pretty cute! Andrew always loves when I visit him at school.

He was so proud of his painting.

Frosting cookies & eating them. He only took one bite and then said he was done.

Putting all of his valentine cards into his everyone's bags.

The sweet heart necklace he made me :)

I ♥ him!

Swimming-part 2

Today was Andrew's last swimming class. We will be missing 2 of his sessions while we are in Palm Springs, but we are hoping to work on his swimming since we will be at a pool (hopefully) swimming everyday! He woke up a grouch this morning, not wanting to get out of bed (at 8:45 when I woke him) and not wanting to go to swimming. I finally got him dressed, in the car, and off to swimming. He fought me the whole way into his class and stood and watched the kids for awhile before his teacher got him to come into the pool. He pouted for the 1st 10 minutes of class and then had a great time splashing around and playing with the other kids.

Superbowl Sunday

Superbowl Sunday we spent at my in-laws. They have been spending much of their winter in Palm Springs and Andrew has been missing them lots. We told them we were going to their house after church and he didn't even want to eat lunch, he wanted to go straight to Buddy Papa's house and have hot dogs! As soon as we got there he rode around on his tractor and played with papa. He didn't watch much football, but spent the afternoon playing with both of his grandmas.

They have this little workout chair in their bonus room that is like riding a horse. Andrew loved it and said he was a cowboy! He wanted to listen to cowboy music while he rode the "horse."

Playing Cars bingo with Pama and frosting cookies with Aunt Tiffany.

Ava was not to thrilled most of the day. This was the look she gave pretty much the whole time we were there. She did nap well, but wasn't too happy when she was awake. If I was out of her sight for one minute or if someone else was holding her, she cried. Poor baby is such a mama's girl!

Andrew 3.5 years

Ava 8.5 months

A Rare Moment

Andrew and Ava looking and smiling at the camera at the same time....doesn't happen often!

2.4.2011-Andrew 3.5 yrs, Ava 8.5 months

My babies

The kids are at a really fun stage right now. They are also requiring a lot of supervision as Andrew is always getting in Ava's face, taking toys away from her and not sharing. Ava is really starting to interact a lot and play with her toys. It so fun watching her figure things out and explore new things.

Right now my favorite thing that Andrew says is, "are you kiddin' me" or "are you kiddin'." Seriously, what kid says this. He is too funny!

Ava loves blankets more than any baby I've ever known. As soon as you put a blanket over her in her crib she grabs it, put it by her face, and kicks her legs like crazy and smiles. She absolutely loves blankets. She doesn't have a favorite blanket, any blanket makes her happy. She also loves to have her pacifier in her mouth upside down. She will purposefully put it in her mouth that way.

Andrew is always wanting to hold her. Ava will only put up with it for so long until she starts crying. It is impossible to get a picture of them both smiling and looking at the camera.

Jan.29 & 30, 2011

Dance Party-take 2

The next day Andrew had his friend Carter over for a play date. These boys are so funny together. They play so well together and are a crack up. There favorite thing to do is get flashlights and chase around looking for ghosts. I don't know why both of them love it so much, but they do. When Andrew asks his other friends to do this, they look at him like he's crazy, but not Carter, he loves it just as much as Andrew. They also had a dance party, which was hilarious! The boys each had a flashlight, we turned on some music and they jumped around and had a blast. Other highlights for them were- Mario Kart Wii, eating bunny crackers together (Andrew's favorite), playing trains, tickling each other, and just running around like 3 year old boys. They have a lot of energy!

Dance Party

My other highlight of the weekend was our impromptu dance party on Sunday night. We had a quick dinner at Chipotle and when we got home Andrew grabbed 2 flashlights and started dancing around. We turned the lights off, had the flashlights going and turned on some music. Andrew and Ava were both having a blast. It was so funny. Ava was cracking up and Andrew was going crazy. We danced to Andrew's favorite, Black Eyed Peas "Boom Boom Pow." After our dance party we put the kids to bed and on the way Andrew said, "that was the best dance party ever!" He cracks me up!

Andrew having fun with the flashlights!

You can tell how much he loves it!

Ava getting in on the dance party too. She thought it was so funny when I held her like this. She just jumped and laughed.

Daddy & Ava dancing!

1.30.2011-Andrew 3yrs, Ava 8.5 months