Baby #2!

Jim and I are proud to announce that baby number two is on it's way!! Due date: March 15, 2010! How am I feeling? One word: Yuck. Very nauseous. All day, all the time. There is usually a small reprieve when I am full or sleeping. I have found that chewing minty gum helps keep the gagging away, so that's a plus. I am hoping it will subside before Sunday when we take Ava to Disney World. I can't wait to write about that!

Summer 2009

Since I am quite the slacker mom I will update month by month.

January

In January, Jim and I flew to Dallas for my friend Kristin's wedding to Patrick. I was fortunate enough to be in the wedding and had such a wonderful time. It was a beautiful wedding and it was our first time being away from Ava for an extended period of time. Ava spent the whole time at my mom and dad's (Gamma and Boppa). I worried that my parents would not get a lot of sleep because Ava is not the best sleeper in the world. She slept in a queen sized bed all night, every night. My mom pointed out that she thrashes about quite a bit, and that the toddler bed probably is too small and consequently waking her up every night. So, two nights after we got home, we put a full sized bed in her room and Voila! she sleeps good every night. Who knew? In January, Ava counted to 10 all by herself too!

February

During February, we went to Kalahari in Ohio with a bunch of friends from my work. Ava had a blast, and so did all of the adults as we traded kids and went on the slides. It ended on a downer for us, because Ava spent the last night throwing up. Ugh. So I spent the whole night staring at her to make sure she didn't suffocate. It was horrid. Plus, whenever there is puke involved, I can't handle it. I totally freak out. I think I might be an Emetophobe. (yes there is a name for it). A few days after I turned the big 3-0, I finished painting the spare bedroom and we moved Ava into her new big-girl bedroom. As far as milestones, Ava accomplished knowing all of her colors, oh- and she started fake sneezing so we would say Bless You! Then she would say thank you! She also said her full name this month: "Ava Cafrin Smiff".

March

I can't think of March events.... other than this was the month Ava started singing (kind of) her ABCs. Ava and Jim started going on "adventures" in the backyard woods and he started taking her fishing on his days off. The one picture is them having lunch in the back of the Envoy after fishing.

April

This month, Ava stayed with Gamma and Boppa again while Jim, April, and I surprised Rob (Compau) by going to Vegas. Jim and I had never been. We had a fantabulous time! It was like a different country. There was a big snow dump here at home while we laid out at the pool. It was great. Ava missed us and we got a great coming home hug. I definitely remember the hug. Right after the big bear hug, she said, "Let's go home." Milestones: Can identify the numbers 2, 6, and 8. As soon as we returned we started potty training. It took her about a week to really get the hang of it. By mid-May she only wore diapers for sleeping. It was exhausting though.

May

Jim took Ava to the zoo on one of his days off, and her favorite animals were the 'raffe and muckey. She talked about the zoo for days. May was also the month of Ava's first gymnastics class. She cried on the way home and kept saying "

I wanna go back to nastics!". She absolutely loves it (plus cousin Sha-sha is in it). After class, we (Smith's and Kulaga's) go to Buffalo Wild Wings for dinner. It's hit or miss with the kids, but one particular day, Ava and Sophia were so giggly that we just stared at them. Ava was laughing SO hard she had tears in her eyes. Wonder wear she gets that from??? At some point in the beginning of the month, Ava told Jim that he was her best friend. It was the most precious thing I have ever heard. I think I actually saw Jim melt into a puddle on the floor. Around Mother's Day she started speaking like an adult. One morning (too early) she woke up crying, and when I got to her room , she sat up in bed and said, "Mommy, I lost my mimi!" (mimi=pacifier). I was like.... uh? what? Who are you? Ava also flew her first kite this month too.

June/July

June was full of travel. We went up-north many times. We also went to Avalanche Bay at Boyne Mt. The first time we went, the Kulaga's went with us and it was a blast. I got Ava to go down one of the bigger slides all by herself. By the time our week up-north came, she went down both of the slides (one is dark for half the ride) all by herself. She loved it! So, I was up the big-big inner-tube slides by myself (Jim had Ava) when I saw a little girl go down the ride with her dad. She didn't look too much older than Ava. So when I got down, I asked her mom if she liked the ride and she said yes. So I talked Jim into taking her down. He was very hesitant because he didn't want to scare her for life. I figured if she was anything like me she would love it. Jim said she was quiet the whole way down and then at the bottom she yelled, "I wanna do it again!". That's my girl!!! June was also the month I finished my Master's Degree. (Phew!). It was mind-numbing and time consuming at the end, but it was worth it. I learned a lot! I think it was either in June or perhaps earlier, that Ava started saying: Guess what? I love you! Also- dunt-da-da-dah! Ava went pacifier free on June 17th. Big bed? Check. Potty-training? Check. Pacifer? Gone! Wahoo!!! It's nice to be independent! Although, with that said, the sassiness has started. She is knows what she wants and let's everyone know about it. She also calls everyone 'guys' or 'kids'. She'll walk into a room and say, "Hey kids! Whattaredoin?" Adorable.

Despite the not-so-summer weather, the summer is flying by and I am eeking out every moment with Ava. She is a fun kid. I am a lucky mom!