Stuck!

This is a common theme these days in our household. 

I use chairs and tubs and whatever else I can find to block off certain areas to keep Ava "contained."

So that means, Ava's day is spent entirely just trying to escape. 

She wedges herself into every nook and cranny...

and then realizes that she is, in fact, stuck.

Which makes her very, very sad.

"Help! Help!"

But does she ever let it get her down for long? Of course not.

There are more important things to do and see.

Two seconds after a dramatic meltdown, she's off again. 

Off to implement her next escape plan that has been brewing in her head all morning.

(Which usually includes booking it to the bathroom as quickly as possible.)

Have I mentioned how much I love this little babe?

Runny nose and all. :)

I feel like I have said this with every month that's passed...

...but this truly is the cutest age yet. 

9 months

Dear Ava Sophia,

You turned 9 months on June 29, 2011. Nine months is a big milestone because you have now lived outside of the womb for as long as you inhabited it. I am so happy you did finally decide to vacate MY premises and join us in this world. But sometimes, I wish I could stuff you back inside me and take you with me wherever I go. My womb does make a wonderful baby carrier.

At your last check up, you measured 30.25 inches long (99.96th percentile) and 22 lbs 4 oz (96th percentile weight to age, 50th percentile weight to height). You haven't fallen below the 99th percentile yet for height. You fit into 12 month clothes perfectly, but I only buy you 12-18 month clothes now so you get a little more wear out of them. 

Two days after you turned 8 months,  you officially started crawling. It started like a bear crawl, with your diaper in the air. After a couple days, you figured out that your knees make for a great mode of transportation...and you were off. However, you would much rather be standing and walking along furniture than crawling. So you crawl, crawl, crawl until you reach something you can pull up on and then you scoot, scoot, scoot along the furniture, walls, and whatever else is in your path.

Other things you have learned/done this month: 

• You can pull yourself to stand up in your crib. You also can lay back down on your own and fall asleep after playing with your toys for a few minutes (something I appreciate very, very much). 
• You wave and smile at any and everyone everywhere we go, which results in many long conversations from cute old ladies as they "ooh" and "ahh" over you.
• You can clap on cue. 
• You love when Mommy or Daddy read stories to you. You love the books that have soft fur and textures that you can touch. You have learned how to turn the pages of your books and sometimes do so before we are done reading the page. 
• You can say "Dada." It used to be more "dadadadada" but now it is definitely just "dada."
• You are learning how to mimic Mom and Dad. I will laugh, and you laugh in return. I say "dada" and you say "dada" back. And so on and so forth.
• You give kisses on your own accord and not only when I ask for one.
• Whenever music comes on, you dance. Your dancing consists of bouncing up and down, sticking out your tongue and panting like a dog because you are so excited.  

You are still an incredibly social baby. You love new people and especially kids and other babies. We have also learned recently that you love dogs and think that a dog barking is probably one of the funniest things you've experienced in your short 9 months on this planet. You also love to kiss dogs in your famous open-mouth fashion.

Recently, you started standing all on your own. This is the first time I can tell that you understand you are doing something new. You beam with pride as you carefully balance. At first you could stand by yourself for 2-3 seconds, and now it's for much longer. Every once in a while, you will take a couple steps, but walking is still a ways away...which is perfectly fine with me. :)

You are starting to lose interest in milk and instead want more and more "big people" food. Your Daddy and I have to share our food with you or you will wail and whine until you get a little taste. You love cheese, beans, peas, corn, carrots, bread, tortillas, grilled cheese sandwiches, edemame, puffs, quesadillas...I could go on and on. You have tried many different types of food with many different spices, flavors and textures. You have liked them all. Little girl, you love your food. 

Some funny things about you:

• Your tongue is almost always sticking out.
• Your favorite toy is a toothbrush. In a room full of toys, you always go for...yep, you guessed it, the toothbrush.
• You love the song "Baby" by Justin Beiber and "Elmo's Song" from Sesame Street. When these songs come on, you instantly turn your head to look at me, open your mouth wide, and start dancing.
• You stick your tongue out and pant like a dog when you are excited.
• Your hair is getting barely long enough for a teeny, tiny blonde ponytail. I love it.
• 

Ava, these 9 months have gone by way too fast - faster than I ever expected or thought possible. I fall deeper and harder in love with you every single day. I, as your mother, of course think everything you do is completely unique and special (ha ha). I love that you will pause while you are playing to walk over to me, lay your head on my shoulder and plant a big, wet, open-mouthed kiss on my cheek. I love listening to you babble and coo to yourself in your crib before you fall asleep. I love how much attention you attract wherever we go, and how you smile so big and kick your little legs and flail your arms so fast when someone says hi to or smiles at you. I love that when I hold you close, you hum softly as if to say "I love you Momma." I love your curious nature, your outgoing personality, and your happy disposition. I love you. All of you. Forever and ever and ever.

Happy 9 months my sweet Ava love.

Love,
Momma :)

Look Ma, no hands!

This is getting very real. 

All she wants to do these days is stand up all by herself. 

Fire in Colorado Springs

I feel so sick and heartbroken. This fire in Colorado springs is ravaging the mountains where I grew up with no relief in sight. The fire is still 0% contained and spreading fast. I pray they contain this fire soon and my thoughts and prayers are with those who are fighting this fire, and those who have been evacuated. This is terrifying and sad beyond words.

These pictures from the Denver Post are horrifying. 

I took all these pictures off of Facebook and google images. 

Click this link to watch the coverage live. 

SoMa StrEat Food Park

Tonight, Bryson took Ava and I across the bridge, into the city.

I love nights like this. 

It never gets old...that view of the Bay Bridge as you come out of the tunnel.

He took us to a street food park...several food trucks selling foods of all kinds. 

We ordered a couple sliders and a burrito stuffed with Indian-spiced curry potatoes, chicken and rice.

And then I got a Belgian waffle. Because you can't pass up a Belgian waffle.

Ava chowed down on the bananas off my waffle.

Which, naturally came with a free sampling of whipped cream.

What a spoiled baby.

Ava enjoyed staring and laughing at all the puppies walk by and waving at every person who made eye contact with her.

And she really enjoyed the Chinese Dragons as they danced and jumped all over the place.

I'm not exactly sure why they were there, but they were very neat to watch.

I thought she was going to be afraid of them because the drums and music were so loud.

Ohhh no, she LOVED them.

Ava was LAUGHING so hard; harder than I have ever heard her laugh before.

Who can blame her, these things go against everything she has ever known in her life haha.

I was just laughing watching her so enthralled, mesmerized...utterly entertained.

I caught a tiny bit of her laughing at the dragons on video, but this is nothing, seriously. 

I'm not kidding, she was going nuts over these things. 

People were even watching her and laughing along at with her. :)

She was having the time of her life.

Thanks for a fun night in the city, honey!

Videos {June #1}

Ava loves stories! She giggles and smiles the entire time I am reading her a book. If you watch closely, you can see that she even turns the pages herself. 

Ava's a great escape artist. 

Bryson thinks I should be so embarrassed of this video, but how cute that she thought this was funny?

My girl loves giving sloppy kisses.

Ava is lucky that she has a "fun" dad. :) One time we were at our favorite ice cream place in Berkeley and he handed Ava the last little bit of his ice cream cone for a couple minutes. Needless to say, she was in HEAVEN. She definitely was a "natural" chowing down on that ice cream.
*Disclaimer: No, she hadn't had ice cream before. No, we haven't fed Ava ice cream since. Yes, I know I probably shouldn't ever feed my baby ice cream. BUT here's the video anyway. 

Ava made a mess. The first of many, I'm sure.

This is scaring me a little bit. 

Actually a lot.

Ava has been pulling herself up to stand up...

...and then she lets go and she is standing there...all by herself.

Or she will stand up without holding onto anything.

And sometimes she will take a step...and sometimes two.

And then she plops down. (phew!)

BUT come on!

She just learned how to crawl - I am NOT ready for anything else quite yet.

Not now or any time soon. 

But on the other hand, she does look cute!

And I can tell she is so proud, as she stands there focusing...balancing.


Of course, I know it will be a long time until she is actually walking,
but it's crazy to get little glimpses of what is to come.

I took this video as I was typing this post to give you a little idea of what I mean.

Dada

Dear Daddy,

Thank you for playing with me.

Thank you for throwing me up in the air so high I feel like I am flying.

Thank you for taking me swimming.

Thank you for letting me sleep next to you when I am teething and wake up in the middle of the night.

Thank you for reading me stories in your funny kid voice.

Thank you for singing to me while I take a bath every night.

Thank you for letting me climb all over you like a human jungle gym.

Thank you for loving me instantly - from the moment you saw me.

Thank you for being my daddy. 

Happy "Dada's" Day! :)

Love, 

Ava

-------------------------

This video is so funny. 

No, she doesn't know what "dada" means,

but she has started learning how to mimic me when I say dada or baba or something like that. 

And of course on Father's Day, I caught this on video. 

Perfection.

Happy Father's Day!

My dad.

I honestly don't think I can adequately describe how much I love, admire, respect and am grateful for my dad.

He is wonderful beyond words - a superhero dad without question.

My dad has taught me many important lessons...

but none more important than teaching me the kind of man I should someday marry. 

As a young girl, I watched him ADORE my mom.

I remember squealing in "disgust" as they would kiss in the kitchen, and giggling when he called her gorgeous.

There was no question of his love for her. 

And hers of him.

He did laundry, cleaned the house, helped with dinner and homework and did the dishes...every single day. 

When my mom passed away, he did it all as a single dad...

...and he did more.

He curled our hair, sat in the leather chairs at American Eagle while his daughters shopped and even offered his opinion on jeans, hair styles and shoes.

He listened to me talk of boys, dreams, insecurities, goals.

And he did more than just listen...he was genuinely interested. 

He cared.

I have never heard my dad say one unkind word to or about anyone. 

I have never heard him yell or raise his voice.

He is kind, generous, thoughtful, selfless, strong, smart, positive, patient and hopeful. 

He has more faith than anyone I know.

He has spent his life thinking tirelessly of everyone but himself.

(He is the kind of man who would wear the same worn tennis shoes from college if we didn't take him to the store and make him buy new ones).

He is the best of the best.

I am blessed beyond words that he is my dad.

New daddy and baby Ashley (2 hours old)

Love you Daddio! 

Shake that baby booty

The first time Ava crawled it was a bear crawl.

She only did the bear crawl for a day and a half, then switched to both knees on the ground, like a regular baby.
Well, in the process of learning how to bear crawl, Ava channeled her inner Beyonce and backed her little thang up.
She sure can shake that baby booootay.

Wait for 21 seconds into this video...you will not be disappointed. :)

Good thing she's too little to understand what her mom just shared on the internet. :)

Outside

Ava loves being outside.

Mostly, she loves eating everything outside.
Let me rephrase...she loves to TRY to eat everything outside. TRY meaning, I don't let her of course.
Leaves, grass, flowers...she isn't picky.

Our new apartment complex has a nice shaded grassy area where I take Ava and let her explore.
She will crawl all around in search of the next thing to taste.

Can you spot her teeny, tiny barely-there ponytail?
It's cute and so funny looking.

Whatever she finds, she is always willing to share.

"Want some?"

Look what I found...

She was barely 2 months old...
so small and perfect.
This little person I hardly knew but loved so much.

And now look at her.
Bigger, and still just perfect in every way.
And somehow I love her even more...which I never thought possible.

Crib standing

I peeked in during "nap time" today and found Ava doing this...

(She had been quiet, I thought she was asleep)

What the heck?

So much has happened with Ava this week.

I swear she has learned something new almost every day.

She now can crawl, pull herself up on furniture to stand, go from laying down to sitting to standing and back down again and walk along furniture and walls.

She is officially mobile.

This has brought a new adventure into our home when it comes to bed time and nap time.  

Very cute, but oh so frustrating. 

Sleep training 2.0 has officially begun.

Stats: 8 months, 1 week

Today, we went to the pediatrician for Ava's "9 month" well-baby checkup. 

Of course, she is only 8 months and 1 week, but it was the only time they had available until after we get back from Virginia.
Close enough.

Here are her stats:

Weight: 22 pounds 4 ounces (96% weight to age) (50% weight to length)

Height: 2 feet 6.25 inches (30.25 inches) (99.9%)

Head circumference: 17.5 inches (77%)

And in case you are worried Ava might grow to be 7 feet tall and be in the 99.9th percentile forever...

check out MY stats from my own 9 month appointment as a baby:

Weight: 22 pounds, 10 ounces

Height: 31 inches

It doesn't get much closer than that!

Any question that she truly is MY daughter?

Genetics: fascinating.

Thank you to my wonderful mom for recording these kinds of things!

It makes me sick to my stomach to think that her next appointment will be around her first birthday.

Her.FIRST.birthday?

........ not even going to talk about that .......