Ava {19 months}

I decided to keep writing monthly posts about both of my kids so I can print the posts into a book at the end of the year.
Ava is still changing so much each month, I want to write it all down so I can remember.
So, here is Ava's 19 month post. :)

Words she knows as of today (GREEN ones are new words this month):

keys, sit, achoo, look, hat, kick, stick, Auntie, puppy, elbow, banana (nana), walk, eyes, hot, yeah, play (pay), swing (wee), cup, buckle up (buka uh), bubble gum (bubba guh), apple juice, happy birthday (appie day), cupcake, goodnight (nye nye), oh cute (ohhh toote), moon, bow, ouch, cookie, all done, water, happy, moo, baa, thank you, truck, duck/quack (same thing right now) car, balloon (boon), cake, please (meese), flower (wow-wee), belly (buh-bee), clicker, cup, oh no, ball, bubble, up, apple, cool, Elmo, baby, no, grandpa (says poppy), grandma (says mama), ow/owie, milk (muk), paci (she actually calls it mammy), cracker, shoes, dada, mama, hi, bye, more, uh oh, wow, cheese, book

Highlights:

• Has started putting two words together ("Hi baby," "Hi mama," "Hi flowers" etc)
• New body parts she knows: knee, tongue, elbow, fingernail, toenails 
• Says "Tickle, tickle, tickle" as she tries to tickle you
• If we say "Be soft," she will gently rub your arm or cheek.
• My favorite thing that she says right now is "yeah." We will ask her, "Ava do you want to go play outside," and she answers, "Yeah!" in the cutest little way. 
• She loves for me to blowdry her hair and she pretends to put on her makeup when I am putting mine on. She also pretends to shave under her arms (obviously she has seen me do it a few times hahaha). You never know what they are watching you do until you see them do it themselves haha. 
• Whenever we drive past some of our "usual spots," she recognizes them. For example, when we drive past the park or even get close to the parking lot, she starts clapping and shouting "Play! Play!" Or, (and yes, I am embarrassed and slightly ashamed to admit this) if we are driving past Taco Bell, she will start signing "eat" and will shout "Cup!" (because if we go through the Taco Bell drive-thru, I always get her a cup of water). 
• Her favorite movie is the Lorax - she gets sooooo excited when it comes on and is glued to the screen the entire time. 
• Her Auntie Kait came this month for a few days and Ava absolutely ADORED her. She quickly learned how to say "Aye-tee" (Auntie) and followed her around like a little shadow the entire time. The day Kaitlyn left, Ava walked around the house saying "Aye tee" over and over and over, trying to find her Auntie.
• She LOVES flowers right now - everywhere we go, she points out the "wow wees," and (unfortunately) she picks the flowers we have planted every chance she gets. 
• She now goes to nursery and she literally SPRINTS for the door as soon as we get to church. She runs right in the room and doesn't look back and could care less if I'm there or not. Her nursery leaders said she is definitely the "leader," and she makes everyone "happy" because she tries to cheer up the kids who are sad. Last Sunday, Bryson and I peeked in on her and my heart had a major pitter-pat moment watching her listening (or not listening haha) to her teacher and learning about Jesus and eating her snack. When I went to pick her up after church, the second she saw me, she ran into my arms and gave me a big hug. Gosh I LOVE that girl! 
• Most people who know her and spend time with her say she is a happy and fun little girl and that she is funny - a lot of people say that she makes them laugh. She definitely has a spunky, boisterous personality. She loves to laugh, smile, dance, and sing and she gets excited easily. She is very social and loves meeting new people and playing with kids of all ages. 
• She also is tender-hearted and loves to give hugs and kisses, and she especially likes to try to cheer people up when they are sad (including Gavin) by smiling big, rubbing their head and saying "Hi" right in their face.
• Overall, this month I have really noticed that she is starting to understand much more. If she is upset, I will sit her down and explain to her why she can't do certain things or I will tell her what I expect from her or what I need her to do to help me...and she just "gets it" much, much more than ever before. I have noticed if I give her a choice, it works better than if I just say "no," to something. For example, if she is being "naughty" and running around outside instead of getting in her car seat, I will say, "Ava, you can either get in your car seat so we can go byebye or we can go inside and be all done." I will see the little wheels in her head turning, and most of the time, she will make the right choice and come get in her car seat (or whatever else). Then, since she made a good choice, I can praise her and that way she feels proud of herself for doing the right thing. (Of course, sometimes it doesn't go that smoothly haha).

Here are some pictures from this month:

All dressed up for nursery. :)

She's all ready for summer in her new swimsuit and sandals. :)

Ava got 2 HUGE splinters (or slivers as Bryson calls them) one night. There was MUCH drama and many, many tears shed in the effort to get them out! So sad!  She still comes to me, holds her hand out and says "Owies" until I kiss it better. 

We went to the Oakland Zoo with Auntie Kait.

Ava pet the goats...for about 10 seconds and then got bored haha.

Oakland Zoo with Momma.

Ava ADORES her Auntie Kait.

She followed her Aye-tee everywhere!

First Ikea ice cream cone. 

We learned this month that Ava HATES laying in the grass haha.

Her baby brother was blessed this month.

More sweet moments with Auntie Kait. (Somehow, Ava and Kaitlyn coordinated every day while she was here haha)

We LOVE our sweet Ava.

This month we also introduced "Time Out." :(

Ava went car shopping this month and loved climbing in all the new cars. She was so excited to drive home in our new MINIVAN! haha

Well, another month has come and gone faster than a blink of an eye - I can't believe it's already almost MAY. I sure do love my sweet Ava - she brightens my days with her beautiful smile and her very curious nature. I just love watching her learn and grow. 

Until next month. :)

Gavin's Blessing Day

Today was Gavin's blessing day. 

He wore a little white outfit that Nam made for him.

He was perfect, of course. 

Someone in the circle said that he was smiling and looking around during the whole blessing. 

Sweet baby boy.

Bryson gave him the most beautiful blessing - what a wonderful daddy.

Ava was on my lap shouting "Dada, dada, dada" the entire time - because (hello!), the attention is supposed to be centered around her. ;) Right?

We love this little boy so much! 

We are so lucky to call him ours.

Videos

Just some random videos from my phone. 

The ones of Gavin are a lot of me saying "Gavin, hi buddy" and him just sitting there 

because, well that's all he does these days. ;)

He is starting to smile and he makes sweet little baby coos, so you might catch glimpses of that.

I noticed that most of these videos include Ava doing something about which I have to say, "No Ava, be soft".  

(I seem to do a lot of that these days.) jk haha. :)

This one makes me laugh because Gavin had a little bit of "baby acne" and Ava points to one of his "pimples" and calls it an "eye."

I love my family.
:)

Gavin Rolled Over

This came as a complete surprise, but today every time I put Gavin on his tummy for "tummy time," he somehow ended up on his back. Sometimes he would roll right away, sometimes it would take him a few minutes...but he never stayed on his tummy for too long. 

And because I know I would forget unless I posted on my blog...

...and for all of you who might be rolling your eyes thinking he is too little to be rolling over...

the proof is below. 

In this next one, he only goes half way and then gets "stuck." But the little noises he makes are so cute, I had to still post it. He is such a sweet little guy!

Ava's Room

I just wanted to post some pictures of Ava's room (which is NOT done by any means)...

but I wanted to show some pictures of the beautiful bedding that my grandma made! 

(I helped a little bit haha)

I still have a lot I would like to do, but at least it feels a little bit organized and presentable for now.

Changing table (that I bought for $20 on Craigslist): I made the cover for the changing pad and the little curtain that hides the clutter on the bottom shelf. Inside the pictures frames is just fabric. The one with the elephants fell a while ago and the glass shattered, so it's currently just hanging there without glass and the fabric is all shifted - but you can tell how much I care by the fact that I have not fixed it haha.
Chair (another $20 Craigslist find): My grandma made the beautiful blanket with the ruffle trim. I LOVE it. I picked out the fabric and shipped it to her in Nebraska and she made it exactly as I had envisioned. I made the pillows.

My dad installed the chandelier that I bought from Ikea. I have wanted this chandelier since I was pregnant with Ava...but until now we have always lived in apartments with no overhead lighting in the bedrooms. So once we moved here, I figured it was a perfect time to buy the chandelier and swap it out for the old light fixture. 

The crib bedding (I found this crib on Craigslist for $50) is my absolute favorite part of the room, of course. I made the crib skirt, which is still not finished - I have only done the front, not either of the two sides (because gathering is such a pain and takes forever! haha). My grandma made the bumpers. I LOVE them! I bought the blue fabric, shipped it to her and asked for white bumpers with a blue ruffle. Again, they are exactly what I was hoping for! Then, I swap out the crib sheets when one is in the laundry - this one is grey with white polka dots and the other one is grey chevron.

Random things on the dresser. The tall glass jar holds Ava's pacifiers, the small one holds Gavin's pacifiers, and the little blue jar holds Ava's hair clippies. I only took a picture of half of the "collage" wall (which I still want to add to), but I printed off a bunch of "free printables" I found from Pinterest and framed them. 

Anyway, like I said...it isn't finished, but I just think my grandma did such a great job, I had to share! Thank you Nam!! :) I still need to hang curtains and hang a few more things on the walls. I would love to paint the dresser white and the drawers with an ombre effect...but I don't have time for that at the moment with a newborn and an 18 month old running around haha. :)

Gavin {1 Month}

My dear sweet Gavin,

You turned one month on April 6th.
I read something recently that said a baby is only a "newborn" for the first month...
...excuse me, what?
I refuse to believe that one very short month goes by and suddenly my baby is no longer a newborn.

But as much as I don't want to admit, you have changed SO much already.
You are definitely getting much chubbier and you are awake more during the day.
You are growing, growing, growing right before my very eyes.

Here are some pictures of you, my sweet boy.

Of course your big sister, Ava wanted in on the picture-taking action, too.
These days, as soon as I pull out my camera she says, "Cheeeeeeese" and grins from ear to ear.
(But getting her to actually look at the camera or sit still for more than five seconds is next to impossible.)
She sure does love you and I know she will teach you so much about the world. :)

These are some of the highlights of your first month:

• Grandma Webster came to visit and help when you were a few days old. She stayed for 2 weeks and took such good care of us! She gave you your first several baths, which you hated at first, but learned quickly to love them. :)
• Grandpa Schooff arrived the day after Grandma Webster left. He stayed for almost one week and loved getting to know you and holding you for hours on end. While he was here, Grandpa stayed with Ava while you went with Mom and Dad to a play in Oakland. You were absolutely perfect and slept through the entire thing!
• You had your first Easter on March 31st. We dressed you up in the cutest button-up shirt and dressy pants and a vest. You looked so handsome. :)
• We took you to church for the first time when you were 4 weeks old. You slept the entire time in your car seat - what a great boy!

Things to remember:

• Newborn clothes are starting to get too small for you (you are just so tall). But 0-3 month clothes are still too big. You are still in newborn diapers.
• You eat every 3 hours. You are awake for about 20 minutes after eating and then you go to sleep for a couple hours until you are hungry again.
• You are the "gruntiest" baby - constantly grunting in you sleep, trying to get comfortable. You make the cutest little squeaks in your sleep as well.
• You LOVE your car seat, LOVE to be swaddled and LOVE the vibration on your bouncy seat.
• You can hold your head up well and you are starting to smile.
• You don't cry hardly at all - unless you are very, very hungry. Even then, you are easily comforted and soothed.

Well little guy, we absolutely LOVE you.

Somehow I fall deeper and deeper in love with you every day.

I love watching you slowly discovering the world around you.

I already can't imagine my life without you in it.

We are so blessed to have you in our family!

Love always,

Momma :)

Baby Smiles

It is so sweet to see Gavin's little smiles.

I caught a little bit of one on camera. :)

Is there anything cuter or sweeter in this world than a baby smiling for the first time?

4 weeks ago today, Gavin was brand new to this world - hardly opened his eyes at all.

And just four itty-bitty weeks later, he suddenly can smile?!

Too fast, I'm telling you! 

I am clutching onto his newborn-ness as tight as I can - 

but I can already sense it slipping out of my hands!

Geez, I love this baby boy! 

Gavin's Birth Announcement